Big Mike

Sorry to hear that! Flying through the park so far! New credit obtained. I wrote the above 5 minutes ago figuring I was waiting in line for DarKastle. Single rider line! Walk right on! Can't believe. Never rode this yet, how cool! See everyone else tonight! Peace, Big Mike

Busch Gardens Williamsburg TODAY! Variuos meets throughout the day!! Opening at the rope drop Noon at Apollos Chariot 5pm under Big Ben in England 6pm at Griffon Thanks to everyone who came out yesterday, hopefully see more today! Peace, Big Mike

Hello Friends! After a half hour rest in the car to recoup my thoughts, I have made it safely to Kings Dominion and got my credit on Dominator! I am now hanging out with Jeremy (Homeboy23) and he said hi to all The Valuable Big Mike Readers! I will tell you about the whole day when I get back safely to the condo. Peace, Big Mike

Everyone, I just saw a rollover accident and a girl got thrown from the car and I just spent 20 minutes helping.. I will tell you about the place I was just at later tonight and I will be at Kings Dominion at 5:30 if anyone is meeting. Peace, Big Mike.

Hello Friends! Big Mike coming to you LIVE from the NJ Turpike! The trip has begun, with the 1st stop being the NEW Central Park Fun Land in Fredericksburg VA with its new for 2009 coaster and an arrival time of 3pm! Who wants to visit a new park and get a new credit with The Big Man?? Also, Kings Dominion later tonight! Peace, Big Mike

Hello Fantastic Friends and Valuable Big Mike Readers!!!! Another cliff hanger contest as the votes are almost split right down the middle once again!!! 2 people guessed 1 duck. 17 people guessed 2 ducks 15 people guessed 3 ducks 5 people guessed 4 ducks 2 people guessed 5 ducks Don't forget Round #1 when everyone guessed something else and lenaapple was the ONLY person to guess it correct, so ya never know when you play the ducky game!! Speaking of Lena, here are the current standings after 1 week of play: 1st place - Lena 1 win 2nd place - Everyone else on TPR 0 wins See, everyone is still in the running!!!! Sadly, Lena is on a trip to Florida this week and missed Round #2, so whoever guesses correctly in this round will be tied for FIRST PLACE!!! For those new to the game or just need some clarification, in order to win The Big Mike Road Show 2009 Reader of the Year Award and a free one week condo stay to your choice of many exciting destinations, all you have to do is complete 4 quests! 1. The easiest - Put up a Valuable Big Mike Reader Banner in your signature and show everybody that you belong to the coolest group on Theme Park Review. 2. Pretty easy too - Have your picture taken with Big Mike one time this year. With Big Mike traveling the globe, there are many chances to meet up and say hello! I would guess that over 200 people have already done this so far this year Just in case you have not or want to again, here is this weekends schedule: Big Mike Productions has set up the following schedule in Virginia for THIS WEEKEND!!!! Thursday afternoon - Central Park Fun Land Thursday evening - Kings Dominion All Day Friday - Busch Gardens Williamsburg Saturday Morning - Motor World Saturday afternoon - Gillians Funland Yes, Big Mike is at it again looking to hunt down brand new coasters and coasters that all the other coaster sites have down as closed for The Valuable Big Mike Readers and the rest of the TPR community! Central Park Funland is a new place that opened up and has a coaster but no TPR coverage yet. Gillians Funland is also new but every coaster site has the coaster listed as under construction but Big Mike's in depth investigations have uncovered that indeed this coaster is open and running and Big Mike will once again uncover a new credit for everyone to see! So, once you meet Big Mike and put up a banner, you are halfway home already! The 3rd quest is harder, in that you have to find 1 Mikestery Treasure Hunt Card hidden in various parks throughout the World! There are still quite a few still out there in hiding and I will recap which ones soon. I said that this is harder, but some people already have 2 Mikestery cards! The 4th quest is this Ducky Game. There will be 15 games throughout the year and all you have to do is correctly guess 3 times! 2 games are now in the books so anyone just reading this still has 13 games left to win just 3 times, still great odds! Now once everyone completes all 4 quests, they qualify for the Grand Prize drawing at the end of the year, and wouldn't you like to be the one who is crowned Big Mike Reader of the Year for everyone to see and also win a free one week condo stay for all your work during the year?? Now, here is the catch that helps everyone out that is unfortunate not to be able to meet Big Mike during the year or find one of those scarse Mikestery Treasure Hunt Cards: Whoever comes in 1st place overall with the most wins in the 15 Ducky games this year will recieve an AUTOMATIC exemption from having to meet Big Mike and also find a Mikestery Card!! It is a free ride to the Finals!!!! So that being said and the importance known, here are the FINAL results of Round #2 of Find the Ducky: 1 Ducky monkeyoverlord71 coaster_dad 2 Duckies kezrez11 bhartley Brandy524 Emiroo robinschroeder Coaster Palooza The Bebes Reality15 SuperShawn coreysjunk STR8FXXXINEDGE mmousefan lisadancer Yeti762 megamatt hansrubens picknyourseat 3 Duckies hyyyper Hikaru-chan B&Man Crazy4Coasters Calicoasters Troll Froggypheebs depotrat jbarner14 CreditCrazy Top Thrill Dragster disneymoc Yellow Jacket spaceace12 njf1003 4 Duckies ajinaz Groteslurf Homeboy23 Guy T. Keopp themeparkguy27 5 Duckies jamesdillaman X2coasterfreak NOW, my favorite part! Everyone is free to post where you found the duckies and argue and debate the possible duckies! I will post the FINAL CORRECT ANSWER sometime during my trip to Virginia and hopefully I will see a lot of you at one of the parks! Don't forget, follow up to the minute Big Mike locations on his Facebook by making Big Mike your friend on Facebook! (Mike Betzler) Good luck to everyone!!! Peace, Big Mike

