rcdude

I'm probably in the minority, but while I think Helix looks like a great ride I just don't think it would be a good fit for SFMM. The park already has enough inversion-heavy rides, and Helix appears to have at least six inversions. What I envisioned for the park was something along the lines of Maverick or Cheetah Hunt, a ride that spent the majority of the ride close to the ground, had two or three launches, several airtime hills, and maybe one or two inversions. Full Throttle is certainly not that, but I've got a feeling that it will appeal more to the general public than a different style of coaster would. While I doubt the ride will be the greatest coaster at the park, it should certainly be in the top half and will be one of the most unique coasters at the park. In my experience, Premier has yet to disappoint (although they also have yet to come up with a ride worthy of a long distance trip to the park). The reality is that unless Six Flags is willing to spend $20+ million on a new coaster (not likely in the near future), I wouldn't expect any new attractions to be more impressive than Full Throttle or X-Flight. Better to keep expectations low and be surprised than to have them high and be disappointed.

^Gold Striker will be ready for opening day if the past history of GCI coasters is anything to go by (Apocalypse at SFMM began vertical construction in Mid-January and opened Memorial Day Weekend). At a seasonal park, having a ride delayed much beyond Memorial Day is a big deal, and if it doesn't open until late July that's a really big problem. The more construction pictures of this ride I see, the more I can't wait to come up next summer and give it a try. I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes my new favorite coaster in Northern California (replacing Medusa).

Why is everyone automatically assuming Ricochet or Fly are being relocated? Mack Rides still builds these coasters and there isn't any reason Kings Dominion or Canada's Wonderland should remove their respective wild mouses. If Knott's gets a mouse, they get a mouse. At least the large park version is better than a standard wild mouse, although I do agree it would be a bit odd with the same ride a little over an hour away. I guess the parks have different target demographics, and most of the general public probably wouldn't care anyway. While I would prefer it if the park got a new B&M or Intamin, or at least something on the scale of a Eurofighter, I'd rather have a mouse than no new coaster, and I'd rather have flats than no new addition for next year. I've got a feeling we'll see that giga by the end of the decade as well as a GhostRider overhaul, and with Cedar Fair already buying two new major coasters it makes sense for a less needy park to get something a bit smaller.

I've been unsure of whether this would ever get off the ground, but at this point I'd say there's a pretty good chance it will. From the animation, the new Wet n' Wild looks a bit better than the old one even if it isn't quite as large. If I've got time next summer and both new waterparks are ready, I might just have to make another trip to Vegas (although I'm also waiting for Speed to reopen...we'll see if that happens).

That looks like a pretty good list for a one day limited time visit. The only changes I would suggest are 1. Move Tower of Terror to either the must ride or time permitting list (unless you don't do drop towers) as it is still a great ride even if it doesn't quite live up to the Florida version, and 2. Move Winnie the Pooh to the skip list as most consider it the worst dark ride at the resort. You should have enough time to complete this list as long as you utilize Fastpass and try to avoid excessive backtracking.

20/21. I'd say this is the easiest quiz in the past several months.

