bert425

have you been to the park and ridden it? I'm asking because i could *swear* I was told that was Kilg%re who has taken over the ride, when riding (he argues with Cyborg who tells the riders to calm down and he'll save them via ride audio) a query on Google got me this response: The phrase "Kilg%re" appears to be a reference to a specific theming element within the Cyborg (Nebulaz) ride area, which is part of the DC Universe section of the park I'll listen again next time I'm in the park. . but just wondering if you went and rode it and heard it differently?

King's Island today announced they have renamed and "reimagined" Backlot Stunt Coaster. I kinda like hte name "Queen City Stunt Coaster" https://local12.com/news/local/kings-island-cincinnati-queen-city-stunt-coaster-backlot-announces-reimaged-ride-will-have-guests-racing-through-streets-season-passholders-opening-day-celebration-classic-coasters-experience-announcements-consumer?-fbpost&fbclid=IwY2xjawJvb4dleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHs8zpJRXglQjLQOt4FDk0uIW7atKb6lJIUHit-j7PoJ7gQ8wwQWMCyBPOPUw_aem_upJAcgRa5oUp1dy3iT5oGQ

we finally have some movement from COTAland. their Facebook page came back to life this morning, revealing the brand new Logo. I love it, and hopefully we'll start seeing really regular updates. https://www.facebook.com/COTALAND

despite not waking up until after 11:45 am (a house a few miles away exploded, and the boom woke me up), I still have managed to take care of all 3 major things that were on my list to get done today. (and I threw in a load of laundry) yay me.

^ we also did a lap on Texas Stingray. . which was running a teeny bit rough in the back (which surprised me). . but was still a great ride.

Popped over to SeaWorld San Antonio today, to check out the Seven Seas Food Festival (running Thurs-Sun until May 18) - and in hopes it would be a quiet day, since it was Thursday and the weather was beautiful. there have been a few changes since last year's festival. the most noticeable is that "Greece" and "Italy" are now gone. (what was used for Greece is now a year round Boba stand, that seemed quite popular - and what used to be Italy, is now: Mediterranean, that serves a sorta mix of what the two stops used to serve) France is no longer over by Journey to Atlantis, and has been moved over to near the Penguins (meaning that France and Japan are now really close to each other, great for sampling from them both). a new "area" booth has opened just outside of Catapult Falls, called "Gulf Coast" with all new dishes (and all were quite good) and what I think is the BEST change? your punch is now good for ANYTHING on the menus - including the full sized (not sampler sized) cocktails. 10 punch lanyard is $70 (~$79 after taxes and fees). . .but passholders not only get a free sample via the Pass portal for all of April, but also can buy a 12 punch lanyard for the same price (you have to ASK for the 12 punch lanyard, and they scan your card). But still. . .that averages out to just over $6 per dish. a steal if you are getting something pricey or just getting cocktails (that average $16). had a great time today. . on to pictures! as noted. . beautiful day! and not super crowded to start out. . tho it did get a little busier as the day went on. we were there just a bit too early for 7Seas (they start serving at 11:30), so instead we headed to the park's newest coaster: Beach Rescue Racer. the prior time I was here a couple of weeks ago, the wait for this was almost 2 hours! so we didn't wait. but got my first ride on it today. a fun, family, Zierer, with some pops of air in the back car. not something I'd wait on if it's a busy day, but for a 15-20 minute wait? a fun ride. As it's Thursday, the main 7Seas booth was not being staffed. But Guest Services sent us over to the main restaurant near the entrance (where they had absolutely no idea what we were talking about when inquiring about wanting to purchase the 7Seas punch card - you know, the big festival they have going on???? luckily, a Manager was available and apologized and sent us over to Hawaii to buy them - and third time was the charm (and they had *literally* just been handed them the moment we walked up, so they did have both the 12 and 10 punch cards). we didn't want to start with Hawaii (or Brazil, which we had passed going to Hawaii), so instead headed on to Japan. Steel Eel was running 2 trains and was walk on, but we skipped it today. we managed to time getting to Japan just as the Living Garden show was starting, with the drummers and the water Geisha. so we ordered food and sat down to watch the show. here's a look at the Japan menu sadly, the Sashimi is no longer an item I got the Pork Gyoza, Beef Bulgogi Bowl, and the Double Dragon Punch (with Rum and Passionfruit) everything was excellent. I even was thinking of @SharkTums as I devoured the yummy Gyoza and the cast of the Water Garden was happy to stay for pictures after (everyone was afraid to approach them, but once I started it, they had a line for pictures) as noted, France is pretty close to Japan now, so Russell went over there and got a couple of things here's the menu: top is the Crepe Suzettes w/ Ice Creame, and bottom is the Spinach, Mushroom, Swiss Crepe. both were excellent as well. I asked to see the Escargot, and tho I might go back and try them next visit? the NEON green color was kind of a turn off. (didn't take a pic, as the cook was kind enough to show me them) the "regular" SWSA 7Seas photo ops are out. . so of course as we continued our way around the park. . . Wave Breaker had only a 20 minute wait. . but we passed, as the new place caught my eye. this is the Gulp Shrimp Cocktail. and I think it ranks as #1 or #2 out of the things I tried today. absolute perfection, with a bit of zing, and nice and refreshing. (and while we were relaxing here, Catapult Falls started testing - the other two water rides, Journey to Atlantis, and Rio Loco were down today for Technical issues. . so as soon as Catapult Falls started testing, a lot of folks came over to this area. We ended up on the first public log of the day - sharing with the folks I had been chatting with while eating. Got SOAKED today, even tho the Gysers were again, not working) we were feeling a bit too full to stop at Jamaica today - even tho I want to go back for a few things. that Bread Pudding sounds amazing, and I love that chicken and coconut roll. (next time) and this also caused us to skip Great White - which finally WAS back up and running. So all coasters were up and running today. still stopped for some pics tho and we had managed to time it that Orca Encounter show was starting soon. . so we went in and sat down to relax and get edjumacated. we sat two rows behind the last splash zone. . and STILL got wet. . LOL beautiful. get ready to get wet, with tail flaps that's a LOT of water headed this way! tho we were sad to see no "Greece" stop, at least the new Mediterranean booth has offerings from both. the meatball looked WAY too heavy for me after the eating.. so we instead went for: Beef & Lamb Gyro and a Blood Orange Bellini (which Russell said was really good. .. tho I was a bit surprised at how small the Naan was!) I got the Chicken Schwarma. . also VERY good and I HAD to try the "Kickin Shrimp and Pineapple Flatbread" it was. . .a thing? I mean, it wasn't BAD. But I'm not sure I liked it enough to try it again. having eaten to our fill, and it being 3pm, we decided to head back to Austin, and hopefully beat some rush hour traffic (we didn't . . oh well) but first I wanted to stop in Germany to try the new item: the Black Forest Strudel I call my Boyfriend "Strudel". . so I took this pic for him. it was decent. . . not the best thing I ate today.. but everything was decent. not a BAD bite in the batch. we decided instead of taking some Empanadas from Brazil to go (always a good call)..we'd just skip and use the 7 remaining punches we each had for next visit. we had a great day, and I highly recommend this event.

