Getting Wild At Wild Adventures!

Kent and Dawn Buescher started Wild Adventures as something just for them, a weekend horse farm almost twenty years ago in the pristine countryside a few miles north of the Florida-Georgia border. Some friends pulled a birthday prank, giving them a goat and a calf. They soon opened Valdosta’s first petting zoo, and due to its popularity, local schools and other organizations requested rooms to rent for meetings, picnics, and other activities. The Bueschers purchased an additional seventy acres to expand their newfound entertainment enterprise.

 1994 saw the opening of the Liberty Farms & Conference Center. The animal collection grew as people reacted to the new exotic species beyond the normal domesticated offerings. The addition of some playground equipment and a stage started to change the operation toward the amusement park it is today. The name was changed to Liberty Farms Animal Park for the 1996 season, and free concerts were added for park guests. Later that year, a successful test of amusement rides in December charted the course for the former horse farm to become a full fledged amusement park.

1997 saw another name change, to the present Wild Adventures moniker, and parks roller coaster existence continued. The combination of rides, animals, and reasonable prices drove attendance beyond the one million mark before the turn of the century. The first roller coaster opened 1998. The biggest trade show in the amusement business was being held at Atlanta for several of those years and Kent Buescher took advantage of vendors offering great deals on their display models and greatly increased the ride offering of the park. In 2002 Wild Adventures was named to the list of the Top Fifty Parks in North America. Splash Island Water Park, a miniature golf course, and a go cart track all were new in that same year.

Due to the success of Wild Adventures, in 2004 Kent Buescher was selected to work with the State of Florida to save Cypress Gardens, which had closed in 2003. As work progressed, three hurricanes in succession struck the central Florida Park, which tore apart all of the work, and rework required to reopen the famed attraction. A recalcitrant insurance company, like many others after the trio of hurricanes, forced Adventure Parks into bankruptcy proceedings, which led to Hershend Family Entertainment Company taking over operations during the fall of 2007.

A part of the Hershend mission statement is “we bring families together.” Well, some families anyway. When guests enter Wild Adventures some of the permanent exotic denizens of the park are there to greet them. As children flock either toward or away from specific animals being displayed by their handlers, families may not stay as close together as their parents might be as enthralled by the greeters. All of the reptile photos in this report were taken using a telephoto lens, because Carol doesn’t do reptiles. In fact at the reptile show, she sat in the last row next to the exit. Besides the unusual, there are also the mundane. The Valdosta Humane Society brings out homeless animals every week to try and find them good homes. Don’t worry; prospective adopters have to complete the regular placement process. This is just a Hershend operation doing their part to make life better for someone or something.

A major part of the “wild” in Wild Adventures is rides. There are themed coasters for the junior members of families to enjoy, all the way up to multi-loopers and a full blown woodie. The newest attraction is the “Rattler.” A giant pendulum swings way above horizontal, spinning all the time. When you experience this ride, you send much of the time suspended above the seat wondering why the world is turning in all those different directions. At the bottom of the swing you feel several times heavier than normal while rotating through several gyrations. For some, this is not a ride to challenge with a full stomach. For others, “it does have that swing.”

The Fiesta Express is a small coaster that mimics the ride style of the much larger Bug Out. Some coaster connoisseurs consider mouse style roller coasters the purest form of the ride. The forces can be more intense without having to factor in a long train and the additional weight. Tight turns are the main characteristic of these rides and the feeling of almost “jumping” the track is sure to bring squeals of delight from the riders. Gold Rush features the classic four-seater cars and size wise is a step up towards the Bug Out. With three sizes of this popular ride, almost everyone in the family can find their own level of thrills.

Two more family rides are Tiger Terror and Ant Farm Express. The leaping tiger shaped front car surges around the track and everyone is ahead of the tiger’s tail. The Ant Farm train seemingly goes in all different directions at the same time, full of giggling young riders. Great starter coasters, these are an easy path for the budding coaster enthusiast.

For those who prefer airtime from above, Wild Adventures has two inverted roller coasters. The Swamp Thing is the family model, featuring no inversions and speeds up to thirty mph. Hangman features five inversions and speeds along at over a mile a minute. The rider’s feet dangle below them as the trains twist and turn through some impossible looking transitions. Choose your thrill threshold, what you see above it what you will get when you ride.

The Cheetah and Boomerang top out the thrill scale for rolling stock rides. Boomerang is the world’s most popular roller coaster model, and one of few where you can go through a loop backwards. When you’re in the front car you wonder how the train is going to stop before the end of the track, but it does. Then you are lifted up a little bit higher before negotiating the track traveling backwards. Cheetah is a CCI design paying homage to traditional out and back coaster. Only the designers threw in a figure eight finale! As you fly over the hill you can see some of the exotic creatures that call Wild Adventures home.

