cfc

^So, he should help and beat dead horses? Wouldn't those two activities be mutually exclusive? I suppose he could help the dead horses after beating them, but what would that accomplish? I'm sorry, that sentence just brought out the editor in me.

^Yeah, that really is excessive, especially since they're requiring people to stash their bags. That being said, I understand why they're sick of people slowing down loading because they have to cross over and leave their bags by the exit. BGE is doing this, too, but like BGA, the lockers are much cheaper (and they'll let you take a small fanny pack).

I'm glad to hear that he's home at last Dave--here's to hoping that his recovery goes smoothly.

^Good donuts, though. Thanks for the pics. I like Oakwood (particularly Speed and that goofy dark ride with the partying bunnies).

^Now there's a loaded statement, fraught with portent.

^I visited the park a few years ago with some friends, and we really liked it. No big thrill rides, but Quicksilver Express is fun, the car ride is one of the best I've ever been on, and the grounds are beautiful. Hitting Gilroy Gardens in the morning/early afternoon, then taking the winding road from there to Hwy. 101 and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk is a very nice daytrip.

^Corkscrew really pushes it for me, too--always have to grab a Sierra Mist after riding that bad boy to settle my stomach.

I liked Wild Arctic, myself--one of the better simulators. Did it make you a bit ill, Will? (So you bear it "ill will"?)

^^I have two pet theories about why it's called a mouse: 1. It's a little wooden coaster. 2. The hairpin turns the cars take as they switch back-and-forth on the track are kind of like the movements a mouse makes as it scampers across a floor (those little suckers can do an "about face" like nobody else's business). Just my two cents.

Robb, Here's a link that might be of some help: http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/v/a/vac3/wdm.html. Chuck

^Thank God for fixing the music! So, are we back to hearing the Leave It to Beaver and Naked Gun themes again? Really, it doesn't seem like a ride on Drop Zone without hearing the Naked Gun at least once while you wait.

Wow--looks like she's "choking the chicken" alright.

^Glad you had a good time. Your report shows two things, I think: 1. That spring is probably the best season to visit Kings Dominion 2. A nor'easter is a great way to reduce crowds (the storm actually isn't hitting us until tomorrow, but the forecast may have scared people off)

^That's a good question--I just thought it was interesting to see it on the IMDB, which is often riddled with errors, at least about older movies (their news page is generally a little better than that).

Hmm--looks like the Simpsons rumor may be close to the truth, based on this story on the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2007-04-12/#2. We shall see.

^well, don't do anything Dolly wouldn't do.

Yes--I loved Player Piano and Breakfast of Champions.

^No one can say that Barry doesn't know how to show a lady a good time.

^^I think you'll be OK as long as there isn't any lightning. I've ridden Volcano and the flyers in the rain before.

^They've "taken the older riders out" by including characters from a movie made in the 1940s? Looks like the latest Disney trend is overlaying old attractions with storylines in which cartoon characters look for other cartoon characters. This sounds like "Finding Nemo, Starring Donald Duck."

^Ah, go get a room, you two!

I've always thought that the first half of the ride, with its animatronics, was pretty cool, but the second half, with its mannequins staring at computer screens, was a bit of a letdown (thought the music was relaxing, though). It would be nice if they could take the squeaks and groans out of the Omnimover, too.

^Precisely why I chose to only do one per year.

Only you can decide for sure, but look at it this way--ya gotta leave home sometime, and this will give you the chance to meet other folks from all over the world--all without leaving the U.S.

Another point to consider about why Dollywood tends to get so crowded is that it's so close to the most popular of our national parks--Smoky Mountains National Park. That prime location would tend to pull in quite a few people.