MoonCadet

Some sort of Buddhist monk chant that my roommate leaves playing 24/7. (It's ok I have gotten used to it in fact the room seems strangely lacking if it isn't playing now)

I actually live in Norwalk and was at the Oyster festival on Saturday. I thought about taking a spin on the swings among other things but I did not feel like paying $1.25 per ride ticket. The swings alone would have cost $3.75 and the lines were rather long for the things I would ride. I was also otherwise occupied with Christmas shopping and watching The Village People preform. A little history on the Oyster festival I have been going literally since before I can remember and volunteered at the festival several years. The last time I attended previous to this year was 2011, I had other obligations last year. The festival in its past was typically more of an arts festival with various artist showing off and selling their crafts, musical acts and a large variety of food available from lobster dinners to fried dough. More recently they have scaled back on the arts vendors and added more amusements and food. I had never seen so many amusement rides as I saw this year it was actually a very nice spread. The unfortunate accident is a shame however because the ride did look pretty fun. Barring any unusually circumstances I will be attending the Oyster Festival next year $12 admission and a decent amount of fun. The Village People. I had been walking around so I didn't fight for a seat. The view was better then the picture would suggest. Drop Tower and Round Up both with long lines. Intentional action shot (I swear). The line for this pretty much ran the entire length of the ride area. The uhh one "credit" they had. A cobra themed dragon wagon with lots of lights. Games and stuff and more lights. Umbrella Rides, Dizzy Dragons and other random amusements. The Rock-o-Plane! It had a very very long line. Ferris Wheel, Funhouse, Bumper Cars. Tornado ride and people. The ill fated Swings, kind of blurry. The spun rather fast and the swings seemed to swing out quite far. An abrupt stop on that would really hurt. There are a few things I neglected to take pictures of, there was Giant Slide, a Kids Carousel, a fair few midway games and food stands and some other smaller kiddie rides. It was pretty packed and there was not wristband option only tickets.

This is probably a little unfair to the coaster in question as I am sure that there are other ones that feel rougher; but I give the honor of roughest coast to the only coaster that actually made me bleed... The Mighty Canadian Minebuster... or more accurately known as The Mighty Canadian Lipbuster to me. Granted at the time I was probably a foot shorter that I am now but I managed to split my lip wide open on that ride. My mother spent a good portion of the ride trying to find some napkins in her fanny-pack to stem the tide of blood. In the end I was ok didn't go to first aid bleeding eventually stopped and I got on with my day. As for other coasters... I still don't know how to ride the Mind Eraser at Six Flags New England without getting a headache... so I kinda stopped even trying.

This is a hard one. I am just going to list coasters and major rides because otherwise the list would get really dumb really fast. Busch Gardens Williamsburg Mach Tower (2011 and 2012 sad but true) Verbolten (2012) Canobie Lake Park Untamed (2011) Disney's Epcot Soarin' (2005) Disney's Hollywood Studios Toy Story Mania (2008) Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (2010) Disney's Magic Kingdom All the New Fantasy Land stuff (2012) Hershey Park Skyrush (2012) Kings Dominion Volcano the Blast Coaster (1998) Intimidator 305 (2010) Windseeker (2012) Lake Compounce Boulder Dash (2000) Six Flags Great Adventure Batman the Ride (1993) Sky Screamer (2012) Six Flags Magic Mountain Goliath (2000) Tatsu (2006) Six Flags New England (ex Riverside) Mind Eraser (1997 absolutely loved it then too) Superman Ride of Steel (2000) Flashback (2000) I know I left some out most likely but this is generally accurate.

Visited So Far -Magic Kingdom -Epcot -Hollywood Studios -Busch Gardens Williamsburg -Kings Dominion -Rye Playland -Carowinds -Dollywood -Nascar Speed Park -Beech Bend -Holiday World -Kings Island -Kennywood -Hershey Park -Knoebels -Six Flags America -Six Flags New England Upcoming -Luna Park -SeaWorld Orlando -Animal Kingdom -Busch Gardens Tampa -Both Fun Spots Maybe -Six Flags Great Adventure

All in for Scandi! Between costs and timing it is pretty much the only one that fits in my schedule anyway. West Coast at any other time would be ideal.

