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Everything posted by jray21
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I HAEV SAVED BIG DIPPER!!!!
jray21 replied to PRINCE DESMOND's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
So excited! Can't wait for it to arrive! Praise be to Mujabubukins! -
Photo TR: The Ray's do the TPR Europe 2010 trip!
jray21 replied to jray21's topic in Photo Trip Report Archive
Next up we hit Disneyland Paris! We are Disney nerds so we couldn't pass the opportunity up. We decided to do two days so we would be able to get everything in. We stayed in Paris, so the ride to the parks was a little long, but it was much cheaper to stay in the city for us (plus we had a hotel with air conditioning). I was warned by many many people that we would be disappointed, and we were somewhat. I really wanted to love this park, and while some things are definitely better, like the castle, overall it was not a good experience. They had the rudest employees out of any park I have ever been to. We only had two, that's right, TWO people smile at us the entire time, and both were from a different country! They were efficient, but they were not friendly at all. Also, the park was really dirty, and the custodians seemed to just walk around in groups talking. The food was also a major let down. Being in France, you would think they would have some of the best food out of any Disney park, but they didn't. I also didn't like the Studios. It seemed extremely small, and they did not have that much for us. We were finished with that park in about 4 hours. I really didn't like the theming either. Disneyland Paris has some really good theming, and the Studios seems to be the complete opposite. Well, in all honesty, they nailed the Studios theming, but that's the problem, it looks way to much like a real studio. Like warehouse and office building studios. I really, really wish we would have loved the parks, but it was really a let down. I am splitting the last two days geographically, and will cover 'lands,' instead of days. Well, on to the pictures! The entrance to Disneyland Paris was through the hotel. Very nice looking. Outside the entrance! After today, only one more Disney park credit to go, Hong Kong! Andrew and Kiki (sorry if the spelling is wrong) taking a nice picture. I mean, Andrew and Kinky! This castle is definitely the nicest one! Awww, how nice. Main Street had these awesome 'hallways.' They were on the sides so you could avoid the parade crowds! Hidden Mickey lamps. And we see the awesome castle again! There are supposed to be soda bottles in the 'ice', and this cart was open. There were a lot of little details like this that were missing. This sink was clogged the morning we arrived. It was still clogged the next day an hour before closing!!!! There was trash like this everywhere. More trash in the main queue. This trash sat there for over an hour. There were only a few tables so it wasn't like an extremely busy huge eating area. They didn't even clean up a dead bird! And this what we saw all the sweepers do all day. They just walked around in pairs talking to each other the whole time. Too bad Allison wasn't there to beat them into shape. At least the castle is pretty! Another view. Tinkerbell died and is entombed in gold at the top of the castle. The fireworks were pretty good. The courtyard was nice and relaxing. This was a lunch buffet with the somewhat new Remy animatronic. It was really cool, but there was no way to get close enough for a picture. Now, I'm used to Disney character dining where the characters go from table to table in a nice orderly fashion. It was the complete opposite here. Remy came out, walked in a straight line and was mobbed by everyone, and then left. In Europe, people treat barriers and fences more like guidelines. This lady actually set up a hammock! Ok, so this Gelato was one of the best items at the park. Next up is the Studios. I didn't like it, so there are barely any pictures. This was 'main street.' It looked like a 100' section of Downtown Disney. Really uninspiring to me. Well, I guess with a name like Liki Tiki it can't be all that bad. Clever signage that I am surprised to see at a Disney park! Crush's coaster was pretty fun. It would have been more fun if the stupid lady in line behind us didn't physically push us out of the way and run to the forward facing seats. We were backward the entire time and it was kinda annoying. The entrance to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster looked really cheap and cardboard cutout looking. The video didn't really work for me, and the quality wasn't as realistic as WDW's. TOT looks very similar to California's version. The Earful tower, at least it fits better than a giant sorcerers hat! The entrance to the park. A little too realistic/plain for me. Now we head back to Disneyland and enter Adventureland. Wait a minute, is that the Tree of Life? Adventureland definitely had an Animal Kingdom feel to it. They had some