THE 2ND ROUND OF FIND THE DUCKY IS NOW CLOSED!!!! I will do a recap of all the totals in a few hours!! This is awesome, not one but TWO first time TPR posters in The Big Mike Road Show in a span of a few hours!!!!!! Welcome everybody and see how easy it is to win The Big Mike Road Show 2009 Reader of the Year Contest for a free 1 week condo stay?? njf1003 found a Mikestery Card, put up a Big Mike Road Show 2009 Valuable Reader Banner and is already 50% of the way qualified in a matter of minutes, and with a few correct Find the Ducky guesses, the title can be yours!!! The back log for those Big Mike Road Show Valuable Reader pins for making your first post ever on TPR in The Big Mike Road Show is getting larger and larger I better get my butt moving in making some more of those lol Time to go to the doggy park with Lucky Dog and I will post a recap of the guesses when I get back. See everyone in Virginia in the next couple of days!!! Peace, Big Mike

Hello Friends!!!! Big Mike has been hitting the tour schedule the last couple days trying to set up some meet and greets at parks all over the country. While I have still not set in stone the exact times and dates of the Arizona/Utah/Colorado/New Mexico trip, the dates are July 31 to Aug 9 for sure. Will work on that tomorrow. Big Mike Productions has set up the following schedule in Virginia for THIS WEEKEND!!!! Thursday afternoon - Central Park Fun Land Thursday evening - Kings Dominion All Day Friday - Busch Gardens Williamsburg Saturday Morning - Motor World Saturday afternoon - Gillians Funland Big Mike is also lodging himself in one of his condo clubs in Williamsburg on Thursday and Friday night (one of the same ones you can win in the Big Mike Most Valuable Reader of the Year Contest). I think I may have an extra bed or couch if any of my known associates are available. Big Mike has also nailed down the exact date to try and get to Freestyle Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach once again. Saturday Sept 12 is the set date!!! Hope to see some friendly faces at the above parks!! FIND THE DUCKY ROUND #2 HAS A DEADLINE OF 5PM EST TODAY (WED)!!! GET YOUR GUESSES IN NOW!!! Peace, Big Mike

