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Best Music Video EVER

Sat, 25 May 2013 20:44:14 +0000

I'll get this party started....

Food & Wine Festival - Menus & Prices [2013]

Sat, 25 May 2013 03:34:36 +0000

FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Menus WITH PRICES (2013)

  Menu - Crepes & Coffee.JPG (Size: 2.11 MB / Downloads: 12) Crepes & Coffee

  Menu - Canada.JPG (Size: 2.1 MB / Downloads: 9) Canada

  Menu - Germany.JPG (Size: 2 MB / Downloads: 0) Germany

  Menu - Italy.JPG (Size: 2.14 MB / Downloads: 7) Italy

*These are the only booths I saw with menus...so far.
**I saw that the Italy & Germany booths were serving their food today.

Worst Song Ever

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:48:37 +0000

Simple concept, post a song or songs that you consider to be an insult to the art form of music.

I'll start.

Sunday or Monday?

Fri, 24 May 2013 21:46:33 +0000

Happy Memorial Day weekend everybody!

I'm planning on heading out to the park (BGW) either Sunday or Monday and, as always, I'm interested in crowd avoidance. I'm thinking Monday is probably the best day for that. Any thoughts?

Springfield

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:23:14 +0000

Finally announced via Universal Orlando's facebook page:

Quote:Springfield is coming to Universal Orlando Resort! An all-new Simpsons-themed area will open at Universal Studios Florida this summer – allowing guests to step into the world of The Simpsons like never before.

It will be the only place in the world where you can walk the streets of Springfield, grab a Krusty-certified meat sandwich at Krusty Burger, go nuts for donuts at Lard Lad, imbibe at Moe’s Tavern and more! Plus there will be Duff Beer – brewed exclusively for Universal Orlando - and a new attraction called Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl that will take you “foolish humans” on an intergalactic spin designed to send you into orbit!

I'm curious how Duff Beer will taste. I mean it's supposed to be a crappy version of budweiser right?

June 6, 2013 - LNM 35th Anniversary

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:52:46 +0000

Nora & the BGW Memories folks are meeting up in the morning:
"Don't forget the meet-up for June 6th on Nessie's anniversary of the official opening day in 1978. Big Grin"
https://www.facebook.com/events/323985267703533/

I'm gonna try and make the morning Nessie ride. Problem is I have work. Do I call in sick; take a vacation day? I don't know, but I would hate to miss the picture time and ride with everyone.

Anyone else planing on a special meet-up or whatever for Nessie's birthday? Later in the evening perhaps?

cotnoutlaw, are you showing up to keep me wedged in nice and safe while I take another picture?

[Concept] Manta

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:50:43 +0000

So SeaWorld San Antonio is the little step child in the SeaWorld Chain. It doesn't ever seem to get any love from SEA. When it did get a coaster it got the most cloned coaster ever, an off the shelf B&M Batman Inverted Coaster named Great White, and a Morgan Hyper. Not that I think there is anything wrong with a Morgan Hyper, but overall the park is neglected.

I know what you are going to say, the park just got Aquatica, but renameing your existing waterpark is hardly an addition. Now, I've never really seen what their version of Aquatica looks like, or Orlando's for that matter, but from what I understand it is not quite up there with Aquatica Orlando.

With all that being said, I think its time that San Antonio got a new coaster, and I think it should be named Manta. The chain might as well do it, they've already done it to San Diego and the original in Orlando. Now I don't know if the new coaster should be a B&M flyer, a Mack Launcher, or something else entirely but the park is in desperate need of it. I do know that it should have an original layout different from the other two Manta's and should incorporate the great combination of animal encounters and thrills.

Thinking on this further the ride should be accessible to all ride heights like Manta West since they park already has two high thrill coasters.

What do you think?

Born to Rock

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:28:20 +0000

So I was pretty disappointed with Madagascar Live but nothing could have prepared me for this. Born to Rock is Busch Gardens Tampa's second new show for 2013. It's located in Busch Gardens Tampa's equivalent to BGW's Das Festhaus.

