There were so many highlights this year that I couldn't list them all in the 'Highlights of your 2013 Season' topic, so I decided to post this instead. Besides, I haven't written any real trip reports this year so hopefully this will make up for that a bit.
Please excuse the quality of the photos. They were all taken with my phone.
It started off with a trip to San Pedro Sula in February. I've been to Honduras several times, but never to the "murder capitol" and "most dangerous city in the world". :shock:
On my return I stopped by Epcot to film the new Test Track...
...and went by SeaWorld to hook up with CP6.
I also couldn't be in Orlando without doing a construction tour of the Fun Spot America expansion.
Next up was an amazing trip to Silver Dollar City with Snoo in March for the opening of Outlaw Run. We had a blast!
I barely got home before it was off to Denver for that unforgettable blizzard game against Costa Rica...
...and straight off to Mexico for another World Cup qualifier...
...and a week of lots of parks!
La Feria Chapultepec Magico
Six Flags Mexico
Parque Bicentenario
On the way back home I stopped off in San Antonio over Easter weekend for my first look at Iron Rattler. I also got to spend a lot of time with the RMC crew, including an all-night party at their apartments that was off the hook.
May started off with Gatekeeper's opening with Hyde244 and Intricks...
...followed by Batman Backwards at Six Flags Great America the next day.
Then came that awful day at Cedar Point when all the coasters were down, but I did get to meet 2012Jarrett - our new Goon of the Year! *hint hint :wink:
A few days later I was riding Iron Rattler at 6am.
I made it back home just in time to take the kid to the Killers concert.
After Memorial Day I was on my way to Cleveland to cover the USA-Belgium game...
...before returning home to pick up Ian at the airport.
After a couple of days at Coney Island and NYC, it was off to Washington DC for Six Flags America...
...and the USA-Germany game, which the Yanks won!
The first two weeks of June was a giant road trip for the both of us with stops at Six Flags St Louis where we got to ride the boomerang before it opened to the public thanks to Ian's lovely British accent.
The next day we were at Worlds of Fun. Don't you love the patriotic shorts?
Then it was Ian's turn to ride Outlaw Run.
We continued on through Oklahoma with a stop at Frontier City..
...before arriving in West Texas. Yes, we tagged CF on a couple of those cars. :wink:
Who would have guessed that one of the best days of the trip would be at Wonderland Amusement Park?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVxXrl7nPU[/youtube]
The following day we had a nice breakfast with RCF, before it was off to ride the world's tallest Starflyer at SFOT.
We spent the next couple of days in San Antonio...
...before moving on to Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston Pier.
That night we roamed the streets of the French quarter in New Orleans, followed by some sightseeing the next morning...
...before ending up at the sequel to Planet Of The Apes movie shoot. Ian was upset not to get any credz.
After that epic adventure I needed a couple of weeks off, but still managed to squeeze a day for filming at Hersheypark...
...and another filming Wooden Warrior in 3D.
I also discovered this Queens kiddie cred before heading off to merry ole England on the Fourth of July.
Ian picked me up at Heathrow and it was straight off to Blackpool for the CF-Live.
The highlights were finally getting to meet Big John and Lord Morton and my first ride on Valhalla. <3
Late night partying with the whole gang was followed up with an early morning cruise across the North to Fantasy Island to film Jubilee Odyssey and the Millennium Coaster.
After a couple day's rest Ian took me on a tour of Southampton and we ended up at Clarence Pier, but the highlight of the day was dinner and drinks where I finally got to meet Sam.
The next day we were back on the road to furie's for the night before heading on to Alton Towers the next morning. All three of us were less than impressed with The Smiler.
After the long drive back to Ian's that evening, it was back on the road early the next morning for a visit to Thorpe Park to try out Swarm backwards and X forwards.
By now I really needed to give Ian a break, so I jumped on the train to Brussels.
There's no rest for the weary, so I hit the road for Efteling the following morning.
Then it was on to Toverland...
...and then off to Movie Park in Germany here I ran into FC Schalke and U.S. National Team defender Jermaaine Jones, who suggested I go to the Rheinkirmes in Dusseldorf.
So I left the park early and before you know it I was at one of my favorite German fairs.
After a late night of fair fun I was up early for what I thought would be a long day at Phantasialand.
But the park was surprisingly quiet for the first day of summer holidays and I headed out early to go and try to film Ring°Racer, but they weren't doing testing that week.
I spent the night in Luxembourg before arriving at Walygator Park in France. What a dump!
