Mr Stratosphere

Ninja and Goliath both at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Also Manhattan Express in Las Vegas has a ton of switchbacks!

Some amazing photos as they prepare to move the Costa Concordia tomorrow. There are also some incredible photos from inside the bridge of the Costa Concordia. Photos from: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2699943/Costa-Concordia-finally-set-removed-locals-disappointed-thousands-foreign-workers-BOOSTED-Giglios-economy-introduced-new-foods.html

I definitely am interested in how it will be on Quantum, and excited to hear about the inaugural sailing! Considering booking a Quantum Class sailing soon!

It would be fun to see a Condor there!

Here is a time lapse of the re-float. [youtu_be] [/youtu_be]

I wish they would too, but they are there for a reason. Here is the question. Tower of terror 2 is not using them on their new car??? [attachment=0]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1405350004.853857.jpg[/attachment] I wonder if it has something to do with clearances as the cars exit the launch building/station. Maybe ToT2 has better clearances? From a TPR TR in 2011 you can see they have the side moldings on Tot2. www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1018798

www.cnn.com/2014/07/14/world/europe/costa-concordia-salvage/ Here is an update from CNN, The ship has been successfully been refloated. Giglio, Italy (CNN) -- The last time anyone saw Russel Rebello alive, he was near the stern of the Costa Concordia, helping passengers into rescue boats. But the 33-year-old waiter from India never escaped the doomed cruise ship. And he's the only victim of the 2012 shipwreck whose remains haven't been found. Investigators hope that could change soon. By midday Monday, the ship was floating again, Costa Crociere CEO Michael Thamm said. Salvage crews began the arduous task of trying to refloat the ship on Monday morning so they can move it to the Italian port of Genoa to be dismantled. It's been more than 2½ years since the ship ran aground off Italy's Giglio Island with more than 4,200 passengers aboard, killing 32 people in a disaster that drew global attention. And it's been 10 months since salvage teams rolled the 114,000-ton vessel off the rocks in one of the most complex shipwreck recovery efforts ever undertaken. But there's still more work to be done. "We are not at the end, but we are at a critical moment," Giglio Mayor Sergio Ortelli told reporters. For 10 months, engineers have been hard at work, attaching metal boxes to either side of the ship. After draining water from the boxes, they had to pump compressed air into its place to get the ship to float. It was a dangerous and tricky procedure. The ship is rotting, and there's a real risk the bottom of it could give way. By lunchtime Monday, the ship had been moved 20 meters (about 66 feet) as part of an initial 30-meter (98-feet) shift to the east. Officials told the media that a problem with the cable, described as "nothing serious," meant it would take another few hours to move the vessel the final 10 meters. After 30 meters, the ship will be anchored and operations will cease for Monday. After the ship is anchored, the riskiest part of the operation will be over until the vessel gets moved off the island. The 20-meter shift had already dramatically changed the appearance of the wreck from land. Officials said the Concordia's stern had been raised four meters (13 feet) and the bow two meters (about 6.5 feet). On Tuesday, five steel hollow boxes, or sponsons, will be lowered, and divers will begin attaching more chains and cables to help reinforce the bottom of the boat. Then the full refloat begins, lifting the Concordia, deck by deck, clearing any debris along the way. Once the ship is completely floated, it will be towed -- slowly and carefully -- 240 kilometers (150 miles) to Genoa. Italian Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti told the media that the operation marked the closure of a dark moment in Italy. He said it would have been too dangerous to leave the Costa Concordia in the same position for another year. "We could have dismantled the Concordia in situ, but they chose to take the more expensive, riskier route to tow it away to save the environment of Giglio," Galletti said. Officials said it's likely the towing process won't start for days due to port restrictions. It will take five to six days for the ship to reach Genoa, officials said. Thamm, the CEO, called the operation "the most daunting salvage ever attempted on a ship of its size." He added that the cost of the project has already exceeded 1 billion euros -- not including the refloat, the anticipated transport to Genoa or the dismantling. Since the wreck two years ago, 24 metric tons of debris -- including furniture, dishes, food, personal effects and ship parts -- have been recovered from the seabed. While salvage crews continue efforts to deal with the wreckage, Francesco Schettino, the ship's captain, is on trial on charges of manslaughter, causing a maritime disaster and abandoning ship with passengers still on board. He denies wrongdoing. Search teams thought they had found Rebello's remains in October. But the body divers found turned out to be that of Maria Grazia Trecarichi, a Sicilian who was on the cruise to celebrate her 50th birthday with her 17-year-old daughter, who survived.

Hanno, great photos as usual, love the candid shots of the riders!

Aside from all of the mindless banter and speculation. I just want to say I'm thankful there are only minor injuries and for the most part everyone is okay. This is an example of how safety systems are and why there are so many wheels keeping trains on the tracks. Things happen and there are many moving parts. I am thankful that this awesome ride kept the passengers as safe as possible.

Visited Cowabunga Bay Las Vegas on opening day and of course grabbed a Dole Whip! first of, the park is absolutely beautiful! Everyone is having a blast on the attractions, lazy river and the wave pool. The music pumped throughout the park is upbeat and very beach like. There is a ton of shade and many places to relax and sunbathe. I wish the park tons of success this season and will definitely be back tomorrow with some friends to enjoy the park! I'll be posting more photos later today from my camera. Enjoy the iPhone photos below!

