crazydaveh

Flip cams and others like them are not the best at fast action shots. I have a all the flips, the three Kodaks, and some no name. I prefer the Kokak Zx1 because of the mic input as well as it's 1080/60 fps, where the flips only do 30 fps. Being able to shoot 60 fps really helps the quality. Also with the Flip cams, the part that "flips out" to connect via USB breaks on a lot of sets and it's not part of the warranty, so wasted money there. As for using them for POV on a coaster... DON'T! Not safe and it's against park rules almost everywhere. If you want to get a good POV, the camera has to be bolted to the device that you're trying to get POV from. Holding it still doesn't work on rides, in cars, boats... Catch my drift? As for shooting fun little movies, the flip cams are great. You also need an editing system that can edit video that's in 720 or 1080. Microsoft Movie doesn't do this. No clue if Mac Movie Maker works well, I hate Macs. I use my AVID Nitris System to edit everything, but that's about $50,000 to get up and running. The supped up Pennicle Program is now made by AVID and is a great home editing piece. It's only around $100.

They're kind of like bumps on the slide made of rubber. There are several of them, most noticeably right before you head into a funnel. They maybe are about 6-8 inches high. They're kind of like a log in a Vekoma River Raft ride that creates a rapid/splash effect. I'm not sure if they're there to act as a brake, water effect, both, or something completely different. They do hurt your heels when your feet catch them. I hope this kind of helps.

So my wife and I took our 16 month old down to Aquatica today. We arrived around 530 to find the place emptying out as we predicted even though it's running a 9 pm close due to the Spring Break crowds in town. We headed over to the kiddie area and I noticed there were yellow tubs going everywhere over at the new Omaka Rocka Slide. I was there yesterday and the lifeguards said it would be another three weeks until It was open, but I guess he was wrong... The new addition is a lot of fun. It is a tube slide that you will get soaked on. It's single rider only and the max weight is 250 lbs (sorry Acers.) The ride is a bit rough. There are what looks like little ramps throughout the ride especially as you head into a funnel. They don't seem to slow you down or do anything but make it a bumpy ride. The funnels is there you get soaked. This will be nice come June-October when it's hot as monkey testicles here. The splashdown is like any other water slide tube splashdown... nothing to write home about with it. Overall, I think it will be a nice addition. While it was bumpy and kind of rough, it was still fun and accomplishes the getting wet aspect of a water park. I'll be back next week to see if it's still up and running. I did ask a lifeguard if it was fully open and they just smiled at me tonight. Anyways, here's some pics. Sorry for the poor quality, I didn't realize I'd be taking pictures at sunset. Heading into Aquatica, it's Lily's first time. Lily walking to the kiddie area Lily showing daddy that the new slide is open! Here it is! random tourist exiting the new slide And we end this on the empty wavepool... why? DOODIE!

It's open. Just rode it. Photos to come

By the looks of the promos for this weeks Celebrity Apprentice will also have Potter stuff as well. Here's the clip

I was there this afternoon and the slides were open, but for lifeguards only. They had both sides going, but at separate times. The guards standing at the entrance said it would open sometime in the next three weeks. I asked him if I could quote him, he laughed and said, "sure." The park was pretty busy as well. Of course it's Spring Break week number one this week. The lines did move though. Nothing was more than a 15 minute wait from noon - 4pm. The longest wait was for food. 30 minutes for that!

When the "I"coasters were first announced, I didn't think they would be that fun. I was going off the renderings of the ride and the ride animation. Boy, I can say I'm glad I was wrong. This thing looks like a lot of fun. Will it make me drive up 95 and hit KD? Probably not, but if I am in the area, I'm there... After a stop at the nearest bar beforehand! Also, great pics! Way to show how awesome that thing is!

I too have passed it many, many times and never thought about stopping. At least it looks like they have made an attempt to keep it looking decent and not like an old roadside attraction that's barely hanging on. I thought they built a kids water play area a few years back? Did you guys see anything that looked like it? Thanks for keeping me from spending $12.95! I owe you two beers at Epcot!

Once you got there, how long did you have to wait until you got to ride?

I wish we had something like WCB here in Florida... Hope you enjoy your ERT tonight!

Do you guys plan on going over to the Fantasia Gardens to play? I hear that course is a mean mother....

