larrygator

For the 5th consecutive year I visited Europe with TPR and had a blast again. I extended my trip for an additional week after the Europe Tour with a Eurail Pass to visit more new parks. It was an awesome two weeks, meeting up with old friends and making new ones during the first week and then traveling to new places the second week. Technically my trip started on June 26th at Legoland Windsor, but I accidentally left my camera with the left luggage desk at Hearthrow. I met up with TPR members the night of June 26th before heading out to Thorpe Park the next day. It was an odd day, as many people starting the Europe Trip joined those ending the UK Trip, but a great time was had by all. I enjoyed my time at Thorpe Park much more than in 2006. The combination of England playing a World Cup match midday and the Fast Passes that Robb and Elissa arranged made crowds very manageable. Since a lot of PTRs are going to posted by others for the parks visited in the first half of my trip, I'll keep my reports from those parks short and quirky, and the ones for the later parks will be more informative. June 27th - Thorpe Park (posted below) June 28th/29th - Page 1 - Gardaland June 29th - Page 3 - Mirabilandia June 30th - Page 3 - Movieland Studios July 1st/2nd - Page 4 - Europa Park July 2nd - Page 4 - Wurzburg Fair with Olympia Looping July 3rd - Page 5 - Phantasialand July 4th - Page 5 - Efteling July 5th - Page 6 - Dunirell July 6th - Page 7 - Legoland Deutschland July 6th - Page 7 - Skyline Park July 7th - Page 8 - Erlebnispark Strasswalchen July 7th - Page 9 - Zinkelift Mountain Coaster July 7th - Page 10 - Hallein Salt Mine Tour and Salzburg sightseeing July 8th - Page 10 - Video of the Tagada at Wiener Prater July 8th - Page 11 - Coasters of Wiener Prater July 8th - Page 12 - Flat rides of Wiener Prater July 8th - Page 13 - Fun Houses of Wiener Prater July 8th - Page 13 - Ghost Trains and Glass Mazes of Weiner Prater July 8th - Page 14 - Walk Throughs and other remaining Dark Rides of Wiener Prater July 8th - Page 14 - Last batch of Wiener Prater pictures July 9th - Page 15 - VidamPark July 9th - Page 15: Budapest sightseeing Page 16: All Parks Maps The day starts with a TPR picture in front of the park, I present a rare reverse view of this ritual. Since I would be hanging with the Brit Crew all day, I decide to post a picture of the "Free Cash" machine, just like they do. Sorry Brad. The crocs are bad, but I'm not sure these are much better looking. Another Brit Crew ritual, helping Mike cream up. Just a couple of TPR members checking out a test seat and studying how it remains stationary. Just to change things up I took a coaster picture. Can you feel the magic? The sophisticated Extreme Fasttrack system at Thrope. It might be primitive but it works. Someone in this picture needs a haircut. A syringe to the temple gives Scottish Steve a reason to scream. Another coaster picture thingy. Who the hell would try to win one of these rejects? Seriously, how can you let something like this grow on the top of your head? At least the English put those Mad Cows to good use. The pugel stick battles are an upcharge, but that didn't stop this mother from destroying her son. Speaking of which, after the English were annihilated in their soccer match, Dave Fudge decides to take it out on the Scottish. Coaster shot! Something Andrew ate didn't agree with him, so he let's one rip on the rapids. I hate to tell you TPMoptop, but you can't hide that hair behind a pair a sunglasses. I was denied my ride on the Teacups thanks to someone puking on it near closing time. I don't care how crappy the lighting is in the photo, I love Colossus' 4 consecutive zero-g rolls. The only good part of the ride. At some point in the day, I hid under the Nemesis Inferno netting to avoid the sun, but once ERT started I rode Nemesis Inferno for 50 minutes after only one ride on Saw: The Ride.

You don't have to wait for my PTR, although it is coming soon. Here is my response to Divv's photo in the Flying Island. and thanks for not getting sick in my luggage in London.

Thanks for all those submissions while I was away.

Unfortunately this is the last time I'll be able to vote as I'll be without interent access for the rest of the month.

