RAWKIN_coaster38

The Bay Area news just showed the POV of Fury 325 and said it was the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster. Um, no. Not even close.

Nope! We need rain in California! Are you visiting a new park this year?

I couldn't tell from their website, but does Universal Orlando sell annual passes that work for USH or vice versa?

AGHH I just got done interviewing with Busch Gardens Tampa and I might be working as a camp counselor for their summer camps! If I get the job, I'd literally be getting paid to ride roller coasters with children (Montu ), see the animals and learn about zoology (and going behind the scenes too I think? I LOVE animals!), go to Seaworld, a water park, the beach, touring around Florida, all while having my room and board paid and 1.5 days off a week to maybe go to..ORLANDO??? I've never been to any parks in Florida so this would be so awesome!! I'm so psyched to have this opportunity! I really hope they hire me! If they do, you guys will hear about it

Yes but not to an amusement park in Florida Do you shower every day?

That looks amazing. Such cute pictures of Kristin and the dolphin! I would love to visit this park whenever I go to Orlando, and there's so many bonuses that the price would be alright. Unlimited beer? Sign me up! Thanks for the TR!

Thank you! I'll post it in the happiness thread if/when I get the job! Can't celebrate yet but I appreciate your confidence in me

Are the animals really all that much of a draw? Other than the marine sections (dolphins and sea lions specifically), I have never seen huge foot traffic in the animal areas. One could even argue that Odin's Temple isn't really a DRAW despite the crowds it attracts. Just playing devil's advocate here to a degree, but the back area of the park has always seemed a bit desolate to me. That is true, but the dolphin stadium is almost always close to full every show, and lots of people go to watch the dolphins in that tank over near V2. So yeah, it's mainly the dolphins. If they got rid of them, I'd be out! Although I do think there are enough people who come to the park more for the animals and shows (my parents were two) than you think. I heard SFDK sells the most season passes in the chain just under SFGAdv and SFMM and it's definitely not because of the coasters! (My sister just told me she once met a dad and little adorable son at Marine World who told her they came every weekend just to see the elephants. AWWW!!) I was there today and I overheard someone ask the Superman ride op about the double rides thing and he told them they could do double rides but the employees weren't going to ask anyone about it because they didn't want everyone taking double rides. Contrast this to the Medusa crew announcing that everyone could get double rides (Medusa is back to running two trains now, BTW). I did end up getting double rides twice on Superman, so it wasn't a problem, but most people had no idea they could do that today.

It's possible but the animals are a huge draw for the park. I didn't know there were only two elephants left but they have over 20 dolphins and lots more other animals. I could see them getting rid of some of the animals there are less of/less of a draw to but I don't see them getting rid of everything any time soon. Although it would be really cool to get a ride over there, I feel like they'd be more likely to put another animal show/exhibit in that area. Or maybe a ride/animal exhibit!

From screamscape Has anyone else heard about this? We won't have elephants anymore? I think this shows SFDK really does care about the wellbeing of their animals and I think it's a very noble thing to do to send them where they would be happier (I still miss Shouka a lot but I think that was a good move for her too). Still, it's going to be weird no longer having elephants. The orcas and the elephants were staples for the old Marine World. We no longer have any of these animals. What do you think will happen with the old elephant areas?

Yes Do you plan to credit whore this year?

OMG I'm interviewing next week with Busch Gardens Tampa to work at their summer camp as a counselor!! WOO!! I might be getting paid to basically have fun at the park with children

Yes Are you good at math?

Better than nothing!

I, too, would like to see better landscaping under Scream, but I don't see why they would ever do it. Scream definitely isn't their best coaster and spending a ton of money for the ground beneath it to look better probably wouldn't draw that many new riders to it. TC is going to be the best coaster at the park and I haven't heard them planning any theming or landscaping for that.

Fix'd. Yesterday my mom told me her students were doing a project on roller coasters and she told them I get "points" for riding roller coasters. She then asked me how many points I get for each coaster I ride. It was cute She tries.

I think leaving a bit of old track will be a nod to what it was before. Personally, I don't mind it being there. Makes it interesting.

Thanks for the pictures, great update! These photos just made me even more excited to ride this wonderful thing. And I'm loving the new colors on Scream!

All the time. Do you like reality TV shows?

Yay we have the highest gas tax! And not wonderful public transit coupled with long drives across state....we don't have much of a choice except to pay it! Interesting to see though. Road trip in Alaska??

This has all been very enlightening. Joey and Robb touched on some points that were exactly what makes me feel hesitant to work for a park. There was once when I went to my home park with a previous employee and hearing all the behind-the-scenes stuff took a little of the magic away from my experience. I applied this summer for a summer camp job at Busch Gardens which seemed a little more up my alley than working in the rides department, but I might do something else this summer even if I get that job. At this point, I think the only job I'd want at a park would be working with animals at an animal park, or possibly working in the higher ups and using my degrees. How hard is it to get a job in corporate? And do you guys think that would still take away a lot of the magic or would it be more bearable?

I was about to go yesterday too but Friday night I wasn't feeling up to it. Glad I put it off till next Saturday/Sunday. I forgot to mention but Superman took about half an hour and Medusa was about 35-40 minutes. This was about midday. Next weekend will surely be better as it's not a holiday weekend. I might go next weekend too.

Goliath at SFGAm would definitely be my fave short ride. Second place goes to Dragster and Kingda Ka. Honorable mention goes to S:UF at SFDK because that barrel roll still makes me pretty effing nervous.

Both but I'll pick swimming. Cheesy horror or cheesy romance?