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^I am also happy with the current restraints on I305. I know a lot of enthusiasts love Maverick but I don't because my body size fits in such a way that the hard restraint hits right in my neck causing a lot of pain. A new restraint like this could easily put Maverick into my top 5.

SFA will always hold a place in my heart because Wild One was #200 for me. With that being said, we found SFA was our least favorite of the 6 Six Flags parks we have been to so far. It wasn't just operations, but maintenance, setting, etc. We also found little shade in the park.

Love it! For my park, I was more envisioning focusing on activities that center around those seasons and less on the holidays. I didn't take the thought any further than that like you did so well.

^Then they were afraid that I would break the camera!

When I was growing up, we could only afford to go to an amusement park once a year and that was when they had a discount day - usually in late spring. We either went to Geauga Lake (1 hour away) or Cedar Point (3 hours away). I looked forward to that one day for months and I knew that I forever had a love for the amusement industry. Over the years we didn't have the disposable income to travel so we didn't do much. After graduating from college and moving to Charlotte, we started getting season passes to Carowinds. One year while doing a search for information on new attractions for the upcoming year I stumbled upon the fan site for Carowinds. As I read through posts there I learned about enthusiasts clubs and that's when I realized I am a theme park and roller coaster enthusiast and it's been all downhill from there. Since that day (which was just a few years ago), I went from around 30 coaster credits and a handful of parks to where I am right now. I hope to work in the amusement industry some day (when I grow up ) in some capacity (other than being a seasonal employee).

If I owned my own theme park, it would be themed to the four seasons (not the band or the hotel). To bring some fantasy to the experience, the central hub would be focused on Mother Nature and Father time. In addition to some thrilling coasters for thrill seekers, it would have a collection of family coasters so that families with kids of all ages could ride and enjoy. But theme parks aren't all about coasters. It would be rounded out with a great collection of flat rides, live shows, and dark rides, each fitting in with the respective themed area. The overall park would focus on the patron's experience and do everything possible to ensure that each guest would have a special day as much as possible. I think that is what is lacking at many parks. It should all be about customer service first. If you can do that exceptionally well, everything else usually falls into place.

Thanks for the opening day update, chadster. It brings back memories of our trip during spring break last year. We also thought SFOT was a decent looking park and it has retained a lot of the 'Texas' charm since the park's creation.

Yes and the Popeye and Bluto raft ride was ridiculous too! Just when I thought that I couldn't get any wetter after being on Ripsaw Falls, we rode this thing and I swear that I must have gone under every waterfall on the ride. Totally drenched from head to toe! After Ripsaw Falls, we didn't want to brave Popeye and Bluto, and it sounds like we were right in not trying it. I think that is one of the only rides at IOA that we haven't done.

From my experience, that is how all the Six Flags parks operate. I guess their target demographic is <30 because they want their commercials to portray people in their 20s. I've always been 'too old' for their official commercial shoots.

Yeah, I wasn't aware of it before I went there. They caught me taking a picture of the train in the station and went ballistic about my phone and demanded that I put it in a locker. Wow, I have never seen any place so strict on cameras/phones.

1) Person of Interest 2) NCIS 3) Top Chef 4) The Amazing Race - (I would love to do this some day) 5) Survivor

^I love the looks of that asymmetric bridge!

I prefer Sky Screamers over Windseekers. There's something about the chain that makes it more thrilling. You mean the risk of getting stuck 300 feet in the air for hours isn't thrilling enough?

I prefer Sky Screamers over Windseekers. There's something about the chain that makes it more thrilling. Also those operate without hours of downtime or breaking down.

I have to go with the triple down on Voyage. My sentimental favorite ride is Jack Rabbit at Kennywood and its tunnel before the lift hill so that's a close second.

I'm not complaining. I just renewed a UO AP today, no blackout dates, for $160. Interesting that it wasn't more. I'll pass through Orlando 2-3 times over the next year. I'll easily get my money's worth. Yeah, I'm not complaining either so I hope it didn't appear that way. Thanks for the reminder on the AP for UO. I often look at those but I don't know why I never even considered one for UO. I might have to get one of those this year as it might work out to a better value for what we're planning.

Soarin' Eagle was down during our trip to Coney Island last year. I was disappointed for not getting the credit but after watching the video I'm kind of happy.

When I first head of the Hunger Games book series I was skeptical. Then once I read it, I was impressed with the story. It is also not uncommon for a movie to not live up to the book for obvious reasons but usually they are acceptable. The Hunger Games movie was barely acceptable to me (I haven't seen Catching Fire yet). If I had seen the movie without reading the book, I would have found it kind of...weird. I think they missed a good opportunity and the first movie should have given us all the info that led up to the hunger games and then left us in suspense as Katniss entered the arena. With all that being said, I am not sure there is enough content in the movie to make an entire theme park. As others have said, I could see this as a single themed area in a park. It might be fun to see some tracker jackers let loose on line jumpers, though.

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls at IOA. We've been on log flumes and gotten wet. However Ripsaw Falls is the first time we've ever gotten completely soaked. We should have seen this coming with all the people who were wearing ponchos while in line.

I prefer Sky Screamers over Windseekers. There's something about the chain that makes it more thrilling.

We watched it last night. I like the way they have it broken down this season and you're right. The brains tribe is dysfunctional. This should turn out to be a good season.

At Universal Studios, my favorite ride is Revenge of the Mummy. At IOA, my favorite ride is Spiderman. It is closely followed by Hulk and Forbidden Journey.

It looks like they're going to be close.

^Same here. When I was there in 2011 for my one and only trip it seemed to be running decent. I was not expecting that awesome ejector air and I think that alone stuck in my mind. My daughter didn't like it for what it's worth.

I had to search the Internet to get it but I finally did.