Pirouettes907

This was really awesome! I would love to be able to do something like that (nothing like getting toted up a 200+ lift backwards and walking around at the top to start your morning, I suppose!). Also, thanks for putting in those random tidbits of information, like the one about the mist from DarKastle being used to water plants. I love little things like that. Your TR was informative, full of nerd shots that made me gleeful and despite how much you seemed worried about your pictures turning out, they looked fine to me. Thanks for posting! ~Megan P.S. I believe you did spell Immelman right...except that it's Immelmans for a plural, not "Immelman's." The apostrophe doesn't belong for making this a plural. (Sorry, it's one of those grammar mistakes that really bugs me...but it in no way detracted from an otherwise fantastic TR!)

I LOVED your captions! Now I have images in my head of geese headbutting fish for biscuits. Also, I didn't know about that museum either. Thanks for letting me know it's there! ~Megan

That was really neat! I also love historic stuff like that, even when it gives me the creeps like the Lizzie Borden story. Thanks for sharing! ~Megan

I enjoyed looking at these. I just moved to St. Louis about two months ago and was pretty impressed with SFStL (and especially with Evel Knievel). I haven't conquered Hurricane Harbor yet, but it looks like it could be fun. Thanks for posting! ~Megan

How silly is it that I actually counted 6 duckies and then somehow forgot about one in the time before I posted that I had found 5! Oh well, guess it doesn't matter because I missed the Scat 2 one anyway. Better luck for me on the next round I hope! ~Megan

Hope it's not too late to post, but I saw 5 duckies! ~Megan

^^ "I Secretly Want to Punch Slow Walking People in the Back of the Head" is, by far, one of the greatest groups on Facebook. Walking by one of the games areas at SFStL, I overheard the games operator asking a patron if she could name all seven continents, and she replied, giggling, "Probably not!" Now, GP comment or not, quotes like that bother me tremendously. Is is that our education system is really so pathetic that more adults than I probably care to know don't know facts that should have become ingrained in elementary school, or is it just that some people are so utterly apathetic in seeing beyond the bubble of their own lives? A little off topic, that experience reminded me of a time in high school when someone thought the U.S. had 52 states, and that the other two were Cuba and, of all things, Vietnam. ~Megan

I'm loving these reports. It's fun to check out the touristy spots from one's home town. One thing I wanted to ask you--have you ever been to Kilwin's? It's a chocolate, fudge and ice cream store and there's one in Pigeon Forge and one in Gatlinburg. Before I moved, I worked at the Kilwin's in Gettysburg, PA and I must say, at the risk of sounding like I'm shamelessly promoting the place (okay, so maybe I am!), it's worth a visit. I know you're an ice cream fan, and their franchise honestly has some of the best ice cream I've ever eaten (it's their own brand). If you have the time, I'd recommend going (and it sure would make a delicious-looking TR, too!). ~Megan

Wow, after reading what everyone has said, I feel like I really lucked out. I got my wisdom teeth taken out four years ago and I felt absolutely no pain afterward. They knocked me out quickly and the only unpleasant part was feeling a little nauseous from the anesthesia when I got up from the recovery area, so I just lay back for a little longer until I felt okay. But seriously, once I got home, I took one Vicodin for precaution but I don't think I would have needed it--I never felt any pain and the swelling was practically non-existent. So, Natalie (and anyone else), there is hope for not cowering into fetal position post-surgery for you! My surgeon did a fantastic job (which, I suppose, compensated for his rather cocky and humorless personality). But it seems from the sounds of things in this thread and from other people I've talked with that even if you do experience pain, it's not too excruciating. Good luck!

^ What, and take personal responsibility for himself? Actually admit that he may be at fault? Understand that placing blame on an inanimate object for his own actions is utterly absurd? Nope, that doesn't happen in America.

That is phenomenally cool and wonderful what you guys did with those raccoons. It always brings a smile to my face to see people doing things like this. How often do you get the ability to release animals back to the wild? On another note, I don't think I've ever heard of the park you went to; interesting to see a new place. Thanks for posting!

