Park Preview

english coaster guy

Parks:-
Sea World
Islands of Adventure
Universal Studios
Busch Gardens Africa
Disneys Animal Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Hollywood Studios

Other Attractions :-
Blizzard Beach
Cape Kennedy + Hoverboat Ride
Wet 'n Wild
Aquatica

Coasters :-
Kraken
Hulk
Duelling Dragons Fire
Duelling Dragons Ice
Flying Unicorn
Pteranodon Flyers
Revenge of the Mummy
Woody's Nuthouse Coaster
Cheeta Chase
Gwazi Lion
Gwazi Tiger
Kumba
Montu
Scorpion
Sheirka
Expedition Everest
Primeval Whirl
Rock 'n Rollercoaster
Space Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Barnstormer

Went abit crazy on theme park tickets, but we can hit every park in Orlando as much as we want for two weeks flat, so much for a relaxing holdiay. Supposed to go to Mexico this year but spotted really cheap flights for Orlando.
I'll try update a photo trip report after every day in the hotel in the evenings if im not wasted, or absolutely shattered. Brand new 13.6x digital camera to take pictures with, i just hope the parks wernt busy like they were last year.
I'll keep you all updated!

Im new to this site by the way. But love posting trip reports, geeky, but it keeps me out the pub after all.

DAY ONE

Hello there, following is the trip report from day one of my trip, at Disney's Epcot.
I wont bore you with all the details(im shattered and its late, magic kingdom tommorow!!!). Theres alot of coasters on this trip and Epcot didnt have any of them, but i was extremely suprised by some of the attractions.
For example...

Mission:SPACE
This ride is absolutely amazing, the themeing, build up, the anticipation and not for getting the ride itself. Left me pretty much speechless. You experience a launch into space, catapult around the moon, trip through meteor showers, and landing on mars not forgetting other things. The ride itself pulls serious G-forces im not joking, even recreating zero-gravity quite accuratly, this maybe somewhat cliche but the ride was out of this world! 10/10

TestTrack
Another suprise, i'de not really looked into TestTrack either, along with Mission:SPACE and again the ride was pretty awesome. The high speed sections we're alot faster than i thought, around 66mph but felt alot faster on the oversized scalextric track, it was a nice finaly to a brilliantly themed, fun yet quite exhilerating attraction. 8/10

Soarin
Soarin is a motion simulator simulating flight, the sensation is brilliant and again the ride was pretty well themed in and around the queue lines. I would suggest using the front row as it rises the highest and you cant see anyones feet which kinda ruins the whole experience, but still an awesome ride!! 8/10

We went on all the other attractions in the park, discluding the "Finding Nemo" one, too many happy children and not enough chaos for me Laughing

. The 3D Honey i Shrunk the Audience is a definite competitor with Universals 3D shows, and the World Showcase is stunningly themed and a good place to find something to eat, (we got fish and chips from United Kindom section[ Laughing

!!)

Pictures arnt brilliant, didnt take many due to lack of extreme rides, i have an awesome camera but sticking to 400x400 resolution, if you want any pictures just pm me, and ill email them to you FULL QUALITY =].

Overall a fun day, we're getting Magic Kingdom done tommorow, not much to do there but heard good things. Main attractions for us are Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Moutain, not forgetting a picutre of me with Minnie! BETTER PICTURES COMING SOON, (Wouldnt want to waste them on the likes of Disney, pfffttt!!)

!!!!!!!!!READ PICTURES FROM BOTTOM UP, THAT WAY THEY MIGHT MAKE SOME SENSE!!!!!!!!!

Manny

I never really bothered finfing much out about Epcot, but you have made it look and sound very cool. I'm really interested about the Zero-G recreation you mentioned. I've always loved disney's effects, they've always been head and shoulders above the rest.

Keep the updates coming, but more importantly don't forget to have fun!

english coaster guy

Neither did i to be honest dude, but yeah was definitely cool.
The zero-gravity was fxcking wierd yeah.
And course ill have fun, not so much at Magic Kingdom today but mum wants to go, guess she has paid for the holiday Laughing

Loads of parks and LOADS of coasters too come guys!!

english coaster guy

DAY TWO

+A change of plan.

