azza29

Not sure this is quite the controversy it's being made out to be, most coasters have small variations in seatbelt/restraint 'give' from seat to seat (including test seats). Bigger people just notice it more because we're more likely to not fit. If the test seat is close-but-not-quite, I generally try to ride anyway. Millennium Force is a good example - couldn't get the test seatbelt to close but rode it five times in different seats without issue. Oddly enough the only rides that have ever given me grief are ones that didn't have a test seat out front. Even then it's no big deal to just hop out and exit the ride, just make sure you're sitting on the 'exit' side of the train. Crisis averted.

Couldn't agree more. It definitely looks like a combination of factors contributed to the accident rather than a single point of failure. I feel awful for the ride ops - not that it was their fault, but if it was me the thought of "what if I'd done something differently" would be running through my mind non-stop.

So anything with lapbars only you should be fine, some of the PTC trains don't have much space between rows so might have to cross your ankles but you'll likely fit. Most standups have height limits, as the restraint only goes so far up. But these will be posted outside the ride, and probably on the park website too. If Superman Escape gives you trouble then it's likely that other Intamin coasters with the same restraints might as well - so i305, Maverick, Kingda Ka could be problematic. From memory Cyclone uses standard Arrow trains, so any Arrow coaster might potentially be uncomfortable for you. Sea Viper uses custom trains (frankly overkill for a simple Arrow corkscrew!), can't recall seeing those anywhere else. Apart from that, which parks are you planning to visit? Might be able to get some specific advice.

^Looks like the price varies seasonally, according to this page it can be anywhere from $20-40 for single use and $35-60 for unlimited.

So I've finally bought a 3DS, definitely want to have one of the Pokemon games but no idea where to start. Seems like Black, White, Black 2 and White 2 are readily available in shops (and all about the same price) - anyone able to provide an opinion on which is best to get first?

My main two are cobra rolls and corkscrews. I'm yet to find a corkscrew element I enjoy, irrespective of the manufacturer. To be fair, a lot of the Arrows in particular were built before computer modeling could be used to smooth the transitions. I know at one point on Loch Ness Monster the construction team had to physically hammer a piece of track six inches to the right to make it line up properly. The design and manufacturing technology has come a very long way in the last decade or two.

Skycoaster has been topped off: http://www.news.com.au/travel/australia/the-wests-wildest-wet-ride/story-e6frfq89-1226681683737 Article touts it as the 'largest attraction of its kind'. Not 100% sure about this as if it's 10m higher than the Opera House that would make it 250ft, so still shorter than the one at Fun Spot USA. However it might be the tallest double Skycoaster. Should give a decent thrill at any rate! If only Melbourne hadn't blown $100m on this unfinished mess we probably could have had something similar...

Australia seems to have a history of building water rides in-house: - the Rocky Hollow Log Ride at Dreamworld was an in-house creation, and even after 30 years it's still one of the better ones out there. - Movie World's Looney Tunes River Ride was developed by the park, and the same ride system was used for Sea World's Bermuda Triangle. - In the late 70s Sea World decided to build Viking's Revenge in-house after a quote from Arrow came in too high. They built it for something like $350k rather than the $1.5m Arrow wanted. Who built Knoebels' Flyer? The exposed tractor engine made me think it might have been an in-house job, or at least a prototype.

Based on box office performance I think a sequel is unlikely, but since Disney was clearly looking to make this into a franchise they should have mapped out the first three films to begin with, rather than trying to cram so much backstory into the first one.

^I'd wait and see. Often parks down here open 'summer' attractions on Boxing Day (Dec 26).

^It has been kind of sad that for a long time there were more at SFMM than in the whole of Australia. I definitely feel that what the local parks lack in quantity they make up for in quality and uniqueness. Can't wait to see how this turns out!

Nice. At last, a reason to visit Perth!

