Nrthwnd

"I do love to coast along the seaside..." (or words to that effect) On our way to our next hotel, Robb started talking about having a "bathroom break," or something like that. For most of us, that was fine. But as we were getting closer to "the break," several of us noticed a boomerang coaster far, far in the distance. And it was getting closer! Turns out, Robb & Elissa had arranged with the Pleasure Island management, that we were in the need of "extra credits". So they literally Opened The Park to us, for the two coasters we rode (the boomerang and a family coaster) and as well, several minutes on their gi-normous Pendulus, a frisbee. It was intense but total bliss! Thanks Robb and Elissa and Pleasure Island! After that, and an overnight at our hotel, we headed to two parks by the sea, like Pleasure Island was. First up was Fantasy Island Skegness, home to Jubilee Odyssey a huge Vekoma SLC. Unfortunately, and as hard as they tried working on it, the coaster couldn't be opened for us or the gp. But we made do with the four other coasters in the park. Except - one kiddie coaster in particular (Jellikins) was NOT going to allow everybody on it. The cars were sooooooo tiny, I would have had to stand in it, which would have made for an interesting ride, lol. But a couple of people on the tour managed to fit in and get that credit . And we had an 'interesting' lunch where everybody's order arrived....except my chili order! Grrrr. Took a fairly long long (too long) time, but I did get it finally, it was good, and that was that. I also picked up a pair of pants at the park's many many MANY clothes stalls and market area. The other seaside park we visited was Boulton's Pleasure Beach Skegness, which for myself, resembled a smaller version (in spots) of Blackpool! There were a few rides literally above others, and there many many stairs to reach all of them. Also, I rode another one of those Evil Waltzters, with equally evil ride ops spinning us intensely around and around and.... And like Dondopna at Fuji-Q, I thought my eyeballs were going to be pulled out of their sockets! It also had a rather wild spinning Wild Mouse, and one of the very rare Inverted Kiddie Coasters, called Queen Bee. It wasn't too intense and was actually an interesting new experience for me. And after this pair of parks visits, we were off to our final hotel of the UK part of the tour, and our final park - Thorpe. Boomerang at Pleasure Island. A nice surprise for everybody, thanks to Robbm Elissa and PI management. Before the big SPLASH on the flume at Fantasy Island. One of the coaster we did ride at Fantasy Island - Millenium - I thought it was great coaster, and actually rode it a few times@ And this is Jellikins Coaster, with ONLY Ginny (back car) and Mike (middle car) able to ride, from our group.. Lunch is......almost.....served. And the guys at my table were so nice to wait as long as they could before everything they had got cold. And they were so sweet to 'reserve' space for my (eventual) chili order. Thanks guys! Boultons - with a Wacky Worm and that crazy spinning coaster in back, high above the beach. Couldn't get the shot of anybody in their (evil) Waltzer car. They were spinning too fast. Way too fast. Cursed ride ops. Back on the bus - heading back to London. And Thorpe park.

Same goes for SLCs around the world - they are everywhere. And as well, various knock-off SLCs are found in other countries.

Canada Post made an announcement concerning the (possible/probable) phasing out of home mail delivery altogether in five years! Businesses will still get delivery. But by then, we will all have 'community boxes' set up for picking up mail. Fun. I realize that the internet has lessened snail mail more and more every year. But still - it'll be a sad day (for me) if and when this change happens. This is more a than a .

I thought this was a great coaster, especially with the speeding through the trenches near the end.

Goodness, all those giant balls! Ornaments. Great photos, especially the night ones.

And so...

^ Cool! Lucky you guys.

Thanks. And good wishes on your future #400, too! And this somehow reminded me - at the Alton Towers Hotel, Robb & Elissa (thanks guys!) also secured some EWT (Exclusive Waterpark Time?) at the Splash Landings Hotel's indoor water park! Two hour's worth I believe. And I was so excited to do it with everybody. Until my medical problem happened - after that, I had to sit it out. But - there were a few others who also declined, so we all sat near the bar, watched everybody else playing like drenched idiots, including an amazing CONGA LINE up and around the park's pathway structure! And then it ended. And we had drinks. A lot of cocktails. And we had fun, too.

....For the flavored popcorn. (And so much of the above posts.)

^ We love Face Off! Awesome challenges. Amazing results! Were any others from past seasons there, too? Besides RJ? And is this your "Scandi Here I Come" Look?

Uh....you wouldn't happen to know a Prince Desmond, would you?

Would be interesting to see how they translate "Let It Go" to the stage (no spoilers here).

Our most recent one happened at Tokyo Disney Sea, on the last day we were there, on the recent TPR Japan Tour. We were sitting at one of the restaurants' outdoor patio tables, eating and having drinks, with a gorgeous view of the volcano and everything in Mediterranean Harbour. Then - all of a sudden - total downpour on everybody! We were under cover, and it was quite funny seeing (and hearing) the entire gp running for cover. Then - it all stopped after just five minutes or so. Loved it.