My parents were always riders. I apparently went to Kennywood as a baby(sadly haven't been back since). I spent summers with my cousins running around Riverside(Six Flags New England). I also made various visits to Lake Quassy and Lake Compounce where Wildcat was actually my first "big" coaster. Pretty much out of the box if they would let me on it I would ride it and if I wanted to ride it and they wouldn't let me... well lets just say my first trip to Six Flags Great Adventure was traumatic. I apologize to everyone who was on the Great American Scream Machine ride platform that day. I did the "scream" part justice. My parents brought me thru the line to child swap me so they could each ride but I did not take kindly to being left out of the fun and admittedly pitched quite a fit. I suppose it is a combination of luck and exposure. The only ride of any type I refused was a water slide at Sesame Place when I was five. I have never been to a water park before. From the top of the slide all I could see was kids sit down on it.. go around a curve and disappear. I ran back down the stairs. My cousin who was seven at the time went down the slide and I watched her pop out at the end. I then decided to try it myself... loved it begged to ride again but my parents said it was time to see other attractions. So just start you with exposing a child to the theme park... and water park atmosphere. The noise the energy the excitement then so long as the child doesn't suffer greatly from motion sickness becoming a rider will be well within their reach.

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/moonsupport/KingsDominion2013 Here is my Kings Dominion page!

Well I'll be living in Williamsburg this summer... actually working at Busch Gardens so I think I'll figure out a way to be there.

I was late to the party but I finally found out where I will be this summer. I'll be in Williamsburg which is within striking distance of Kings Dominion so I am throwing my hat in the ring. Late but ambitious I hope to join you guys on the 10th! My Donation Page

Hmm is looking good. I was at the park last night but really only watched Wishes and Main Street Electrical. I had a headache so I left after that but I'll head out there tomorrow or Friday and see what there may be to see. Happy Pi day

I was at Kings Dominion today when I got a surprise earthquake. I had just gotten off the Dominator and was riding Boo Blasters when it happened..... man those targets were hard to hit. My mother was in the Ghoster Coaster station said the whole thing was shaking like mad and the Dominator e-stopped near the top of the lift. My friend and I didn't actually notice the earthquake was actually an earthquake in Boo Blasters it was just really hard to play. However, as we are walking around it suddenly there were people everywhere and all the rides were closed. Then we got the news and all the cell phones were tied up it was impossible to contact people. They kept the park "open" though you could really only play games and eat for the first hour or so after the earthquake. They slowly started opening the flats so we road most of those. By around 4-5ish Rebel Yell, Hurler, Ricochet, Stunt Coaster started to come online and road them as they opened. Around 6pm Grizzly came up we road a couple of laps on that because there was NOBODY in the station. At 7pm... 1 hour from park closing Intimidator came online we dashed over there and road in the front row by the time we got off park was closed. Volcano, Anaconda, Shockwave never started back up. Flight of Fear did start but we didn't get to get on it. However, EVERYONE that was in the park has a rain-check(earthquake-check) and can come back again on their tickets from today. We will be going back on Thursday. Tomorrow Busch Gardens....wish me luck!

He claims he doesn't get ill in cars or on boats ect so he has never had to deal with it outside of that fair ride several years ago. We don't know if that specific case was a one off thing or if we are in for a miserable day(I hope not). So I am trying the error on the side of caution if nothing else. I know he is going because I enjoy it and I would hate to be riding alone while he just walks around the park with me.

While I personally do not suffer from the curse of motion sickness my friend who will be going to Canobie with me this weekend is afraid he will. His last amusement ride experience was on a fair ride several years ago that left him feeling ill for hours. I want him to be able to enjoy this trip (without skipping all the rides) seeing as he agreed to come with me ... so I was wondering if anyone had any tips.

I am glad that this was my first official TPR event, it was amazing. I practically couldn't stop smiling the whole day ...except maybe on Mind Eraser and Flashback. Morning ERT was a blast some quality time with some quality coasters. Lunch was good even if I didn't partake in the beer and TPR Quest was hilarious. I now know I am pretty terrible at keeping water in a cup on a coaster. I only contributed a trickle to my team total. However, at least, the lap bar didn't knock the cup out of my hands like some people on my team. TPR and SFNE really worked together to pull off a fabulous event. Thank you All!!!! Ohhhh and my parents had fun too. They both love roller coasters and would have disowned me if I didn't. This event was my treat to them as well.

Finally something I can actually go too!! I've been so busy lately nothing seems to match up with my schedule. As this will be my first official TPR event is there anything I ought to know? Also how many people attend this sort of thing... I am curious. Anyway I'm excited It may be my "home" park but I honestly haven't been there in years... I've been everywhere else instead.

I was there yesterday got my rides in on The Scream Machine my beloved pain train the coaster that defined big coaster to me when I was too small to get on and threw a fit. It had literally been 10 years since I had been to that park. Stayed hydrated and had a pretty good day... unlike the girl who passed out in the GASM station while I was there. But rode everything without much fuss... longest wait was Kingda Ka and I was glad I could get my last rides in.