If you desire to learn more about wild life, maybe a stroll through the Boardwalk is in order. A shady spot with many non-native species, it’s great place to relax and escape the sun’s rays. Various primates and lots of colorful birds stay here, but one of the most popular residents is the large alligators. The Boardwalk is built above a natural wetland, and outside of the cages many native species can be seen. It is also stroller friendly, for those families looking to give Mom and baby a break from the action. Located next to the Boardwalk is the Snake House, but we have no photos of the King Cobra. Maybe we can convince Carol to attend the reptile show.

The Amazing Cats show is a lively production. Master trainer Chris Kilpatrick does his best with typically uncooperative felines. Anyone who has a pet cat will surely understand that they only do what they want when they want to do it! They do some nifty tricks and Chris explains the laws of the pride as he places the big cats in the ring. This one can’t stay, this one must be lying down and watching the patriarch, he covers many areas of behavior that you ordinarily don’t hear discussed. Watching him keep the animals properly positioned and out of trouble while performing gives guests a little insight into animal behavior. At the conclusion of the show he takes guests cameras into the cage for an unobstructed photo of his stars. While the big cats look under his control, he does share that they are wild animals with generations of instincts that cannot be eliminated with just a little training. Educational and fun, the show played to a full house.

Wild Adventures has lots of rides besides just coasters. One of the most popular is the Safari Train which winds around the outside of the free roaming animal enclosure. Many of the animals at the park have been rescued from poor living conditions or outright mistreatment. They will be cared for until the end of their natural life, being pampered and encouraged to learn enrichment activities to make them feel better. The train rolls along between elephants, giraffes, zebras, and African deer with some elk and antelopes thrown in. The different species can freely mix or stay separate, according to their whims. Another great place to rest your feet while being entertained.

Or you could go to the Creature Features show. Trainer Chris Hart told Carol that he had a big alligator that he would get out and let people actually touch. Well, she decided that that photo opportunity was too good to pass up so she decided to brave the snakes. Chris lets guest in on the secret of how to keep from being bitten by an alligator! As just a hint, you want to keep outside their running range. Stop in and enjoy the show for all the “gripping” details. At the conclusion of the show the alligator and some of the other stars are brought out in front of the stage so guests can get their picture taken with their favorites. Don’t worry if you forgot your camera, the Kodak photographers have you covered. They will gladly take your picture and you can pick it up on your way out.

Many of the traditional amusement games and rides abound. There’s an S & S Power Double Shot, a plethora of kiddy rides, and some spinning, not-so-kiddy rides. You can go high, upside down, or maybe just a nice Ferris wheel ride is what your family needs. A great place to snag an overall view of the park, it’s also handy to check out what you might have missed during your day at Wild Adventures. As the weather warms up, Splash Island and the water rides we provide guests with yet another option to cool down and better enjoy their day. There also are special concerts and other forms of live entertainment along with special festivals throughout the season. Go to Wildadventure.net to learn all the details.

So there it is a park of which you have not heard, conveniently located just of I-75 north of Florida. A place well worth a visit, before, after, or during that Deep South visit. When you buy your ticket, it’s also good for a return visit on the next consecutive operating day. Standard parking rates still apply. Wild Adventures is a great bargain for amusement park lovers, with something for everyone.

A Look At The New Indiana Beach!

Main Gate 3-15-08

Main Gate 5-6-08

The 2008 opening  weekend was a  unlike any other before it at Indiana Beach. One thing was Lake Shafer was far lower than normal, so low that the Pronto Princess was beached and it was impossible to board the Shafer Queen. All around the newly exposed shoreline of the lake there was brushfires burning as cottage owners disposed of the flotsam left by the extraordinarily high floods of the off season. The Skyroom was open to top off that perfect day. The park itself supplied the colors of the season, instead of relying on its patrons to accomplish that feat. And for the first time since it opened as Ideal Beach long ago in 1926, the Spackman family no longer operated Indiana Beach. Yes the off season of 2008 brought many changes to the former “Riviera of the Midwest.”

If you examined the shoreline of the park, there were cameras, cell-phones, and even some tape measures recovered from the depths when the water level dropped. The understructure of Indiana Beach was left exposed for all to see. You could examine how the pilings were designed for the roller coasters and other rides. Over by the “carp pond,” there was a muddy camera, probably dropped by some one trying to photograph and feed the fish simultaneously. If you rode the train, you could see a couple of muddy and probably rusty tape measures most likely last used during either the construction or maintenance of the Hoosier Hurricane. The waterfall under the Yo-Yo couldn’t operate, because the water level was several feet below the entrance to pump. But those things were only noticeable to the discerning eye.

When you first walk into boardwalk it looks like a pastel explosion. Bright yellow, pink, and vibrant greens abound, and all without any guests. The water slides seem to pulsate with energy emanating from the tightly coiled slides, seeming to burst out from their embrace of the Galaxi. The Sky Ride has yellow towers with pink tops, and the multicolored chairs ride the cable between. Even the poles on the Dodgem cars have been touched up, with many multicolored hues. The boardwalk itself has been painted a very dark gray, to accentuate the bright colors above. Benches, railings, and fences have all received the gift of color, as the new era of Indiana Beach begins. It is a big change, almost shocking; in how fast it all happened. It was just February 19 when it was announced that a new family, Morgan Resorts, had purchased Indiana Beach. Looking at the boardwalk on opening weekend, the new owners have been busy!

