bert425

really great report, and some nice pics. you picked a GREAT day to be there! the weekends before were absolutely packed, but looks like you had a quiet-ish day. a few comments: - Goliath isn't a Parking Lot coaster, but it *IS* a Parking Lot Picnic Area Coaster - as that's what they removed to drop this ride in. Fun fact, it's the same model (Batman clone) that's just up the road at SWSA (Great White there), tho the one at SFFT is a bit more "snappy". . in fact, the only one I've ever been on that's more snappy is the one at SFOG. Hope you caught this later in the day once it was warmed up, it hauls. -- Daredevil Dive wasn't just closed for the season, they never officially opened it (not sure if you were kidding or not). It's been sitting completed and ready to go for several months now. . just ready for them to start letting folks ride. Too bad you didn't get to see it at night, as the lighting package on/around it is really fantastic - including lots of fire! - was the Joker Funhouse open? or were they going around it due to Covid? that funhouse is the highlight of the ride for me (tho the floater air is amazing). Yes, it's like 5 feet taller (maybe actually 15 feet taller) so they could claim "tallest". -- glad you got to ride Pirates. It was shut down for months due to "no indoor rides" because of Covid. It actually had reopened when I was there on 10/17, but it broke down while I was in line. . so I haven't ridden it since Feb. Was planning to go meet up with a TPR Boardmember this coming weekend, but with cases spiking, my Spouse does not want me to go to a theme park. - yeah, that F'ing Dragon on Bugs will SOAK you (for those unaware, not only does it spit, but it also tracks along with the log as it goes around that curve, making SURE to get everyone in the log wet. It's not always on, but when it is? yep, it's a wet ride. (same is true of GullyWasher. . look at those exiting to see if they have the Waterfalls on. If they are mostly drenched? then yep! and phone needs to go in a ziplock baggie).

great start, and can't wait to read along. damn, your camera takes GREAT pics - that opening photo at SFFT with the purple lights and the fog is really beautiful, and many of your other pics in just this 1st section are stunning.

It really is going to depend when you are going. . if you're in late Jan, then they probably are already ramping up for Mardi Gras (it ran for multiple Months last year), so that might draw in bigger crowds for the special food offerings/parades/shows, etc. keep in mind, in Jan, the waterpark section (Whitewater Bay) will *not* be open. Honestly, the best time to visit Fiesta is in the hot Texas summers, as the waterpark will drain a LOT of the crowd from everywhere else in the park until late afternoon - leaving really empty ride queues for most of the morning/early afternoon. Can't say how it's gonna be when you visit, tho I wouldn't pre-purchase. I'd wait until you see how the crowds are first. note: at the moment, Wonder Woman is NOT on the Flash Pass (it might be by the time you visit, but for now, it's not). so the real benefit you'd get would be for Joker (giant pendulum), Iron Rattler, Poltergeist (Flash Pass drops you directly in the station), and possibly Superman (if the park is packed). it's also good for cutting lines on Bugs Whitewater Rapids (flume) & Gully Washer (Rapids) - tho if it's cooler, which it will be in Jan, they might not be operating (or might have no lines regardless). and *maybe* they'll open the new ride in Jan. . it's ready to go, I could see them opening it for Mardi Gras Celebration. the Flash Pass office at Fiesta is to the Right of Boomerang - which you dead end into when you enter the park, and keep walking straight ahead.

looks to me like just a glitch - maybe they weren't expecting to need reservation system into 2021, so it's not enabled and they need to tweak it. Fiesta is my home park, if you've never been you'll love it.

ah. .but you forget, I live in Texas. 3 1/2 hours (which is how long it would be from the Cemetery in NJ (which is only ~30 minutes from Manhattan) is really nothing. It's like a drive to Houston, or the Galveston Pleasure Pier. And I / We've done that plenty of times. Heck, my Spouse used to go to every Texans Home Game in Houston. . drive down in morning, spend 6 hours at game (including tailgating), and then drive back. so it's not that big a deal for us.

I don't know that anyone here works at SFFT in HR (or IT) support, so I'd suggest either calling them or chatting via the link on the SFFT website? it's a year round park, so they will be open in Jan. and the park calendar shows they are open weekends in Jan/Feb. so yeah. . a glitch with the reservation system, that's only allowing thru end of year. reach out to them.

Great Pics Andy! it's been a really long time since I've been to Ocean City (any family I had in the area has long since passed, or moved to Florida - hey it's in the rulebook: "Old Jews in NY/NJ MUST go to Florida"). But maybe in 2021, or 2022, if I can get the Spouse to agree to a NY trip for Broadway, we can spend a day going to visit graves in NJ and swing by the Boardwalk in Maryland. your pics certainly make me want to go back.

