65skylark

^ LOL. We didn't visit Silverwood untill the 7th but we could have totally met up if I would have known. I agree Timber Terror is great and I would say even under-rated. The thing I love about Timber is that it is SO re-ridable. Tremors is great but probably a bit over-rated. #4 in the world accord to Mitch Hawkers poll. No doubt the most acurate poll out there, but, I'd say that's a little high. And, yes, the lazy creek with the swim up bar is the best idea EVER! Just long enough that by the time you floated around you were finished with your margarita and ready for another. I could do that all day.

^ That be the one. Funny, of the hundred or so times you've posted that, I've never noticed that huge zit on my nose. Makes me look pretty sexy don't ya think?

How have I missed this thread! Wally, you and Ted make a great couple. Congratulations! Sorry Catrina. Oh and Wally, if you ever need to make fun of someone, you can always post your favorite picture

OK, so I did this super huge - at least for me - ongoing PTR over at Coasterfanatics.com this last week of my families trip to Silverwood July 6th through 9th. Now that it is completed - it was 6 parts posted over five days and includes over 100 pictures - I thought I would post a link here as I am too lazy to upload all of my pictures again. So if your interested go here. P.S. Includes a POV of Tremors! Guaranteed best Tremors POV on the web or I'll eat my Tatsu Media Day shirt.

^ Great comments. The more people respond about what they like in a video, the more I realize just how different everyones tastes are. I generally tend to prefer a video that is very tightly edited and paced well. Also the music choice is big for me. If I don't like the song I will probably not like the video. I really don't care much about the "fun factor" in a video. That's not to say I don't like seeing people having fun, but, it is not something I specificly look for or expect in a good video. I guess overall there really isn't a certain criteria that a video must fit for me to like it. Justin "thanks for the Silverwood video comments" Saxe.

Wow. I quit reading this thread for a few weeks and all of the sudden everyone is taking there clothes off and Wally's growing pot in his back yard.

^ Its kind of strange, but, I also have an LCD monitor 19", but videos always come out darker no matter what I do. In the past, on my own videos, I would use cleanning effects on a few darker shots to brighten them up, then, watch them on my 42'' LCD HDTV, and they would be too bright so I stopped doing this and just trusted the video would come out ok when whatching it on a TV. I don't think I'm the only one who experiences this as I've heard others say the same about there LCD monitors vs there TV's.

Of the last group Jarvis' video stood out from the rest for me even though I despise that song it worked well for the video. After re-watching all of the videos I had set aside as possible top 5 choices only 2 really stand out as definite finalists for me. #1 Julian Johnson's " Don't Look Down 2005" Again, a video with a song I thought was terrible, but, totally worked! I feel this is the stand out of all 26 finalist. Nothing in this video was a negative for me so it is my #1. #2. Paul Ruiz De Miguel's "Parque De Attactiones" Another stand-out from the final 26. Great editing and the Intamin Drop Tower flick was awesome. Again really nothing negative to say about this one. Bonus points for the line jumping ending! After those 2 I have a harder time choosing a final 3. As of now I've narrowed it to 8 videos that I will have to watch a few more times in order to decide. They are (in no particular order)..... Kevin Gillan's "what We Learned On Vacation" I honestly thought the beginning took away from the video. It was certainly original but just didn't fit IMO. As for the video that followed, I really enjoyed it. Solid editing and some really great shots of some really great coasters. Upbeat and well paced. An overall solid video. Mark Owens' "Bush Gardens/Cypress Gardens" This is one of those videos that I would honestly say was just average when it came to overall quality in editing and filming but I couldn't help but have fun watching it. You could really tell that you guys were having a great time and the video was just a fun video to watch. Simple as that. Tom Muller's "Port Adventure" A very solid video that will most likely make my top 5. Very good editing and a good song choice. This one also had a nice element of "fun" to it. My only knock on this one is that it really didn't have anything that stood out in it for me. A very basic coaster video that was very well done. Nicolas Chavance's "Efteling" As others have already stated it was almost like watching a short film. #1 video of the group for cinematography. Not a #1 video for me personally simply because of the slower pace and really just overall tone and feel of the video. Excellent video but just the opposite of Mark Owens Busch Gardens video for me in that it was extremely well done but just didn't have that certain feel that hit home for me on a personal level. Jonathan Hawkins' "Midwest Conquest" I have seen many of Johnathan's videos over the last couple years and this ones as good as any I've seen him do. One thing I like about all of Johnathan's video's is his variety in music choices. It is evident that he spends a lot of time in choosing the right song and this video is no exception. Like some of my other top choices it probably isn't the best in overall quality but after watching you are left with no doubt that those Rideworld guys (and girls) know how to have fun. also, it probably doesn't hurt that I have met several of the people in this video. Albert Lam's "Knott's Halloween Haunt" A very well paced tightly edited video. Definitely captures the feel of this great event. The song choice was also a good fit. One of the bad things about this video is the fact that it is filmed entirely in the dark and many of the shots are hard to see. Some of that, I'm sure, is because we are viewing it on a computer and it would look much better in a TV set. Also I would have liked to see a little more ride footage even though I know it was the haunt event that was the focus of the video. Lars & Cornelias Theissen's "Coaster Season 2005" Yet another one of those videos I just really had fun watching. Probably won't quite end up in my final top 5 but a fun video none the less. Jarmor Morant's "My Hump" I HATE THAT SONG! Jarmor did a great job though and it did fit. Another well edited video and I really liked the POV transitions from one ride to another. Very solid. So that's my top ten. I honestly would put my own Silverwood video at about number 4 or 5, but, I am obviously a little biased with that one. Its been a great contest and I'm just happy I was able to be a part of it. Videos are so subjective depending on what you like and the above comments were simply my own opinion and really mean nothing. I really don't feel there was a "bad" video in the bunch. Justin "let the voting begin" Saxe

My daughter is only 8 and my son is 6. We were there together in March and they were both able to ride Goliath, X, Ninja, Colossus, Superman and Psyclone along with the kiddie coasters. If your son is 10 he should be able to ride everything in the park unless he is very small for his age. If so, they will let you take him through the line with you and then wait with one parent while the other one rides. Then you just switch. Just like wrs28330 said. I have been there many times with my family and have never felt unsafe. They really are taking steps to make it a more family oriented park. You should have a good time. Just be prepared for the posibility of long lines.

