Hilltopper39

Just a very long shot darkhorse rumor idea here but since Intamin is just the speculated and rumored manufacturer at this point but not confirmed, is it possible that this could be an American version of that new B&M prototype going to Gardaland? I remember recently seeing some track pictures from the B&M track fabrication facility in Ohio in a strange color scheme that possibly could work for the desert/jungle/cheetah theme. I don't know if B&M manufactures track for foreign rides at the Ohio plant, but with no other north american B&M's announced for 2011 that track is either for Gardaland or a yet to be announced project. Also considering Busch's longstanding relationship with B&M they would be a perfect candidate for another ride especially a prototype (wasn't Sheikra the first large scale dive machine)? But also considering they already have almost a full B&M catalog they'd be a great candidate for a ride from a different manufacturer as well. Just an idea......

Without a question, Starflyers. All of them are terrifying. 100 plus feet in the air being held up by the smallest chain links possible, terrifying. But at the same time they are a lot of fun too

My Brother is a pretty large individual, 5'11 6'0 ish and around if well not over 300 pounds. He doesn't fit into any of the B&M's anywhere but as far as Orlando goes he fits into everything at Disney. Everest, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Rock n Roller Coaster, and Test Track (I know its not a coaster) are all very accommodating for larger riders. When I used to work at Everest I don't recall ever having to turn away anyone for being to large to ride, which is great in my opinion. But as far as the B&M's go, like every one else has said, it really depends on your body size and type. Knowing my brothers size and shape and comparing him to your pic I would say you should probably be okay on Manta (he didn't fit on Manta but is much larger around the middle than you), but the Hulk and Dragons will be real tight squeeze. And forget about Rip Ride Rockit, I'm 6'2 245 in decent shape and barley fit on Rockit, those restraints are just kinda akward and not very accommodating to larger riders. Good Luck! ***Also, dont know if anyone else mentioned this but most every major ride in Orlando (I know Dragons, Hulk, and Rockit do) will have a test seat out front with the Modified harness to try out before getting in line. Try those out before you get in line!

As bad as most 'top tens" are that are published by magazines and newspapers and discovery channel shows this ones is actually not that bad. The only two rides on that list that don't belong (in my opinion) are probably Thunderbolt and Viper. And Paul Reuben does seem like a huge douche

What kind of crowds can I expect on a Saturday in late August, August the 28th to be exact? Does Carowinds do any type of qbot/express pass/ early access for club members or hotel guests, or will they let me ride Intimadator on roller skates naked since its my birthday?

Glad to see the looping star getting a nice new home, I spent a lot of hot hours with no shade in the Kentucky Summer Sun standing on the platform of that crappy little looping star, but had a ton of fun doing it! I wonder if it still gets stuck on the little air (or lack of ) hill before the helix into the brake run. I used to have to walk up the track and push the car over the edge which looking back on it was completely unsafe but at the time it was the best method haha.

For me Phantoms Revenge is one of the most underrated coasters in the world. I rank it above Millennium Force, Hulk, Manta, Montu, Magnum, Diamondback, Dragster and a heck of a lot of other steel coasters that always wind up in people top 10's. That thing is just awesome, great speed ,crazy air time, incredible setting, incredible first drop, comfortable trains and just an all around awesome coaster that doesn't get the respect it deserves!

Yeah the Atlantis does look pretty incredible. The only reason I said affordable was because I'm not entirely sure how much everyone in the group is interested in spending on their excursion. We may just have to have a few different groups go on different excursions based on what everyone wants to do. Since we will be there in January snorkeling and going to a beach may not be the best idea but we'll see. Do anyone know if the pools and water park at Atlantis are heated?

My finance and I have a very large group post-wedding cruise planned with 40 of our close friends from college and home. Were sailing on the Carnival Sensation for a quick 3 night cruise to Nassau and back in January. Ive never been on a cruise and realize that Carnival, and January, aren't the best l cruise line/time to cruise but were very excited about the trip. We think that for our group of 40 young mostly single people, who are probably gonna do quite a bit of drinking and partying, the Carnival Atmosphere should be just fine and hopefully a lot of fun! Elissa or anyone else out there have any suggestions for a group excursion thats fairly affordable and fun? Or suggestions on which excursions to completely avoid? We dock in Nassau (which I realize isn't the greatest port), and were docked there for almost the entire day (8am till 2am I think). The majority of our group has never been on a cruise so most excursions should be unique to them. Any suggestions from the TPR cruise experts out there would be appreciated! Thanks

Every night at TPRLand has to end with Illumigaytions: Reflections of Piers.

TPRLand should defiantly a water park with a rapids ride, Aqua Trax, Log Flume, and a float through dark ride. And of course it's included with park admission

Is it just me or does it seem like all of the really unique innovations in the amusement industry in the last 8 or so years have been in water park related attraction and technology. I know there are some unique coasters that have debuted recently but other than beyond vertical drops, vertical lifts and on board audio there really hasn't been much new. Water parks have seen new attraction indoors, outdoors, bowl slides of all shapes and sizes, half pipes, master blaster, lim launches, huge interactive play structures, racing mat slides, quasi looping slides and more all within like the last 8 years or so. Slides are even being created now with interactive theming and elements like the Dragon slide at Schlitterbahn and Disco H2O. There is just a lot of really really cool stuff these days in the world of water parks, and this slides seems to continue that trend.

