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Who wouldn't love "Jaws"/shark slides (except for Universal Orlando)?

I've been watching these Disney fireworks shows since I was a kid--remember "Fantasy in the Sky" at Disneyland? It's amazing how they combine projection mapping with pyro now.

Bow down to the the Center of the Universe--or feel the pain of . . .

I haven't seen, or even read, Matilda, but I was a Roald Dahl fan when I was kid. His stories were always a bit on the "dark" side, which is probably why I liked them.

Thanks for the detailed report. I've yet to visit Italy (would love to someday).

^Yep--it's good, too.

Using a Master Blaster as both a thrill ride and a transport system to other slides was a stroke of genius.

Hopefully now you realize why we have such a fondness for this incomparable work of greatness. A true cult classic.

Thanks for the Drop of Doom report, Kyle. It looks like a pretty good addition to Zumanjaro, but I think I'd still prefer the "regular" version of the ride.

Trapper's Smokehouse used to cook their ribs outside on the large grill in front. The cooks would be there slathering the sauce on the ribs and the big fans were used to blow the smoke all over New France which would make guests hungry and draw them to Trapper's. However, I haven't seen them use the grill in several visits, both last Fall and this Spring. Maybe the ribs are pre-cooked now!! They still use the grill (especially for chicken). However, during the Food and Wine Festival they use the grill for the Canada booth (and cook the venison sausage on it).

The Smokehouse can be hit or miss. Get there at the right time when they've just brought out a fresh tray of ribs and it's great; but if you get the last rack of ribs in the tray, they might be bit cold.

Mack has been on quite a tear lately. This new ride at Movie World looks great.

I've often thought that, too. It'll be tough the beat the view from this ride--nice addition to Dollywood.

This is great news! Hong Kong Disneyland is a good park that now has the potential to become a great one.

Thanks for the report. New Texas Giant blew me away a few years back, and Mr. Freeze isn't too shabby, either.

We never hear much about Gold Reef City, but it looks like a beautiful park. I like how Anaconda wraps about the rock work.

^I think it is a different version of the Spring Bloom Festival, which had some good offerings. I'm hoping to get up there one day for it, but I'm booked up this weekend.

Looks like we're getting close to "food fest" season. Get Your Taste Buds Ready for Kings Dominion’s New Food Festival Taste of Virginia offers Virginia-grown food, drinks and entertainment DOSWELL, VA. (May 1, 2017) — Virginia is for Lovers! Whether you love food, wine, beer or coasters… Kings Dominion’s brand new event, Taste of Virginia, is sure to delight! On Saturdays and Sundays from May 6 to May 21, this brand new, mouth-watering event, will take place in the Candy Apple Grove section of the park. Kings Dominion’s culinary team has whipped up a menu that will take guests on a delicious journey through the commonwealth. The festival and entertainment are available to all park guests, but by purchasing tokens, you’ll be able to taste sample-size dishes inspired by regions such as Chesapeake Bay and Tidewater including crab cakes and seared oysters. Perhaps the delicacies of colonial Virginia will have you coming back for more with Smithfield ham and cheese empanadas or sweet potato and roast duck popovers. And don’t forget dessert! Taste of Virginia has that covered too, with peanut butter fudge, fried Winesap apple pies and much more. The park has partnered with several of Virginia’s world-class breweries, wineries and distilleries to help quench your thirst featuring favorites like Hardywood, Copper Fox Distillery, Legend Brewing Company, Center of the Universe, and many more. Enjoy all of this home-grown deliciousness while grooving to the sounds of the BEST local live bands. Visit Kings Dominion’s website for the full entertainment lineup. Plus, on May 13, Taste of Virginia will feature appearances by two special guests: Tim Smith, from the hit show, Moonshiners, will hold a meet-and-greet with fans from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Damaris Phillips, winner of the ninth season of The Next Food Network Star and host of Southern at Heart, will showcase her talents during two cooking demonstrations at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Come experience all that Taste of Virginia has to offer. Your taste buds will thank you! To see the full menu or purchase a Taste of Virginia Combo Ticket with taste tokens and park admission, visit kingsdominion.com. KD has done some "mini" food festivals in the past with an international theme. I think it's wise to focus on Virginia fare, much like Carowinds' Taste of the Carolinas focuses on that region.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Pandora for myself. I've always believed that DAK was a bit under-rated among Disney's parks, but I think this new land will give the park a big push.

I finally watched the movie last week, and liked it more than I thought I would. The world they created was remarkable (more so than the story, although its eco message seems to resonate even more now). Looks like Disney did a great job re-creating Pandora--perfect for DAK.

^Hey, even Goliath gets the blues sometimes. Thanks for the report. This is a slightly underrated park. I was there last year, and our group was blown away by Lost Gravity (not to mention Goliath). All it needs is a good dark ride.

I've always thought Animal Kingdom was a bit underrated among the Disney parks. It is beautiful, as seen in your photos, and it's a nice place to hang out. Looking forward to seeing what Pandora has to offer.

It definitely deserves to be there for Baldar and Hotel Gasten alone. Thanks for the report about Loke's media day. This isn't my sort of ride, but I might give it a shot.

Looking forward to seeing the Spanish parks myself, someday. Looks like Port Aventura puts a lot of thought into their theming. Thanks for the report.

Thanks for the TR. I like seeing report about relatively obscure parks like Conny-Land.