Dragon Khan

awsome pictures. I particularly like the close up of Avatar. A ride I regret riding but once, but I was oooo jetlagged on this day that I had to leave early for a nap in the hotel's lobby. This was just the start of an exhausting, though PERFECT trip. Glad I met you on this one, Chuck

^ let's drive together, I'm Belgian too

^very true: I often tend to simply confuse spinning coasters with spinning mice, just because most of the time the first category includes some tight unbanked turns but is mostly followed by more profile elevation changes and banked spinning parts. Also, do all mice spin on a part of the track only ? Because it seems to me spinning coasters spin all the way round, once released from the lift chain. But I may be mistaken since I usually ride them just for the credit...

^Jason, I really think this coaster wanted to play with my nerves LOL. This being said, indeed, it is an obsessive ride, and it may have had some downtime, but I still got the feeling that we saw it run a LOT more consistently than KK which is more often down than up and running. But your piece of advice is excellent: ride those things as soon as you can. You're never sure how temperamental they will be. But CP is absolutely great at fixing things. Some parks would probably call it a day when a ride breaks down at night. Here, they really did their best to reopen it AFTER 10 !!! (closing time) What good memories with Trent falling asleep while I was starting a nervous breakdown for fear of not riding it anymore LOL

One of my home parks (Bobbejaanland) used to have a double mouse. They got rid of one side (which went to Parque Attracciones in Madrid if i'm not mistaken) It seems next year, they are getting a spinning model. So they'll have both. Do you consider this redundant ? (none will be enclosed). And I'd be curious to know if other parks with both types notice a bigger ridership on one or the other...

^oh, I have never been on this one (never been to Kennywood) I guess you'll know before me since you're doing TRTCP As for the Dark Knight, indeed, I rode the one at SFGAdv and SFGAM, and that is exactly where my "put something in the box" comment comes from. As fun as the whole experience was fun (pre show, mirror with special FX on your face and so on), I still think something was missing in the coaster part of it. I'm sure something better could have been done, when I see what Bobbejaanland once did with their ®Evolution coaster. I know it was no wild mouse but I'm quite sure those FX could be included with no diffiulty

that's a VERY interesting question, I think. I'm no big fan of either of those, but this is a question I have often asked myself, living in an area where parks are relatively small, hence they cannot afford Intamins or B&M's like they would probably want. So I often wonder if one of my homeparks were to add a smallish coaster, what would it be and what would I or the GP prefer ? The only Mice I loved were the wooden ones at Blackpool and the defunct one at Southport pleasureland. These are out of the question (Knoebels should give a try though). I think a classic mouse can be a good dark ride (if you put interesting effects in the box). A spinning is visually funnier and for this reason shouldn't be enclosed, on the other hand.

I think the coaster I have ridden most is Sirocco / Turbine, Schwarzkopf shuttle loop at my home park. Probably more than 150 times. The one I have a very accurate idea of, is Dragon Khan (who would have thought ?) with a very sharp 100 (one hundred), and my 100th ride on it was a "Private Ride", meaning I was allowed by the operators to take this one alone at night, with no one on the train but me. Have I mentionned I have been in love with this coaster for 15 years ?

Don't worry, it's not supposed to stay this way but will sport yellow supports and black track, according to an interview given by the park owners.

Yes, we can !!! (copyright on this ?)

GREAT as expected, Robb ! I even play it on slow motion to remember and watch everyone have fun. OMG BoulderDash ERT, I miss you sooooo much...

I have become addicted to those more traditional parks since this awsome trip. Actually, Knoebels and Compounce were the parks I was not especially looking forward to. They were doubtlessly BEST DAYS of ECT2008. I'm so excited to receive this DVD soon, this will bring back good "old" memories, but will get me even more excited to see some of the great people I met next August on Mid America 2010 !!! Will post my comment as soon as I receive and devour my copy !