We decided to go to Hollywood Studios instead of Magic Kingdom, its the weekend and all the locals are off work, and as we were advised that Magic Kingdom would be heaving, we decided to go to Hollywood Studios. Was still fxcking packed nevertheless.
The park itself is brilliantly themed, easily competing with Universal Studios. Being a Disney park, it operated a brilliant Fastpass system so didnt have to wait for much at all. I'll only properly review the major attractions, otherwise ill be hear all day and theres still 6 parks to do!

Rockin' Rollercoaster:-
The coaster itself needs a little to be desired for, but along with the themeing, the coaster as a package ROCKS! Launch is pretty powerfull and made even more intese by a launch into darkness, the first roll-over element is superb, acheiving high positives and steady lateral and negative g-forces throughout. After this though, the coaster looses any real aggression, its still a fun ride and the corkscrew is pretty awesome but the finale doesnt do any justice to a great first half of a coaster. 7/10

Tower of Terror:-
This ride is so fxcking cool its awesome every single time, we rode this 4 times and every ride was totally different. For those of you dont know, the ride simulates an elevator ride at a hotel. But as the main elevator was broke, due to being struck by lightning and sending some very unlucky people to the Twilight Zone, we had to use an old maintanence service elevator to get to our rooms. Yeah the story is bloody awful.
Nevertheless the ride, and build up to the ride is absolutely mind-blowing, my brother said it was totally different to the one in Paris as we moved throughout the hotel, in our elevator on a track. After this the lift stops in sheer darkness, and shoots right up the shaft, only to stop infront of sliding doors, which open to open and reveal an awesome view, not for long though as the elevator enters a medly of lift's and drops, producing awesome ejector and floater airtime, and for good measure there is absolutely nothing to hold on to, and no OTS restraints.
For the insane airtime, fear of the unknown, and excellent special effects and themeing, i rate this ride 10/10, no question.

After abusing both rides, and re-using the fastpass system more that enough. We decided to go on the Studio Backlot Tour, boring yet intersting and with a good finale of lots of fire and water. We also watched the Lights Motor Action Stunt Show, and Muppets 3D. Then, after dodging more totally healthy people in their wheelchairs, we rode a Star Wars motion simulator, and got one of those massive pretzels for good measure. Tasted like shite but every one else was eating one.
All in all was a good day, i could go on about more minor attractions but its early in the morning on Day 3 and i think we're heading to Sea World for Manta construction pictures, and the mighty Kraken!!

Here are the pictures from Day Two of my trip. They are awful quality, i did them like this because i knew all of them would be under 500kb, what resolution normally supports 500kb??

Manny

Thanks again for the updates. Sounds a lot like the Studios at Paris but I don't think the french tower is supposed to be as good. Glad you like the whole seatbelts only thing in the elevator. One more thing, at Sea World, is there any chance ogf a couple of Manta construction pics?

mardy · Park Preview Owner

Awesome trip report, keep the updates coming! Cool

english coaster guy

DAY THREE

Today we went for SeaWorld, we have unlimited 14 day access along with Busch Gardens, we knew it was the next stop along on the local bus from our hotel, and we only paid 20 dollars or so more than one admission, couldnt not buy them!
Nevertheless, as we have been before, we didnt so much go for any of the Whale shows etc, we went strictly for Kraken (my parents favorite rollercoasters), Journey to Atlants (coooool) and Manta construction photo's (FRUSTRATING!!!)

Kraken
A large, gracefull and beautiful rollercoaster. As smooth as glass, packed with airtime and seven awesome inversions. We queue'd 0 mins on all the 6 or so times we rode it. Hands down the best zero-g-roll ever, does exactly what it say's on the tin, call this toilet humour but its such a sustained floater! We rode front and back, all floorless coasters are awesome on the front, nothing but track in front of you, but the back in my opinion produces the best ride. I love just getting thrown down the lift hill and out of the inversions. The only bad note was they wouldnt let us stay on through an empty station!! Was a bloody long way round, also the paintwork on the train's and track seems to have deteriorated since 2005 when we was here last, but doesn't detriment the coaster at all. 9/10