the Ponchos REALLY didn't help all that much. but maybe I ended up with a small dry spot in my crotch. . LOL as to Big One? I think it was the excitement of getting to ride it after thinking we wouldn't be able to due to wind. . . but honestly, that 1st drop is incredible. I'd compare it to the 1st drop on Expedition GeForce - only better as it's right off the beach. (only comparing the drop. . . Expedition GeForce is 100% a better coaster, and one of the best in the world)

Excellent update!! it will be a bit still before I get to this stop on my report. . so will say here, that I remain terribly sad about the death of the Frankenstein dark ride for the Smurfs :(. . .. yeah, I get it, and it makes even more sense since the park announced it's changing the name to Plopsa. but still. . .. sad face. my absolute favorite thing about our stop here was the Titty Twister house. Not sure if you talked to the staff as much as I did at the houses, but what blew me away? the park staff had NO IDEA it was based on the film "From Dusk Till Dawn". yes! even tho most of them were completely in character as if they were in the film? they were just working off what they had been told to do - hence the "adults only" and super "vulgar" language. . . LOL. . it was so brilliant. thanks for the great pics and reminders. and I think we all have pics of the pipi station

I'm not familiar with this place, but reading the list of "attractions" ? this is right up my alley. putting this on my radar, and maybe can make a visit this year.

I'm a member of the Texas Junkies (a SFOT group) and there was a post today from a Mother who had the same issue in that her child had a meltdown in that he's been able to ride Runaway Mine Train in the past, but when they went for the first time this season, they discovered the height restriction had changed. I agree with your point that they should have put notifications (on their websites or maybe at the front gates) about the height changes. . . but, I mean, this happened at least a month ago, and they have been talking about it in the Junkies group. so the information has been out there - and yeah, it does seem they are adjusting to match CF requirements. but I dunno either.

my friend Maddie rode it today. . and she HATED the Titan Track. she said it was as intense as it always has been, except for the Titan Track portions, which was "awful". . but the rest was really good. now keep in mind, Maddie does tend to LOVE coasters that many people find really rough. so to each their own.

before I went to bed tho, I download some shots that Robb had shared from his camera to the TPR chat for the trip. these are amazing pics, and courtesy of Robb: Icon and the park layout from the Big One's lift hill that incredible diving first drop on the Big One: coming back from that turnaround near the front gates same turnaround from the back seat.

