CreativeForce

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone knew what the status of Sega Joyopolis was? Last I heard they had closed some of the rides down due to an incident, is this still the case? I'll be in Tokyo in 5 days and I just wanted to know. Thanks!

When I went on Oblivion last summer I was suprised at how intense it was, but it's over so quick you don't really get to enjoy it all that much. It is a very different feeling from any tower I've been on but that could be due to how your body is oriented. The hang time before the drop plays with your brain much more that the actual drop plays with your body. Give it a try, it's really not that bad!

Can you imagine what park openings would be like if this happened to people?

DonkeyTums: When your ass is sick of dealing with crappy roller coasters! DonkeyTums: Offical mascot of rides that make your ass sick. DonkeyTums: There to take care of you after a day of riding coasters and eating Carrabas! Okay, so I'm bored at work.

No we won't be able to make the BBQ, I'm going to working down in San Diego that day. But if I have my new laptop by the time we leave, I will definitely post some updates of TDL and TDS and whatever other parks we manage to hit! We're going to be staying in Kawasaki which is right between Tokyo and Yokohama. We have plans to go to TDL resort for two days and then we have to see if La Qua can be done in Half a day. (So we can fit in some touristy sightseeing.) I'm thinking that if Joyopolis is open late (or open at all) we might be able to hit that as well one night. Are there any other parks that might be a half day/few hours/evening type? I remember in your video that the last park you hit was at night with a coster that went either underground or under a flume ride. I'm going to have to watch it again. I'm also trying to learn a few phrases in Japanese. "Do you understand English? Where is the train Station?" Type things. It's a small CD set I picked up at Barnes and Noble for $20. Nothing makes time in traffic go by faster than learning a new Language!

It's official!! I got the time off from work and I just booked our tickets to Tokyo! The only part that sucks is that it looks like Raging Spirits won't be open when we go. (June 26-July4) Oh well, I guess that means I have to go back!

I worked at Disneyland in Bear Country Foods (later to become Critter Country Foods) at Hungry Bear and Mile Long (Brer) bar from 1987 to 1998. As a matter of fact I met some really weird dude when I worked at the bar. His name was Robb and last I heard he was heading off to work on video games. Hmmm...I wonder whatever became of that guy?

I'm a lighting designer. I actually get to play with all those "spinny" (that's a technical term) lights that you see at concerts and such. We mostly do corporate work, (I'm off to Vegas at the end of the week to do a 10 day show at the Venetian) but the occasional concert and trade show booth happens to come along a few times each year. It keeps me out of trouble and sometimes I stay a few days after a gig to check out the local theme parks.

They never told me about THIS on career day!

Well the rumour mill has been grinding out that a new film for soarin will replace the California one once the 50th celebration is over. Of course, as with all rumours (especially Disney), I will believe it when I see the new film with my own eyes!

My all time favorite show is Buffy. It was the perfect combination of humour, drama, horror and plain old humanity I ever had the pleasure of watching. It is sincerely missed. My current favorites are Lost and Alias. Way to go J.J.!

We're just looking at Tokyo right now. If it all works out as planned then we would be spending 7 full days in Tokyo, with a day on the front and one on the back for travel. I will certainly take you up on your offer to borrow your books and maps, now I just have to figure out when I can make it up there. Work this year has been crazy. In the next four weeks I will be going to Las Vegas (twice), Hawaii and Costa Rica. I can't wait until things settle down at work so I can get back to the important stuff -- TRIP PLANNING!

So this trip is looking like it might happen. (Keeping my fingers crossed.) One more question for you guys. What books and/or maps did you find work the best? We're looking at a hotel that's about a mile away from the Imperial Palace in downtown Tokyo and our next step is to figure out what's the nearest and easiest transportation to the places we want to visit. Thanks!

This past Sunday I got to see Illuminations at Epcot and then ran to see Wishes at MK. Illuminations wins hands down. There is no beating the combination of fireworks, lighting, an incredible soundtrack and lasers. Put that together with the story of the earth being created, life apearing, man's rise, and the celebration of the multitudes of nations we are today and you've got a clear cut winner. That's not to say Wishes isn't a good show. It is. But not when compared to Illuminations. The only other Disney show which is even remotely close would be Fantasmic at DL. And that's not really a fireworks show, it's more of a stage show.

I have to agree with MIB being a great ride. I just got back yesterday and I think over a two day period I rode it something like 25 times. It has a great re-ridability factor. Not only are you trying to improve your score, but you are trying to getr the suit. (My car only got it four times out of all the rides I took.) And there are some great visuals that you simply cannot take in on one ride. All that being said, the single rider line is the only way to go. If you only wait 5-10 min. each time you ride then you really feel as if you've gotten a good trade on the time you spent waiting.

Hey Max, I think you might have stumbbled on a whole sub culture here. Now if you could only find a priest who would join, then you can have Sunday Mass at a different park every week!

Rob and Amber need to go away next week. They are way too smug and seem like they don't really care about playing the game. If it hadn't been for finding that one guy in Peru to help them out, I think they would have been eliminated. Here's hoping no one else in the world recognizes them and helps them out, they've gotten enought of a free ride as it is!

Yeah, this is hard and I haven't even been to the parks overseas! 1. Pirates (DL) 2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Fobidden Eye (DL) 3. Tower of Terror (WDW)

I think it was Cedar Point a couple of years back. They took the cables off during the off season so the towers had no tension to help hold them together. The weather started getting rough and just like the Minnow the towers would be lost!

Let's see...if you boil a pair of sneakers (Which you've taken off the feet of a very sweaty marathon runner who also managed to step in some dog crap during mile 19 or so) and then add some bubbles and a little sugar...well then you got an idea of what Beverly would taste like if it was good!

Sorry, I thought Rita was taking it's place. I guess my camera's powers are begining to fade.

The one thing that could really propel this series is if they can make it interactive online. Imagine being able to be a peep and going to various parks created by others as well as being able to create parks where others can come "ride" and "spend" money. So instead of an AI controlling peeps, it's real people. It would be an interesting experiment, don't you think?

Hey, that reminds me. I took pictures of both Corkscrew and Black Hole at Alton and now they're gone! Coincidence?!

My wife and I did the all inclusive package from London to Alton Towers last summer and had a lot of fun. You just need to be at the train station in the morning and when you arrive at the train station there are buses waiting just for the day trip group. The train is about two hours and the bus is another 45 min. so you are in for a bit of traveling that day. When we were there we had about 6 hours in the park and that was plenty of time to ride all the coasters plus other rides like Hex, the swing boat, the sally dark ride, etc. Just be sure to get your tickets as early as possible because they hike the prices up if you buy them only a day or two in advance.

I can't believe no one has mentioned that evil monstrosity known as Flashback at SFMM. From the very first time I rode that thing it was painful, now they don't even run it most of the time. It's just taking up space, destroy it now!