The Great Zo

One of my favorite parks, with a small but truly outstanding collection of coasters. Then there's Gwazi... Hard to avoid the storms in Florida in the summer, though! The "sunshine state" deserves another nickname from May through September.

Yup, and we got through most everything, even picking up the double at SFStL. I have yet to hear of anyone that made it on this one at Magic Springs!

Pictures from Day 4 Additional pictures and bigger versions of these images can be found here. Kevin from Group Sales welcomes TPR to Magic Springs! This is Indian Mountain -- part of the Zig Zag Range of the Ouachita Mountains. Indian Mountain spans across the north end of the park, creating an impressive backdrop to the water slides and Arkansas Twister. With a group of this size, it takes a little while to get through the gate. I think every TPR member got this picture of the park's sign and fountain, so forgive me if you've seen it before! A look back at the gate from the park's main plaza area. After descending the park's big hill, I reached the north end of the pond. Magic Springs' coasters (sans Arkansas Twister) are on the other side of the water. "Swine & Dine" is the catch phrase for the Smoke on the Water BBQ. The use of "swine" as a verb bothers me more than it should. A water play area near the pond at the southwest end of the park. A look at Diamond Mine Run, a kiddie coaster that was ripe for a quick TPR commandeering! Heading past the S&S tower, TPR makes a run for the park's most unique attraction. The group prepares for X-Coaster, though there's only so much you can do to prepare yourself for being hung 150 feet in the air from a lap bar. Behind the station for Big Bad John, you can easily get an idea of the forested, hilly nature of central Arkansas. X-Coaster looks rather freaky from underneath! Heading up to the X-Coaster station. The ride only seats 12 people at a time, so capacity was an issue. Maurer Sohne -- they're the ones responsible for what I was about to experience. This lap bar is the only thing holding riders back! The run out of the station and into the vertical lift. That's quite the angle. Flipping out of the hang-time and momentarily right-side-up. Coming out of the twist and into the big dive toward the station. Big Bad John's rather plain station. Big Bad John's big bad shed. A TPR near-takeover of Diamond Mine Run was worth a few pictures! I loved the excitement from the ride op -- high-fives for everyone! Another TPR group climbs the lift. Hairtime on a kiddie coaster! Plummet Summit -- not Summit Plummet, because this is Magic Springs, not Blizzard Beach. Kentucky Kingdom's installing a slide with the same name, presumably just to add to the confusion. I was hoping to get a shot of the ride in operation (splash boats are fun to photograph), but it was inoperable the entire time I was nearby. Well, it's very yellow. At least it's got that going for it. With all the trees and brush, X-Coaster appears to rise out of the wilderness. I arrived at The Gauntlet, ready to claim my first-ever SLC credit. "Ready" is a relative term. A few of the definitions of the word "Gauntlet," as provided by various online dictionaries, include: -- "a severe trial" -- "an attack from two or all sides" -- "trying conditions; an ordeal" Magic Springs nailed the name for this coaster! If there are any prog-rock fans here, they'll appreciate this -- while taking pictures of The Gauntlet, these speakers were belting out "And You and I" by Yes. Can't say I expected to hear that song on the soundtrack at an amusement park! Heading back toward the pond. Gauntlet credits... Andy: 1, Birds: 0. The birds win this round. A view from the edge of the pond, looking in the opposite direction, toward Plummet Summit and The Gauntlet. The pond is dammed, so although it's near the park's lowest point, the terrain near Gauntlet's station is about 20 feet lower. Here's my only missed operational log flume credit from the entire two-week trip -- Old No. 2. That queue line may not look very long, but it was absolutely crawling. One view of the flume, which wasn't particularly large, but was disappointing to miss regardless. Another view over the pond, with X-Coaster looming in the background. Lakeside Licks -- another eatery that I might have named differently. Heading up the hill toward the north end of the park, with one credit left to claim. Here's the entrance to Arkansas Twister, a Bill Cobb out-and-back wooden coaster. Lift hill shot! This ride started its life in Florida, and moved to Arkansas in the early 1990s. A train prepares for the 92-foot drop on Arkansas Twister. TPR riders on the return leg of the coaster. I may have been underwhelmed by the ride, but I love the weather-themed name and logo! One of the main slide complexes in Crystal Falls. This looked like it would be a lot of fun! The park's lazy river winds below the main walkway, which connects the entry plaza to Arkansas Twister. Another view of the north end of Crystal Falls, with Indian Mountain in the background. Boogie Blast is the name of the park's FlowRider, and of course... The Timberwood Amphitheater is the park's concert venue, and can hold over 5,000 people. ...there's Adrian schooling all the locals! Here's a prime meeting spot near the park's entrance, with a balcony overlooking the Crystal Falls water park. A distant view toward the wave pool and X-Coaster. An entry point for the lazy river, with Arkansas Twister rising behind the trees. The Split Rock Grill was a little busy, after nearly half of the TPR group got in line at the same time! Here's the shallow end of the wave pool... ...and the deep end, with X-Coaster twisting off behind it. X-Coaster climbs the vertical lift... ...and tilts backwards at the top, which has to be one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever experienced on a roller coaster. A lucky shot -- TPR members blasting off on Dr. Dean's Rocket Machine! This vertical lift is made even more unnerving by the fact that the seats are slightly reclined. Hair-hangtime! Twisting right-side-up... ...and diving upside-down. X-Coaster's a unique ride in an interesting location, but it would be tough to handle more than once. Distant zoom angles make the coaster look like it's even deeper in the forest than it actually is. Arkansas Twister reaches the crest of the patriotic lift. Mat racers are like the fun slides at local fairs, only actually fun. I honestly wouldn't have minded spending some time at the water park, but we had to head out before 3 PM! Observation tower enthusiasts take note! This is the Hot Springs Mountain Tower, which was clearly visible from the park. Closer to downtown Hot Springs, it sits on top of Hot Springs Mountain, and has a height of 216 feet. Combined with the mountain, which rises about 500 feet above its surroundings, the views from the top are probably impressive. You can bet that it'll be on my agenda if I return to central Arkansas. We boarded the Anderson buses for the first time, and got one last view of the park's north end. Passing the front gate on our way out of the parking lot. Magic Springs and Crystal Falls -- the sign. One last view of The Gauntlet, Dr. Dean's Rocket Machine, and X-Coaster. A look east on US Route 70 (Business), our road out of Hot Springs, with a long drive ahead. While crossing the Arkansas River on northbound I-430, I got this shot of Pinnacle Mountain in the distance. When I visited Arkansas in May of 2013, my biggest goal was to climb it and reach the summit. Sadly, weather conditions were unfavorable, and I wasn't able to make an attempt. Whenever it may be that I return to The Natural State, there's no way I'll miss another chance!

