It’s roller coaster season: Ride the Beast

by Jamie Rhein on

The Beast at King’s Island in Mason, Ohio not far from Cincinnati is by far my favorite roller coaster. It’s a body rattling thrill that has two major drops. Halfway through the 4 1/2 minute ride which makes it the longest wooden roller coaster in the world, the cars take a step climb upwards and a speedy, spine tingling, stomach dropping ride groundwards. This video was made by placing a camera on front of the roller coaster and captures the sights and sounds of the experience rather well. The Coaster Critique rode The Beast when I last did–at night. Highly recommended.

Here’s my technique for not ending up with a sore neck. Clasp one hand in back of your neck with your forearm pressed against your cheek and your elbow pointing out in front of you. It may look slightly ridiculous, but it works like a charm.

Ride historic Rocket Ship Car

by Jamie Rhein on

When amusement parks close it doesn’t mean that all those unusual rides or features go to a scrap heap or a dump. People can buy them. That’s what happened to the Rocket Ship Car that was once part of a ride at Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland. Before the park closed in 1969, ever since the 1930s, the car was suspended from cables with two others just like it. When passengers sat in the cars, they went in a slow circle.

Joe Tomaro remembered the ride from his childhood and decided he had to have one of the cars after he started collecting Euclid Beach Park memorabilia. To convert the ship into a vehicle that could go on a road, Tomaro added an engine and a chassis.

The car that can hold 10 adults or 15 children resides in Florida in the winter and returns to Ohio for May and the rest of the summer. It’s possible to snag a ride in the Rocket Ship Car for an hour or more. According to the schedule, you can find it most often at Crabby’s Beachwalk at Clearwater Beach in Florida. By the beginning of June, it will be in northern Ohio, most often at Strickland’s Frozen Custard in Mentor. Every Wednesday, starting June 3rd through September, you can climb in it for a free ride. [St. Petersburg Times]

Gadling Take FIVE–Week of Feb. 21-Feb. 27

by Jamie Rhein on

First, Tynan and Todd are off on their Pan Panama Road Trip with a new video update to prove it. Also, throughout the week, there have been more installations on Gadling’s Budget Travel Series: Mexico; Seattle; Boston; and Ft. Lauderdale.

Weather and bad behavior cause rides to stop at Hong Kong Disney

by Josh Lew on

According to the operations manager of Hong Kong’s Disneyland, the leading cause of ride stoppages is weather. Nearly seventy percent of all prematurely stopped rides are due to high winds, lightning, or rainfall. But that does not mean that there are not other reasons for cutting the fun short. One of the largest reasons, besides weather, is bad behavior.

According to the park: “The human causes include standing up during rides to take photographs, striking backdrops with umbrellas, or noticeably terrified children being forced onto rides by parents.” So, think twice before dragging Junior on to the super-coaster.

The safety-first rules occasionally cause confrontations between park staff and unruly guests. Staff have recently received training in dealing with guests who don’t know or care about the rules.

The park’s most time consuming task is not enforcing its safety code or watching the skies. It is the nightly inspection of rides, bolt by bolt, that eats away most of the Mouse’s security budget.

Universal Studios will be open and filled with annoying people on Thanksgiving & Christmas

by Mike Barish on

America’s most read and chart-filled newspaper is reporting that Universal Studios Hollywood is going to be open to the public on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It will be the first time since 1964 that the park is open on these holidays and it will now be operating 365 days a year (366 in 2008).

I can think of no better way to work off a stomach full of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce than a scintillating whirl on Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride. Nothing says family togetherness more than a day of height restrictions and warnings about people with heart conditions (poor grandma’s going to have to sit out most of the afternoon).

And it’s just not Christmas without a stop at the Waterworld attraction. According to the Universal Studios Hollywood website, “The hit motion picture comes surging to life in a spectacular tidal wave of death-defying stunts, awesome explosions and an ocean of thrills!” Of course, we use the word “hit” quite loosely here.

You’ll being using the phrase “great holiday vacation” loosely, as well, if you choose to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas at this haven for fanny packs and schlocky souvenirs. But hey, who am I to tell you how to celebrate your holidays? If your Turkey Day just isn’t complete without a ride inspired by Backdraft, the 1991 film of moderate success, then, you know, have at it.

As for me, I’ll be home with my family watching football and avoiding large masses of humanity. I prefer to have no one else around me when I vomit.