Awwww, they changed Hollywood Dream's Song List. When we were there two years ago, there were two Japanese dance songs to choose from. And the one I chose was great! And everybody around me seemed to have picked the same popular song and we were singing away, (fake) head banging. It was great.

^Could be a heck of a dark ride.

Djon mustard is awesome!

Okay. So the "former" Medusa was my #600 back in March in the TPR Tour. But now with the redesign, re-tracking, etc.etc... will it be a new credit? Just curious. And I don't assume anything here, at TPR.

omg Chris, you've really done Mexico now, lol! It looks like the TPR Tour was the push you needed to go back and re-visit. Besides Tijuana. Great TR. And the food, the food.....

I think that there were a few coaster stations in the TPR 2012 CHINA Tour, that made the coasters look better than they actually were.

I remember the first funicular I ever rode - it was in Quebec City back in 1974. Then, there's the classic funicular we rode at Magic Mountain in 1975. And a few here and there overseas, like in Japan. And Germany. I really enjoyed every single one, ridden. And I think one added to Liseberg will look great, be great and make the park better for all. Edit to add: Won't ride it - I'm not disabled. Just old.

^ I am sure there are several "language barriers" you could find, in and around London, Chris lol. I went with TPR in 2006, because it was a first tour for me, and for them as a public tour. I got to connect back up with a few friends I hadn't seen since....1980! And I even got to see a couple of West End musicals - "Mary Poppins" and "Avenue Q"! This 2010 visit was to just get the new credits in, which during that year were new (to us), like Mumbo Jumbo (El Loco), re visit a few fave parks like Blackpool and Alton Towers and Chessington, and then ending up at Thorpe (has my first TPR avatar - Canada Creek sign!) which is a cool park, too. Although the weather, wasn't. (heat, heat, and more heat) But nowadays I, like you, wouldn't go back unless it was another TPR Tour.

We got some snow overnight! But - it'll be gone by tomorrow.

Blackpool - Lightwater Valley - Flamingo Land - Blackpool Pleasure Beach has always been a fave amongst those of us who do the TPR tours. So much is packed into the park, you can actually run into stuff you didn't see before! Unfortunately the only new credit for myself was the SLC, moved from Southport to BPB. Renamed Infusion, the name change did not make the ride any less bumpy. But, I got the credit, and don't have to ever ride it again, woo hoo! Of course there were several rides on the park's massive indoor water ride, Valhalla, and instead on an on-ride pic, we got fridge magnets which Ledgy turned into a larger "on ride photo" back at home. Thanks Ledgy! - We had coaster views from our hotel room (Big Blue), but I really didn't see any coasters rushing by, even in testing, as we were at the park really really early, and then most of the day. But that was okay. Still a great view. - Lightwater Valley park is home to this one, bazarrely laid out coaster called The Ultimate. In my current condition, and knowing what was in the second half of the ride does (first half is literally the first and second lift hill with a lot of straight track in between), I declined to ride it this time out. Which was fine. The indoor mouse coaster was renamed and still smelled funny in the entry and exit queues. Food was, as before, somewhat lacking in ....uh.. flavour. - Flamingo Land had two new credits for me to get. The first was a "family mine train" that really tossed everybody around in it's cycle. And then we rode Mumbo Jumbo, my first and only ride on an El Loco-brand coaster. I loved it! Wanted to ride it many more times, but it was near the end of our visit to the park, there was some filming to do with some tour members on it... After that, we were headed to more credits with seaside locations.... I see you Bling, sticking out there, on left side view of out Big Blue hotel window. Not riding you though. Too - boring. And the right side window view. Sadly, nothing testing or running at this time The end of our Grand National ERT. It's a rather rough coaster to me, and I had the credit, so I skipped this one, too. Everybody does seem happy there. Unlike the gp waiting to board...eventually. Blackpool's version of World of Colour, lol. Probably much better in the evening, with lights and all. And behind the fountains, is where the indoor Tagada used to live. Now (back in 2010) it's a haunt hangout front for ghouls and those who want pix taken with them. Bye bye, Log Flume Guy. See you on another BPB visit. The Ultimate's first lift hill at Light Water Valley. Ho hum.... This was the other credit I already had at Flamingo Land. Sadly, not everybody already had the credit. This is the sorry bunch. Kumali is surprisingly, still a pretty smooth SLC. So - what are other parks doing wrong with their SLC's? Mumbo Jumbo gets a very high Thumbs Up from me! I just loved it. Twisty track in Mumbo Jumbo. Full view, from the bus. The crane was for the filming of the ride in action. With TPR on board! Infusion on-ride pic at Blackpool. I believe me and Miles were holding tight onto our 'senses' not wanting to let go of them. Valhalla on-ride pic. We were a wet happy group.

Excellent trip reports! And those alpine slides are great! But - when this popped up, my head went to the finale of Disney & Pixar's A Bugs Life, with the popping sheaths of grains, like a big bug-sized fireworks display. Very cool. Nice photo. Great shot. One of my favourites, here.

Live From The MET started it's season's broadcasts today. "Rigoletto" by Verdi I enjoy it. Mainly as background music. But I enjoy opera to listen to. Not watch.