Part 2: Knott's Berry Farm My parents don't travel much. They haven't left the country since their honeymoon, and even then they only got as far as New Zealand. But back in the early 80's my mother had taken a trip to California, and would occasionally regale us with stories of her trip. While we definitely knew what Disneyland was, tales of a place called "Knott's Berry Farm" seemed incredibly lame. Why go halfway around the world to visit a berry farm? It wasn't until years later that I realised it was a theme park, with nary a berry in sight... After three and a half days of the craziness that is Disneyland, a day at Knott's was like a breath of fresh air. Crowds were light, nobody was stressed about making that "perfect vacation", and not an ECV for miles. It didn't matter that half the park was either closed or still under construction, we had a fantastic day at the park. We even returned a month later to ride everything that was new and/or freshly reopened! Back at Knott's! They played the national anthem before opening, which was something I'd never seen happen at an Australian park. I am a big fan of motocoasters when they're done well. Pony Express was OK, but a little short for me. On the plus side, we were able to re-ride a few times before a school group showed up and filled the queue. After seeing the Timber Mountain Log Ride refurb, I really hope the same is done to the Calico Mine Ride. It was good enough, and I imagine would have been quite spectacular back in the day, but definitely needs some TLC. The rapids queue takes you on a walking tour of the entire ride before you get to the station. No surprises here! The old west/mining town theming was a real highlight, and made me wonder why they don't just extend it across the entire park. For a tasty beverage and a sympathetic ear, visit the Calico Saloon! The Calico Saloon stage show was hilarious, and it was great to see the performers giving 100% even with a small crowd. Not quite a ghost town, but pretty quiet all the same. Nice touch. Bonus points if you know where this is! When you can't find the right word to make a tombstone rhyme, just invent one. Theming...? Or just a ride vehicle that got left out? Three days after we skipped it because the line was too long, Ghost Rider was closed for refurb. However it had reopened by the time we went back in June. I don't know if I just got a good seat, but while it was a little rough it wasn't the bone-shattering ordeal I'd feared. That said, SFA's Roar and Coney's Cyclone were still very fresh in my mind, which may have affected my perception a little. Still, there were more thrills than aches to be found here. Timber Mountain had another three weeks of refurb left at this point. I did! The updated scenes were great - I could tell it was a 'classic' ride without having to forgive it for being too old-fashioned. Look at these crowds! So this was my first Boomerang. I think we ended up riding seven during the trip. Yellow and green have never looked so good together. The problem with waiting until you get back to do your trip report is that you end up with photos of attractions under construction that have opened in the interim. Future installments will feature unfinished Gold Striker, Full Throttle and Flying Turns. On the last day of the trip we waited a good 20 minutes in this queue for Coast Rider. Ended up being the last coaster of the trip. It was pretty good for a wild mouse, and didn't feel too much like a stock model. Definitely helped that it was only two weeks old and was still quite smooth. I think this is some Cedar Fair or Knotts management getting a hard hat tour. We were having lunch in the Ghost Town Grill (delicious!) later in the day and a group of them sitting next to us were talking about adding soft-serve ice cream machines. It would be a full four days before we were able to experience the majesty of flyers for ourselves at CGA. Xcelerator! Definitely one of the highlights of the trip, Xcelerator packs a punch that the bigger launchers just don't have. The feeling as you glide over that top hat is awesome! Whee! Gotta love pink track! Definitely one of the best Intamin launchers, right up there with Maverick and Superman Escape. Windseeker was, of course, shut. Of the four we would encounter during our travels, only the one at Kings Island was operating when we visited. I had high hopes for Jaguar! Surely a ride with such elaborate theming would be awesome, right? Sadly, no. Long and dull. Apparently that's OK if you call it a 'family coaster'. We rode Montezooma's Revenge, then on the following cycle it broke and stayed shut for most of the day. Awesome airtime on the ends! It's weird that a park with such elaborate landscaping at the front becomes a concrete mess at the back. Best themed bin ever. The first time we rode this a couple of kids were on the other side of the car. Talk about an unbalanced load! We spun so fast I had no idea what the track was doing! B&M have never built a coaster in Australia, and my nearest is in Hong Kong. So Silver Bullet was my first! It's not as good as some of the other B&M inverts but still pretty solid, and definitely worth re-riding. The helix is one of the highlights. Aesthetically it's not great. Maybe if those white supports were painted to blend in a little? I don't know. It wouldn't be a Knotts trip report without this guy. Moo. After dinner at Mrs Knott's restaurant (which I'm still full from) the sun set on our first week in Los Angeles. Let's end on a glamour shot of the rental car. Next up: Discovery Kingdom!

^15-20, so more than 20 is not a theme park either, right?

Hopefully they'll get the eight-seater trains rather than the four-seaters. Those outside seats are sensational!

^Agree - Lone Ranger was a mess. Entertaining, but still a mess. With some tighter editing and the removal of the 'old Tonto' framing scenes it could have been much better. They should have saved Tonto's backstory for the sequel, it just didn't fit the tone of the rest of the film.

We seem to have a lot of Proslide in Australia. Somewhat ironically, WhiteWater World is essentially a Proslide showroom. The Tornado is definitely one of my favourite slides, so for that they come out on top.

Sea World have done a Magic Mountain. Storm Coaster was supposed to open late September, now it's been delayed to 'summer' because a baby polar bear was born and they're going to milk that for the school holidays instead. So Storm Coaster, construction complete, is going to sit SBNO for 5 months!

^If you haven't been before Chocolate World is worth a look. The dark ride is pretty good and they have a HUGE store out the back. I'd go later in the day if you're planning to buy any chocolate, otherwise it'll just melt. The make your own chocolate bar attraction is fun, but I wouldn't bother with the chocolate university. The whole thing won't take long, maybe an hour at most depending on how long you spend in the store.

Used my VIP pass to ride Transformers (USH) twelve times on a very busy Saturday last month. Posted wait time was 110 minutes but my brother and I were walking straight on! Only thing that stopped us was that it was getting a bit repetitive after so many rides...

