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chargersmichael

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Posts posted by chargersmichael

  1. I am confused as to why there is always a debate on how intense the ride will be. It seems that if a coaster is intense, it should be in the Top 10 no matter what the layout...as long as you grey out it should be Top 10. However, I like and judge coasters by uniqueness and the ride itself. Sometimes the added intensity is better and sometimes it isn't. I don't like to grey out on a roller coaster...that's just me. I think Thunderbird will be an amazing ride for the park and will provide a great ride as all Holiday World rides do. It will probably feel faster too because it is in the woods. That is something that I like and judge by how that is very unique.

  2. Adventure Island really needs some new things. The new chains of Aquatica have really unique slides that stand out. The Disney water parks just have better environments that stand out. Wet N Wild continues to add things even though there isn't any room! Even Water Country USA in VA adds lots of new slides. Adventure Island never really called out to me to make constant visits even though it is in my town. They need some new slides and some slides just need to go. I'm hoping for a ProSlide Rocket type of slide, or similar drop slides to the ones Aquatica added this year...those were tons of fun!

  3. Here is my trip report including Halloween Horror Nights 24!

     

    Sunday, September 28th

    We arrived early at Islands of Adventure to get some rides in!

     

    Our first ride was Incredible Hulk. We were the first ones on for the day in the Front Row! Then we did it again in the front row! Great way to start the day!

     

    Our second ride was Doctor Doom. Scares me everytime right before we launch up. Fun ride, but short.

     

    Third was Spiderman! I didn't know there was a new photo thing in the queue. They gave me a Photo Connect card but wasn't really sure what to do with it. Btw, this ride is awesome!!!

     

    Fourth was Ripsaw Falls. One of my favorite water rides! I just wish they could clean up/update the ride a bit. Still love it though!

     

    We were going to ride Jurassic Park but it was closed...as usual lately. Also, it is weird walking into Jurassic Park from Toon Lagoon. There is no Arc Entrance anymore and there aren't any trees to the left! It is weird. #kingkong

     

    Fifth was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The colors on the ride projections seemed really weird. It was almost as if the contrast levels were down. Still a fun ride. We walked on the ride. We went into single rider line and we ended up riding together!

     

    Next was Dragon Challenge. All I can say is...INTENSE! <3

     

    Then we did the Hogwarts Express going to Universal Studios! Such a cool experience!

     

    --

     

    After we went to our hotel and slept until it was time...HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 24!

    Houses (by order I visited them)

     

    1) From Dusk til Dawn 9/10

    Great way to start the night with lots of scares and strippers! I didn't really understand what was going on in the house but oh well! Strippers and scares! Fun!

     

    2) AVP 7/10

    This house I feel like I went in with too high of expectations. I mean it was good but I wasn't blown away by it. A few scares but nothing terrifying.

     

    3) Dracula Untold 6/10 WORST HOUSE OF NIGHT

    There's not much to say about this house. I kind of wish the movie came out before the event but oh well. I had no idea what was happening in the house and nothing was really scary. The only thing that I liked really was the burning house thing. The burning smell and the effects were cool.

     

    4) HALLOWEEN BEST HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 10/10

    From the facade out front, to the little show projected on the house of the first scene of the movie, to just everything! This house was amazing! Michael Myers everywhere! It followed the movie so well! The creepy music, the attention to detail, the scares, everything was just perfect! Michael Myers is creepy. That ending though! BEST HOUSE!

     

    5) Giggles & Gore 8/10

    This was just creepy. There were lots of buttons and things throughout the house. I kept pressing them and was not sure if anything happened. The only thing that did happen was the actual "DO NOT PRESS" button. Clowns are creepy.

     

    6) The Walking Dead 10/10

    This was an amazing house. The sets were huge! The house seemed like it went on forever! Lots of great scares! Finally, a really good Walking Dead house! 2nd best house.

     

    7) Roanoke Cannibal Colony 8/10

    There was like a 10 min wait (I mean I had Express Pass but still. Halloween was at 75 minutes all night. Walking Dead at 65 minutes...10 min really?) I honestly didn't get scared in this at all as I could see all of the scares before they popped out but I thought it was a really creative and well themed house. I really enjoyed it!

     

    8) Dollhouse 9/10

    CREEPY! CREEPY! CREEPY! This was a great house as well! Lots of great scares! Only a 15 min wait. The tent houses were really good this year! I don't know if I saw some things correctly in the house though. Were there men in diapers wearing a Baby mask crawling in a crib? I wasn't sure what was happening!

     

    ALL SCARE ZONES WERE AWESOME! PURGE WAS THE BEST ONE THOUGH!

     

    --

     

    Monday September 29th

    We woke up early (somehow) and used our early entry for Diagon Alley at 7am. We were really tired.