^I'd look to someone who's more a "regular" at this park for better answers. . but since SFOT went to Year Round Operations (mostly weekends on off months tho), not sure they have a set maintenance schedule anymore. They likely just do what SFFT does, and try to do work during the week when they are only open weekends. but again, look more towards someone who frequents more. .like SportsDude. as to weather? it's Texas. . it MIGHT be in the 60s? SFOT does have some rides that are impacted by windgusts, so keep that in mind (check out the main site to see what else other than Skyscreamer can be affected).

hurm. . . new reports went from "shooting on Strip near Circus Circus" to "shooting took place inside Circus Circus" to now saying it happened inside AdventureDome? how did the guns get in? Thought you have to go thru security scanners at the entrance (at least we did when we went a few years ago). I hope they recover. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/us/las-vegas-circus-shooting/index.html

the updated Castle is beautiful!

oh, I agree. . should have been much better!

^ I'd throw SFFT in that mix, simply for the variety offered: Mine Train (custom too) Spinner S&S Free-Spin (the 1st one ever built) RMC Raptor (the 1st one ever built) RMC (the 2nd conversion) LIM Launch Floorless B&M Suspended B&M . . and a Boomerang

that's a huge blow to the park (and not just saying this as someone who loves flats, and listed Kangaroo and Bayern Kurve as two of my favorites in the park). booo makes me worry about Noah's Ark and Turtle now. . .

I stood side by side at a Urinal with Doug Bradley at Dragon*con one year (I actually had directed him to the bathroom after a film screening he was on the panel after about, where he asked if anyone knew where the nearest toilets were, and I offered that I was headed that way and would direct him). so we ended up in the bathroom at urinals next to each other, and a little polite chatting continued - which was slightly awkward, but not too bad. but when I said to him "if you say "I have SUCH sights to show you", then I'm outta here!".. he started guffawing so loudly, the "spray" kinda didn't stay in the targeted area. still a memory I wouldn't trade for anything.

^ I'm so sorry, John. I hope when things get back to normal Disney will reach out to bring back everyone they cut Sending good thoughts your way! (and I WILL send an email to Disney regarding how much I love and appreciate the live Entertainment at Disney Properties as well as in the parks!)

The only thing I'm "missing" is the link back to the front page (when I click on the TPR logo at the top of the page, it brings me the forums still - the old page used to bring me back to TPR front page, so could check out recommended posts, and see the active twitter feed). minor issue - as I simply bookmarked TPR front page in addition to the forums. But just noting it.

hmm. . . I guess it must be luck of the draw with ride vehicle maybe? I rode Takabisha twice, and found it smooth both times (unlike DoDodonpa, which had one smooth-ish ride - in the front, and one jackhammer ride - in the back of a different color train)

hmm. . . gotta wonder if a certain ride type/types, that are represented at multiple parks are all gonna get cut at the same time. trying to think what never has a line, and other than the S&S freespins (which I dont' think are going anywhere), at Fiesta Texas, that would be several of the kiddie rides. Several parks just refurbed (or installed) versions of Scramblers or Tilt-a-Whirls, so those are likely safe. gotta wonder about things like Harley Quinn Spinsanity (at SFOT) which seems to always have issues, and doesn't run all that well. But they did just put it in relatively recently. curious, curious.

^ yup. we were there on an apparently "busy" day 2 years ago: they got LOTS of space.

great pics. . and as I noted on the TPR FB page. . I absolutely love the "headchopper" effect the A/C pipes give on NebulaZ can't wait to see it in action in the park.

@robbalvey, @SharkTums, & KT are currently staying at Wilderness Lodge all week, and have been posting updates to Twitter, and the TPR FB pages. you should be following their media so I'd defer to them, but it sounds like it's been busy enough to impact how enjoyable the time spent in the parks has been - but they do not feel unsafe (just what I'm getting from their updates).

they don't need another coaster - the one they have there is *brilliant* (no, not Dragon Mountain. . . .this one)

^ on the pictures. . once you have them in your post, you can "drag" them into the order you want. just click (and hold), then just move up and down in your post to place them where you want. - the other option? Put them into the "Drag files here to attach" section rather than dropping into the main section of your post. once in that section, you can then click the "+" on each file, and it will load them in that order - it will mean you'll have to scroll back down to the "list" of pictures each time to click the next "+" you want to insert, but it will put the images in your post in the order you want them. personally? I think it's easier just to drag them to the order you want in the main post.

hmm. . . earlier in the Afternoon, Poltergeist was less than 10 minutes, as was Bugs' Whitewater Rapids. and I think Skyscreamer was in the 10 minute range too. but I think even early, Superman was in the 30 minute range, and Iron Rattler was ~45. the wait times absolutely did double & triple the later it got tho. . . our dusk ride on Iron Rattler had an 1 1/2 hour wait time, as did the evening ride on Superman.

it will be crazy busy. either budget for Platinum Flash Pass (and hope they don't sell out). . or just go to people watch, and don't expect to get on any/many rides. the SF Texas parks are already nuts, and its' still 2 weeks to Halloween. Edit to add helpful hint: if you do go, park WAY far back in the lot, even if you're tempted to get a spot up near the front. SFOT lots do *not* exit from the gates you come in thru. Instead, they exit from the back (and side) of the lots. If you're near the front when the park closes? you WILL be stuck in massive traffic jam getting out - and behind everyone that had parked behind you, and is now closer to the exit that opened up behind you.