bert425

and it's a disgruntled "whistle blower" who spends all his free time giving them shit about "freeing" their last original Orca. Perhaps he's right? but seriously, I trust the Dippin Dots pushcart stand operator more than this zero credibility guy who clearly has an axe to grind with the park.

remind me why he doesn't go with you to eat? (so you don't have to bring that slice home)

Mystic Timbers is smooth as butter.

yeah, Fiesta was a bit cheaper (by ~13 bucks) than the prior sale if I wait. . maybe they'll go even cheaper? tho I wanna do HitP at SFOT. .so will wait anyways so my current pass works there.

so I didn't take advantage of the "Labor Day Sale" to renew my pass, as I'm still undecided if I want to even bother, as it's only going to be good for 1 park now. and still really undecided on if I will bother with "membership" - but haven't bothered to worry, since I have been using my existing pass to still visit other parks (I was at SFOG on Labor Day), and the moment you renew, it upgrades to the 2022 version (meaning you can't use your pass for other parks). anyways.. mentioning it, because Six Flags sent me an offer yesterday - special 2-day Halloween sale. . that's actually a pretty damn good deal (low $40's for the pass, including parking). Still only good for 1 park tho, and there's still 3 months left in the year and I'm hoping to go up to SFOT at some point during Holiday in the Park. So won't be renewing yet. . .but let's see how low will they go? (and if they'll offer multi-park options if I keep the pass)?

^ um. .those are Shazam's colors too. . . . (tho, granted, I believe the sign noting it's closed makes some mention of "back in a Flash in 2022" right?)

ah. . .but you see, you (and the others arguing that it's no more dangerous now) are missing the key point that NOW we are aware of the potential danger, and back then most were not. Very true that there hasn't been an influx of violent criminals - but now the information is available 24/7 in multiple places. It was *not* back then. If my parents knew there were several active serial killers in Houston around the times they were letting us stay out in the streets with our friends? NO WAY would we not have had a curfew, and/or multiple rules about who we could be with, where we could go, and how often to contact home. so yeah. . when I say "times have changed" ? they absolutely have.

^ it won the palme d'or 2021 at Cannes

this is perfection in sentence form. I seriously you right now.

I'm really, really interested in "TITANE". . which looks incredible. but I'm just not quite there yet, where I'll feel safe inside a theater so I guess I'll have to wait for Streaming or DVD release. really does look amazing tho! *Red band* trailer

^ what a beautiful park! I never realized how "claustrophobic" it all is. . . and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. The track is all piled right on top of each other. I gotta add this to the list of parks I'd love to one day see in person!

update from the COTA-Land Sr. Mgr. (I guess the ADA driver is the COTA version of Dippin Dots employee. . LOL)

^ imagine how confused they would have been by this Lululemon design (and yes, I have a pair, and no they DON'T look great on me. . and yes, I wear them anyways)

oh, and Def Leppard sounded AMAZING on that tour. vocally they were so much better than KISS. . but as usual, the KISS stage show blew them away easily.

ugh. . . no one. David Lee Roth had been on the "Farewell" tour with them pre-Covid shut down. he was supposed to be with them when they started it back up, but didn't happen. Not their fault, but what IS their fault? putting this Painter "Garibaldi" as their opening act. i get it. . Paul likes to paint these days, and I'm sure he's thrilled to have someone to talk painting with while on tour. . but what a let down to the fans for the "final" tour, and they don't even have a band opening? instead it's this AGT painter who paints to music and then flips the canvas upside-down to "reveal" the subject? lame. . . most folks completely ignored him and just talked about KISS with the neighbors while waiting.