The main project for 2008, Steel Hawg, has been on a slow boat from China. Here is a brief time lapse photo series of progress to date. Having finally solved the foundation challenges, vertical construction has started on Indiana’s biggest steel coaster ever. Lacking are the parts to make the four central towers but as you can see from the pictures they have lots of bright orange track to bolt together when the towers are in place. If you look closely at the track you can see some of the radical gyrations the riders will experience when the ride is completed. With its placement just inside the north gate, Steel Hawg will change the skyline of Indiana Beach from many directions, and from near and far.

2-19-08 Still kind of looks like a parking lot....

no matter which way you look at it

3-15-08 So now it's a big hole in the ground....

with a big wooden box and funny looking rods sticking up

4-12-08 more cement pads and funny looking rods...

Finally something that resembles roller coaster parts, couple of pallets of steel supports

Kind of reminds me of Stonehenge!

Some of the twist pieces of steel that have found their way to Monticello Indiana

The Skyroom Restaurant, arguably the finest in park dining experience north of Orlando, features a revamped menu for 2008. They kept the best and revamped the rest. All of the most popular entrees remain with the addition of sandwiches available through the evening hours. The traditional Thursday luau continues, along with the tantalizing lunch salads. A new variety of appetizers and entrees provides even more options to please the palate. Of course the traditional view remains, with the colorful Skyride just outside the window.

Yes there are lots of changes this year for Indiana Beach, but it appears so far that most are improvements. We will have to reserve judgment on the dark color of the boardwalk. A nice bright July day might make up reconsider our opinion if we suffer from heat stress.

We Cornball Jones & IB Crow when Steel Hawg was going to open, but they weren't talking!

                                                  There's More Than Corn In Indiana!

                                                   Scott & Carol

Aquatica Makes A Big Splash In Orlando!

When Aquatica was announced, SeaWorld said it would be like no other water park in the world. They have backed up that bold statement with a tremendously immersive water park. Busch’s promise to “combine up-close animal experiences with extreme thrills” is kept, in a very fun way. Learning about the world of water, while experiencing it in many different ways, can on increase our perception of the importance of the oceans surrounding our continents. Aquatica is more fun than school, but you take home lessons learned along with some mild sunburn.

The transformation begins as you turn your back on your car in the parking lot. Walking through the entrance into Orlando’s newest water park you can easily imagine yourself far away from urban Orlando. Aquatica has been promoted as a “water park that only SeaWorld could create.” Well that’s true; very few organizations have access to Commerson’s dolphins. This breed of dolphin is known for naturally swimming upside down, a trait commemorated in the logos of Aquatica merchandise. They have even been seen eating while inverted. They look like baby Shamu’s, the pattern is just different. They are usually about five feet long and weigh about half as much as a human adult. The signature attraction at Aquatica is Dolphin Plunge which is host to the four males. It will be on your left hand side as you enter the park.

Wai, Tere, Horo and Kaha are the names of the flippered foursome. There are many ways for Aquatica visitors to get up close and personal with the dolphins. Guests can scream down the 250 foot clear Plexiglas tubes and shoot through their pool. Some guests have tried sitting up to slow their descent and get a better chance to see one of the dolphins. The day we were there staff told us the wait for Dolphin Plunge was over an hour, so with Carol’s ankle graft and screws, she couldn’t stand for that long. Please be aware that so far there are no handicapped policies at Aquatica for people that are ambulatory but cannot stand for long periods. Guest who are autistic or have Attention Deficit Disorders should forgo the main attractions and search out the shorter lines. Hopefully they will address this loophole in the near future, Aquatica is so popular it has had to close the gate due to capacity issues many times during the soft opening.

If Dolphin Plunge doesn’t work for you, you have other ways to see these special dolphins. If you are hot, Loggerhead Lane allows you to float on a lazy river through an underwater grotto that lets you see the dolphins as you slowly float by the huge window. This popular area is more crowded than I-4 during rush hour. Everybody stops to see the quartet, located directly opposite the aquarium. The fun part about this traffic jam is while there is lots of tube contact, everyone is moving so slowly no one misses out on the sights.

Your water level in the grotto is near the bottom of an aquarium filled with thousands of exotic African Cichlid fish. You float near gentle water falls and see, and sometimes hear, colorful parrots. A wonderful way to relax and cool down, Loggerhead Lane also teaches and appreciation for sea mammals in a new way. The other way to watch the dolphins is from the underwater viewing area or from the top of the pool. Now this isn’t a pool you would want to swim in, its temperature is a chilly 52 degrees. But Wai, Tere, Horo, and Kaha like it just fine, they are in constant motion, only slowing down to watch the people or get a fish from their trainers. Several times during the day they interact with their trainers so guests can get a closer look at these interesting mammals

Four families that won a contest sponsored by an airline company and joined in with the beach band for the grand opening of Aquatica. They won an essay contest determined to find some families that really deserved some quality family time. From the smiles on their faces, they were having a great time. Joining in the dancing and drumming, they opened up the ceremonies for “Permission to Play Day.” Really, the mayor of Orlando, made the special proclamation. And everyone cheered and started playing. The wave pool fired up and the swimmers charged in.

