DerekRx

This is great news for a top class park. I'm glad they're getting another coaster, even if it is a kiddie. Speaking of kiddie coasters, did the Runaway Ore Cart ever resurface, or is this new coaster in fact that? I know on my visit this year there was no sign of it, and I have no clue where it used to be. Back when Robb and Elissa visited, someone had mentioned to them that it was getting full maintenance like Space Mountain, but that it would return this year. Anyone know more?

Um, wow, what can I say? I guess the artist really likes me, or I am in fact a cloning experiment gone very very very wrong. I've now seen myself working at a steakhouse in Bel Air, Maryland, on Superman: The Escape at SFMM, that Scott Brown dude from PGA from the 2003 video, and on the cover of RCT3 expansion packs. Just remember, I'm the original, often immitated, never duplicated. If you find more of me, please post pictures! Thanks (?) for bringing this to my attention, Guy. I wonder if I can get the expansion packs for free if I show the cashier I'm the cover model.....

Last night's episode was great, even though one of the hotties got shot. Honestly, how do you mistake a wet blonde running through the jungle screaming "Walt! Walt!" for one of the others, trying to be all stealthy and whispery. I'd like to think she didn't die, but I don't think that'll happen. Bring on a world of hurt to Ana-Lucia, Sayid!

Awesome story. Just be sure you bring your camera when you pick me up. I believe I fly in on the day of the AMAs, so there may be a singer or two on my flight. On my flight home last time, I was on the plane with Ruthie from the Real World Hawaii. I think David Alan Grier was on a flight with us a few years ago going from LAX to Orlando.

I will definitely be at the FYE at midnight when Mr. Britney's album drops. Wonder what other songs will be included? 1. My baby's mama 2. Trapped in a white man's body 3. Have you seen my wife beater 4. While you were pregnant (I was banging Britney Spears) 5. Holla back boy 6. No, I'm not Ali G. 7. My beeyotch told me to get a job

I voted for Family Guy. I try to watch it every week, especially the new episodes. I can't tell you the last time I saw a new episode of South Park, may have been about 3 seasons ago. It had some pretty funny moments and good stories related to current events, but with the way they did the new episodes, I'd be lucky if I saw 4 of them in a season, stupid Comedy Central. I think one season I saw the same episode 4 times, and it was the only one I saw!

I'll be making the trek to Weyerbacher again in a week right before the Great American Beer Festival up in the Poconos. Last year I had a field day at Weyerbacher, getting pretty much 4 of every kind of beer they had bottled, and a case of Heresy (Old Heathen stoudt aged in Jack Daniels barrels). Truly good stuff, as is the Blithering Idiot, but they're both stuff you can't drink too many of in 1 night, though at the Post Eastcoaster party last year we all did our fair share of Heresy in sifters. I also had their Insanity and Prophesy, would have liked to get the Decadence, and saw some on tap at Bethlehem BrewWorks a few months ago, but was too busy enjoying the other stuff. As for Utopia, I think I'm gonna spring for a bottle sometime soon, maybe for Christmas. They offered it at one of the dinners at Epcot's Food and Wine festival this year, but I wasn't about to pay $95 for dinner when I can get a full bottle of that stuff for like 10 bucks more. Forget blowing fire, you can fuel your top fuel dragster with that stuff!

That's kind of a bummer, but I honestly can't tell you the last time I was in any of the clubs there. The only thing I usually do there is the Comedy Warehouse, but then again, its probably because I don't want to go to the clubs and mingle with girls that aren't even out of high school yet alone drinking age. As for Mannequins, thats the only place you need to be 21 to get into.

I think the concession area in the middle is a good idea. It sure beats having to wait in a long line at the Cinnabun because you want a soda and only have a $20. As for Confisco's, I've eaten there twice or so. The one time I had the best prime rib ever with asparagus. Sadly it was a special for the day and was never on the menu again. Another time I got some wrap, I think it was buffalo chicken or something. It was pretty good, and their fries are good there too, with lots of different dips to choose from.

I don't watch them as much as I used to, but I always enjoyed DBZ, DBGT, Kiddy Grade, Tenchi, Inuyasha, and Naruto. Most of the Gundams were good too, I still hope they have Gundam: The Ride in Japan by the time I get there.

As a lifetime Eagles fan, I can say "Thank God!" I hope on his way out of town at the end of the year he gets stuck on the Schuylkill Expressway and gets his Land Rover tipped over by some Eagles fans.

