Nrthwnd

Thanks for all the (current & eventual) updates! EPCOT is definitely getting a lot of attention and care it deserves, after all these years. I hope we'll be able to visit there in a few years, after everything is done.

^ They look so innocent at that age, don't they? btw What's her name?

How about THIS under Scream? Or something similar done to the pavement, underneath it. Done by John Fleming, Artist.

^ Great commercial! Lots of everything in it. Good soundtrack, too.

^^ Great Efteling TR! And I think that the solar paneled roof of Symbolica is one of The Most Beautifully Themed Roofs I've ever seen! Looking forward to your take on Toverland - and hope you didn't get toooo injured, there.

"Abbraca-Barka!" Part 2 (Best I can do, spelling the thing.) The Super Dogs annual show is always a fave for families and general dog lovers. They do try to theme it to something different every year, but the format is basically the same. Lots of dogs, big and small. All with their "special tricks" etc. It's a quick 1/2 hour show that everybody loves. This year they pitted the two sides of the audience against each other. One group was Wish Bone; the other side was T Bone. Yelling and screaming for their fave dogs. A fun time. Best shots are posted here. It's pretty tricky getting good clear shots, with these dogs running around so fast. But I did my best. The starting set up. Suites usually used for sports stuff. I don't think we ever found out what that rope was for. The dogs bring the crowds. Everybody comes out to first say hello. A mini magic act in the middle, with a cute assistant. Who kept pushing things over. Such a sweet pooch! This would get me dizzy, myself. Great jumpers these dogs! End of the show. The mob goes down to greet some of the performers.

"Everything Is SUPER, Today!" Part 1 I spent a few hours up at the "front" of The Fair, today. Had a few Happy Hour brews, checked out their Dinosaur Display (which moved up beside the park's Italian Gardens), and then took in the annual SUPER DOGS Show. This one with a bit of a "magic" theme, though it's mainly a lot of dogs running, climbing, jumping and generally being Super High Octane performers. And treated myself to two classic corn dogs from two different places I'd bought from before. Both good, but one had a definite edge over the other. Noted. My usual entrance. But not today. And that electronic sign is still - showing - nothing! )o: A graffiti mural along the way to the other PNE Gate.. Backs of buildings, and exhibitors' parking. There be Dinos behind these tarps! The Italian Gardens, which are hardly visited much, even during The Fair. Interesting house on the other side of the street. The Coliseum PNE Entrance. You want strollers? I got strollers! End of the 2:30 Super Dogs show. I'll be seeing the 5:30 one. First corn dog of the day. Looks good. With a nice NeFAIRious Happy Hour beer. Good. A bit thin on the corn bread batter, but it's good. A mini train winds it's way through the PNE crowds. Greenery! Ooooo what's this? "Live"? I didn`t bother trying to remember all their names. Too many names to photograph. Yeah, I was lazy. Dinos In A Row. The Big Guy. Another "secret pathway" on the Fair grounds. Canadian National Railway, celebrating it's 100th birthday, had a big display at The Fair. Interesting entrance. Lots of walk through displays and some entertainment, here. And where you can get a train ride through part of The Fair. You can fish here too, at The Fair! Still one of the busier games. My view from the Side Ride Bar, my one beer there, after getting Dollar Popcorn. (o: Who's playing tonight in the PNE Concert Series. Corn Dog #2. Another corn dog, another Happy Hour beer. (o: This 2nd one was awesome! Lots of thick cornmeal batter around the dog. Corn Dog King > The Other One. Two Happy Hour Beers! Yep, everybody needs a break now and then. Glass Blowing is being demonstrated here. I will check that out on a future visit. On the way to Super Dogs... Fried Onions-A-Plenty!

^Sorry, you're right. Right now they still do have two trains. If (and when) Purple is finally fixed up. And as far as RMC-ing Coaster.... I would like Coaster to remain the way it is, somehow. The whole circuit is perfect and still leaves first time riders going WTF? when they return to the station, lol. If it can be RMC'd and not look any different than it did before, including all three trains (hello?), I'd be all for that!

^ Nope. Just the yellow train ONLY. The red train is no more, remember? And the purple train.... yeah, well. And I still say it, but let's face it...when they dismantled Red Train they jinxed them self. That reason they felt they didn't need the "extra train" since they rarely run all three, if at all.... Blah blah Blah. Also back then. All that was left of Red Train is right there. In the middle of Purple Train. And eventually, they repainted Red into Purple. R.I.P. Red.

^ Me too, also glad. But now I keep worrying, if anything happens with the yellow train.....what then? Can this train still be rebuilt, in today's times? And I am asking about replication, not a new style train, w/restraints/belts, blah blah . That would kill Coaster's ride experience for sure. So every time I go by it, or watch it a bit, I hope that nothing happens, etc. KNOCK WOOD Back in May.

R.I.P. Regina TPR 2011 Japan Tour.

