dj snow

I don't think it's true. Why would you pay a celebrity to portray a role in which your intent is to keep the actor's identity a secret? There are plenty of talented unknowns out there who would take the role for far less money.

I did see Snoopy Rock, but I was unable to get my camera deployed in time to get the shot. But yeah, it does look like Snoopy. That wacky Snoopy!

Well yes, living in Arizona and all, but it's still pretty. But about McDonald's... Are you used to seeing them with teal arches? C'mon, you've gotta admit that's unique (it's the only one anywhere!) and absolutely worth the trip to Sedona from anyplace in the world!

I broke a bone snowboarding once. Yeah, it was just one bone, but I broke it in two or three places. It was kind of a pain to deal with, but at the same time I found it fascinating to watch my body heal itself (and relatively quickly too--just a few weeks really). I was back on my board that same season. Woo! I also think I may have broken a toe and a rib in my past, but I never bothered to get medical verification for those.

It's where they began it all. They (known as Tierco at the time) were a real-estate company and had purchased the park midseason, with the intent of closing it and developing it for other purposes. Since they were obligated to operate the park through the season, though, they had the opportunity to find it an interesting and rewarding business. They kept the park open and eventually bought other parks and became the Six Flags of today. I don't believe that the new management team intends for this move to be symbolic in any way, but it is interesting how things at this park may turn out to come full circle, back to the beginning steps of the company as we know it.

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Yeah, the skies that day were definitely interesting. I lucked out because despite some of the dark-gray clouds, there always seemed to be a break in them at just the right place to light up the red rock formations. Definitely a neat effect. And yes, the Aztek was an abomination. The Hummer driver said that it doesn't snow too much in Sedona, but they'll get a few inches every now and then. The ski area by Flagstaff (I misspoke earlier--the other one isn't really right by Sedona, but rather closer to New Mexico) got 450 inches of snow last year though. This winter they've only gotten 20 inches so far, and they still haven't opened.

So on January 15, I accompanied some friends to the town of Sedona, Arizona. A couple hours from Phoenix, Sedona is quite a bit higher in elevation and thus it has a much cooler climate. In fact, not too far from Sedona are a couple good-sized ski areas (though due to lack of precipitation they're not having a great season so far this winter). The town itself is kind of touristy, but when you get out of town and go see the rocks, it's definitely worthwhile. And now, prepare yourself for... Sedona. Another moving-vehicle shot! Just think of what I could accomplish standing still. Hope you enjoyed my images of Sedona! I took this shot from a moving vehicle. That's talent, folks. What a beautiful landscape... Shame that Zorro's Pontiac Aztek has to ruin it all. This kind of scenery would make for a nice commute. I see signs of civilization! (Note: This is the only teal-arched McDonald's in the world. They're very proud of this in Sedona.) Time to hit the trail! More lovely red rocks. Our vehicle and our pilot. Oooh, pretty scenery. Of course, we're in a Hummer. Oh, are we really going to attempt to drive up that nearly-vertical ledge? Okay, time for a Hummer ride. We're headed out into Coconino National Forest. Hello, multicolored animals! Creeeeeeeepy. The town looks nice enough, but most of the storefronts are fairly standard gift shops. These fine ladies hang out in front of the Hummer Store. No, it's not a brothel. Instead, this is where you go to book your tours aboard a Hummer H1. Upon our arrival in Sedona, this was the backdrop to our chosen parking lot. Oooh, pretty rest-area scenery. First things first: A rest-area stop along the way. The view was spectacular, the rest rooms... Not so much.

Ra is a great name for a coaster. Kudos!

To the original poster: Keep in mind that not all parks are open daily through the summer. Waldameer Park, in particular, is not open on Mondays (apart from holidays). So, even though I'm sure you were going to do this anyway: Don't forget to check the operating schedules!

I'm looking forward to this one. Word is they're pushing into new territory with this one, making it their most aggressive effort yet. If you didn't think GCI did laterals, well...