That is the two I would have selected also! I love The Bebes! Peace, Big Mike

Hey Brian!!!!!!!!!!! Hope all is well good buddy! I just got the chance to read your thread cover to cover, enjoying it very much! Awesome job so far I look forward to reading about your entire trip! Say hi to Mom for me. Peace, Big Mike

Well I am glad the whole trip ended on a positive note, Lady Bebe did not get molested! Looking forward to reading each and every trip report for the rest of your lives! Peace, Big Mike

I love the smile cam! I don't think there are this many Big Mike pictures even in a Big Mike Road Show update! It pays to smile Peace, Big Mike

Sup Amanda!!! Can't wait to come out to the SFOG area and see you, probably next year! You were a strong force in the ducky game last year, best of luck again! Peace, Big Mike PS - Se, I didn't miss your opening ducky answer like I did last year lol

Thats right, I was up sooooooooo late last night getting this top priority report up for all The Valuable Big Mike Readers, I forgot to remind everyone to quote the answers to avoid shananigans! Thanks! I had a little trouble sleeping last night, as I was tossing and turning trying to figure out if we should let the rest of the world and all the other coaster websites know about this huge find by Big Mike or if we should just keep the secret to ourselves??? Peace, Big Mike

Hello Fantastic Friends!!! The Big Wigs at Big Mike Productions demanded that I fast line this report to all The Valuable Big Mike Readers ASAP!!! Big Mike, already known in the coaster world and on Theme Park Review as the best in depth, top notch reporter there ever was on coasters.... HAS FOUND A BRAND NEW AMUSEMENT PARK AND A BRAND NEW COASTER CREDIT!!! I just wanted to check before I made that statement, and this is what I found out: RCDB - not a mention of the park or the coaster. coaster counter - not a mention of the park or coaster. coaster-count - not a mention of the park or the coaster. My main coaster counter website coaster fanatics - not a mention of the park or the coaster. Luckily for everyone here, Theme Park Review has the most current and up to date info thanks to Big Mike!!! Theme Park Review maintains its #1 status for Theme Park and Coaster News once again!!! Let it be known, Big Mike is the Christopher Columbus of Coasters! The park is called Dreamland Amusement Park and it is standing in the supposedly vacant lot of the former Astroland!!! All we heard all winter was Coney Island is dead now that Astroland left. All those other websites fell for it, but not us here in TPR land, and especially not the best in the business at bringing you all the parks in the world, Big Mike da Man! I also threw in for your entertainment pleasure as I always do, The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, The New York Aquarium, and maybe your first ever look at Times Square with no cars in sight! I hope you enjoy and if you think Big Mike did a phenominal job hunting down and discovering this new park and credit, let him know with a kind post! Hope you enjoy and long live TPR and Big Mike for always staying a few steps ahead of the competition! Peace, Big Mike PS - As if this was not the most incredible World Premiere Exclusive already, it is also the 2nd round of Find the Ducky!!!!! It's the billboard that Big Mike had Robb and Elissa's names put up in lights as a thanks for being the greatest! Hope you enjoyed! How many duckies did you find? Send all thanks for finding this brand new coaster credit now! Peace, Big Mike As this remarkable and coaster world changing report comes to an end, Big Mike notices a familiar sight from his lounge chair, can anyone see it or remember it??? The offer was very tempting but Big Mike passed and lounged out waiting for the show. This gal wanted to sell Big Mike a Obama Condom, but after some chit chat, she was all for bringing the whole box back to her place for Big Mike! No cars means no cop cars, just horse patrol. Big Mike also LOVES regular horses as well as sea horses. Be nice to horses and you too can win $1000 at the Kentucky Derby! Karma baby! They turned it in to a giant playground and park. Wrong! Your first ever look at the now closed off Times Square! No cars allowed! AAAAAHHHHH! Watch out Big Mike, you are going to get run over by a car!!!! RIGHT? While waiting for show time, Big Mike strolls Manhatten to see the sights. A guitar hero game on the outside of a truck. Done with pleasing all The Valuable Big Mike Readers and unearthing a brand new park and coaster, it was time to take care of Big Mike, with a trip to see Next to Normal in NYC! Big Mike pic of the day! Sure it is a picture off the wall, but I still took it! Big Mike LOVES Sea Horses. Star Fish. Walrus. Sea Turtle. Penguins. Just writing that word still hurts us Red Wing Fans! Otter. Aquarium