Roa’s Rapid is an action river without the tubes. The strong current whooshes you past lush tropical plants. No tubes mean no loading delays! Riders encounter some sudden changes in directions, up flows called geysers, and a few other surprises. The real draw is the ability to get wet and cool down very quickly. As with the rest of Aquatica, guests under 48 inches tall are required to wear a life vest and the park has plenty of those.

There are separate zero depth play areas for guests with younger children. At Walkabout Waters, one of the largest water play areas in the world, the water causes constant motion. There are spinners, dumping buckets and slides. Somewhere around six stories tall, kids can splash and blast water cannons while grateful parents can catch their second wind on recliners place strategically nearby. Walkabout Water is aimed towards the preteen age group while Kata’s Kookaburra Cove is designed for younger guests. The slides allow parents to accompany their little ones, building memories good for a lifetime

While we are on the subject of resting, we should discuss the beach. At over 80,000 square feet of pure white sand, be sure to bring your sunglasses! The largest collection of lounge chairs in the world, maybe we exaggerate, but not much covers the sand. The beach serves to separate the two wave pools from the rest of the park. According to Dan Brown, “One wave pool will be in action all the time, in an alternating sequence. Big Surf Shores has gently rolling waves while Cutback Cove features choppier action.” Want to know the best part, the food outlets at Aquatica have baskets you can fill with food to take to the beach and have a picnic.

The food is typical Busch corporation fare, which is consistently outstanding. There is something for everyone, with the Mango Market even selling baby food. Attending the party the night before the Grand Opening, we ate our way around the park. Waterstone Grill makes a great sandwich but our favorite was the pizza at Mango Market. It is baked in a real wood fired oven and is the best amusement park pizza we have experienced.

Once you have enough on your stomach to make it difficult to walk, it’s time to hit the speed slides. With 36 speed slides Aquatica has all the bases covered encompassing both variety and intensity. From Wahalla Wave and Woo Hoo Run to Taumata Racer, if you can’t find something to enjoy you aren’t trying hard enough. The eight lane Taumata Racer lets you challenge your friends on a downhill mat slide. Tassie’s Twisters, twin bowl slides, let you spin either clockwise or counter clockwise through the bowls., to be more comfortable to guests from north or south of the equator. Hoo Roo Run has lots of airtime with its triple down design compared to Walhalla Wave, which more closely resembles a bobsled run. Want to try them all, better start first thing in the morning so you can rest up a little during lunch.

If you think you have seen and done water parks, you haven’t until you experience Aquatica. At the end of your day, you will be tired, your legs will ache, and your head will be bursting with the good times your family had together that day. Tomorrow, it might be a good time to do SeaWorld, where you can relax on a bench and see the shows. Sometime this summer, SeaWorld will have a night series of shows, for those Aquaticans who have enough energy left to watch the marine animals at night.

                                                               Hooroo (Goodbye) to All!

                                                                Scott & Carol

Scott & Carol's 2008 Preview!

It’s winter here in Indiana, with nasty weather affecting our basketball tournament so that means spring is on the way, and with that, parks will soon be opening new attractions for all of us to enjoy. 2008 promises to be a banner year for new experiences, from water parks to coasters, and I need to remember to change the oil in the van so we are ready to begin our travels. Here is just a few things we are looking forward to this summer, with some eye candy tossed in for the thrill seeker in you to help you through the late snowfalls.

One of the first new attractions to open this year will be the Aquatica water park across from Sea World Florida. While this will have the activities similar to other water parks, at Aquatica the level of theming has been increased exponentially. Guests will float by aquariums filled with tropical fish, waterfalls, and colorful birds. Part of this experience will be a cave float, where you will be completely surrounded by rocks and fish. If you prefer, you can float a wild river, with geysers and rolling rapids.  For even more speed and excitement, you can slide through Plexiglas tubes that are immersed in a pool stocked with Commerson’s dolphins, which appear to be pint size orcas. With two wave pools and various age appropriate attractions, Aquatica offers families immersive activities for all ages, Many of which they can enjoy together. Exceeding other water parks amenities by a wide margin; this could be the new destination park for Orlando.

While in Florida, a stop at Busch Gardens Africa is in order for the opening of their new area, Jungala. Enabling guests to view wildlife from unique vantage points, above and below ground level, a new level of participant interaction will occur. You can observe orangutans fro high in the trees and observe tiger swimming through underwater windows. The Tree-top Trails will allow families to burn-off a little excess energy possessed by their younger members, being right next to the water play area designed for toddlers. The Jungle Flyers has three different flight paths above the nearly three-and-one-half story rock formations for young explorers and their families. This nearly four acre project will be home to Bengal Tigers, Orangutans, and a multitude of tree top inhabitants encompassing flying foxes and tomistomas.