Even though I'll be on away in Europe riding coasters for 2 weeks don't let that stop you from submitting pictures we need to complete the Park Index. A new page, another bump. If you have photos of the following feel free to submit them. If the below rides are still on the list when you travel to the park feel free to take a picture and submit it. For this first listing of rides we need any pictures you have of the ride: USA/Canada Arnold’s Park – Swinger, Trabant Canada's Wonderland - The Rage (Swinging Ship), Boo Blasters on Boo Hill (need ride vehicle and inside building) Dixie Landin’ – Cajun Collision, Gasoline Alley, Giant Wheel, Gumbo YoYo, Grand Carousel, Manchac Railroad, Splinter Frontier City – Ol 89er Express Funtown Splashtown – Bumper Cars, Classic Carousel Joyland (Texas) – Bumper Cars, Dare Devil Drop, Carousel, Musik Express, Paratrooper, Rock-o-Plane, Roll-o-Plane, Spider, Space Shuttle, Trabant, Tilt-A-Whirl Kings Island - Boo Blasters on Boo Hill (need inside ride and cars) Lagoon – Bumper Cars, Carousel, Rock-o-Plane, Space Scrambler, Skyscraper, Tilt-A-Whirl Lakeside – Heart Flip, Sports Cars, Starship 2000 Silverwood - Bumper Boats Valleyfair - Northern Lights Wonderland (Texas) – Bumpers Cars, Scrambler, Shoot the Chute Worlds of Fun – Autobahn (Bumper Cars), Cyclone Sam’s, Skyliner (Ferris Wheel) UK Botton’s Pleasure Beach – Cup and Saucer, Dodgems, Gallopers, Rockin Tug Camelot – Cup and Sorcerer Flamingoland – Dodgems Gulliver’s Warrington – Barrel Ride, Cycle Monorail, Joker, Sky Tours Observation Tower, Tree Tops Swing Lightwater Valley - Trauma Tower, Octopus Pleasure Island – GoGator, Falls of Fear, Galleon Germany Hansa Park – Sturmvogel (Mondial Supernova) Heide Park – Kaffeetassan (Tea Cups), Koggenfahrt (Himilaya type ride), Magic Kernie's Familienpark - Kernie's Boot (Rockin Tug), Flying Carousel, Tea Cups, Disk-O Denmark Farup Sommerland – Wave Swinger, Tekopperne (Tea Cups) Tivoli Friheden – Forhindringsbane (Obstacle Course) France Mer de Sable – Riviere Sauvage, Train du Desert, Jungle des Chikapas (Indoor Tow Boat), Babagattaux (Outdoor Tow Boat) Parc Saint Paul – Le Dino Splash (Flume), Chateau Hante, Bateaux Mississippi (Swinging Ship), Carousel 1900, Les Chaises Aeriennes, Tacots 1900 (Antique Cars), Tabogliss (Slide), Voitures Tampoeusses (Bumper Cars) Walygator Parc – Monster Belgium Bobbejaanland – Pony Ride Sweden Grona Lund – Kuling (Rockin Tug) Spain Parque d'Attractiones Madrid - Los Rapidos, Noriavision (Ferris Wheel) China Chengdu – Family Coaster, Jungle Mouse, Loop Screw (*) Happy Valley Shanghai – Lele’s Chariot, Spinning Coaster (*) Suzhou Amusement Land - Junior Coaster, Space Adventure (*) Suzhou Giant Wheel Park – Stingray (need photos) Japan Kamine – Dragon Coaster, See Through Coaster (*) Kashiikaen – Bun Bun Coaster, Rushing Coaster Lina World – Hello Kitty Angel Coaster, Scramble Coaster, Super Coaster Pleasure Garden – Mad Mouse, Through the Woods Jet Coaster (*) Rusutsu – Corkscrew, Mountain Coaster (*) Sendai Highland – Dragon, Loop the Loop (*) Space City – Space Switchback (*) Suntopia – Loop the Loop (*) Utsunomiya Zoo - (*) For the following rides we only need pictures of the ride sign: USA/Canada Bowcraft – Crossbow, Dragon Canada's Wonderland - Zoom Zone Cedar Point – Wave Swinger, Witches’ Wheel Galaxyland – Autosled, Mindbender, Space Shot Ghost Town in the Sky - Cliffhanger Marineland - Ladybug Coaster, Topple Tower, Skyhawk Sea World of Texas – Texas Splashdown Valleyfair – Log Flume, Looping Starship, The Wave Western Playland - Bandido, Miner Coaster UK Bottons – Big Apple Flamingoland – Cliff Hanger, Evolution, Navigator, Sky Flyer Pleasure Island (UK) - GoGator Other Europe Hansa Park – Kettenflieger (Swings), Die Glocke (Bell), Power Tower Power Park – Pegasus (Evolution) Sommerland Syd - Kaemperutshebanen, Tornado, King Kong Karrusel (Calypso), Svingeren (Wave Swinger) Tivoli Friheden – Forhindringsbane (Obstacle Course) Walibi Rhone Alps - Boomerang, Coccinelle Walygator Parc - Monster Other Asia/Australia Adventure World (AUS) - Dragon Express Chengdu – Family Coaster, Jungle Mouse, Loop Screw (*) Happy Valley Shanghai – Lele’s Chariot, Spinning Coaster (*) Kamine – Dragon Coaster, See Through Coaster (*) Kashiikaen – Bun Bun Coaster, Rushing Coaster (*) Lina World – Hello Kitty Angel Coaster, Scramble Coaster, Super Coaster (*) Pleasure Garden – Mad Mouse, Through the Woods Jet Coaster (*) Rusutsu – Corkscrew, Go Go Coaster, Hurricane, Loop the Loop, Mad Mouse, Mountain Coaster, Standing Coaster, Ultra Twister(*) Sendai Highland – Dragon, Hurricane, Loop the Loop, Mad Mouse (*) Space City – Space Switchback (*) Utsunomiya Zoo - (*) Zhongsang Park –Inertial Coaster (*) As the Submission feature in the Park Index is currently being fixed, the best way to currently submit a ride photo is to download the photo into this thread. Remember photos must be .jpg should not exceed 800x600 (Unfortunately, in the past many people have submitted photos that are too large for TPR to use or in pdf form.) High quality photos, please (not blurry, distorted or out of focus). Lastly, we are not adding kiddie rides or major upcharges at this time, but we are at the point where family rides such: transportation rides, carousels, ferris wheels and bumper cars are being added. We are also not adding FECs (Family Entertainment Centers) to the Park Index. And if you have to ability to scan your park maps, feel free to submit those for the years that all not already in the Park Index. Of course any PTRs containing superior photos or entertaining captions and a variety of pictures including multiple rides and areas. (Not just one or two rides/attractions) are always valued. Attention has been given to every previously submitted Photo TR. Don't feel discouraged if we can't include every one. Photo in your PTRs must be downloaded onto the Theme Park Review server (not Imageshack, photobucket) for it to be included in the Park Index, that way we know a Red X will never appear. Lastly, if you have photos of a non-kiddie ride that is not in TPR's Park Index, please submit that also.