really cool bridges and caves. Kinda like a larger Tom Sawyers Island. Skull Rock and the pirate ship were pretty cool as well. Pretty high in the air! We found the treasure! Cool face in the rock. There was also an odd Arab/Middle East style to Adventureland. This was the beginning of the Aladdin walkthrough. I guess the flying carpet has become a flying horse!? Ok, so they do have the Disney version. The dioramas were pretty impressive. They were similar to the ones in the windows of Main Street stores. This is the dungeon under the castle similar to the expanded walkthrough that Tokyo used to have. The dragon sleeps for a while.... ...then he wakes up and breathes smoke. Hidden Mickey Next up was Indiana Jones. I didn't like Raging Spirits, and I didn't like this one. It was pretty rough, but at least it's another credit. And they say American's have no fashion sense! ICE!!!! There's finally something absolutely incredibly awesome about Disneyland Paris! The food at the Blue Lagoon (similar to Blue Bayou) looked great, but really wasn't good. This was very bland, and seemed 'off.' The lagoon was really nice. Next up was Pirates! The loading platform. Robb definitely likes this version better. This swinging pirate is not found in the other versions i've seen. They still have the 'classic' scenes. And the old captain. No Jack here. Somewhat newer looking in some places. The scenes weren't much different. Some effects were added, at least I think the 'flame' isn't in the others. They had some California version scenes. Eye see you! Get it? Eye, like I? Nevermind. The treasure room. This reminded once again that we are at Disneyland Paris. These two pirates were supposed to be sword fighting. Instead, the one on the left had a broken neck and only looked to the left and swung his sword at the ground. That's it for this portion of the report, the next, and FINAL, update of the trip will be of the rest of the lands! -
QFT! Even with the rain, many people got a ton of rides in. I also had one of the best days at Knott's that I've had in a long time. I hope a lot more people do the Knott's day next year!
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Photo TR: Jason's Roadfood Adventures
jray21 replied to printersdevil78's topic in Random, Random, Random
Amazing. Simply Amazing. Every post just gets better and better. That pizza tour looks so awesome, that is definitely on my bucket list. Those nasty looking frankenstein 'fried' hot dog looked worse than the pork skin taco! But yes, I would have gotten it as well just to try it. Thanks again for the awesome report! -
Photo TR: Jason's Roadfood Adventures
jray21 replied to printersdevil78's topic in Random, Random, Random
That pork skin taco looks disgusting! Glad you enjoyed it though, I definitely would of at least tried it. Thanks again for tempting me to ruin another diet attempt! -
TPR's Official Australia Trip Update Thread!
jray21 replied to robbalvey's topic in Photo Trip Report Archive
The trip officially ends on April 4th, so unless they go anywhere after that they should be home then. I would also give them a few weeks after that to catch up with everything given how busy they have been. -
TPR's Official Australia Trip Update Thread!
jray21 replied to robbalvey's topic in Photo Trip Report Archive
I feel honored that my wife got touched by Robb's balls! I would have been freaked out by the wooden wild mouse! Can't wait for more updates, including more food!!! -
Photo TR: Jason's Roadfood Adventures
jray21 replied to printersdevil78's topic in Random, Random, Random
Kill me now! That food looks so good! I am sooooo hungry now. Great report! -
It was great meeting you as well! Mooseburger has food to order, and a small buffet. It was pretty good. The only bad thing was that I wasn't able to get any more closeups of people eating Now it's time for Knott's!!!! This turned out to be a very wet, yet awesome day! I only rode two coasters, but the tours, Q&A session, and the food made it worth it. Knott's had a really awesome bag of crap for us that contained two free/discounted pictures, an awesome t-shirt, and major discounts on the Screamin' Swing and merchandise. It was really really cool of them to do so much for us. Even more amazing was that they kept the park open! SFMM had closed that day due to rain, and normally Knott's would do the same, but for some reason they didn't! The park was so empty all day that it was a virtual all day ERTlll. We had such a fun day, and I highly recommend that if your in the area, VISIT KNOTT"S!!! Make sure you support and visit them so we can have just as awesome a time as we did this year. THANKS A TON KNOTT"S, and of course TPR!!! Another early morning after 4 hours of sleep! With this wristband you become a man. Checking in for an awesome day at Knott's! ERT is what it's all about! Getting some rides in before the storm. 