cfc

First off, again, Happy Birthday, Kristin! Second, yay for a new dark ride (even though I can't shoot to save my life).

Roa Rapids looks like a more-intense, better-landscaped vesion of Water Country's Hubba Hubba Highway, which also has a pretty fast current.

robbalvey wrote: Hmm--I seem to recall a quote from some Disney memo that was circulated on the Internet while DCA was being built: "If it's good enough for Six Flags, it's good enough for us." Apparently, even if it wasn't good enough for Six Flags, it was still good enough for Disney. DCA should've used the "sombrero taco" sign, too.

Happy Birthday to Kristen, who had her first credit before reaching her first birthday. Can anyone else make that claim?

This changes everything drastically. My vote is now with the midget. And considering the thread we're in, he should be named "Dominator" as well. They should theme the ride as a tribute to Herve "Zee plane! Zee plane!" Vellechaize, who was also triumphant as Knick Knack in The Man with the Golden Gun and the king of the 4th dimension in Forbidden Zone. (Or was that the 5th dimension?) "Ride my coastair or I bust your kneecaps!"

Yeah, now if they'd only treat their migrant construction workers like humans, they'd seem less like oppressive and greedy tyrants, and more like a civilized nation on the rise. Although the drug laws seem like a great idea to be that strict, the new prison statistics for the US were released yesterday. 1 in 99 Americans are currently in jail. That's the highest percentage in history. That'd be great if it were more important for our government to concentrate on prison overpopulation rather than 100 other pointless things (like, um space travel to Mars, for instance). I shudder to think what it'd be like if we were that strict....but hey, maybe then Bud Selig could continue to care less about enforcing any rules. This is the legacy of "three-strikes" laws, as well as tougher sentences for low-level drug users--more people incarcerated at the taxpayers' expense (no wonder so many companies want to get into the prison business), who become "smarter" criminals while in the joint. There is a movement in courts now toward what is called "problem-solving" justice (or "altlernative sentencing"), wherein efforts are made to teach such offenders better behavior without locking them up for years at a crack. Courts and judges play a more active role in helping minor offenders, such as drug addicts, become contributing members of society. It seems more cost-effective than incarceration (but is still a bit controversial). And now back to the topic at hand. Dubaidave, let me see if I'm understanding you here--it's a "good" thing that these migrant workers are exploited just so we can have theme parks in the Middle East? (I'm not trying to be a wise guy--I'd just like you to elaborate a bit.)

^Kennywood was "fair-like"? Hmm--can't say as I agree with you there, hombre. I think Kennywood's great, but everyone is entitled to an opinion.

^I dunno. Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch always seemed prettly sloshed to me.

Hmm--this year's new garden shop and the annual parade-of-has-beens concert lineup (unless you're a huge Charlie Daniels fan) doesn't quite stack up to the Dubai announcement. But Water Country is finally getting some new body slides, at least.

That whale-shaped island is going to make for some rather interesting park layouts. Thanks for sharing your photos of the event. Heck, I'd would've gone for the awesome food alone.

Hell, I couldn't even keep my eyes open on Kingda Ka's launch thanks to the G forces, much less hold my arms up.

Thanks for totally giving away the ending, Jahan! You're still off to a great start, though.

The only suspects would be Sylvester or Rocky and his Gang.

It isn't a bad concept, and murder-mystery dinner theatres are fairly popular. I noticed that the word "murder" wasn't used in the blog, so maybe they're going to go with more "family-friendly" crime. "Someone stole the Tilt-a-Whirl, and CSI: Valencia is on the case!"

"Dumpster: The Ride" sums up Mulholland Madness perfectly. The only real bummerabout Fantasmic is that you can't ride the river after dark (which is the best time to do it). Did you check out the Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's (sort of) Island?

^^Rare, indeed, is the park that lives up to its concept art. Even so, I'm looking forward to checking out Aquatica.

I agree with Joey here--the emphasis should be on "reasonable," and I can't think of any parks more reasonable than Disney when it comes to accomodating the disabled. Whether this is the end of this is another story. My guess is that, eventually, somebody will try to enter a Disney park while riding a Segway, will be denied, and will sue, thus forcing the courts to determine whether Disney (and, by extension, other parks) will have to allow Segways for the disabled in the future.

Merely an illustration of extremes--fear of losing your life to fear of lacking something to make your life complete (and, ergo, worth living). Personally, I'm more afraid of being attacked by terrorists with serious dandruff.

Nothing like a new spin on the old "Fire & Brimstone" routine to scare people into becoming faithful churchgoers. The end of the world is coming, QUICK, don't do anything BAD or you'll end up in hell in about four years. I have no problems with religion being a positive source of inspiration and motivation in people's lives, but using an underlying fear tactic to frighten people into faith seems so wrong. What's depressing to me is that our whole culture is built on fear--that terrorists will kill you, that your hair doesn't shine enough, that if you don't have the newest, coolest stuff no one will like you, etc. Sad to say, but fear sells (as many churches have known for years and years).

^^That's because you are the original TPR sexy woman, Ms. Alvey. This update really makes me wish I'd gone to Japan and Spain.

I may have a pic or two with you in them from Lagunasia, Lou--you're welcome to them (just need your e-mail address).

Congratulations! Nice outfit, too.

Actually, you're all deluding yourselves. What you call "the world" exploded in a fiery cataclsym some years ago, when the Mayans gave Sylvester Stallone money to make the newest Rambo flick. We are all just figments in the imagination of a giant space monkey, who, in turn, is the imaginary construct of L. Ron Hubbard, who currently lies in stasis on the planet Tralfazz, which is also imaginary. In fact, I'm not typing this now at all. It's Criswell, who is channeling Nostradamas, who is busy predicting the creation of boneless chicken wings.

Very cool, Erik--I definitely want to check this place out. That rapids ride seems to move at an even faster clip than the Hubba Hubba Highway at Water Country in Williamsburg. Speaking of which, Water Country also gives you a "gift card" that you have to use in the park, rather than a refund on your locker "deposit."

Yeah--I think Jack Palance discussed this on an episode of "Ripley's Believe It . . . or Else!"