maeryk

Actually, we did not get to do philharmagic. LOVED Fantasmic! though.. caught both versions of the MK fireworks (both Wishes and the halloween one at the party). Someone said it was basically the same show.. not sure if that is true or not. We were between Small World and Peter Pan for the finale of the halloween one.. it was absolutely amazing. Pooh was pretty cool, shame that 20K leagues was gone, loved splash mountain (in fact, we timed it just right that there were fireworks in front of our faces when we went down the drop). Stitch was pretty cool.. though I stank like fake chili-dog all night.. wished I could have seen Alien Encounter to compare it, honestly. (last time I was there it was still mission to mars). Buzz was a lot of fun.. my step-dad is a certified nut about that ride. I cannot stress enough that the 30$ we paid for the MNSSHP tickets were worth EVERY penny, especially as we were there Columbus Day week.. it was absolutely PACKED on Monday, and very frustrating, but we walked on everything at the halloween party, and the kids had a blast. (We left the 2 yr. old daughter home for that.. way too late for her). As far as epcot goes, I think I liked "communicore" better than "Innoventions".. but it was the food and wine festival, so a lot of it I missed. Never _DID_ find the Beverly. Energy is freakin deafening, and I do not understand why they still have the Dinos in there.. they kinda don't really make any sense in the ride anymore. Living Seas and Body were closed, I was sick the day everyone went on soaring, test track rocked, and we never did get on Mission: Space!. MGM rocked.. nice park.. kinda crowded when we were there, but I love the theming of the place, and I didn't make it to Animal Kingdom.. that's for the next trip. All in all, aside from the stomach flu, it was a great trip.. we timed the weather just right to be between storms, and the crowds, other than Columbus Day, werent so bad. On a side note, when my wife went down with said flu at Epcot, I cannot speak highly enough of the medical service that Disney provides.. took em about 7 minutes to get an ambulance there, (even though we really did not need one). She even weakly asked the security guard if there was an "I threw up in Epcot's parking lot an all I got was this lousy t-shirt" available. He said no. However, I did notice later in the week, the "stain" she left on the parking lot was clearly visible from the monorail coming into Epcot.. on the right, about the second or third slot in in the handicapped parking area, just at the gates.. (she's gonna KILL me if she reads this) Maeryk

Oh.. and a donkey. (and the real reasons I had fun this time!)

Rock'n'rollercoaster, MGM Disney orlando. Good ride. (and just before that, Space Mountain and Big Thunder, of course) Maeryk

It being the next closest park past Dorney to me.. Phoenix is what it is.. straight up bone rattling airtime. It is probably the one that has remained truest to the designers wishes for what they wanted when it was built, and the buzz bars can scare the CRAP out of you if you are used to "newer" coasters. (Thunderhawk/AKA/The Coaster used to rival Phoenix.. but trims, new cars, and removal of a bunny hop neutered the crap out of it). Twister is not the tallest or fastest coaster.. but at times it feels like both.. it is so packed in there that even when you are going relatively slowly, you truly feel like you are flying.. and _try_ to hold your hands up coming into that tunnel, or around the back turn right before it drops back under the first up-hill! It's a great ride. They are both very good solid coasters.. neither is the "best" at anything in particular, but I think they both embody a lot of the best of their genres, and very little of the worsts. Maeryk

Welp.. went "back" to Disney for the first time since the year Epcot opened. I'm sure you all know all about the place, but my observation is it is just a bit more commercial, and a bit more cramped than I remember it.. but still, an AMAZING vacation week, and well worth every penny we paid. Just wanted to share one photo I got.. (not bad, i think, for a handheld long exposure) Maeryk Photo of the castle during NSSHP

^ it doesn't have to when the guy what owns the forum is the one who posted it. Maeryk

Dorney has beacons on the tall ones.. Steel Force, Dominator, and I think at least one other ride, mainly because there is a hospital about 1/2 mile away and Medivac does treetop runs through that area to avoid the flight paths of BIG planes going into ABE airport about 10 miles away. Maeryk

SPeaking of duelers.. does Rebel Yell always have one car running backwards now? or does that only happen certain times of the year? (I know they used to do it during Halloween). Saw a trip video from some mexican site that showed one car forwards, one backwards, adn they were definately racing. Maeryk

