USRoadTripper

I remember going to SFGAm in 1996, when I really hated coasters! I remember walking from the parking lot and just being captivated by it...and trying to figure out why anyone with half a brain would want to ride it! hahaha The first drop looked really terrifying to me, and for years it stood as one of those coasters that was just way too scary to ever humor riding! I got kinda sad last year when I was planning my trip to SFGAm, and realized that that big coaster I was scared of was Shockwave, and that I'd never get the chance to ride it :-/ -Julie

A (16 year old) co-worker of mine does it, but always says "Ya feel me?" instead of "pound it" or whatever. -Julie

Ladies and Gentlemen, by Saliva. What an awesome, awesome song! -Julie

Appears that they have also scrubbed the book release. http://tinyurl.com/yx63vv -Julie

Epcot! Best park *anywhere*! -Julie

^ I sort of felt the same way about my visit, Guy. I had a very nice time in the park, and only saw minor problems worthy of complaining about later. I saw only two instances of less than stellar employees, and those were at Psyclone (four ride ops stopping everything to flip a coin and decide a bet) and when we passed a ride op lounging a little too comfortably at Jet Stream. Ops the rest of the time at least seemed average, which was much better than I was expecting, based on the stories everyone tells. I also can't remember a single time when I saw trash or general dirtiness and thought it to be out of the ordinary(Ok, ok, Goldrusher's gum support was pretty gross! But lots of parks have places like that!). I thought the bathrooms were more than adequately clean, and I didn't notice any overflowing trash cans that I can recall. So after hearing all the stories about how horrible and dirty the place was, how terrible the employees are and whatnot...I really saw almost none of that during my two days there. Most people seem to attribute that to the time of year that I visited, and the fact that we were at the park on two very light days. So it very well may be that I didn't get the "average" SFMM experience. If so, then I'm glad I didn't! Frankly it really sickens me to hear locals talk so badly about this park, and how they hope it gets torn down. People talked the same way about Opryland before it closed, and now all anyone can talk about is all the good times they had there, and how they wish more than anything that they had the park back. As someone who's lost my home park, I'd be thrilled to have a park half as nice as SFMM in my back yard. Yet some people continue to complain. -Julie

Awesome, awesome TR Jahan! I still wish I could have been there with you guys to see the parks through a couple of newbie's eyes. I also think it's great that you seem to have kept a really open mind about everything, and didn't fall into that pattern of "just because it's at Disneyland, its better by default" mentality that a lot of west coast Disney fans have. And I pretty much agree with your opinion on most things (except Dinosaur and 'Ohana! ) Oh, and that monorail photo...*really* impressive!! -Julie

I got 2,960 for my real name, which is not the name of a celebrity. I got 34 results for USRoadTripper, almost all of which were from either here or coasterfanatics.com -Julie

Dude...when my parents got their black cat, I suggested naming her Shaniqua! They thought that that would come off as racist for some reason So Robb and Elissa, anything sounding good so far? -Julie

Shannon Alvey! -Julie

You stole my answer. -Julie

Once again, still enjoying the great TR! Glad to hear that Cypress Gardens wasn't as bad as you'd been led to believe...I'm hoping that I'll have the same reaction when I visit for the first time next month. Can't wait for the next installment! -Julie

I agree that there are many worse places to work in foods than the Mexico pavilion. The margarita stand is the only non-airconditioned spot, and even it is always shady (to keep the margaritas frozen I guess!). When I was accepted for my program, I was originally accepted to work in food service. Not my first choice, but I figured that the experience of being in WDW for a few months would be more than worth putting up with the food service position. Once I got there, there was a training scheduling mistake, and on the day I was supposed to start my training, there was no trainer working. So I ended up being put into attractions just so they could get my training started on time! Definitely not something that happens to everyone, but you never know...you might end up in merch or attractions anyway! Good luck! I know you'll love it! -Julie

Wow, I can't believe how negative the reaction to this is! There's more to entertainment than just coasters, y'know. I think this sounds like a great thing for them to be adding to the park, and I would definitely consider going there for an evening to see it if I lived in the area. If this show is anything like the real Cirque du Soleil show, it should be awesome. It will also probably keep people in the park later, which means extra food and souvenir sales. I, for one, think it's a fantastic addition. If it proves successful, hopefully similar shows will find their ways to other parks in the chain. -Julie

I've never been in an Ikea (*shakes fist at stupid Nashville*) but they look really cool. Kinda like the price of Target meets the strangeness of Jordan's Furniture! -Julie

For the sake of the vision of any onlookers, I will refrain from any nude coaster riding events. -Julie

Awesome Joel! You're gonna have such a blast! If you work in merchandise, my friend Allison will be one of your managers! -Julie

Yeah but will be be an extra-large cart selling normal sized churros, or a regular sized cart selling extra-large churros? I could see ACE being thrilled with the extra-large churros option! -Julie

Yep, they're really grasping at straws now. At least it means I'll be able to make a visit there in December! And I thought my Six Flags pass was done for the year... -Julie

Sorry to break up your enlightening discussion But I actually have some expeirence with this. I drove my dad's car into and out of Canada last year, and didn't really have any trouble, though I did get the third degree about it! The border guard when I was re-entering the States asked for my license plate number. When I didn't know it off the top of my head, he asked if the car was mine, and I said it was my dad's. I remember him asking me about where my parents lived, if they knew that I had it, how long they'd lived there, what my dad did for a living...just really random questions. I also got the third degree about who I had gone to see, how long I'd known him, where I met him, etc. And it definitely wasn't in a chit-chatty get to know you type of conversation. The guard actually acted like my answers hadn't been good enough to let me back in! He did of course, but he really acted like he didn't want to let me back in! And regarding what ID you need, you need to bring a birth certificate (or certificate of birth abroad or whatever else you might have) as well as a government issued photo ID. -Julie

^ Thank you much...I'd say yours are my favorite too! Hopefully our paths will cross next year and we can conquer a park together. I can only imagine the crescendo of TRs that would come out of that day! Thanks to everyone who has replied! I'm glad everyone has enjoyed the TR! -Julie

^ Completely agreed. I was even warned extensively about how bad the coasters at PCW sucked, yet was still blown away by the sheer torture that they were to ride. Considering the coaster collection, location and price, it will be a long while before I go back there. The other two parks that come to mind are Knotts Berry Farm and Geauga Lake. Both are fine parks, but I really was expecting more out of both of them. -Julie

The street that you take to get to Holiday World when you're coming from the south has quite a few of those hills. Most of them are blind hills, and there is at least one that, if you hit it hard enough, you car would come off the ground. -Julie

I don't have a good track record with exes either. One of them, we tried being friends after the fact, but when someone continues to treat you so badly and lie to you so much, their friendship just isn't worth it anymore. He was very toxic in my life for five years, so it's definitely better that we don't speak anymore. Two others, I don't talk to anymore, but if I ran into them somewhere (which has happened) we could easily exchange pleasantries, but I'm sure that's where it would end. I couldn't imagine even calling up one of my exes, much less hanging out with them. -Julie

Once again, another great TR segment! The drunk chick grabbing your butt is awesome. I'm glad that more people than just those on TPR can appreciate the sweetness of your backside j/k! (sort of!) Can't wait for another installment! -Julie P.S. - This photo is disturbing.