I think most of this has been answered by now, but anyway... Indy is closed. MuppetVision is currently showing the Frankenweenie preview, which is just the trailer plus the resurrection scene with 4-D effects added. If you're interested in seeing the movie, it might be worth checking out, but don't bother unless you're waiting for a Fastpass return time. To my knowledge, It's Tough to Be a Bug is the same movie at both locations (although I haven't been to WDW so I could be wrong). Grizzly River Run is a really good rapids ride, but you will likely get fairly wet so don't ride if you don't like wetness. You may hold one Fastpass per park at a time. A World of Color Showpass does not count as a Fastpass. On my last visit, I discovered that California Screamin' is not linked to the system, and you may have a Fastpass for that and another DCA ride at the same time. Also, remember that return windows are not enforced at the Disneyland Resort like they now are at WDW. To my knowledge, Splash Mountain is the same general storyline as the Florida version but the scenes are different. The ride is more of a traditional log flume with a faster current and inline seating as opposed to the hybrid flume/dark ride version in Florida. I've heard you don't get wet on Magic Kingdom's version, but you'll definitely get wet on Disneyland's (especially if the log is fully loaded). As for duplicate rides, I believe most attractions are similar but not identical between the two parks. In a majority of cases, the Disneyland one is the original version. I don't think any of the non-headliner duplicates are different enough to be worth bothering with, but this would be better answered by someone who has actually been on both versions. For spinning, you'll find several rides in DCA that either have rotating vehicles or circular motion. With the possible exception of Toy Story Midway Mania (which I believe is the same as the WDW version), these are not worth bothering with if you only have one day. At Disneyland, only the Mad Tea Party and Roger Rabbit feature spinning (other than flying in a circle such as Dumbo). If you want to do Roger Rabbit (recommended since it doesn't exist in Florida) but don't want to spin, just hold the steering wheel steady for the duration of the ride. Even if you do choose to spin it, the rotation is a lot slower than the tea cups. You can do both, but since you only have one day I'd say pick one or the other. The choice is really up to you. Personally, I'd pick Fantasmic because 1. you'll likely already be in Disneyland, 2. everything in World of Color is in Fantasmic, just in a smaller form, 3. Fantasmic is shorter, and 4. it's easy to arrive at Fantasmic 10 minutes before and get a great viewing spot (especially for the second show). While there are major differences, Fantasmic exists at WDW and that may be enough of a reason to see World of Color instead. Personally, I found World of Color to be an overly long fountain show that was visually impressive but got boring after ten minutes, but I know people who see it every time they visit because they love it so much. If you want to see World of Color, get a Showpass or arrive at least 30 minutes before to get a good viewing spot.

^Okay, in that case one day at Cedar Point is fine. I haven't been to Indiana Beach, but given the other parks and the time restriction on your trip I don't think Holiday World would be a good idea. From SFGAm, Holiday World is close to a 7 hour drive, and then it's another 3 hours to Kings Island. With Indiana Beach, there's only about 7 hours driving total and you've still got one really good woodie (Cornball Express) and a number of other unique attractions (Lost Coaster, Steel Hawg, Frankenstein's Castle, etc.). If you have to pick one or the other, Indiana Beach is probably the better option since it's almost directly on the way between SFGAm and Kings Island.