Day 11 - a 2nd full day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach! it had stayed windy thru the night, and I heard the wind blowing against the window (helped me sleep) but a large metallic clang woke me up. Peeking out the window? The Big One was testing! Grabbed my phone to snap some pics of proof, and excitedly got dressed and headed down to grab something light to eat, as testing was a great sign we'd get our ERT on this coaster today. LOVE this view. . . we met up in the lobby and headed into the park, and were informed that they were indeed testing, and hoped to have it open for us. but no guarantees. TPR group hung out with our Park Guides by the gates, while they kept running trains - to ensure it wasn't too windy for it to operate. and then they opened it up for us and ushered us into the station. it was such a last minute decision, that the 2nd train still had all the sandbags in it for the morning test runs. very cool to see that this is how they test it out on mornings they are concerned it might valley due to weather. all maintenance hands were called on deck to remove the sandbags, and we were ready for our ERT. these pics, I believe, are courtesy of Elissa. what did I think of "the Big One" ? well. . it's an Arrow Hypercoaster (that opened in 1994) - and as such, it's got a couple of janky / not so smooth transitions. In particular, there is one transition right in front of the Big Blue Hotel that will *really* mess up your back if you aren't braced for it. . . .but my oh my, does that first drop make up for it. a Diving steep turn to the right, and it truly does feel like the coaster has come off the track and you are hurtling towards the beachfront. so yeah, I rode it a bunch during ERT, even with that one painful spot that reminded us it's an Arrow coaster. after our ERT, we were set free in the park as it was about to open. Directly across from the Big One entrance is the park's classic carousel. it wasn't open just yet, so I made a note to come back to it later. but since we were right across the park path from SteepleChase, Jonathan and I headed over there to get a few rides. as I mentioned yesterday, the ride staffers remembered us from the prior day (and what big fans we were of the ride) and let us stay on to bypass the line a few times. they even took this wonderful picture of us - look how damn happy Jonathan and I are ! (and no, the third track wasn't operating today, and they told me it rarely does.. so I felt even more blessed that had gotten the opportunity to ride all three rails the prior day). much love and thanks to Robb, Elissa, and Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort for that lifetime top 10 memory. Jonathan and I decided to hang together for a bit, and headed towards the dark rides portion of the park - since they tend to be all gathered together in one area. passing thru Nickelodeon land, the same "handler" who had been out yesterday with the Avatar character (and had taken a pic of himself instead of just me and the character) was out.. so I called him on it - in a playful way - and embarrassed the heck out of him in front of his coworkers (who laughed hysterically). all was good. . he even posed with me for this selfie when I handed him to phone - to prove I really was just teasing him. and he took this great pic of Jonathan and I with Spongebob. I do remember that Wallace and Gromit were out too, but for them, there was an additional fee, so we didn't do that. . .but I'm guessing this is the car (shoe?) from the ride, as we did ride the dark ride that morning. before heading back to Alice in Wonderland for more rides on that today. here's that sign in the queue that talks about when the ride opened at the park. from the Alice line, you get a nice view of the Flying Machines, and the final stretch of Grand National's track as it races back into the station. that's the front gates of the park on the left, under the Noah's Arc on top. we got lucky on our 1st ride with Jonathan scoring the back seat with the White Rabbit. whee! Valhalla wasn't quite open yet for the day *was open from 1-5 only), but in the TPR chat thread, there was talk about meeting up later to ride as a group. so instead we headed over to the Flying Machines, a classic ride near the front of the park. some lovely views from the load stations up here too. the Big One's lift hill from across the park. and the turnaround near the front of the park. hey. . there's Nick! a few other TPR folks had come upstairs while we waited for our cycle. so we climbed into one rocket together. under the Flying Machines sits a restaurant and a gift shop. and in a very neat touch, there are windows that allow one to look into the workings of the ride - that's been operating since 1904 ! I was headed back to Derby Racer for more rides (I love these things), and so the guys came with to ride. and tho I was wary about how rough this might be, the only coaster I was missing was Grand National. we had ERT on it later that night, but I wanted to try it early so I could see how much "wooden coaster trembling" was on this classic coaster (built in 1935). Great view of the lift hill from the station area. short answer? it's pretty rough. not terrible, especially for it's age, but rough enough that I was concerned about multiple rides with my rib injury from earlier in the trip at Barrie Island. needless to say, I never rode the right side (from station entry), only riding the Red Train from the left side. so 1 and done for me (or is that 1/2 and done, since it's a racing coaster and only did one side)? splitting off to do things that only I was interested in, this caught my eye across from the Grand National exit. I wasn't sure what exactly it was, but it turned out to be a Museum of Illusion. and was really rather fun. and next door was a play area fountain for the kids (tho it was a bit chilly still) and a bunch of food kiosks. So I decided to grab a quick bite. of note, and the reason I took this pic, those string lights behind the Picture Center? I was told that is where the classic (and crazy) wooden Wild Mouse had been located. It had been removed before the 2018 season, and the space was now being used as bar seating, and special event venue. reminders that we're right off the beach: folks were chatting about riding Valhalla, so I finished up lunch and headed over there to meet up. a happy (and dry) group of TPR folks ready to take on Valhalla! (pic courtesy of Jonathan) that same boat, not quite so dry, coming back into the station after our ride. . .LOL