mwm1444

I haven't even looked at the whole thread yet, but I just want to say..THANKYOU! Having looked through, it brings back memories - first time I went was 7 years later, and I don't think it had changed much. Great park, as I've said before and will repeat ad nauseum, probably my favourite theme/amusement park of all time - hence the geeky outcry above

Memories...great TR, thanks for sending me back to last summer. The Giant Dipper hurt (imo) during the day, so I swore off it until evening ERT - I think glowsticks made it better. My favourite part of our Belmont afternoon/evening (since I didn't do the FlowRider) was pooling together our arcade tickets to get loads of ridiculous things. Mike 'we SO should have got a fake security camera' Moody

Great TR - and can I add, you've got an awesome taste in newspapers.

99.99% of the time, I'm at a park alone. I tend to enjoy 'my' stuff (theming, dark rides, relaxation) most alone, and leave thrills to when I'm with people, more fun that way.

Was great to meet you at the Mine Train Saturday afternoon, Craig - and Wild Asia looked pretty awesome. I got picked on by the elephant tree

First park: Alton Towers First coaster: Th13teen First new park: Looks to be Oakwood, if I've predicted the UK trip schedule correctly. First new coaster: Th13teen

In rough order, by first visit: 1. Chessington World of Adventures 2. West Midlands Safari Park - First credit 3. Legoland Billund - Favourite park 4. Drayton Manor Park - Home park 5. Disneyland Park (Paris) 6. Legoland Windsor 7. Gulliver's Land 8. Astroland (Coney Island) 9. Codona's (Aberdeen) 10. Terra Mitica Moody Family North Rhine-Westphalia Mini-Trip '04 11. Movie Park Germany 12. Phantasialand 13. Alton Towers February 2006 Orlando Break 14. Magic Kingdom 15. Islands of Adventure 16. Europa Park 17. Six Flags Great America - First woodie 18. Walt Disney Studios Park TPR West Coast Tour 19. Pacific Park 20. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom - First inverting credit 21. Gilroy Gardens 22. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 23. California's Great America 24. Six Flags Magic Mountain 25. Universal Studios Hollywood 26. SeaWorld San Diego 27. Belmont Park 28. Legoland California 29. Castle Amusement Park 30. Disneyland 31. Knott's Berry Farm 32. Adventure City 33. Disney's California Adventure Mike & Mum Go to WDW '09 34. Epcot 35. Disney's Animal Kingdom 36. Disney's Hollywood Studios 37. Universal Studios Orlando

Ooh, if I do go back I will ROCK the heck out of Crazy Little Thing Called Love. ^ been open since around a year ago, if I'm correct?

Was nice seeing you guys, glad you had a good day too. Mike 'short guy in the hat' Moody

I finally have a decent one: meeting John Wardley last night at the Alton Towers hotel. He was lovely.

Just got back from doing the whole opening weekend shebang, which was awesome, and Th13teen was a definite highlight. I agree that it's on-par with Vampire - and, for me, that's a MASSIVE plus. Great, fun ride, and the first drop got me every time. Speaking of which, 4 times ridden on opening weekend says a lot about Alton's operations, good on them. Mike 'and meeting John Wardley in the bar later wasn't bad either' Moody

^ Just like the pre-ride waiver, and the once-per-day rule, it won't be enforced. I'll eat my hat (I have one to eat, so forgive me the cliché) if they do enforce any of it.

I'm definitely looking forward to riding - apart from anything else, I'd much rather ride this than Corkscrew. I'm surprised at how so many people fell for the hype campaign - what I can see on the video is pretty much what I expected all along, having seen the construction photos and all the different hints. Being a fan of coasters with 'character', I think this'll be a good'un.

If I could get there, which isn't an immense impossibility, I'd definitely be up for this. Paultons was lovely when I visited it (in 1999), and I'm definitely hoping to get there again this year.

I'd say from that footage that it looks like a fun, enjoyable 'coaster, and definitely for the middleground - I think it'll be a great family ride.

Before this turns into an 'I hate Cats' thing, like it probably will, I'm going to say that it's pretty much my favourite show, for the music and the dance. Reading the plot/approximation of plot online probably helps newcomers, though - and having a good sense of suspension of disbelief. In terms of popularity, I got the sense that, actually, most people hate it, and it's only the 'out-of-towners' (and weird people like me) who enjoy it. I also think it's a bit too English, which doesn't explain the HUGE Broadway and US national touring success (in fact, it was the show which saved American musical theatre touring, if I understand correctly).

Looks like I should be on for Drayton Manor on the 15th

Possible chance I may be available for Drayton, since it's my (nearest) 'home' park, but transport's an issue. Would be good, though.

Happy birthday Kristen! Glad the internet decided to work for us today so I could wish you one on time

The mini-golf is awesome - so awesome, in fact, that it beat our group on thw WCT on something like the 12th hole, and we gave up, shamed and exhausted. NIce to know that I've been on the everything-'est Miler 'coaster, that was a weird one.

It's not a great 4D theatre - but at least this should be better than Pirates 4D. This is the second year in a row that they've advertised the 4D attraction as being the big 'New For' thing of the year. Mike 'why can't I have a decent home park like everyone else?' Moody

Yup, should definitely say a big well-done to Chris as well, I know he's really psyched.

Yay Kerry! Didn't realise you were such a HP geek. I dunno whether I'm particularly excited about this. I really don't give a monkey's about Dragons' name change (but I can basically understand the general 'it's the priniciple' argument') - but in the end, I am much more a HP book person than I am a HP film person, and it's obviously the latter that the area is playing off. I guess, if anything, I'd prefer to see a bigger area specifically devoted to HP, with more geeky detail (I can dream!), rather than a land in a previously-existing park.

^ Seconded, I'd feel a bit shortchanged if not! Be awesome if the lifthill went all slooooo-mooo for the first four minutes.

When we were there on the West Coast trip, as a newbie to the park I really didn't mind the walls and construction - but then I'd never experienced anything else. I actually liked the whole park a lot more than I was expecting, in general.