Hilltopper39

I've never really understood the appeal of cookie dough (I'd rather have a cookie or ice cream or ice cream topped with a cookie or cookie dough) but hey people seem to like it so to it's awesome to see a place like this open in Celebration. I just took a peek at their website and despite the mean things I just said about cookie dough in general a cookie dough shake is interesting......

"Timbers" is the new "Hawk" --- and I'm okay with that.... Timber Hawk hurler conversion, new for Carowinds in 2019.

So Cedar Fair is going all on the the (Blank) Timbers theme I guess. 2019 Timber Wolf becoems Terrific Timbers for Worlds of Fun 2020 Grizzly at Great America to become Magnificent Timbers 2021 Dorney park to build new family coaster Tiny Timbers

I'm mean I'm as excited about this project as the anyone else but parks have blowing things out of proportion in marketing/promotions department for years. I'm sure whatever is announced will be great, a really really awesome ride, but lets honest it's probably still just going to be a some kind of roller coaster at the end of the announcement.

I guess this shouldn't be surprising, but it is a tad bit disappointing. This show was always a highlight of the event for me even though I'll admit it wasn't the best the last couple of years. Peak Bill & Ted is long gone and nothing in a theme park setting will probably ever be as politically incorrect and irreverently fun as the show used to be, but it was still enjoyable. I hope it truly gets replaced with "something", another show in another venue even if that space gets allocated to future Potter expansions.

I wonder if any of those dino animatronics will find their way over to Animal Kingdom to be used somehow?

Seems like I remember the last Saw house several years ago being fairly un-interesting, then again so was most everything they put in the Jaws extended que. Always had a huge line so maybe people enjoyed more than me, I'm sure it will draw big crowds this year as well.

Florida - Kumba

My IHG rewards card has an annual fee, $50 maybe, but you get a free night every year which as far as I know doesn't have any restrictions. I used a free night this past April in Key West where the nightly rate at the hotel was like $375, so a $50 fee for a $375 a night room on Duval St., I don't mind that.

I'm no expert on mergers and acquisitions but I can't really imagine a company wanting to acquire the SeaWorld properties at this point unless they dramatically change the direction of the parks. And I can't imagine SeaWorld Parks as a whole being willing to sell just the Busch Gardens properties without the SeaWorld properties being part of the package. Should be interesting to follow.

A Polercoaster..........

Just a tip that I've found helpful that might benefit you but I've been pretty loyal to IHG (Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Crowne Plaza etx.) for several years for various reason (business travel and a few cheap/convenient properties in Orlando we stay at a lot). The best rate they offer is an advance purchase non-refundable rate which is a pain at times because you can't cancel, but if you're a AAA member the AAA rate through them can be canceled up to like 5pm on the day of your check in. I'm not sure what the cancellation policy is with other chains but booking a AAA rate that can be canceled the day of is pretty handy on a spontaneous trip.

I'd love to see a stateside version of Lost Gravity, that thing looks awesome. Maybe with a slightly extended train, like 4 or 5 rows instead of 2.

For as much of a "down year" for new additions 2017 was, 2018 looks like it's going to be amazing. Wonder Woman, whatever is coming to Knotts and California's Great America, new RMC Mean Streak, new RMC Hurler, whatever Silver Dollar City is up to, new (maybe RMC) Georgia Cyclone, Slinky Dog Dash coaster at Hollywood Studios, Electric Eel at SeaWorld San Diego, new rapids ride for SWO, Fast n Furious at Universal Orlando (if you're into that kind of thing), something that might be atleast 315 feet tall for BGW, a Skywarp has been confirmed for somewhere, and I'm sure there will be a few more surprises.

$22 for Dine with Shamu? Dang, they must be hurting worse that I thought, great that you got to experience it though. It seems like I've read nothing but mixed reviews for Mako since the day it opened, good, bad, lots of air, not enough air, floater, ejector, trims killed it, loved it, hated it, guess I'l just have to check it out myself someday.

I've been through the Mysterious Mansion a few times and it's always a lot of fun. We did in once during the off season at like noon or something and my wife and I were the only people going through it. The workers looked shocked like why are you here now? Anyways after he took out money he gave us some weird instructions like "okay go into this room but wait like 2 minutes before you start" and I could hear him putting on his costume and running off into the maze to get into position. There were only 2 scaractors but they worked really well together and kept moving ahead of us to get into position the whole way through the maze and honestly made us jump about 10 times. Totally worth the $10 and 15 minutes or whatever it was at the time.

