Busch Gardens in Tampa and Islands of Adventure are my favorites. Love the roller coasters in those parks. 

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I’ve been an annual pass holder for Universal for at least the last 7 or 8 years. I go down there at least 3 – 5 times a year to ride. I usually avoid late May through August because the summer crowds and lines are crazy but both parks are really a lot a fun and there’s way more thrill rides there than Disney.



 

Of course, like any true roller coaster fanatic, I’ve made the pilgrimage to Cedar Point which is on a level all by itself which leads me to my grand idea for Jacksonville. It’s far too long to post here so I might make a whole new thread about it.

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# EVEN IF HE'S RELEASED

I have a somewhat similar situation. I used to spend the majority of the day on any and every roller coaster at whatever amusement park I was at. Then in 1999 I screwed up my back on the roller coaster at the New York New York Casino in Vegas and my sciatic nerve has been bothering me, to some extent, ever since.

Manhattan Express is generally regarded as one of the worst rides ever built by one of the worst manufacturers ever to build rides. You're not the first to be seriously injured on that ride, and I'd wager a healthy sum that you weren't even close to being the last.

 

That being said, some of my favorite parks are Elitch's Gardens in downtown Denver - seriously, what genius decided to put a park in downtown Denver?!?!

Mr. Elitch, way back before downtown Denver wasn't all that "downtown" at all, and I appreciate his building it there. Spend the day at Elitch and the evening at a Pepsi Center concert. Can't beat that combo.

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I went to Busch Gardens on Thursday for the first time and loved it because of all of the coasters.  My favourite park is Islands of Adventure and we'll be going there again either tomorrow or Monday before flying back to England

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Islands of Adventure has been a favorite since they opened, the only out of state park I went to was Six Flags over NO a month before katrina, it was cool I guess. 

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Any of you Floridians ever go to that Atlantis place?

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Any of you Floridians ever go to that Atlantis place?

Water parks are for tourist I hate water parks

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Water parks are for tourist I hate water parks

Yeah...me too!! I don't like walking around in wet clothes!! Years ago I lived in Texas and went to Astro World and got rained on and had to spend the rest of the day walking around in wet shorts. I REALLY don't like being chaffed!!!! :blink:

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What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is agoin' on here???

Yeah...me too!! I don't like walking around in wet clothes!! Years ago I lived in Texas and went to Astro World and got rained on and had to spend the rest of the day walking around in wet shorts. I REALLY don't like being chaffed!!!! :blink:

 

hint: you're supposed to wear a bathing suit

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hint: you're supposed to wear a bathing suit

Astro World wasn't a water park...

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What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is agoin' on here???

Astro World wasn't a water park...

 

Oh, well, then....my statement still stands, lol

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I don't have a lot of knowledge of parks. I don't do well on coasters that spin you around a lot, but Mrs. Malabar and Malabar Jr. love them. I've ridden all of the coasters in Universal and Busch Gardens, Tampa. Back to back rides on both Dragon Challenge coasters did my stomach in for about an hour.


 

I do like all of the flumes and water rides with drops. Just do those last if you don't want to walk around in wet clothes.


 

My favorite metal coaster is Shiekra in Busch Gardens Tampa. If you go, get an end seat in the front row. The first drop is quite a rush without seeing a track directly below you. Cheetah Hunt is a nice long and fast coaster. Kumba is Mrs. Malabar's favorite.


 

My favorite of all time is the Comet in Hershey Park. Haven't been there in a long while.

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"Why should I give information to you when all you want to do is find something wrong with it?"

I don't have a lot of knowledge of parks. I don't do well on coasters that spin you around a lot, but Mrs. Malabar and Malabar Jr. love them. I've ridden all of the coasters in Universal and Busch Gardens, Tampa. Back to back rides on both Dragon Challenge coasters did my stomach in for about an hour.


 
I do like all of the flumes and water rides with drops. Just do those last if you don't want to walk around in wet clothes.


 
My favorite metal coaster is Shiekra in Busch Gardens Tampa. If you go, get an end seat in the front row. The first drop is quite a rush without seeing a track directly below you. Cheetah Hunt is a nice long and fast coaster. Kumba is Mrs. Malabar's favorite.


 
My favorite of all time is the Comet in Hershey Park. Haven't been there in a long while.

I am not a roller coaster person either, but I gotta say I did like the. "Dueling dragons", at at... At..at wherever they are at.

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I am not a roller coaster person either, but I gotta say I did like the. "Dueling dragons", at at... At..at wherever they are at.

Dualing dragons is now the Harry Potter ride, isn't it?



This Bunny family LOVES coasters!! The three of us have spent many hours at Busch Gardens and Island of Adventure. The only one I have a problem with is The Hulk ride...I'm short and that one seems to beat the crap out of my head between that pull down padded bar thingy. Feels like I'm getting my ears boxed!! No bueno!!

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What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is agoin' on here???

Warning:   Insomniac late night post of not-so-lucent thought....

 

I am a lover of amusement parks and the coasters they house.  That said - I find it oddly wonderful that the sideline forum has presented me with so many great memories and moments of celebration of late...   Between begging for your well wishes in the "talk about" thread to sharing my anecdote in the McCartney thread - and meeting another prolific sideliner for a beer or three in NYC recently - I've grown a certain affection for this little outlet of online humanity, This thread brings me to a nice memory or two.

