CaptainUnknown

Disney thought so too, which is why they used Tiger roars and in Lion King.

Definite: -The 4 WDW parks -Busch Gardens Tampa -Universal Orlando/IOA -Nickelodeon Universe (MN) If only for the Log Chute Most Likely: -Six Flags Fiesta Texas -SeaWorld San Antonio -ZDT's -Valleyfair Possibly: -SeaWorld Orlando -Fun Spot Orlando If the San Antonio Trip doesn't pan out: -Six Flags Great America I've said I'd definitely be going to but still haven't gone; so this might be my lucky year: -Adventureland (IA)

Yeah, the backstage tour is the only thing I could recommend of the theatre. The productions themselves are more focused on style than substance. And by substance, I mean being able to tell a compelling story without being overly preachy. But yes, Branson. Silver Dollar City NOT complete: -Not enough cinnamon bread -Wanted to take the cave tour again with dad on day 2, but his back couldn't take it -Skipped log flume *prepares to run from an angry coasterbill* -Went the week before the pirate show started--really wanted to see that

Thank you for the compliments. And no one need worry about my sleep--I got a full 8 hours before going to Silver Dollar City.

Silver Dollar City is one of those parks where one could spend a full week at and feel like you didn't spend enough time there. It's Branson in general. I'd love to live there if I didn't hate driving in those hills.

^Ah, man.

Journey 9: A Week in Branson AKA Silver Dollar City and More. I'm going to get this out of the way now: I love Branson. Silver Dollar City is a big part of it. Another part is just how beautiful the area can be. But to see that beauty, one must first get to the southern edge of Missouri from Minneapolis. So begins the game of Tetris that is loading the car. I work the evening/night shift. We wanted to leave home at 6am. Can you see the problem here? So my plan was to sleep until Kansas City. I barely slept on the ride down. Not this time, Worlds of Fun. We get to Branson about 8 pm. By the time I finally crawl into bed, I've been awake for about 36 hours straight. Ugh. This is the part where you'd expect me to head straight into Silver Dollar City, right? Nope. I'm going make you read the other boring stuff first. But chronologically, yes, I did go to Silver Dollar City the next morning. Other than lounge around our lodgings on Table Rock Lake and Silver Dollar City, my family also went to one of the multitude of shows that Branson had to offer. The chosen show was Samson at Sight and Sound. A place that turns Bible stories into musicals. Not my choice, I would have gone to the Dolly Parton show, whatever it's called now. Going in, I was hoping it would be more along the lines of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph or Jesus Christ Superstar. Nope. The Theatre has some amazing production value--particularly in the costume and set design. The acting in the show was good enough, with the guy playing the show's main antagonist feeling like a cross between Charlie Day and Christopher Fitzgerald (who originated Boq in Wicked), but not great. No music really stood out. And the entire production kept beating a dead horse when it came to its Biblical message. Not the best metaphor when your show uses live animals. However, if you can stomach it, the theatre does offer backstage tours that show off how great their production design is. And the tours are led by members of the cast. Looking at the house from the stage. Sets for the show. More Samson sets. *Billy Mays voice* But wait, there's more sets for Samson! So many set pieces. Most pieces are movable. The backside of sets! Some sets held on from when they did Noah's Ark. Some animatronic Noah cows. Animatronic elephant. The Ark. Live Parrot used in the show. More live animals. Better shot of the Parrot. Costume racks. More Costumes. The stage from the house. But enough of that, time to show off how beautiful our resort was. Starting with the view from the edge of the infinity pool. Table Rock Lake is beautiful. Our lodging for the week was a 5 bedroom town home. Our house, in the middle of our street. Complete with 3-headed showers Some comfortable chairs... For watching a 90" screen. This raccoon wanted to join us inside. For those of you still reading, or just scrolling looking for the good stuff: You've found it. Welcome to Silver Dollar City. I spent 2 days at Silver Dollar City during the week: alone on Sunday and then again on Thursday with dad. Day 1 was after the ride down after spending 36 straight hours awake. I hadn't eaten anything in nearly 24 hours outside of a couple chocolate bars. So my first stop should have been the Cinnamon bread. But since I'm an absolute idiot, my first stop was Time Traveler. I absolutely loved the ride. It was just so much fun. My first ride, by luck, I was placed in the back car as a single rider. That drop out of the station is awesome. The ride was disorienting in the best way. I think the biggest problem with the ride was the pause at the launch. Do I think it needed to be there? No, but I'm not everyone with a weak stomach. Do I think some shed-type thing could be there? Yes, but it's not needed. The ride is awesome without it. Seems Like I want to go to the third floor. I'm early. But I'm also late. I was expecting a Blue Box. Not for those with tell-tale hearts. Captain Hook would also have a heart attack. After a couple wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey rides, you'd think now I'd finally get something to eat. Probably cinnamon bread? Still no food for me as I jumped in line to see the Saloon Show. Another funny show filled with bad jokes and pretty girls. Couldn't snare a pic with the show's drummer. I know it's a cymbal blocking her face, that was the only drum pun I could think of. Me with the Saloon Girls. And the host of the show. (from day 2) Several rides, a show, and over a day after I'd last had a meal, you'd think it would finally be time I found some food. Wildfire said "not yet." After Wildfire, I finally picked up some food. My appetite sated, it was time. Time for what you ask? Time to take my horse to the Outlaw Run. Riiiiide til I can't no more. I loved Outlaw Run back when I visited back in 2014. It was slightly rougher than I remembered it, but it's still a very smooth wooden coaster and an awesome one to boot. RMC is amazing. I did some wandering around the park, took the train to get some shots of Outlaw Run. Didn't get much. I quickly popped into Fireman's Landing for the S&S tower (which I previously rode when it was at Celebration City). It was one of the S&S towers to add seat belts. And that slowed operations to a crawl. And the ride had no airtime and a cycle shorter than Kevin Hart. Finally, I made my way to the front of the park for the cave tour. I stopped to get some Cinnamon Bread, but they were temporarily sold out, but I could wait a couple minutes for it to come out of the oven. In hindsight, I should have waited. I missed the cutoff for the cave tour and waited for the following one--enough time to eat a loaf. And by the time I got out of the cave, the shop had closed. Now I won't bother sharing too many cave pictures as my phone has terrible low-light capability. In Marvel Cave, Batman need not apply. ECHO! ECHo, ECho, Echo, echo... Waterfall of light. The cave tour rocks. After I got out of the cave tour, the sun had descended. A perfectly dark time in the park. And almost no one left inside. I had 30 minutes of night rides available to me. There was only one option: Outlaw Run. I got another 4 or 5 rides at night at various points in the train before getting on the last dispatch of the night on Wildfire. As previously said, Dad came with me on the second day. Which involved me dragging him around the park as much as he could handle. The constant breaks he had to take gave me some opportunities for more photography this day. So instead of a play by play I don't fully remember, I'll just leave you with some pictures and some occasional commentary on what he thought of the park. Dad wasn't a fan of Time Traveler. Outlaw Run through the trees. But Outlaw Run is now known as "Snot Muffin" according to dad. Please let this become a word filter. Wildfire under the lift and through the trees. Powder Keg blocking the Sun. Outlaw Run dispatched so little, that I was never able to get a picture with a train here. The remains of Buzzsaw Falls. What a beautiful park. Bill's pride and joy. Wish I got a better angle on this shot. Dad wasn't a fan that I beat him at Flooded Mine. We come in peace; shoot to kill. Surprisingly, dad liked this more than me. And he hates shaky rides. Today only, my butt! Or since time is relative, everyday can be today! I finally picked up a couple loaves of Cinnamon Bread on the way out of the park. Mother was initially upset we brought it back to the lodge because we "didn't need it," but she couldn't help but wanting more. Goodbye Silver Dollar City. Until next time. And of course, I had to get a Time Traveler hat. Already have an Outlaw Run and Wildfire hat from previous trip.