     

    Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts I don't care what anyone says...I absolutely love this ride! It is just so much fun! We walked on it today with absolutely no wait!

     

    After we rode Rockit, Mummy, and MIB. Got a new personal record on MIB with 458,000! Transformers was closed all day yesterday and was closed this morning. Idk if it opened later on but I was upset. Oh well.

     

    Overall, I had a blast at Universal this past weekend!!!

  4. I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY TRIP!

     

    I'm staying at the Residence Inn & Suites (my mom got a free night due to her points) on Sunday, September 27th. I'm going to Islands of Adventure early in the morning on September 27th and then going back to the hotel by lunch time (we usually finish what we want to do by 11). Then go back for Horror Nights later!!!!! The following morning (which will be hard to wake up after Horror Nights), we are going to take advantage of the Passholder special to get into Diagon Alley 1 hr before park opening! Then head back home.

  5. Lots of Benefits for Annual Passholders this month!

    https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Annual-Passes/Benefits.aspx?__source=A000019516.000000653&IndivKey=38877098#wnw

     

    SEPTEMBER IS ANNUAL PASSHOLDER APPRECIATION MONTH

     

    We’ve dedicated the entire month of September to our Annual Passholders. Take a look at all the exclusive perks and benefits that are available to you. Kick off the fall with super savings and extra fun!

     

     

    Early Park Admission for Passholders

    Monday-Friday, September 1-30, 2014

     

    We are giving our Annual Passholders Early Park Admission* to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Diagon Alley™, one hour before the theme park opens weekdays throughout September. Valid Annual Pass required for entry only at Universal Studios.

     

    "Staycation" and stay On-site with Special Savings

    Stay at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

    Starting at just $69 +tax

     

    Stay at our newest, largest on-site hotel with Passholder-only special rates that offer savings of up to $85 per night.

     

    Other special rates available, plus unique benefits for on-site hotel guests.

     

    Get Wet ‘n Wild® this Month for Less

    Free Admission to Wet ‘n Wild®

    September 2

     

    Passholders receive free admission to Wet ’n Wild beginning at noon until the park closes.

    (regularly $56 +tax per adult, $51 +tax per child)

     

    Wet ‘n Wild September weekday offer

    Passholders can enjoy Wet ‘n Wild on weekdays from Wednesday, September 3 through Friday, September 26 AND on Sunday, September 14 for just $19.99+ tax per day.

     

    Blue Man Group Savings on Select Dates

    Blue Man Group Adult Tickets

    Starting at $49 +tax

     

    Experience the mystery, the humor, the euphoria and the indescribable celebration of art, technology and music that is Blue Man Group with savings on select dates.

     

    $49 +tax ($26 savings): Adults

    $29 +tax ($8.50 savings): Children (Ages 3-9)

     

    Valid on the following Sunday shows at 4:00PM:

    September 7, 14, 21, 28

     

    Halloween Horror Nights® 24 Annual Passholder Nights

    September 19, 20, 26 & 27

    5:15PM - 6:30PM

    On select nights you and a guest can enjoy early access to Halloween Horror Nights plus exclusive access to three designated haunted houses as well as the first showing of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure.

     

    RSVP Now

     

    Enjoy Perks at CityWalk® from Day to Night

    Get a FREE CityWalk® PartyPassSM

    Make it a night out with complimentary CityWalk club access* for one Passholder and a guest throughout September. Passholder must be with their guest for club access. ($11.99 value, per person)

     

    Save $3.75 on Matinee Movie Tickets at CityWalk

    AMC® Universal Cineplex 20 with IMAX® is offering Passholders great September deals that can be used for the whole family, up to 5 tickets at a time. Offer must be redeemed at the ticket window.

     

    $8 Matinee

    $12 Matinee with RealD 3D

    $14 Matinee with IMAX 3D

     

    Bob Marley; a Tribute to FreedomSM and Pat O’Brien’s® Discounts

    Buy one adult entrée and get 50% off a second at both locations throughout September.

     

    Buy One Get One Free Martinis at Red Coconut Club

    Buy one martini and get a second free at Red Coconut Club throughout September.

     

    25% off Dippin Dots

    Receive 25% off your purchase at Dippin Dots carts at CityWalk locations only.

     

    TRANSFORMERS Souvenir Cup Deal

    Save $6 on TRANSFORMERS Souvenir Cups

    Purchase a TRANSFORMERS souvenir cup for $2.99 and get $0.99 refills. The cups will be available at Louie’s Italian Restaurant, Monsters Cafe, Mel’s Drive-in and Richter’s Burger Company.

     

    American Express Offer

    Earn up to $125 Back with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card

     

    Get a $25 statement credit after your first purchase, and get an additional $100 statement credit after you make $1,000 in purchases on your new Card, both within your first 3 months of Card Membership.