Saw King Kong in Melbourne last week. As a musical it was serviceable but nothing outstanding (probably would work better as a 'play with a few songs'). As an overall production it was spectacular! Huge 270 degree LED screen as a set backdrop, 25-foot tall gorilla with absolutely lifelike expressions and movements, just incredible. The build up to the first reveal of Kong is definitely going down as one of my most memorable moments in theatre. A close second would be when this huge puppet (combo of animatronics and puppeteers) climbs the Empire State. The show was done by the same team who put together the Walking With Dinosaurs and How to Train Your Dragon arena shows, but this was a whole new level of cool. I know their ambition is to take it to Broadway and I think with a little work on the script and songs they will definitely have a hit!

It's at the high end of 'good value', but I'm always a fan of simple meat-and-veg meals. And the brioche french toast was delicious. Paradise Garden Grill is great as well, although last time they drowned my skewer in sauce. I forgot to mention that we tried the Wine Country Trattoria to get premium viewing for World of Color. Not cheap, though the food was excellent, particularly the grilled chicken sandwich. Even though the restaurant is right in the middle of the park it feels quite secluded, so was a great place to take a break from the crowds. And it saved us having to line up to get a good spot for the show (we ended up front and centre next to the railing), which was definitely worth the extra cost. We also visited the Blue Bayou for the novelty factor. Ended up going twice because Jon liked the Monte Cristo sandwich so much. Both times we ended up with fairly ordinary seats (i.e. near the door) but it was still a lot of fun to be in a restaurant that was in a ride!

I've always been somewhat interested in theme parks and rollercoasters, but it wasn't I visited Disneyland and Universal Hollywood in 2011 that I really started to take a serious interest. Yes, California Screamin' turned me into a coaster nut (you have to start somewhere, right?). I started planning an epic trip, one that would take in some of the biggest, best and most notable parks and coasters the USA had to offer, and plenty in between. So in May and June of this year my brother Jon and I, armed with our cargo shorts, goggles, and tie dyed t-shirts (OK not really), spent six weeks on the road clocking up 150 coasters at 22 parks. We started at Disneyland. It had only been 18 months since I'd last visited but in that time plenty had changed. Guests no longer entered via the alley behind Soarin' and, most importantly, Cars Land had opened! This was a big deal for me - Cars is my #1 Pixar film so I was very excited to see Radiator Springs. Apparently it was a big deal for a lot of other people too, because the place was extremely busy. On to the photos of Disneyland Resort (but mostly Cars Land!): Did I say we started at Disneyland? Not strictly true. After arriving at LAX, we immediately headed to Knotts with the intention getting a couple of early rides in. But despite it being only 11am, queues were already quite lengthy. So we left, having at least processed our Cedar Fair season passes. Disneyland! Walt showing Mickey where California Adventure is. Mandatory castle photo. The new Fantasy Faire area is really well done, and much more interesting than the glorified gazebo that was there before. These people are waiting 30 minutes for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. I'm sure they will all think it was worth it... Monstro says: "'sup?" There were more strollers at Small World than people. Roger Rabbit is easily the most underrated attraction in Disneyland. There are always Newsies on hand to welcome you to DCA. Pixar parade! "Congratulations, you've been selected to play the role of... dog butt!" It's somewhat hokey and not the best the Muppets have to offer, but I'll be sad to see this go if the Monstropolis rumours are true. Up until this point Jon had always refused to go on drop towers. He thought Tower of Terror was just another dark ride and didn't realise his mistake until too late. Hilarious! Cars Land! It's just like the movie! I love the concept, a giant game of air hockey sounds really cool. In reality it was a minute and a half of Jon and I yelling "no, lean THIS way!" at each other in a vain attempt to actually get our tire to move. This way to the main event! This is the shortest stand-by time I saw the whole time we were there. Fastpass was about a 20 minute wait, plus the 20 minutes you spent waiting for the Fastpass machine. Single rider line saved us a lot of time - often getting on within 5-10 minutes, and we usually ended up in the same ride vehicle! The detail on both the ride and the whole of Radiator Springs in general is phenomenal. It's hard to believe this used to be a carpark. Ghetto on-ride photo. Me in the front, Jon in the back. Mater has enslaved baby tractors to work in his amusement park. Ignore the Carthay Circle, Flo's has the best food in DCA. The breakfast French toast was amazing! Radiator Springs looks awesome at night, this pic definitely doesn't do it justice. Maybe Luigi's is more fun after dark... ...nope. Nice lighting though! RSR is even better at night! It makes more sense too, since the indoor portion is set at nighttime. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree looks like a kiddie ride, but is actually really fun! Turbo mode! Yep. It's also easily the best place to watch World of Color. The number of bozos who were trying to film a crappy WoC video with their GoPro was astonishing. Whatever happened to just enjoying the show? (I took this after the show had ended!). Anyway, that's it for this installment. Next up: Knotts!

Next park will be Sea World, to check out the new Storm Coaster. I'm heading to the Gold Coast for my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary and fitting in a theme park visit as well... OK, I'm going for the theme park and visiting the grandparents on the side.

Why do some people run marathons for charity when you can just ride coasters or go bowling instead?! Good on you guys for doing this, I'm sure TPR will put in a good showing, or at least defeat team MiceChat (rumour has it their bowling has been 'declining by degrees...' )