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I'll concur with this, Bill--ERT at a Disney park is special, indeed (as is the High Five).

Maybe Voyage happened?

Verbolten was pretty much what I expected it to be--not a "top ten" contender, but a unique, enjoyable ride that I like quite a bit. It was good to see BGW "stretch" a bit. It seems to be a hit with the public, too.

^That's a highlihght I still have yet to experience.

As I recall, they were planning to run Mach Tower in "observation mode" during Christmas Town 2011, but used it for drops, instead.

Kumba is a helluva lot better than Vortex (I assume you mean the ride at Kings Island). Gwazi is pretty rough, even with the Millennium Flyer trains. Sheikra is great.

^That does sound like a standard Michael Bay movie.

It's not like Knott's is lacking for big thrill rides, either, with Xcelerator, Montezooma's Revenge, Silver Bullet, and for better or worse (mostly the latter), Ghost Rider and Boomerang. I'd say that's a pretty fair average for a park that size.

^I'm sure they'll work in a scene where Optimus Prime fights a dragon or a whomping willow or something.

I was curious about that stuff, too. At least I have a picture of the recipe (the ingredients seemed reasonably "normal" for bread).

Verbolten has been running consistenly well since July. Mach Tower, however . . .

^And he's not even asking President Obama to release his college transcripts first.

They ran Alpengeist last year, but there is one issue--it can't be operated if the temperature drops below 42 degrees F (which is rather ironic for a ride themed to a chair lift in a ski area). I'm not sure what the cutoff temperature is for Verbolten, but it makes sense for BGW to run their "New Hotness" for Christmas Town.

Does it make sense to have Space Mountain and Rock N Roller Coaster both at Walt Disney World? Or what about Pirates of the Caribbean and Maelstrom? I'm not sure why people keep questioning the idea of having two kick-ass dark rides based on the same technology in one resort. Like having more than one of something is a bad thing... I mean, they built two B&M inverts at Islands of Adventure right NEXT to each other and no one bitches about it, right? As I said earlier, I'm not a Transformers fan, but any ride using the "Spidey system" works for me.

Yeah, that's a pretty good one. The whole China Trip was pretty amazing!

Even though I'm not a Transformers fan, I've heard nothing but good things about the rides at Hollywood and Singapore. Love seeing another "Spider-Man" type ride being built.

You run the risk of a sore neck? Moving right along . . . Chapter 8: Hey, Don't Bogart that Bamboo, Dude--Chendu's Panda Base I know what you're all thinking: "Where are the pandas? This is China! You promised us pandas? So, where are the freakin' pandas?" I got your freakin' pandas right here--at the big panda preserve in Chendu. Yes, this was another "culture" day, where we had the opportunity not only to learn all about pandas, but also to have out picture taken holding one. Anyway, here are a few "fun facts" about pandas: 1. They are solitary animals who mate, maybe, once a year. That's why they often need a little help. 2. They eat bamboo almost exclusively, and they're damn picky about what bamboo they eat. (Sometimes, they'll eat a bit of meat--if they're lucky enough to catch something that happens to wander by while they're sitting around munching on bamboo.) 3. They also eat "panda bread." Pandas are a high-fiber animal; thus, they make great bread. (OK, I'm kidding. This is bread they make for pandas. It is NOT made from pandas. More on this later.) 4. The pandas are very lucky that their enclosures protect them from the psychotic tram drivers that take people around the preserve. (Yes, it was as bad as Beijing street traffic in there.) I chose not to have my picture taken with a wet panda, but I did take a few pics of wet pandas. Let's have a look. Hmm--that's a rather awkward name. This is more succinct. Sheesh! Chendu sure has a lot of rules when it comes to a "civilized tour." They even advise you to "avoid pornography." Here, in the preserve's museum, we see an example of a panda who has become crazed due to watching too much porn. But where to find actual pandas? This place is huge! Perhaps if we follow the smell of wet fur. "I am the Great Golden Panda God! So, you seek pandas . . . WATCH OUT FOR THAT TRAM, YOU FOOLS!" Where there's bamboo, there's pandas. Pandas have it tough. The very act of getting up and turning around was so physically draining that this poor guy had to go right back to sleep. That is the loudest "please be quiet" sign I've ever seen. Unless, I miss my guess, there may be some more pandas in the vicinity. Eureka! "Oh, munch, I gotta tell ya, folks, chomp, this is the best frickin' bamboo I've ever had! Crunch! I mean, it's always good here, nom nom, but this time they've outdone themselves . . . bra-a-a-a-p! Oh, beg your pardon . . ." My god! Someone's killed that poor panda and strung him up in a tree! "I did it! I did it, and I'm glad! I loathed him! I despised him!" Let us turn away from psychotic pandas and consider this person's rather practical headgear. OK, this place is worth visiting just for the free sewing kits. Now, how about that panda bread? "Larry, can you provide some insight into the digestive system of the typical panda?" "Why, yes, Chuck, I do believe I can." "Sorry, folks. The bakery is closed today, so no samples." "But here's the recipe so you can make your own." "Of course, if you do make and eat your own panda bread, your bowel movements will look like this." One last shot of pandas doing what they do best (besides sleeping). That's all for now.

Now that Howl-o-Scream is over for 2012, guess what's next at Busch Gardens Williamsburg . . . Carolers in England A Christmas tree at the Festhaus The Flight of Lights Santa and, of course . . . Penguins Christmas Town opens on November 23 and runs on select days through December 31.

^Exactly. They're actually putting in a ride that will at least fit the theme of the area unlike, say, Silver Bullet in Ghost Town.

^Yep. But it is easy to get them confused.

^Thanks for the info, Robb.

I haven't been disappointed in any of the new U.S. attractions I've ridden this year, either--then again, I haven't been on too many new attractions. They were all pretty much what I expected. There were a few that exceeded expectations, such as the new wood coasters in China.

I'm hoping that it's a Gerstlauer Bobsled--those rides are good (but it's hard to tell from the concept art).

A family coaster makes more sense for Knott's than some behemoth giga coaster.

I like how it just whips past the trees in some segments. It's great when a park maintains as much of the natural landscape as possible.