I think this might be courtesy of Brad? I needed to dry off a bit - Valhalla will *absolutely* soak you. like getting dipped into a bathtub soak. - so I headed over to Racing Derby to spin dry (hey, it helped) the River Caves ride was down, and was told it was getting refurbished (this was recently announced as getting a major overhaul, so perhaps tearing out the classic "tunnel of love" theming?). looks like an indoor raft/log flume ride but a reason to go back as this was one of a few rides down on the days we were there - tho this was likely the "biggest" of the rides that were down, as most were for kids that weren't operating. it did seem to have a bit of a splashdown to end the ride ... despite the wind, the park kept the Big One open the whole day. going towards the Asian Mandala walking garden I had spotted yesterday underneath Nickelodeon Streak, I discovered near the bumper cars (also not running today), a small section of celebrity handprints hey.. I even recognized one of em the Asian walking maze was lovely. tho small, it was still nice to discover something like that tucked away in a corner of the park. and best part? since I was over here, I remembered that I needed to ride the classic Carousel. I had missed it yesterday since it closed before the rest of the park. there was only one other rider, but the operator wished me a "wild ride" and I had a blast. I rode "Miles" there's also a nice viewing are over here, where you can watch the Steeple Chase horses go up the mid course lift hill. and the "handprint" of the horse made me giggle. gift shop near the front of the park (where I bought my "I rode the Big One" boxer shorts) in the front of the park, just past the entry gates but before you enter the park proper, is Pasaje del Terror. there had been some "characters" wandering around near the front of the park handing out coupons. and upon checking with a few employees, they all said it was decent and worth checking out. I messaged in the group chat that I wanted to do this, since I had these 1lb off coupons (I had asked for a handful and was given them) and multiple TPR folks said they were interested and so I sat down by the main entrance to wait and see who would show up. it turned out to be about 15 of us, and they split us into two groups to go thru. here's Stacy and I with one of the folks that had been handing out the coupons. the entrance to it looked very promising! and this lady - who gave us the rules spiel was hysterical. and creepy as hell. no pictures were allowed in the actual attraction. but I can say it's highly recommended. the entire thing is underground, so it's way bigger than you think it's going to be. And filled with movie level quality set pieces and special effects. I think this might be the best looking haunt that I've ever been to. It didn't "terrify" me, but I was blown away at how good all the set pieces were. tons of detail, and some brilliantly made up scare actors. oh. . and it ends in a bar. yup. pics were allowed in here: I don't recall if there was actually a drink minimum. . . but we did drink while hanging out and waiting for the other group to come thru behind us. the snack area wasn't' open (the blue grate). . but the figures here show the level of quality of this place. our group. . relaxing while waiting for the others. ah. .here they are! turns out one CAN visit the "Horror Bar" without going thru the attraction (just enter thru the exit steps), but I'm still glad I did it. very recommended, even with the separate charge. did I mention there are tons of photo ops here at Blackpool Pleasure Beach? why in the world would I come to the UK and want the "sweet taste of the USA" ? but I was curious what they thought it would be. . lots of tootsie rolls and gummy candies. the Park's Grand Prix motor car ride, had closed a month or so before our visit. . so they still had much of the station still untouched and looking like it could operate with just a quick sweep (I took the pics over the fence they had up in front). it's a really large ride, and with this gone, as well as the three smaller rides they announced are going, the park has a lot of space to put in something rather large for 2026 - as they have announced. I was still hanging with Stacy after the Haunt, and she was interested in getting a reading from this "Spiritual Advisor to the Stars" that had a storefront set up in the park, near the closed Grand Prix. I wasn't interested, but was happy to wait (and I did briefly meet the spiritualist, and she was a lovely woman). and hey, she read for Johnny Marr! the inside of her storefront was very cute. . .and very "traveling carnival"... I mean that in a GOOD way. she took Stacy back thru those double doors, and I waited for her out in this area. she was very satisfied with the reading. it was time to meet up for our Grand National ERT. . so we quickly made our way thru the now closed park, over to the Grand National station. I grabbed this pic of the Wallace and Gromit ride, as we passed by, since I had forgotten to take one earlier. as noted earlier, I was worried about my rib injury, so I chose not to ride during ERT - instead just taking pictures. Green won! and Barry looks very pumped about it. racing back into the station. this is what I rode for the rest of the ERT. . I did love the "devil tail / snake" designs on the benches. just hanging out (and it had gotten cooler, so put my hat on), as we were headed as a group into the fancy Blackpool restaurant for dinner to end our day. you can tell that this is a fancy place. . it was quiet (I guess we were visiting sorta off season?) as we were really the majority of whom were in the restaurant, tho there were other customers there. (I'm guessing that's why I didn't take any pics of the food or the restaurant itself). I do remember the food being pretty good tho. decoration in the cloak room after dinner we headed outside and Robb gathered us all for a group picture under one of the (closed gates) to Pleasure Beach entrance. pic courtesy of Robb then we realized that the face was hungrily eyeing us. . so we took another pic reacting as such: and with that, our days at Blackpool were over. again, I'm pretty sure I swung by the casino for some slots before heading back to the room. tomorrow was a travel day back towards London, the trip was almost over . . . . so had to pack things up and be ready to head out in the morning. but as the sun set, I knew that it had been so worth it to come. . . met every dream I'd ever had about it. and with that? off to bed.

