Alice Kane

YES! YES! YES! My greatest nightmare is finding myself on a flat ride that spins and bops......and noting that the ride operator is moving off for a cigarette break! (And yeah, pirate ships are nasty too.....ain't no Dramamine strong enuf!) I delight on riding any roller coaster, but have bid a baby boomer farewell to most flat rides. Sad Alice

Ccron10 - a huge BRAVO to you for sharing one amazing Trip Report! I felt as if I was traveling along with you - soaking up the fun, the food, the beauty and the quirkiness that make Japan a number ONE travel destination. You took so much time and detail to share your moment-by-moment experiences with us, and I look forward to the rest of your trip. MANY MANY thanks - am so appreciative! Alice

Sorry - my post repeated!

Hi Nrthwnd! For some reason, NYC's Upper West Side Collegiate Church always holds its Blessings of the Animals in mid-Oct. If you go to: https://westendchurch.org/blessing-animals-2014 , you can see a little pic of my Shih Tzu Violet, her face (black & White with red topknot bow) leaning on my shoulder. (My back's to the camera with a black cap on.) There are rows of pix and we're about 4th row down or so. I'm sure they'd welcome Stella your cat! There are always plenty of meowing cats trying to get out of their owners laps. Okay...back to Dollywood...lol. Alice

Sadly accurate. The park doesn't want to anger their locals by partaking in the devils holiday. Same reason I doubt we will ever see a scary Halloween event at SDC. Uh-oh...guess I wouldn't be "Dollywood worthy." Am not at all religious, but took my black & White Shih Tzu to a local Blessing of the Animals today and dressed her in a 'scary' Black & White Skeleton costume, complete with matching Skull cap. It's a very 'modern,' friendly little church (Collegiate), and the Pastor actually got a good laugh when we came up for the 'personal blessings.' Yes, in NYC even little Jewish Shih Tzu are welcome to the Blessing of the Animals. (Tho guess that costume might be a tad sacrilegious in a Dollywood sanctuary??) Alice

Living in NYC I am usually used to the crowds by now but this was unbearable even by NYC standards. Attention all you claustrophobics! Test your tolerance at NYC's San Gennaro Festival -- but be sure to have pre-reserved your overnite suite at Bellevue! That said, the food - simple selections but SO flavorful - makes the trip worth it. (The earlier in the day you go, the less crazed the crowds.) I cheat now and wait for those outrageous sausage trucks to come up to the local street fairs in my neighborhood. Same deliciousness without venturing into The Purge. (Altho you DO want to experience San Gennaro at least once!) Alice

Epicurean extravaganza indeed! Such a perfect way to indulge the taste senses with exquisite, elevated samples by top chefs! (And you get to go back to "reload!!") Alas, I didn't see any Doggy Bags on the tables. Looks like you two had one heck of a 'swell' evening! Alice

Just curious.... I've been a fan of horror (particularly psychological horror) since my family got their first TV. I remember that when my folks went out in the evening, my twin and I would sneak in great old classics like The Black Cat, The Mummy, The Snake Pit, etc. Scared the %&$# out of me and I savored every moment of them. As a 'grown-up," I moved on to cult classics, like the "politically incorrect," one-of-a-kind Freaks, et al. But to cut to the chase here, I've never been to any of the theme park Halloween nights. While they look to be imaginative, atmospheric, great fun, etc., am curious to know if ANY of them has actually terrified the bejeezus out of anyone, here?? (Not counting the sudden 'popping up,' in-your-face gimmicks.) Any of these Halloween Horror Nights that you found TRULY disturbing? And what contributed to its success? P.S Great report and photos! Alice (ever seeking to be more disturbed than I already am!)

To me, Twitter is the *ONLY* social network that I find truly "social" in it's features. - If you follow a page, you can see *ALL* of their updates (Facebook doesn't do this) - It's easy to have a conversation with the actual REAL Twitter account (IG and Snapchat, IMO are clunky to have any sort of interaction) - You can SHARE (re-tweet) something to make it truly viral (Snapchat and IG don't even offer this ability) - I just seem to find the people on Twitter to be slightly more mature and maybe even more tech savvy than Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram. - Of course the one downside to Twitter is that Donald Trump has increased its activity and sadly the users he attracts aren't the most intelligent people on the planet. I guess to sum it up, I just feel that Twitter is the more intelligent truly "social" platform out there, and for those reasons I prefer it. Thanks Robb. Initially, when it began, I thought Twitter was meant to target "the kids." So I never got around to exploring 'how it works.' Now, you've got me curious, and I'll try following more pages. (PS. Yes, I DID fill out the poll.) Alice

I only joined Twitter very recently. Am curious as to what makes it your personal favorite...what you most enjoy about it? I have a Facebook page but, honestly, do not check it daily. I use it more to check in on my close friends and a few of my "interest groups" (Shih Tzu Agility; skiing; theater; politics; TPs & Coasters ) Guess I am not a major Social Media person - and I DO agree with you that FB's ever-continuing UNEXPLAINED 'changes' make me a little crazy. (Not to start political discussion here - REALLY!, but curious as to how FB will deal with recent revelation of ad space sold 'unknowingly' to Russian groups, possibly influencing Elections.) Alice

This is a good site to check it you want to keep up to date on the status of the hurricane: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at1+shtml/093751.shtml?gm_track#contents Thanks so much for this helpful site. With some family and friends living along BOTH coasts of Fl. (non-evacuation zones, but still darn close!), I've been following YouTube updates off and on, all day. Mostly 'on!' Stay safe. (Hurricanes in NYC have always been sort of exciting, but NOT so in Fl!) Alice