I’m not interested in starting a pointless argument with you, steel, but I must say your TR of SFStl seems unnecessarily negative and exaggerated. I was there for Daredevil Daze on Saturday and had a fantastic time. Sure, it was crazy hot (with an actual temperature of about 97 and an average heat index of 103-4, not 108) but you should have known that going in. You chose to go that day; furthermore, you received a bargain admission for that particular day’s event, so your excessive complaints about things like the weather and long waits for the front seat seem a little trite. A few other things: --I don’t know what you’re talking about with Mr. Freeze’s line moving so slowly. Two-train operation works very well for this ride; all day long I saw and heard trains dispatch quickly. You chose to wait a little longer for the front seat in the stuffy station for your evening ride. If the temperature was such a problem during your wait, you could have picked another seat. For that matter, I was very impressed with roller coaster operations the entire day. The stairwell for Batman’s queue may have been toasty, but I bet you weren’t in there that long. That being said, I do sympathize with you for all employees working outside on a day like that, but at least every summer day isn’t that oppressively warm. I’m sure it was uncomfortable for them, but I did not witness any of them ever letting it get in the way of being polite to riders and customers. --Misunderstandings and miscommunications happen, as in the case of nighttime ERT on The Boss. I wasn’t there for that, so I don’t know the details of it, but there were two other coasters operating for you if The Boss wasn’t. --Bottled water is a necessary evil at parks. $3.50 seems about normal. Yeah, it’s overpriced, but when it’s hot, you deal with it—and if you didn’t want to deal with it, there were water fountains. --At least there was some nighttime ERT. So what if it was cut short; that was some of the most spectacular lightning I have ever seen in my life and it more than made up for it. I realize that just because I enjoyed myself doesn’t mean everyone did, but your complaints seem petty and such actions like throwing away your change are immature in light of the fact that the day’s activities—ERT, walkback tours, lunch and the popsicles you were positive about—were offered for only $10. Along with that, the park was clean, operations were efficient and employees smiled, were friendly and seemed to make the best of the weather. It’s not like you had already deposited a massive sum towards this that might make you feel compelled to get your money’s worth from it. It also doesn’t sound like any of the things you complained about were maliciously targeted toward you specifically. Like I said, I don’t want to start an argument. It’s just that you chose to go and it’s your responsibility to deal with the consequences of those actions instead of blaming the ever-ambiguous “they” with such statements as “…they screwed up towards the end.” ~Megan

I was SO excited to see this! Jeeze, first the Bebes' Philadelphia TR and now this! (although your TR takes place closer to home.) This sure makes it seem like I'm still home and didn't just move halfway across the country! It really is a shame there's no more Willow Grove Park--or at least, WGP as it should be (although I do enjoy riding the carousel whenever I'm there). I didn't know about the park in Glenside, though. It's really neat to see pictures comparing "then" and "now." One thing I was wondering--how do you know that was the footprint of the roller coaster in the first TR? To me, it looks like a dirt path, so I'm curious to know how one can tell the difference. This was great. Thanks for making my day!

Aw, now that TR just made me homesick! Philly is fantastic; I just moved to Missouri and it's not quite "home" yet, so I appreciated being able to relive some memories through your pictures Also, glad you got a cheesesteak, which reminds me of delicious food, which leads me to ask--did you stop at a Wawa during your trip? Wawa is a convenience store chain prevalent in the PA-NJ-MD-DE-VA area, and their food is just nectar of the gods. Seriously. It doesn't get any better than a Wawa iced tea and hoagie for a late-night meal. Wawa is photo trip report-worthy in itself! Keep these reports coming!

I had to laugh at that picture of the sample locker space and your caption for it. I very firmly believe this world would be a far better place if people would just read signs. Just think of how many problems would be solved! I'm glad you enjoyed Dorney. That was my home park growing up (I lived near Philly) and it's always nice to read positive reviews for some of my favorites like Steel Force. I do agree with you about the Wild Mouse, though--terrible, terrible, terrible! I love following along with your reports; you two have a great storytelling style for them and I'm looking forward to more. ~Megan (Oh for pete's sake, I used that L-word. haha)

I guess you, Big Mike! (even though it's already been guessed!)

YAY!!!! Kudos on the extra prairie dog shots! (^ I agree!) Oh, and as for the trip reports, they are awesome too. Always entertaining and it's great to read about and see again all the parks I grew up with. Can't wait to see more!