That actually makes Kings Dominion shows look enticing. I'm horrified that something like that could have ever been greenlit by corporate. Maybe Scott should just be "reassigned" to Busch Gardens Tampa because this makes Entwined look like Celtic Fyre.

June 1, 2013 - WCUSA Pass Member Appreciation Day

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:26:13 +0000

"Our annual pass members can enjoy free breakfast, exclusive ride time, contests, special offers and entertainment throughout the day."

Any takers on this Saturday?

Holiday World to help Oklahoma tornado victims

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:27:26 +0000

Here's another reason to love this park!

http://holidayworld.com/oklahoma

We’re all saddened by the devastation in Oklahoma following the May 20 tornado. Here’s a priceless package of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari memorabilia – including some one-of-a-kind items – up for auction through Tuesday, May 28, 2013, at 12noon CDT. Proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross.

You're bidding on:

• 8 one-day admission tickets for 2013

• First ride of the day on Mammoth (or other ride of your choice)

• Private Cabana in Splashin’ Safari

• Lunch served in your Cabana

• Dinner at Plymouth Rock Café, with table service and tour

• Holiday World Hard Hat, used, signed by our Coaster Cats

• Customized Coaster Art (you choose the photo) on Raven track wood

• Holiday World Logo Flag (flown at the front gate)

• Splashin' Safari Logo Flag (flown at the front gate)

• 3 Voyage Flags (flown at the top of the lift hill)

• Holiday World 60th Anniversary throw

• Roller Coaster Patches (Raven, Legend and Voyage)

• 2 Mammoth beach towels

• Family photo on the ride of your choice (posted on our Facebook page, if you’d like)

• Holiday World laminated trunk organizer

• Holidog Christmas ornament

Please review our HoliAuction Policies before bidding. Remember, placing a bid is an obligation to pay if you win. Must be at least 18 years old to place bid. Payment must be made online via credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover) within 24 hours of win. Please note: We will either ship the items to you or we can hold for pick-up when you visit in 2013.
This auction will only have one winner, of course. But there are countless ways to help the victims of the Oklahoma tornado. Donations may be made online to the America Red Cross and other agencies. Thank you for caring!

Jolly Roger's Spash Mountain

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:10:48 +0000

This water park is really getting nice, not the best scenery but with sweet rides and in a great town who could complain? New Aqua Loop for 2012, Jolly Rogers usually adds a new ride/thing yearly in one of their parks but haven't noticed anything happening this year. If you have not heard of this waterpark you should check it out, just Google Jolly Roger Splash Mountain. Definitely very underrated and not too many people know about it.

JR's.jpg (Size: 320.63 KB / Downloads: 21)
Picture Credit- http://www.jollyrogerpark.com

Behind the scenes tours, etc.

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:12:10 +0000

Has anyone done any of these?

The animal tours look really cool, as does the Ultimate Insider tour, but I really want to know more about the tours than the website shows before I'm ready to plunk down more than $200 to take my family on one of these.

Water Park Menus & Prices [2013]

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:13:19 +0000

Following in the tradition of the BGW version, here are images of menus WITH PRICES!!

WATER COUNTRY USA:

  WCU - menu - Dippin' Dots.JPG (Size: 2.1 MB / Downloads: 10) Dippin' Dots

  WCU - menu - Shrimp Cart.JPG (Size: 2.14 MB / Downloads: 26) Shrimp Cart

  WCU - menu - The Catalina Grille.JPG (Size: 2.07 MB / Downloads: 14) The Catalina Grille - food

  WCU - menu - The Catalina Grille - drinks.JPG (Size: 2.02 MB / Downloads: 6) The Catalina Grille - drinks

  WCU - menu - The Catalina Grille - desserts.JPG (Size: 2.02 MB / Downloads: 6) The Catalina Grille - desserts

  WCU - menu - Chow-A-Bunga.JPG (Size: 2.13 MB / Downloads: 11) Chow-A-Bunga

  WCU - menu - Hot Spot Cafe.JPG (Size: 1.95 MB / Downloads: 12) Hot Spot Cafe - food

