bert425

twas a Birthday miracle

that, honestly, was the MOST satisfying Schadenfreude I've experienced in years.

is that what it says in today's update? my "Season Pass" is good for a year from when I purchased it. (but then again, I purchased from a year round park - that is just up the street from a competitor that also treats their Season Pass this way. . the one I bought in Nov from SeaWorld is good until next Nov).

it is still basically a Membership. . with Membership card & membership benefits. You just pay it up front as you do a Season Pass. they just hand you the membership card instead of a Season Pass. I know this, because I bought a Platinum Season pass in early Nov. And this is what I have:

y'all must drive slower than we did (we did drive early in the morning . maybe that helped?)

NO QUESTION. . I'd go to Washington DC on your free day (it's only 1 1/2 hour drive from KD). . park in a garage off the National Mall, and hit as many of the Smithsonians as you can. all the Smithsonian museums on the Mall are free (Air & Space out by the airport charges for parking. . but there's so much free stuff, it's worth it just to stay by the Mall. . tho you CAN do the Subway from the mall to the zoo (which is considered one of the Museums and is free as well). Most of the Smithsonians are open on Sunday. . . one or two are not, but they aren't the "exciting ones" https://www.si.edu/visit/hours

^ reminds me of USJ parade in Jurassic Park area. . .I was wearing a Blue shirt, and the Raptor (who I didn't know was named "Blue" until it was explained to me. . came rushing right over to interact with me and as anyone who has been in a park with me knows. . I'm a HUGE sucker for character interactions , or photo-op with props in most any park (also from that same USJ trip)

^ um. . you didnt' show us the menu, or say what kind of pizza it was? do I see onions and Pineapple on there?

saw news today they demoted the Park President from Six Flags America - which coincidentally has also been doing lots of improvements (paint, refreshing, etc) during the short tenure before he was removed.

oh really? I didn't know that. . . I know he started at SFFT. . didn't realize he had left for a while.

^ not sure where they are looking, only that they are "working to find the appropriate person to fill in this role" . . . and they direct folks that "in the interim" to work with "the park leadership team" can't/won't say anything more, as will not betray something that was shared to me in confidence (and I'm sure someone will leak that internal memo eventually anyways) but yeah.. shit move by the Company. And I'm basing that on the things Ron was doing for SFOT, not based on any personal relationship with him (of which I don't have anyways, other than always saying hello to him and having friendly conversations when I did see him out and about at SFFT)

you're thinking Jeffrey Siebert - who is the SFFT park president. . and who Ron worked with at SFFT before moving to SFOT in 2020.

he was the Park President. . (I know you you met Jeffrey with me at SFFT. . but Ron was already Park President at SFOT by then - tho Ron used to work with Jeffrey at SFFT). and yes, he was shown the door the other day. NOT his choice.

^ I'm FURIOUS with what they did to Ron at SFOT. . . . way to shoot the guy in the back, after he put so much effort into park improvements over the past 18 months (during Covid too!)

yup. . he was/is. he was even great at SFFT all those years too. this pic is from the 2019 Joker Commercial shoot that I got to be a part of.

super SUPER disappointed in this move by Six Flags Corporate (based on this post from Ron, this does not appear to be his decision). what a slap in the face, after he had done *so* much to improve the park for 2022, and the celebration year. I wish him the best going forward. . but yeah, this sucks big ol donkey balls. edit: and I can't say more (because won't violate a trust). . but totally appears to me that Corporate absolutely stabbed him in the back after he put so much care, love, and effort into SFOT. this really makes me angry

I'm likely the biggest (or 2nd biggest if Laura is still active on the boards these days) Carousel fan among the "regular" posters here at TPR. and yeah.. . I don't care about the Carousel here. It's NOT "historic". it's just old and not lovingly taken care of. (as you note, some of the mechanisms might be from 1905, but most of the horses are not: "The carousel was refurbished in 1989 with 19 of the antique carousel horses auctioned to raise money for its restoration. The original horses that were auctioned were replaced with hand-carved wooden figures from Carousel Works of Mansfield, Ohio. In 2002, five of the original horses were restored in Mansfield and returned to the carousel. " - per the Meadville Tribune story about it being put up for sale in Sept. of 2021). as far as I'm concerned? it would be more important as an art piece:

from the POVs I've watched of it .it looks like it stops the rotation. . then the seats tilt out. . .and THEN the chassis moves up the tower more for ~30 seconds more until it reaches the top of the tower and releases.

^ oh. . beware the final brakes on Ricochet. they kick in HARD and are rib-crackers. Tho we were laughing so hard from the sudden stop, we giggled thru the pain. dunno why some wild mouse coasters tend to DO that.

other advice: Don't miss Afterburn (not that you would). . it's a fantastic suspended and one of the best in the park. also.. hit Intimidator *before* you ride Fury. Intimidator is good, but Fury leaves it in the dust.. so make sure you ride in that order, or you'll be unimpressed by Intimidator.

Kiddy Hawk is WAY better than the KI version (which was a complete shit show and hurt). but I kinda didnt' mind Kiddy Hawk. for sure don't miss Woodstock Express back there. . it's a really well run Jr. Woodie (not as good as the one at KD. . but SO much better than the janky one at KI)

Like I say about Wildcat at HersheyPark. the best seat on it, is the bench out front of the queue!

^ if I am ever able to go to this park? I will not show any PDA at all with anyone I go with. their Country, their rules, and I'd be a guest in their Country.

^ LOL. . or perhaps, I've gotten super UNLUCKY on my trips

you've gotten SUPER lucky then. never taken less than 20 minutes from Peachtree Plaza Hyatt. . and that's a 25-30 minute drive from the Airport.