Nope I wasn't carrying anything... did have a pacman shirt on but I saw the person with the green TPR bag too. They were in line for I305 when I was in line for the front row.... they sat in the 2nd row I believe when I was still a good 8 rides away from getting on.

I had an excellent day at KD yesterday rode Intimidator 305 2 times...managed to ride just about everything else in that park as well. The park was clean... at least the places I went, and lines were manageable. I waited longest for Volcano...excluding the hour+ wait I had for the front of I305 but that was at the very end of the night...the park was technically closed by the time I got on. I was on the very last full train... after that they ran empty trains with just the people in the front row. I applaud them for making sure everyone in the front row line got their front row ride.

Can't say much about hotels but I am actually staying in the BGW area right now albeit in a resort. However as for the park I was there this past Tuesday and it was not very crowded at all everything was pretty much walk on or wait 1-2 ride cycles at most unless you were aiming for a front row on Apollo's Chariot which might get up to 5 cycles. Got there about and hour after opening rode everything and I mean everything flats shows and ate a leisurely meal by 5. Spent the rest of the time re-riding favorites.

Heading out to this park today wish me luck... its been almost 12 years since I've been there(I was last there for the opening of Volcano). BTW in terms of discounts I favor http://www.jdrfcapitol.org/2010/06/purchase-your-jdrf-fun-days-discount-tickets-to-kings-dominion-now/. Its only good for certain days but its a good discount for a good cause.

Grover's Alpine Express ~ Busch Gardens in Williamsburg

Having built my own computer this past summer(which works great I might add) I'll offer my 2 cents. First you need to decide what your computers primary purpose will be.... more demanding things like hardcore cutting edge gaming?..... video editing?.... CaD?..... or lesser things like casual gaming.... word processing..... internet browsing? That should give you a good idea of what kind of processor ... speed #of cores ect. Then you need to decided...cost/personal preference where you want AMD or Intel Personally I'm an Intel person just cause I always have been(bad reason I know). However, because of that I honestly don't know a lot about AMD chips. As for Intel.... you can honestly do almost anything on a Core 2 with a decent clock speed and it is very gentle on a budget. However you can easily step-up up to a quad core for not much more and that is a good option. Personally, I would not go for the 5i or 7i unless you really have the money to burn. The performance gains will not be worth the extra $ you have to spend on the processor RAM and MoBo. Once you pick your CPU then pick your MoBo ... make sure to match your socket type... and you will probably want it to have dual channel RAM, decent onboard sound PCIx16 ect ect that stuff is pretty standard... if you are interested in Sli or Crossfire support(dual graphics cards). For your case you need to get an ATX or micro-ATX size board.... I suggest ATX ...not as cramped. Make sure the board supports the type and speed of RAM that is recommended for your CPU(the 5i & 7i want DDR3 the rest use DDR2 I believe). As for the RAM itself it depends on the processor and MoBo. Get the 64 bit version of windows7... the 32bit version can only address 4gigs of RAM so the 64bit version will leave you some expansion room. Yes you will want 2gig sticks. Just look for decent quality RAM to the right spec. Your MoBo may have onboard video but if you want to do anything more visually demanding then browsing these forums I would suggest a graphics card.... here again you get to make a choice of Ati or Nvidia.... choose cost/preference... and look at your price per performance... if you care about graphics get the best you can. PSU... this is a big one ... nothing fries a computer faster then a bad power supply... if your case comes with one make sure its decent if not just spend a few $$ and get a good one cause a bad one can literally send your computer up in smoke. other optional goodies sound card... these days onboard audio is usually pretty good so not really needed aftermarket CPU cooler.... some people swear by them ....I haven't needed one but I don't overclock aggressively Well that's all I have to say for now.... hope some of it may be helpful. Good Luck!

Hello I'm Nicole I stumbled around this lovely place a while ago and admit to being quite the lurker... figured it was about time to change that at least somewhat. I live in southwestern CT and thus lucky enough to have have quite a few parks within a day trip of me: SFNE, Lake Compounce, Rye Playland, Coney Island, SFGAv... to name a few. I have been blessed with parents that appreciate roller coasters and have been going to parks since before I can remember. My first "big people" coaster was the Wildcat at Lake Compounce... sitting next to my mother going down the first hill, my body was not in contact with "any" part of the train and I was quite sure had I let go that might have been the end of me. But I am here and I was hooked. I definitely threw a few fits when I wasn't tall enough to ride some coasters but time and age fixed that. I honestly don't know how many credits I have to my name currently but I do love a good ride. Nice to meet you all.