^ ROFL My buddy and I do that too. "Wait.. where the main brake fin? It _USED_ to be right there.. wonder if that's why they had that delay a few minutes ago." Usually only to people annoyingly loud and obnoxious.. "Oh.. yeah.. well, they only close it for five minutes for vomit.. if they say it is going to be 20 minutes.. that means someone had a fatal hemmorhage and they have to get the blood off the car.." Maeryk

Easy. Family. Disney is definately not aimed at the thrill rider group.. tho they are getting closer. They are aimed at people like me.. I will be there with my 60 year old parents, myself, my 12 year old son, my 19 month old daughter, and my sisters family, kids aged 5 and 8... and at Disney, every single one of those people can be highly entertained often. I don't have to worry about the clientele of the park, because Disney is not afraid to look at someone in a risque t-shirt or who is spewing profanity and say "See ya.. don't come back", and the entire place is oriented around familys. So it's not the afterthought some parks tend to make it. Sure.. it's a small world may be boring to you.. but I first rode it when I was 3, and the two times I have been back since it has been closed.. I am now 35, and cannot WAIT to get on that ride. Space Mountain isnt by any means a "thrill" ride.. but it's a boatload of fun. There is just an atmosphere at Disney that doesn't exist anywhere else.. and that is what people are paying for. Not to mention the beauty that they can drop their credit card at the website, and have _everything_ taken care of. Shuttle from the airport to the hotel, monorial from the hotel to the parks, birthday notes for the kids from the characters, you name it.. the perks are endless. Thats why we go. Maeryk

I don't know if anyone mentioned this.. I have read a lot of posts in this thread, but my recollection is kinda iffy right now.. Another big BIG thing to consider about Disney is when you are going. We have always gone in late September or October.. and have never really "waited' (in the classic sense) for any of the rides. Disney is all about moving people.. and most of their rides are constant motion.. so the line doesn't really stop. But you want to time your Disney vacation so A) it's not quite so stinkin hot, B) it's not spring break or summer vacation, and C) it's not a major holiday (like Christmas, or Easter, or Memorial day). Plus, the prices are much better "offpeak".. for our trip in October, the single most expensive thing we are looking at is airfare.. 700 bucks for a family of four from Pennsylvania. My mom has a Fairfield Resorts membership, so we got the room for a week (and it's a suite.. with a stove and kitchen and everything) for about 300 bucks total. (for 7 days). We'll save a lot of money by only eating one meal a day in the park, and the only other "expensive" thing will be the park passes. Plus, we can get the "magic hour" if you buy the right passes, I believe. Also, drop the 15 bucks or whatever on a Birnbaums.. it can be utterly invaluable if you don't know the parks, or resorts, or even really what rides are what. Disney is slowly (at least IMHO, as somone who stood and watched Space Mountain being built on his first trip) turning into a "theme park" rather than "the place magic happens".. but it is still unique, and their customer service and your experience _still_ beats the pants off of every other park I have ever been too. Maeryk "who still misses 20K leagues"

Just so ya'll know.. here in the US they are phasing in a plan over the next five years or so to require a passport to get back from Canada. So, if you want to hit canadian parks, and get home again, you will need a passport. No more drivers license, and birth certificate. So, I'd reccomend getting one _now_ if you plan to be doing that.. they are good for ten years.. and oh yeah.. the price is going up.. (of course) Maeryk

Just so you know, ABE airport (allentown) is about 20 minutes from Dorney, all highway. Philadelphia is about 2 hrs, and Newark is about 2 hrs as well.. figure out the cost of a rental car, and mileage, and factor that into the fare price.. Allentown is a fairly podunk airport.. but it's nice and close. Maeryk

Make sure you ride Steel Force next time. It really _is_ the tamest coaster.. sure.. the drop is a lot higher than that on Thunderhawk, but its an extremely smooth and gentle coaster.. very little in the way of forces, and NONE of that lateral slam that TH pulls coming down into the helix. The Secret with TH is to leave your lap belt loose enough that the lap bars do what they are supposed to do.. IE catch your hips.. if you snug the lap belt down, it will cut you in half at the top of the second hill. I'm surprised you did not rate Dominator! Personally, I prefer the "up" side.. but the down side is pretty cool too. Maeryk

Dorney has been in at least two that I know of.. John Water's "Hairspray" and a singing Nun movie.. as well as (apparently) being featured in an independent film which is slated to come out this year about kids who break into a "carnival" and run the rides themselves. (I was actually there for the Hairspray filming, in 50's-ish clothing, but I have never found myself in any of the scenes). Maeryk

