jedimaster1227

I'd like to think that GCI always keeps their previous coaster layouts in their back pocket in case a park wants an "off the shelf" design. You have to wonder if coaster developers discount projects significantly if the design phase is almost entirely eliminated by using a pre-designed model of a coaster.

^

Oddly enough I've never once gotten sick or disoriented to the point of throwing up after riding a ride...

^Fantastic to hear! Your timing was great as the venue is now seasonal and only open for limited spans of time. Glad you were able to try it out during your visit and that you enjoyed it so much!

I still haven't had the chance to eat at Dragon Fire Grill, but I did walk through. It definitely looked like a nice selection... I'm just hard pressed to go for anything besides Crown Colony Restaurant (when it is open) or the ribs at Zambia Smokehouse... Because it is all so good! But I'll definitely have to give Dragon Fire Grill a shot in the near future.

It is great to see the rate at which this park continues to expand! More coasters are certainly not a bad piece of news either!

That lift is quite steep and it is going up fast!

Polin really has upped their game over the last five years. This water park looks great!

Commercial plans for 2016? This could be interesting...

^If you're staying for dinner I'd highly recommend eating at the Crown Colony Restaurant (now only open seasonally)... Their fried fish and fried chicken is a must when it is open! https://seaworldparks.com/buschgardens-tampa/dine-and-shop/dining/crown-colony-restaurant/ Regarding counter service options, the ribs and brisket at the Zambia Smokehouse near Sheikra is the way to go!

^It is probably one of the first things to head to in your day--this or Falcon's Fury. Both rides are a little lower capacity than the other coasters in the park and tend to move their lines a little more slowly as a result. I'd probably recommend doing Falcon's Fury or Cheetah Hunt first, then whichever you didn't do first next, followed by Montu, Sheikra, Kumba, Scorpian then Sand Serpent. After that, your pace in the park can really be determined by the crowds, but I would recommend the Sky Ride, the park's train and if you're an animal person, walking the animal trails and Jungala and even seeing Iceploration if you have time.

^That would require a significant reworking of the Dragon Challenge queue in addition to the Hogwarts Express queue. Dragon Challenge's queue begins towards the front of Hogsmeade, wrapping around one two sides of the ride to lead to the station. The side of the coaster directly to the right is bordered closely by the Hogwarts Express queue and station which sits extremely close to the ride. It isn't to say it couldn't be done, but it wouldn't likely be done, not only because it can be seen from within Hogsmeade (so it should be themed to Potter in the eyes of JK Rowling, if it has to stay) but also because it would come at a significant cost and impact to rework the queue. If ever there was a time to rework things, it would have been before Hogsmeade opened, where Dueling Dragons could have remained a part of The Lost Continent and then the theming wouldn't have needed to be altered... So much was ripped out in that queue to facilitate the change. There's no turning back now...

That suspended wild mouse coaster looks terrifying!

^^The shame is that despite how great those coasters are, I think Universal can do much better than that given how rich the Nintendo IPs are.

It is sad to see the Ozark Wildcat go, but the chances of relocation when relocation costs almost as much as new construction these days, were always slim.

Considering the state the park was in just a few years ago, I continue to be thrilled with Ed Hart and his team's direction for Kentucky Kingdom. This is one park revival that really looks like it will last and succeed long term!

I feel like these trains could be fun on other styles of track, but putting something like this on a wild mouse layout seems like a great way to slam someone into the side of the seat even more than they do today...

That looks like a really nice re-theming of the park's family area. I can't wait to see photos of the finished product!

^Mangos is a separate project owned and operated by the same group that will build, own and operate Skyplex. There is no indication as of yet that they will be connected physically, but the developers of Skyplex are investing in a set of elevated pedestrian bridges for the intersection of Sand Lake Road and International Drive to provide quick access between these four street corners while reducing the infamous traffic that plagues that block. Mangos is set to open very soon. The next phase of the project is the construction of the parking garage next door with the rooftop restaurant. Construction on Skyplex is set to begin early next year.

I loved Dragon Challenge pre-Potter, but the coaster is kind of an afterthought for guests now that it is surrounded by Hogsmeade. The ride is high capacity so it churns through large numbers of guests, and thus the wait time is often less than 20 minutes, giving off the incorrect perception that the attraction is unpopular. I think it is only a matter of time until this large plot of land is given over to potter for another large scale attraction. Dragon Challenge is an incredible set of coasters in an environment that undermines the coaster's significance... Guests are far more interested in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and the rest of the Hogsmeade experience than they are in the coasters at this point.

This is definitely an interesting marketing tactic... If the experience really is 13 minutes long, I'd be inclined to believe that this is a multi-media based experience, akin to Soarin' at Disney.

I'm happy to see the park is getting the TLC it needs. It looks like the new owners recognize that the damage from the previous owners needs to be undone before they can move forward with new projects.

Between Knott's Scary Farm and Knott's Merry Farm, it really looks like this park knows how to deliver for the holidays! I swear I'll get to the park eventually... It has just been hard for me to justify a day away from Disneyland when I come into town.

I feel like it makes sense to remove the express line for Treasure Hunters. It is a low capacity attraction and express certainly has the potential to slow the standby line when in operation. I'm still surprised Treasure Hunters made it into the park's final design. It is such an uncharacteristically simple attraction for Universal, which is something I can appreciate. It has some decent theming but no heavy storyline or affiliation with any IP.

I love that Toverland has so much raw land to work with for expansion. This place has always looked incredibly impressive and I always get excited when I see that they are expanding even more!