And just to include something fun and beautiful, here is a link from Sea World Florida of their dolphins both creating and playing with bubbles. It sure makes a cold Indiana winter more bearable:

http://www.seaworld.com/sitepage.aspx?PageID=282

Heading up north to Myrtle Beach, SC we look at Hard Rock Park. What is there not to like? It will have music memorabilia, live performances, and five new coasters. A Reggae themed water play area will help to ward off the warm southern sun and many of the rides, including the coasters, have onboard sound systems. Remember the Magical Mystery Tour bus we showed you last spring? It will be the centerpiece of the British Invasion area. The world’s largest Gibson guitar will be visible from far away. An assortment of flat rides will complement the coasters such as a swing and various other park staples. But at Hard Rock Park, everything is about the music, so nothing will be like anywhere else. Featuring live shows daily, the park will also have “special” concerts, and fireworks. Soft opening is early this spring, so the park will have several weekends of technical rehearsals to prepare for their first season.

As part of the park's official Grand Opening kicking off on June 2nd, the Eagles will be living "Life in the Fast Lane" with a concert celebrating their new roller coaster by that name.

On June 3, the moody Blues will make you forget it's "Tuesday Afternoon" with a concert in celebration of their new, unique "Knights in White Satin" dark ride

Continuing northward to Elysburg, PA, the home of Knoebels Amusement Park and Resort we can’t wait to ride Flying Turns. An updated creation of a classic ride, in order to do it properly the park has been working for several years for this reincarnation. Floyd Gibbons, a WWII flying ace said this after riding, “…But when it comes to real ‘flying turns’-I took my first lesson this afternoon. And I’m going back for more.” When this ride opens for this season, expect lots of people to be traveling PA back roads looking for the park. A dream many years in the making, this could be the most significant roller coaster to open this year.

Just a little ways down the road is Hersheypark, soon to be home to the new Fahrenheit rollercoaster. Riders will be raised 121 feet up the ninety-degree lift only to drop at a 97 degree angle on the other side. Bottoming out of the first at drop speeds of fifty-eight mph just before they enter the 107 foot tall inverted loop. The stadium seating means the cars offer every rider a great view, but there still will be some surprises along the minute and a half long ride. Hersheypark believes in thrilling all members of the family so they will be installing a Wisdom Tornado as well as Fahrenheit. Riders have the means to spin their own Tornado seat as much as they can stand, or maybe as much as their parents will let them. The tradition of hospitality carried out for more than one hundred years continues to draw guest from the entire eastern seaboard.

Continuing on the westward bearing we arrive at Kennywood. New for 2008 is Ghostwood Estate, an interactive dark ride. It seems that park is getting overcrowded with all the spirits that enjoy the company of Lord Kenneth Ghostwood. With a trackless drive system and two hundred interactive targets, four guests per car can strive to beat each other’s score in a ride vehicle that has individual scoreboards for each rider. Toss in a few computer generated images, and you have a ride the whole family can enjoy. Since the targets are sensor activated, shooting the haunted images will result in a different ride every time. Long known as a dark ride haven, Kennywood is turning up the intensity for the upcoming season.

In the middle of Ohio the Columbus Zoo bought Wyandot Park from Six Flags in 2006 and kept it closed for all of 2007. The reason:  to totally rebuild the dry rides and expand the water park. Zoombezi Bay will feature fifteen water slides, both an action and lazy river, and age appropriate water play areas. What better way to cool off while enjoying the Columbus Zoo. The Sea Dragon roller coaster is still there, and for families who intend to spend their entire day wet, private cabanas are available for an additional charge

Cedar Point is using some of the leftover rides from the closure of Geauga Lake dry park to augment their offerings for the younger set. Right next to the ballroom where Helen Keller challenged the Lions Clubs to be “Knights for the blind,” little thrillsters will enter their training classes to prepare themselves for the “big” rides as they grow taller. The famous pup will have a whole new “Planet Snoopy” to entertain the entire family. The new ride will indulge the youngsters in fantasies of being below, on and above the planets surface, with an area for new mothers to feed their little ones without straying to far from the action. Celebrating his first decade at Cedar Point, Snoopy definitely barks out “Dogs Rule,” in his unique way.

If we could head straight across Lake Erie, just north of Toronto Behemoth is growing taller every day. While it won’t be quite as tall as the CN Tower, it definitely will change the skyline of Ontario. Over a mile long, the tallest roller coaster in Canada will soon claim thousands of screaming fans once it opens, hopefully soon in May. This Bolliger and Mabillard creation features a new seating system, which is designed to allow every rider to feel “vulnerable,” as the air rushes past in excess of seventy miles per hour.

