cfc

It is pretty cool to snow among the palm trees at Magic Mountain. I heard that I-5 was closed due to black ice (at least according to my parents).

Then they lift the safety bar, and the elves follow you home--where you can shoot them legally as trespassers.

Well, if you want him tender, that's the only way to do it.

"You may hear reindeer on your rooftop, Or Jack Frost on your window sill, But if someone's comin' down your chimney, You'd better load your gun and shoot to kill!"

But were Dudley and Horse able to rescue Nell in time?

Just got back from seeing True Grit and thought it was very good. Jeff Bridges puts his own stamp on the role that won John Wayne an Oscar, and Hailee Steinfeld was better than Kim Darby was in the original movie, too.

Making my first visit to Australia (always wanted to go there), experiencing Cheetah Hunt at BGT, and taking a cruise in October. I say every year that I'm finally going to make the pilgrimmage to Cedar Point, but something random usually happens that forces me to change my plans (last year, it was my parents coming to visit in early June).

^So, his diet is not restricted to brains?

^Actually, I think the Tom Sawyer-themed Splash Battle was a good idea. SDC's main audience is families, not coaster enthusiasts. Even their best coaster, Powder Keg, is a pretty family-friendly ride.

I know that this probably isn't the crowd for it , but I caught The King's Speech in Sacramento last week and really liked it. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter are very good in it.

OK, this puzzles me. Did Will Koch "blunder" by dying?

^I'd like to see Anaconda ripped out by the roots, melted down, and the resulting hot slag turned into nuts and bolts for a good ride. But if not, then a little paint certainly wouldn't hurt.

^Well put, Joe. ^^Universal Singapore had slipped my mind; they've definitely had plenty of problems, but I think the jury is still out on whether this park was a major blunder yet. Time will tell.

I'd like to see Rebel Yell get a fresh coast of paint and have its old running lights restored. Restoring the old light, sound, and fog effects in the Loch Ness Monster's helix cave would be nice, too. Most of all, I'd like to see Expedition: Everest's Yeti back in operation.

I'd say at the "whole park" level, definitely Hard Rock Park. As for individual attractions, I think the makeovers of "Journey into Imagination" would probably take the prize, along with Superstar Limo at DCA (which was almost bad enough to be endearing).

I agree that Intamin's plug-and-play woodies were an excellent achievement (and we need more of 'em). But for me I think the opening of Tokyo DisneySea in 2001 is the highlight of the decade. It's the perfect example of how immersive a theme-park experience can be, and had the greatest "wow" factor of any park I've ever visited.

I don't think they would've gone to the trouble and expense of ripping out a major ride just for the hell of it. The park no doubt weighed a number of factors (like maintenance costs, as well as popularity) when making the decision to remove BBW. It seems to me that the Big Bad Wolf was never more popular than in the season when the park announced its removal. I liked the ride, and was a little sad to hear that it was going. But I'm really looking forward to seeing what replaces it.

I moved the topic from "Random" to here, where it'll probably get a bit more attention.

I think for most of the local families, BBW was a "rite of passage"--their kid's first "grown-up" ride--hence, all the nostalgia. I liked the Wolf, but I'd rarely wait more than 15 minutes for it (once the line reached that second switchback).

^Personally, I'm glad they're trying something different, rather than just another B&M, whose rides are fun, but getting to be a bit interchangeable. The Big Bad Wolf, while not unique, was certainly different from what most parks offer. Why not try something "new" to replace it?

Thanks for sharing the photos--I'm really looking forward to riding this next year.

I think that evening was the most action that joint had ever seen. I'm waiting for the inevitable country song about it.

I second the goodness of Cornetto's--very tasty ice cream (or whatever it actually is). We ate well at Blackpool in '06, too. Big Blue treated us to some "Hot Pot" concoction that was great, and Coasters actually makes a pretty durn good bacon cheeseburger (tough to find in the UK). I want to return to Blackpool some day and check out those extra haunted attractions.

^I don't think the regulars at the Skoal Cellar Lounge or the Best Western Norseman knew what hit them. Leslie sold quite a pile of CDs and shirts that night, too.

^I was one those who missed Black Revolver in 2006--not that I would have ridden it, anyway, especially after that less-than-special "chicken burger" I had for lunch.