I agree with Elissa, IOA is my favorite park and i think its one of th best around but my last visit the whole place just kinda felt like Journey to Atlantis at Sea World Orlando feels, dated and falling apart even though it was once very unique and interesting. The que line to Spider Man was faded and the props were broken, all of the water rides felt very 'weathered' and smelled like old damp and dingy water rides. The If I ran the Zoo walk through in Seuss Landing was all faded and non of the effects worked, half of the effects in Jurassic Park River Adventure didn't work, Hulk was very faded looking, and the ride crews just about everywhere were terrible. Workers on cell phones everywhere, just a generally uninterested look on everyones face who worked there, at least that was my impression. The past two trips Ive had to the resort Ive had a better experience at the Studios. Hopefully Harry Potter will really inspire some changes to the place and some new attractions in the future will drive the attendance up.

If the beast did get Re-tracked with this Iron horse steel rail concept it would upset a lot of people, but personally I think it would be great. That ride is a shadow of its former self with the trim brakes completely reducing the speed and intensity it once had. While its still a decent wooden coaster and certainly unique, a steel track overhaul with some re-profiling of the drops and adding in some air time on the back stretch, and possibly making the final helix a steeper bank that ride with its location and history and already unique layout could really be something special again. What if an extra couple hundred feet of track were added before the first brake shed or after the final helix making the beast the longest coaster in the world, that would be cool as well. On a random side thought, what if all of the previously listed coasters got overhauls and the worlds new top 10 list starts looking like the top 10 list from the mid 90's? Beast, ghost rider, Texas giant, Mean Streak, Rattler. If all of those coasters were restored to their former glory I don't know what out there besides El Toro, Balder, and maybe Thunderhead and Troy could compete. Just a thought

If the beast did get Re-tracked with this Iron horse steel rail concept it would upset a lot of people, but personally I think it would be great. That ride is a shadow of its former self with the trim brakes completely reducing the speed and intensity it once had. While its still a decent wooden coaster and certainly unique, a steel track overhaul with some re-profiling of the drops and adding in some air time on the back stretch, and possibly making the final helix a steeper bank that ride with its location and history and already unique layout could really be something special again. What if an extra couple hundred feet of track were added before the first brake shed or after the final helix making the beast the longest coaster in the world, that would be cool as well. On a random side thought, what if all of the previously listed coasters got overhauls and the worlds new top 10 list starts looking like the top 10 list from the mid 90's? Beast, ghost rider, Texas giant, Mean Streak, Rattler. If all of those coasters were restored to their former glory I don't know what out there besided El Toro, Balder, and maybe Thunderhead and Troy could compete. Just a thought

this project looks more and more impressive everytime new material is posted. Very excited about it. When I rode Texas Giant back in the mid 90's or so it was my number 1 wood and it's still in my top 5 based on those rides that year. I hope this overhaul returns the ride to its former glory and moves up my top ten list. This could be the only coaster ever to be in a top 10 for both wood and steel.

Kona FireRock

I believe they're based out of Utah, not the Midwest

Great Review, and by great review I mean the thoroughness, depth, and detail of your coverage not the content itself. Thats very disappointing to me to lose the 4th dimension room, albeit it temporarily. That was always what made Tower so unique and intriguing to me. Ive had that same feeling of general disappointed and let down with a lot of the new attractions Disney has put out lately specifically the space mountain overhaul, or lack there of. I feel the same way you do about the homogenization of the park experience from west coast to east coast and the whole One Disney thing, but its funny to me that while that is going on stateside the foreign parks are getting more and more unique. A customized version of Fantasmic, unique storyline for tower of terror at TDS, Grizzly Trail and Mystic Point in Hong Kong, Crush Coaster and Toy Story Play land in Paris with (still rumored) Ratatouille dark ride on the way (hopefully). But in America there is 2 Toy Story Mania's 2 Little mermaids, 2 Soarin's, etc. Yeah I know Everest and World of Color are unique new additions but those two parks desperately needed something unique. Im all for having the same basic and universally recognizable attractions at each park (Pirates, Small World, Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, Splash Mtn), but I also like each park to have its own unique identity, I guess I'm ranting a bit now too (Im a nerd also) but anyways nice review.

That has to be the scariest looking ride in the world, star flyers are terrifying but awesome at the same time

Is it just me or does this picture look like there is a guy standing up on the left, and another person that has possibly fallen into the water on the back right? Only at Great America

Man what i would have given to ride Rattler before it re profileing. I rode it after it had been redone and still thought it was a pretty exciting ride (the first 45 seconds at least), but that drop and helix look amazing. One of my favorite six flags parks currently, but the original concept and design looked great.

I remember Knobels's log flume to be really good. Others that I relly like are Daredevil Falls at Dollywood, and how about some love for Journey to Atlantis? one of the better flume ride drops out there although the theming of the ride and storyline has kinda fallen apart over the years.

I want to see Rusty Kuntz and Gertrude team up to take on Robb and Elissa in an epic round of the Tony Hawk Big Spin Water Challenge.

This Guy 45. Rusty Kuntz