Map. Lastly, it's time for Big Mike to please the TPR female ladies..... who love wildlife pics Flea Markets! ... or like the historians who want to know what Coney Island is doing with the rest of the land that was vacant for so long... ... like the ones who love to see red, white and blue bikini pictures!!! With the quest to find the new park and coaster complete, it would have been easy for Big Mike to hop on the subway and head home, but he still had more Valuable Big Mike Readers to please... Big Mike was also interested in the Strange Girls. Something really drew me towards Snake Girl. Also, a large amount of oddities. There are a lot of games stands also. Himalaya. Ring of Fire. Spin Out. Trabant. Scrambler. Banana Boats. Tea Cups. Ferris Wheel. Jet Cars. Drive In. Some inflatibles. Kid Country. Here are the rest of the rides and attractions at Dreamland Amusement Park: Star Dancer. Doing what Big Mike does best, which made him Robb's top choice for the East Region TPR In Depth Reporter Job, Big Mike also uncovers that this carousel is also from the Neverland Ranch!!! The newspaper did not even get that information Credit #854 for Big Mike! I even sang "Beat It" while riding! I think this is the "it" part of the song. The thought popped into these kids head and mine, hey, Michael Jackson probably sat in this very seat at one time! It was a good way to pay my respects, riding this coaster right now! Lets be honest, Michael Jackson is a little smaller than Michael Betzler, but just as famous. Big Mike sitting side ways, we are not discovering the coaster and then getting denied! Ladies, check out those calf muscles too! The theming is all about Michael Jackson too! That would be the case unless it just came from the recently deceased Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch! The overview of the coaster. Some of you for sure are thinking to yourself... "who cares, it is just a usual Dragon Wagon you see everywhere else", right? Park Index loving from The Mighty Big Man! The Dragon Wagon!!! Invisible to all the worlds coaster websites except ours now! The Thunderstick worked!!!!! Look what Big Mike sees tucked away in the far corner! Big Mike buys 1 ticket, not even knowing if he would find the never seen before coaster. The prices, shown on the brand new, high tech, state of the art, cutting edge technology board. A view from the steps where the Astroland sign used to hang. The first ever photo of Dreamland for the TPR Park Index! Big Mike has found the glory land! After a very strenuous and life threatening adventure, Big Mike comes upon the previously non existant DREAMLAND AMUSEMENT PARK!!!!!! Big Mike uses his Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Thunderstick as a homing beacon to find the new park and coaster. Big Mike is off to please The Valuable Big Mike Readers, trying to hunt down and locate a possible new credit! The sign says coming soon, maybe I am too early and maybe they need to use spell check at the bottom. Whenever you visit Coney Island and see this sign, remember, Big Mike was there the day these double world records were achieved! Big Mike got so caught up, that he ate the Nathan's hot dog on stage. Joey holding the trophy, draped in an American flag, you could not help but get caught up in the excitement. ... but was more impressed that this girl also set a woman's world record, look at how thin her waist is! Big Mike was very impressed with Joey's win.... Joey Chestnut wins!!! 68 hot dogs, a new world record!!! Big Mike snapped this picture of Joey stuffing in hot dog #32, the pivital turning point of the contest in Big Mike's eyes. I guess it looks better for tv with all these other contestants, but it is clearly a 2 person contest as always. Tie score, 31-31. The guys started off at a blistering pace. Go!!! This reminded me of the start to an ACE picnic. The clock has struck zero, its time!! Notice the records! Lots of hoopla before the start. The defending Champion, from the USA, Joey Chestnut! The challenger... Kobeyashi! For Joey. A few stats before the contest. There I am!!!!!! ESPN is now live! Good thing I arrived early, there was a sea of people behind the Big Man. Guarding the trophies. Setting up the contest. This spot should do the trick! I can't tell you how many people called or texted that they saw me on national television. Big Mike arrives 1 hour and 5 minutes early to find a prime location. First stop, Nathan's annual Hot Dog Eating Contest! Did I mention it drops you off right at the park??? Everyone traveling to NYC, it is an easy 45 minute subway ride to Coney Island. The day starts on the subway, going to Coney Island! Speaking of the ducky, here he is. (As always, this ducky does not count) The guest ducky today that you will be looking for is Beach Ducky, since we are at the beach on Coney Island!