I was back in Germany the next day at Europa Park. What a difference! :--D
After spending the evening with friends in Stuttgart, I went to Tripsdrill to check out Karacho. <3
The ORP is taken during an inversion, so this photo is actually upside down.
Skipping all the queues since I was filming allowed me to finish up early and hit up Schwaben Park that afternoon.
That gave me an extra day to spend with my family and friends in Augsburg before going to Bayern Park the following day.
More VIP treatment allowed me to finish up early and hit the road back to Belgium. I even had enough time to stop off a Spa and check out about six hours of the 24 hour race.
Ian picked me up at my hotel in Brussels the following morning and we headed off to Walibi to film Psyke Underground. Our 3D video didn't turn out much better than this photo.
We moved on to Bobbejaanland the next morning where Ian finally got his King Kong cred.
Our last stop before heading back to England was Plopsaland De Panne.
I spent another couple of days at Ian's before both of us flew off to Sweden and Liseberg to finish off the month of July.
We only planned on spending a couple of hours at Skara Sommerland, but the park was so much fun that we almost spent the entire next day there.
We arrived in Stockholm later than expected, but were still up early for an incredible day at Gröna Lund. Ian and I have been treated well at many of the parks we've visited over the year, but only Silver Dollar City could match the treatment we received on our final day in Sweden.
After an evening of sightseeing we awoke early to catch our flight to Norway for the CF-Live. Funpark wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but fun was had by one and all. Caffeine_demon needed a helping hand after his bout with Stone Cold in the sumo suits.
Powerpark was the surprise of the year for me. I had no clue as to what to expect and was pleasantly surprised.
Särkänniemi was just an average park with average rides...
...and Linnanmäki wasn't much better, other than that fab water coaster and this wacky spin & spew.
The four days in Finland flew by quickly and the real highlight was spending time with a great group of CFers, especially Darren. I didn't have much time to think about it though, because only a few hours after landing at Heathrow I found myself at Southampton airport on my way to Spain.
As soon as I landed I drove to Tibidabo.
I had a very early flight, so there was plenty of time left for using culture as an excuse to act like a tourist.
My family had an apartment in Cambrils (just south of Salou) when I was a teenager, but I never went to PortAventura because it didn't exist. So I was really looking forward to visiting the park and I wasn't disappointed. Definitely the best park in Spain and one of the best in Europe.
I sort of wish that I had saved PortAventura for last because it all went downhill after that. as far as Spain's amusement parks are concerned. Starting the next day at Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza.
The city was great, but the park was not.
I spent the morning sightseeing since the park didn't open until noon and a little after 1pm I was already on the road to Pamplona.
Along the way I stopped by the town of Olite in Navarra, which quickly became my favorite state in Spain.
Great food & drink...
...friendly people...
...and old world charm!
The next morning I arrived in Pamplona and started getting culture credz at the Citadel.
It's massive!
So big that it has a huge park inside.
You know what made this city famous.
So I decided to walk the route that the bulls run.
Seeing those narrow streets gave me greater appreciation for those that participate...
... and confirmed that it's something I would never do.
The bulls run past the city hall (above) before entering the arena (below).
After a morning full of culture I hit the road and found the perfect picnic spot on the way to Parque De Atracciones Monte Igeldo.
What a view!
It didn't take too long before I arrived in San Sebastian.
Talk about changing views. In less than a day I went from desert vistas, to mid evil towns & castles, to Alpine-like mountain ranges and now this!
Although there's not much to it, Parque De Atracciones Monte Igeldo has been on my must-do list for years.
I thought the views of Barcelona from Tibidabo were fantastic...
...but the views of San Sebastian from up here are even better.
I wanted to visit the fair that was being held along the seawall in the distance in the photo above, but didn't have time because I needed to be at Parque De Atraciones De Madrid early the next morning to film Abisimo in 3D before the park opened to the public.
I only had two days in Madrid, so I had to get in the culture credz that afternoon/evening.
Yeah, this is where Renaldo & the Real Madrid boys celebrate their triumphs.
It's not Buckingham Palace, but it's the royal palace none the less.
The Puerta De Alcala was the last stop for the day before getting some diner (across the street)...
...and heading back to the hotel for the night.
I have to admit that I'm not impressed with the Madrid parks, especially Parque Warner.
I take back anything I've said about another park's piss poor ride operations (except Flamingo Land).
The park is on the outskirts of Madrid and I couldn't go back into the city because I needed to be at Terra Mitica the next day.