     

  6.  

    I love SDC. Its my home away from my home park. I've been there more times in the last 10 years than Six Flags St Louis, which is about 30 minutes away from where I live (as opposed to 4 hours away). I still absolutely adore SDC. But after leaving OzCat to rot for 5 years, I have to question WTF is happening with the company. And when the big announcement is kiddie rides and an 8-story drop tower, I have to call BS.

     

    This announcement is a big bag of sucky kiddie suckness. No one could possibly convince me otherwise...

     

    This line of thought makes literally no sense, and makes you come off as a spoiled, stuck-up brat. How immature do you have to be bitch about a nice new family area? Some of the so-called "enthusiasts" these days are just unbearable. A "big announcement" doesn't always mean coaster, and it never has. Why is that so hard to understand?

     

    Sorry it doesn't fit into your roller coaster tycoon-inspired thought process, but here in the real world you don't get to just delete track and move it over somewhere else with a few clicks. Celebration City failed, all of the rides that could be removed are gone. If HFEC had a buyer for the property, they would have sold it by now. As it is they just use it for offices and lease out the rest. OzCat is dead - they left it standing and maintained it for awhile when they were considering alternate attractions on the site, but they have since abandoned those plans at least until the highway extension is built and Branson numbers pick up significantly so they don't cannibalize SDC's gate again. OzCat will probably be demolished when it makes sense for them to do so.

     

    You can't truly "move" wooden coasters, most attempts to do so end up simply replicating the layout with 80% or more new material. Take a look at what happened to Zippin Pippin, Starliner (both at Cypress Gardens and the new Miracle Strip), and several others. OzCat was a stellar layout and is worth replicating, but they don't have a space to do it so it's all moot anyway.

     

    For some reason the few complaints I've heard about this area really just drive me up the wall. It really shows that some people can never be pleased. Makes me understand why the park has a hard time listening to "fans".

     

    ^Nicely said! Before the announcement, I thought it was going to be something similar to FireChaser Express at Dollywood and I wasn't too excited. I think FireChaser looks amazing and a fantastic family coaster...but another family coaster...with the same theme...I thought the announcement was going to be basically a clone of FireChaser and I am not a fan of going to parks with clones. I think every park should be unique in their own way and not just clone rides. This announcement surprised me and I took interest on how they used the FireChaser theme and put it to their park. I think this will bring many families to the park and looks to be like an awesome addition to Silver Dollar City.

  7. I have not been in Disaster or Twister in YEARS mainly due to the pre-shows. If you could just go right into the attraction, I'd do it, but the pre-shows just take soooooo long! It's not like Tower of Terror where you're in and out in 90 seconds, I feel like these pre-shows add so much time to the attraction, and after you've seen them once, you don't ever need to see them again.

     

    It's a shame, because I actually do like the core attraction of each ride, but not enough to stand around for 10-15 minutes watching something I have no interest in.

     

    Agreed. The Disaster pre-show should be titled "Watch Christopher Walken Pull a Paycheck." As for Twister, who doesn't like the "flying cow"?

     

    I feel the same exact way! When I went to ride Disaster on my last visit to Universal, I forgot how long the whole entire pre-show is and a lot of it is drawn out. As for Twister...you wait outside to go inside. You go inside to Pre-show #1. Then onto Pre-Show #2. Then onto the actual fun of the ride about 15 minutes later. A lot of it can be cut back. Put all into one Pre-show and then continue it.

  8. Here is my thoughts on the crowds at Diagon Alley.

     

    First off, FL Residents and Power Passholders were blocked this past month. They weren't when Hogsmeade opened back in 2010.

    Also, it seems that Universal hyped Hogsmeade more than they did for Diagon Alley. Some people are confused on the whole Hogwarts Express thing. Some people don't even know that Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are at 2 separate parks!

     

    As for merchandise, I personally think everything in Diagon Alley is overpriced. A lot of things people want but everything is really expensive. I believe that Universal also did a great job on making purchases easier and crowd-prepared. The Butterbeer area is a lot more efficient than the station in Hogsmeade. In Diagon Alley, there are many places/stands/machines with Butterbeer. In Hogsmeade, the big jug of Butterbeer has only one machine to work with.

     

    As for popularity, I feel people want to experience Diagon Alley...but they feel like they just experienced Hogsmeade a few years ago. They will take their time coming back to experience Diagon Alley.

     

    Finally, HARRY POTTER'S LAST MOVIE WAS IN 2011! The series is losing its popularity!! It is 2014...3 years after the last movie. While in 2010, the Deathly Hallows didn't even come out yet until late 2010. People were excited for the last movies which built excitement for the land. 3 years after the movies, the popularity has dropped in the franchise.

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