 

 I had the opportunity to work for Disney part time while in college.  Disney world used to (might still) hire additional musicians during the Christmas holidays to fill out the added holiday themed entertainment in the parks. They had a system worked out with the nearby FL state colleges.  After auditioning one October I was selected to play with a handful of musical acts at the various disney parks on weekends in Nov. until the college winter break when I would work 6 days a week for 2 weeks around Christmas. So - I had employee access to every Disney-owned park in Orlando. As a 22 year-old  -   I aggressively took advantage. One particular daily ritual involved an 11am set outside the castle playing carols followed by a quick change underground - a long power walk in the tunnels to Epcot - a couple of beers in "Germany" - a trot back to the 'kingdom' for a ride on Space Mountain w/o lines - and then a set of dixieland-style carols  near Fort Wilderness.  FUN!!  

 

Aside from the Disney experience I've visited and ridden the best of a few of of the Six Flags parks, ridden the Scorpion dozens of times consecutively at Busch Gardens back in the 90's on a slow day - and still always seek out a good ride when it's available.  

 

Funny how a seemingly innocuous thread made me sentimental.... but I was feeling especially fortunate and I have come to appreciate the moral support of my fellow sideliners lately. You guys are great -  sorry for the sentimental insomniac rambling

 

Back to amusement and coasters...

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A great way to spend a day. It's been a while since I've been to a good amusement park. I've done the gauntlet in Orlando many times, and find them overpriced, overcrowded, but still pretty fun, so I manage to go back from time to time.

 

My favorite park BY FAR is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. It is renowned worldwide for it's rides and has been dubbed "roller coaster capital of the world." I would have to agree. Great rides, and amazingly, the best rates. You can still get a day pass for under 50 bucks, and a season pass for 120, which is not much more than a day pass at the Orlando parks. The downside is that Cedar Point is only open 4 months of the year, during the summer months. The link, for those unfamiliar with it: https://www.cedarpoint.com/

 

I am going in July, and am really stoked about it.

 

What are your favorites?

I second the awesomeness of Cedar Point.  I rode virtually everything there two years ago and my favorite is the Top Thrill Dragster... in the front seat of course.

 

The anticipation of the green light is off the charts, then 0-120 mph in less than 4 seconds.  The g's you feel are amazing.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAOQBlDDC7M

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Warning:   Insomniac late night post of not-so-lucent thought....

 

I am a lover of amusement parks and the coasters they house.  That said - I find it oddly wonderful that the sideline forum has presented me with so many great memories and moments of celebration of late...   Between begging for your well wishes in the "talk about" thread to sharing my anecdote in the McCartney thread - and meeting another prolific sideliner for a beer or three in NYC recently - I've grown a certain affection for this little outlet of online humanity, This thread brings me to a nice memory or two.

 
I say that to say this.... My posting of late has made me keenly aware of how fortunate I am to have pursued my dream and eeked out a living doing it.  Getting to the point (finally) I had the opportunity to work for Disney part time while in college.  Disney world used to (might still) hire additional musicians during the Christmas holidays to fill out the added holiday themed entertainment in the parks. They had a system worked out with the nearby FL state colleges.  After auditioning one October I was selected to play with a handful of musical acts at the various disney parks on weekends in Nov. until the college winter break when I would work 6 days a week for 2 weeks around Christmas. So - I had employee access to every Disney-owned park in Orlando. As a 22 year-old  -   I aggressively took advantage. One particular daily ritual involved a 11am set outside the castle playing carols followed by a quick change underground - a long power walk in the tunnels to Epcot - a couple of beers in "Germany" - a trot back to the 'kingdom' for a ride on Space Mountain w/o lines - and then a set of dixieland carols near Fort Wilderness.  FUN!!

 
Aside from the Disney experience I've visited and ridden the best of a few of of the Six Flags parks, ridden the Scorpion dozens of times consecutively at Busch Gardens back in the 90's on a slow day - and still always seek out a good ride when it's available.  

 

Funny how a seemingly innocuous thread made me sentimental.... but I was feeling especially fortunate and I have come to appreciate the moral support of my fellow sideliners lately. You guys are great -  sorry for the sentimental insomniac rambling

 

Back to amusement and coasters...

We you too!

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What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is agoin' on here???

Dualing dragons is now the Harry Potter ride, isn't it?



This Bunny family LOVES coasters!! The three of us have spent many hours at Busch Gardens and Island of Adventure. The only one I have a problem with is The Hulk ride...I'm short and that one seems to beat the crap out of my head between that pull down padded bar thingy. Feels like I'm getting my ears boxed!! No bueno!!

 

No, Dueling Dragons isn't the Harry Potter ride. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has its own roller coaster, which is damn near impossible to ride, unless you sprint there as soon as the park opens. Dueling Dragons had the name changed to the Dragon Challenge.

 

The Hulk is probably my favorite roller coaster that I've ever ridden. I love being shot out of the tunnel and feeling the Gs pressing against you.

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Kings dominion.  Anyone been to that park?  I went in the 90's.  Pretty good.

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Kings dominion.  Anyone been to that park?  I went in the 90's.  Pretty good.

 

I've been twice. Almost fell out of a ride when I was real young because I was so small.

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