I agree. I think they do the job of adding a marquee attraction to a waterpark--certainly they're visually impressive and fun to watch. But the actual experience of the ride doesn't really "do it" for me. Not to mention, the throughput is not especially good either. I think my opinions on the ride experience are in the minority though, since these rides seem to be very popular every time I visit a waterpark with one. So as an investment, I think they tend to be a good one. Congrats to Great America on this new addition.

I'm pretty sure this incident happened at least a year ago, most likely longer. I seem to recall it happening in China or some other developing nation, and the tower in question, while it appears to be a Huss, is probably a knockoff. If it's the case I'm thinking of, it seems to be a case of a ride that may not have been built to the major companies' manufacturing standards, along with a poorly executed evacuation. (Nobody locked out the ride? They didn't think to immobilize the ride vehicle in case something were to "give?") Anyway, those are the fragments of details that I recall.

What, you mean you don't like the 80 degree temps? I found it very enjoyable. I had lunch outside! Hooray for short sleeves in January!

Nope, I didn't ride or touch any animals. I only ate them. (And no, cfc, I did not partake of the Rocky Mountain Oysters.) Yeah, I imagine that with 19 marching bands, it might be a bit busy in there, especially since the park isn't really complete yet. There are several shops and attractions described on the web page that have yet to make an appearance at the new location. On the other hand, they do apparently have large spaces equipped to accommodate thousands of people for banquets and such! I think once it's done, it'll be quite a facility. I can't help you on the brothels, but the slot machines are just a few steps away, at the Wild Horse Pass Casino. To give you an idea of how close it is, it's the tiered structure in the background of this picture: See, it's even more authentic than you thought!

Just a minute or so away from Santa's: A Christmas Theme Park is Rawhide. This park has been around since 1970, but it just began life in its new location about one month ago. Previously, the park was located in Scottsdale, but rising land values pushed them to sell. After a one-month hiatus while they moved, the park is now located about 20-30 minutes to the south on Gila River Indian Community land. And now, please enjoy these beautiful photos from Rawhide. The dining room is spacious and features live entertainment. Inside the steakhouse lobby, they offer this mealtime suggestion. Time to eat. The steakhouse offered these musicians out front. (Note: The person at the far end is reading. Not a musician.) Meanwhile, this beast of burden lumbered on by with some new cargo. HARD LIQUOR, a staple of any Old West town! And what's this? Here, the Sheriff makes one of his prisoners sing "I'm a Little Teapot" as a condition of her release. At Rawhide, you can pay $5 to "Arrest-a-Guest!" Meanwhile, back in town, a desperado walked past the not-yet-finished Cookie's Soda Shop. Which featured a llama. And a petting zoo... A stagecoach... A train ride... Camel rides (I'm not sure this is regionally correct)... Burro rides... The park has several attractions, including a mechanical bull... It was also a good time to take a look at today's entertainment schedule. Upon entry, we took a moment to look at what the park had to offer. Guests cross this covered bridge to reach the park. There's no water beneath, but never mind that small detail. Welcome to Rawhide!

I wouldn't call it horrible, but I don't think it really lives up to ads' promises. It's good as fair midways go, but I really don't think it falls into the generally accepted definition of "theme park." If you went to the Arizona State Fair, chances are there's nothing new for you to see here, other than the Christmas displays, and I don't think those are worth the price of admission. But if you missed out on the rides at the State Fair, or just want to get one last shot at your favorite rides before next fall, then I'd say it's worth a trip. So, in summary: Go expecting a fair midway, and you'll be satisfied. If you're expecting a magical theme park, you may be disappointed. You still have time to see it for yourself, as Santa's is open through January 8. Tickets are $23, pay-one-price only, and it's $5 to park.