I had one visit to Mt. Olympus several years ago around when Hades was new and at the time I thought that ride was incredible. The tunnel with the 90 degree turn in the dark was one of the coolest coaster moments I'd ever experienced. Overall I had a pretty solid day at that park, it wasn't great but I didn't have any complaints. The water park was solid at the time and I know they've added quite a bit so I'd gladly go back again.

I'm afraid that might end up being the cause here. If you look at the picture posted several pages ago where the steel looks "ripped apart" is actually pretty close to where it would have been welded on the back side of the gondola while the plate on the front looks to still be completely intact. I tried to find some pictures of the ride seat gondola (sorry I'm not sure of the proper term here) but all of the pictures I found were a different design, with more a tubular structural brace on the gondola instead of a square beam, and the attachment to the sweep arm is a lot beefer with additional support plates that appear to be bolted instead of (maybe in addition to) welded. Maybe this was a design change for those version that were SN# 40 and after? My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those impacted by this tragic accident. I hope that the manufacturer can identify the problem and prevent anything like this from ever happening again.

I wish I could make it down for one last ride but I don't think it's gonna happen. I'm not exactly sad to see the Great Movie Ride go because the new Mickey ride looks awesome, but part of me always though they would update the ride at some point instead of removing it. I always thought it would be cool to add some new scenes from more modern movies with some of the more recent technology, maybe even change the ride system but I guess the park is moving in a different direction entirely. Also, just a comment about the new mickey ride, the show build for the GMR is huge, any chance the Mickey Ride only occupies part of that space the rest is used later for an additional attraction? Maybe something in the Pixar world since the back of the building backs up to Pixar Place?

Scheduling is the worst part about Allegiant as their flight schedule really dictates your trip, but they're usually around a weekend which helps. I have found in some of the bigger or more popular markets they fly to it seems like they offer more flights than the 2 per week. Last time I looked to fly back to Kentucky they had Orlando Sanford to Lexington flights 5 or more days per week, which helps.

I honestly get kind of tired of the Disney/Universal comparison, they're both really good resorts, just kind of different. I used to love spending time at Universal, both parks, City Walk was always a blast, but ever since I've had kids we just haven't been back because there is almost nothing for them to do at their current height requirement and interest level. I do want to ride Dragons one more time so I may try to make a day trip sometime this month. I've heard horror stories about Allegiant but honestly I've flown them probably 20+ times and have never had any issues. It has become more "annoying" in recent years with all the fees and seating policies but still for cheap direct flights from convenient (for me atleast) locations I'll continue to give them my business until they give me a reason not to.

yeah me either........until Tron Opens.

I get a kick out of checking Vocano Bay's review on Trip Advisor every couple of weeks, it's up to a 2.5 circle but some of the 5 cirlce's are suspicious.... As far as the ride potentially being relocating, I would imagine Universal wants to get started on construction of the new attraction as soon as possible and meticulously disassembling a ride that complex so that it could be sold might take way longer than simply razing the site down to grade and starting over.

I've only been to SFGAM once several years ago around 2005 or so. It was a nice park and I had a great day but I wasn't blown away by it. I'd love to go back sometime because they've added a ton of stuff since that visit, Goliath, Dark Knight, X-Flight, Justice League. I still love Vertical Velocity and all of those Intamin Impule coasters, those things are awesome.

^As far as I know yes, there was some discussion somewhere on the forums that basically came to that conclusion though I don't remember which thread. A few thoughts I just had reading back through the announcement information. It looks like the rendering for the Skyliner system has a connection for Art of Animation and Pop Century, I wonder if access to that transportation option will change the category of Pop Century from a value resort to more of a Moderate resort as far as pricing goes? Also with the Mission Space restaurant, anyone else look at that and immediately think it's a cool restaurant but it's also a way for Imagineering to test the technology that I'm assuming will be used for the "windows" in the Star Wars Resort? That was one of the first things that popped into my mind, although I'm sure another full service restaurant in Future World will certainly be a welcome addition. I'd love to see some kind of "fun" upscale counter service (ala Be Our Guest) added to the imagination pavilion at some point, or whatever that pavilion becomes.