Nrthwnd

~ Victoria Day Weekend at The Park ~ The Commonwealth countries (like Canada) celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday, even though she was actually born in another month. It's a stat holiday, like the upcoming memorial Day is for the U.S.A. Many banks are closed, no snail mail delivery or garbage pickup. A lot of retail stores stay open, and have big sales. Just like Memorial Day in the U.S.A. Saturday and Sunday were packed, which surprised even some of the rides ops. During this weekend, a big rodeo happens in the Fraser Valley, and has as well, it's own huge midway to enjoy. So a lot of us figured the crowds would be there, in Chilliwack. Not so. There was apparently enough crowd to go round, including Playland. And for today - today it was overcast, light rain from time to time, and hardly any people at all at the park. Go figure. And once again.... yeah well, eventually the swings will be swinging with riders in the seats! And I got four rides on Coaster. The first five photos were shot on Saturday (in the sunshine), and the rest were taken today with grey skies overhead... Sunny and almost cloudless on Saturday. Whee! Air Conditioner Grafitti. Today, it's overcast, but not pouring down on the yellow train. It's moving! But..... no riders. )o: The sign's finally up. Crazy Beach Party Butt! Hardly anyone down there. No mountain views today. One more shot, and I'm done.

Well, after all that happened last night, all I have to say is.... Good dragon.

^ Bizarre. So all of those lights that it travels backwards through, are totally off for the forward part? Just checking, here. I'd ride it, whatever it does. A new reason to go to Tokyo Dome City.

This was just listed in our "Events" section of Cineplex.com ~ for those who never got to see it live on Broadway, in London, or on tour.... Coming to a movie screen near you!

Yes. Yes it does. And in Tokyo DisneySea's version, too. Two 4-seaters (back to back), linked together.

Dæmonen Tivoli Gardens (Copenhagen, Sjælland, Denmark) TPR 2014 Scandi Tour.

^

Pretty. Very pretty. Going to love seeing it all lit up at night, too.

^ Yep. You're pregnant.

Fixed. Ouch.

^ Yeah, it's pretty sweet with that lap bar NOT resting on your lap, LOL! Every so often when I am boarding a train, I overhear someone suddenly say "There's no seat belts?" or "It's not coming down all the way!", heh heh. Love it. And that's why she's smiling. She's not stapled, into the seat!

^ Wow, forgot about that tower ride! We had one at Playland years and years ago, near the front of the park. A double decker, just like this one. Great views of the mountains and downtown, and over to the islands. Pardon that the photo is so big. I couldn't reduce it. From the Vancouver Archives/PNE.

"Canadien" and "Canadienne"......? So the entry sign is male, and the river ride is female. And Nigloland looks great! Thanks for sharing your visit there. And you can never have too many fries.

^ And the same t-shirt, too! I don't think I have one, that's lasted that long. And still in great shape, like yours. Happy Post B-Day.

Our Stella turns 8 years old next month, and she can still surprise us... David holding some dried seaweed (she loves it) above her. Smart cat. (o;

^ Oh well, it was a good idea (2-1/2D) while we thought of it, lol. Of course, it could be applied to the EPCOT version, still?

There was a really lush-looking caterpillar ride in Mirabilandia park, which had what looked like a red velvety like cover for it. Unfortunately, I didn't get to ride it, but it sure looked lovely, compared to the mechanical old-style versions I'd seen, long ago. EDIT: I looked into finding images, and it looks like this wasn't a real Caterpillar like original ones, but rather a Music Express that had a red cover going over it. Not exactly the same, but it still looked great, when I saw it running (TPR 2010 Euorpe Tour).

http://www.tdrexplorer.com has just posted some new construction shots (Thank You!) of everything going on in Tokyo Disneyland. Here's a couple of the photos, showing work in the expanded Fantasyland. The village around Beast's Castle is starting to show. On the left: The New Theatre. On the right: Beauty & The Beast.

^ That's what I thought of, and was going to add. This new "2+1/2D" tech that they've developed for M&MsRR, could be applied to other dark rides, that use screens, if it all works out.

^ And I wonder if this will also be related to EPCOT's Ratatouille attraction, when it opens? Maybe they'll experiment not using the 3D glasses there, too.

Yep.

^ Too bad they didn't consider adding a Catawampus hidden somewhere along the ride.

^ I rode the one in Thorpe Park back in 2006. And vowed NEVER to EVER ride one of those things again. Sorry for others who love it. But for me, a "one and done" definitely. And Molasses ran way faster than this thing, either going up/down vertical and/or "spinning" (ha). I miss the original Mad Mouse metal layouts. It was great with more dips than the current ones, do. I also miss the original Caterpillar ride. That was exceptionally scary, for it's speed, and usually located right beside the Mad Mouse, when the PNE was running, back then. With a neat green and yellow striped (lengthwise) cover that would suddenly engulf the ride, to screams and laughs. Fun ride. I took a photo of it, in 2010, to remind myself NOT to ride this thing, ever again. TPR 2010 UK Tour. My fave lost flat ride. Original Mad Mouse at our PNE in Vancouver. From YVR Archives.

^ Me too, although I'm not sure if David will be into it, when we're there this September. Then again, the possibility of getting soaked will call for some strategic "clothing plans". EDIT: Just thought of it. I'll put David at the "water guns", hoping when we float by, it'll backfire on him.

^ & ^^ Yeah, well this is nothing new. In previous years, when The Beast and AtmosFEAR had their respective openings, they went down almost immediately. For "one thing or another." Usually technical, but I think the ways the Unions work here, they (PNE) actually have not that much time, after a new ride is built, to test it as long as some U.S. chains (or other parks I suppose) do. So after all that's said, it still is frustrating to see it down - and it was also down this entire past weekend, so.... there ya go! Retro Playland Non-Event: 2014. The "Final Season" for Crazy Beach Party never happened. It was just moved to the north side of the park, and The Beast took up it's spot, in 2015.