5 people on the whole train, and people wonder if WCB is worth it So do you ladies come here often? There is something almost religious about this picture. I still think the colors are terrible, but the ride itself is awesome! With TPR we get to places the public could never go. I love the backstage tours. The other side of the shot from the 'official' update. Robb takes an upskirt shot. We get to enter the top secret lair of the cable! These items help keep the coaster running. Just a little bit of Nitrogen. We got a thorough description of the launch system. Very interesting stuff, even if you aren't a coaster nerd! This looks like something from Transformers. It's amazing what this cable does....most of the time. Uh oh, the rain starts. Next up was the Log Ride backstage tour! The spare logs are nervously waiting for their turn. This is where they add more logs to the ride when it is filled with water. What the 'wall' of the mountain looks like from the inside. Such a shame. He was such a nice toy. Now you know what's on the other side of the door. This is where the Christmas stuff hibernates until the holidays. Standing underneath one of the lifthills. I also find no faults with Knotts' Log Ride. It definitely is one of the best. Hey! Watch you hand buddy, he's still underage! For me, this was the highlight of the the entire weekend. Good to know I'm not the only one with Christmas lights still up in March. Nice view of the park from up here. Heading back inside. I'm sure a great practical joke could be pulled off here. The pumps that make the ride work. Pedo-Jack hides in the window waiting for stray children. Cats don't like water so they can't escape. See? As long as the water is there she is safe. One pull of the switch and Christmas is canceled. Amy and Robb admire and take pictures of the shrubbery. A ton of work is being done to get ready for Windseeker. The Windseeker hole. Jewy approves of the carousel. Snoopy sports an awesome shirt! Non-silver Silver Bullet during a break in the storm. Over the turn. Around the Helix! Xcelerator definitely gets two thumbs up! The calm before the storm. Dan just felt a drop of water and has only 30 seconds to dry it off before he explodes. Robb and Hector triple check to make sure all their parts and pieces are secure before riding Ghost Rider. This may be the last we ever see of them. Phew, we made it. Actually, Ghostrider was running smoother than normal. Of course, that's the same as saying, "I only got kicked in the face 4 times instead of 6!" Up next was the absolutely hilarious Q&A session! Jeff was the MC of the event, but was too short for the podium. Like really really short. Knott's representin' the West Coast. West Siiiiiide! We got a really incredible overview of Knott's history by the author of the Knott's preserved book. Make sure you buy it! It's available on Amazon.com! Yes, Knott's really was a farm before the park was built. It was really cool to see how it used to look in the beginning. We were then treated to an in-depth look at Haunt with some really creepy Kill Yourself stories! Looking at a review of some of the past mazes. It's amazing that such warped and twisted mazes come from such a nice and quiet guy. This means it's going to be good! Everyone needs to pick up this book because it's got lots of pictures. No coloring pages, but lots of nice pictures! Robb closes out the session with a big thank you for an incredible event. After the Q&A session we walked out into a ton of rain! Dan found the only dry place in the park and did not move. Incredibly though, they still had rides open! Sierra Sidewinder, the Log Ride, and Supreme Scream were still operating for ERT! Awesome! This was one of the most Dan unfriendly ERT's ever! Even Snoopy was like screw this! However, it was awesome that he was out as some people got a ton of exclusive Snoopy time! Praying for the rain to end. What the crap was I thinking. The diehards didn't let something little like rain ruin their ERT! Ok, I'm a little cold now. Dan stole my camera and took this awesome shot of Sierra Sidewinder. I was going to post it to facebook and claim it as my own. He would have never seen it. Raindrop needles to the face! A very cold and wet THANK YOU to Knott's!
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Photo TR: The Ray's do the TPR Europe 2010 trip!
jray21 replied to jray21's topic in Photo Trip Report Archive
EDIT: There was a post up there....Hmmm, guess they decided to leave ^The place your looking at staying looks very nice, but I've never stayed there so I couldn't tell you if it's good or not. We stayed at the Holiday Inn - Notre Dame http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/paris/parnd/hoteldetail It was a little small, but was really modern and new, and was in an excellent location. We were about 3 minutes walk from a subway station, a bakery, a bunch of cafe's, and a very short walk to Notre Dame. We got a special rate because it had just opened, but if the price was right, I would definitely stay there again! DIsneyland Paris will be posted very soon! -
My wife just left me.........to go on the TPR Australia trip.