Day 4 -- Magic Springs Friday, August 2, 2013 Lesson of the Day: You're going to need good shoes for a trip like this. Two weeks of extensive walking will test the souls -- and soles -- of even the heartiest amusement park visitor. This lesson seemed most applicable to our two days in the U.S. Interior Highlands, hiking the heavy terrain of Magic Springs and Silver Dollar City. I probably asked for too much out of my old shoes in 2013, and I plan to have new ones before my two weeks with TPR in 2014. Artifacts: Here's the Magic Springs park map, and our TPR-exclusive tickets! Magic Springs was one of many parks that provided us with a free water bottle, though I think I forgot to pick one up from a couple of the parks we visited. I did take this one home! Scorecard: X-Coaster Big Bad John Diamond Mine Run The Gauntlet Arkansas Twister Day 4 This was the worst wake-up call of the trip. We had a lot of ground to cover on the trip's fourth official day. We started the morning in Texas, and ending the evening in Missouri -- two states that, as you'd notice on a map, are not adjacent to one another. With a park to hit in between, we had to get an early start, with a 5:45 AM meeting time to have everything out of the hotel. With over 90 people on the trip, it was crucial to be on-time for loading, with such a huge number of suitcases to be stowed under each bus. We only had time to pick up a quick breakfast on the way out, as our buses left the parking lot at 5:53 AM. To no one's surprise, it was easily the quietest bus ride of the entire trip -- one that would contrast with the next leg of our trip that same evening. I think people had a little too much fun at the Arkansas Welcome Center just northeast of Texarkana, where we stopped for a quick break just after 9 AM. Arkansas isn't on a lot of travel agendas, so entering the state for the first time might also have been the last time for several of our international guests. It was actually the second time I'd been in Arkansas in three months, and I do plan to return! At about 11:25 AM, we arrived at Magic Springs and Crystal Falls in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is a rather unique city with some interesting history, and I would enjoy getting a chance to visit more of the surroundings. Our itinerary only allowed the time to visit the park and head out on our way. Upon arriving in the parking lot, we had to say goodbye to our first crew of bus drivers (Cowtown Bus Charters), as we switched luggage into the new vehicles (Anderson Coach & Travel) we'd be staying with for the rest of the trip. The first buses had wifi on-board, which I'd come to miss on the rest of the trip. After getting our belongings situated, it was almost noon by the time we got in the park. The Magic Springs visit was essentially designed as a quick credit run -- with only around two hours scheduled to hit five roller coasters. We had to keep a tight schedule because of our plans for the evening at Silver Dollar City, and we all understood why that was so important. Still, it was of great importance for us to visit this out-of-the-way park, and we had just enough time to get (almost) everything done. As we prepared to enter the front gate, Robb suggested that it would be best if we didn't all run to X-Coaster immediately. So, what did I do? I went to X-Coaster immediately -- which worked out fine, as the TPR group did split up fairly evenly. X-Coaster was definitely not a ride that lends itself to quick-moving queues, so I was glad to have it out of the way first. I followed up X-Coaster with rides on the nearby Big Bad John and Diamond Mine Run, before heading to The Gauntlet -- the only SLC on the trip. I finished off the credits on Arkansas Twister, with all five complete by 1:30 PM. Most of TPR gathered at a meeting area near the park's entrance, where the word quickly spread that our 2:00 PM departure was going to be changing to 2:30 PM. It wasn't the coasters that demanded the extra time -- rather, it was the wait for lunch! I think most of the TPR group had the same idea -- knock out the coasters, eat, and head out. That crowded a large portion of us into the lines at the Split Rock Grill, where service was not moving briskly. The credit-run pace of the visit didn't allow for a whole lot of time for photography. With the slight adjustment to our departure, I was able to get some extra pictures of the water park area, as well as some zoom shots of X-Coaster in action. What I am most disappointed about is that I missed out on riding Old No. 2 Logging Company -- the park's log flume. It was the only operational log flume credit on the entire trip that I failed to collect. In between riding the coasters, I wandered over to the flume, only to find that the line appeared to be at least 20 minutes long. Since I wasn't sure I'd have time for it, I had to pass. I also missed out on Dr. Dean's Rocket Machine (the S&S tower), but I was able to get on similar rides at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Cedar Point. Magic Springs is an attractive park. The northern half of the property is mainly taken up by the parking lot (northwest) and water park (northeast), with the front gate spilling into a plaza area between the water attractions. Arkansas Twister is set at the far northeast end of the park, and near the park's highest elevations -- offering some outstanding views of the Zig Zag Range of the southeastern Ouachita Mountains. The rest of the amusement rides are situated in the southern half of the property, forming a ring around the park's small lake. This portion of the park is very heavily wooded, especially near X-Coaster and The Gauntlet. It's probably one of the most forested sections of any theme park I've been to, as it's clear that nature is not far away. Arkansas' nickname is, in fact, The Natural State. As I mentioned in the opening, the Magic Springs and Crystal Falls property features some pretty heavy terrain. The park's highest point (about 620 feet) is located near the front gate, while the park's lowest point (about 540 feet) is south of the lake at the park's southern end. That 80-foot elevation difference ends up as a pretty steep climb to get from -- for example -- X-Coaster back to the main entrance! The two paths that traverse the hill are lined by several of the park's smaller amusement attractions. Crystal Falls looked like a pretty nice water park for anywhere -- let alone central Arkansas. The park had a large wave pool, a kids area, a lazy river, a FlowRider (Boogie Blast), and a few large slide complexes. It would have been easy to spend as much time at water park as we spent riding roller coasters, but our tight schedule didn't allow for it. As would be a common theme on this hot summer trip, the wet park was certainly busier than the dry park. For our group, however, this was our first day out of the extreme heat we experienced in Texas. The Hot Springs high temperature of 91 degrees was an 11 degree drop from the 102 degrees in Dallas the day before! For its place as a regional attraction, I liked Magic Springs. I'm glad that I was able to ride all five coasters, especially with the looming possibility of the park focusing operations on Crystal Falls. I see no doubt that their water park will continue to be a very successful venture. To be totally fair, the roller coasters were a little bit disappointing. I felt like the amusement side was lacking something truly distinctive to set the place apart -- and, although I suspect several TPR members would respectfully disagree, I didn't think X-Coaster was it. With that point aside, I can't say anything negative about the park experience. Magic Springs is a well-themed, well-maintained park, and the employees were all fantastic. A huge part of what makes a visit a good one is the things the park can control on a day-to-day basis -- employee attitude, park upkeep, and general atmosphere. They hit all the right notes, leaving TPR with a happy (yet short) experience. Magic Springs is an interesting park in an interesting part of an unheralded state -- a place which, like its central Arkansas surroundings, offers a little more than what you might first expect. We left the park just after 2:30 PM, heading north to our next destination in Missouri. Although it's technically part of the same day, I'll be saving that part of the trip report for the next segment. Reviews of the attractions at Magic Springs: X-Coaster: For such an odd and unique coaster, I wanted to like this one more than I did. I'll ride almost any extreme amusement park attraction -- I'm not scared of heights, loops, intense forces, airtime, or much of anything else. I will, however, reserve one ride element that I do not enjoy -- hangtime. I do poorly with extended periods of forces directed toward my head, and I wonder if other riders feel the same cranial discomfort that I do (or if it's just me). One of X-Coaster's key features is the several seconds of suspension at the top of the lift, remarkably held in by a lapbar-only restraint system. After experiencing that once, I was good to go. I did enjoy the twist, and the quick forces on the run back through the station. Big Bad John: This ride's been around the block a few times, opening first at Six Flags St. Louis, before moving to Dollywood. It found its third home at Magic Springs, where its wooded backdrop is its best quality. Overall, I thought Big Bad John was an average to slightly-below-average mine train. Diamond Mine Run: Although the presence of the TPR group generally made kiddie credits a whole lot of fun, this one was helped out by an energetic ride op. The operator sent the train through the course multiple times, and threw out high-fives to the obviously-overage coaster enthusiasts (who were outnumbering the children on at least a 2-to-1 margin). The Gauntlet: How on earth did TPR plan a trip with over 80 roller coasters and just one Vekoma SLC? How on earth was this -- my 110th coaster credit -- the first hang-and-bang on my personal checklist? The first half of the ride went much better than I'd expected, and I wondered to myself if perhaps the SLC legacy was a bit overstated. The second half of the ride beat the truth into me, and now I know better. Arkansas Twister: This ride has the layout of a typical out-and-back wooden roller coaster, with the advantage of having the park's most scenic location. I'd rank it as slightly below-average compared to other rides of its type. There was some mild jackhammering in a few spots, and the pacing of the hills (and the speed at which they were taken) felt a little bit strange. Even still, this is probably the park's most re-ridable coaster, and I would have liked to try it out in a few different seats to see how the ride experience changed. Or, alternatively, I would have liked to just enjoy the view a little bit longer!