Darn. I’ll miss it then but still eager to check out all the other park improvements (hopeful I’ll have a chance to swing by when in the area)

What is “flying Ninjago”? is that a coaster similar to the one at Legoland UK? Or is that a different type of attraction (I’ve not been to Legoland Japan)

I'm looking forwards to a visit soon. . . hopefully the Carousel will be open by the time I'm in the area next month.

Day 10 (pt 2) full day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach as we came up the stairs from the Nickelodeon section, I saw Wallace (of Wallace and Grommit) out and went to say hi and get a pic, only to be informed that if you want a picture of them, you must purchase the opportunity. I politely declined, and we continued past the Wallace & Grommit ride (I'd ride it tomorrow. . long line at the moment) and headed towards one of the park's other classic woodies: the Big Dipper, a PTC built in 1923 I *love* the classic feel of the thing. and it's right next to Infusion and the Big One in the middle of everything. the inside of the station is charmingly retro. . and hey, look. . there's Stacy and Andrew in line up ahead of us. Bert, Nick, Doug, Nick. the windows in the queue for Big Dipper give one a fantastic view of Infusion's 1st drop thru the windows. too bad it's a Vekoma SLC. . but hey, it LOOKS good almost our turn. . a bit rough, as one would expect from a coaster this old, but really quite a decent ride and I enjoyed it. pic is courtesy of Andrew I believe. since we were RIGHT NEXT DOOR to it. . we gritted our teeth and headed over to Infusion. as noted. . at least it *looks* fantastic. Especially built over a water feature. already dreading this decision. . . but at least there's not much of a line. smiling BEFORE we ride it. . . . oooo. . .a train? where is the station for that? made a mental note to look for it. yeah. . it rides like a Vekoma SLC. one and done. . . but I rode it. having ringed the outside of the park, we headed into the center, where the Avalanche Bobsled is located. charmingly themed over here. ' and you get really close to Revolution's loop feature. aha! . . crossing over the bridge to get to the Avalanche entrance, I discovered the train station. . in an odd place, with an entrance from the actual bridge. noted for later! this was closed today, and tho it was small, it was quite lovely. sadly, I think this is one of the 3 smaller rides the park announced has been removed to make space for a new ride coming in. (come to think of it. . all 3 smaller rides they said they were removing, never opened the two days we were there, and were closeby the shut down car tracks.. so must be something big coming into this area) I'm ready for a bobsled ride! it was among the smoother of the bobsleds I've ridden. and I did go back and ride it the next day too. Lots of Photo Ops spread among the park. . even of many of them didn't make a lot of sense. I got Nick to pose too, after being my photographer. I believe I had reached out to Stacy and she and I made our way to the train station - as she loves this kind of stuff too. the train really does weave all in and out of everything at the park, and gives some really interesting views/perspectives of things. well worth a ride, if you go to this park. you get REALLY close to some of the coasters too. . . and it passes right in front of our hotel (and spoiler. .. right there is that wonky as hell transition on the Big One that WILL mess up your back if you aren't prepared for it. . . every time we rode the next day. . right THERE). looking up. .there's my room! LOL. . with the curtains open on the top floor. the tunnel at the end of Big One, where it dives underneath Nickelodeon Streak's structure after a wonderful, relaxing, train ride, I was ready to hit the grouping of Dark Rides (Alice's Wonderland, Ghost Trains, and the park's Racing Derby are all right next to each other in an area of the park). Alice in particular is sorta/kinda like the Disneyland ride, but there are many differences. great photo op, even if it looks like I'm creeping out the Mad Hatter while the March Hare is tickling Andrew's armpit. no one wanted to be the Caterpillar.. but I wasn't gonna pass up being Alice! or riding a horsie on the Derby Racer I LOVED this. . . but I will admit that tho it ran faster than Cedar Downs? I don't recall these horses moving back and forth. So between the two? Cedar Downs takes it as the better ride. but still, I'll ride this over almost any other ride, any day. Hey Stacy! stopped to watch the racing trains on Grand National. . .another PTC coaster from 1935. this one looked very very rough, and tho i did ride one side of it today, it bothered my hurt rib (damaged at Barrie Island), so never did go back to ride the other side. the suspended ships are near the main entrance tho. . and those were a lot of fun. back to Alice for another ride (of course). hmmm. . per this sign, this ride opened in 1962. . Disneyland's opened in 1958. Maybe the similarities aren't such a coincidence? and then it was time for Ghost Train! I'd held off on this, as I'd heard it was a good one, so was saving it. it was SO good, y'all. I rode this at least 10 times during my visit to the park. just kept going back to it. I loved it. the themed benches over here are great too! so good. .and so many pops of air! no idea who to thank for this. Stacy? it was getting towards the end of the day, and so it was time to ride the infamous "Valhalla" I don't want to ruin it, so all I'll say is that it's a very, VERY good dark ride, and a very, VERY wet water ride all at once. yeah. . even completely covered with a TPR rain poncho, still soaked completely thru. but we knew we were in trouble when they were using a wetvac to suction out water from every boat as they came back thru the station. . LOL SO good tho. actually rode it again the next day too. we were so wet from Valhalla, we went and rode Derby Racer a few times in an attempt to dry off (and it worked, since it spins so fast) since Stacy is in this pic with me, assuming this pic is thanks to Andrew? and with that (and slightly drier) our first day at the park was over, as it was time to shut down. it was still early. . maybe 5pm? but we went around to the front of the park, and I got this pic of the main entrance. From what I was told, this park used to have a Noah's Ark (like Kennywood has), but it was decommissioned many years ago. instead of destroying it tho, they moved it over the main entrance. so it's no longer an attraction one can walk thru, but the Ark does still "float" up and down, and most of the figures from it are around the base. so that's rather cool that they kept the history. waiting for the reception area for "hot ice" to open. it was a lovely set up, with a coffee shop, and bar in the outer entry area. it was opening night, so some folks did dress up - and I felt a little bit under-dressed - but enough of the TPR folks went that I didn't really stand out. TPR representing at the "Hot Ice Show" at Blackpool Pleasure Beach opening night. I have to imagine that we had been asked to take no pictures (as it was opening night), as I don't seem to have a single picture from the performance (and yes, they really DID set the ice on fire, and there was a lot of skating tricks done). there clearly was also an issue as the intermission seemed to talk almost an hour between acts, and when act II did start there was suddenly an odd number of women vs men skaters - so I think someone must have gotten hurt during the 1st act, and that's why the delay in act II starting. for what it was, it was enjoyable, and it's always fun to hang out with TPR folks. (and as Stacy and I are showing, they DID serve alcohol. . so it was a nice enough way to spend the evening before heading back to the hotel for shower, and sleep.. .. tho I'm almost 100% positive, we DIDN'T go back to the hotel, but instead went across the street to the casino for food and some gambling) but with that, Day 1 of Blackpool Pleasure Beach was done, and I had fulfilled a quest.. I was gonna sleep well tonight.