  WCU - menu - Hot Spot Cafe - drinks.JPG (Size: 2.14 MB / Downloads: 4) Hot Spot Cafe - drinks

  WCU - menu - Pit Stop - Snow Cones.JPG (Size: 1.99 MB / Downloads: 2) Pit Stop - Snow Cones - stand

  WCU - menu - Pit Stop - Snow Cones 2.JPG (Size: 2.03 MB / Downloads: 5) Pit Stop - Snow Cones - menu

  WCU - menu - Launch Pad.JPG (Size: 2.06 MB / Downloads: 8) Launch Pad

  WCU - menu - Way Out Candy.JPG (Size: 2.03 MB / Downloads: 5) Way Out Candy

Water Park Critters

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:37:47 +0000

This thread is dedicated to all of the cute little animals we encounter at Water Country. This is what we saw on opening weekend:

WCU - demon turtle.JPG (Size: 2.22 MB / Downloads: 12) The Red-Eyed Demon Turtle

WCU - python.JPG (Size: 2.11 MB / Downloads: 10) Python

Aquazoid

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:26:20 +0000

I didn't have my GPS in the water, but this appears to be the biggest, longest and tallest slide in the park. It can be very intimidating just climbing the tower stairs to ride this thing. You can get quite a workout to have a little fun. This was emphasized a lot because there was no line and we didn't have the usual stop and go traffic for 30+ minutes that we usually go through. My daughter was a bit scared to ride at first, but after a little deal-making, she got on and LOVED it!! Now she can't wait to ride it again (as these things tend to go).
Anyway, this thing is a BLAST to ride and my favorite slide in the park!!

Check out this video:

*I was really hamming it up because my little girl was nervous about riding it.

Opening Day - May 18, 2013

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:58:21 +0000

This first part is a re-post from the Trips & Planning - Opening Day - May 18, 2013 thread:
After gymnastics in the morning, we finally made it to the park around noon. It was a cloudy day, but not yet raining. Temperatures were in the mid-high 70's with a little breeze blowing. Non-existent crowds as expected. No lines for anything. The main problem was the wind. The water temperature was perfect; nice and warm. But when you stood up to get out, that is when you got cold. So you either stay in the water or don't get in.

We played in the wave pool for an hour or more. I tried out my waterproof camera and was amazed at how well it did. Then we walked around a bit to see if there was anything new to see (report coming soon), and then proceeded to ride the Aquazoid! After a little coaxing, my daughter rode the big slide with me (video coming soon). We walked around some more and decided we were ready to go home. For me, this kind of weather & water park combination is almost perfect, but my baby was cold and beginning to shiver a little too much. We had plenty of fun for a couple of hours, but as a parent, kid's needs come first!!

Now, to address any new stuff, changes, etc....
Unless I am blind and truly becoming senile, I don't think I really saw ANYTHING new. I think a few signs may have been touched up (see pics), but that is it. In fact, while in the wave pool, I saw that many of the signs around the edges for depths and warnings and whatnot were in desperate need of fresh paint. Some were bad enough that they could barely be read. Plus, I though that for an opening day the water was not as clean as it should have been. Sand and dirt everywhere with a few hair balls and bandages floating by for good measure. Maybe being a member of Park Fans has made me a bit of a curmudgeon, noticing and complaining about every little detail, but something in me was expecting a little better.

  WCU - entrance sign.JPG (Size: 2.08 MB / Downloads: 18) Entrance

  WCU - turnstiles sign.JPG (Size: 2.05 MB / Downloads: 17) Turnstiles

  WCU - Surfer's Bay.JPG (Size: 1.95 MB / Downloads: 19) Surfer's Bay

Turn Ristorante Della Piazza into a full service restaurant?

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:16:47 +0000

This could easily be done w/hardly any infrastructure cost to BGW. No need to change anything to the facility, and they could even keep the menu the same for all I care. But I think a lot of people would enjoy this.

Discuss....

