Mechanic

That looks pretty sweet. I can't wait to check out the new ride this summer. DCA should turn into a really great park over the next few years with all the planned additions.

While this is none too elaborate, it fits into this topic: backyard coaster And no, it's not mine. It's just something I stumbled upon while browsing the web. This one: Wow! This is awesome for a homemade ride! looks like it'd be really fun.

I don't know that it'll spell "disaster" for theme parks, but I've got to imagine that if people have less disposable income then they're going to prioritize their spending accordingly. I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least a slight downturn in park attendance nationwide. Quoting CF's profit and loss numbers for the last 2 seasons is a bit misleading however. There's a lot more reflected in those numbers than fluctuations in the economy recently.

I need to read this thread more often. There are a lot of great stories here, but Darksin losing patience and telling the guy that were three people driving the Shamu robot had me rolling. I was laughing so hard that I nearly peed myself. So, where do I sign up to be a Shamu robot driver, and does that pay very well?

I read the entire article and came to the conclusion that the author really needs to get laid.

I've ridden that same type of ride at Santa Cruz beach boardwalk. I always enjoyed it also. Too bad the one in the video broke. I've got to imagine it was some sort of maintenance issue.

Yes, it has been getting steadily worse over the past several years and does really need to be adressed more seriously by Disney. I think that training cast memebrs in how to deal with these situations should be mandatory and that line policies need to strictly enforced. I personally have no issue with someone rejoining their group if they had to leave to take a child to the restroom, but that's providing that they actually have a group to rejoin. I doubt that many others would object to such a scenario either, but the fact that many people would try to take advantage of any such allowance makes it all the more difficult to deal with. Luckily, or perhaps diplomatically, I've never gotten into any situations that deteriorated into anything regrettable while managing to keep would-be line cutters from passing myself and my family in line.

For what it's worth, Disney actually does, or did when we were there, allow people to leave the line for Finding Nemo and then come back to rejoin a member of their group further up the line. Cast members were walking the line and actually encouraging it when we were there last summer around the 4th of July. As long as least one member of your party stayed in line, you were good to go. They even allowed you to switch out the person that was waiting. Most of the people that did leave the Nemo line got in line for The Matterhorn, sometimes for several rides. Others just rested or got a bite to eat, used a restroom, or whatever. It was pretty much like whoever waited in line for your group was your "human fast pass". I've never seen them state or encourage that policy for any other ride, but I wonder if they do allow it in certain circumstances? Now, in all fairness, Nemo did have a ridiculously long line so they may have made an exception for only that ride. They have to recognize that it's certainly going to attract people with small children that would probably have to use the restroom while waiting, even if they had already done their business before entering the line, so it did make sense. They also policed it well enough that I don't think anyone would have been able to easily abuse the policy. In addition, everyone that stood in line for any length of time would have heard a cast member stating that it was ok to rejoin whoever waited, so no one freaked out when they saw people rejoining the line near the front. I'm not condoning line cutting, but just trying to establish that people leaving a line and then rejoining the one that waited isn't an idea totally unknown or forbidden altogther by Disney. I doubt that policy would apply to the Tea Cups at WDW, but I don't know that for sure. Can anyone that has worked as a line attendant or grouper for Disney confirm or deny if the Nemo line policy is exclusive to that ride?

We'd have likely gotten new Maxx passes this season if they hadn't almost doubled from what we paid last season. Since we don't visit any other CF parks besides KBF for one day a year while in SoCal on vacation at DLR, the value just isn't there. My work has an event at CGA in late May. That will most likely be my family's only visit to CGA this year.

I'd say it's pretty close to being in the red on the creep-o-meter. It's not "It rubs the lotion on its skin." type creepy, but definitely creepy.

1. What do you find most useful about the front page? I usually glance at the top of the updates list to see if anything catches my eye. 2. What do you find least useful about the front page? I honestly don't usually navigate to anywhere other than the forums or an update link from the front page so I'm not sure how useful anything else there is, or isn't. 3. Is anything on the front page confusing? No. I can't say that I've had any trouble getting to anything that I wanted to see. 4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates? Usually not at all, and if do scroll down I would ordinarily stop once I see updates that I'd already seen before. 5. How often do you look at the front page? Not too often. I usually enter the site from the link in my email that tells me a topic to which I'm subscribed has received a reply. 6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link? I had no idea it was there until answering this question. I did go take a look at it and found it pretty handy though. Now that I'm aware of it I'll use it more often. 7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better? I can't think of anything off the top of my head. 8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc? The forum search engine and I don't get along all that great. It seems to bring up a lot of stuff completely unrelated to what I'm actually searching for. Maybe I just don't know how to use it properly? I've read the little instruction box next to where you enter the search terms, but even when I do what it says, I still don't have very good results. I've seen several posts where mods, or backseat mods more often than not, refer posters to the search engine because their topic has already been addressed. I often kind of feel for the poster because if their search results are anything like mine, then I could easily see how they may have tried a search but not found what it is they posted about. Please don't take that as anything other than constructive criticism because that's how it's intended. The search engine thing may be entirely my fault so if you have any tips on how I can better utilize the search functions I am more than willing to listen. Thanks for the site and for trying to make it even better.