^Awesome those are very helpful and needed.

FYI - You are about to get fed to the Bantron for the second time this week and this time it will be permanent!

When I added this park to the Park Index earlier this week I was amazed at how lush the park was based on the Google Satellite Image. http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=Tikuji-ni-wadi%4019.238028,72.966669&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=&ll=19.238135,72.967045&spn=0.002284,0.004801&z=18

I expect to see a lot of needed photos from those on the UK Trip when you return.

Congratulations, TPR made the blog on Camelot's Home Page

I have still been getting my vote in every day.

Like others have said, kudos for your effort in visiting these parks. I have a little trepidation about going to a small park that is only 2 hours out of the way in a European country where many people speak English, the road are paved and the transportation is modern. My hats off to you!

^Your point might be valid regarding Bizarro and Batman (or any floorless and invert), but the GP most certainly knows when they are standing up on a coaster.

I can't believe American fans cared. Right after the game ended, everyone driving in Manhattan seemed to be honking their horns for the next 5 minutes. Then again if this had been the New York Yankees winning the World Series (or the Puerto Rican Day Parade) the horn honking would be still be happening.

In my opinion, the audio on the Bizarro coasters does not add anything beneficial to the either ride experience. All it does is hasten my loss of hearing. I didn't really think it worked well at SFMM either. Needless to say I don't think Six Flags has perfected the practice of adding audio to outdoor coasters.

I was thinking the same thoughts at one point. If anyone at the new SFKK questions it not being Chang, just deny all allegations.

Since there is no measurement stick for excitement, I figured it was known that anyone's statement on excitement would be personal opinion. and for the record: For me, MF brings no excitement after the first drop!

Since 98.3%* of the park patrons think all the beemers are in the parking lot, I don't see a problem with it. *I have no supporting documentation to back-up this statistic, but that doesn't mean I'm lying.

Purely playing Devil's Advocate here, but what about if it is not being trashed but reloacted to another park. July 1st might be the date that work needs to start in order to: 1 - Install a replacement coaster for the start of the 2011 season. 2 - Relocate GASM and install at another park in time for the 2011 season. I'm not saying 1 and 2 will both happen but maybe the July 1st time frame is need to just ensure the replacement will be up in time. Most SFGAdv patrons would consider Chang a new coaster if it ends up in New Jersey and remember there is not a good stand-up close to SFGAdv. Then again I only consider Riddler's Revenge, Georgia Scorcher, Mantis and Chang to be good stand-ups. S:UF still gets the 2nd longest line on a typical day (SFGAdv patrons are strange).

^1.21 jigawatts!

Disney currently holds that record, right?

Because SFGAdv takes in more money than any other seasonal park. Ok, this is specualtion on my part based on the higher price of a season pass, the park always being crowded during the regular season and the fact that SFGAdv serves two of the Top 10 markets in the US. Over 10% of the US population lives within 2 hours of SFGAdv. So SFGAdv deserves 10% of all the chain's coasters. Sure I'd rather see flats, but at least cash strapped management is not buying a new coaster for SFGAdv.

^I think the original poster is past worrying about how a tattoo will look in 10 years.

^Can we get back on topic everybody and not obsess about someone not being an 100% coaster nerd? thank you

Mattias - I see you reading this. If you have anything to add that is not confidential, please let us know.