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Damn you and your getting to ride Dragons! Why couldn't they have been open last week?!? But yeah, the second drop on SheiKra in the back row is by far one of the best airtime moments I've ever experienced on a coaster.

I personally am a fan of the old-school chase lights on Lighning Racer and Wildcat at Hershey (they look great in person when they're moving). Other than that, I like the purple underglow on Joker's Jynx at SFA

I was there Friday, and I agree on Shamu Express. Very tame. I wasn't expecting it to be open, so I wasn't prepared to take pictures and video, but I got some quick shots and on-ride video with my digital camera. They are at http://zansstuff.com/florida06/florida06.shtml#swf I also saw Believe on Friday, and I don't know what show you saw, but I was thoroughly unimpressed. The show tried to be touchy-feely, but all they ended up doing was shifting the focus away from the whales and to the trainers. Instead of lots of stuff about the whales, there were lots of slow motion replays of the trainers jumping around and pumping their fists into the air after completing a trick and that video with the kid in the kayak. There was even one part where the trainers all ran out into the audience, accompanied by swelling dramatic music, to give everyone high fives. The whole thing seemed very self-congradulatory. Also, to top it off, the screens never moved -- the two center ones formed a single large screen and the two outer ones were never turned on. There are some pics of the show also at my web site. Basically, Sea World should stop trying to be Disney (or Cirque du Soleil for that matter) -- they aren't very good at it -- and stick to the animals. There is nothing wrong with talking about the animals and trying to throw a little education into the mix. In Believe, the only time they actually mentioned the whales was when they told the little girl that they plucked from the audience that "Shamu had a gift for her" (the gift seemed to be a facefull of water). Shamu Express One of the few major stunts during the show. They showed slow-motion instant replays of the trainer pumping his fists in the air after finishing this stunt throughout the show The Believe stage, with the two non-working screens on the sides

The question I would ask is: Has there been a concious effort in recent years to lessen the forces on B&M's more recent rides, and if so, was that decision based on the demands of the parks or the opinions of the designers?

ParkTrips, check your pms. I'll trade you SFNE for a SFOG.

I would consider the pretzle two inversions, so Speedmonster has 3 total. Therefore, it would tie.

Yeah, the video kept crashing my browser as well. To access it directly, open Windows Media Player and paste in mms://video.vg.no/vg/video2005/storage/compressed/2961/wm_56.wmv Also, there is a third video at http://forbruker.no/reise/article1287881.ece Interesting that in all three videos the ride seems to be making a creaking sound already.

My favorite was this: How exactly can a generator fill an air tank (unless it's filling it with electricity)?

If anyone else still needs SFNEs, I can pick some up this weekend.

Congrats, you win!

Does anyone have a picture showing both together? I couldn't find any.

Actually, if I remember correctly, concept art for the DLP version was released before concept art for the DCA version (and yes, they were identical).

Is it just me, or is the picture of Plummet Summit at http://www.magicsprings.com/rides.html really a picture of Jurassic Park: The Ride?

"Hey, isn't that your phone that just went flying by?" "No, I don't think so" "Well, it looked just like yours" "No, my phone is right here in my pock-- OH SH*T!"

Damn, this really makes me wish that we hadn't cut SFoG out of our upcoming 12-day east coast coaster marathon.

Oops, I completely forgot that I had password protected it. Password is tpr

Here is another YouSendIt link: http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0RLR240KW7B9G0AW0TPRUKLGMF

I've ridden four SLCs (Mind Eraser at SFA, Mind Eraser at SFEG, Mind Eraser at SFNE, and Serial Thriller at SFAW) and they have ranged from very smooth and fun rides (SFAW's, may it rest in peace) to the most painful rough coasters I have ever ridden (SFEG's, which was painfully rough even when going from the brakes to the station).

I uploaded the show to yousendit for our non-US and cable-less friends. It is only available for a limited number of downloads, so please don't download it if you are in the US and can watch one of the many reruns (for example, it is showing again today, Sunday the 26th, at 1pm EST). http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=380C1ED0FF3ZH1F9MEEM2XUGJQ

In no particular order: Goliath at SFMM (the illusion with the offset roof as you enter the tunnel is one of the best headchoppers anywhere) All the Big Thunder Mountain Railroads (I hear that Paris' first tunnel is especially cool) Lakeside Cyclone Lightning Racers at Hersheypark (best hiding place for an onride camera)

I don't know how they chose SFFT as the park with the best live shows. What about Disney/MGM Studios (Lights Motors Action, Indiana Jones, Fantasmic, Millionaire, etc.)?

I've never been on a Disk'O, but I know that the rockin' tug is powered only by a kicker wheel in the middle, and coasts up the two sides.

I would disagree on all but the last one. The first two may be kiddie coasters, but they are coasters. A Half-Pipe is simply a giant disk'o, which itself is a giant rockin' tug, which is not a coaster.

a) they never coast uphill b) they only coast through one change in direction

I've posted a list before of what is needed for something to be considered a coaster, but the gist of it is that: The car must coast through two changes in direction without the influence of forces other than friction or gravity The car must coast without the influence of forces other than friction or gravity for at least 1/4 the track length The second clause is designed to rule out rides such as Splash Mountain or Dudly Do-Right which are clearly not coasters. However, I will admit that the 1/4 is somewhat arbitrary. There are also some rides which fit the definition which I don't count as coasters, such as an Intamin Half-Pipe, and some that don't fit the description, such as a 1st Gen Free-Fall, which I do.