Well, I went through some of those pages, being a father myself, I see amusement parks differently now. I like it when my 2 kids can enjoy rides SAFELY and will never try to break park rules BUT let me play the devil's advocate. One of my favourite parks is Port Aventura in Spain. But OMG where and how did they decide on the height requirements ? seems they impose them randomly when you compare similar rides at other parks. They have ridiculous requirements for very tame rides, meaning kids don't have access to many rides... but they have to pay nevertheless (and even if the price for them is lower, it's absolutely not justified by the amount of rides they can enjoy) another important point: Maybe some of you have been in contact with Arrow Dynamix in the past. They used to issue a kind of newsletter called "DIRECTIONS". For those of you who have some left, check and you'll see that EVEN THE RIDE MANUFACTURER explains the case of a child who was too short, and they LET IT RIDE with shoes with "higher soles" (sorry if the word is not correct, French being my mother tongue) So WTF ? if EVEN RIDE MANUFACTURERS "advertise" this kind of behaviour, it's hard to impose discipline on the GP !!!

a bit off topic but related to one of the pics though: funny to see a Schwarzkopf Looping Star with a 6 car train ! they usually run 7 car trains (at least the different models i have ridden). Does it lead to a less intense ride ? I'm asking because it seems Olympia Looping often operates shorter trains and was a bit of a disappointment for me. I heard that when operated with 7 car trains, this ride REALLY delivers.

OMG, a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop for sale for "only" $ 399.000 !!! I want to buy it, looking for co-owners. This coaster's value is even higher now the one at my home park is practically condemned and will probably be dismantled next year ( the infamous Sirocco, later renamed and enclosed Turbine... yes, that's it... the hangtime record holder Anton) I'm in love with those (flywheel version) as Sirocco was one of the first coasters I ever rode. My idea is this is the perfect ride to put into a mall of some kind. Would even make me like shopping...

Wow... I was so excited to ride the coaster has been raving about for so long already, but some told me it had become a bit rough. This however is subjective. If those trains impak rove the ride, this is doubtlessly THE coaster i'm looking forward to for Middle America. I just hope those trains don't ruin the ride like Kumbak trains did on Stampida in Spain. Those are an abomination

After a long silence on TPR, I'm back on the boards and so excited I have just sent my deposit for Middle America. Looking forward to seeing some really good friends i made during East Coast 2008, my best vacation ever... SO FAR !!!

I'm so impressed with Nick's shirt purchase... Hey, Jason, was he faster than me to pick one ? I'm sure you'll avoid gift shops with me at all costs now

How frustrating it is to live so far away !!! Nick and Kerry's faces on those pics are FANTASTIC !!! They could be used for advertising, without a doubt. Did Kerrygirl YELL like on some Allentown inverted B&M ? Next step for you, Jason: a TALL drop tower, hands up, and looking dooooooowwwwwnnnnn !!!!!

Great pics, as usual, Jason. So sorry I'm not strong enough to swim across the ocean. All those faces bring back good memories. Too cool you're coming next summer, Jay. Can't wait to meet again. Now I know you like pastries, I'll challenge you with Belgian ones !!!

I really like your nightshots. I seem unable to shoot proper pictures in the dark myself. Welcome to TPR. Oh, by the way, I'm Belgian too... I guess Turbine was closed on your visit ? Too bad there's so much downtime at Walibi's best ride...

^Funny you talk about Florida, as it's another option I was considering... Well, maybe we may be add on mates, who knows ? I'll post as soon as I have a clearer view of what's ahead.

As an ECT2008 participant, I can say without the slightest doubt, this vacation was the best ever. Just wanted to tell if I'm not sure about doing a trip next summer, it's certainly not because of my last trip experience, since this one was just INCREDIBLE!!! Well, I have already been to Magic Mountain and I'm no big fan of Disney (except when I visit with the kids), so West Coast is a bit less appealing to me this year. Deep South PLUS Texas would probably be a bit expensive for me (coming from overseas, 2 flights and so on...) The only options for me will then be Deep South plus adding a few days to a destination of my choice... Cedar Point comes to my mind, I want to see how TTD and KK compare. Deep South only is too short for me to make the flight worth it. Anybody out there who would be interested in joining me (CP either before or after DS)? Nothing sure right now, but knowing I'm not on my own might make a decision easier...

Let's expand the trend to other Six Flags parks... Kentucky Kingdom... well, Gang Bang on Chang ? (works for any Boomerang too) I also have an idea for Cedar Fair's Backlot coasters, or at least for their old Paramount name. No need to tell... you've guessed correctly Or Spaceshot could rhyme with... no, forget it. Robb, feel free to delete my post

^ DON'T LAUGH ! That's exactly what they had to do with Goudurix, the Vekoma Death Machine at Parc Asterix: The last piece of track had to be pulled with ropes and then bolted / welled to close the track ! A friend of mine even had a (copyrighted) video of this being done ! no joke !