Journey to Atlantis
Nice drop, wonderfully themed, and a nice rollercoaster-esque finale. A brilliant ride for all the family!!!-------Bollocks to that, mum wimped out becuase she didnt want to get her hair wet, but me and my brother got a few rides out of it. Queue time 0 minutes yet again, and the ride was running as good as it was 3 years ago. The boat ride takes us to Atlantis, but then goes horribly wrong in some-way, i didnt listen because me and Danny decided it was best to ignore the story and choreograph our dance sequence / rave for the drop infront of all those people watching, we're really shy like that. The rollercoaster section consists of a highly banked s-bend, into an overbanked turn which actually pulls some decent forces and acts as a brilliant ending to another brilliant ride. 8/10

Manta
So frustrating to be at a park and not being able to ride a coaster, and certainly a coaster of Manta's standards. You have to think how good Air is at Alton Towers, then multiply it by 11. The coaster is absolutely huge and the first pretzel loop inversion seems to be epic. Seriously it looks insane, the ground the coaster covers is also pretty momentus. I wont know what its like until i ride it sometime next year hopefully, but by the reviews of the other B+M Giant Flyer Tatsu, im sure it will be flippin' fantastic! (see what i did there:lol:)

Blizzard Beach tommorow!!!

Picctures:-

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michelle

Great photos and report, you look as if you had a great time, lots of happy faces.

Manny

You missed some awesome weather today! Frost followed by rain. Thanks for the Manta pics, great stuff as always.

Nathan

Thanks for the Manta photos!

I haven't checked its progress for quite some time and had no idea vertical construction had begun!

english coaster guy

No problem guy's, it looks to be that 80percent of the trackwork seems to be complete, the wall's surrounding the constructuion sight were high though.
Today is Day Four and we did Blizzard Beach and 3 hours at Animal Kingdom, ill post the trip report tommorow along with Busch Gardens, im nakared and tommorow will be a long day, check out for more updates!

english coaster guy

Today is Day Five, but i'll be posting the trip report from day four at Blizzard Beach. We also visited Animal Kingdom but only stayed for 3 hours, we will re-visit Animal Kingdom for a second time for the whole day and i will then review the parks attractions including the amazing Expedition Everest! (we rode 4 times but ill post review in proper trip report).

DAY FOUR

On day four we visited the Disney Waterpark Blizzard Beach, this is included on our 7-day Disney Park hopper as an additional attraction, of which we can attend 7 visits too, this is along with Disney Quest, Typhoon Lagoon (which is shut), and other attractions. As the temperature was in the high low 70's, this is cold for the locals, yet hot for us brits, meaning the park was extremely quiet and that we'd have the park all to our selves.
The parks main attraction is Summit Plummit, a 120ft near verticle free falling body slide, of which i traveled 58mph. Which is pretty fast considering its on your bare arse, there is also a cable car available up "Mt.Gushmore" that was not only fun, but extremely useful!!
Here are the pictures from Day Four's vising to Blizzard Beach. There isnt many as its pretty hard to take photo's at a waterpark, too much walking down hill's instead of sliding i guess! All the best pictures to come from Busch Gardens, Islands of Adventure, Universal Studio's, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and much more, hopefully! Laughing

brossa · Last edited by brossa on Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:41 pm; edited 1 time in total

Great trip report, makes me a bit jealous honestly Wink

Looking forward too seeing more from you.....

Dylan

Makes me a bit jealous too, but excellent reports and looking forward to the rest. the parks all look so nice! Smile

Manta seems to be coming along nicely, looking forward to seeing the trains, hopefully they will match the concept art, unlike Tatsu where they ditched the dragons head from the front of the train.
And if that prezel is anything like Tatsu it will be insane, such a forceful element!

english coaster guy

Today is day seven of our trip.
On Day Five we visited Busch Gardens Africa, although we didnt take many pictures at all because we are visiting again and the queue times we're 0minutes for every ride apart from Rhino Ralley so we was busy riding all day, meaning there was no time to take any serious picture's, although i will post a few teasers later.
Day Six we had a day off and chilled by the pool because mum and dad kept having flashbacks of Montu's rediculously forcefull batwing and blacking out, getting old now!!!
Today on day seven, we visited Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, this turned out a good move as it was raining and we was on Tornado watch all day. Tommorow we are visiting the Universal Resort, not sure if we are doing IOA or the Studio's.
I'll start the trip report tommorow with some small pictures from Busch, and the Space Center, but i wont post a proper report. I shall do that when we visit Busch again, keep in-touch!