Congratulations on #800! (Looks like you picked a really good one for that #800, too!)

"Have your next affair here" ?!?!? That is prime material for those dozens of coffee table books featuring such ironic signs. I love it. Interesting TR--I really hope to make it there someday and it's really great to see the place crowded after it seemed like it might go down the tubes. Thanks for sharing!

Not only do you take some unique and different shots, you add some humorous captions to them, too. I really like these reaction-type pictures--some of those faces are indeed priceless (makes me wonder what I look like when I ride!). Also, is it just me, or were way too many people wearing Aeropostale/Abercrombie/Hollister-labeled shirts in those shots?

I've lived in PA my whole life and I haven't been to a huge number of parks outside my state, so I do have to admit to some favoritism for the places I've visited most. When I lived near Philadelphia, the closest park to me was Dorney. I feel that for most people, nothing about it would really stand out but I love it all the same from going so many times (and I would recommend going). My mom always reminisces about going to West Point Park (I think that's what it was called) and especially Willow Grove Park as a child and riding their scenic railway called the Alps (now it's just a mall. I would have much preferred having an amusement park 15 minutes from my house growing up than a mall!). There used to be many parks here in decades past that have vanished now, but that's the case with many states. Maybe you could say that Pennsylvania was able to hang onto places that deliver good operations and an enjoyable environmental setting better than others, but it's all a matter of chance and opinion. So I don't know if I'd say what you love about PA parks is strictly a Pennsylvania thing (although for a place like Knoebel's you are certainly on to something). I think it's a matter of looking at each park and its history and atmosphere individually. Their appeal is a subjective thing, and I'm sure you'd find the things you see in PA parks in other places too, just as you might find the typical Cedar Fair atmosphere inside and outside the state. Hope that wasn't too rambling. It's good that you've found parks here that consistently deliver an enjoyable experience (I certainly have, too), but no matter where you find those experiences, it's the fact that you find them at all that's important. ~Megan

Well Big Mike, you sure know what you're doing because what can I say, I'm a sucker for adorable animals; what a great report, especially your story about winning over that gorilla! Sure, Speed the Ride is one thing, but there's nothing like seeing a baby cheetah or a baby elephant to brighten my day. I would definitely like to see more segments like this. Oh, and for the record, my first word was "fish," although I'm sure it came out "fiss." Fun to know there's someone else in the "my first word was an animal, not "mommy" or "daddy" " group!

Hi Big Mike! I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy following along with the Roadshow. I'm all caught up after starting at the beginning a few weeks ago and let me tell you, this thread sure helped keep me sane during finals last week (for example: "hmmmm, should I try writing and get frustrated at another paragraph of this 20 page paper or should I find the duckies? Well, Big Mike is cool. Papers are not cool. And I think real-life duckies are just so adorable because they quack and waddle and paddle around. So, BMRS 2, Papers 0." See, I think logically!). But seriously, I love your reports, not only because you do such a thorough job of photographing parks and rides but because each report is just brimming with the Big Mike quirkiness that makes these reports so awesomely entertaining and unique. Keep up the great work; I'm looking forward to future installments of the Big Mike Roadshow 2009! ~Megan

If the free candy at the end of Chocolate World isn't enough to entice you to take the tour, please note that this tour also features singing cows. I mean, come on--SINGING COWS! Not to mention you will run across types of Hershey Kisses you've probably never heard of--I bought a bag of chocolate truffle Kisses the last time I was there and they're delicious. But really, I can't stress enough how integral Chocolate World is to the whole experience (and it's free; can't beat that!). Other than that, I would agree with what others have told you so far. I know I'm partial to the place because my family went there every summer when I was growing up, I haven't been to many parks beyond the east coast and the Comet was my first roller coaster, but I think Hershey is one of the most unique parks out there. It has a great collection of rides and an interesting story behind it. I really hope you have fun and enjoy it! ~Megan

Your report is really enjoyable to look at--I really like the panorama picture of Wildfire because SDC's setting with all those trees provides a fantastic backdrop. I'm moving to St. Louis in a month and I'm really excited to have a whole new set of parks to conquer, so this report has provided a nice means of procrastination on the papers I'm supposed to be writing for finals (thanks!). Looking forward to the Adventureland portion!