It was great to do finish off this six week European coaster journey at a nicely themed park with fantastic views and decent ride operations. The coasters are a bit meh, but the dark shooter is beyond fab!
I still can't believe the great weather I had throughout my six week tour of Europe or the entire year for that matter. Just look at those blue skies in almost every photo I've posted here or in the videos that are on our Youtube channel.
I flew back to England the day after visiting Terra Mitica and then home the day after that. When I got home I only had one day to get back to Lake Compounce and film Boulder Dash in 3D again since the weather didn't cooperate the first time around.
I also used the opportunity to stop by Six Flags New England to capture some Goliath off-ride footage. I had hoped that they were using the new trains, but they're still nowhere in sight.
The following day I had to fly out to California to film the new coasters that opened out there while I was on the road.
My first stop was Oakland for Gold Striker and Undertow, but the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk spinner wasn't open yet. However I was glad that it wasn't because I got to spend two days with the Maurer Sohne engineers, who were from my hometown in Germany.
After two days in the Valley, it was off to Los Angeles and Magic Mountain.
The following day I hit up Knott's Berry Farm...
...and Scandia Park before going to a friends birthday party in Topanga Canyon.
On the way home I had a layover in Phoenix, where I got to film Desert Storm in 3D.
August ended with three full days at home with the family before my brother arrived in Philadelphia to set up the stages for the Budweiser Made In America festival. We haven't had any time together in almost four years, so I went down to spend Labor Day weekend with him. That's him leaning on the rope ladder.
He was in charge and built everything you see in these two photos.
That's three stages (Rock, Rap & EDM), the sound stage and two VIP stages as well as all the light towers.
The Day One headliners were Beyonce, deadmau5, Vampire, Empire of the Sun and Imagine Dragon among others. Day two was Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Calvin Harris and a bunch more that I can't remember.
In the pit between the stage and the crowd for Queens of the Stone Age (above & below).
I started to watch NIN with the sound engineers...
..but went back to the pit after two songs.
On the way home I stopped by Funplex in New Jersey to film their wierd wild mouse.
I was only home for a day before flying to Costa Rica for four days. I got to spend a day at Parque Diversiones in San José, the the only amusement park in the country.
But the real reason I was there was to cover the World Cup qualifier, that the USA lost 1-3. Payback for that blizzard victory in Denver.
From there I went straight to Columbus, Ohio for another World Cup qualifier. This time it was against Mexico and the USA won, which booked them a ticket to Brazil in 2014.
With the team as they celebrate qualifying for next year's tournament after the game.
Jermaine Jones - Proud to be "ein Amerikaner" in the press mixed-zone.
From Columbus I headed straight up to Wisconsin to film Hades 360.
It was amazing how the entire staff here went out of there way for me to get the Hades 360 off-ride and 3D footage. Yes, those are all park/hotel employees on the coaster since it wasn't open to the public that day.
Since Aidan's 16th birthday was approaching, I decided to take a couple of weeks off and just do some coverage of the local MLS teams as the regular season began to draw to a close. So I didn't ride a single coaster for the last two weeks of September and spent some quality time with the family.
Then just as I finished my plans for a trip to Florida at the start of October, I got the news - Flying Turns was opening and I was invited to attend the private opening event!
No need for me to post any photos here since I already did a full trip report of the ceremony.
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=36945
That night I went through with those original plans, but omitted a stop off at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. So the next day I was at sunny Myrtle Beach filming at Family Kingdom.
The next day I stopped by Boardwalk Amusements in Daytona Beach before arriving at Fun Spot America in Orlando to film the new coasters.
I spent the next couple of days with my father, who was struggling with setbacks following his heart operation last year. I had planned on filming at some of the other Central Florida parks, but dropped those plans when I saw how much he was struggling to just get by. Luckily he has had another operation since then and is doing much better. I'll be heading back down to Florida after Thanksgiving to catch up on the plans I dropped.
Since I wasn't allowed to film any on-ride footage of Flying Turns during the opening event, I persuaded them to let me return on 18. October. It was a great day with lots of private rides in various seats on each of the trains so that I could see and feel the differences between them all. The highlight of the day was hearing someone from across the platform call my name and seeing Intricks at the front of the queue.
So that's it so far. If anything exciting happens when I head back down to Florida I'll update this report.
In the meantime I've visited 78 parks and ridden well over 300 coasters (I gave up counting) this year. No fewer than 148 were new credz for me and 16 of them opened this year. So along with the many media days, construction tours and the two CF-Lives, it's been an amazing year that I hope can be matched in 2014.