Actually, it looks pretty tasty.. course, I have eaten tongue too.. which looks far LESS appealing on the cutting board than that thing would. Mmmm.. bigarsed clams... Maeryk

Looks sweet! But i would inspect it VERY carefully for a "CyberDyne Systems" sticker before putting myself to it's mercy! Maeryk

so, things like: headbanging (short) or (tall) (thats an important one.. my wife is 5'4, I'm 6'3.. theres an AMAZING dichotomy between our ride experiences.. ), "airtime" "g's" "negative G's" "element rating".. Don't know how one would set the poll up though.. what other things can people think of? Maeryk

Since you have a CP pass, you going to be hitting Dorney at all this year? They sell it there too, at the "champs" or whatever it is.. (used to be the "red garter saloon") And does it HAVE to be an A/B product? Cause (IMHO) our local "micro" Yuengling, beats the heck out of anything they have ever made. Maeryk

I think it is too subjective, unfortunately. I have never been on a Vekoma I like, or a B&M I didn't like.. but Robb really doesnt like my "favorite" coaster.. and I probably wouldnt be a huge fan of his, as having the blood drained out of my face and pooled in my feet is not my idea of a good time. Plus, each person has individual "triggers" that make them happy.. if you like the wind whipping you so hard you cannot see, I may not.. hence something that is a ***** in your book may be a 1/2* in mine.. but hey.. it would be fun to try! Just do an averaged system.. set out a rating of 1-5 for things like "speed" "smoothness" "restraint comfort" ( you can leave that off the Vekomas.. ), "theming" whatever.. and average it. I'm sure theres many sites out there that already do that, though. Maeryk

nice paper! Theres a lot more detail you could go into.. including the most famous (probably) of all.. the Coney Island coaster. Check your grammar in the BBW paragraph. It didn't scan right to me. But good paper! Maeryk

Face it, it all comes down to individual responsibility and behavior. Thats it. As the poster above said.. if two people want to do things best done in their own home in public, tell the park and pitch a fit. Period. I have no issues with people holding hands, or a quick smooch.. the extended tonsil hockey periods in the middle of the midway blocking pedestrian traffic get on my nerves. When I was on Steel FOrce two weekends ago with my 12 year old son and the city-dweller two seats in front of us spun around to announce "I Lost my virginity on the main drop of steel force!" at the top of his lungs (the mechanics of which I cannot even BEGIN to imagine) I was a bit perturbed. Those are questions I do not need my child asking at this point. Maeryk

I'm pretty sure the FD was gone before Laser went in.. but I could be wrong. Maeryk

^ that was my second coaster, about five minutes after Thunderhawk. I miss that beast! Maeryk

Gotta tell you man, it's not the parks themselves that are ghetto, it is the guests. Dorney is a totally different experience depending on what clientele you have there for the day. If it is a midseason day, midweek, they (the ride ops, and the guests) are the nicest people you ever want to meet. Everyone smiles and is friendly, the rides run on time, and theres no line jumping and stupidity. If it is one of those days where they are bussing kids in from NYC or Camden NJ, etc, then the park is ghetto as all get out. Loud cursing, inappropriate clothing, the ride ops get screamed at by the guests, and then the ride ops get surly. No one even seems to notice the trash cans (which Dorney is legendary for having.. every where you look you see at least three of them) they just throw junk on the ground, spit off the rides, etc. I'll be going to Paramount: Canada's Wonderland this summer in Toronto, and I'm very interested to see the difference between say, Six Flags Great Adventure (which can be an EXTREMELY ghetto park), and a park in "friendly" Toronto. (and I know Toronto pretty well, and the difference between that and say, Philadelphia or Baltimore is staggering). Honestly, I don't think parks try to be ghetto. I do, however, think as they open more and more of these 15 to 20 million dollar rides, they need to get their money back, and that means dragging in every soul they can. As long as they keep offering discount rates to schools and such in the inner citys, they are going to contine to get that kind of clientele. I know if I head for Dorney and see the upper lot full of busses, I will just turn around and head home. It's simply not worth it to me to get banged into by people walking four abreast who will not move out of lock step, or get gum in my hair from idiots spitting it off rides. Not to mention the brain-crushing "thumpa thumpa" of those stupid basketballs you can win. Maeryk