Nrthwnd

Camelot was a great little park that had a very impressive exercise system called....walking around and through the park! Man it was a walk, waaay downhill from the entrance and then waaay over to where Knightmare was. But it was a good workout! I need to post that 2010 tour too. I am one tour behind, now... FRAAAN!!!! ^^^^^ Thanks for reminding me, buddy. And thanks to Robb & Elissa for that tour, too. And bye bye Camelot! And gas-powered coaster. EDIT: And bye bye Knightmare. Hope you get a new buyer.

I still have no 'fave' when it comes to a roller coaster's train design and/or features. And tracked dark rides like Indy or Spiderman are still very cool dark ride experiences to ride again and again.... But for myself, it's still the trackless vehicles that push the envelope of a dark ride's experience. Or in the case of TDS' Aquatopia (outdoor)... good silly fun. I haven't ridden any that SallyCorp. and other companies are now coming out with. But Disney still does a good one like the latest and still best, "Pooh's Hunny Hunt" at Tokyo Disneyland. But that title could possibly change next year, with HKDL's opening of Mystic Manor, with two ride vehicles each taking off and doing the Haunted Mansion 'Dance', which should be very cool. And the following year, Paris' WDS' Kitchen Calamity (working title) is set to open it's doors. And there's still no leak on what that vehicle's supposed to be. Riders shrunk to the size of a rat. Hmmm... (Thanks to the HK Street Gazette for the pix.) Two of these will dance it out throughout Mystic Manor. (Final design still pending.) Even the seats look too plush to sit on!

Since I rode Formule X (page 13) several years ago, I have had the good fortune to ride many, many varied and interesting launch coasters since that time, with TPR as my guide, thanks R&E! But for myself - it's now become what a launched coaster "launches" towards or through/into, etc. There are already a lot of launched coasters with top hats, tall hills etc. But now I like the way a new one has been done... Grizzly Gulch Runaway Mine Cars at Hong Kong Disneyland! This coaster not only has a launch in it, but the launch isn't at the beginning of the ride. Now several other parks' coasters have put the same thing (delayed launch) into their layouts - but Disney has come up (as Disney does brilliantly)with a really cool way to do it. Robb's POV in the HKDL thread shows it, so No Spoilers HERE. I loved the launch. And it literally puts the whole coaster into "thrill mode" and everybody's screaming and hooting all the way back to the station, lol! The reverse part is the unique part of GG. But the launch and the rest of it kicks it up to the next level of awesomeness! This is the fun part of GG Mine Cars.... But this is The Great Part, woo hoo!

Awww.... (And b/w pandas are overweight slobs, who should get some valid exercise, once in a great while. Couch-potatoes, indeed!) Yeah, it's all about the Group Meal............. burp.

Remember: Don't Drink and (hard) Drive. (Can't help you on the request though, sorry.)

^ I thought it was an Evil Red Devil Raccoon?

And now for something completely different.... I have had this copy of it since I got back from the TPR China Tour... and find it absolutely amazing! Considering the source material. And how it all went legendarily wrong in 1988, this is quite the 'second coming' of the musical. That said, the two leads are absolutely wonderful as Carrie and her loving, but "over-zealous" mother, Margaret. Marin Mazzie as Mom can do no wrong, especially with the second act number "When There's No One." And Molly Ranson as Carrie is just perfect. Freakishly so. Her breakdown and ultimate madness I would loved to have seen onstage. (The off-Brdwy version is now closed.) Definitely worth getting a copy. It's quite the recording. Dark, camp, scary....fun stuff!

Thank you, Larry!

I'm so glad you guys (like yourself and Larry, Robb and Elissa) are keeping 'track of' (hah) what everything was called, where it was... and wasn't sometimes, heh heh. Fact is, I sort-of greyed-out after the first few or so, and totally forgot names, locations, park names..... sad. I will post what pix of 'them' I got in my TR, but still - Thanks for keeping it all in order, Chuck.