Day 10 (pt 1) full day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach - and getting to ride my holy grail. tho I was so excited I had some trouble sleeping, I actually did wake up before my alarm (and well before park open). Checking the weather, it said overcast (and windy - oh no!).. but a quick peek out the window jumpstarted everything - there was an Employee walking the track of Big Dipper! that was an excellent sign, that they were planning on opening things. as I started to get dressed for breakfast, I heard some commotion outside the window, and looking out again, Icon was testing! (that was our ERT coaster for this morning.. . so I giddily snapped some pics to send to the group - for those who hadn't been in the rooms to hear/see it). a peek out the windows at breakfast confirmed it was really windy today still. . . just look at those waves. and there was no movement at all on "the Big One" - a coaster that is often closed due to winds apparently. but at least we had two full days at the park. . . so I was hopefull, and dug into breakfast. the group met our "park guide" at the back/resort gate (which wasn't really open, but they opened it for us which was great), and we headed into the empty park and towards Icon. you can tell how bundled up everyone is, that the day started out a bit chilly. I love going into a park before it's open, as lots of opportunities for pics without a lot of people in them. (so yet another reason I love going on trips with TPR) great sign, Big Dipper was now testing. (as well as ICON, as you can see the train behind Big Dipper's train) it really is quite a lovely park, and they crammed so much in! it's hard to believe there were a few big rides that had been removed (the Wild Mouse, the Motorway) or were down for refurb (an indoor tunnel of love type ride thru caves, the drop tower) during our visit, as there was so much still to do. swimming Jockys ? I have no idea but it was interesting scenery. since everything is built in and around (and thru) other things, the queue lines too weave a lot. this is part of the Icon Queue, but you can also see Infusion (blue track), Big Dipper (wood track), and Big One (red track) in this pic. fairly non-descript station on the outside - they let the ride speak for itself. parts of Avalanche, and the loop from Revolution are visible from the Icon queue line. Nick and Jere ready for their back seat ride. this is train 1. On the other train, they have replaced the last car with two spinning seats, and they consider this a separate ride, called "Enzo" (it's an upcharge) TPR train, ready for launch. for a coaster with multiple launches, this coaster really doesn't have a lot of speed. . .it really feels like it's just "meandering".. . but it somehow really WORKS for this ride. adding a ton of hang time, and making the coaster incredibly re-rideable. I liked it a lot. on the bridge after I rode a few times, I snapped pics from over the 1st launch, and managed to catch the other train with the "Enzo" spinning seats in the back car. (those that rode it that way said it was fun) I liked it best in the front row. . .but as noted, it was an enjoyable coaster regardless and a great way to start off our day this pic is courtesy of either Elissa or Jack Crouse. happy train of TPR riders by the time we finished our ERT, the grounds were open and folks had started to show up - even if none of the rides were open. but I was about to get a surprise when we were informed we were now headed over to Steeplechase for some pre park opening rides (I seriously was so excited I was afraid to go to the bathroom in fear of missing something) seriously. . holy grail. a ride I *never* thought I'd ever get to see, let alone ride. and it turned out that Elissa & Robb had mentioned to the park folks that for a couple of us on this trip, we had come on the trip *specifically* for Steeplechase (that would be me and Jonathan). and the park responded by opening all 3 rails for us! From what I was told, typically they only run 2 rails, and the Gold one rarely operates. so.. apologies for all the Steeplechase pics. . . I actually culled them and am only posting a few, relative to how many I tool. . LOL at only 2 riders per horse, and nothing underneath you for most of the ride.. it truly is both an exciting AND terrifying experience. I think most of the folks liked it tho. I was absolutely giddy, and even tho I think I only "won" once? I rode it a LOT. . . not just today, but tomorrow too - when the operators recognized us at the SteepleChase superfans from the prior day and let Jonathan and I do solo rides on the horses for a few laps without having to go back thru the line but yes, I was able to get at least 10 rides, across all 3 rails, during our surprise pre-park open rides today. again, the below pics are courtesy of either Elissa or Jack. once I got my excitement to calm down (and after a bathroom break, finally), we split off for the rest of the day. we didn't have any evening ERT, so the day was ours to do with as we pleased (some people went across to the South Pier to ride the spinning mouse), although the Resort was hosting an opening night gala for the "Ice on Fire" ice skating show, and the park had offered us all tickets if anyone wanted to go. I planned to go, cause why not?, and then headed to explore the park with a smaller group of about 5-6 folks. first stop was Revolution, an Arrow shuttle loop from 1979. yup, one of the classics, where you have to climb the stairs to the top so the train can make the loop what's nice, is from this tower, in the center of the park really, you get some crazy nice views (yeah, that's one of the park's 3 carousels behind us). looking towards the water. . directly in front of us is the Big One's station - with the first drop way back in the distance behind Avalanche. it was, indeed, closed today - too windy for the Big One. (fingers crossed for Tomorrow for some ERT on it) Nickelodeon Streak - the orange woodie that rings the Northern part of the park also runs right along Revolution's queue tower a beautiful view of Steeplechase station, and some of the track, and the Big Blue hotel - where we're staying. Nickelodeon Streak's turnaround, and looking over the town of Blackpool with the clouds burning off, it really was quite lovely here. continuing our way counter-clockwise around the outer perimeter of the park, we came to Nickelodeon Universe area next. and there were characters out for photo ops. I asked the handlers if they could take a pic for me, and this cheeky bastard said sure - then flipped the camera and took a selfie (gotta wonder how often he does that to folks.. but he didn't realize that I was there for two days, and when I saw him the next day would embarrass him so badly in front of his co-workers (who thought it was hysterical) that I doubt he does it much again). anyways. . here's the pic he took that he thought I wouldnt' notice. and here's the real pic, after I handed him the camera back, making sure it was pointing the correct way. I think this is from Avatar? hell if I know. .it's a character photo op!! in this section before you get to Nickelodeon Streak, you come across Blue Flyer - a PTC junior coaster, that's been in the park since 1934 adults were welcome to ride, so we got in line. and saw that several other TPR folks also had the same idea hey Jonathan, Shane, Adam, and David it was adorable, and actually had a few pops of airtime. and I love that the pic says "my first rollercoaster" lookie. . Bert is the filling in a Nick Oreo Sammich cookie. looking around Nickelodeon land, most of the rides seemed to be of the "spin and puke" variety or "get wet" variety. . tho the Streak coaster loomed large over everything. they only had one train on this, so this was probably the longest line we stood in today. and unfortunately it was crammed full of teenagers who were acting up almost the whole time we were in the line. this is also one of the oldest coasters in the park, as the lift hill and turnaround were originally part of "the Velvet Coaster" that was built in 1909. . but it was rebuilt and christened "Roller Coaster" in 1932, before being renamed the Nickelodeon Streak (slime streak?) in the 2010's. that's a long way of saying it's a bit of a rough thing, and even tho we waited for it, it was one and done for me. the kids (with the pliable bodies) seemed to love it tho. I LOVED this operator. . she was "take no shit" from the teenagers, and yelled at them for throwing water - and would not let them ride until they apologized to us for splashing us with water while in line. so of course, I wanted a pic with this wonderful woman. Andrew and Stacy were in the train behind mine. . so was able to get a pic of them as they went by. leaving the area. . this is another one of the 'wet" rides I liked the Rugrats theming. . but seemed a bit too chilly to get wet - at least at the moment. day 1 to be continued. . .