Good timing! I was just finishing it up today .

When I rode it last year, I thought Eagle was pretty smooth for a woodie -- and I even put it in my top 10 wood coasters (a small list, to be fair) -- but I should probably disclose that I was at Mt. Olympus the day before...

Matt -- another well done photo set. I agree with you -- those are the lesser of the two Disney parks, and not quite full-day experiences in their current configurations. I might go as far as to say that the Everest queue impressed me more than the ride itself, but then, I'm not huge on backwards coaster sections. Finally, someone else who doesn't like Aerosmith! I do like the coaster (and it's outstanding for a Vekoma) -- but though I think the first third is fairly intense, it just gets boring after it. Aerosmith aside, the theming is pretty cool, and the station is one of my favorites anywhere. I think I found a seat at the same lake-side place you did at Downtown Disney on my first night there in 2012. Nice spot! Can't believe how crowded that place gets, but obviously they're addressing that with the plans for the next few years.

Somehow I don't think this is what Phil had in mind..... Phil who? I thought they broke up after The Lamb! snob>

You're all a bunch of dodos and pigeons.

Not entirely surprising news, given the demographic/location/advertising concerns, but still disappointing. That was a genuinely awesome afternoon we had at Fair Park. Incredibly lucky for us on the TPR tour -- we got to visit a park in its only year of operation.

So mad I missed that! I must have walked by it ten times and never thought to go in! I think you're right. Quite a few of the rides are "portable" installations, but they've clearly been installed in a permanent fashion at Fair Park. I did note, from looking at some slightly-older aerial imagery, that a few things were moved around (there was some other flat where Jungle Twist is now, and two other roller coasters that weren't at the park during our 2013 visit). I can't think of a better description than that. To highlight the insanity, I found another set of back-to-back pictures that you and I took. Yours: Mine: The car with Jake and Eric can't have moved more than five feet between our pictures, yet it's already done half a revolution, so that they're facing each of us for the shots. Man, that thing was spinning.

Pictures from Day 3 (Part 2) Additional pictures and bigger versions of these images can be found here. Remember the bit of foreshadowing from the Lone Star Nights show at Six Flags Fiesta Texas? http://themeparkreview.com/forum/files/0730_3532.jpg It's been brought full-circle! Here's our arrival at Fair Park, with the famous Texas Star wheel in the background. Top o' Texas, the park's new Intamin gyro tower. The first coaster I rode at the park was Windstorm, a compact ride that packed a punch. Windstorm is just a bit shorter than the Intamin tower. A wider view of Windstorm. This model had a special feature. The "underwater tunnel" on the ride's big helix. Look closely, and you can see the hose-wielding hand of the ride op! This looks intense. The second credit was the mighty Wacky Mouse -- referred to as Western Mouse on the Summer Adventures website. Marcel gets excited for just about any roller coaster. Too excited. We get it, Marcel. You've got the Wacky Mouse all to yourself! What's this over here? It looks like the park's third credit. The unimpressive-looking Jungle Twist was nothing but a curved-up oval dropped on a bed of concrete. How bad could it be? Lap one remained somewhat calm. By lap two, however, the spinning had begun! Hold on for your life! Suddenly, this coaster -- a ride with a height difference of no more than five or six feet -- had turned into one of the most intense rides on the trip! Spinning so fast your leis turn into chokers! I love the array of differing facial reactions. I also love the fact that /everybody/ is holding the hand bar! Everyone except Ryan. Spinning means you never know which way you'll head through the track -- perhaps backwards, at least briefly, as this batch of TPR members was experiencing. A common scene in the Jungle Twist station. This was almost as exhausted as I'd see a group of TPR members all trip! Until the Dells, at least. Here's the nerd shot -- if you can somehow figure it out, this is the contraption that nearly killed us all! Stepping away from Jungle Twist to something a little less nauseating... ...here's the park's Log Flume, sponsored by Deja Blue. A random group of park guests splashes down. See, we weren't the only ones at the park! Cresting the hill on the log flume... ...an overloaded boat of TPR members! That might be one of the bigger splashes I saw out of this small flume. Hands up, Neil! Four TPR members in a log is impressive. No way anyone would ever try six at another park, right? Time for some more aerial photography -- riding up the Top o' Texas tower. Here's our home base for the end of the afternoon at Summer Adventures -- the flow rider. A look at the Gexa Energy Pavilion, a major concert venue on the grounds of Fair Park. The Texas Star looms over almost everything else at Fair Park. The Top o' Texas tower looms over the Texas Star. A view to downtown Dallas -- only about two miles away. Looking closer at downtown. With the sun getting low in the sky in that general direction, I couldn't get a better picture of the city. The world-famous Cotton Bowl, which is no longer actually home to its namesake NCAA game. The south entrance of the Cotton Bowl. Looking off to the north, I spotted what appeared to be a strange graveyard of old amusement park items. This was about the best picture I could get. I presume it's some sort of staging area for the State Fair. A look down at the blue awnings over Fair Park, and the lift hill on the log flume. The south station for the Texas Sauna Box Skyway. A yellow skycoaster, which doesn't look that impressive from up here. Flipper and Jungle Twist. Look at how small and pathetic Jungle Twist looks from high above. Appearances can be so deceiving. Wacky Mouse, located near the center of the park. Marcel might have still been riding! A look down at Windstorm, running a train full of TPR members. Another look at Windstorm from lower on the tower. Heading back down toward the main entrance of Summer Adventures. One last look at downtown Dallas from a little lower. After my ride up the tower, it was just about time for Flow Rider ERT! Doug gets it started and shows us all how it's done. Balance is the biggest part of staying afloat. Werner goes flying. Sliding off to the side is a more graceful exit than flopping sideways over the back lip of the wave. Take a guess how I ended most of my graceless Flow Rider attempts! Adrian's just getting warmed up. Robb goes "twisty..." ...before flying off the back of the ride. Elissa's a pro at this, with a very controlled style. Brent's style was a little more haphazard... ...or maybe a little more "hanging on for dear life..." Werner stays focused... ...does a barrel roll... ...and successfully executes the yo-yo! Adrian made us all look like amateurs, kicking up waves and performing tricks. Adrian's in there somewhere. So, the whole Giant Sing Along "Bohemian Rhapsody" thing started innocently enough... ...with just a few TPR members testing out the vocal cords. Slowly, the crowd begins to gather... ...and the singers become more animated. Before too much longer, nearly a dozen TPR members have grabbed a microphone... ...plus one other random person I don't recognize. As the crowd of singers grows larger and more enthusiastic, the crowd of spectators also begins to blossom. By the time the song's frantic middle section had kicked in... ...there was not a straight face to be found. For me? For me! It's the train wreck no one can look away from! Applause and celebration for a job ... well ... done? What a fun few hours we had at Summer Adventures! An artistic photograph of the TPR tour bus -- or, our last view of the park I wasn't joking when I said we had to extract ourselves from the parking lot! We had experienced yet another day of hot and dry Texas weather, but this distant thunderstorm must have been raining on somebody. Cajun Fried Turkeys? Cajun Fried Turkeys. Crepuscular rays over downtown Dallas. It's very yellow. A parting shot of downtown Dallas, as we headed west to Arlington. The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, built over the Trinity River just west of downtown.