^ I watched it and took several photos of it up close. But I didn't smell that smell you described. What you did remind me of, was several coasters and flat rides in "other countries" CHINA that had rubber tires on either the lift hill and/or the brake run into the station. Old ones obviously were in dire need of replacement, and we could smell a few of them, telling us to Get Off This Thing NOW!, etc. But we couldn't, until we got back to the station. Horrible smells. What I find a bit puzzling about Swinger, currently, is the way it slows down and comes down for a landing. Very odd, not swift or 'controlled'. It seems like an afterthought to the controls, lol. "Oh yeah, gotta land this too." Looks wierd to me. I always look at it when I'm there and take a few pics, so I'll check it again, etc.

Seen in the Ride Side Bar, in Playland, during our annual fair, The PNE. It was also on the women's sign. Early this afternoon. I was impressed, and hope their other bathrooms have this. Planning to check this out at the other 'rooms', on my future Fair visits. Awesome!

Gawds, I'm just hearing that they're looking for contestant families for "Family Feud Canada". Ugh. Or it'll flop, because everybody in the families are being too nice to each other. And apologizing from time to time. It's the Canadian Way. Could happen. EDIT: Found out it starts mid-December. Can't wait.

^At this point in my life, drinking alcohol is waaay better for me, than puffing on cigarettes. As I used to do for several decades. Celebrating four+ years off the crap. Good for you about deciding booze isn't for you!

^^ I really enjoy Bug Whirled, every time I ride it. And especially seeing youngsters having a great time with their parents on it, too. It is a great "starter thrill coaster" for young children. Glad they got one of these. And that Swinger.......the first time I rode it, opening day, I thought they were nuts, running it that fast! I couldn't believe the speed this thing went. Then it was closed down, and I 'heard" they were attempting to lower the speed on it, a bit. Apparently, after your riding it, they didn't LOL! I love the screams coming from it now. ^ Listen, I was surprised to see that on the sign! I never expected them to do it, but there it is. Good for The PNE! I can't wait to see how everything goes, at "Out At The Fair Day" on the 29th! And as far as the car goes.... yes, we're a very "cosmic people" here in Vancouver. You should see some of the other cars running around this town, lol! Is this cosmic enough for you? With a little shout out to CP. Playland Nights19+ shot.

A few of these, at our annual fair, The PNE, this afternoon..... It was here, at Playland's Ride Side Bar.... ...during their Happy Hour. A special Mexican lager, created for The Fair! I love the name of it, too! The Brewery involved. With the PNE's Logo! And it was a nice beer, too.

^ Obviously, it should be two candles, but there ya are!

"A Couple of Hours in Playland at The PNE" Every year, as always, I find myself "on a budget" during the first week of The Fair. It's just the timing with my retirement income, coming in at the end of each month. That said, I can't go crazy buying stuff and eating/drinking stuff as well, during this first week of The Fair. So today, I went and stayed in Playland, having a few Happy Hour beers, taking photos, eating my first "specialty corn dog", playing a Quarters Drop game in the Arcade.... and getting my dollar popcorn, and a soft drink. Easy! And - Coaster was running! I talked to the ride ops at the West Coast Wheel, and they told me, after the incident with the purple train on BC Day, things were fixed up. Then the Safety Inspector came in, took a look, and declared..."only one train running, during the entire Fair." Which means ultra HUGE queue lineups for Coaster, during the entire Fair. I'm planning to be back on Thursday, but will spend time at the "front" of The Fair and see what happens. In the mean time, here's the photos I took today... Doesn't look too busy here at the Playland PNE Entrance. What's this? What's this? Coaster is Running! (o: Sadly, The Beast is not. Destination arrived! I decided to get one of their specialty beers, just brewed for the PNE! The actual brewery name. With the PNE logo on it. It was a nice Mexican Lager. I had a couple more. THIS is what strollers were made for: PNE games prizes! Small winnings. One of the busier games. I would like to win this. But I probably won't. First specialty corn dog of the year. "Spicy with crispy jalepenos." In the cooker, there. My corn dog. Here it is! And - meh. Not spicy. And where the F were the crunchy jalapenos? Not that great a "spicy" corn dog at all, in my Humble Opinion! Glass House needs a bit of cleaning, already. My tickets win for the day. Security huddle at the Ride Side Bar. Cool for them to add this. Future corn dogs. Only $4 each. Little, but good if I remember last year. The PNE Mob. The kids' train is running again, too. Final shot, before I left The Fair. On the way home from the bus stop. Neat!

^ Good call.

"A Glass From The (PNE) Past!" We finally moved a bunch of stemware glasses and such from a much needed shelf in a kitchen cupboard. And in behind a lot of un-used glass....was this! A PNE wine glass that I got, when I took part in their (back then) Wine Tasting "attraction". You bought tickets to buy wine samples, and for a certain minimum amount spent, they threw in this glass, for FREE! I have no idea how old this is, but nowadays, you can drink freely around the PNE grounds - except for Playland which is it's own booze zone, but has the Ride Side Bar in it, to drink as well as the main grounds. One just can't travel into the other's zone. Still a long long way forward, considering what they had to do, to have beer and liquor in The Fair. And the glass is in good shape too! Not many, if any, scratches on it, no chips to note. Good for me! All dusted and cleaned up. This logo's been with the PNE for a long, long time. Grapes Scott, Batman!

^ They could also be gay parents too, but you never found that out, right?

https://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=76997 Some people are probably still wondering...

^ Wow! That's both thrilling and scary to see at the same time! Great photo.