blk_mamba

This also explains why the land is also already zoned to build an amusement park and zoned to build up to 400 ft. "If Universal Orlando becomes the new owner of 474 acres near the Orange County Convention Center, it would inherit much of the zoning and entitlements needed to build an attraction, thousands of hotel units and structures up to 400 feet high. The purchase would vastly expand the theme park's empire, possibly paving the way for a third theme park and more hotels." http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-universal-land-purchase-i-drive-20151202-story.html How much did they pay for the site?

My most shameful moment was when I told a friend to put his phone(s), yes work and personal, in the locker before we got on Griffin. He didn't listen and lost them both which kinda ruined the day. The moment(s) of shame were: 1. When he sat there and tried to argue with the pimple face ride op about why he needed to get his phone or look from them. 2. His arguing with a ride supervisor who also told him they were not stopping the a ride to look for his phone. 3. His arguing with the lost and found people who essentially said we will mail it if we find it. 4. His arguing with Busch Garden's lost and found and accusing park staff of stealing his phone when we went back a month later and they still had not found his phone. Moral of the story, use the lockers or secure your articles!

One day that jacket may be in the National Roller Coaster Museum

So Universal Part III is all but official. I wonder two things. 1. Will they build a monorail to the other part of the resort and will the city work with them giving them access to public roads and throughways. 2. What IP's will they add? Obviously Potter's beast will be there but what about Nintendo? Will there finally be a Potter themed hotel? What other IP's will they put in the park? What will be the connecting thread? USO has movies, IOA kinda is books. So many questions.

I feel like my gut reaction was that nothing can top the Cedar Point peninsula shot but honestly some of it's point lure is that you know they are so many great rides but the rides are spread out. Looking at some of these other parks really shows there are other cool skylines.

Wow. Beautiful photo. It's going to look even more amazing once Valravn is complete!! I can't wait for my visit next summer. Not sure what heaven looks like but can't be too far off! Cedar Point really is a coaster riders oasis. This picture makes me want to book a trip today

Gosh, I wonder why no one is coming to the park, it looks like a blast! Maybe the park needs to chance to Riverwood Theme Park and the Splash Zoo, using the old zoo as a themed water park.

I don't know if this counts but I love the Intimidator 305 drop because of the banked curve right after a 300 ft drop. I think there is something about the Intamin cable lift system that I really enjoy. I feel like Hershey's Skyrush is a miniature version of i305 lift and banked turn but it kinda throws you over the hill. Either way I enjoy both hills for the same reasons.

I hate when parks don't post ride's scheduled downtime. I get why there may not an incentive to b/c it may deter visitors but conversely it is a real bummer when you get to a park and a ride is down b/c they planned for it to be down. Moreover some actually be worse in the long run b/c that same guest may have come at a later time when ride was operating and had a better experience. It also kinda annoys me when ride ops hold up the trains until they get the response they want to question like "are you ready to ride?" If I don't want to cheer or yell does that mean you are going to hold up the ride? lol Finally I dislike the wet water park folks that get on coaters to dry off and leave the set wet. lol

The only ride that I have ever come close to puking on surprisingly was at the Disney Park! That Mission to Mars ride is very intense! When they give people the option of picking which ride they want to go to I thought that was just Disney being Disney and over compensating for the fact that their parks attract a lot of families and international guest. I thought the same think when I noticed they have barf bangs in the actual ride cabin. Once the ride started it was so intense I felt that feeling like I was going to barf but I held it down. I wasn't impressed with the ride at all. I was more impressed that a disney ride was intense enough to make me come close to throwing up. I came very close the bang was in hand... I still do not even know how the ride operates. That was for sure the most intense motion simulator I've ever been on and honestly I have no desire to ride it again.

I've been to SF - American and Great Adventure CF- Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, Carowinds and Dorney Park I feel like with both brands I've been to one of their top tier and lower tiers parks and I have to it give to Cedar Fair. IMO the operations always seem better, the food taste better, and the parks are more well maintained. It is clear that CF has a model and a clear protocol that they follow through out the park chains. I did enjoy SF Great Adv but it was just b/c they have some amazing coasters, aside from that it was a pretty crappy park that did not have alot of rides and most of the coasters look like they needed paint jobs. In SF Great Adv defense both times I've been it rained. I feel like in order to give Six Flags a fair shake I have to visit one of their TX parks and Magic Mountain but given my experiences so far, I am not clamoring to make the trips from the east coast.

My first B&M and my first roller coaster that went upside down was the Great Bear @ Hershey Park. Great Bear isn't filled with sand so it is very loud, you can hear it 'roar' as it runs through the park. The Immelmann Loop is so well placed because it runs right up against the pathway as you go through that part of the park so one has no choice but to see and hear the ride. To this day it is one of my favorite B&M's because of that spaghetti bowl Hershey Park has created b/c of their hilly topography, limited space and commitment to building world class rides. The majority of the ride feels like it is trying to avoid other rides and sections of the the park. Also the helix before the pre-drop is still a crowd pleaser.