My sincere thanks to those who have been reading this thread. Here's the next installment! Day 3 (Part 2) -- Summer Adventures in Fair Park Thursday, August 1, 2013 Lesson of the Day: Take more pictures of your friends. At first, this one was difficult for me. I've been a hobbyist photographer for years, and I'll take pictures of just about anything, but I've always shied away from direct shots of other people. On a TPR trip, there's no need for that sort of timidness, and the numerous photo opportunities at Fair Park helped me make that realization. Several of my favorite pictures from the trip involve other TPR members, including shots from SeaWorld San Antonio, the Wisconsin parks, and many I'll be posting here from Summer Adventures. Artifacts: Here's the map for Summer Adventures in Fair Park, and the lei I received on the way in. On the left is the front of the Summer Adventures map and guide. On the right is a rare keepsake -- the original ticket to enter the park, which I somehow missed trading out for the ride ticket! Scorecard: Windstorm Wacky Mouse Jungle Twist Log Flume Top o' Texas Tower --- Flow Rider [ERT] Day 3 (Part 2) A major factor that drew me to the concept of a TPR tour was the way that unanticipated amusement and pleasant surprises seemed to find a way to work themselves into the itinerary. Our short time at Fair Park easily qualified as the pleasant surprise of the trip's first week. With Shockwave and New Texas Giant unavailable at Six Flags Over Texas, an alternative set of plans was devised for our afternoon in the Dallas area. Situated on the sprawling grounds of Fair Park -- the September/October home of the Texas State Fair -- Summer Adventures in Fair Park was a new venture for the summer of 2013. Drawing from some of the State Fair's major attractions, Summer Adventures aimed to bring a classic amusement park atmosphere to the under-utilized summer schedule at the fairgrounds -- just two miles east of downtown Dallas. What started off as a backup plan quickly became an anticipated excursion for TPR, especially after experiencing the questionable affairs at SFOT. According to Robb, 82 of the 97 trip participants made the trip to Fair Park, and I can guarantee that 82 people left the place having enjoyed themselves immensely. This was TPR at its finest -- a group of adults running around a fair like a bunch of kids in a very large playground. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the very enthusiastic staff at the front gate, acquiring leis and tokens for free bottled water. Entering the park, TPR focused initially on the three portable coasters -- the tame Wacky Mouse, the strangely aquatic Windstorm, and the absolutely insane Jungle Twist. After picking up the three credits, there was time to explore the rest of the park. Summer Adventures is anchored by several permanent installations, including the brand new Top o' Texas Tower -- a 500-foot Intamin gyro observation tower. Even more iconic is the Texas Star -- a 212-foot Ferris wheel that was once the tallest in North America. I didn't get a chance to ride the Texas Star, and I also missed out on the Texas Skyway sky ride -- described by other TPR members as a "sauna" or "sweat lodge" due to the fully-enclosed cabins. Other portable attractions made up the rest of the park's lineup. I did pick up the log flume credit, though I missed out on the well-lauded dark ride (ghost train), as well as the "bubble house" fun house. There were also several flat rides, which helped to complement the thrill selection with the three roller coasters. The park's lineup was rounded out by live entertainment, including stunt bike riders and a show with dogs and cats. The best hour at the park was the last hour -- a combination of Flow Rider ERT, a pizza party, and a massive "Giant Sing Along" karaoke takeover. I guess there's a book's worth of history regarding TPR trips and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," and I got to witness another chapter being written! Our dinner was actually quite nice -- several varieties of good pizza, with salad and desserts. Some TPR members dined inside, away from the heat. Others basked in the high-brow entertainment of the Flow Rider ERT session, cheering the spectacular wipeouts as much as the skillful tricks. Our tight schedule allowed only about three hours at Summer Adventures. Combined with some of the other activities on the grounds of the park -- the Children's Aquarium, several museums, the Texas Discovery Gardens, and several historical sites -- it would have been easy to spend a much longer amount of time at Fair Park. We lined up for a hugely appreciative group shot, before forcibly extracting ourselves from the parking lot and heading back to Arlington. I've spent some time wondering why Summer Adventures didn't seem to attract a huge turnout in 2013. Though I think the historic and well-adorned Fair Park is a big part of what made Summer Adventures unique, it might not the best location with respect to easily drawing in families from the Dallas / Fort-Worth metropolitan area. That's probably an unavoidable problem, as I couldn't see Summer Adventures without the Texas Star wheel in the background! Furthermore, Six Flags Over Texas is well-known as the region's premier amusement park, and that's an uphill battle that Summer Adventures is going to have to fight (even if their target demographics are somewhat different). This is where the power of word-of-mouth is going to be their strongest asset. SFOT is coming off a major tragedy and a season of terrible operational reviews. Fair Park is a cheaper alternative that has all the potential to be just as fun, with a positive and inviting atmosphere that the big guys in Arlington just weren't delivering. There's room in the Metroplex for two parks to exist, especially if they're being run by caring and hard-working individuals. Summer Adventures in Fair Park fulfilled their end of the bargain, providing our group with an enthralling afternoon, and one that can only be described as classic TPR. Reviews of the attractions at Summer Adventures: Windstorm: The layout of this ride was quite similar to Runaway Mountain at SFOT, so I should have known what to expect. Unfortunately, I didn't remember to brace myself for the ridiculously sharp dive off the first brake run, and I don't think my neck forgave me until the next day. Windstorm was a fun and compact coaster, intense for its size. This one had an added bonus -- an "underwater tunnel" controlled by the ride operator. I didn't see it coming, and noticed on the ride's final helix that I had somehow gotten wet. It wasn't until watching the next train cycle that I realized the source of the water -- the enthusiastic ride operator with a garden hose! Wacky Mouse: This tame ride was worth a quick spin, but it was obviously the true kiddie credit of the bunch. It wasn't nearly as memorable as the park's third coaster. Jungle Twist: There were 85 coaster credits on the trip, and this was easily one of the most memorable (and most talked-about). Words can barely do justice to the insanity that Jungle Twist tossed us all into. With a simple oval track and a few tiny hills, trains on Jungle Twist were sent through the circuit three times. The catch was that each car was set up to spin freely, and none of us had any idea what we were in for. The cars revolved slightly after the first run through the course, but picked up the pace significantly on the second pass. By the third time through, the spinning had increased to a feverous centrifugation, a condition leading to side effects of slight nausea and uncontrollable laughter. Log Flume: My quest for the trip's log-flume credits was successfully continued at Fair Park! This flume had a bit of an environmentalist theme, with anthropomorphic trees along the winding course, and a neat LED tunnel thrown in for no apparent reason. The drop was pretty short, but overall, it was a fun ride. Top o' Texas Tower: What's it going to take to get Cedar Point to install one of these? For those of you who were on Space Spiral before it met its demise, the Top o' Texas Tower is everything that Space Spiral wasn't -- comfortable, air-conditioned, and clean. At a height of 500 feet, this tower provided incredible views of Fair Park and downtown Dallas. If I had more time, I would have loved to equip the zoom lens on my camera and go up the tower again. Flow Rider: The key entry on TPR's Summer Adventures agenda was a full hour of ERT on Fair Park's Flow Rider. The Flow Rider was divided into two halves, doubling the capacity and ensuring all interested TPR members would get their fair share of attempts. I was able to ride just short of ten times, even with a 20 minute break for dinner. My only previous Flow Rider experience was one attempt each at Kings Island in 2009 (an immediate wipeout) and at Hersheypark in 2010 (about 30 seconds of balancing, at best). Here, I was able to talk to, watch, and learn from some of TPR's finest -- and then put those lessons to use with trial-and-error and repetition. By late in the ERT session, I had finally found my center of gravity, and was able to balance enough to switch from laying to kneeling, in addition to controlling some light movements in all four directions. I had my share of wipeouts along the way, but so did everyone else! I had more fun on the Flow Rider than I could have possibly imagined, and I guess it counts as learning a new skill too -- one I'd put to use on another Flow Rider ERT session later in the trip.