Day 9 (evening) arrival in Blackpool, and checking into the Big Blue hotel, and checking out the pleasure piers! although I don't recall how long the drive was from Gulliver's World to Blackpool, I do know we departed Gulliver's around 5:30, and I think we got to Blackpool a few hours later? it was too late for the park to be open (the UK parks all seemed to close pretty early), but there was still plenty of sunlight as we got towards the area. I know for sure that my excitement skyrocketed when I spotted the famous "Blackpool Tower" off in the distance: and this giant Blackpool Sculpture - that I'm sure if in the perfect spot, can line up the tower with it. before too long, we pulled up to our Hotel for the next 3 days. Actually on site, and overlooking the park (the arrangements here were incredible - HUGE thank you to both Robb & Elissa for this planning as well as the fantastic staff at the hotel !). we were going to staying at "Big Blue" very quickly we got our room keys and headed off to our rooms - tho a bunch of us had planned to meet back down in the lobby in about 40 minutes to go walk along the sea-shore to check out the pleasure piers, and what kind of dinner we might be able to find in Blackpool. my room was pretty amazing, and I remembered to actually take pics of it upon arrival. looking back from the end of the main entrance hall towards the door. that blue area on the right? a separate kids area! with bunk beds and even video games to keep the kiddos occupied now facing towards the room. . on the left is the bathroom and straight ahead is the large bedroom area I'm just too uncoordinated to use these 1/2 shower designs. . I always end up spraying water all over the bathroom! but otherwise, a beautiful bathroom. and a large room how was the view? as I mentioned above. . HOLY CRAP !!! and overlooking my holy grail too, Steeplechase. I simply cannot express enough thanks to Elissa and the universe that I ended up in this room. in this view there are pieces of EIGHT coasters (10 if you count each of Steeplechase's tracks): Infusion Big One Big Dipper Icon Avalanche Steeplechase Revolution & Nickelodeon Streak looking to the right to see more of the hotel. . tho we're in the "middle" section, which has best views of the park. it was overcast and quite windy - no impact today, as the park was closed for the day already. but it worried me a little bit for the next few days. what a view. . .if I hadn't had to go to the lobby to meet up, I would have stood here for a long, long time. meeting up, about 7 of us headed out to walk around the outskirts of the park, and along the seawall, to check out the 3 Blackpool Pleasure Piers. (it ended up being way, way further than it looked, LOL. .and I did end up taking a taxi back later after dinner instead of walking back) the park is on our right, but all along the "ground level" of the parks, are related tourist attractions and things that were quite interesting - even if none of them were open one of the park entrances from the Seawall side. Hot Ice was the show that was opening on our 1st day in the park, and we'd been invited to go watch it after park close. it was. . . . interesting. more about that tomorrow. peeking past the closed gates, that's the main park entrance, and the down for refurb drop tower right at the park front. looking across at the SeaWall was the Blackpool indoor waterpark. we crossed the street over to the seawall side, but looking back across at the Blackpool Pleasure Beach, main entrance. never did see that Casino they are advertising open but we did have dinner in the tower restaurant noted there on the 2nd night. a peek at the park map for the indoor water park. it looked like a pretty decent one, but since I was there for the theme park, I didn't even consider taking any time from the park days to go to the water park. next to the waterpark, however, was another casino. . and this one was open (and ended up in there a couple of times, to play some slots or grab a late night snack). it's nothing at all like a USA Casino - I don't think it was 24 hours - but the food was decent and served late. and the handful of slots and table games were acceptable. . tho more along the lines of what you'd see at a small off strip casino in vegas, with just a handful of options. I believe this was an "adult entertainment" bar, but loved the name "the Velvet Coaster" pics of businesses across from the seawall side of Blackpool coming up to the South Pier, you can see the Blackpool Tower off in the distance. not a whole lot open on the pier, as I think it was just too windy (and a bit too early, as this seemed really targeted towards teenagers and young adults who wanted to party) the tide was pretty far out at this point too.. that's the back of the waterpark, and behind it (and across the street) is the lift and 1st drop for the Big one. further out on the long pier and you can get a great view of the Big One. later, ALL that sand would be under water as the tide comes in some really classic carnival rides were on the pier. . tho as noted, not many things were open just yet. I think they were waiting for it to get a bit darker so the lights would really advertise the rides. tho some things were open, and had people riding them - despite the cold wind. the main draw to the South Pier is this Spinning Wild Mouse, all the way at the end of the pier over the water. too windy and was told it wouldn't operate tonight - tho it did run the next day and a bunch of TPR folks made the trek across to get the credit. this freaked me out a bit, but I did it.. . the wild mouse is placed on grating at the end of the pier. so, yeah.. you can walk out over the open sea beneath you. . . I did it - it goes all the way around the mouse and comes out on the other side from the end of the pier a look towards the Central pier, that was further North, going towards the Blackpool Tower. the Central Pier has a Ferris wheel on it, that WAS operating, despite the wind. but it was way too shaky for me to attempt - tho really, I would have gone on it if anyone else had wanted to. photo op with the two Nicks ? yes please! back onto the seawall, and moving towards Central Pier hmm. . .doesn't really look "fun". . looks perhaps a bit sad? but nearer the Tower, and by the Central Pier, it certainly got more festive, with way more "touristy" stuff. . such as Ripley's, and Madame Trussaud's, etc. . the entrance to the Central Pier not sure if there was a festival coming, or they had just put up some more art installations, but this was rather cool. stepping onto the Central Pier. .this one had a bit more traffic. just look at those waves tho.. yeah, it was windy! looking back towards Blackpool Pleasure Beach. . even I was surprised how far we had walked. the rides were reasonably priced here. . tho they were much more family friendly rides than the more extreme ones that had been on the South Pier. as said, these Ferris Wheel cars were really swinging in the breeze. . it just didn't seem safe enough ooo. . a "Grease" related diner? (but the actual food looked . . um.. . not great - so didn't eat there). Loved the advertising for it tho. that's the North Pier over there. . . but by now my feet were starting to hurt (it had been a long day), so I decided I didn't really NEED to go down to that pier. but "KandyLand" across the street? yeah. .that I could manage. yes, I bought a bunch of stuff at KandyLand. and it still amuses me greatly that the "Fudge for a Fat Bastard" was being sold right next to "a Present for my Beautiful Grandma". . .Bwaa-haa-haaaaa oh my. . I was Sooooooooooo tempted! LOL. . but I behaved. we wandered towards what seemed to be a tourist center near the tower base, that also had St Johns Church - a beautiful church dating back to 1821 (and I believe it was Nick who enjoys photographing churches and pointed it out to us). "THE Chinese Buffet" wasn't gonna be a choice for dinner, as it looked like it hadn't been open in a while. . but someone had discovered there was a Nando's nearby where the church was, and we agreed that would be a good place to head. turned out they were packed, but we went ahead and made a reservation for 45 minutes later (and said hi to the group of other TPR folks that were already there eating) and went to check out the church / area until they had a table ready for us. most everything over here was closed already, as it was kinda late. some great graffiti here. (tho I wasn't about to go down an alley to get a better pic) the Church really is beautiful. .and the way the sun was lighting it up really made it worth the visit. eventually we went back to Nandos and had a great meal. Some were gonna head back along the seawall, but I was so wiped, I opted for a cab, and Nick rode with me. so we made it back to the hotel relatively quickly. a hot shower, and laying out clothes for my first big day in the park tomorrow, and I was ready for bed. but not before spending some time looking out at my view again in the evening shadows as I was finally about to turn off the lights, Andy (I think) sent back these shots he had taken from the walk back along the seawall during sunset. these are spectacular shots. . so I saved them to my phone and am sharing here too: look how much the tide has come in! it's actually lapping those steps now! very very windy. and because Big One is in the background? this must be a shot taken of the Central Pier from the North Pier (the one I didn't go to) yeah. . look how rough that sea is. . and how high the water has gotten! and with that? I was off to bed. . and said a little prayer that it wasn't too windy tomorrow to impact our day. I will try to get up 1st day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach within the next 36 hours!