I've got a few comments on this plan: 1. I don't think it's very feasible to do Indiana Beach and Holiday World in one day. Indiana Beach is one of those parks that opens late (usually 11 A.M.), and Holiday World closes early (when I visited last year, it was 8:30 P.M.). Also, you'd be lucky to make that drive in 4 hours. Best case scenario would be you get to Indiana Beach at opening and get all the credits in two hours, then hightail it to Holiday World and have maybe three hours to do stuff (fortunately, the operations are usually efficient enough that on a weekday you can get on all the coasters in an hour or slightly more). If you're fine with just doing a credit run, you could do this, but otherwise you'd need to add a day or eliminate a park (see below). 2. You definitely will want to get the Flash Pass at Six Flags Great America and Fast Lane at Kings Island. While it may be possible to get all the credits done in one day without one (haven't been to either park so I'm not sure), you'll have a much more enjoyable time if you don't have to wait in lines. These are parks that routinely get 2+ hour waits for their headliner coasters. 3. Cedar Point in one day with Fast Lane is possible, but it will be exhausting. It may be worth skipping Michigan's Adventure to have a second day at Cedar Point. 4. Waldameer is another park that opens late (I believe it's typically noon), so unless you only plan to get the credits and leave you'll be getting home very late. Just a heads up. This plan is certainly doable, but it will be intense. Personally, I would recommend either extending the trip slightly or dropping a park just to make it a bit less strenuous. If you can add a day or two, I think your trip would be much more enjoyable. If you only have a week, I'd recommend dropping one of the below parks (pros and cons listed as well): Michigan's Adventure: Dropping this would extend your day one drive to 14 hours (depending on how far you're willing to drive before SFGAm, this could be shortened by a couple hours), and you would miss Shivering Timbers. However, as far as I'm aware there is very little else at this park that is notable, and it may be preferrable to have an extra day so you can split day four or spend an extra day at Cedar Point. Six Flags Great America: You would miss several highly rated and/or notable coasters by skipping this park (Raging Bull, Viper, X-Flight, the original Batman, etc.). However, it is somewhat out-of-the-way and many of the rides (especially the non-coaster rides) are not completely unique to this park. Skipping this park would give you the most benefits out of all the alternatives, as you would be able to have a second day at Cedar Point and not do Indiana Beach and Holiday World on the same day (instead, you could probably do Michigan's Adventure and Indiana Beach on the same day, as both are half-day parks and they are less than 4 hours apart). However, you also lose quite a bit by skipping SFGAm, as it is one of the three major Midwest parks. Holiday World: This is a great park (in fact, it's one of my favorites) and it would be a shame to skip it, but given the other parks on your route it is a bit out of the way. You'll add at least 3 hours of driving time by going here, but then again the park does have three of the best wooden coasters in North America. It's got more than credits, however, and I'd almost want to say if you can't give the park at least 1/2 a day it might be better to save it for a future trip. If you really want to just do a credit run, that's fine, but you'd probably enjoy your whole trip more if you had a relaxing day at Indiana Beach followed by a 3.5 hour drive to Kings Island. In the end, it's really your trip, and if you don't mind a shorter, more intense trip then go for it. Your plan would certainly make an excellent trip, and you'd be getting to some of the best coasters and parks in the country. It's just sometimes better to reduce the intensity and end up missing something than it is to go all out and be miserable by the end.

The Enterprise, both because I think the Schwarzkopf version is the best of the three I've tried and because it's the only Schwarzkopf flat I'm 100% sure I've been on.

I feel sorry for the park since they're now going to have to deal with the negative publicity from this incident. I don't fell sorry for the guy because, in my opinion, if you do something stupid and hurt yourself it is entirely your fault. Hopefully this doesn't cause Hurricane Harbor too many problems, as it doesn't sound like they are at fault in this case.

I hope there's more to it than just the eyes, as those by themselves look pretty bad. If there's more, however, it would probably have been better to just wait until the off-season and then put it on all at once.

I haven't been to all of these parks, but if I were doing the same trip I'd do the following: Day One: Drive to Erie (7 hours) Day Two: Morning and afternoon at Waldameer, then drive to Sandusky (3 hours) Day Three: Cedar Point (get Fast Lane) Day Four: Morning and afternoon at Cedar Point (no Fast Lane), then drive to Cincinnati Area (4 hours) Day Five: Kings Island (get Fast Lane) Day Six: Drive to Chicago area (5-6 hours) with a stop at Indiana Beach (3-4 hours) en route Day Seven: Wisconsin Dells (Mt. Olympus and Timber Falls), then stay near SFGAm Day Eight: Six Flags Great America (get Flash Pass), then drive partway to Michigan's Adventure Day Nine: Morning and afternoon at Michigan's Adventure (no Fast Lane), then drive to Toronto (7 hours) Day Ten: Canada's Wonderland (get Fast Lane) Day Eleven: Drive home (5 hours) Alternatively, you can drop Wisconsin Dells and/or add Holiday World. If doing Holiday World, you would drive partway to Santa Claus after Kings Island, then stay near Holiday World (or drive partway to Indiana Beach) afterward. Also, if you have a little extra time, you could add a day at the beginning by stopping in Buffalo, then doing Darien Lake the next day before driving to Erie.

Probably Knott's Berry Farm in early November, unless I decide to go to a park's Halloween event for once.

