pianojohn

Damn! I missed you guys again! Next time you do an Orlando thing, let me know! I was at BGT on Thursday and Saturday and Monday (working) but apparently those were the days you WEREN'T there! Arrggh! Glad you had fun!

Florida Hurricane and Zoomerang AT Boardwalk and Baseball Screamer and Sky Streak AT Boblo Island Wild Izzy/Maus and Drachen Fire AT Busch Gardens Williamsburg Flyer AT Canadian Ntl Exhibition Comet AT Cascade Park Wild Cat (circa pre 1979) AT Cedar Point Wild Mouse AT Chippewa Lake Park Jack Rabbit AT Clementon Lake Jumbo Jet AT Coney Island Comet and Giant Coaster AT Crystal Beach Hercules AT Dorney Park Thunderbolt AT Dreamworld (AUS) Mr. Twister and Wildcat AT Elitch Gardens Double Loop AT Fuji Q (Japan) Corkescrew and Zyclone AT Geauga Lake Jack Rabbit and Wildcat AT Idora Park Dipper, Laser Loop, Steel Phantom AT Kennywood Whirlwind AT Knoebels Screechin Eagle AT Lesourdsville Lake Lightning Bolt AT MGM Grand Adventures City Jet AT Morey's PIer Mountain Flyer AT Mountain Park Dragon AT Myer Center (Brisbane, AUS) Corkscrew and Galaxi AT Myrtle Beach Pavillion Steel Dragon 2000 AT Nagashima Spaland Chaos, Rock and Roller Coaster, Wabash Cannonball, Screamin' Delta Demon AT Opryland The Bat, The Demon, King Kobra AT King's Island Hurricane AT Playland Park Atom Smasher AT Rockaway's Playland Skyliner AT Roseland Park Mad Mouse AT Shady Lake Python AT Six Flags America Lightning Loops, Shockwave, Viper AT SF GReat Adventure Shockwave, Tidal Wave AT SF Great America Mountain Express AT SF Magic Mountain Black Widow AT SF New England Mini Mine Train, Viper AT SF Over Georgia High Roller AT Stratosphere Tower Beastie, Bush Beast, Demon AT Wonderland Sydney (AUS) Wow...didn't realize I had so many! Would give ANYTHING to have the Idora Wildcat Back...like say, EVERY Vekoma out there!!

Hey! Welcome to my neck of the woods. Any chance you guys heading to BGT? I will be there on Monday working and would like to finally meet you! Have fun. The weather here has been outstanding lately.

Hmm....well, seeing as Soarin' still has waits in excess of 80 minutes most days while Mission:SPACE can be a walk on, I would say Soarin' is more than good. It is EXACTLY what EPCOT needed. If park guests want to ride a coaster, they have 3 other parks to choose from. Let EPCOT do what EPCOT does best.

As someone who lives and works in Orlando, I would say January, early May, or October. Those are the times when crowds are usually very thin. I know in January many times I walked on pretty much everything at IOA and BGT. However, you can hit some cold weather (50's etc) which may not seem bad to people stuck in the snow. October is great because it is still warm enough to do everything, and the crowds aren't too bad unless you do a Halloween event or hit a park on a holiday weekend. May is also good since it is right after spring break, the kids are still in school, and it is not TOO hot yet. Also, most everything will be running as the parks gear up for the summer season.

Ditto. They never had a BLUE train. I was there opening day of Mean Streak and only saw 3 trains.

That is sad. I never got to ride it, but when I joined ACE way back in 1982, all the enthusiasts talked about then was how amazing the Texas Cyclone was. Oh well.......

I just LOVE how these newspaper reporters get all their facts wrong. A 120 foot drop on the log flume? Um...no. Anyway, I am looking forward to this new attraction, but I think that when parks get rid of log flumes (BGW's and Cedar Point's), there is nothing left except the super soaking of Roman Rapids or Thunder Canyon. Just my opinion.