^ Thanks! Much appreciated. I do what I can, heh heh. And now that the credit whoring is over (for now), it's time to hit another park... Happy Valley Chengdu Big park, Not unlike it's sibs where we've been, before. It was definitely more lush with landscaping, and incorporating more animal themeing into the shops and services, the rides - and coasters too. It rained on and off when we arrived and during our visit. Which (I'm not sure on this) possibly caused two coasters to not be working, at this time. But they both eventually got running and all was well. Several of us found a "pet handling" spot that also involved the loveable, cute, totally ingratiating sweeties called...Red Panda. So there's a set pf pix, (most of) all of our group holding the little critter, while it only paid attention to the apple slices it was being given, lol. And for 30 Yuan a sitting......? A good deal we all thought. And a few of us did miss out on the mouse re-opening. Time was extended for the group (by popular vote, I totally go with it, even if against me, lol), but a few of us had had enough, and went out for a western meal a la Pizza Hut, lol! Unfortunately, when they found out it was open for riding, we couldn't go back into the park, unless we paid entry fee..... again. Here, in many of the parks in Chinas, even the franchises, they do not allow free re-entry into the park. Simple. So, even though Robb offered to repay the entry for the three of us, to get the mouse credit, we said that was really nice of him and thanked him - but "we'd get the credit on next China tour..." And - the very next day - REAL PANDAS!!! Morning in our hotel room. Hmmm. Not The Greatest View, hmm? But before we hit the park's entrance - we went thru this, one of the visual reminders that "We're in BAMBOO COUNTRY!" (For pandas, probably.) There's our park entrance! Big open shopping and eating space. Impressive. And one of our first ERT coasters to ride. Another mega lite! I love these things. And an slc beside it. These guys were strolling towards their in-park business. Most of the flavours looked...interesting. Not happy with this closure. Not happy with it - at - all. Angry in my Dippin'Dots. Then, it opened later...and I said "meh." So this is how it was set up - us and the devil child. Here's Josh and It. (Loooove the stripes!) And Cheryl. Awwww, It's sharpening It's teeth, Elissa. And Lauren. It's so attentive, not fussy and un-still like..... a panda. And Nick. Awwww.... I think It's looking for you, Elissa. And Ben was soooo good with It... He wanted It to look you in the eyes, Elissa. See? I knew It could! Then my turn with It. And then...things started getting.....fuzzy... So after all that warmth and cuddliness - a ride on the flying island, over the park. Oops. Not the best shot of all of that ,below. There. That's a bit better. (o: And there was an ICE HOUSE down in there somewhere, so we went to check that out, next... And we found it! Me and Cheryl, freezing our....parkas, off. And Jon contemplating whether this is a knock-off Canada totem pole or..... something else? Didn't have an open slide though, so we left, and eventually made our way out of the park, to the nirvana that was Pizza Hut, lol! (And missed out on the mouse credit.) But not leaving before I took a pic of this nice rendering of my fave mythical animal...Pegasus. Very nice! And I guess it's time for a hotel room shot or three. Bath tub and vanity, both spacious enough. Neat glass sink, too. Separate shower. Glassed in. Opaque. Uh huh. And, the AWESOME VIEW at night from our hotel window!

I don't think they're totally "defunct", with a few still exisiting in the world... But it's been a very, very long, long time, since I have ridden on a (metal) Mad Mouse with it's original layout. Still... Looking forward to one "up there" lol.

ERT at Hong Kong Disneyland. (EDIT to add: Yeah, and that High Fiver, too.)

^ And/or the smell of pizza? (And Satanic Raccoons are... cute. Just sayin'...)