Yin, this is a great report! Can't wait for part 3. I agree that FOTR looks outstanding, and I actually like all the different colors on the trains -- that wouldn't work for most rides, but for one with a rainforest theme, it's perfect.

...and I can't wait to get the next part of the trip report up, because the proof is in the pictures (and the people in them). That was a classic TPR afternoon -- epitomizing what I'd expected when I signed up for the trip. It's a classic! It's not easy to see in the sized-down version, but in my first picture of this set, you can see the other side of the sign does actually say "AMERICA" in full. So, maybe someone stole the letter, or maybe they just ran out of As -- either way, it's a bona fide I AM TEXAS moment!

I've done the same! Furthermore, if timed out just right, cresting the main hill on Splash Mountain with the fireworks in the background is one of those moments that can't be forgotten.

I remember that now that you mention it! That was actually really funny -- the cockroaches, not the eight-minute dispatch . Agreed, +1, like, et cetera. Most of the parks were smart about it. They did whatever they could to show some effort (even in such a rotten situation as SFFT was in), and gained themselves almost 100 rabid coaster enthusiasts, who are going to spread the word that their park is a great place to visit. But of course. That makes a boatload of sense. Guess I can't get on them too harshly, though, when even my favorite parks sacrifice traffic flow for merchandising via the famous exit through the gift shop.

Pictures from Day 3 (Part 1) Additional pictures and bigger versions of these images can be found here. TPR marches to the park from the La Quinta across the street. A first look at Judge Roy Scream, which sits apart from the rest of the park, accessible by a tunnel underneath the main access road. Here's the station for Judge Roy Scream, and the site of a piece of personal roller coaster history! Thanks to Tim, Olivier, and Francis for sharing in my 100th credit -- and to Robb, who was there to witness it and take the picture. Sue me for preparing a sign -- that was a proud milestone! The queue for Texas SkyScreamer, which was rather busy for most of the day. My first look at Mr. Freeze, as the riders look straight down. Too tall. Road Runner is preparing dynamite for the next batch of adults who try to ride. A fountain and carousel near the main entrance. Globetrotting to Spain. This isn't exactly Busch Gardens Williamsburg, but the themed areas are actually one of the park's strengths. Here's the La Vibora station, which was a little more confusing than it needed to be. I don't think anyone was interested in filling those cars to capacity. The classic "red to yellow, kill a fellow" / "red to black, venom lack" thing (which refers to Coral Snakes and Milk Snakes, not Vipers) was eschewed here -- on La Vibora, red touches both colors in succession. Arriving at Titan -- my favorite coaster at the park! The big turnaround over the transfer track shed. Orange track through blue supports. Now that segment from Lone Star Nights is making sense! A group of exhausted (or possibly unconscious) riders returns to the station. They had a scoreboard on the departing side of the station, which seemed to do very little to encourage the operators. With all the credits out of the way, it was time to relax for some photography (and great views) from the Oil Derrick observation platform. Here's the view from about 300 feet up, and the picture taker's challenge becomes apparent -- those chain link fences are awful for photography! One option would have been to switch to live view mode and hold the camera up above the top, but that's a tough way to take an extensive set of pictures. The day was saved by the discovery of these small holes in the fence, which were put in to accommodate the tower viewers (pay-per-use binocular-esque devices). By moving the viewers to the side, there was just enough room to get the lens through, providing unobstructed views on all sides of the tower. Speaking of the tower, it sure looks like it could use a little bit of upkeep. Now, to enjoy some aerial views. Here's Shockwave -- or is it Shock Wave? Either way, it's not open. Sorry, Anton. Maybe next time. Ring around the pickup truck. A wide view to the south. Two cars heading through La Vibora. Cresting the hill on the south El Aserradero flume. The main view to the east, toward several of the park's tallest attractions. Looking southeast, toward the park's reservoir, and our lovely yellow-and-red hotel. Superman: Tower of Power (the top of which just barely blocks out the Dallas skyline). Mr. Freeze and Batman -- the elusive two-train shot! It's a long way down from here. The train passes through the inverted top hat with a pretty good amount of speed -- it's intense, and your neck better be ready for it! Texas SkyScreamer begins to take flight. Texas SkyScreamer. Alternate name: Soarin' Over Suburbia. The pinnacle of Texas SkyScreamer -- that top flag is the highest object in the entire park. As if the two major closures weren't bad enough, here's a /third/ missed credit for the day. The lift hill for my #100. TPR's humble home for two nights. Tony Hawk's Pandemonium, with far too long a line. Looking down at the Roaring Rapids raft ride. I'm not so sure about the looks of that water, though. The park's biggest amphitheater, just north of New Texas Giant. A view off to the west -- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. Undulations on Interstate 30. Hurricane Harbor looked like a pretty neat water park. The sheer number of slides at this park is pretty impressive. The Hurricane Harbor water tower. The two big coasters at the park's west end -- New Texas Giant and Titan. A big lift hill with big overbanked turns. ANGUS OIL. The crest of the New Texas Giant lift. Is that Wile E. Coyote up top? A wide view of Titan, with Arlington's massive stadiums in the background. Climbing the Titan lift. Behind is Rangers Ballpark, home of the Texas Rangers (MLB). Cresting the lift on Titan, and preparing for a lengthy drop. There sure are a lot of water towers around here. Going down faster than the Dallas Cowboys' playoff hopes! The big turnaround on Titan. AT&T Stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, and more derisively known as Jerry World -- home of the Dallas Cowboys (NFL). A look at part of Rangers Ballpark -- a place I'd love to see a game at. Now, for a few distant views from locations surrounding the park. Grand Prairie is located just east of Arlington, and is one of the many huge suburbs of Dallas. This picture of the Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport is pretty much the reverse shot of one I got on my first day of vacation: http://themeparkreview.com/forum/files/0794.jpg You can even see that same building about halfway between! Exit sign at 250mm zoom. The Trail Dust Steak House? With all the SFOT restaurants closing early, I wonder if this place was open for dinner? Let's ask Yelp... http://www.yelp.com/biz/trail-dust-steak-house-arlington-arlington ... two and a half stars? Nevermind. Well, that was fun -- always nice to get a perspective from up high. Now heading down the Oil Derrick to make my way out of the park. A look up at Superman: Tower of Power. It's a pretty big S&S tower, and I wish I could have spared a few minutes to ride it. The park's skycoaster, and a billowing cumulus cloud. Runaway Mine Train -- a coaster whose age is its most notable quality. As I mentioned in the trip report, I thought the park had a lot of potential from a visual / theming perspective. I liked this big oil rig, located near Pandemonium and the Mini Mine Train. From the sign: CABLE TOOL RIG Drilled the early deep oil wells in Texas. Derrick here is exact replica and has same rigging and tools used in 1920 to drill the Crowley No. 1, a 250-barrel producer at 3500 feet -- one of the deepest wells up to the time. It was near Breckenridge, in one of Great Fields in oil empire of Texas. (1966) The top of the Oil Derrick looms far above the kids' area, which is getting a major renovation for 2014. A little bit of history near the park's carousel -- there were signs for each of the six "flags" that flew over Texas. A look at the massive Texas SkyScreamer in action. Heading back to the La Quinta to prepare for the afternoon at Fair Park. Yes, that sign really does say "God Bless Merica" -- Matt's trip report has proof: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/996529_10100587581564857_764964228_n.jpg Returning to SFOT at night -- a view of the skycoaster and Oil Derrick. Waiting (and waiting and waiting) for our night rides on Texas SkyScreamer, which were absolutely worth it. A quaint Ferris wheel for kids -- miniature hot air balloons. The Judge, lit up over the park's reservoir. Bye, #100. The end of the long day at Six Flags Over Texas. It's like the crazy unkempt uncle you dropped in on at a bad time. I intend to come back, and I hope you're actually ready for visitors when I do return.