The reason the article says to not ride Kumba is because it's all the way in the back of the park. So, you're telling me not to ride the coaster on account of laziness? That's what the skyride's for, biotch. Oh wait, you don't want us riding that either.

Those Interstate Amusement Co. hours sound like they were written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll for those not mad enough to know). Though it's something one should expect that close to Portland.

Happy national what's in the box day! And if you don't get what you want, you can become wrath.

Another day, another dollar taxed.

Was that just a bread bun dyed black, or was it of some other "food" substance? It reminds me of that Halloween publicity stunt Burger King did a few years back with the Whopper.

If Keanu Reeves played basketball, would that make him Air Wick?

Blood.

Lighter.

Tied for first place is still first. Just ask Six Flags and their multiple "tallest in the world" frisbees.

Or they forgot to spell check "hollowed."

^ In 2018: Steel Venom. In previous years: Power Tower.

Bacon.

A down payment on a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage.

Journey 8: Valleyfair AKA Ride Operator Year 4 of 4 So 2018 was my fourth and last year of being a ride op at Valleyfair. Since I've posted reports of my previous years at the park, I won't bother you too much with a lot of talking here. So I'll just let my favorite photos from this year do the talking. Rides operated this year: Delirious Steel Venom Scrambler Flying Eagles Tilter North Star Antique Autos Carousel The Wave My old friend, Power Tower. Corkscrew sucks to ride, but fun to photograph. The Carousel "Organ" Wild Thing took the tunnel. North Star, doing its thing. Nyoooom! Underside of the Northern Lights. The Prince and the Nutcracker. Through the Trees. Sunset Dive. The Harlem Globetrotters came in for a couple shows.

I couldn't have said this better myself, being in the same line of work. It boggles my mind how any grown adult, or even HS or College student, could be legitimately scared by anything that occurs at a Six Flags or Cedar Fair Halloween event. I too enjoy them for the artistry of it all. Now, some of the intense haunts (like that one in Spain described in the TR or some of the nuttier ones in PA), where people are touching you, restraining you, throwing stuff on you...I can see how that could cause some psychological trauma. But kids in face paint, masks, and sparking sliders? LOL. I've spent some time working at Cedar Fair haunts, standalone no-contact haunts, and some contact haunts. There is no question that even the actors prefer the contact haunts. You almost feel restrained working at a contactless haunt vs a contact haunt. Which is even worse while at a Theme Park Haunt. And while going through contact haunts, it just feels so much more personal than other haunts, especially when going through conga-line style. Conga lines suck for everyone.

My workplace Halloween Party was on Monday and I won the costume contest. I also chased my supervisor out of the mini-haunt we set up.

Jake.

Town.