is the restraint a lap bar (single T restraint across both seats) and not an individual restraint? if yes, then, yes, going up to 48"

Roadrunner is back open (finally) But yes, we still need that out and back Jr. coaster for the boardwalk. . . the Fiesta version of Judge Roy Scream

hmm. .. it's not a bad idea, but the space where KF is located is more conducive to replacing it with another flat. now. . . if they were willing to cross the pond there, and extend over the grass at lone Star lil's ? I could see them considering, but I just don't see them getting rid of any more of that great lawn (they lost a 3rd of it when they put in cliffhanger). but it's not a bad idea if they can find a space for it somewhere around the waterpark?

wow. . beautiful work they did for the queue line!

continued. . . LOL. .this pic was clearly taken before we left the station on Antelope. . we look so happy compared to the onride for some reason - didn't seem to fit with the *idea* of the crowd for the park - they had a pretty great inhouse built Haunted Mansion walkthru continuing on to the right side of the park - which again, was much bigger than I had first thought, there was a smaller section called "Gully's Gears" which had a small steel coaster that was themed to drag racing (tho was still basically a wacky worm or roller skater). I believe there was also a swing ride in this section - that for some reason i have NO pictures of in this area. The pics must be mixed up and in another file. I'll post em later if I can find them. and then you get to the largest area of the park - a huge section themed to Africa/ Jurassic Park / Lost World. this circular maze was interesting. and this appeared to be a small boat ride that was down for refurb (tho luckily the flume ride close by to it was open) there was Mini Golf over here too with tons of animal sculptures and a shooting dark ride. and then suddenly? no more Africa, but lots of Dinosaurs! whee! we were literally the ONLY people over here, and the operator still insisted that we all ride together (for "capacity"). so we just shrugged and climbed aboard. I don't recall if these were regular slides, or water slides. but I know I didn't do them, so I'm guessing they were water slides. (the kind you sit in a raft to go down) gahhhh!!!!! what in the name of gawd is this? a Sabertooth Thing???? Noted! oh. . I did get a pic of the flyers from across the lake. not a great pic, but at least I have one. Andrew enjoying the log flume. it didn't seem TOO wet. . so I got a ride on it too. it was getting to be almost time for the Antelope ERT, but I had noticed the train that went around the perimeter of the park, and wanted a quick ride on that. so I headed over there before meeting up. you know it's Klassy when there are rainbow lights in your train compartment! it really does give you a nice view of the grounds of this lovely park. passing rides that didn't really stand out when walking by them. and random stuff - like a giant head in the woods. I did make time to go into the gift shoppe to try and find a fun magnet (which I did. . one with princess and jewels floating. . will post in the Swag thread after done) but found other interesting stuff too: heading over to Antelope, I discovered a second carousel in the park - this one more adult friendly. So, I mean, I had to stop and grab a ride. and then it was time to meet up with the group to ride Antelope! I know this is supposed to be a bag of chips eating itself. . but WTF??? it DID ride smoother towards the front.. not near as bad as the back row had been earlier. hence the smiles. so many tapped out due to roughness, that those that loved riding got near zen rides on the coaster for part of the ERT but then Robb called all the "big" folks up - for SCIENCE! we ran a "fat train". . with all the heaviest riders, filling every seat (and of course it started raining, cold rain too, that's why so many are bundled up in these pics). if we filled the train with heavy riders, would it run faster?? for Science! (I'll answer that question shortly) here's regular train. and "Fat Train" it was great, we all chanted "Fat Train, Fat Train" as it ran the course. If someone had Robb's video he posted on Insta of the Fat Train, would love to have it added to this report.. as it really was a great time! and yes, we ran faster than the "regular" train. . by a good 7 seconds! *(they timed it. . told ya, it was for Science!) and then it was time to head out. we had to get back on the road to head to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. So we said our goodbyes to Gulliver's World - which really is quite the charming place - and continued on our journey.

Day 9 - travel day (to Blackpool) with stop at Surprise extra park along the way: Gulliver's World! tho I was already missing Alton Towers, I was excited to be headed to my #1 park on this trip: Blackpool Pleasure Beach. I didn't know much about Gulliver's World, so I daydreamed about Blackpool as we went thru the lovely UK countryside, and quaint small towns. Eventually, we turned down a narrow road into the fields and came upon the front entrance to Gulliver's World. Gulliver's World is a "smaller" park, part of a chain of Gulliver's that are spread thruout the UK (I think there's a total of 3 parks). They have a large outdoor park, and an indoor waterpark. it's not exactly a kiddie park, but it IS intended for younger folks. and I believe typically an adult must be with a child to attend. We had an invite from the park tho, so a whole bunch of adults were descending on a park intended for the younger set. it DID feel a bit odd, and we got a few looks from the school teachers leading their classes thru the park for their fun day. . . .but it was during the week, so not very crowded otherwise. Robb's group photo before heading in. it really was much larger than I thought it was going to be. and at first glance it's quite lovely. as you look closer at things, you do notice some wear and tear, but for the most part, it's a nicely kept park. and they DO have a roller coaster here - a decent sized woodie called "Antelope" as noted. . decent sized coaster but most of the rides were for older kids / younger teens. Adults were permitted to ride (if they fit) tho! very quiet day, but we were visiting on a weekday. lots of indoors "hidden" rides too. . tho most of them were really of the small kiddie variety. the other coasters the park had were basically Wacky Worms type. such as "the Wriggler" tho this one I DID ride Gully's Grand Prix was one of two (or three) - tracks with self driving cars type rides they have here. were we allowed to ride? Yes! interesting color in that pond! but nicely landscaped. and with props. that looked like it was a carousel building behind me - but was actually a restaurant themed to a circus. and despite it being a slow weekday? the park did have characters out and about to meet. so of course I wanted to meet the prince and princess! ooooo a princess ride? and I can get on it?? yes, please! the individual trains are FABULOUS! it's a dark ride, with lots of neon paint and black light. seemed to have been built in house, but was actually pretty fun in an "I found this WTF ride at a creepy old carnival" way. sorry for the blur. .but really wanted to share these pics to show the inside of the ride. LOL. .at least the kid looked like he enjoyed it. the Dad's expression says it all. . . "WTF did I just ride?" next to the restaurant, there was a small carousel. So small they called it a merry go round. I wasn't expecting a yes, but asked if adults were allowed, and the operator shrugged and said "sure" I mean. . it was really small. but he said OK. . look at that smile! my happy place. heading down the path to the back end of the park into the "Western Area" this side seemed to have once housed a boat ride (a lake and queue line remained. . so I'm guessing that's what was there), but the main attractions over here now were a climbing/play area fort, and a raft ride. these figures SEEM to be leftovers from a discarded queue that looked like perhaps it went to paddle boats or rafts? no idea on this one. . no sign, or explanation. . it was just . . there? maybe a petting zoo (that wasnt' open today)? inside the Main Fort tho is the raft ride it was short, but actually was pretty fun. with the perfect amount of wetness (just a spritz) was getting hungry. . so headed back to see what the food offerings were. but OF COURSE, had to pop back in and ride the Princess ride again everyone enjoyed it! the inside of the Circus restaurant.. . it was basically a quick serve burger/fries place. Ok food for the crowd they typically get. and then we headed over to Antelope (as we were passing it for hte other side of the park) and decided to take a ride on it - even tho we were going to have some ERT on it later that afternoon. ummm. . .that's a LOT of padding. never a good sign. I asked why it's called Antelope, and it was explained to me that "the Antelope" is the ship that Gulliver was sailing on when it got attacked by a giant squid and that's how he became shipwrecked in Lilliput. the operator told me there used to be a sign explaining that, but he didn't know why they had taken it down. . . but it explained why a ride themed to ships and Octopus' was called "the Antelope" yah. . wasn't exactly "smooth" in the back car. LOL to be continued. . .