Day 3 (Part 1) -- Six Flags Over Texas Thursday, August 1, 2013 Lesson of the Day: Check your pockets, and check them again to be sure. I had already lost one item (a pair of sunglasses at SeaWorld San Antonio), but almost left behind something much worse -- my wallet and phone. I had just purchased several new pairs of cargo shorts, and several days into the trip, I was still getting used to keeping everything secure. My valuables dropped into the seat on Mr. Freeze, and had it not been for the supremely quick eye of Tim K, they may not have been recovered. I made an adjustment to my carrying strategies, and ran into no further issues for the rest of the trip. My advice: 1) Find a system that works for you, and never deviate from it. 2) Immediately replace items you take out after you're done using them. 3) Doublecheck your pockets anyway, every now and then, just to make sure. Artifacts: All I cared to bring home from SFOT -- the park map and ticket. Scorecard: Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast Runaway Mine Train Texas SkyScreamer Batman: The Ride Mini Mine Train Pandemonium Judge Roy Scream La Vibora Titan El Aserradero (Flume 2) Runaway Mountain -- Lunch -- Oil Derrick -- Fair Park -- Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast Yosemite Sam’s Gold River Adventure Titan La Vibora Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast Texas SkyScreamer (x2) Day 3 (Part 1) I wanted to like this park. To start with, Six Flags Over Texas is a large, historic, and relatively attractive place. The park is in the middle of one of the biggest suburban concrete jungles I can think of, yet its layout and charm rarely break the self-contained illusion. Furthermore, SFOT has a very impressive collection of rides. We knew going in that two of the park's best attractions would be unavailable -- New Texas Giant due to the accident on July 19, and Shockwave due to a significant mechanical issue. Even without those rides, the park is home to several other impressive roller coasters, a large number of coasters overall, and quite a few important (and tall) flat rides and attractions. Missing out on New Texas Giant and Shockwave is cause enough for me to want to revisit this park, no matter what else happened during our visit on August 1. Unfortunately, this feeling stands in severe dissonance with the rest of the SFOT experience. As has been described by several other TPR members, our visit to SFOT was easily our most disappointing segment of the trip. Trip participants were made aware of the issues at SFOT weeks before the July 19 incident, confirming that our experience was not the hasty result of the fallout from the darkest day in the park's history. TPR was not treated particularly well by the park's management, with our only perk being a hastily-led walk back for first rides on Mr. Freeze, beating the general public to the queue by only about ten minutes. TPR is not a charity, and I know that our group doesn't simply expect to gain favors for a song. TPR is a business, and putting it in those terms, I find it hard to fathom why a park would allow such a remarkable marketing opportunity to slip through their fingers. In the wake of the New Texas Giant accident, especially, this is a park that could have used any positive press it could find. Unfortunately, none of my TPR peers seemed inclined to spin things in too positive a fashion, and my experience will lead this trip report in a similar direction. Still, because I still enjoyed certain aspects of my day at SFOT, I'll try to be fair in my assessment. Our journey to Six Flags Over Texas was a short one -- just a 5-10 minute walk to the front gate, from the La Quinta hotel just east of the park's property. This was the first time I'd ever walked to (or from) an amusement park before, though I'd repeat the experience while leaving Six Flags Great America, and during our extended stay at Cedar Point. We gathered at the front gate on yet another blistering scorcher of a day -- a high temperature of 102 degrees F, with a heat index of up to 106 F. Thankfully, this would end up as the last miserably hot day of the trip. It was hard to argue with a spot at the front of the line for Mr. Freeze, as we were awkwardly shuttled through a locked chain-link gate into the queue area. That gate ended up locked for the rest of the day, despite the fact that it essentially sealed access between two completely open sections of the park. Can anyone else figure that one out? Intending to knock out both of the mine trains, my Q-Bot group (with Victor, Stacy H, and Tim K) was disappointed to find that Mini Mine Train had yet to begin operations. We moved onward to a few other coasters, including Batman, whose Q-Bot entrance was one of the sketchiest queues I'd ever seen. Shoehorned against the northeasternmost edge of the park's property, the line wound its way behind the ride building, through what looked to be a decrepit backstage area that no guest should really be able to see. Six Flags Over Texas, for better or for worse, carved itself a very important spot in my personal record book. Judge Roy Scream -- my sixth coaster of the day -- became my 100th credit. The three-digit milestone was huge for me, and I initially thought that it would be the only "nice round number" milestone I'd hit on the trip. As it turns out, that might not have been the case! Only two parks on the trip (not counting Mt. Olympus, for reasons to be described later) featured kiddie coasters with strict child requirements. Wile E. Coyote's Grand Canyon Blaster ended up as a missed credit for at least 90% of our group -- only Marcel and a couple of other people were fortunate enough to time out a couple rides with KT. Well played, Marcel. My group was politely declined by the SFOT operators. After making a very quick run through the park's credits, we stopped for lunch -- captive audience to the same cheesy "western" sound effect, from a prime seat directly below a speaker, played once every 60 seconds. I split from my group and made my way to what I, as a photgrapher, considered the "high"-light of my day -- a session of aerial shots from the top of the Oil Derrick. Having spent the morning and early afternoon at the park, our day at SFOT was pleasantly interrupted by a trip across Dallas to Summer Adventures at Fair Park. I will be covering our trip to Fair Park in a future post. After leaving Fair Park, TPR returned to SFOT at night. As I had found that several rides opened late during the morning, some other TPR members found that rides had closed early, and that restaurants were also shut down for the night. With a couple hours before closing, we had enough time for re-rides on a few of our favorites. An attempt to take a second consecutive spin on Titan was ruined by an awful experience at the mid-point of the queue on the way out. Despite the lack of a line, a SFOT employee refused to let us return to the inbound section of the queue. Meanwhile, this employee had been socializing with someone who was apparently an off-duty employee, wearing street clothes and speaking quite boisterously. This individual attempted several times to encourage the employee to let us through, and we took off before the situation got too awkward. Frankly, I'd rather have just