Please excuse the quality of the photos. They were all taken with my phone.
It started off with a trip to San Pedro Sula in February. I've been to Honduras several times, but never to the "murder capitol" and "most dangerous city in the world". :shock:
On my return I stopped by Epcot to film the new Test Track...
...and went by SeaWorld to hook up with CP6.
I also couldn't be in Orlando without doing a construction tour of the Fun Spot America expansion.
Next up was an amazing trip to Silver Dollar City with Snoo in March for the opening of Outlaw Run. We had a blast!
I barely got home before it was off to Denver for that unforgettable blizzard game against Costa Rica...
...and straight off to Mexico for another World Cup qualifier...
...and a week of lots of parks!
La Feria Chapultepec Magico
Six Flags Mexico
Parque Bicentenario
On the way back home I stopped off in San Antonio over Easter weekend for my first look at Iron Rattler. I also got to spend a lot of time with the RMC crew, including an all-night party at their apartments that was off the hook.
May started off with Gatekeeper's opening with Hyde244 and Intricks...
...followed by Batman Backwards at Six Flags Great America the next day.
Then came that awful day at Cedar Point when all the coasters were down, but I did get to meet 2012Jarrett - our new Goon of the Year! *hint hint :wink:
A few days later I was riding Iron Rattler at 6am.
I made it back home just in time to take the kid to the Killers concert.
After Memorial Day I was on my way to Cleveland to cover the USA-Belgium game...
...before returning home to pick up Ian at the airport.
After a couple of days at Coney Island and NYC, it was off to Washington DC for Six Flags America...
...and the USA-Germany game, which the Yanks won!
The first two weeks of June was a giant road trip for the both of us with stops at Six Flags St Louis where we got to ride the boomerang before it opened to the public thanks to Ian's lovely British accent.
The next day we were at Worlds of Fun. Don't you love the patriotic shorts?
Then it was Ian's turn to ride Outlaw Run.
We continued on through Oklahoma with a stop at Frontier City..
...before arriving in West Texas. Yes, we tagged CF on a couple of those cars. :wink:
Who would have guessed that one of the best days of the trip would be at Wonderland Amusement Park?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVxXrl7nPU[/youtube]
The following day we had a nice breakfast with RCF, before it was off to ride the world's tallest Starflyer at SFOT.
We spent the next couple of days in San Antonio...
...before moving on to Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston Pier.
That night we roamed the streets of the French quarter in New Orleans, followed by some sightseeing the next morning...
...before ending up at the sequel to Planet Of The Apes movie shoot. Ian was upset not to get any credz.
After that epic adventure I needed a couple of weeks off, but still managed to squeeze a day for filming at Hersheypark...
...and another filming Wooden Warrior in 3D.
I also discovered this Queens kiddie cred before heading off to merry ole England on the Fourth of July.
Ian picked me up at Heathrow and it was straight off to Blackpool for the CF-Live.
The highlights were finally getting to meet Big John and Lord Morton and my first ride on Valhalla. <3
Late night partying with the whole gang was followed up with an early morning cruise across the North to Fantasy Island to film Jubilee Odyssey and the Millennium Coaster.
After a couple day's rest Ian took me on a tour of Southampton and we ended up at Clarence Pier, but the highlight of the day was dinner and drinks where I finally got to meet Sam.
The next day we were back on the road to furie's for the night before heading on to Alton Towers the next morning. All three of us were less than impressed with The Smiler.
After the long drive back to Ian's that evening, it was back on the road early the next morning for a visit to Thorpe Park to try out Swarm backwards and X forwards.
By now I really needed to give Ian a break, so I jumped on the train to Brussels.
There's no rest for the weary, so I hit the road for Efteling the following morning.
Then it was on to Toverland...
...and then off to Movie Park in Germany here I ran into FC Schalke and U.S. National Team defender Jermaaine Jones, who suggested I go to the Rheinkirmes in Dusseldorf.
So I left the park early and before you know it I was at one of my favorite German fairs.
After a late night of fair fun I was up early for what I thought would be a long day at Phantasialand.
But the park was surprisingly quiet for the first day of summer holidays and I headed out early to go and try to film Ring°Racer, but they weren't doing testing that week.
I spent the night in Luxembourg before arriving at Walygator Park in France. What a dump!