Here is our home state of Indiana, Indiana Beach is building the largest steel coaster in the history of the state for 2008. Topping out at ninety-six feet above the ground, over twenty feet taller than the Hoosier Hurricane, this ride features a 120 degree first drop. Riders will experience three inversions and some oddly banked turns while traveling over forty miles per hour. Break out your leather jacket and buy a new bandana, Steel Hawg will be ready to rock Lake Shafer soon, but not soon enough.

Since Indiana Beach is built basically on fill dirt hauled in at various times over the years, providing a solid foundation for the ride has been a challenge. They dug a huge hole about eight feet below ground level, put down over two feet of rip rap, (large chunks of rock and concrete,) tamped it all down and added over a foot of topsoil, which also had to be compacted. On top of all this they started building the forms for the concrete. Judging by the amount of rebar in the form, it will be a safe place to stand during high winds. Four major pads will be made for the towers, and over thirty other smaller footers will be required.

Just a few miles north of Chicago, Six Flags Great America will premier THE DARK KNIGHT coaster. Two minutes of roaring around in the dark, dodging the Joker, await riders after the themed queue. Gotham City is somewhat the worse for wear due to the ongoing battle between Batman and the Joker. Special effects will be used in both the queue and on the ride, for a totally immersive experience. While awaiting their turn in the queue, guests will see clips from the movie, before it is even released to the theatres.

Even farther north of Chicago, just outside Minneapolis SpongeBob is taking over the universe. Nickelodeon Universe that is. The amusement park located inside the Mall of America has changed its name, its many colors, and now host to all things slime. Eighteen “Nick” themed rides scaled to different sized riders ensure something for every one. From a looping coaster called “SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge” to the “Pineapple Popper” bouncing room, the young, and young at heart can find something to enjoy.

Continuing on towards the wild west, Six Flags St. Louis is building a new Great Coasters International ride and the theming is collaboration with the late Evel Knievel. Celebrating his career of always trying again, no matter how tough the fall, coaster riders will enjoy a circuit that includes fourteen crosses, a ninety-degree eighty foot drop, and two of those wonderful Millennium Flyer trains. Riders enjoying this ride after its midsummer opening will speed along at approximately fifty miles per hour. Here is a little eye candy for the thrill seeker in you to help you through the late snowfalls.

When you reach the “left coast,” Knotts Berry Farm is quickly assembling their new ride, the Pony Express. This will be the first Zamperla “Motocoaster” in North America. Using a spinning flywheel to launch the train to a height of forty-four feet, the riders will sit astride their “steeds,” individual seats themed like horses. A posse of sixteen riders will break at a gallop to thirty-eight miles an hour in less than three seconds. A twisting course of steeply banked turns will return the riders to the station so they can deliver the mail.

 Right at the edge of the Pacific Ocean on the Santa Monica Pier is Pacific Park. Their big addition for 2008 will be a new ferris wheel. So what you say, but this is an iconic ferris wheel, appearing in more than 200 commercials and features. In 1998 it was converted to solar power and has won numerous awards for the efficient use of solar energy. The new wheel will have a led lighting system and anyone who has ridden it at dusk realizes that a sunset experienced above the pier will leave memories that will last a lifetime.

Well....that's just some of the highlights in the 2008 season, fasten your set belt and keep your arms & legs inside the car... it's going to be a  fun ride!

Scott & Carol

Our thanks to all the parks for supplying us with photos

Having  A Blast At The Kennedy Space Center!

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is located in the middle of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Filled with lots of alligators and birds, the gators supply security and the birds maintain serenity between launches. Life on the Florida barrier islands was difficult, as the land was used mainly for citrus, sugar cane, hunting, and ranching. Colonel Henry Titus built the Titus Hotel for northern sportsmen, and lent his name to the town of Titusville in 1967. Titusville is the closest municipality to the launch pads.

In the summer of 1965 or thereabouts, one year after the drive-through tour was expanded to the KSC, (Kennedy Space Center), I had my first visit. I remember first seeing the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) while it was under construction the day before while fishing on the Indian River. It didn’t really look like all that from the boat. My dad told me it was the largest building in the world when I asked how they were going to fit a rocket inside. The next day our family took a self-driven tour though the facility. Out in front of the visitors center was a Project Mercury Redstone rocket, supported by guy wires. I even took some pictures with a trusty “Brownie Hawkeye” that belonged to my parents. A particularly vivid memory was driving by the crawler track, with a crawler itself outside in the hot Florida sun. I wish I still had the old black-and-white picture I took that day, showing a tanker truck parked beside the massive crawler. Later during the tour, it was readily apparent that a rocket would fit inside the VAB.

Visitors today encounter an educationally richer experience. There are no more self-driven tours, and due to the world we live in today, the gates have been moved farther away on the public roads. Security measures require bag searches and riding in buses, but the upside is that guests aren’t required to pay attention to driving while seeing the sights. The buses are equipped with video systems and narrators, who can answer the unending questions from curious children. For some parents, this could be the highlight of their vacation!