had the employee calmly reiterate that policy dictated that we should walk around, rather than awkwardly getting undermined by an obnoxious acquaintence acting in a pseudo-official manner. Overall, it was a bizarre display of behavior and a poor reflection on the park's staff and training. I was dead-set on closing my night on Texas SkyScreamer, hoping to take in an outstanding view from roughly 400 feet in the air. The bad news was that wait times for the ride were fairly miserable. Timing things out with the other TPR members, we found that dispatch times (from riders leaving to the new cycle beginning) exceeded five minutes. This exacerbated the delays inherent to a ride that consistently held some of the longest lines all day long. The good news was that we ended up on the second-to-last ride of the night, with a nearly-empty queue behind us. This forced one more cycle of the ride, and we all stuck around for the double-dose of aerial splendor. I fully expect that I will return to Six Flags Over Texas at some point in my life. I'd love to spend a few days in the Dallas area, and I'd certainly be willing to find the time for a few rides on New Texas Giant, Shockwave, and a few of the other rides I enjoyed. I can only sincerely hope that the 2013 operating season was the rock-bottom low point for the park, because I find it hard to believe how their operations could deteriorate any further without tainting the experience for even the general public. This was the only one of the four Six Flags parks we visited that left us with this sort of impression. I hope they get it fixed, because there's a lot of potential just waiting to be unearthed. Due to the quick pace with which my group moved through the park, I didn't have time for an extensive set of pictures, focusing my efforts on the views from the Oil Derrick. I also missed out on a few rides I would have liked to try -- Superman: Tower of Power (S&S tower) and Six Flags Railroad, in addition to the three closures (New Texas Giant, Shockwave, and El Aserradero Flume 1). Reviews of SFOT's many rides: Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast: This ride was more fun (and forceful) than I had anticipated! The hang-time sensations in the inverted top hat are interesting, especially when getting yanked down in the back of the train. It won't rank as one of my absolute favorites, but it was enjoyable. Runaway Mine Train: For the most part, this seemed like a middle-of-the-road Arrow mine train, though with important historic credentials -- built in 1966, it's the park's oldest coaster, and the first Arrow mine train ever constructed. The three-segment ride contained a nice surprise near the end, with an unexpected drop after the final lift hill. Batman: The Ride: The third Batman clone in three days delivered as expected. Not much else to say about these fun and intense coasters. Mini Mine Train: Perhaps a half-step up from a kiddie coaster, the difficulty in finding this ride operating is about its only memorable aspect. Pandemonium: Our second of three Pandemonium (ex-Tony Hawk) coasters on the trip, we treated this one as a credit, and moved on. Judge Roy Scream: This ride will forever have a spot in my record books, being my 100th coaster. I had a front-row seat in one of the back cars, and found the ride mostly enjoyable, with a few pops of air. Other TPR members on wheel seats were less impressed. It's a pretty standard out-and-back, so there aren't any big surprises with this one. La Vibora: The image in my message board avatar is a secondary logo from a defunct hockey team called the Detroit Vipers. La Vibora, of course, is Spanish for "The Viper." It's fitting that I'd enjoy this coaster, and I did! It was my third bobsled coaster, after Disaster Transport (Cedar Point) and Avalanche (Kings Dominion), and easily my favorite of the three. I thought it provided the closest sensation to what I'd expect out of riding a bobsled, picking up some forces on the big banking curves, with wheels even departing the surface for brief moments in time. I was glad to get on this one twice, especially given how rare these types of coasters are. Titan: Titan was one of my best pleasant surprises of the entire trip. Although I didn't rank out all the coasters from the 85 I rode with TPR, I'd guess that Titan would end up near the bottom of a top-ten list. The ride has great views, a mix of intense forces (both positive and negative), and speed to burn. I would have loved to ride this a couple more times, especially since there was almost no wait to board. Perhaps, in the ridiculous heat, Titan was too intense for the average park guest? I was proud to have avoided grey-outs entirely on the second helix, though the first "bonus" helix got me on the early-afternoon ride. Runaway Mountain: This indoor coaster wasn't much to speak of -- a Windstorm-esque model, slightly more intense than a typical mouse, with the quirk of being set in the dark. The big turn off the first brake run got my neck pretty good, and sadly, it was a lesson I didn't apply during the afternoon's trip to Fair Park. Texas SkyScreamer: This may have been my most anticipated non-coaster ride of the entire trip, and it delivered exactly as I'd expected. I never considered this to be a thrill ride, and as a lover of heights, I was mainly looking forward to the awesome views and remarable freedom rarely afforded at 400 feet in elevation. My night rides were more exciting than the run during the day, with a little bit of wind leading to over 90 degrees of rotation about a vertical axis. I tried my hardest to see the green glow of the Bank of America Plaza in downtown Dallas, only to learn later that the lighting package was in the middle of a half-year-long replacement. El Aserradero (Flume 2): El Aserradero means "The Sawmill" in Spanish, fitting a common theme for log flumes. The first El Aserradero flume was opened in 1963 as the first log flume in the world, and a second flume was added in 1968. Much to my disappointment (as a flume credit counter) -- yet not outside our expectations given SFOT's poor operations -- only one of the two flumes was running. Aside from knowing that I entered the line marked for "Flume 2," I really can't say for sure if I made it on the 1963 or 1968 version. Based on my GPS track, I know I rode the southernmost of the two flumes. I had no problems with the ride itself, which I found as enjoyable as most log flumes. Oil Derrick: You can sign me up for just about any observation deck, especially when they're open-air and as tall as this one! Most of my SFOT photography was completed from up top, despite some difficulties I'll describe in the photo section. I wish every park had something like this -- especially Cedar Point. Yosemite Sam’s Gold River Adventure: Not sure what to think of this one. An odd water-borne dark ride, with Looney Tunes scenes in dire need of upkeep. I guess I'm glad I got to see it, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Through this afternoon, Cincinnati has had 28.6 inches of snow this season. The average through this date is only 10.2 inches. Definitely way above normal, and it's been colder than normal as well. And through that, an outstanding (and unenviable) job by everyone putting Banshee together!

