cfc

^Thanks for the report--nice pictures. I'll be heading to Disneyland for the first time since 2001 in August. As I recall, Knott's cliams to be "America's first theme park," too.

And let's not forget people who scream on lift hills. Or just shout annoying things over and over and over on lift hills. For example, at PKD a few weeks back, there were these two guys on Shockwave who insisted on shouting "Hey, that's my girlfriend! I know kung fu!" all the way up the hill, right in my ear. That was one day that I wished I knew kung fu.

From which she can make fondue!

Hmm--it is an amazing simulation of what happens after consuming a keg of brew.

And here's another credit for you (at South Lake Tahoe) if you don't already have it--Rolling Thunder at the cleverly named Tahoe Amusement Park (http://rcdb.com/id652.htm). I think I may have rode this little sucker back when I was in high school.

Did you check out the Atlantis resort? My friend Linda is the voice of their elevators. I remember when the Peppermill was just a nice coffee shop.

^^Well, it's good to know that PETA won't get medieval on Holiday World, then.

Hot dang tamale! Looks like I'll have to keep next summer clear.

I'm learning a lot since I joined this site; before then, I probably wouldn't have even heard of a place like Holiday World. Now I want to explore these midwestern parks. Thanks for the report. Is the objective of Gobbler Getaway to blow away turkeys? I live just an hour away from PETA HQ, you know.

Hmm--link goes to what appears to be a "redirect" screeen, but it's in Italian. Click on what appears to be the "redirect" link, and it just comes back to your post. Anybody for Devo's "Stuck in a Loop"?

But nothing tops South Park's "John Denver Experience."

I see that Batman, as he does at SFMM, is wearing the Adam West suit with the Michael Keaton cape and cowl. Nice job--thanks for the pics.

Funny stuff. I remember an old SNL sketch that featured Dan Ackroyd hyping a new thrill ride at "Uncle Bob's Funland." Don't recall the whole name of the ride, but it ended with "Upsidedown Inferno!"

OK, kid--do exactly what I do, and someday thousands of people will join your Web site!

^Yep--they should just call it the Cannonball. I stayed well back and used my zoom to get a picture of that one.

^Dunno--it wasn't there last season, though. Seems to me that the Lemon Drop once had three slides in a previous life, but I wouldn't place a bet on that. I need to check out a Disney water park one of these days.

^^Thanks, Jeff--I seem to have the name "Vortex" on the brain lately. I remember the third slide, too, but from what I recall they didn't use it all the time. I don't remember the Rampage's double sleds, but there is one thing Busch did to improve that slide--you no longer have to carry the sleds up the steps! You're right about Wild Thang, too--not quite the slide it used to be (when it was called "Vortex," er, I mean "The Amazon"). But still a great waterpark.

Oops! I missed your question re. Great Wolf Lodge, Kumba. It's about a ten-minute drive from there to Water Country. The lodge is on E. Rochambeau (not too far from Pierce's Pitt Barbeque, if you're familiar with that joint). Turn right on Rochambeau, pick up I-64 E toward Norfolk, then take the exit for Yorktown (WC is on Rt. 199).

Do you mean the Rampage? If so, yes I did (there's a picture of it in my TR). There's an inflatable, three-person tobaggan slide called Meltdown (hard to get a good picture of it, though), which I also rode. My raft stopped dead for a moment right before the splash pool, until this big wave shoved it the rest of the way. (This happens with single riders all the time, the lifeguard in the pool told me.) ^I didn't bash my head on the Peppermint Twist, but they do advise you to ride with your ankles crossed and your arms crossed over your chest (and not to sit up).

^^Yep--I think I could do that. Perahps some of the other folks on the site could make it, too. The night pics were pretty cool; I'll try to spend a few more evenings there this summer (as I do at BGE).

Two weeks until Italian Job opens, eh? Maybe I'll brave the mob and check it out. You what my favorite pic is out of all of these, Jeff? (Of course not--I haven't told you. Please ignore my silly question). It's the one where Volcano's track has that eerie green glow.

^Good question. Their last new attraction was the Hubba Hubba Highway, and that was three years ago. Not sure when they'll jump on the "tornado/toilet-bowl" band wagon. Personally, I'd like to see one of those slides where you're propelled uphill--those sound pretty cool.

^When it comes to most Busch products, I prefer to neither drink nor smell them. But, like you said, Jeff, the smell does bring coasters to mind.

^No problem with it yesterday. The previous owners installed this slide, and it was called "The Vortex," I think. They had this really cheesy commercial with ominous music and some dude saying, "Im not afraid of it!"

^I don't think it could've been Ford's Colony because it's on the other side of town (and in another county)--perhaps the same developer? Busch did do quite a bit to improve Water Country. They also added a fee for parking, but you take the good with the bad (or you buy a season pass). The latest is that some sort of high-end retail development might be built in the area near Water Country (I'm hoping this doesn't pan out).