Great park so far. Shooting Star looks like a great addition to the park. I hope it keeps growing and expanding in the to 70's.

Two years ago I rode El Toro at night in the rain. It was the worst experience ever! When we got in line it was drizzling and we rode the ride twice that day b/c we had fast pass. By the time we got to the front of the line I I thought the ride would close. It was close to the parks closing time and the rain was much heavier but they keep sending trains out. We got on the ride.... WORST experience ever The rain felt like little bee-bee's hitting my face. I still love the ride and it is still one of the best woodies I've ever been on but after the first drop I just ducked my head b/c to avoid getting slapped in the face with rain, lesson learned. I remember just wanting it to be over b/c it was painful.

This really speaks to why Cedar Fair in general has been going to B&M for their new coasters. 1. They are capacity monster and can eat up thousands of people. 2. They are very reliable. 3. They look beautiful. I am in the middle of the Valrvan Fan Club and the Valravn Basher Association, lol. I think I understand why they went with it but conversely I wish they build something different and fresh and this is not it. Valravn will just be another reliable Cedar Point coaster. What is lost with this coaster is that unlike most Cedar Point coasters this coaster is not something special for it's time. If this was 2001-3 this would be a great addition but in 2015 it feels like just another B&M. With that being said what other park in the world has a Strata, Giga and Hyper Coaster as well as four B&M's in their coaster portfolio? I will be at the point riding this and their other world class rides for sure.

*Hypersonic XLC- Kings Dominion should have know it would be a bust b/c they brought the prototype. It didn't last long. *Roller Soaker- Hershey had a good idea, it just never made sense in actuality. It ended up being a bad coaster and water ride. *Stratosphere Coaster- Another grand idea-- building a roller coaster on a tower 1000 ft in the air but it was the most boring dry coaster ever. **Side note I wonder when people on this board mention SFA's staff and visitors in such a negative light what they really means? The park is not perfect but when I see comments like that they feel racist and just coded language for too many people black people work and visit SFA. Just a feeling/vibe I get.***

I am excited to see Wizarding World West. It looks like USH is building on the first two versions on the Hogwarts and the Forbidden Journey. I wonder how much attendance will be impacted? I think the number will only marginally increase with their price hikes on season passes with no parking option. However I think USH is hoping Potter will bring in more spend happy unique visitors over season pass holders that don't spend as much per visit. Either way glad they are basically ready to debut the space!

Maybe I am looking at a different map but it looks like the water park rubs right up against Talon. I don't think they are going to put anything there b/c the water park is their most popular attraction. I feel like the best bet would be that Dino Alive spot or they could re-locate the catering space and put something there. When ever Dorney Park does add a coaster they will not be moving mountains or entrances to do it, lol. CF doesn't care enough about this park to make an crazy investment to add another coaster. I have been for the part two years both times with non-coaster people and there very pleased with their coaster/thrill ride line up. For a small regional park they have a Hyper, 2 B&M, and some solid B-level coasters. If they were getting a new coaster what should be added?

Getting the zoo may be a necessary evil if it is just costing too much to keep it open. If one has to go I'd rather see the zoo go over the amusement park.

My prayers go out to the family and the young child. I wish him a speedy recovery. They do not a have a case. The ride seems like its follows the industry standard of car and the child did not obey the explicit instructions. Reading that article made me sick to my stomach b/c it seems like the family is trying to leverage this accident so they can get money. I am sure there will be some settlement with the park insurance but really this sounds like a kid that could not follow directions.

Yeah that is what I meant-- the point still stands there is nothing innovative about the design on the coaster, I mean I would have have been kinda happy just not having a midcourse break run or something, lol.

Yeah that is what I meant-- the point still stands there is nothing innovative about the design on the coaster, I mean I would have have been kinda happy just not having a midcourse break run or something, lol.

The longest lines I ever waited in both were at Kings Dominion. It could be b/c I was a young impatient child but I remember waiting for the Outer Limits Flight of Fear. I remember waiting outside, in in a shaded queue area and then we went into a bunker and waited some more then we went into a space ship and waited some more and then we finally got to ride. It was like a 3 1/2 hour wait. Also I remember Volcano the Blast Coaster being a 3 to 4 hour wait but when it opened it was not running at full capacity and only one one train. To this day though it is still one of the longest waits in the park even longer then I-305 which is a way better coaster. The Magic Kingdom also has crazy wait times but the last time I went in the winter it wasn't that bad.

I know many would disagree with this but I'd be curious to see an inversion on Millennium Force. After there first drop where it makes the really huge banked curve I wonder what it would be like if the ride with the lap bars only went completely upside down.

Personally Potter > Starwars, I've never seen a SW movie (ducks to avoid oncoming projectiles). I was planning a California trip and I was considering if it was even necessary to hit up the Wizarding World West. It seems like it is exactly like Florida's minus the intense dueling inverts. I thought that over five years later USH would have thought of some other things to make this different from Orlando but it seems like it will be the same by design and that is disappointing. I feel like in general Universal has missed an opportunity with Hogwarts. I'd love to see classes at Hogwarts (even if it is an up charge show/ interactive experience).