cfc

I remember going to someone's birthday party at Micke Grove back when I was 9 or 10. They didn't even have a coaster credit back then.

They should rebrand The Ultimate as "Jeckyl and Hyde" for Halloween.

^You might have been thinking about this post I made awhile back: She didn't specify any particular part of the ride that her son had to weld together.

^I take it that you mean "Log Jammer"?

Jungle Storm looks like one crazy little ride--nearly as interesting as your adventures getting to it.

^I think I disliked Drachen Fire a bit more, but maybe because it was closer to my house.

The Tubes--Mondo Bondage.

Eight of out of twenty--I'm really bad with names.

^Thank you--I've edited the photo caption.

Now there's a great setting for a horror movie.

^I'm so sorry.

^I've seen a line extending out of the station and down the catwalk for Anaconda a few times, but that's not the norm (at least in my experience). I don't think I've ever waited more than two trains to ride it.

^Yay for China 2012! Here's to hoping we all survive!

Agreed--well done, Patrick! The Monkey Train looks absolutely horrifying.

^Sounds like a good plan, Guy--your kids should have a great time. Cypress Gardens provides a somewhat "exotic" setting for Legoland--a nice contrast with the other two I've visited (Windsor and Denmark).

I think chocolate mint the best of their flavors (but that's my favorite flavor of any kind of ice cream).

Having a fair in the woods sure beats sun-baked asphalt. This is like a traveling Knoebels.

Are you wearing a black armband, Martin?

I've always thought the Coronado looked like a nice resort, but it never seems to have any "buzz" behind it. A friend of mine went to a conference there and thought the rooms and grounds were fine, but the food options were weak (this was about five or six years ago).

I just received my first topic-reply notifications since the server changeover.

^Fitting it with those "overhead lapbars" (as seen on Movie World's Jimmy Neutron coaster) would've helped. At least your ears wouldn't get boxed on every turn. It's good to see that Cypress Gardens now has management that 1) actually cares about the park and 2) has good plans for it. Everyone in the group seemed pleasantly surprised with how Legoland Florida turned out.

Those miniatures are very impressive, and I like the rapids ride's twisting drop. Looks like a a nice family park. Are the costumed characters based on some Italian TV show?

Looks like Walibi puts on a good haunt--thanks for the pictures. What was your favorite maze of the night?

Here's a bit more of Legoland Florida, a park that deserves to make it. There's a "Lego Factory Tour," but not an actual factory. Renate, a member of the Legoland California staff who knows TPR very well, was there to help open the new park. I'm sure the real Lego factories are just like this. "Oompa Loompa, doobity-doo!" We received official limited-edition bricks for Legoland Florida--thanks! The flying island is another old attraction that's been "Lego-ized." The snake is not, I repeat, not made of Legos. See any gators out there? The grandstand on the left is for the water-skiing show--another Cypress Gradens attraction that's received the Lego treatment. Here's a better look at The Dragon--and the Bealls and Super K Mart across the street (like the snake, they are not made of Legos). The lake is quite pretty. I think the buildings in the foreground used to be a petting zoo. Maybe I should've borrowed this guy's binoculars. Time for another "Lego-ized" old attraction--the former Triple Hurricane. Not our dino. This was a good family ride back in the Adventure Park days, too. But now it's even better because it has dinosaurs. Now here's a refreshing ride for a hot day. Dan, you do realize this is a water ride, right? I think Dan is in serious trouble. Bombs away! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! It's time to get in touch with some southern gentility in the old gardens. Careful, Robb! That southern belle is likely to get the vapors and fall into a swoon! I remember old postcards with this picture on them. I don't remember giant mutant snails, though. "The power to creat giant mutant snails is insignificant next to the power of the Schwartz!" "Ain't no mystical energy field fixin' this toilet." The sequel to "Hobo with a Shotgun": "Bunny with a Chainsaw." The giftshop is very conveniently located near the entrance/exit. Now there's a shock. "Why, thank y'all for visiting. Just tickled us half to death!"

I remember hitting the Cypress Gardens Adventure Park with TPR a few years back. The place was underwhelming then, to say the least. Building an amusement park that was one step above Old Town in quality and depending on the drawing power of the name Cypress Gardens (a tourist destination that had been passe for years) was a questionable enterprise, at best. Yes, building a glorified carnival and hoping that the tourists would make the trek from Orlando to Winter Haven was a failure, and I left the place wondering if there was any hope for Cypress Gradens at all. Then along came Merlin and Legoland. The Gardens now have a fighting chance. I was quite impressed with how Legoland put its stamp on the old park, not only by bringing in new, classic attractions (such as Aqua Zone Wave Racers and the Lost Kingdom Adventure dark ride), but also by adapting some of the old park's rides (such as turning the generic Rollerskater into The Dragon). Plus, the Gardens are still there--a nice link to the past. I barely recognized the park when we visited, and based on my first visit to the old Adventure Park, that's a good thing. The big question still remains, though: Will Legoland be enough to entice guests to leave the tourist epicenter of Orlando? Well, they're off to a good start--and the announced opening of a Lego water park next year is a smart move. I wish Legoland Florida well. Come and join us at the preview day. Welcome to the, we hope, future of Cypress Gardens. The Lego Wench entices you to come in. Noted and logged--thank you. There were some glitches here and there, but overall the day went smoothly. It was also Media Day--the park would "officially" open the following day. Looks like the reporter had a late night. Steve's son, Logan, got to be on TV somewhere, just by driving around in this little car. A wee bit of hoopla, and Legoland is "unofficially" open for business. OK, who needs to work off a Waffle House breakfast? Get ready to pump yourselves to death, folks! The is the only Legoland attraction that's "licensed to kill." Mike, you're supposed to use the other nozzle to put out the fire, not your . . . oh, never mind. (Looks like the Legoland CM is impressed, though.) Pump, ladies, pump like the wind! (OK, that really sucks as a metaphor.) Uh oh! Looks like one team is having bit of a problem. The losers pump themselves back to the finish line in disgrace. Here's one of the refurbished old attractions. Enjoy yourselves on the "Ride Formerly Known as Swamp Thing." "You know, mit out Legos, mein Theory of Relativity would've been kaput! True story!" The boats are another classic attraction you find at (I think) all the Lego parks. I see that Lou has found her favorite attraction. Hmm--this donkey and his swarthy companion smack of exotic intrigue! At last, we know how the Pyramids were built. This is the type of picture you get when your camera is slow to reset and you miss everybody's pose. I think I know where to find Garbels. Victory! And I think it only cost him $100 or so. If all they did was put up this castle and nothing else, Merlin would've improved the old CG Adventure Park by 100%. "D'yer, me big and dumb! Got hammer! Smash you good!" "Sir! Please put the hammer on the ground and back away slowly!" Legoland did a good job adding a dark-ride section on to the existing Rollerskater. A once "meh" ride is now fun. More to come from Legoland.