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Very cool. My family actually has some old 8mm footage of Disneyland from the 1950s, which has since been transferred to videotape. I used to have a super 8 camera when I was 12, and shot some POV (before it was cool) of the Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland--footage that has been missing (and presumed lost forever) for quite some time. And, yes, I remember eating a tuna sandwich in the pirate ship. Skull Rock, with its waterfalls and glowing green eyes, looked pretty cool at night.

Constipation such as this calls for the ultra-heavy-duty Toilet of Terror!

^We all have our guilty pleasures, Dave. I felt the same way about X at Thorpe.

Let's hope he's not constipated.

Good stuff, Tom. I haven't been to Magic Mountain since the Revolution was brand, spankin' new, and from what I've read about the place on TPR and elsewhere, I'm in no real hurry to go back. IHOP's grilled cinnamon-roll French toast rules! Chuck

Oh my god, Boston--I used to have that album on 8-track tape! You sure get around, Ryan--good job on the TR (and the way you begged that Stormtrooper for mercy).

^^One of the requirements that Spurlock used in his Supersize Me experiment was to get as little exercise as the "typical" American; ergo, he kept his walking down to 5,000 steps per day (and quit going to the gym). I'm not surprised that his health went downhill, I'm just suprised at how fast. And, yes, McDonald's does provide food that is loaded with sugar, salt, and caffeine (which are addicting). Then again, so did most of our grandmothers ("More biscuits and gravy, please? Is there any of that pie left?"). So, while I agree that Spurlock stacked the deck in his documentary, I think he makes some valid points, especially regarding the options kids have for school lunch programs. Parents need to teach kids to choose wisely, too.

OK, just a little bit faster, and we can fling him back to Fresno!

I took a spin on Gwazi Tiger a few days earlier and really liked it--not that rough at all, I thought (Lion wasn't running). My only gripe about it was the one-train, slow-to-load operation, which turned what should've been a five-mintue wait into about fifteen minutes (Eric and I were there on Wednesday). BGA's HoS is a bigger, better version than BGE's (which, in all fairness, is fun and doesn't require an extra ticket). I couldn't figure out Control Alt Deceased's story, such as it was, at all. BGE tried topical humor in their Fiends in the Festhouse show during thie first HoS back in the 1990s, but it didn't fly with the Williamsburg crowd--I vaguely remember some joke about Clinton, Monica Lewinsky, and a cigar (all it got was stunned silence). Still, as corny as it is, I'd rather watch Fiends than Deceased. Overall, I had a great time and I've been enjoying all these TRs.

The Big Dipper (1923) at Blackpool, followed by the Giant Dipper (1924) st Santa Cruz. Hmm--seemed to be into calling them "dippers" back in those days. "Sure your dipper is 'big,' Blackpool. But ours is 'giant'!"

Little piece of trivia: Pahrump is where the Martians first landed in Mars Attacks! Yes, as goes Pahrump, so goes the Universe!

If Yeti Ball were to hook up with Angelina Jolie, they'd be "Yetilina" or perhaps "Ballolie."

We now await Yeti Ball's first locked thread.

Well, even though this clip if from The Bachelor, I'm glad that Liseberg is getting a bit more exposure in the States--what an awesome park!

Jahan, I concur with you on the Disneyland/Magic Kingdom debate. I was actually a bit distressed by the shape MK's Haunted Mansion was in, and I've always preferred the West Coast versions of Space Mountain and Pirates. But I do wish Disneyland had kept their Peoplemovers. Chuck

Unfortunately for Robb, he was at the Museum of Natural History's new "Dung Beetle Experience."

Maybe someone should introduce Yeti Ball to Harold over at the Matterhorn--they could become best buds.

Hmm--I guess I'd have to say Drayton Manor. I was rather looking forward to the place during the UK Tour, but the park was rundown and pretty shabby. G-Force was a new experience in coaster discomfort, and Shockwave just plain sucked. That being said, there were some bright spots. Apcoalypse's stand-up/leaning-over side was a rush (best drop tower I've ever been on), and The Haunting was fun (despite its cheesy ending). Even the Pirate Adventure, as beat up as it was, has the potential to be great with just a little TLC (I ended up enjoying it).

You're an excellent host, Eric--thanks for hauling me around Tampa and Orlando! I guess it'll be my turn in Virginia next spring. Yeah, I think a Florida Halloween is going to be an annual tradition for me--and I'll allow some more time for the food and wine fest at Epcot.

OK--how many people did not see the cat picture coming? Wait, that's doesn't sound right . . .

OK, which one is the vampire?

I've never been to Cypress Gardens, but based on what I've seen on the boards, making it into the American version of Oakwood sounds like a good plan. Heck, bring on the partying bunnies, sez I!

I'm really dating myself here. Clutch Cargo was a series of very limited animation adventures that were a staple of kiddie cartoon shows in the 1960s. They were just static pictures that were dragged across an animation stand (when characters had to run, for example). But they used real human mouths superimposed on the characters' faces for talking. Pretty creepy looking, actually. There's a brillant parody of this form of animation on The Incredibles DVD (as an extra). Your stuff is much, much better than that, Flipdude (just thought I'd make that clear). The mouths of your characters, though, just made me flashback to my misspent childhood.

Soon all commercials will be in "Hulkspeak"! Look for Busch to start pushing it's new "Army strong" brews at a theme park near you.

Ryan was immediately jumped by security guards, who misunderstood what he meant by saying, "Excuse me while I whip this out."