One Of The Luxurious KSC Tour Buses

Our "Ride" For The Tour

The Crawler

Our 2007 visit vividly demonstrated the advancement of the KSC from a visitor’s perspective. Our first stop on the tour was at Camera Stop A/B. From this location guests can view both launch pads. The day of our visit Atlantis was already sitting on the pad being prepared for launch. We could see the canal recovery ships use to transport the solid rocket boosters, the liquid fuel storage tanks, and the transport railroad. Some nice permanent signs addressed many of the questions that Jill McRae, our guide for the day, patiently answered. When you listen to the birds with your eyes closed, it is hard to remember that you are surrounded by the only place where mankind has left the earth to visit another world. Knowing that male alligators make a subsonic bellowing sound when preparing for mating, one has to wonder what they thought during the first few launches. This particular spot is only accessible by those opting for a NASA Up Close Tour, not included with regular admission. The view and the surroundings make that small up charge exceedingly worthwhile.

Shuttle Lunch Pad LC 39B

Atlantis Waiting On Pd LC 39A

This Sign Explains It All

Our next stop was the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Opened in 1997, this is a first-class "way-back" experience for anyone who followed the early times. Three elevated wide-screens allow everyone to see the preshow, with the middle screen close captioned. The original equipment from the old Launch Control Room has been restored and the systems recreated. They even built a TV camera station above the visitors’ heads. All the equipment fires up, with the countdown set to three minutes to launch. Various workstations are lit up as the workers voice is heard in video, so those of us who remember their words can put a workstation location with the voice we remember from 1968.

As all consoles light up, the old black and white monitors show the actual archival footage of how it looked at the launch of Apollo 8. When the engines ignite, even the visual images on the refurbished monitors shake. As the Saturn V releases, the windows behind the guests start to rattle, simulating the live launch experience. After the "launch," the guests proceed into the gallery, where they can marvel at the complexity of the mighty Saturn V, the workhorse project of the Apollo program. This restored beauty would weigh over six million pounds when prepped for flight, with ninety-one percent of that figure high explosive fuel.

One of only three Saturn V's left; it would be 363 feet long put together. Luckily for visitors, the fuel tanks are empty and the stages have been separated to make it easier see each individual system. Displayed horizontally approximately fifteen feet above the floor, in a room large enough to seat nearly a thousand for dinner, you can gaze in all at the only spacecraft to carry men to another heavenly body. Looking at all of the parts, each of which was required to work perfectly for the mission to be successful, you gain a new appreciation of the term “rocket science.” Astronauts like to joke that all of the millions of parts were “supplied by the lowest bidder on a government contract,” but they rose to the challenge all the same.

Around the edges of the gallery are other relics of early space flight. The white van that transported the astronauts to the launch pad and an unused Lunar Module, built for Apollo 15, but it was then redesigned to accommodate the Lunar Rover. Some other extra leftovers like a Lunar Rover trainer, space suits, and crew vehicles abound, and you can look inside. They have one of the massive one ton cleats from a crawler, which helps you to understand the scale of things built for the Apollo program. The crawlers weigh six million pounds so that a gallon of diesel fuel only moves them thirty-five feet. You can get your picture taken in front of a green screen, and they will add a space station background so you have a “proof” of your adventure. The Lunar Theater lets you recall the drama of the original landing of Eagle, back in 1969. The theatre is an immersive experience with a recreation of the Apollo 11mission. You can touch a moon rock on display, or even eat lunch next to another piece of the moon in the dining cafe.

Our next event was Astronaut Encounter, where you actually get to meet and ask questions of one of the less than 500 people in the world who have gone into space. It begins with a presentation by the star, in our case Mark Lee. In front of a backdrop of NASA's best pictures he talked about life and journey beyond the atmosphere. Of course the space veterans answer all kinds of questions from the audience. A wonderful exchange during our session occurred when the little girl asked how they went to the bathroom. Mike Lee replied, "You have to be good in math, because the procedure is different whether you are going number one or number two." He reminded everyone of the importance of not giving up on your dreams and how important doing well in school is to being an astronaut

At the conclusion of the presentation visitors gather in the lobby for a chance to both meet, and get their picture taken with an astronaut. A staff member is prepared to take pictures with the families own cameras so there isn't an extra charge for this special souvenir. For guests that want even more time with space veteran, they can participate in the Lunch With an Astronaut program for a slight up charge.

For us, our day continued with the Shuttle Launch Experience located within Shuttle Plaza. Including a full-scale mock up of Space Shuttle Explorer and External Fuel Tank with both Solid Rocket Boosters, you can also get a live briefing of NASA launch activities. Back in the day, I made a t-shirt with an iron on included with my copy of Omni magazine. It had a profile of the shuttle, with the caption: “It flies, and it’s from Rockwell.” The Shuttle Launch Experience opened last Memorial Day weekend, this is the best simulator available to the public. Sometimes you see NASA’s educational exhibits at a local mall, or maybe at an amusement park. With this latest offering from the KSC learning is raised to new heights, pun intended. Bob Rogers, yes the same Bob Rogers who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Themed Entertainment Association, has brought a flight aboard one of NASA’s Space Shuttles to the public. You can’t call it a ride because that wouldn’t recognize the educational benefits. It is the Space Shuttle Launch Experience, the closest that most of the adults in the room would get to space flight in their lifetime.