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We mainly did the tours all morning. I only rode two coasters the entire day, but still had a blast with the tours, Q&A session, and food!
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^You should have! I love meeting TPR members. It's so much better to have an name with a face, versus a username and a button ! ^^^Glad I could get your car at least! Did you got to the Knott's day?
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What can I say? WCB is the premier coaster event of the year! There is way too much awesomeness for any Photo TR to show. I love the way TPR does these events because it truly is about the theme park experience, not only about the coasters. The tours were absolutely amazing, one-of-a-kind type of events. The freebies, the food, the people, and the rides also made for a great event. It was great seeing our friends from all over, as well as meeting new ones. There is so much incredible stuff that happened. I am absolutely exhausted (I slept only 12 hours total from Friday to Monday), but it was absolutely worth it. If you weren't able to go this year, you really missed out, but there is always next year! Also, if you missed out on the Knott's day, you really really missed out! I can't say it enough, but... Thank You ROBB, ELISSA, and TPR, and also the teams at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott's Berry Farm! First up is SFMM. Superman was awesome! I can't wait to ride it facing forward to see if it's the speed, the direction, or both that are making it once again an awesome ride. Apocalypse was absolutely incredible in the rain! It ran like a bat out of hell and would definitely be near the top of my woodie list if that was the norm. X2 ERT was also incredible. From about 10:45-11:30pm we had all the rides on X2 we wanted(my number one coaster), all with the awesomely exclusive WCB audio(Awesome job William)! I hope we didn't kill X2 audio like we did Apocalypse last year! Once again, it was an incredible event that was absolutely worth every cent. Well, on to the pictures! Typical workforce. 1 person working, 1 supervising, and 3 managers. Getting ready for the rush! The calm before the storm. Hey Joey, I can't help it if your a complete idiot and can't see what today's wristband is! Gertrude and friend arrive at WCB! Waiting to be let in for FREE parking! The very first people for WCB 2011! Luckily, the line went fast and we only got spit on twice, and sworn at five times. Pretty filled up! Bethany and Dallas are ready to go have an awesome time. Speaking of time, that 'accurate' clock is an hour off! Big Mike walks around and works the crowd. Instead of Jay or the current president, we are warmly greeted by Gertrude! Jeff and Gertrude face off to see who evolved from Dinosaurs the best. Amy gets fresh with Gertrude. Dan takes inappropriate shots of the bear. Two of the world's oldest living creatures. Jeff Johnson and Redwoods. Inside Food Etc. (what a horrible name) was the included breakfast of delicious doughnuts! This is what Jeff thinks of my 'old' jokes. Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! Scream ERT! Dan tries to seduce all of TPR with his 'look'. This was our second attempt at riding Goliath. We failed. Goliath was having issues in the morning. Poor Bethany and Dallas are stuck on Goliath. Tatsu was open for ERT! Good thing we had Amy, otherwise we wouldn't have had the correct group makeup. Little did we know that this group would get THREE rides in a row! How's that for TPR ERT! Jeff hasn't been that scared since Noah's flood! While waiting for our tour, we learned a lot about SFMM history! It was very informative. Waiting for the tour to begin. Warped ideas for future mazes. All scareactors strive for the day when one of their scares requires one of these. We got an awesome tour of the maze. We had awesome photo ops. It was really nice being able to see each scene in full light. Dave was kind enough to donate his hand for the event. Neil is about to demonstrate the proper 'bait and hook' technique. Hey, Guy is here! Oh wait, never mind. That hat had me seeing Guy all day. Hector looks guilty, and Jeff looks like he smells something. The gateway to.....nowhere. This picture is for Bryan! Enjoy! The Flash Pass line totally needs a Flash Pass! I guess this proves that the price isn't too high! Now it's time for lunch! All you can eat! Can't beat that! Bethany tries to get her terrible phone to work again. Dan checks to make sure he's not dead. Eating is one of the things TPR does best! Nom, Nom, Nom! Big Mike has a Big Nom! You know that if William finds it offensive and disgusting, than it must be extremely offensive and disgusting. Jeff Johnson is all alone getting