^Yes Ted, it was pretty good stuff. Very heavily alcoholic with different fruit flavors, almost like a Belgian, but extremely hoppy. As for the Church BrewWorks, thats probably my favorite type of church anywhere (much better than the Koln Cathedral). Its also among my favorite brewpubs. I think 1 bottle of Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA has more alcohol in it than in an entire Anheiser Busch brewery at one time:)

I'm gonna have to go with: 1. USRoadTripper 2. CoasterFanatic #4 3. Hattuchili

Maybe a Monday night isn't the best time to drink this, as its 21% Alcohol with 120 IBUs (what I believe everything should be measured in, not just beer), but after a weekend of fixing up my new house and then working with nagging people, I think I deserve it. Truly a way to start the week. Wake me up in time for the weekend!

And then before heading home, my favorite bartender, April, brought me over a complimentary Magic Hat Blind Faith. Its good being known as the guy who drinks the "weird beers".

With Oktoberfest way over, and October even past, I thought I'd do my part to help my favorite local bar kick their supply of Sam Adam's Oktoberfest. Here's just one of the 6 I had last night. Boy do I love Happy Hours that last from 6-8 on a Friday night with $1.50 domestic drafts. Beer GOOD!

Awesome program, Ted. It made it a bit easier for me to fill out, even though I've done it in past years. I rode a few more coasters this year, and a lot of my tastes in wood have changed. Bravo on the program, I owe you a beer, which I will drink for you.

Since I've only had 2 weekends without riding a coaster since April, I'll be somewhat happy that things are winding down. I'm still going to Vegas and Disneyland in late November, and may end up back in Orlando for New Years. I also have 2 weekends planned at the Great Wolf Lodge in November and January, then I'll be back in Orlando probably in March if Everest opens early. When all is said and done, that really isn't much of an offseason.

As usual, team Alvey knows exactly how to capture and show off their crazy trips. The best part of a video like this is that its more of a documentary, focusing all on 1 trip over 3 weeks, instead of a whole season of theme parks with like 1 park a week. Even though they've been on the trip for a long time, they managed to still act just as goofy and have fun on the last day of the trip as they did on the first. The music selection is good as usual, all the parks I've visited before are familiar in these videos, only this time with loads of perks like POV and catwalk footage, and the parks I haven't visited yet really make me want to get to them! Definitely worth picking up the video, even if you've never been to Europe, never want to go to Europe, and when you hear about Europe, the only thing you think of is "The Final Countdown", this video is worth its cost in entertainment value.

Wow, what great photos, Mark. Thanks for sharing. While my only visit to Astroworld was back in the summer of 1999, it seems to be a lot nicer, with lots of stuff receiving paint and proper maintenance. I'm sad to see the park closing forever in a few days, as it was a nice collection of rides and had nice theming, kinda like a poor man's Phantasialand or Europa Park. Awesome pictures of Mayan Mindbender with the lights on, I would have never thought it looked like that. Back in '99 I wished I coulda visited back when the Batman: The Escape queue went thru the Batcave or when there was a hedge maze in the Looney Tunes section. Now I just wish I could go again for some Viper, Greezed Lightning, and Texas Cyclone or even XLR-8 backwards.

Maybe it was still the same song. They've gotten so old and senile that they forgot where the song ended, so they kept playing in an endless chord. Kinda like how during our Dells trip, the Beach Boys were on stage for like 3 days straight, because they forgot how to get off the stage! Fortunately for them, someone must have helped them off stage finally, because they're at Epcot right this second! I'm still sad we missed Kool and the Gang as well as Kansas!

I'm really glad Hershey decided to get a dark ride, and I'm very happy that it isn't Nascar themed, but yeah, I agree the whole story seems kinda weird. When I think about playing sports, I usually don't think about shooting people and then eating candy. Still, it could be amusing, kinda like how when I ride Soarin' I pretend to kick people in the head. It makes the ride somewhat fun, I guess. If nothing else, you get free candy at the end, which is always a plus!

LOL Ted! Love the Hookah picture, especially with Joey added in, and just a little bit smaller than everyone else. For those of you who do not know, I am not smoking anything. I inhaled some fog from the fog machines. Not that its healthy or anything, it just doesn't have any carcinogens in it (that I'm aware of).....though I will admit, I'm a fan of the hookah with some flavored tobacco in it every once in a while. 8)

The scariest part of SheiKra for me is the wasps at the top drop brake. Other than that I think the ride is great fun and thrilling. After Oblivion, its more of a complete ride and has nice pacing. I love looking at the watersplash almost as much as I love vertical loops, and I like how the back row gets a little damp from it. I still wish it ended with a little more power in the helix. I'm definitely a fan of SheiKra. BTW, when did they take off those rods in the Immelmann?

Great photos, Erik. Sure beats actually writing out all the stuff we did. It was such a good weekend, and we really lucked out with the weather and the crowds. I'm still glad we did Express passes at Universal, and I'll do that every time I go back there (which if management continues down the path they're on, won't be too often) I can't wait to do it all again!