PeoplemoverMatt

I'm going to be able to ride this thing A LOT during my 13 day Tokyo extravaganza trip starting May 26! YAY! Sadly I won't be able to get a POV of the ride at all that isn't dark as can be. -- PMM

Sad thing is I work with a guy like that, and he's praised for 'getting the job done' even though he's wearing IPod, talking on a cell phone, always having to pull his shirt down when he gets up because his pants sag showing the boxers, and that get's really disturbing seeing as this guy weighs 260lbs! UGH!! -- PMM P.S. Hey Johnny!

Poor behavior does not justify other poor behavior. That kind of thinking combined with the ends justifying the means as fakestar demonstrates will turn planet Earth into a complete craphole RAPIDLY. Even if everyone around you acts like a moron, YOU can still be the one person who does it the right way. No 'environment' forces you to act a certain way, you make that decision on your own. So, PLEASE make the right decision. Whether it comes to something like operating a 250ft. 80+mph roller coaster or selling DVDs, any one of us can be the one light in the darkness if we choose to be. -- PMM

I have no idea if it's related or not, but the last time I rode Tatsu, all ankle restraints had to be manually closed. They did not close with the pulling down of the restraint. It'd be one awkward trip on that thing if the Ride Op's failed to notice & failed to close it themselves, which is what they had to do. -- PMM

For some reason people lose all concept of the location of the gas pedal going up that hill from either side. So going north, what usually happens is the left 3 lanes (staying on the 5 going uphill) are all pretty much dead stopped while the right 3 lanes (going on the 14) are at least moving. The further to the right you go, usually the quicker the pace in that lane is. That's why I suggested taking the 14, then exiting San Fernando, which is the first exit. Then stay on San Fernando until you hit Magic Mountain Parkway, turn left, go about 2 miles & you're there. Yes SFMM isn't too much farther north of the 14. However, going about 5mph, could still take a good long while to get there. In fact it's 5 exits north of the 14. Once you're over the hill, which could take as long as 30-45mins depending on how slow the traffic is, and how the merge point when the trucks rejoin the main freeway at the top of the hill goes, you'll pass Calgrove, Lyons, McBean, Valencia and then can exit Magic Mountain Pkwy on the right. That could take a while if it's very slow over the hill. Once you're over the hill you're fine, but the crawl over the hill will start in Burbank that time of day and I'm NOT exaggerating. From Burbank on over the hill past the 14 will be nothing but solid backup, which is why you'll be on the 210 avoiding all that. Once the 210 ends though, unless you want to sit in the back up over the hill, I'd suggest taking the 14/San Fernando bypass. Personally, I hate sitting in traffic, so I'd go for any bypass possible. -- PMM

I say just build the Ancient Indian Burial Ground and get it over with. That plot of land is cursed, may as well build something on it that says 'this land is cursed, stay away'. -- PMM

I've lived in Santa Clarita all my life & done your route many times. My first response would be to find a better time to get on the road then because if you leave 2-3 hours earlier or 2-3 hours later, the traffic is much easier to deal with. But if you insist on starting to head north around 4-5pm on Friday afternoon, your best bet is to take the 91 East to North 57 to West 210. West 210 will dump you out on the North 5 right at the incline to the Newhall Pass, in which case you can stay to the right, get on the 14 freeway, exit San Fernando, and follow that road all the way to Magic Mtn. Parkway if you're going to SFMM. Any other point in Santa Clarita can be accessed by the first few exits on the 14. So if the 5's backed up going up the hill, chances are the 14 won't be, and it does fine as a bypass. -- PMM

^^ Basically what ^ said. Just get a pass & get it processed somehow between now & Sunday morning & you'll be fine. -- PMM

If Psyclone is a great example of the type of ride that's vanishing, that means rough, crappy rides that should have been put out of their misery long ago are vanishing. ...isn't that a good thing? -- PMM

I might be in the same position as Gnome. The only way I could afford the trip would be with graduation money, and I don't graduate until May 11. I would be interested in going seeing as I've never been to the Midwest...ever. Downside would be that I probably won't know anyone else going on the trip. But I s'pose I should be happy that it's that early, being a graduation and all. -- PMM

Well a couple friends, their kids & myself are looking forward to the event! -- PMM

So the upgrade costs extra? I thought I read somewhere that since the WCB ticket is valid for the full day admission, it would be processed into a Season Pass free since 1-day ticket & Season Pass are the same price now, hence the buy a day get a year free promos. Is anyone interested in turning a $22.50 WCB ticket into a Season Pass going to have to pay the difference between that & the retail price for a Season Pass? -- PMM

