PTR: larrygator Takes Off to The Great White North

[cfc]

Waffle dogs? You intrigue me, sir!

[printersdevil78]

^What he said! I'm not sure if I'm more impressed by the waffle dogs or by the fact that the mall had its own sea lion show. Thanks for giving up sleep to intrigue us, Larry!

[Trevannosaurus Rex]

I'm popping down to K-Days tomorrow to get the credit for Nitro. I read an interview with the fair's owner that Nitro was 'better than new as it had been refurbished' and that it had a 'state of the art safety system' Which I'm sure is something to get excited about.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Mindbender is the best thing about Edmonton. Stunning ride. The backwards car is indeed special.

[BeemerBoy]

The mall was raffling off a Lambo. I have no place to park it so I didn't buy a ticket.

FAIL. You know I would have gladly garaged it for you.

[jray21]

Great report! I love the reports on the smaller and unique parks. Definitely want to try all the stuff at Olympic Park. I've got to try those cream puffs and waffle sticks! I'll have to try to make a waffle dog and see how it works out.

[Trevannosaurus Rex]

I had one of the very same waffle dogs from the stand last year. It was really disappointing. I think it had been sat round from the previous year. On the plus side, I'm pretty sure they were $5 last year as well!

[simon8899]

Galaxyland is still tied with Parque de Attraciones in Mexico City for a single visit right from europe. While Galaxyland sports Mindbender the Mexico City park has the original german carnival Dreier-Looping (Triple Loop) plus a flywheel Shuttle Loop. A hard decision - but will observe the security in mexico for the upcoming years and make a practical decision based upon it...

 

But the coming days are reserved to ride Olympia Looping during the time of the Olympic Games!

[Guy T. Koepp]

larrygator wrote:

The take those pastry shells on the right, and poke it with that silver machine and stuff it filled with cream. Calm down Guy!

 

I watched a movie last night that had cremepuffs in it. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

 

Great all assed TR Larry! I am very much enjoying your jaunt to the Pacific North West. Keep up the awesome work.

[flylikeacow]

I live in Edmonton and used to work at West Edmonton Mall waterpark and had no idea that there was a bowling alley in the mall. I guess that gives you a bit of an idea about how massive WEM is.

On another note, after reading some of the comments here, I'm really excited to head over to Galaxyland in a couple weeks. I've been there plenty of times but have never tried the Mindbender since being upside-down really freaks me out. But it really does seem worth it - if TPR says it's good, I know it's good.

Also, great TR on Calaway Park. I haven't been to that place in several years but this TR was a nice reminder of how much I enjoyed it there. It's not by any means a fantastic park, but it's interesting and fun and just has a nice feel to it - very friendly.

[kasseroo]

Larry,

That was an amazing trip report on Galaxyland and Calaway Park. You really captured the atmosphere if both parks quite nicely!

 

Also, it was great to meet you at Dave & Busters on Saturday (at the trivia game).

[larrygator]

Larry,

That was an amazing trip report on Galaxyland and Calaway Park. You really captured the atmosphere if both parks quite nicely!

 

Also, it was great to meet you at Dave & Busters on Saturday (at the trivia game).

 

Were you playing with Jo? Sorry I'm terrible with names and faces.

[TheStig]

There is no way I'm reading this report, hoser.

[julioot]

Amaizing trip report! Nice to see a lill more of Canada.

 

Also.. The world needs more of these. Please let mondial, huss or w.e. buy this design and make a propper version that doesnt brake down as much.

[Kyle Coleman]

They have the mindbender and a casino that mall really does have everything. Need to get up there one of these days.

[Guy T. Koepp]

Amaizing trip report! Nice to see a lill more of Canada.

 

Also.. The world needs more of these. Please let mondial, huss or w.e. buy this design and make a propper version that doesnt brake down as much.

 

Did you really just say the words, "doesn't break down," and, "Huss" in the same sentence?

[julioot]

^^ I know! I realised what I was saying just a second after posting it lol.

[ernierocker]

Then I remembered the words of the immortal Bob Uecker on how to catch a knuckleball. Wait until it stops moving then pick it up.

 

[rollin_n_coastin]

Finally had a chance to catch up on the trip. Awesome stuff!

 

I really want to get out West one day and check outnsome of the national parks as well. Agree with Chuck -- that last West Edmonton caption wins lol

[maverickpoint]

looks like tons of fun

[larrygator]

I have more credit whoring from small parks and mountain coasters in Quebec and Ontario (which I did the two days before Levia-thon Bash), but I won't have time to post them before I leave for New Hotnesss in the AM. So everyone just hold their breathe for 2 weeks.

[kasseroo]

Larry,

That was an amazing trip report on Galaxyland and Calaway Park. You really captured the atmosphere if both parks quite nicely!

 

Also, it was great to meet you at Dave & Busters on Saturday (at the trivia game).

 

Were you playing with Jo? Sorry I'm terrible with names and faces.