I was back in Germany the next day at Europa Park. What a difference! :--D
After spending the evening with friends in Stuttgart, I went to Tripsdrill to check out Karacho. <3
The ORP is taken during an inversion, so this photo is actually upside down.
Skipping all the queues since I was filming allowed me to finish up early and hit up Schwaben Park that afternoon.
That gave me an extra day to spend with my family and friends in Augsburg before going to Bayern Park the following day.
More VIP treatment allowed me to finish up early and hit the road back to Belgium. I even had enough time to stop off a Spa and check out about six hours of the 24 hour race.
Ian picked me up at my hotel in Brussels the following morning and we headed off to Walibi to film Psyke Underground. Our 3D video didn't turn out much better than this photo.
We moved on to Bobbejaanland the next morning where Ian finally got his King Kong cred.
Our last stop before heading back to England was Plopsaland De Panne.
I spent another couple of days at Ian's before both of us flew off to Sweden and Liseberg to finish off the month of July.
We only planned on spending a couple of hours at Skara Sommerland, but the park was so much fun that we almost spent the entire next day there.
We arrived in Stockholm later than expected, but were still up early for an incredible day at Gröna Lund. Ian and I have been treated well at many of the parks we've visited over the year, but only Silver Dollar City could match the treatment we received on our final day in Sweden.
After an evening of sightseeing we awoke early to catch our flight to Norway for the CF-Live. Funpark wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but fun was had by one and all. Caffeine_demon needed a helping hand after his bout with Stone Cold in the sumo suits.
Powerpark was the surprise of the year for me. I had no clue as to what to expect and was pleasantly surprised.
Särkänniemi was just an average park with average rides...
...and Linnanmäki wasn't much better, other than that fab water coaster and this wacky spin & spew.
The four days in Finland flew by quickly and the real highlight was spending time with a great group of CFers, especially Darren. I didn't have much time to think about it though, because only a few hours after landing at Heathrow I found myself at Southampton airport on my way to Spain.
As soon as I landed I drove to Tibidabo.
I had a very early flight, so there was plenty of time left for using culture as an excuse to act like a tourist.
My family had an apartment in Cambrils (just south of Salou) when I was a teenager, but I never went to PortAventura because it didn't exist. So I was really looking forward to visiting the park and I wasn't disappointed. Definitely the best park in Spain and one of the best in Europe.
I sort of wish that I had saved PortAventura for last because it all went downhill after that. as far as Spain's amusement parks are concerned. Starting the next day at Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza.
The city was great, but the park was not.
I spent the morning sightseeing since the park didn't open until noon and a little after 1pm I was already on the road to Pamplona.
Along the way I stopped by the town of Olite in Navarra, which quickly became my favorite state in Spain.
Great food & drink...
...friendly people...
...and old world charm!
The next morning I arrived in Pamplona and started getting culture credz at the Citadel.
It's massive!
So big that it has a huge park inside.
You know what made this city famous.
So I decided to walk the route that the bulls run.
Seeing those narrow streets gave me greater appreciation for those that participate...
... and confirmed that it's something I would never do.
The bulls run past the city hall (above) before entering the arena (below).
After a morning full of culture I hit the road and found the perfect picnic spot on the way to Parque De Atracciones Monte Igeldo.
What a view!
It didn't take too long before I arrived in San Sebastian.
Talk about changing views. In less than a day I went from desert vistas, to mid evil towns & castles, to Alpine-like mountain ranges and now this!
Although there's not much to it, Parque De Atracciones Monte Igeldo has been on my must-do list for years.
I thought the views of Barcelona from Tibidabo were fantastic...
...but the views of San Sebastian from up here are even better.
I wanted to visit the fair that was being held along the seawall in the distance in the photo above, but didn't have time because I needed to be at Parque De Atraciones De Madrid early the next morning to film Abisimo in 3D before the park opened to the public.
I only had two days in Madrid, so I had to get in the culture credz that afternoon/evening.
Yeah, this is where Renaldo & the Real Madrid boys celebrate their triumphs.
It's not Buckingham Palace, but it's the royal palace none the less.
The Puerta De Alcala was the last stop for the day before getting some diner (across the street)...
...and heading back to the hotel for the night.
I have to admit that I'm not impressed with the Madrid parks, especially Parque Warner.
I take back anything I've said about another park's piss poor ride operations (except Flamingo Land).
The park is on the outskirts of Madrid and I couldn't go back into the city because I needed to be at Terra Mitica the next day.
It was great to do finish off this six week European coaster journey at a nicely themed park with fantastic views and decent ride operations. The coasters are a bit meh, but the dark shooter is beyond fab!