^Keep in mind that Indy is closed until December and both MuppetVision and It's Tough to Be a Bug exist at WDW (and therefore aren't worth doing if you visit WDW regularly). It's been a while since I've been to the parks on a Sunday, but my guess is you'd probably be able to get everything on your lists done (or close to it) in the amount of time you have. The parks will be busy until around dinner time, but late at night people will have cleared out somewhat. Most visitors to the Disneyland Resort are Annual Passholders, and on Sundays families tend to visit then leave due to school/work the next day. If you want to do both parks, here is what I would recommend: 1. Upon arrival, enter Disneyland. Get a Fastpass for Space Mountain, as the Ghost Galaxy overlay is very popular. Then head to DCA. 2. Do not attempt to get a Fastpass for Radiator Springs Racers, as they will be long gone (they usually run out within an hour of opening). Instead, head to Soarin' and get a Fastpass. If you want to see World of Color, check by Grizzly River Run to see if Showpasses are still available, and get them if they are. Then, go to California Screamin' and get a Fastpass (your Soarin' tickets will say you can't, but when I visited this week it worked and I've heard California Screamin' has been removed from the loop). While waiting, do any of the following: -Goofy's Sky School (mainly if you want the credit...there's a single rider line that usually gets you on within 15 minutes) -Grizzly River Run (the line for this will probably be long, but it also has a fast moving single rider line) -Little Mermaid (never has a significant line) -Toy Story Midway Mania (it usually has a bit of a line, so if you've been on it in Florida it might not be worth it) -Paradise Pier flat rides (these are mainly time-killers if you've already done the above) 3. After your ride on California Screamin', head to Cars Land and ride Radiator Springs Racers using the single rider line (should be 30 minutes or so). You may also want to do Mater's Junkyard Jamboree if the line is short, as that ride is better than it appears. Skip Luigi's Flying Tires. 4. If you still have time before your Soarin' Fastpasses are good, go ride Tower of Terror or occupy yourself in some other way. As soon as you can, ride Soarin', then head to Disneyland. 5. Get a Fastpass for one of the rides you want to do at Disneyland as soon as you enter, then make your way around the park. The order you visit rides in won't matter too much, but here are a few general strategies: -Ride the Fantasyland dark rides (Alice, Mr. Toad, Pinocchio, and small world from your list) during the parade, or wait until after the fireworks. Note that the first three close during the fireworks, but they will reopen a short while after. -Matterhorn Bobsleds has a single rider line, which will save you time if you don't mind splitting up and/or you want to ride both tracks (they will usually let you request a side even with Single Rider). -Pirates and Jungle Cruise rarely get long lines, so you can do those whenever. -Since Haunted Mansion gets a bit of a line during the Holiday overlay, Fastpass may be a good idea. Even without it, the line likely won't be more than 30 minutes, and if you wait until later it may be a walk on. -Ride Splash Mountain after 10 P.M. for a short wait. You will get a little wet, but unless the boat is fully loaded it's usually not that bad. -Use Fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or wait until the last hour of operation -Don't forget about those Space Mountain Fastpasses you picked up first thing -Finding Nemo is a unique attraction, but I'd skip it if the line is over 30 minutes. I'd also skip the Monorail as it is a bit of a ride (approximately 20 minutes) and you can see the same stuff from the ground) -If you finish DCA early enough (say 5 P.M. or before), go to Toontown and ride Roger Rabbit's Car-Toon Spin. It is not present at WDW and has Fastpass (like California Screamin', these are disconnected from the loop and can be held at the same time as another Fastpass). There's a credit back here as well (Gadget's Go Coaster), but the line will probably be lengthy so it may not be worth it. Note that Toontown closes around 8 P.M. when there are fireworks. -If you're not seeing World of Color, I'd recommend seeing Fantasmic. Go to the later showing and arrive about 10 minutes before, and you'll still get a good view (standing room only). If you are seeing World of Color, head back to DCA about 30 minutes before your showtime and return to Disneyland afterward. That's about it. Both parks are possible, and you'll probably be able to complete your list, but don't expect short lines. If you decide to do Disneyland only, I'd recommend adding Autopia, Buzz Lightyear, Star Tours, and Snow White to your itinerary, but if you're doing both parks they can be skipped as all of them have (or had) WDW equivalents.