 

 

Yup, that was me!

[larrygator]

My time in Canada did not end after this trip, for the next wekeend I was off to Canada's Wonderland for Leviathan Bash. But alas, before getting to Toronto I needed to credit whore the area.

 

The morning of July 27th started at 4AM as I had an ambitious agenda of hitting Santa's Workshop (North Pole, NY) before heading to Montreal for Viking Mountain Coaster at Mont Sant Sauveur, Pays des Merveilles and LaRonde.

 

First Stop: Santa's Workshop.

This building looks the same as when my family visited in 1974.

Lots of costumed characters at the park.

I planned to just stop for the coaster but decided to walk around the place.

I visited the reindeer barn.

I picked up a couple of chocolate chip cookies at Santa's Bake Shop

A hat was made for me in this building 38 years ago.

The line to sit an Santa's lap was too long.

I'm really at the North Pole

In this building you can make toys.

Woody the Elf is there to help with the toy building.

The park even has it's own musuem where I found this sign welcoming me back.

People still use this mailbox to mail letters from "Santa" to their children so it will include a "North Pole" postmark.

 

Here's a link to my family photos from Santa's Workshop in 1974

 

The day almost turned into a disaster when 20 minutes after leaving Santa's Workshop I noticed golf ball size bubbles in the sidewall of both driver side tires. I had hit a giant pothole the night before and the tires looked fine in the AM before I left home. I'm lucky they both didn't blowout. However finding two new tires in a northern New York village, 40 miles from a major city is not easy? I ending up buying two used 18" tires (my car usually takes 16") from a salvage yard and having them put my car on blocks to replace the tires. This two hour delay sounded a lot better then the estimated 5 hour timeframe for new tires to arrive from Plattsburgh.

 

About 3 hours after getting the tires fixed I arrived here and felt dirty and that wasn't only because my hands had not been washed since helping to change/rotate my tires.

Ka-ching! Now where's the Purell.

 

After the kiddie park was a 10 minute drive to Mont Sant Sauveur for their mountain coaster. I love mountain coasters and this one provided two pops of air.

a la carte pricing for the mountain coaster and/or zipline. I scored a off coupon from the woman working the ticket booth when I used my French on her. Parlez-vous anglais?

This is the first mountain resort I've been to with a water park

A small portion of the water park

This is the longest wait I had encountered to date for a mountain coaster.

Going up the lifthill.

 

While I like the flats at LaRonde the park is just horrible. I pull up to pay for parking and they can not take credit cards at the booth, seriously. For this trip I had planned to put everything on credit card since one $20 Canadian note left from last weekend's trip. I was planned to hold on to that $20 and some coins to pay for small food/drink items at the parks, but now this evil LaRonde employee took practically the last of my Canadian money. Combine that with the horrible operations at the park and I am only posting one photo from the evil LaRonde.

Beaver Tails with Nutella are Da Bomb, luckily I had about in Canadian coins in my pocket to cover the cost.

Edited August 15, 2012 by larrygator

[cfc]

Combine that with the horrible operations at the park and I am only posting one photo from the evil LaRonde.

 

That'll learn them French Canadian varmits!

[larrygator]

The next day was a driving day around Ontario to pick up credits. The stops included Wild Water and Wheels, Ridge Runner at the Blue Mountains and Sauble Fun World.

 

Ok, I'll admit it was a faux pas on my part that I neglected to remember that someone had posted on TPR that the coasters at Sauble Fun World were no longer operating.

 

The drive took me through a lot of Ontario. I never passed so many yard sales in my life and did not realize how many places in the area sold home bottled honey and maple syrup.

I made it to Wild Water and Wheels at opening and paid $8 for 3 rides on their Pipeline coaster.

I can't believe there are not more of these coasters, they are a lot of fun.

Nice pop of air here.

The course circles a mini golf course.

You have to climb this tower and meet your sled at the top.

A couple of hours little I arrive at the Blue Mountains for another fun Mountain Coaster.

Here are the prices, this place was packed and I waited 30 minutes to ride the coaster.

Going up the lift hill. This was the first mountain coaster I rode where the ride ops stopped the lifthill is someone was going slow so everyone had the opportunity to go all out without brakes.

Next to the mountain coaster is a very ropes course. The resort also had a lot of people using the mini golf course and mountain biking on this day.

There are still some rides operating at Sauble Fun World.

But I can't say the same for the coasters.

This formerly ran at Beech Bend before it former ran here.

On the way to meet up with TPR at Dave and Busters in Toronto, I did a quick u-turn when I saw this food truck in the middle of nowhere.

I bought the Clubbed Beef sandwich.

The sandwich kicked butt.

Edited August 16, 2012 by larrygator

[beatle11]

You didn't go get the indoor Mack credit in Quebec City, or did you already have that one? Too bad about Sauble's coasters not being running. Their website still lists Looping Star as "Now Open" and says nothing at all about them not running.