Best part of the camp-out! Hey, my shirt is an ever popular large. Just Paypal me 50 bucks and it's yours Justin "I'm wearing my T-shirt as I type this" Saxe.

I check in a few times throughout the evening. First to see if there are any new updates on the home page. Then to the Donkey Forum, the Random Forum, and lastly the Professional Armature Videographer Forum. Like most people have already stated, I also do not read TR's without photos. I really don't have any specific method when it comes to reading a topic. If it looks like something I'm interested in, then I will read it. If not I don't. I will occasionally use chat but not very often as my typing skills have much to be desired. I have never checked the Games Forum and rarely Ask Alvey. And I agree 100% that simple is better.

Loved the pictures. I really liked the one of the Giant Dipper from the Santa Cruz Warf.

^ I agree with you on my Silverwood video. It was honestly a last minute decision to put it together so I would have more than one video to submit and I didn't get it as dialed as I would have liked. Also, as you said, it was lacking in the "fun" department. I just got home from work and got to watch the other four and I'm just glad I made the cut. I absolutely LOVE all of Julian's videos and feel that his is the best of the first 5. I have Dontlookdown.org saved in my favorites. All his videos are great. I think I liked Vertigo a little better but this one was lights out on the editing. Great job!

Well, at least one of my videos made it! Looking forward to seeing everyones entries. This is my first year actually entering a video and I'm just excited one made the cut. Justin "this made my morning" Saxe.

Ok, so by that logic, Steel Dragon 2000 is the best ride ever, at $50 million, it is much better than the pathetic $9 million that Balder cost.. or the rediculous $12-15 million that SFNE's ROS cost... yea... I can totally buy that logic - Joe I didn't say anything about Everst being the best ride. I didn't even say it was the best themed ride because, as I said, that could be very subjective depending on what you are in to. I did say that it was the MOST themed ride. Period. And dollars have a huge impact on the amount of theming as it cost money to add theming. You may not like the theming or the ride but it is still the most themed coaster ever built. I will be the 1st person to say that money dosn't always equall quality when it comes to a coaster or its theming. One of my favorite coasters is Giant Dipper at Santa Cruz Beach Boadwalk. Built in 1923 it dosn't have any theming and it is great. Just making an observation sense this thread was about theming and not how good the ride is.

I guess "best themed" could be a subjective term depending on what you like and don't like. If say, you do not like coasters themed as huge mountains, then Everest may not be what you would consider the best themed. However, it is not even debatable, in my opinion, that Everest is the "most highly themed" coaster in not only the US but the world. Period. They spent a reported 100 mil on that thing and while I obviously don't know exactly how much went into the coaster itself I can guarantee it was less than half. That's over 50 mil on theming. No way any other coaster comes close to that.

It ran great for me but I still prefer to download.

Very nice. I'm hoping to make it there in early December.

Nice TR Wally. I would have taken more pictures myself but I'm the moron whose camera got destroyed because I forgot to take it out of my coats side pocket. Justin "I need a new camera" Saxe.

Riding Silver Bullet during a hail storm sucks ass.

I have 2 kids. 1 girl and 1 boy and I wouldn't go back for anything. There is nothing in the world like having two kids running for the door screaming "Daddy" when you get home from work to to erase everything bad from your mind. There are definately times that are difficult with kids but the advatages outweigh the disadvanteges by a mile. Plus, now that our kids are finaly tall enough to ride most of the rides at all the parks we go to, it is much funner to visit them with kids than it was without. Nothing like watching a kid (or adult for that matter) ride something like a rocket coaster or hyper for the first time.

Driving down on the March 4th. 5th through 9th in no particular order. DLR Lego Land Belmont for a few rides on Giant Dipper Universal Adventure City Santa Monica Pier. Check into Knott's Hotel Friday. Solace Saturday WCB/Robb and Elissa's party Sunday. Long hideous 15 hr drive back to Portland on Monday. Ted, if you and Catrina (and anyone else) want to get a few drinks at the hotel bar with Sandi and I, let me know. We are bringing a babysitter with us

Tremors has really only one moment of really good air in between the first and second tunnel. Other than that just a few bunny hop sections with some air but not a lot. It is a coaster know more for its intense laterals and out of control feeling. There is a POV posted on this site that is a little shaky but you can get an idea of what the ride is like. Also I posted a video of Silverwood in the armature videographer section that has some good shots of Tremors. Silverwood Video Tremors POV

McMenamins Hammerhead Ale. Fantastic amber ale.

Elissa's birthday sounds fun to me. My wife Sandi's birthday is just a week before the party also. BTW, not trying to sound pushy but I was just wondering when we were going to get the details about how to get to your place. The only reason I ask is because we are leaving a week before WCB on the 3rd so unless I can find an internet caffe or something I won't be able to check my emails or this site for info.