Up next, some driving, more s-a-p* credits and... Floraland This was a nice park, which not only had a nice assortment of flats and coasters, but a good layout of gardens and landscaping I don't think a lot of us checked out too much. This park also earned Bonus Points for having one of those Evil Flats... Tagada! I know a video has been posted on the site, of this thing in action, and I'm pretty sure if one ever opened in North America, there would be seat belts, possible OTSRs. Which would take The Painful Fun out of it, lol. Still - whatta ride, and whatta workout! All to (for the second cycle of it) "I shall survive'! And props should definitely go out to the ride op who was clearly enjoying himself, of his evil creation throwing us around. he sang pretty good too, heh heh. And Floraland isn't finished with adding stuff to it. There was construction going on for a future waterpark AND a new section that had 3 coasters already onsite! So - guess a re-visit will be in order in a few years. This park will be worth it. (*Sad-And-Pathetic) It's too early in the morning to even photograph the entrance 'icon' properly - later when we leave... The park entrance. I liked this interesting plant - lots of it all over the park. There was an ICE HOUSE in Floraland too! Oops - my camera needs adjusting here. There. That's better. And there was an ice slide (no credit darnit) around the perimeter of the whole place. Cool! Literally! And Elissa, warm and (somewhat) toasty, there in it. Hands up for Tagada! Tossing everybody around. As usual. To the Disco Beat! Awesome flat. Me having meat-on-stick. The "meat" was a bit tough. But other than that.... (o: And on our way out of the park - a better photo of... it. Great way to recycle, hmm? Interesting cluster of buildings, seen from the bus, on the way to more s-a-p credits. Power napping on the bus. And here is Jon and Jon. One is the Good Jon and the other is the Naughty Jon. Can you figure out which is which? And this is Steve's nose. Do you see it there, kids? And David is having sweet TPR dreams, with his 'dreamfairies' all hovering around him. One of the many, many parks we found extra credits. Here, a show was going on. Another park, another column seen. I was going to ask directions - but I thought this person was 'busy.' Actually, they were just dead. Ha ha. While we were riding a s-a-p credit, I saw this woman making candy "sculptures" with raw melted sugar syrup. Very impressive. And a fountain shot, as we're on our way to another possible park, and the group meal for the evening.

Boo.

Disney will be at the end to allow for all the cool smart people to add on more days there! I love you, Elissa.

The next day, we headed out to one of China's newest theme parks, Victory Kingdom. Only a couple of months old, it looked promising at the entrance (so many winged horse statues!) but once we were inside, it became clear that this park had a lot still to do... Like themeing. And landscaping. (And more space....not.) It had a few good flats, a rough SLC, and a mouse that just would not open for us, boo hoo. Also a Shoot The Chute water ride, which was my first one to do. With the yucky-looking water and all..... After this park, we headed to the Beijing Airport, for our first (of four) "internal flight" that evening. But not before stopping at a couple of small parks along the way, for more Sad-And-Pathetic Credits. Victory Kingdom ahead - this looks promising. Massive spacious entrance plaza! That should have been a clue to us, what to find inside. As you can see, I DO like my winged horses. And this one was so happy to see us, it pooped out a potted flowering plant! (Later on, one of them attacked Chuck, I heard.) Trash containers outside. Um....'oraganism'? People who loves their frisbee rides. Or whichever one this is called. Then there were these wierdos.... ...Who wanted to prove their stomachs were cast iron... ...When this flat went...like this. Guess Jon didn't have the stomach to be King! (it's good to be the King) Me on one (of a very few) of more sane rides of Victory Kingdom. Such a wuss I am. And look! It's a credit! Stopping at Youth Center Park and freeking the ride op out, with over 30 of us, ready to ride it! OMG - same park, another credit! We were so lucky. On the way out - I wanted a perfect photo here. But it was kind of ...crowded. So I waved my Magic TPR Pen... And it was... perfect. At Beijing Airport - and a reminder of where we'd just been, lol. (Although I really didn't know if this was an actual ad for the park or not. But I liked it.)

Guys, will Tokyo Disney be at the beginning of the N.Japan-Tokyo Tour...or at the end of it? Or - in the middle, possibly? Thanks in advance.

Rain and overcast skies. Typical Vancouver weather for this time of year.

And this had one of the oddest layouts, I had ever been on. Out-and-back....I guess. With mountains! And Santa! And the HIDDEN waterfall! Even at full speed..... kinda slow, wasn't it?

All of Tokyo Disney Sea. Every land there is done, amazingly. Truth.

Awesome. Truly a Pork Heaven in just one slice/bite/drool.

"Cross The Line" from the cast cd of BRING IT ON

^^ My oops. Thanks for the clarification, Elissa. I think I was/am too used to what was built and run near us north of Portland Oregon - and Three Mile Island - and The Simpsons, of course, lol!

It doesn't matter. It's Tokyo Disney!!!* *Although at Hong Kong Disney recently, I noticed they had little LED lights inside helium balloons for their Halloween celebrations! Very neat-looking. Happiness, perhaps?