California Screamin' at Disney California Adventure Park. It may not be one of the greatest coasters ever, but in my opinion it's one of the most underrated.

Best roller coaster view EVER??? Quite possibly. I'd say there are several rides I've been on that have good views, but Ocean Park's blows them away. I do wonder what the view would be like from the new coaster at Glenwood Caverns. Having a ride on top of a mountain would probably give some pretty good views, although probably not quite as good as these.

I've only been to Five Guys once, and while I thought it was decent I also felt it was very overpriced. I prefer In-N-Out, although I don't think they're super amazing like some people do and probably wouldn't miss it if I moved out of California. For me, the biggest surprise was how high A&W ranked, and how low McDonald's ranked, although I guess it might make more sense if the restaurants are being ranked mainly on their burgers and not on the restaurant overall. Just for fun, here's how I'd rank the ones I've been to, best to worst (based on the whole menu, not just burgers): Fuddruckers Carl's Jr. In-N-Out Steak 'n Shake McDonald's Five Guys A&W Restaurant Wendy's Dairy Queen Jack in the Box Sonic Burger King

I'd like to echo what has been suggested and say that if you are too young to rent a car, doing a TPR trip is your best option. Assuming both 2013 US trips happen, you'd be able to visit the parks of California, Texas, and Missouri, along with Six Flags Great America and Cedar Point. You'll get all kinds of perks you wouldn't have otherwise, and the only effort required is making sure to be on time for bus departures. If your schedule is flexible and your finances permit, sign up for both of the 2013 US tours, then stop by Minneapolis on the way home. If not, try to do one of the two (West Coast if you prefer themed attractions, Texas/Midwest if you primarily care about thrill rides). Finally, save Florida for a future visit.

This is great. I've never been to Cowabunga Bay, but I have driven by it on a ski trip and it looked like a great waterpark for families. Las Vegas could really use a waterpark, and this would probably be very successful if geared toward locals.

I went and saw Trouble with the Curve over the weekend. It was just okay. While Clint Eastwood is great as usual and the other leads did a good job, the film is just a bit too generic and predictable to be a notable drama. It's worth seeing, but unless you're a huge fan of Clint Eastwood I'd probably recommend saving money and just waiting for the DVD. I'd give the film a C+.

Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy at Disneyland last night. Likely my last coaster for a couple months since school is starting.

It's going to be great if this ends up to be the opposite of SFMM where there is no excitement at all and then Knott's announces a record breaker. Will it happen? I'd bet against it, but you can't be certain until the announcement. Anyway, I've pretty much got to the point where if they get flat rides, I'll be glad they're getting something new. If they also get a splash battle, I think it would be an excellent addition. If they get a coaster, that's great, and if it's a major coaster I'd be thrilled no matter how much people complain about it. If this turns out to just be return of the Scrambler, then I'll be significantly disappointed, and if it's nothing at all I think the park will suffer for it. I'd be very surprised to see the park get a major coaster this year with Cedar Fair already building two, but I also don't think getting a coaster the size of a mouse means it's a bad ride. Depending on how it's interpreted, anything from a generic mouse to an El Loco could fit that description. I know it's probably not very likely, but if the park is looking for a mouse-like family-friendly coaster, I'd vote for a Gerstlauer Bobsled. I've never been on one, but from what I've heard they range from good to excellent and I think they probably only cost around $3 million. Of course, this only applies if the park would run it correctly and not trim it to death like most Cedar Fair coasters.

Waldameer is my favorite non-major park, so it's great to hear that they're doing well enough to expand like this. For a small park, this is certainly a big deal. Next time I'm in Pennsylvania, I'll have to go back and see how the park is progressing.

Disneyland on Monday.