After Castles 'n Coasters, it was time to head south to Santa's: A Christmas Theme Park. The website promises "a magical world of glittering lights, breathtaking rides, delicious food and engaging performances." I'm not sure I would quite go that far in describing it. In reality, Santa's is a way for Ray Cammack Shows to extend the use of their rides for a bit by setting up their equipment in a spot that's close to home. I expected a fair-midway type of experience, and that's what I got. Finally, it was time to head out, my heart filled with the spirit of Christmas. I do hope he remembers! Santa eats the letters from all the little children. Santa's Mailbox awaits its letters. The park offers its guests the opportunity to drop off their notes to Santa. This being after Christmas and all, I'm sure they keep the new submissions on file for delivery to Santa next year. Oh no, what happened? I found this car from the Rio Grande train hidden behind a tent. Here it is, the Rio Grande train! (And no, the mountains aren't on fire, it's just some cool sunset special effects.) In a nod to our Jewish friends, the park also had this giant menorah on display. They had all the "candles" lit, though, which should not have been the case on this night. And of course, no menorah display is complete without an adjacent Christmas tree. Stab a kid, win a prize! Part of the free entertainment was a circus which featured this lady who would dangle from her hair while twirling ribbons... and smiling! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this. It's as if someone went into the future, and brought this back with them. Behold, the Space Train 2000. Santa's Hot Spot. There's the setup, you write the punchline. It's the Fighter! Apparently these are very rare. It's definitely an interesting ride. I'd go on it again. And what's this? And here's the obligatory "midway from the Ferris wheel" shot. That's I-10 to the right. As you can see, the park's laid out in a linear fashion. The Christmas tree is about the halfway point, so it may really be a mile walk to get back this far! A highlight of the midway was this spinning coaster, called "Spinning Coaster." Here it is, the Big... er, Grand Wheel. I think the Fabbri Mega Drop is a better-looking ride than the A.R.M./Larson one. They also had a Fabbri Mega Drop. They had a Sartori Techno Jump! A great ride, don't miss it if you see one. Just be sure that it's a Sartori. Clown Grill: The Experience And here it is, the biggest Christmas tree in the U.S., according to the park map. Somehow I remember the one at Rockefeller Center being a bit larger. It's the Elephantiasis Cowboy! They had a number of "free" shows lined up and down both sides of the midway, including a dog show, a tiger show, a juggling act and this magic show. Note the holiday costuming. One of the main reasons I wanted to visit: the Santa's Aliens display. This should give you an idea of the food & beverage pricing inside. According to the sign, it's a one-mile walk from the front of the park to the Big Wheel. Too bad they don't rent motorized scooters. Prepare to enter Santa's World! The ticket booths are lined up in a neat row, and Inflatable Walkaround Santa is on hand to greet (and/or frighten) the kids. Approaching the entrance, I could tell that I was about to be swept away into a winter wonderland.

That's possible, though what I really wonder was what the building was originally. I see it as a 60's-era fast-food place for some reason. Yeah, he didn't seem like the most enthusiastic or observant ride operator. He just kind of stared at the floor while the ride did its thing. He also got up as the gondola was slowing down, and I could have kicked him in the head. (I didn't.)