This might be a stupid question but can you guys elaborate a little on how exactly someone who bought one of the $22.50 tickets can turn that into a Season Pass later that day? Will it be as easy as taking a receipt into the Processing Center? Just wondering as a few in my group are quite interested in that little perk. BTW Haven't seen you guys since Tatsu Media Day, hope to see ya there! -- PMM

http://video.latimes.com/Global/Video/WorldnowASX.asp?os=&vt=v&clipid=789503 And that rider would be me. It was actually myself & my friend Eric. LA Times nailed us wondering if we were from ACE. We said no, that we're from TPR. They'd never heard of TPR, but wanted to do the interview anyway. I'm the guy on the left in the little 2-man interview blip in the middle of the video doing the crappy hurried description. Any chance of someone saving that video to their computer harddrive so I could get a copy of it? I also managed to score a ride with the NASA Astronaut Col. Rich Searfoss which was aired live on CBS morning news. Here's the link to that: TPR on the morning news! Unfortunately, no mention of TPR in that video. I was also interviewed by KCAL, CBS, and KNX1070 in addition to LA Times, making me most likely to be the TPR Media Whore for the day. Doesn't matter, I still had a blast! ...and for those of you looking for pictures: Robb digs free breakfast! -- Peoplemover "I'd like to thank Vault Zero for making my posting this at 3:10am possible" Matt EDIT: There were a whole lot of us on the Revolution train that hit the loop with Tatsu flying overhead & fireworks n' stuff going off. ...but you already knew that Robb didn't you?

I don't really know anyone from here aside from the Alveys & even then spending an hour or so doesn't exactly constitute "knowing" someone. So I'm looking forward to meeting all of you & I hope no one kills me for wearing my Visions Fantastic shirt! -- Peoplemover "T-minus 3 hours and counting!!" Matt

I understand all that, but my point was if I can stash everything away in a zipper pocket that doesn't obstruct any restraint, are they going to go through my pockets in the quest for the dreaded camera/cell phone? That would be the first time I've ever experienced that at any park I've ever been to. I've been to 26 different ones around the country so it would really be an eye-popper if that was to happen. -- Peoplemover "No disrespect to SFMM security, I'll go along with it, but I'll go along with it with rather wide eyes..." Matt

My cell phone happens to have a camera, but I have no intention of ever using it, plus I have zipper pockets. Is Magic Mountain going to go through my pockets, discover a cell phone with a camera (the lens even has a cover over it for crying out loud), and send me to whereever the lockers are? I've brought my cell phone on countless rides, stowed it in the pocket and NEVER had any problems. Seems to me if they're going to be this anal about things, they had better have adequate and secure places to store things that are provided & do NOT cost money. Let me see if I have this camera issue straight - I can do whatever I want off-ride with my camera as long as I don't bring it on the ride right? If so then the camera gets grouped into the cell phone. If I have it in the zipper pocket before I even get close to getting on the ride. The ride ops are going to have to go through my pockets to even know I have it. I really can't believe they'd inspect everyone's pockets before getting on the ride. Imagine the delays that would cause. -- Peoplemover "Welcome to Tatsu - security provided by San Quentin Dentention Center!" Matt

Thanks Elissa, I certainly will seeing as I think you & Robb are the only people I know who're going to be at the meet! It'll be nice to actually see some of the TPR crew, don't know any of you outside of the videos! -- PMM

Hey Robb & Elissa & TPR, I hardly ever post here, but I thought this merited a thread since I'm pretty much betting my own safety on the Japan Trip Guide found here. I know I'm not known, but I did run into Robb & Elissa & 'Hypotenuse' at Magic Mountain a couple months ago. It was my first time back to SFMM after my jaw surgery. Anyway, the trip is nearly identical to the first four days listed on the guide found here: http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/japanguide1.htm Here are the details of the trip myself & a friend from Visions Fantastic will be going on: 5/27-28/06 Depart Los Angeles at 1:15pm on JAL Arrive Tokyo Narita at 4:35pm on 5/28 Since we're arriving so late, I'm relying on the back-up plan noted on the guide taking the trains. Is this information up to date & accurate? Do the trains run during the times we'll need them? How exactly do we buy the train tickets? Assuming we make it to our hotel, we're staying at the Hilton Tokyo Bay thanks to the awesome rate they were charging: 17,000JPY/night! Next cheapest was twice that! So thanks TPR for that little tidbit. We'll be staying there from 5/28 - 6/2. We plan to buy a starlight pass into TDS the night of the 28th to hopefully ride Journey before it goes down. After that we plan to spend 3 days at TDL/TDS. The other day we plan to go shopping and buy an after 5pm entry into Sega Joyopolis since it looked so cool from the pictures. We'll be relying on the information given in the guide as to how to get there via the trains from TDR. So we're looking for any updates to information, tips, tricks, tidbits, etc. I was a little puzzled at their pricing structure. Do you get unlimited use of attractions with the after 5 passport? Maybe I'm just blind but I couldn't really figure it out. After all that's done, we'll head home: 6/2/06 Depart Tokyo Narita @ 5:20pm on JAL Arrive LAX @ 11:15am thus completing joke of flying back in time. So...we think we know what we're doing with this guide, but we have no idea about how much things like food cost. Nor do we really know any tricks about the parks themselves. We're very savvy Disneyland goers & we'd like to know what, if any, insider details are there about the Tokyo Disney Parks. Thanks very much for any help provided & I'll be seeing you guys at the Tatsu Media Day Campout on Wed night! -- Peoplemover "If I don't come back, avenge my death!" Matt

Let me take this opportunity to give a HUGE shout out of thanks to Robb & Elissa for making this possible for TPR members! You guys are the best! It'll be great seein' you guys again. -- PMM EDIT: Just realized I've been a member here for over a year & never posted until today. LOL!