I was sooooo wishing all day long that someone was going to come up to me and say "Hi, I'm Randi!" I wish we had a big picture and actually saw how far we were away from each other during the contest. I hope to see you sometime soon! Peace, Big Mike

Thanks very much!! Working from the Blackberry instead of the Super Duper Computer is a pain in the rump! All fixed now I did go to page 285 anyway to see if it was some kind of signal or sign, and it had the last picture of Renee (nay) and The Big Man together, so it seems that fate wants Renee and Big Mike to get together again! Peace, Big Mike

EDIT- Damn Blackberry! The Blackberry says failure to connect, so I wind up with a triple post! I figured I would go in and erase the post and give you some valuable info instead! The Big Wigs at Big Mike Productions has once again fast tracked yesterdays adventure and has informed me to have it up TONIGHT! For those who did not follow along with yesterdays LIVE updates, Big Mike found a NEW amusement park and a NEW coaster credit! We will bee line it to The Valuable Big Mike Readers so you can go ride ASAP before it disappears! Peace, Big Mike

WOO HOO! We did it again Valuable Big Mike Readers and TPR Family!! We helped another contest to victory Congrats to Ed, Casey, "and all the others who sent in duplicate entries of Steel First". LOL LOL LOL I still can't ride it though!!! Peace, Big Mike

Shane learned from me that you can't post bikini pictures without getting a lot of heat for it. Good job on the bystander Shane! Peace, Big Mike

Hey Friends! The Mighty Big Man will confirm to you that this Dragon Wagon is indeed from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, and can also confirm that the carousel is also! The coaster is decorated with a whole bunch of Michael Jackson posters. The ride was too small for Big Mike, but the ride op was cool with Big Mike sitting sideways, so KA CHING!!! Big Mike also took pics of the whole new park, hid some duckies, hung on the beach admiring bikinis, and is now at the NY Aquarium before heading off to a Broadway Musical! Peace, Big Mike

Hey Friends! Just a quick update for ya LIVE from Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest! Not only did Big Mike finally complete his quest to see the contest live, not only did Big Mike get on national television, not only did the title stay in the USA, not only did Big Mike witness a NEW mens world record, not only did Big Mike witness a NEW womans world record, but now..... Big Mike can CONFIRM a brand new coaster credit in the old Astroland spot! It is a Dragon Wagon and the location is now called DreamLand Amusement Park!! More Live updates soon, time to go try to ride the coaster! Peace, Big Mike

The Big Man is coming to you LIVE from the Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest! Will go hunt for the new coaster a little later. Time for ESPN start the telecast! Peace, Big Mike

Coney Island Today!!!!! See you there!!! Peace, Big Mike

I find it hard to believe that some of those names were sent in multiple times, sounds fishy to me. I still want Ed's name to win anyway. Peace, Big Mike