I still can't believe the great weather I had throughout my six week tour of Europe or the entire year for that matter. Just look at those blue skies in almost every photo I've posted here or in the videos that are on our Youtube channel.
I flew back to England the day after visiting Terra Mitica and then home the day after that. When I got home I only had one day to get back to Lake Compounce and film Boulder Dash in 3D again since the weather didn't cooperate the first time around.
I also used the opportunity to stop by Six Flags New England to capture some Goliath off-ride footage. I had hoped that they were using the new trains, but they're still nowhere in sight.
The following day I had to fly out to California to film the new coasters that opened out there while I was on the road.
My first stop was Oakland for Gold Striker and Undertow, but the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk spinner wasn't open yet. However I was glad that it wasn't because I got to spend two days with the Maurer Sohne engineers, who were from my hometown in Germany.
After two days in the Valley, it was off to Los Angeles and Magic Mountain.
The following day I hit up Knott's Berry Farm...
...and Scandia Park before going to a friends birthday party in Topanga Canyon.
On the way home I had a layover in Phoenix, where I got to film Desert Storm in 3D.
August ended with three full days at home with the family before my brother arrived in Philadelphia to set up the stages for the Budweiser Made In America festival. We haven't had any time together in almost four years, so I went down to spend Labor Day weekend with him. That's him leaning on the rope ladder.
He was in charge and built everything you see in these two photos.
That's three stages (Rock, Rap & EDM), the sound stage and two VIP stages as well as all the light towers.
The Day One headliners were Beyonce, deadmau5, Vampire, Empire of the Sun and Imagine Dragon among others. Day two was Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Calvin Harris and a bunch more that I can't remember.
In the pit between the stage and the crowd for Queens of the Stone Age (above & below).
I started to watch NIN with the sound engineers...
..but went back to the pit after two songs.
On the way home I stopped by Funplex in New Jersey to film their wierd wild mouse.
I was only home for a day before flying to Costa Rica for four days. I got to spend a day at Parque Diversiones in San José, the the only amusement park in the country.
But the real reason I was there was to cover the World Cup qualifier, that the USA lost 1-3. Payback for that blizzard victory in Denver.
From there I went straight to Columbus, Ohio for another World Cup qualifier. This time it was against Mexico and the USA won, which booked them a ticket to Brazil in 2014.
With the team as they celebrate qualifying for next year's tournament after the game.
Jermaine Jones - Proud to be "ein Amerikaner" in the press mixed-zone.
From Columbus I headed straight up to Wisconsin to film Hades 360.
It was amazing how the entire staff here went out of there way for me to get the Hades 360 off-ride and 3D footage. Yes, those are all park/hotel employees on the coaster since it wasn't open to the public that day.
Since Aidan's 16th birthday was approaching, I decided to take a couple of weeks off and just do some coverage of the local MLS teams as the regular season began to draw to a close. So I didn't ride a single coaster for the last two weeks of September and spent some quality time with the family.
Then just as I finished my plans for a trip to Florida at the start of October, I got the news - Flying Turns was opening and I was invited to attend the private opening event!
No need for me to post any photos here since I already did a full trip report of the ceremony.
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=36945
That night I went through with those original plans, but omitted a stop off at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. So the next day I was at sunny Myrtle Beach filming at Family Kingdom.
The next day I stopped by Boardwalk Amusements in Daytona Beach before arriving at Fun Spot America in Orlando to film the new coasters.
I spent the next couple of days with my father, who was struggling with setbacks following his heart operation last year. I had planned on filming at some of the other Central Florida parks, but dropped those plans when I saw how much he was struggling to just get by. Luckily he has had another operation since then and is doing much better. I'll be heading back down to Florida after Thanksgiving to catch up on the plans I dropped.
Since I wasn't allowed to film any on-ride footage of Flying Turns during the opening event, I persuaded them to let me return on 18. October. It was a great day with lots of private rides in various seats on each of the trains so that I could see and feel the differences between them all. The highlight of the day was hearing someone from across the platform call my name and seeing Intricks at the front of the queue.
So that's it so far. If anything exciting happens when I head back down to Florida I'll update this report.
In the meantime I've visited 78 parks and ridden well over 300 coasters (I gave up counting) this year. No fewer than 148 were new credz for me and 16 of them opened this year. So along with the many media days, construction tours and the two CF-Lives, it's been an amazing year that I hope can be matched in 2014.
lol.