This was one of my favorite threads when I was just starting to read the TPR forums a lot in the past few years. Glad to see another update. I guarantee that the next time I'm in Florida, something I learned here will factor into my plans .

Another great update! Sorry about the weather there -- that's Florida in the summer for you. I never cared to spend that much time at Epcot when I was younger, but the last time I was at Disney World (2012), I realized I was actually kind of interested in the "other half" of the park (World Showcase). It's definitely worth budgeting extra time for . Glad you got to see most of Illuminations too -- probably my favorite night show at any park.

Thank you all! Seriously, it's very much appreciated. Ha! Yeah, there isn't even a Drury sign in that view. The Applebees wasn't open yet anyway. Well crap. It's like my favorite pop-tarts of all time, which got discontinued in 2008, reinstated in 2010, and then discontinued again in 2012. Just going to have to enjoy life without it. Two of my favorite weeks that I can recall as well . A-ha! They were yours! The mystery has been solved. I'll try that with one of the other two packets -- if I can dig them out from the mess of wristbands and park maps.

Day 2 Bonus -- International Snack Exchange Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Once our half-day at SeaWorld San Antonio ended, it was time for the first long bus ride of the Texas/Midwest tour. A few scenes from the road... This is a high school football stadium. This is a /small/ high school football stadium by Texas standards. Goodness gracious. Hey, I recognize that place! A parting shot of the trip's first hotel. Freeway interchanges in Texas -- no one makes 'em bigger. Can you say "frontage roads?" Circuit Of The Americas -- a big Formula One race track near Austin. I had no idea what this was, but several people on the bus recognized the place, so I took a picture of it as we sped by. After stopping in Temple for what would end up looking like a smorgasbord of dining options compared to later breaks, we finished our journey to the La Quinta in Arlington. Although we were done riding coasters for the day, it was time for another highlight of the trip -- the International Snack Exchange! I stupidly did not bring my camera to the event, but to give you an idea of the scope, here are three outstanding pictures from Yin, from Marcel, and from TPR. Obviously, there was far too much to eat, though I think we gave it our best shot! I couldn't even begin to describe all of the items we had available, so hopefully a few can be picked out in the pictures. I provided some coconut bars produced not far from where I live in Ohio. We also had buckeyes from Ohio, loads of Haribo gummi candies, Timbits from Tim Hortons, jelly beans, Takis, crackers, jerky, and dozens of other items I can't even remember. I took home three packets of Frigeo Ahoj Brausepulver -- German soda powder -- determined to make myself a glass. I opted for the orange packet, and hoped I'd make it correctly. It fizzed the water magnificently, with a very sweet orange taste. Not bad at all! From the back of the packet: I gave Google Translate a go, and came out with, well, something close enough to make sense out of! What were my favorites? Well, let me start at the bottom, with one I didn't even try -- I think we all know Yin wins the award for worst International Snack Exchange entry, made all the more hilarious by the fact that he was trolling us all along. Yin's pickled vegetable something-or-others looked positively hideous, but six months later, they make for one of the most memorable snacks of the night! Well played, Yin. Well played. Honorable Mention: Bourbon balls, homemade by Stacy G. Nicely done! Third Place: Prickly pear cactus jelly candy, provided by one of the Arizona residents. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I did! It took some getting used to, but the purple stuff was worth the effort! Second Place: Heck, I can't even remember the name of it, or who provided it -- but it was some sort of pineapple chocolate semi-gummy candy that I found rather addicting. Does anyone else remember this? First Place: Whittaker's White L&P Lemon and Paeroa. Was I the only person that liked this stuff? It's white chocolate (which I love) mixed with L&P (Lemon and Paeroa), a soft drink made in New Zealand. The end result is that it's a mix of white chocolate, lemon, and pop-rock-esque fizzyness. Obviously, I have the Kiwis to thank for this -- Matt and Andrew, thank you, but darn you for hooking me on something I cannot find on this side of the globe! That was one of my favorite evenings of the trip -- another one of those unique experiences, as people from all around the planet get together to eat enough to make up for all we've sweat off in the hot Texas sun.

Pictures from Day 2 (continued) Shameless kiddy credit. For a park with only four coasters, I might as well get them all! Yes, it had a small line. Yes, we waited in it. Shameless, I say. Shameless. The fountain near the park's main entrance. Dolphin Cove: TPR takeover edition. Atlantic bottlenose dolphins swimming around. Yes, I see you. I think these dolphins are hungry. The interestingly-shaped Coral Reef building, home of the park's aquarium. This flagpole is planted in an off-limits area at the north end of the park, but it's on a hill that is actually the park's highest point. Taking in the wonders of the ocean, or just mesmerized by a bunch of fish. A tropical paradise. Giant glass walls on the inside of the aquarium. Silhouetted in front of the water. Rays and fish. I'm not good with species identification, so we'll call this one "white fish with a thing on its head." Here's "blue fish with a bunch of yellow spots." That's right, I'm one step above Dr. Seuss. Plenty of fish in the sea. Several more in San Antonio. I'll call this one "Evan Longoria." Pictured: shark. Not pictured: Tums. Creepy shark picture with the light in the background. Piranha: stars of the future Oscar-winning film Pirahnado, directed by Martin Scorsese. Yeah, everyone here probably already knows these guys. Sea life is weird, part 1. Sea life is weird, part 2. Now entering Rocky Point Preserve, home to the park's seals and sea lions. "Hey, you got any fish?" "Just swimming along." Also home to river otters, including these two, who spent some quality time together. "Yeah, what?" Two of a kind. I have video of these fine creatures: http://www.thegreatzo.com/photos/video.php?set=20130731b&vid=0399 Sad puppy face? I drive a Chevrolet movie theater. Flying high above Steel Eel. Cresting the first drop, which is much more fun than hitting the bottom of the first drop. This guy's got wingspan. Steel reflections. The bottom of the first drop on Steel Eel. Airtime! Followed by spine-time! Dropping in on Journey to Atlantis. Here it comes... The big splash. Hope you enjoyed your ride. These people know what's coming next. For those in the front row, perhaps an unacceptable amount of wetness. Riding out the bottom of the drop. Yeah, they enjoyed it. Dolphin statues and the front entrance fountain. Now leaving SeaWorld San Antonio after a great half-day! A final view of all three coasters. Steel Eel rises above the trees -- the last view of the park on the way out.