cancer with his signature cigarette break squat. Goliath got running again. Who could have ever guessed it would have been so difficult. Whistlestop Park opened today. It's a good start, but they need to have a ton more family friendly wrides if they want to stay competitive. Superman was getting very high. Yay for Superman and crazy hair! All the way up to the brakes! I hope it always stays that way. Weeeee! Some efurb is going on in Gotham. Mexican Food, Nachos, Burritos and Tacos, but you won't find them here, it's JB's BBQ! Makes as much sense as chinese food in Fiesta Village, and a pizza place in the chinese dragon restaurant. I like Riddler's as well, but what the crap is with the tongue? Amy stands at the anti-ACE row. The pole in the middle of the row prevents any ACE sized members from entering. Sir William and his lovely ladies get ready to give us a tour of the access road attractions. I spy Green Lantern track! Heading down for some great photo ops of Riddler, Batman, and the Green Lantern construction. I guess it's still too early to make radiation jokes. 3...2...1... PULL!!! Batman gets more love than I do! We were able to get really close! Batman, Riddler, and Tidal Wave! Someone doesn't really grasp the concept of a stand up coaster. Many of these signs would make great room decorations for TPR members! Batman was running really nice. They must really like the ride! Amy in front of the scenic Valencia river. Green Lantern will be featured here very soon! Amy gets touchy feely with the insides of Green Lantern! Vertical water!? This meal cost $16!!!!! Really SFMM!!??? A picture of Big Mike, along with some other people. Neil demonstrates the classic bashing head Revolution face. Robb verifies that TPR already did update the site to show the new professional Apocalypse sign! They even celebrated a TPR members birthday! The Q&A session went relatively well this year. Only one really screwy question, and one that was full of funsies! For a big announcement, you need a big envelope! Robb finishes off with prizes for the three F's! First, Fastest, and Farthest! The fastest winner was the fastest to sign up for WCB! TPR thanks SFMM for a wonderful event and an awesome evening ERT lineup! The Mooseburger Lodge buffet was delicious, and also vulgar looking. We had a nice and relaxing dinner at Mooseburger. National Lampoon's Alvey Family Vacation! Well, it would have been a good picture... The amount of fog from Batman was amazing! One last ride on Scream. Thanks for an incredible event Robb, Elissa, and the SFMM crew!
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I hope it is expensive! That will teach him to get facebook!
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Just had a delicious 1100 calorie shake at Johnny Rocket's in Knott's at yesterdays West Coast Bash! I also had an incredibly overpriced snack at SFMM on Saturday. I think SFMM has finally caught up with Cedar Fair. I ordered a chicken strip basket with fries and a large soda, and the total came out to $16!!!!!! For the same price I could have had a buffet dinner at Mooseburger! Talk about screwed up pricing! About to eat a simple meal from Jack-in-the-Box of 4 Crispy Chicken Strips, a fake beef but delicious taco w/no cheese, a sampler trio, and a sourdough burger! I didn't have time to go to Safeway today so I'll just make it another cheat day!
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The iPad - Apple's Take On The Tablet Computer
jray21 replied to Wes's topic in Random, Random, Random
*Fixed I own a laptop, an iPhone, an iPad, and they definitely each a unique item. They all have their own benefits and advantages. I use all three a lot. I absolutely love the iPad and use it a ton. It really is a perfect fit between a laptop and the iPhone. The iPhone is too small for some games and apps, while the laptop is too big, heavy, and power hungry for other applications. Sure it isn't for some, but there are obviously some great reasons why it is so successful. -
Yay for Diet Coke! Although, if you throw in European Coke Light, Pepsi would be pretty close!
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Photo TR: Jason's Roadfood Adventures
jray21 replied to printersdevil78's topic in Random, Random, Random
How have I missed this thread! Awesome! Can't wait to see the updates! I've only eaten at a few of places in your report. We ate at a Corky's on the 2009 Deep South Trip, and it was very good. We also ate at Hole in the Wall, but I don't remember it. Of course I've also had Krispy Kreme! I only like the glazed when it's hot, otherwise, I don't like their doughnuts. We don't have them in Reno anymore so I ate 9 one morning on the 2010 Middle America trip when they were close to our hotel. Awesome report!