So to add on to all the talk about Castles 'n Coasters here lately, yesterday I took a trip over there. The park is located in what amounts to an outparcel of land in the parking lot of a mall that's seen better days. I thought it was overall a decent stop, but certain things like "we must fill every seat to run the ride" and the use of green carpet instead of actual living grass sort of struck me as odd. Anyway, on to the photos, with my apologies for the overcastness. I had to pick the one cloudy afternoon to visit, after all. Finally, I found this interesting building just down the road from the park. Anyone know what this might have been before? "Unlimeted." I forgot to take any photos of Patriot while I was in the park, so I took this one while I was waiting at a stoplight on my way out. Mini-golf also figures into the Castles 'n Coasters experience. They have several courses. You can see the "artificial grass" here surrounding the pagoda. And there's one of the helices. Finally, a few obligatory pictures of Desert Storm. That's the first loop. These heavy-duty turnstiles control access to nearly every ride at the park. At first I thought that seagulls had used this boat as a perch, but then I remembered: We're in the desert. To avoid collisions on the go-kart track, the park has thoughtfully joined the karts together as a train. Here's the Moser Freefall. It looks like a big Frog Hopper, but it's not. Enough of the stuff, back to the rides. Here's the Hopkins log flume. Looks pretty nice, but it was too cold for me to go on this today. And here's Tigger. Are those teeth? And blood? I suppose these are characters from Winnie the Pooh, but I have no idea what's going on here. Little Bo-Peep thoughtfully provided parachutes for her sheep, but she forgot to take care of herself. Maybe part of the reason was in that bottle of gin that's flown out of her purse. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. Look at all the junk he had in his pockets! Sadly, I don't think the King's (anthropomorphic) Horses and the Kings Men will be able to catch him--Humpty looks a tad big. Around the base of Sky Diver are more airbrushed mishaps. Here's a panel depicting scenes from Peter Pan and the Wizard of Oz. Also, Special Guest Star Snoopy! (Note Toto apparently plummeting to a certain death.) Up they go. Sky Diver is a great drop ride. It's an A.R.M./Larson Super Shot, as at Morey's Piers and Cypress Gardens. One of the many "Revalue Stations," this one is themed to a scene from The Godfather. I'm not sure, but this might be Jack and Jill with Special Guest Star Pegasus. The park seems to employ an airbrush artist who loves to portray mishaps. Here, we see a food-and-gum catastrophe. To the left, mall parking. To the right, rides (and stuff). The "inside the station" shot of Desert Storm. "I need all seats filled before I can run the coaster." -Operator Here is the park's Ferris wheel. They promise rides. They promise stuff. I see rides, so let's see if they can deliver on "stuff." It's quite a commitment to make such a promise! The park has kindly provided signage to help guests who may not have realized that those things are called "stairs." Here's the inside of the building. Is it a castle? I don't know. But it has a nice selection of games, though the building itself is a bit rough around the edges. Approaching from the "arcade" parking area, this is your view. Signs posted indicate that everyone must spend a minimum of $7.50 in order to be allowed on the property. "Happy Holidays!" -Banner

So has anyone here been to visit Santa's: A Christmas Theme Parkto see what it's like? I saw some discussion here back when the word first got out about it, but haven't seen any reports. I didn't make it to the AZ State Fair this year, so part of me wants to go to see what sorts of rides I missed out on. And, of course, the other part of me wants to go so that I can see this in person: C'mon, that's worth the price of admission alone! Anyway, with the place closing up shop in another week and a half, I'm thinking of heading out there. Any first-hand accounts?

At the crack of dawn, everyone piles into the car (even Plinky the dog) and we head down to the convenience store. There, we gather the traditional Christmas breakfast burritos and biscuits, and eat it in the parking lot, washing it all down with some ice-cold Clamato. Then we get back in the car, headed down to the touchless automatic car wash. After inserting the $8.00 for a Deluxe wash, we drive in and watch the show of lights, suds and spray. The baby wakes up and cries, and Plinky is always nervous in the car wash, so she makes a mess on the carpet. We can't open the windows because we're in a car wash, so the smell gets to be a bit thick inside. Mercifully the car wash ends, and with hands covering noses, we exit the car wash and immediately open all the windows for some fresh air. The wintry air fills the vehicle, and we all burst into song. Christmas classics like "One-Two-Three-Four-Five-Six-Seven-Eight-Nine-Ten-Eleven-Twelve" and "Rock and Roll McDonald's" float out the windows and into our neighbors' appreciative ears, spreading the spirit of the holiday. Back at home, it's time to exchange the Christmas minerals. This year I got zinc. Plinky got a chew toy made of sulfur. She doesn't seem to like it very much. The rest of the day is mostly spent snacking on calamari and fresh strawberries, drinking buttermilk and watching The Weather Channel by the fire. That's our holiday tradition. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

And if I may add: In 500 words or less, please.

Here it's sunny, and my thermometer is showing 81 degrees outside. Wow, I think this is my warmest Christmas ever!

The Big Fat Deal: Kingburger w/ ketchup, onion, pickles Skinny fries Coke I meant to order the burger on the char, but forgot. From Fatburger, in case you didn't know. It was really good, thanks for asking.

I don't know the West Valley area at all, so please give us a complete tour and explain what we're looking at! Oh, and also if there are any good places to eat, photograph and elaborate on those as well. Someday soon I'll head across town and explore that area myself. Good luck on your quest.