The S&S crazy canoe might fit the bill for a new family coaster without inversions at SFMM. The design also seems well suited to a terrain hugging layout.

There are brake friction materials that are specifically made to work in wet or dry conditions. It would seem to me that a simpler solution would be to install those types of brakes whenever the lining is due to be replaced anyway. It could play itself out over a period of time so that there isn't any great cost impact all at once and those rides with the newer brakes could continue operating in the rain. The number of rides that could operate in the rain would gradually grow. Park patrons would be happy again while CP kept their backside covered. Or does that just make too much sense to ever happen?

I heard this same story on the radio on my way to work this morning. They had the lady that was attacked talking about it. She claims to have suffered "brain damage" (her words, not mine) as a result of the attack. Here's another article about the same altercation where the slant seems to be more toward blaming Disney's handling of the incident: http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/5/29/woman_says_disney_delay_may_prevent_charged_in_alleged_attack.html

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the difference in sensation is primarily due to the fact that your head is further from the track on a sit down. It therefore describes a larger circle when transitioning through the element.

Listen. And understand. That Big Dog is out there. It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.

Re: Getting into a comfortable position on a stand up. I get the OTSR down and buckled, then I grasp the handles on the front of the OTSR and while standing flat footed with knees locked I raise or lower the entire sliding restraint assembly until I have just about 1/4 - 1/2 an inch between the man-parts and the bicycle seat. When they actually lock the height adjusting mechanism there's still a bit of vertical play, but if you've done it "right" the maximum amount that the bicycle seat will move vertically will still not quite be applying any pressure to the aforementioned potentially sensitive area. I then proceed to actually ride "standing up" by keeping my legs straight and knees locked. It works for me, but I imagine different people's results may vary, or they may prefer something else. I hope that isn't too graphic an illustration. I'm honestly just trying to pass along what's worked well for me.

I think the war zone comment is more likely. That looks to me like Terminator taking baby steps. The end is near! The end is near! "I never saw no miracle of science that didn't go from a blessing to a curse" - Sting

That's an amazingly ambitious list. Good luck to you. If I happen to see you at any of the Northern California locations I'll be sure to say hi.

My limited experience with public transit in Southern California has been horrible. I would suggest renting a car and allowing nearly double what the "estimated travel times" are on any map websites when traveling any distance over 10 miles down there. Of course, there are exceptions and certain times when the traffic has moved much more quickly than I expected, but in general, getting around in LA and San Diego is a real pain more often than not.

PURE's most recent post got me thinking a little bit about how, if done correctly, this Thrilleader thing could be at least a little bit like the HSM show at DCA. While I personally don't care a bit for HSM, or the show, it does seem pretty popular with a lot of guests. So I guess I'll wait to see how it actually plays out and judge it after that. I guess my initial impression was based on how I used to preceive Six Flags as a chain, prior to the recent improvement in the quality of the experience they're offering guests. I had sort of an involuntary Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" music video vision of the production at first.

I'm 6" 2" and had no issues with Riddler's last summer when I was about 240 lbs. I've since swollen slightly to a little over 250 lbs and I wasn't able to get the belt buckled on the OTSR during WCB. I was a little bummed that I wasn't able to ride, but it gave me the incentive to lose some poundage that I really should get rid of anyway. In any event, the family jewels were still quite intact and unscatched after my rides last summer so I doubt that anyone an inch or 2 taller would experience any significant discomfort. Of course, you kinda have to have the procedure down for being in a comfortable position before the restraints are locked in height-wise, but I'll assume that most people here know that drill. I learned the hard way, a long time ago on CGA's Vortex, that being locked in an incorrect postion on a stand up can be a considerably unpleasant experience, particularly for males.

I have the option this summer of CGA or Hot August Nights in Reno as a little perk from my employer. Past choices have been Disneyland or Las Vegas. I guess we really are in an economic recession.

I can't say I'm too "thrilled" about this news. I guess it could be ok if done in good taste, but it just doesn't seem to fit with the "family friendly" direction that Six Flags has been going lately. I guess I'll reserve judgement until I see it for myself but my initial impression is, "Huh?". My 16 year old son is all for it though. Go figure...

It would really be a shame to travel all that way and not visit DL and DCA, particularly if you've never been there before.