Absolutely keep in mind that times have changed - when I was a kid, we were out in the neighborhood all hours of day/night with no supervision, and there were no issues. Nowadays that would never happen. but keeping that in mind: 1) At what age were you personally given freedom to roam a park without adult supervision? When I was ~8 years old, we started getting Season Passes to Astroworld, and my Parents would drop my Brother (10) and myself there most days in the summer to spend whole day at the park ourselves. (again, this was in the 70's tho) 2) What, if any, restrictions were put on you when you were allowed to first do this? (I.e. check back at certain times, cell phone check ins, etc) Phone call at mid-day to advise how things were going (a specific time, usually 1pm after we ate lunch). And a call when we were ready to be picked up. 3) At what age did/would you allow your child(ren) to roam a park without your supervision? Nowadays? Not without an adult until they are at least 16 years old. and factor in that with the fights that have been happening in parks across the country involving teenagers? I fully expect many parks to put restrictions in place, that anyone under age 16 (or maybe even 12) MUST be accompanied by an adult 18+ at all times in the park. 4) What, if any, restrictions do/would you put on them? Check in frequently (most everyone has cellphones these days) and a 3 strikes you're out rule. . . with the strikes being anything from ignoring a text message for more than 30 minutes with no response, to getting in trouble with park security for line cutting) 5) If what you were allowed to do and what you would allow your kids to do are considerably different, why? What has changed or what is different about you versus your parents? times have changed.

some of the other rides at "COTA-land" . . . (the other coaster (big apple kiddie), nor the kiddie rides were up and running (I guess they figured no reason to staff with an older crowd for the concert), but the more adult rides on the other side of the main gates were running and had lines)

took them a while, but the coaster is on site, and almost complete (saw it last night when we went to Circuit of the Americas for KISS ) it's missing some track still, but was told (by the ADA driver who drove us from the main gates to the Amphitheater) that the coaster would be up and running by Friday for a big motocross event at the track on 10/1. LOL. . I mentioned to him how odd I hadn't seen any advertising that the Coaster was standing already. . and he pointed out to me that there's quite a big section of track still missing (you can only ride once as it stands at the moment, but it's a hell of a drop :P) Looks great!

^ remember that BGW opens in sections. . . so you'll be limited by what's open. tho I think the Italian section opens 1st (so Apollo Chariot & Tempesto). but best to ask someone who goes all the time: @cfc Chuck?

Nice pics. . glad you had fun!

I saw posted on the TPR FB group that USJ has quietly shut down the Great Race coaster. any idea what's going on with that? did they lose the Peanuts license ? (I really hope not, as losing the Snoopy / Dumbo would really wipe out an iconic ride at the entrance to the kiddie land). or maybe turning that indoor section into something else? since everything else there is Sesame Street

yeah. . . my Brother and I are dealing with Dementia. we had to put Dad into a closed gate community. . but I dont' think he'll be there very long - he needs full time watching/nurse. despite giant signs all over things, he can' remember, and he keeps taking way too much of his meds despite all our efforts to put them in easy to understand pill dispensers (he keeps saying they are vitamins, and so if he takes too many, no big deal). So after the 2nd emergency call to the doctor as he's taken a full weekend supply of blood-thinners with breakfast? yeah. . he's gonna have to be moved somewhere with daily assistance (which he insists he doesnt' need). so I feel for ya.

I haven't been in several weeks. . but apparently the 1st piece of track from Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger is in the park as a photo-op at the moment. LOL. . will have to make a trip up there in the next few weeks and get a pic with it! (and ride the updated Poltergeist)

I can totally see them saying anyone under age of 16 MUST be accompanied by an adult (18+). no way will they go for 21+ restrictions. . but 18+ as the adult with younger? yeah. . think for certain that's gonna happen.

thanks. as to why Labor Day Monday is not busy at SFOG (while it's usually slammed at other parks)? I think it's a combination of things: 1) it's usually the last "regular" daily operating day of the summer season (this year was the 1st year the park was open during the prior week - only a handful of hours in the evening, so didn't go, but perhaps it was an inch towards longer operating schedule, or year round). 2) there is always a LOT going on in Atlanta Labor Day weekend: Dragon*con, there's always a huge Football Game, and Black Gay Pride. So after a weekend of "partying". . many folks just aren't open to being out in a theme park all day? 3) Labor Day itself is a big travel day - most who came into Atlanta for the Labor Day activities, are on their way home (the Atlanta Airport is among the busiest in the world). so it results in really only "locals" coming out to the park. all I know is that the vast majority of the times I've gone during Labor Day, it's been crowd levels of this type. (only once it was so busy that I wished I had Flash Pass. . .and that one time, I just rode things that are people eaters: Carousel, Acrophobia, Train.