Jew

^Without getting all technical...When you "format" your video to a codec that *IS* a native editing format (like AVI)...you're actually losing quality since you have to recompress already compressed footage. Basically, Mpeg-2 is a way to make higher quality codecs (scanned film can take up to like a gig for every second of footage!) fit on a DVD and still look decent. It's not meant to be the recording codec to start with.

It's spare parts now.

Well, if none of their parks added anything, revenue would fall even more...It's all about being smart with your money (Hurricane Harbor @ SFGAm for example). I would imagine that Six Flags and the city of Vallejo have some sort of agreement that mandates SF invest X amount of money into the park (similar to the operating agreements they have with the SFoT and SFoG partnerships), and any addition is a result of that. I wouldn't get your hopes up that this is anything big though...

^Yeah...but you're camera records mpeg-2 video! No offense to you, but I definitely would not recommend any camera that records in an mpeg-2 format. Simply put, mpeg-2 is a delivery format (it's the format used for DVD's) that isn't ideal as a recording format. I would recommend any Sony or Canon DV camera. Both produce great day time/well lit shots, both are built well, and Sony will get you better low light performance.

Bingo. SFMM saw it to be in the best interests of the park (and you know what, I agree...I might have designed the OTSR's differently, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to foot the bill for stupidity either!) to modify the ride. There is absolutely no law about loopers being required to have OTSR's. However, there *IS* a law that makes sure parks are complying with all their SOP guidelines. Presently the SOP guidelines call for OTSR's, so OTSR's it is. The park *COULD* get the OTSR's removed (or at the very least redesigned), but they would have to go through the process of getting it approved by the state and the manufacturer (well, they could skip the manufacturer step, but I don't imagine their insurance company would be too happy!). It's just a hassle that simply isn't worth it to the park.

Anyone want to pay the insurance bill for removing the OTSR's? Unfortunately they are there for a reason *cough* stupid guests *cough*, and removing them is not permitted under state law unless everyone signs off on the change.

^His site is stuck in 1990 (or whenever it was Al Gore invented the internet)...

The WNBA? I didn't know we had lesbians on the boards...

Besides the B:TR train sent to SFNO, RRv, Goldrusher, Viper, Ninja, and I think Goliath all had trains in rehab to get them to pass state inspections.

^Well, if "we don't care that you know about the ride, so just shut up already" fit in the blanks...that would be the new coaster name. But since it doesn't, why don't you just come to the realization that being in the know about a coaster and being obnoxious about it on a message board is only cool when you're a 12 year old fanboy?

Snape kills Dumbledore?

No.

^I'm so disappointed Wes...you took this thread seriously! You're slipping. This is the funniest thing I've read for awhile.

uhh...big list for me this year (thanks Robb & Elissa!) -USH (5 days a week there...) -KBF -DLR -DCA -Vegas -SFGAm -Mt. Olympus -Little A-Merrick-A -Riverview Park -Timber Falls -Santa's Village -Kiddieland -Safari Land -Jeepers -Park Asterix -DLP -Disney Studios Paris -Walibi Lorraine -Nigloland -Walibi Rhone Alps -Gardaland -Movie Studios Park -Mirabilandia -Europa Park -Holiday Park -Klotten -Phantasialand -Hansa Park -Bon Bon Land -Movie Park Germany -Bakken -Tivoli -Liseberg -Tusenfryd -Farup Sommerland -Walibi World -Bobbejaanland -Walibi Belgium -USF -IoA -Magic Kingdom -EPCOT -MGM Going to try and sneak in BGT, Animal Kindgom, and the kiddie credits in Vegas this November...(and maybe some other parks if everything works out!)

^As long as the threads are the same size...yes.

Check this site out. http://www.towerofterror.org/historydesign.html IIRC, there is something on the ceiling that acts as a guide to keep it on track. Never actually bothered to look up though, so I could be wrong. It was just something someone told me once.

Fear Factor Live @ USH.

I was under the impression that ToT has a guide rail above the elevator car...

^^Not if you're at the Wisconsin State Fair!

Here's mine...

^So they can bring a friend and feel good they donated their money to the relief efforts.

Elissa-the company is Technifex. As for me, I guess you can say WDI and Universal Creative are about 20 minutes from me...not that Universal Creative's offices are terribly exciting or anything.

We sat in the back on one of the flights back from Europe...

That's exactly it...it's just a cheap ploy to sell ad's. It's basically, "they just gave us an award, so we'll be nice and give them a full page ad." KBF's marketing department thought so highly of this award all they did was rehash an add from a Haunt 4 or 5 years ago and change what was an admission ticket to a golden ticket and change "ticket" with "award". Though I think the problem lies in the voters. Like any other poll, it is all subjective. Not only that, not many people can say they have visited as many parks as you, Elissa, and some of the other more well traveled enthusiasts have. It's hard to make an accurate poll when the people you are polling aren't the most qualified people to be participating in the poll! For example: Having only been to USH's version of HHN, Fright Fest, some local haunts, and Haunt...bias aside, Haunt *is* really the best of those, so I would vote for Haunt irregardless of the fact I work there. I wouldn't be wrong in voting it the best one because it really was the best one I have been to, but at the same time I wouldn't be entirely right in voting it the best one until I have been to every Halloween event in the world. -Joey "certainly don't agree with most of the results...but I see why they turned out that way" Mandel