Your trip begins in the Pre-Launch Briefing area. Charlie Bolden, member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, talks you through a flight briefing using three huge flat screens. The briefing is very technical, but fun as he discusses the gigantic solid rocket boosters. He also adds in a joke, saying “You’re going somewhere. You better hope it’s up.” For this flight you ride in the shuttle’s enormous cargo bay which has been converted into a crew cabin. Forty-four visitors at a time can ride, sans space suits and restrained by nothing more than a seat belt. Your Preflight Crew checks your restraints, exits the cabin, and close the hatches. The monitors at the front of the cabin light up to show an outside view of what’s happening to you.

During the Pre-Flight Briefing, Charlie Bolden explains the “twang.” It is the movement of the shuttle away from vertical as the main motors fire before the solid booster ignition. The simulator rocks away from the gantry as the main motors pitch the shuttle. The entire shuttle shakes for six seconds as the hold keep the rocket earthbound but when the countdown reaches zero the solid propellant boosters ignite and we have liftoff. The noise of the engines seems to saturate your body and the youngest aboard cheer as you clear the gantry. The video screen conveys the updates from Mission Control and the simulator does a credible job of illustrating the sensation of G-forces during liftoff.

One of the more technical aspects of shuttle launches concerns “Max-Q,” where the shuttle’s main engines are throttled back to reduce the strain on both the rocket and the passengers. Once the air has thinned due to the increase in altitude, Mission Control says “Go for throttle up,” and you are pushed back into your seat as the speeds increase. This effect is simulated by tilting the craft upward at a steeper angle and having a mechanism in the seat cushion that moves you in and out to demonstrate the “seat-of-your-pants feeling” often noted by astronauts. The solid rocket boosters separate from the shuttle and you cruise along on main engine power. Once the external tank falls away the engine shut down and you enter the total blackness of space.

The change to silence is synchronized with moving the angle of the cabin to give a feeling of weightlessness. This is a wonderfully pleasant feeling of floating, not a stomach in your throat feeling of falling. When the cargo bay doors open above your head, you can see stars and the some of the European continent above your head. All too soon you must return to Earth but this is a very realistic experience. Walking down the spiral exit with the twinkling stars above and the earth rotating below, you can examine the mission plates from all of the shuttle flights to date. The plates commemorating the tragedies have a gold tint and there is room for a few more flights. Seeing all the plates from the different missions strikes home the fact that we are regularly visiting space, and completing the International Space Station, (ISS.) As you exit the craft, you pass by a sign board with the autographs of the Space Shuttle astronauts who have experienced the Shuttle Launch Experience.

As the sunlight slowly faded, we decided to visit the Rocket Garden. Looking very different from when we passed by during the day, you can see the old boosters and even climb inside some of the Gemini and Mercury capsules. Remembering very distinctly when I grew taller than 5’ 8”, the maximum height for astronauts, we elected simply to observe others enjoying the view from inside. With the darkness growing more intense, the dramatic lighting seemed to bring the rockets to life, as you could see the red glow from the nozzles. The rays reflecting from the bottom of them made them seem like they were moving towards the stars. Comparing the different sizes of engines and total systems provides a very visual image of the growth of the space program. This is a very different Florida sunset.

There are way too many features to visit at KSC in just one day. Luckily for you your ticket is good for a second day at no extra charge. We never got to check out the Mad Mission to Mars, The Early Space Exploration Exhibits, the Astronaut Hall of Fame, or any of the IMAX movies. Carol’s note “We could have if someone hadn’t spent hours in the Space Store buying souvenirs. Next time I will make out the schedule.” But we digress.

 Our final stop was to the Space Mirror Astronaut Memorial. Twenty-four American astronauts have paid the ultimate price to further the exploration of space.  This includes both flight and training accidents in the program. In order to make sure they are never forgotten, their names are cut through the mirrored granite surface, and especially after dark, they appear to be forever emblazoned in the heavens. As we continue to explore farther away from the “blue planet,” we must remember those who led the way. The KSC allows guests to both experience the past and look toward the future.

Your Intrepid Space Cadets,

Scott & Carol

After a two month delay Atlantis STS - 122 began it's  mission February 7th, 2008 at 2:45 PM . Atlantis has a special delivery for the international space station, Europe's $2 billion Columbus lab.

23 years in the making, Columbus has endured space station designs and shuttle postponements.

Atlantis commander Stephen Frick and his crew will begin installing Columbus on February 10th. There are three space walks scheduled during the flight, which will last 11 or 12 days.

Columbus will join US lab, Destiny, which was launch aboard Atlantis in 2001.

Launch Photo Courtesy Of KSC