Um......this ride would have been PERFECT for the old Action Park in New Jersey. (The park probably would've put it in the kiddie section.) I doubt I'd ride this unless maybe it was translucent. Bless those ride engineers - always trying to build a better mousetrap! Alice

Larrygator, I always enjoy your TPs. I love the way you zero in on your fave rides, but also take time to 'smell the roses' - er...that is, count the plows and axes, and note cracked support structures, et al. Am also impressed that you pay attention to choice dining options. (That Cuban eatery menu got me SO hungry!) And last but not least, I'm most appreciative of how you share thoughts on which rides you found kind OR challenging to "mature bones." (Neck-banging is no longer an option for moi. Tho the seeking of thrills has yet to wane.) Thanks again for your genuinely helpful and fun insights! With your 17 thousand plus posts, I can see why you've earned the title of Obsessive Overlord of the TPR Park Index. Alice

That made me laugh, too! Kinda quirky animation. Alice

I would give it one try - IF - I could bribe the ride operator to let me off after one cycle! (I AM curious about it, but, as we all know, curiosity killed the cat.) Alice

A DOG roller coaster! How could I not be thrilled with THAT! (And, along with the ride, comes the memories of childhood.) Alice

"Idiocracy!" Best reference ever to society (as we now know it). And to those who've never seen the film Idiocracy, track it down on DVD. My first viewing some years ago, I called it "hilarious." Today, it's ascended to "poignantly" hilarious." You'll laugh till you cry...and cry....and cry... P.S. Not sure if I'm serious or not, but I just went to GoFundMe and was amazed at how much $$$ has been raised by a variety of groups. Hmmm...would Europeans, fans around the world, et al, fight to save a favorite coaster?? (Maybe not to the tune of "millions of dollars"....but.....) Alice

Thrillseeker, thanks for some excellent Trip Reporting! It's awesome that you take the time to describe all the coasters and give any 'newcomers' to that area a preview of what to expect and where to head to first. Your friendly, conversational writing style is a real plus (and I bet you'll do great in your college English courses)! Good luck in college, this year, and thanks again for some truly good info. Alice P.S. Now you can kick "riding a mega coaster through massive thunder and lightening" off your bucket list!

JT325, I totally agree with you that "flat track is underrated." With the advancement of roller coasters and the growing emphasis on speed and inversions and spinning and drops, et al, I feel as though it's very easy to lose all the fun sensations that came with the older coasters. Seeing scenery speeding by, the wind in your face, the fun pops of airtime -- in a way, it seems that this is being "lost" in the race for the BIGGEST and the BEST. Not to marginalize having a "what the heck was THAT" experience when you leave a coaster , but as rides become a "blur" of so many sensations at once, something kind of gets lost in the process. (For me, anyway, who likes to actually FEEL that rush on a coaster, more than scream OMG from start to finish.) Hope there continues to be room for BOTH experiences as coasters 'reinvent' themselves. That said, oddly enough, this wooden Chengdu beauty reminded me a bit of the Cyclone at Coney Island. (Hopefully not as rough!, but built to feel those old-fashioned 'coaster sensations.') Alice

Hmmmm, actually, it looks like the way I ride down city sidewalk hills on my kick scooter. Traverse. Klunk. Traverse. Klunk. Traverse. Klunk!!! In truth, I could see SKIING this as more pleasant than "fluming" down. At least you could do nice banked turns (unless you face-plant over the mountainside). Alice

Thanks so much for sharing your pix and info on a park that I knew very little about. And kudos to you for a very artistically angled shot of the giant Ferris Wheel! Alice

Some years ago, I read of a woman in her eighties who would ride coasters at Cedar Point a few days a week to "work the arthritic kinks out of her body." She gave me hope for my 'aging baby boomer years.' Can't help but wonder if she'll be queuing up for Steel Vengeance?? This elite new coaster has captured my attention in a huge way. Would it take the "kinks" OUT, or create NEW kinks in nerves and muscles I didn't even know I had?!? I think I'd have to take the challenge! Devour my fears. Nom nom nom! P.S. The "Twisted Snake Dive" caught my eye, pronto. Can't wait to hear people's responses to this new 'twist and shout' maneuver. Alice

They are 'artistic,' from an avant garde photographer's standpoint. But I do feel that the best shots, for most coaster enthusiasts, are those that "put the viewer right in the coaster." (I suppose that there is room for BOTH types, but I favor the 'classic' photo shoots.) P.S. Kudos to you for introducing us to new formats! Alice

Coasterbill, I ALWAYS make time to read your funny, fun, and fact-filled trip reports. And kudos for holding up in the 'summer South" - though, heck, you two are still youngsters!! What a great trip. Thanks for sharing! Alice (Heat is not my friend)

Wait. Did I read that correctly? The op came over to see if he could get it to lock, and he could, and then unlocked it and made you do it, and when you couldn't (because you don't work there and don't know as much about the ride as he does) you were told you couldn't ride??? That's TERRIBLE if that is actually what happened and totally inexcusable. I've been on all the RMC's now except Joker and I've never seen anything like this. Goodness! If Dolly Parton forgets to wear her bra when she takes a spin on Lightening Rod, I sure hope that "AL" isn't on duty to 'lock and load!' Nevermind! I am so very much enjoying your Trip Report and am thrilled that you got to ride LR. Indeed, the entire atmosphere of Dollywood beckons me down South! Enjoy your fun days to come, and thanks for keeping us posted! Alice