SharkTums

^Honestly, it's a really good school...I LOVED it...a lot of people apply as a transfer after getting their A.A. so maybe think about that! My brother will be applying next year! Elissa "should we start a 'schooling' thread???" Alvey

You'd think with all the riding I've done I would have lots of these stories, but I really don't! The best was probably getting stuck on Villains Lift for 20 minutes and eventually having to be walked down. Elissa "and then we got these kids ejected for doing graffiti!" Alvey

Yeah, Robb was considering it but there just aren't enough long term results yet to really commit to it, plus Robb is lucky enough where his contacts don't really bother him and he can leave them in for weeks at a time! Elissa "doesn't need glasses!" Alvey

California Adventure is a really nice park, a lot of times though children seem to get a bit bored...it's almost like the Epcot of the west, but not as nice and not as much to do! Soarin, California Screamin, Tower, and Grizzly are all top E Ticket rides, but other than that it's more of a walk around and look at the pretty park while relaxing sort of place. Are you catering the trip more around yourself or your kid?...that might help us help you more! Elissa "They have a small kids area at California Adventure, but not too much else" Alvey

^ I went to the University of Florida...Go Gators! Graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Geography. Elissa "will probably end up back there someday for my masters!" Alvey

I don't count powered coasters because they don't 'coast' at all! My usual rule of thumb is to go by the overall 'experience' is it more like a coaster or more like a water ride. Hence the reason I don't count both Journey to Atlantis', but I did count Buzzsaw Falls...Journey really is like a dark/water ride with a bit of coaster section, whereas Buzzsaw was more like a coaster out in the forest with a bit of a log flume section. Does that make sense? As for to count something as 1,2 or even 3 credits (ex: Dragons, Gwazi, Steeplechase, Colossus, etc.) again it goes with 'experience'. On the Steeplechase I can ride one of 3 different tracks, but they all provide the EXACT same exeperience, whereas Dueling Dragons and Gwazi are quite different. Racers get a bit harder to figure out, but for example Rolling Thunder is different enought that I count it as two. As for Robb counting the powered on coastercounter...he only does that to make up for the fact that it's missing a lot of coasters that he's ridden! Elissa "Jeff Johnson counts anything with wheels as a credit!" Alvey

^Robb just posted about the missing files. Our webhosting company is having some problem, they are working on it. Elissa "Stupid Webhosting" Alvey

Oooo, I love Zion! We're going there in a few weeks. Make sure to do the "Narrows" trail! The coasters in Vegas are all 'ok' not amazing, but not too awful (Well, aside from Manhattan Express!). They are also all a bit pricey. If you like Hyper Coasters make sure to ride Desperado. It's about 40 minutes outside Vegas, towards Los Angeles. As for Paramount's Great America outside of San Francisco. It doesn't have too much to offer. No Hyper coaster. A very bad Wooden coaster, a few kiddie coasters, an arrow loopscrew, Vekoma Invertigo, a rough and small B&M Stand up, and a Very good B&M custom invert. Six Flags Marine World is also very close to San Francisco so maybe check out the coasters there too to see if those are more up your alley! Elissa "sorry, this area of the country doesn't have the best coaster selection " Alvey

MEET UP WITH US!!! Elissa "we need help!" Alvey

Hmpf! I doubt that! Elissa "Where is the talk to Chip n Dale attraction!??" Alvey

Keep in mind you also have some sizeable drives here...nothing that's not doable, but just keep that in mind. As for hotels, we usually try to stay right near the park that we're visiting the next day so we're there for opening. On this trip though it's not as easy as on most and there will be some annoying hotel situations... Kennywood & Knoebels & SFGAd & SFA you'll have to stay probably at least 20 minutes away. Hershey & Dorney are expensive to stay right nearby. PKD has real crap around it, try to stay in ..I think it's Ashville? BGW has plenty. Elissa "funny how that works out sometimes!" Alvey

Yay for waterpark expansion!!! Elissa "some of their slides are REALLY old!" Alvey

^I'd rather have those parks as my "5-6 Hour Drive Parks" then the ones I have! Elissa "Vegas, Castles n Coasters, SFMW, PGA" Alvey

At your home park you just go through the turnstiles like normal, but at any other Paramount park you have to first go to Guest Relations to get a 1-Day Comp ticket after they write down your Season Pass number and what park it's from. Usually this process is pretty quick 5 - 10 minutes. Elissa "why is it that Six Flags actually does this better than Paramount or Cedar Fair?!?!" Alvey

Actually, it's kind of sad...the only plane tickets we have booked right now are our Europe Tickets for June! Between now and then we're hoping to hit either Florida or Virginia and Silver Dollar City...we just got some exciting possibilities for Winter Break. At some point we'd really like to get to Australia again! Elissa "need to get into trip planning mode!" Alvey

Hey there...we would actually like to get back out there at some point, it's just a hard place to plan a trip around since there's not too much else in the area! As for your SoCal trip...well...does your 5 year old like to ride stuff? Because honestly there isn't much for a 5 year old who likes to ride stuff to do at Knotts other than Camp Snoopy with the baby rides. During Weekdays in July, all the parks are going to be annoying, some more than others. At least Disney and SFMM have some sort of skip the line program if you don't like crowds. Elissa "believe it or not there's more for a 42'' kid at SFMM than Knotts!" Alvey

In fact...he's quite the opposite! Elissa "check the title for coastermax" Alvey

^Robb, you're forgetting the main reason to go back...SUPER SLC!!!! Elissa "lol, skegness was a dump!" Alvey

^Only if by 'get to Dorney' you mean run in for 15 minutes get on Hydra and leave to go to Knoebels! Nice pictures...I just don't know though, I'm not excited by this ride for some reason. Elissa "Hope it's good!" Alvey

^Hey Dutch Wonderland has that awesome Simulator!!! Elissa "the 'play DVD' screen was burned in!" Alvey

^^ Sometimes we do like Quality over Quantity though! I don't think there was a single roller coaster that we re-rode at PCW! As for the flat rides...hmmm...how to put this...I guess we were just told for years how awesome they all were and that we'd be blown away, and again, we didn't bother re-riding any of them! Most of them can be found at other parks for fairs/carnivals. In fact our favorite was the Top Spin that got you drenched, and that was probably only because we didn't realize how soaked you got and it was such a good feature! Elissa "from what I've heard the original jump is better than the super jump 2 at PCW" Alvey

Give us a little more information...what kind of roller coasters do you like? Do you prefer looping or non-looping? Do you prefer a nice clean well run park or a park with a lot of roller coasters? Do you really have only one day to hit one park or can you hit one park in Vegas, one park in Northern California and one park in Southern California? Elissa "let us know!" Alvey

I haven't been to New Zealand (aside from layover in Auckland) since I was 5, so I really don't feel I can judge. I've been to Australia a few times, most recently when I was about 17 and love it! Sorry! :scared: Elissa "Australia had this cool 200foot tree that I got to climb!" Alvey http://www.pembertontourist.com.au/home.asp

Dude, I love the picture where it looks like Buzz Lightyear is about to crush the coaster! Elissa "he's like the new Godzilla!" Alvey

Ok, titles done...now stop fighting...you're both sheep lovers! Elissa "although NZ does have a lot of those smelly mud pits!" Alvey