crazydaveh

We're heading to Tokyo in a few months and my wife imposed her, "no theme parks on foreign trips rule." I just showed her the pics and she dropped the rule! In the words of Ric Flair.... "WHOOOOOOO!"

Where is it sailing from? I've looked, maybe it's the Captain in me, but I haven't seen where it's sailing from? UGA should be in the championshi game!

Luckily, I live here in Orlando so I can get my fix anytime. It just stinks we don't have anything new in the coaster category coming in soon down here next year! But at least we have Homer coming in!

Hey Erik, The main question that has yet to be asked, was the Moose Juice stand open? One has to love the Moose Juice! BTW, do you remember how much the DUFF was? GO DAWGS!

I was just about to say the same thing. Gatornationals is the only stop here in Florida and it's always awesome! Lots of records made there in G'Vegas.

IOA was the first to pop in my mind. I also have to say it's pretty nice to walk into WDW's Magic Kingdom with the castle down Main Street. SeaWorld Orlando's is nice, for a marine water park.

It's an old school style, but the "Dragon's Tail" at White Water in Atlanta is great. You get some great speed and there's a lot of airtime on the second and third hump. I went back there a few years ago, after a 15 year absence, and man, I almost peed in the pool with the airtime!

What about the Mindbender and more of the GASM? No love for the first "triple looping" steel coaster? Only a tad bit of love for the GASM? Well, I get it now... You're Gators... That explains it all. GO DAWGS.. Great pics by the way!

I will be there in a week from now... I've been watching Beerfest to get ready. I can't wait to get the portable credits... and drink a LOT of beer!

The old Hard Rock! Just sitting there waiting to be blown up now.

It's the weekend, so who honestly knows! The parks have been pretty dead this week, that is, once everyone went home after Labor Day. I would say that lines might be around 30-45 minutes for the good stuff, less for the other attractions. I could be right, I could be wrong. Weekend's are unpredictable this time of year! The good things that might help the crowds be lighter: UF is playing Tennessee at 3:30 in Gainesville. This means all the denim shorts wearing people in the world will be in Gainesville or watching TV clapping sideways or singing Rocky Top! UCF is playing their first home game in their new stadium. Lots of people will be around Campus to see them play Texas. The bad things: Georgia isn't playing anyone big that week, so real football fans will be at the parks! Good luck, have fun!

I think we'll see some hit the 300 in the next three years. Yes, Six Flags is trying to get the families in, as are other parks, but there comes a time when all owners realize they need to go back to thrills... I bet CP will be one of the first to build something, followed by Six Flags. I don't see Busch, Universal, or Disney going that route.

Yup... Bring on Appolo's Charriot's lil brother!

Stay away from any Florida theme park during Christmas and New Year's! It's insane! Disney is packed and the crowds seem to get larger as the day continues because people want to see the fireworks that night... In recent years, most of the Disney parks have hit capacity by mid-afternoon, meaning you get in when someone leaves! Busch Gardens usually is pretty full by lunch during that time of year. I'd wait a week and come down, there will be hardly anyone in the parks and you can easily enjoy yourself and save a lot of money on a hotel!

There is talk of one going up somewhere down along I-Drive and the Convention Center... It's just talk now. Read about it in the Otown Sentinel! I agree, that would be great! I hate living here in Orlando and never feeling cold!

SeaWorld and Discovery Cove employees do get free beer pending they are 21 and if they're Part Time (which 70% are), they have to wait six months to get the beer after they start. If you're Full Time, you get your beer when you start, once again, pending you're 21. SeaWorld, DC, and Universal do pay more than Disney, but it's around $7.50 - $8 an hour. During the summer, you can get OT, but not in the off season. The highest paid people at SeaWorld are the people who work in the beer tasting area known as the "Brew Masters Club." Starting pay there is $10 an hour, but it's Part Time.

Great report! Glad you had a chance to get away from moving someone in and having fun! How were the waits?

From your hotel, you might be able to see Kraken at SeaWorld. You won't get good views unless you stop your car along I Drive and take them, but still, not the best of pics. You really can't see many of the Orlando coasters unless you are in the park of which they operate. You can see the Hulk from outside Universal along Sand Lake Drive, but not that well. You can see Everest from the AK parking lot and around 192, but just the top of the mountain. Same with Space Mtn, you can see it from the parking lot of the Contemporary Resort. If you're walking, you're not going to see much. Sorry to disappoint!

It's run by computers which we all know can be like a two year old at times! As someone else stated, at least it's smart enough to shut down in case of a real problem. It's not who makes it, it's not location, it's just a machine and needs tweaking. It does stink for the people who are stuck on the ride waiting for the EVAC, but with any coaster, we take that risk each time we get on! It's just a part of coaster life people!

I agree with you on several CP coasters. Iron Dragon was a HUGE letdown for me... I wanted Big Bad Wolf type of stuff but got something that Wild Adventures might throw at you. It just doesn't compete with other coasters there. Mean Streak was also a huge letdown. I love woodies like Gwazi and SFoG's Scream Machine, but Mean Streak was pretty lame. I enjoyed the older woodie at CP much better. Great reading about the trip through your pics! GO DAWGS

Nice report. Great pics of the park. Sorry to hear it was so crowded. I can't believe you said the coasters are usually a walk-on! Kraken here in Otown is a walk-on in the off season, but lately, the beast has been sporting 45 - 60 minute waits! Of course, Orlando only has one big coaster, but that's apparently changing in a year or two! It is also interesting to see beluga whales in a show. Orlando just keeps them on display. In a year or two, they're supposed to move to Discovery Cove so people can swim with them at a premium price! Even more than the beluga swim Orlando offers now! Thanks for the pics!

I have to say Spiderman at IOA. Jaws, AK's Safari, and MIB also are up there on the list.

As someone else stated before, Stone Mountain will most likely be your best bet during January. Sadly, nothing else theme park wise is open that time of year in Atlanta. Six Flags tried a Christmas thing about ten years ago, open during the holidays with limited rides and ice skating, but it didn't go well enough to keep going year after year. The aquarium downtown is pretty neat and I hear the World of Coke is better than it was before they moved in next to the aquarium. You can always check and see if the Hawks, Thrashers, or Falcons might have a game while you're there... Other than that, head south to Orlando for January fun! Good luck with everything!

I can't believe you enjoyed Ninja so much. I can only ride it every few years because that's how long it takes the soreness to go away! Scream Machine is probably one of the best woodies in my opinion, the last few camelbacks are full or airtime! Glad you enjoyed a Six Flags park. Not too many people are doing that these days.

Nothing beats coaster folk and some Smothered and Covered! Robb, next time you're here in Otown, stop by BW's... I have a time of 2:37! Enjoy the midwest!