socalRCfan

Elissa and Robb, Is there any chance of visiting Astroland and Playland on the East Coast trip? As one of the mentioned add-ons?

Check ebay. I used ebay last year for Kings Dominion tickets and got them for less than $20.

Bgwfreak, what were your approximate stats that made it onto MF and TTD? Glad to hear you made it on everything at the park.

Any discounts out there right now for an all day wristband?

There is a MTA bus line directly from downtown Los Angeles. If you take Metro Rapid down Ventura to Universal Red Line, then take the subway to 7th Street/Flower, connect to a bus dropping you off at Disneyland. You may want to think of getting a cheap motel/hotel room for at least one night instead of making that trek each time you want to visit one of the Orange County parks.

^ I mean are the belts short/restrictive? I weighed myself this morning and came in at 264. It feels great to be closer to 250 than 300. Hopefully I will get down into the 250s before my trip.

Definately go to Great America the first day. It is pretty easy to reach regardless of which airport you use. Great America has some nice rides, but pretty much no shows. I would much rather have a full day (opening to closing) at Discovery Kingdom. And yes, Gilroy Gardens doesn't sell the Maxx Pass. Go to Great America the first day and then the rest of your trip is pretty flexible.

Does anyone have a personal experience on V2 at Six Flags Great America? How are the belts on that ride?

Great pics!! I am going to Beech Bend in a couple weeks, are there any promotions running for a discounted rate?

Hello fellow TPR members. I just wanted to add my experience to this thread because I think it is very supportive. I just weighed myself this morning and I came in at 277 lbs. at 5'11''. Yikes!! The problem is I am going on a Mid-West/Southeast coaster trip in a few weeks. I know I won't be able to go on basically any Intamin ride (not going to CP just for that reason), but I want to lose as much as possible in order not to miss anything else. I recently got my MAXX Pass at Great America (Santa Clara, CA) and almost didn't fit on Top Gun. There isn't anything more upsetting on a park visit than to be denied to ride. The only ride I have been rejected on was V2 at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Yet, I was prepared for that since we all know Intamin restraints aren't very forgiving.

I noticed quite a few B&M coasters have modified seats. Do any Intamin coasters have modified seats as well?

I was also fortunate enough to get the meal plan included in my disney vacation in September 2006. It is a great bargain which allows you to sample some of the better offerings at the parks and hotels. My 2 cents would be to stay away from the restaurants which require 2 sit-down credits for 1 meal. These "signature" restaurants were marginally better than the rest. If you want to eat at these select locations, it may pay off to just simply pay for a particular meal.

Hello Elissa and Robb, What do you think of the Disney Vacation Club? Have you ever been interested in joining? Anyone have experience with the DVC?

Elissa, where will the group be staying while in Sandusky this summer?

Anyone care to articulate a more substantial reason to dislike ACE? It just seems unusual for coaster enthusiasts to dislike coaster enthusiasts.

Is it possible to visit Disneyland on New Year's Eve with a traditional passport and then upgrade to a Socal pass once inside the park? Also, if anyone has some insight on what it is like to be at Disneyland on New Year's, please share!

Why is there so much negativity on this site towards ACE?

Will they be mailing these cards to the buyers? At the park, nobody knew of the promotion (no surprise there!).

Hey Robb, How do you go about getting the best discounts and special prices at some of the smaller parks you vist? I mean, with Six Flags and Cedar Fair, it is easy with an annual pass, but what about individual parks? Just wondering because I was hoping to do a cross-country trip soon, possibly in 2007.

Hello Rob and Elissa (well, pretty much anyone who would like to chime in), I am planning a trip to Virginia (Busch Gardens, King's Dominion) and Florida (Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens) in September. We are staying at All-Star Sports with the dining plan included. I was wondering if you had any advice on getting cheap tickets to King's Dominion and/or Universal? We have SeaWorld San Diego Platinum Passes so SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are free. Also, do you know of the Universal restaurants which provide the 10% AAA discout? Is the Polynesian Luau and Hoop-Dee-Do Musical revue worth it? Following is the schedule I thought was appropriate: Sept. 14 (Thursday) Fly to Norfolk on red-eye flight after work. Sept. 15 (Friday) Busch Gardens Europe Sept. 16 (Saturday) Kings Dominion Sept. 17 (Sunday) Fly to Orlando, remainder of the day at Epcot Sept. 18 (Monday) Magic Kingdom Sept. 19 (Tuesday) Epcot Sept. 20 (Wednesday) Disney-MGM Studios Sept. 21 (Thursday) Animal Kingdom Sept. 22 ( Friday) Universal (both parks) Sept. 23 (Saturday) SeaWorld Sept. 24 (Sunday) Busch Gardens Africa Sept. 25 (Monday) Any park, most likely to Universal again, fly home. Any advice appreciated! I haven't been to Orlando in over a decade and have never been to the Virgnia Parks. Any thoughts on what not to miss or what not to get too excited over? Thanks, Nick

Haha, I love your reviews on Knott's Robb. The last time I went there, I rode Silver Bullet for the first time. It was the only ride we rode and left immediately after. I remember having high hopes for Knott's when Cedar Fair took over. Wow, I thought Magic Mountain would actually have some stiff competition in their own backyard. It started off well, with Supreme Scream and Ghostrider. I thought Perilous Plunge was ok, that is, when it is open. Then Silver Bullet? B&M invert bigger than Batman, sounds good in theory. I think Knott's will always live in the shadows of Disneyland Resort and Magic Mountain.

I won't count Disneyland because I can't give an exact date/age. First time to Magic Mountain was 1985, my 7th birthday, Revolution. After riding it today, it is hard to remember how great this roller coaster was before the OTSRs.

I loved WDW each time I visited Orlando. The complex is so impressive and entertainment is very diverse. Yet, the thrill seeker in my likes DL far more than Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom has a very grand feel, and it is great. Yet, at Disneyland, it feels cozy and more mature. At the Magic Kingdom, you feel like you are in a Florida theme park. That is fine. Yet, at Disneyland, you feel so isolated from the surroundings once inside the park. I don't think this will ever be accomplished at Magic Kingdom, which is kinda ironic. Thrill rides attract me. Space Mountain in Disneyland was one of the best rides. I am really nervous the new version will not live up to the original. The Magic Kingdom Space Mountain is too tame, little forces, and far too bright inside. The absence of Matterhorn from Fantasyland always confuses me. Out of all the rides you could leave out of Fantasyland, why Matterhorn? The Magic Kingdom castle never really impressed me with the size difference. Disneyland castle seems a little more real, while Magic Kingdom castle is too "Disney." The location of our Splash Mountain is much more appropriate than in WDW. No Indy at Magic Kingdom. New Orleans Square has so much more character than Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom. And yes, Toontown in Disneyland is far better. I also like that fact that Disneyland is 50 years old and has the ride selection to prove it. WDW has the problem of having few attractions at each park. It's not too bad when you spend a week there, but for someone to pay one day admission for any of the Florida parks is insane. Disneyland does need to replace the People Mover. To have this meandering track throughout Tomorrowland for no purpose is just not right. I also think Disneyland's audience would be a little older, more mature with local visitors. For that reason, I think Disneyland can pull off the original Alien Encounter. No Stitch!

I was always a fan of Disney cartoons and Disneyland. Growing up in Socal, it was usually an annual trip to Disneyland. I can't remember being scared about getting on Matterhorn or Space Mountain, it was just part of the day. Yet, my first visit to Magic Mountain in 1985 was what got me hooked. It was my seventh birthday and I guess Revolution (fun!) and Colossus (scary back then!) were my first big coasters.