I love Aquatica and am psyched about the new additions. Some lifeguards there say they're really trying to have it open by the two main Spring Break weeks before and after Easter... But as we all know, nothing is certain.

Did the same thing for me. I sent Robb an email asking. I did get my PayPal receipt though.

Tampa and surrounding area schools were out Monday for "Strawberry Festival Day." Sorry you had to deal with that!

Welcome back and welcome to Otown! It's just like you're old home, you'll grow to hate living here, but love it at the same time. Looking forward too seeing what fun you'll dig up here in the backyard!

Remember that the Universal parks close at 6PM this week and SeaWorld closes at 7. Sure, it will be slow so you shouldn't have to wait for anything, but take that into consideration in your planning. Being a Florida resident, the parks now ask for I.D. for everyone you're trying to get tickets for to prove they too live in Florida. Disney is really hard about this, Universal is so/so, and SeaWorld is starting to get strict as well.

But the next main hurdle... Getting more than two - four trains on the track at one time. How many trains were they running when you shot this? Did all trains running have every seat full or were they leaving 3 and 6 empty still?

Really cool shots from the air! Great stuff! Be safe getting down here to Orlando!

It had some good speed to it. The initial drop off had a good angle and it sloped down a good bit before the level off and then you dropped again. We were at the second session of the day and it rained about two inches the day before, so they had just blasted the hill with some snow/ice. It did slow down later in the day when the sun was out, but still, comparable to other tubing hills in NC and WV.

Hey folks. Just returned home to Orlando from a week long trip to Atlanta. My parents live there and I was born and raised there as well. We decided to take a trip over to Stone Mountain Park which turns its Laser Show lawn into a snow tubing hill during the winter months. Being that I lived five minutes from "The Rock" as we called it back in high school, I worked on just about all the "Attractions" Stone Mountain has back in the day. Yup, I piloted the Paddlewheel Riverboat and the Skyride (cable car to the top of the mountain) as well as ran the old putt putt area. It was only fitting to go visit the place where we would go because we were bored in ATL. I know this TR has no coasters or other type of park stuff that you normally see, but I figured I'd share it with everyone out there in TRP land in case they've been thinking about going. It was a lot of fun considering it's all fake snow. The staff was top notch, I honestly thought I was back home at Disney in terms of Customer Service. The prices are $25 to tube for two hours and as much snow play as you want. If you have a Stone Mtn annual pass, it's only $15. The downpart, Stone Mountain doesn't sell beer like Universal... Entrance/Ticket area at Crossroads entrance Signage everywhere Ticket Entrance to the snow area Coke... because it's the Real Thing and we're in Atlanta and most of all, PEPSI SUCKS! How they make the snow from the nasty Stone Mountain Lake The hill You get on moving carpets similar to what some ski resorts have and it takes you to almost the top with your tube in tow The final hike and pull The top of the hill looking down and at the mountain The Mountain Niece tubing Southern Snow fun random person The tubing hill My daughter after learning there aren't any quality coasters, mice, whales, and Globes near Gigi's house! She's too used to living in Orlando! My daughter building a snowman snow/ice/water falling on my niece My 14 month old daughter seeing snow, yes being fake, for the first time Snowgun that shot out pices of ice/snow/water The snow play area An Atlanta Snowman The carving on the Rock

And do it in true Southern Style... Wear Jeans and a Gator Jacket!

I have enjoyed all your posts from the "Honeymoon Capitol of the South!" The thread will be missed! When you get down to Otown, shoot me a message and lets hit a park or seven! Safe travels getting down here!

I use 1and1 for several sites and have had very few problems. I also use GoDaddy, but that's a shared server.

They went to Grant's Farm up in St. Louis. It's where all the ABInBev Clydesdales are trained (or used to). It used to be open to the public (might still be) and they used to offer free water (or ABI Beer) to guests similar to the parks, but ABI kept Grant's Farm. Adam, glad to see you were able to try the ICE! slides. The night we were there, three of the four were closed because some kid lost his lunch and dinner all over them! That makes me wonder... How do you clean up freezing vomit?

I think it's a great idea. One thing that could also sell it, For those of us who live near a park or seven (Orlando), if you have a trip down here but we can't do the entire trip but want to meet up for a day and pay a fee if need be, we can. Special T-shirts would be cool too, maybe use the $15 credit for that! I'm all about it. Tell me when and where to sign up!