Thank goodness they are painting Seuss Landing. I worked there when the park opened in 1999, and the colors were so bright it was almost blinding. Since then, they have faded and were in need of some TLC. Hopefully they will repaint and get rid of the algae growing on the waterfall/fountain area right by the entrance to Seuss Landing from the main part of the park.

Wow, I am already jealous of your upcoming UK Trip. Then again, you will have to deal with Tommy and James, so I guess it evens out! (just kidding!!) Have fun and keep the pics coming!!

Magnum XL 200 "Even when you see it, you won't believe it" It was on the main sign at Cleveland Road. Kind of funny now that you think about it.

I have to go with Cedar Point on this one. Whether you come down Chawsee (sp?? I dont know how it is spelled!) Road, the Causeway, or across the water from downtown Sandusky, the view is breathtaking.

My fear is when it is spelled COATER and not COASTER. GEEZ!

WOW. The construction there is truly amazing.

Thanks for the pics! I sure do miss Opryland, and until I visited Dollywood last year, I didn't think there were any parks left like it. Nice to see Dolly keeping up the tradition of lots of shows, lots of beautiful scenery, good restaurants, and a nice selection of rides.

Well, my current plate reads: RLRKSTR. Unforutnately, RLRCSTR was taken! And I still have my plates from Virginia: DRACHEN and ALPNGST! Once I get back to my car, I will snap a pic for you! DONE!! There you go!

Thanks for the hospital/haunted house description. Sounds strange....and not sure I could handle it!

Believe me: it will be AWESOME. Tokyo Disney Resort spends the money and it shows everywhere in the park, unlike the stateside parks who try to do things on the cheap too often than not.

You should've seen King Artrhur's Challenge, which used to be in that show building. Worst simulator ever! I rather like Corkscrew Hill (but my digestive system doesn't). ^Hmm--actually, I think BGW definitely got the better of the deal when the Wilde Maus was shipped south and DarKastle went up in its place. And prior to both of those was Questor, one of the first simulator/film rides. It was not bad, but King Arthur's Challenge was HORRIBLE! I like Corkscrew Hill, especially since they took the roofs off the old simulator and made the projection that much bigger. As far as coasters, I love the ones they have, and would rather have 4 or 5 really good coasters than 12 coasters with 6-7 that are clones or forgettable experiences.

Now if only they would apply the same care to MAINTAINING Gwazi. Sorry, but it is sad that a coaster with such potential is run so poorly.

Can you tell me more about the haunted house walk thru at Fuji Q? It was closed when I was there, and I read in Guiness that it is the longest walk thru in the world, themed to a hospital. True? Thanks!!

Great TR! When I went to Tokyo Dome backin 2003, I missed GeoPanic, but managed to do the walk thru haunted house. It was pretty weird since they would scream stuff at you in Japanese. Not sure if they made it more or less scary! Keep the great pics coming!

Every time I watch the movie Rollercoaster, I get nostalgic for the old King's Dominion. It just seemed so magical then. I remember the first time I went to King's Island in 1978. They still did the Hot Air Balloon over the fountains, and we ate at the restaurant over the main entrance. It just seemed classier then!

Hmmm....put a Dive Machine in France and theme it to a guillotine! And every time a car dives down the drop, you could have a "whoosh" and blood could spurt out! (heads would roll!) Or maybe not! But I do hope they go with a Dive Machine. Sheikra is great!!

I was working at BGT on Thursday, and Gwazi's one side has been down since they are doing re-hab on it. You can't see that from the main midway, but you can from backstage. As for the water effect: I think it was added to give non-riders something to excite them, make them feel part of the ride. It has the same effect as the simulated splash on Hulk. I have never seen the water splash when I am on Hulk, but you can see it from the midway. And during the summer on Sheikra, the splash is the same. Once in a while, if you sit on the two far seats in the back row, you may get a little water kicked up as you pass over it.