Madagascar Character Lunch

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:44:56 +0000

From Busch Gardens' Tampa Bay website for Madagascar Live!

Quote:An exclusive experience featuring reserved show seating, meet and greet with the characters and lunch will be available soon.

(still not sure where to put stuff like tours and experiences, but I figured it's mostly dining)

GayDays 2013

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:07:17 +0000

GayRVA.com Wrote:

Busch Garden’s is set to be a sea of red again this year as Gay Days returns to the Williamsburg theme park Jun 14-16th. This year, a 3rd party group, Theme Park Gay Days, has taken the reigns of putting the event together to not only ensure everyone has a blast while celebrating their sexuality, but also raising funds for important Virginia causes.

“It’s about getting it out there that LGBT people are normal, everyday people. But it isn’t just for LGBT people, it’s for supporters and allies as well, to help get our message of equality out there,” said Joe DeVito, Founder of Theme Park Gay Days. DeVito has a life-long love of theme parks and roller coasters, and when he moved to Norfolk 3 years ago, he fell head over heals for Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

“It’s clean, it’s a great place to go. Busch Gardens keeps itself well,” said DeVito. He had attended past Gay Days events, but he’d noticed they lacked organization and purpose. “It wasn’t gaining awareness, it wasn’t benefiting a charity, it wasn’t benefiting LGBT people as a whole, it was just a flash mob at the park basically.”

The idea of a “gay day” at a theme park has been around for some time. Disney World, in Orlando, FL., celebrated one of the first gay days back in 1991. About 3000 members of the LGBT community came out, and similar events have been held ever since. “There’s definitely a need and a market for this,” said DeVito. Realizing these events can be used to help spread awareness about LGBT issues, Theme Park Gay Days, a non-profit operation, sends the money it raises to deserving groups around the state like Equality Virginia and AIDS Access.

Busch Gardens has actually gone above and beyond to assist Gay Days since DeVito took over, something many might think as surprise considering Virginia’s conservative atmosphere. “People assumed bible thumping Virginians wouldn’t be interested… but Busch Gardens have been nothing but accommodating,” said Devito.

The park doesn’t normally allow people to come into the park in costume, but the drag queens for the picnic are given the royal treatment with access to the park’s dressing rooms. DiVeto called the in-park picnic the weekend’s main event and one that really excited the crowd.

The 3-day event starts Friday night with a pool party at the Double Tree hotel near Busch Gardens with drinks flowing. Saturday, wear your red shirt and head into the park for a day of rides and relaxation (and roasted turkey legs), but save some space for the drag show picnic at 12:30. That night, Williamsburg AMF Lanes have been rented out, giving you the chance to bowl your heart out, have a few drinks at the bar, and dance while DC’s DJ Matt Bailer spins till closing time. Sunday morning, the event comes to a close with a classic drag brunch with a preset menu back in the hotel.

Last years event drew about 700 people, and relied entirely on social media and word of mouth to get people out. This year, DeVito hopes to smash last years attendance, reaching out to LGBT people from up and down the east coast. “It’s an awesome and fun place to meet other like-minded LGBT people from all over, not just Hampton Roads and South Side-gays.”

So mark your calendars – June 14-16th, but get your tickets fast HERE. There are several tiers of tickets, and they are cheaper if you already have a season pass. Also, passes DO NOT include hotel stays, but there are still rooms available at the Williamsburg Double Tree.

We’ve also got 2 pairs of tickets to give away, fill out the widget below (You can enter as many times as you’d like) and we’ll announce the winners Friday May 31st. Tickets aren’t sold 2 weeks before the event, so get them fast!

Source

gay-days-ad-flyer.jpg (Size: 1.18 MB / Downloads: 15)

logo.jpg (Size: 28.11 KB / Downloads: 108)

Antarctica Cup That Cares

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:07:45 +0000

http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2013...ntarctica/

Looks neat. Build your own cup, get a custom Coke Freestyle drink in Antarctica and help the Conservation Fund. Has anyone else ever made a customizable cup that tracks every time you fill it up? Also how does drinking a freestyle drink save CO2?