HAUNT MANIAC

What happens behind the bumper cars . . . stays behind the bumper cars . . . shhhhh . . . I know they installed a new fence to keep people away from the water, but it is still open during Haunt so I don't see why they would close it during regular season but I will check it out the next time I go for sure . . .

Eltoro, glad to hear you had a great time in Canada. Your pictures are great! You took some that I don't have yet so I'm going try to snap some that are close to some of yours, if you don't mind. Glad you got the Dragon and Wilde Beast, those have been at the park since opening day, 33 years ago! Those statues are very photogenic and they are always smiling . . . ha! When you come back, go and find the bumper cars, there is a path that goes around the back and you can overlook a small bay and take amazing pictures of a viking ship, Dragon Fire, Leviathan and some small flats all in the same scene . . . very photogenic indeed . . . a little secret place that most people don't know about.

I've only been to CW once this year even with a season pass and I waited an hour to buy a pizza! Hour and a half to get on Guardian. Not too busy but still very long wait times.

Canadians LOVE Darien Lake. We ALWAYS have! Much better atmosphere than Wonderland, and you don't need a thick wallet at Darien Lake either. The asphalt is easier on the feet and the small details mean so much like the flower lined paths are sooooo beautiful, nice job DL keep up the great work!

Dude, you might want to get your eye looked at . . . it's starting to look a little infected . . . did a Haunt zombie do that to you?

Disney would have built a store right inside the mountain! That would have been cool. We could have spent some more time in the mountain.

I think they could have added something like this, not just all video screens, even outside the entrance would have been cool . . .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOpSchnybWE . . . this very cool/awesome dragon is at West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada.

How did Nik's motorcycle stunt go? Did anyone here see it/video it?

Denning, I think Coasterfreak meant, why couldn't they have made the cars so that there would be a little tilting action, something like Spider-man. Triotech showed a lot more movements on some of thier other vehicles at test facilities and other theatre installations. Even Toy Story has more movement . . . I havn't been on yet, but . . . you'd think they could have made it so that you could at least shoot on both sides . . . just one 90 degree turn? . . . really? . . . and where is that president guy from Triotech? . . . is he still as excited about it as he was when he first announced it? . . . he seemed to make it more exciting . . . oh well . . .

I'm wondering if anyone can help me. Everytime myself and my family make the trip to Darien Lake down from Toronto, we always have this debate . . . some of my family members like to camp and some prefer to stay in the lodge . . . so here is the debate . . . is it cheaper for us to camp/lodge for 2 or 3 nights and get 'free' admission to the park . . . or . . . is it cheaper for any or all of us to get season passes . . . and . . . is there a discount when you camp/lodge with a season pass . . . and . . . if so, what is the difference in price/savings . . . any help would be great . . . thanks! . . . I just noticed that park admission is no longer included in campground/lodge purchases! Please, if anyone can help me, it would be very much appreciated!

I'm wondering if anyone can help me. Everytime myself and my family make the trip to Darien Lake down from Toronto, we always have this debate . . . some of my family members like to camp and some prefer to stay in the lodge . . . so here is the debate . . . is it cheaper for us to camp/lodge for 2 or 3 nights and get 'free' admission to the park . . . or . . . is it cheaper for any or all of us to get season passes . . . and . . . is there a discount when you camp/lodge with a season pass . . . and . . . if so, what is the difference in price/savings . . . any help would be great . . . thanks! Oh, one more question . . . do you think Tim Horton's would be more popular at Darien Lake than a Starbucks? At Wonderland, it will probably be about the same because we get a lot of American visitors who would prefer Starbucks and a lot of Canadians prefer Statbucks as well, so it will probably be pretty equal at Wonderland this year, having both . . . and yeah, I guess some Americans prefer Tim's too . . . Wonderland has Canadian Pizza Pizza but I sure some people would prefer Pizza Hut as well . . . a lot of questions . . . take your time . . .

Tim Horton's now open at Canada's Wonderland. Okay, I find it funny that Darien Lake got a Tim's before Wonderland . . . that's like Wonderland getting a Starbucks before Darien Lake . . . oh wait . . . Wonderland does have a Starbucks, HA! okay, that's weird . . .

My bad! Sorry, I thought UFO was more like a Gravitron ride. Yes, of course Wonderland still has Nightmares. They are returning Nightmares to it's original theming in the Medieval Faire area. If UFO and Nightmares are the same, then maybe Wonderland does have the old parts to UFO, although it still looks like it is in pretty good shape. Not too many break downs at this point.

Nope. Wonderland doesn't have UFO nor anything like it, so we wouldn't need the parts either. Turning it into a Halloween attraction would be cool though. They could make some kind of a bizarre haunted carnival were all the rides are broken down and all the games are run by zombie carnies . . . what do you think?

Thanks, Laker, but I'll keep checking here if something changes. Like I said before, campers and lodgers are already getting into the park 'for free', so that's why I questioned if the happiness guarantee would apply. Ha! I used to go to Darien Lake before you were born! You missed out on the Darien Lake Fun Country days.

Has anyone heard yet if there is any kind of happiness guarantee for campers and lodgers?

If you enter the park on a comp, for sure they won't give you another one. You'll only be able to get a comp on a full price ticket, maybe not even on a discounted ticket, that's why I'm not sure if it will work for campers. Campers already get free admission to the park, be sure to read the fine print.

Yeah, like if the wood they sell you at the campground shop doesn't light on the first match, or if you have to pack up your tent soaking wet, or if they sell out of batteries for your flashlight. Oh, by the way, all these things really happened to me and my family last year!

Hmmmmm . . . yeah they do look like dips and it looks like there are four funnels. Have you heard the radio commercial yet? For sure it said a NEW triple drop waterslide at Splashworks. Maybe they are installing something different, that's why it appears like the supports being assembled in the parking lot don't seem to be from Ontario Place. What do you think, Dom? And nice to be talking to you on Theme Park Review while CW Mania is down for maintenance.

I wonder what the provisions will be if you are a camper? Do you get a free night of camping?

I believe there were three drops into three funnels.

Yes, Leviathan, but the radio ad said NEW triple drop waterslide.

As I was coming home from work this morning, I heard a Wonderland commercial on the radio and they were promoting season passes. They mentioned Guardian but also a triple drop waterslide in Splashworks (our waterpark). Our waterpark currently does not have a triple drop waterslide, so this may be the new slide from nearby Ontario Place that has been seen at the park.

Darien Lake might have become a true theme park in 1979, but I know my first trip to Darien Lake Fun Country was before I was 11 and I know they had a few "carnival" style rides before 1979 at the campground. 1979 was the first time you could call it a theme park, but not the first time they had some rides.