CaptainUnknown

Surge.

Episode.

This is where the Journey Begins. The first step Into the Unknown. You stand at the edge, unsure of what to do next? So now you have a choice: You take the Blue Pill, the journey ends here. You continue browsing the forums. You take the Red Pill, you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. *************************************************************************************************************** Journey 1: Fun Spot AKA a Lazy Week in Orlando. It has come time for spring break of my last year in college. My father needed to take some vacation time. Going to college in Tampa, our timeshare had some rather tantalizing options on International Drive in Orlando. Including one resort next door to Fun Spot Orlando. So dad flies in to TPA on Friday night, he spends the night in my dorm, and the next morning, we begin the harrowing drive on I4 between Tampa and Orlando. Much to our surprise, we arrive safely at our resort at the north end of I-Drive. We check in and head up to our room with a view. And what a view it is. So now it's time to head into the park to process our season passes. With our passes processed and wristbands on, there was only one acceptable course of action: White Lightning! After a couple laps there, we wandered over to Gator Spot. Always an interesting walkthrough. So glad it's included with the wristband. Gator. Gator Pile! Crikey, mate! But the star of Gator Spot is easily the albino gator Bouyah. I texted this picture of Bouyah to mother saying, "Look what we found outside our room!" Bouyah! After saying later to the gators, we wandered around the park for some more rides on White Lightning and Freedom Flyer before walking back to our room so we could pick up some food for the week. After a couple days of riding White Lightning non-stop, we had an itch that needed to be scratched. So we headed south along I-Drive so we could have our mines blown. Our chariot awaits! Last year, we'd seen it under construction. But now it was finally time to ride. We sat down in the back row of that ever-so-comfortable Timberliner and waited almost impatiently for the train to crest the lift. Yeet! Ho. Lee. Sh!t. It was worth the wait. I thought I loved White Lightning, but wowzers is Mine Blower awesome! Relentless pacing with so much airtime. So we had to run back around for the front to confirm it was just as bad-A$$. Spoiler: it was. After another ride in the back, dad had to take a breather while I ran around for another couple laps before I too had to catch my breath. And what better way to calm down from Mine Blower than a lap on the best Spinning Mouse in Florida and a cycle on the inverting frisbee? Okay, we've calmed down enough. Let's get our Mines Blown some more! A couple laps later, Dad needed to relax a bit so we walked around the park and Old Town a bit, taking a spin on the Ferris Wheel as well. Hello, Kitty But how could I resist the urge to take pictures of Mine Blower from across the pond? I couldn't. Loop-Dee-Loop! Since we were over there, I mentioned to dad that our passes got us discounts on the Skycoaster and I wanted to do it with him since I flew alone last year. But nope, he wasn't interested. It wasn't meant to be this year. We got another lap on the "spinning" mouse. "Spinning" was in quotes there because we got the rare ride where our car was not unlocked for spinning. Realizing it was a fluke, we had to get another lap and boy, did we spin so much that it made up for the dud. A couple more laps on Mine Blower and Dad needed to go back to the room. He took a nap, while I went back out to White Lightning and the Paratrooper since I knew the latter was leaving soon for Atlanta and needed some rides on it before it closed. After the cycle, my cart stopped at the top for a while because they were having some troubles with the lap bar. I wouldn't have minded this so much if there wasn't a chilling wind that night. After being liberated, the park was just about to close for the night so it was time to go to bed. Waking up the next afternoon, it was time to take some pictures while dad just stayed in the room to relax. I could get used to this view Ferris Wheel! IoA in the distance You can get some neat shots of White Lightning from the sidewalk outside the park. Going down the drop! Coming back in. Fun to ride and great to photograph! We took a break from Fun Spot for some time at Disney! ...Springs. Growing up in Minneapolis, I went to the Mall of America a lot. Even now, I could spend several days just walking around without getting a Nickelodeon Universe wristband. But with Disney Springs, the couple hours I spent there were more than enough. Even with nearly an hour sitting at the top of the Coke store with a cup of Beverly. Though I was glad to have tried Pizza Ponte. Thanks for the recommendation, Robb! You say Living Statue, I say Weeping Angel. Don't Blink. Well, our trip was now coming to an end. Dad had to fly back to Minneapolis and I had to go back to school. But not without some last rides on White Lightning, Freedom Flyer, and Mine Blower. Under the lift. Fountain Underbelly of the Paratrooper Glad I got my last rides in. Have fun in Atlanta! And of course, I had to get a hat.

Today, 9/18 is National Cheeseburger Day in America! Be sure to celebrate!!

Man.

Carolina Cyclone--Carowinds. Why did that tree have to be there?

^Yep!

Up Next: -Follow the Yellow Brick Road. -All the King's Horses and All The King's Men. -Located 5+ hours east of Mount Rushmore.

Freak.

Saw a car with this in the McDonald's drive-thru tonight. RIP Wash While I'm a fan of what the quote is referencing, it's probably not the best thing to put on your car as it was said by someone who shortly after saying it crashed and died.

Tayto Park's Cu Chulainn?

A DVD copy of The Goonies for $5. Fun fact: John Matuszak, who played Sloth, and I both attended the University of Tampa.

Snake.

So I'm curious as to what exactly is the reasoning behind this? I'd have thought it'd be the opposite way around.

Cash.

And I thought I got screwed by the weather in Charlotte when I went to Carowinds at the beginning of the month. That sucks man.

Thanks! Rye Playland and Lake Compounce used to have ones too. Not sure why we have so many, but I'm not complaining! At least the midwest has that awesome indoor wipeout at Worlds of Fun. As one who has operated Valleyfair's Scrambler, I too wish more scramblers were enclosed. The ride's shade structure is a mesh canopy on a stick. Does so little against sun or rain that it might as well not be there. But yes, Cyclone Sams is awesome.

Still not working as of last Tuesday. Or today.

Around.

Pepperoni.

If I was a conspiracy theorist of an enthusiast, I'd say there's something intriguing about Valleyfair first getting Carowinds' ex-GM and then getting CGA's. On a more personal note, I'm going to miss Brad. He was always willing to talk whenever we saw each other on the midways.

Nevermore.

^Bill, I don't know who buys more stuff on eBay: you or Weird Al Yankovic.

I bought one of those car vent phone holders. $15. Took it out of the box to test it and the damn thing won't hold my phone secure when I'm holding the apparatus in my hand. It's getting returned and the search begins for a better one.