Congratulations! Best of luck this morning with the opening! I'll stop by after work tonight! Best wishes! The park sure did come out beautifully!

That is such an awesome video! Looking forward to Friday after work!

Hi everyone! A quick update from Cowabunga Bay Las Vegas, the park is gearing up for its Grand Opening on Friday!! Enjoy the photos below, I am extremely excited to check out the park on Friday! I will be sure to post an update Friday evening! Have a great night everyone! Congratulations Shane and here's to a great season!! It has been an absolute blast following the construction of this amazing project! 2014 Inaugural Season Pass Processing... CHECK! A look at the Surf-A-Rama Wave Pool. I cannot wait to D ive In! Check! Lets take a peek inside shall we? What a great looking entrance! This photo would look great with some wave action right? An almost sunset look at the Surf-A-Rama wave pool, this is the perfect time of day to visit a water park! Surfin' USA goes up and over the main entrance path. A look at the Zooma ZOOMa and Surfin' USA Tower. Photos do not do the size of this wave pool justice!! Absolutely cannot wait for Friday! The park has beautiful landscaping!

Hi Everyone!!! Please check out the below POV's of Cowabunga Bay Las Vegas' Point Panic and Surfin' USA. The park opens Friday!! I will be posting a quick photo update from the park today in a few minutes. Pov's courtesy of Shane Huish. [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Surfin_USA_1_4ocw[/coastertube] [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Point_Panic_ps47[/coastertube]

HAHA! You can definitely tell they are on the home stretch!

Good morning everyone! Shane was kind enough to give us a little sneak peak inside Cowabunga Bay yesterday and the park looks incredible! I absolutely cannot wait until opening day! The park is coming along quite nicely with a lot of landscaping and three of the pools have now been filled. Photos do not do justice to how much the colors pop and how big the wave pool actually is. Surfin' USA, the parks mat racer is definately a focal point of the park. Thank you again Shane for your hospitality and amazing tour! Enjoy the photos everyone! Today we have an update from Cowabunga Bay Las Vegas! One of the dunk buckets from Cowabunga Kids Cove The main entrance to the park. The groovy ’67 VW bus is here temporarily, it will soon be moved inside the park. The ticket windows, I just love all of the colors here! Awesome bicycle racks! The lounge chairs have arrived! Some of the lockers available, they have a great wristband system! Inside the spacious changing room / showers / restroom I love all of the little details! Surfin’ USA a very unique racing slide. Cowabunga River and the tube slide complex LOVE Splashdown Pools! A look at Surfin’ USA and Zuma ZOOMa The wonderful Boardwalk Bay Zuma ZOOMa is going to be a major hit for the thrill seekers! The floor dropping mechanism for Zuma ZOOMa Cowabunga River will soon be filled with happy guests beating the desert heat! The Surf-A-Rama Wave Pool has been filled with water! Photos do not do justice as to how big this really is! The signature feature of Surfin' USA is the uphill slope! Some of the machinery to keep the water filtered and clean! One of the massive fans that operate the wave pool. Rocky’s Beachside Cafe (Coming 2015) Cowabunga Kids Cove an awesome place to chill with the kids! Cowabunga Kids Cove is such a great looking kids play area, there is still more work to be done on it. There will be a pathway that goes right under Surfin' USA, we are looking at the park entrance here. Surfin' USA Cowabunga River will have many water features along the route. A peek at the ticket office, employees will soon greet eager guests waiting to experience Cowabunga Bay!

Loving these mini updates! A great way to pass some time during the day living vicariously though you all!

http://www.frightdome.com/ Hi everyone! Fright Dome will be having a 2 for 1 sale for opening weekend only on Friday the 13th! FD.bmp

I do have to say that the park has been very diligent in letting customers know in any way possible the situation at the park. It has been all over social media and their website. For what it is worth, I applaud the park. Things happen that are out of the control of park management, this can happen anywhere.

Also keep in mind school is now out here in Las Vegas and Adventuredome is now operating 10:00AM to 12 Midnight daily. The park has already been busy since school let out, though wait times are never anything more than 30 minutes. Have a great trip!

www.reviewjournal.com/business/retail/hershey-s-chocolate-world-opens-new-york-new-york The doors to Hershey’s Chocolate World opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday at New York-New York Hotel & Casino. An 11-foot, 800-lb. Statue of Liberty replica made from Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and the Empire State Building comprised of 1,800 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars sit inside the two-story retail store, which boasts Hershey’s brands including Reese’s and Twizzlers. Following the opening, 1 million Hershey’s Kisses were given away at the store and throughout the Las Vegas Strip.

That is truly incredible! What an awesome idea for a fundraiser, and all for an amazing cause!!

In case anyone is interested, Chaos is down for rehab and Sling Shot has finally reopened!

On 4/8/2014 Quantum of the Seas was floated out. See the below photos from the Royal Caribbean Blog. Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, was floated out today at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The 167,800-ton, 4, 180-passenger Quantum of the Seas is the first in the Quantum-class of cruise ships for Royal Caribbean and will have her maiden voyage in November 2014 from Bayonne, New Jersey. She is the first of three Quantum-class cruise ships to be built. Royal Caribbean has already announced the dining, itineraries and Broadway show for Quantum of the Seas with more information promised soon. Source: www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/?page=1

Thank you for posting this amazing read! We go down to San Diego all the time and it's a fascinating read! Cannot wait to read more!