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Episode 161 - 5th Anniversary Special
194 Plays2 months ago
This week on the premier comedy roller coaster podcast Ben and Zach discuss Ben's trips to Six Flags America, Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Kings Dominion, Fright Fest Extreme at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Zach's upcoming trips to California's Great America and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and more!
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Transcript
Minimalist Living: Camping Chairs and Creative Spaces
00:00:41
Speaker
I'm Zach and I'm now in a different time zone. I'm Ben and I'm in a different, uh, chair. Oh, no shit. Yeah. From the blue, it's a blue camping chair. Now it's an orange camping chair. Okay. Well, I'm in a black camping chair. Nice. I've got the whole spectrum covered.
00:01:10
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:01:14
Speaker
What, uh, there is something about camping chair living. I think everyone should do it. You should do it every couple of years in between moves. um It gives out your couch. Yeah.
00:01:30
Speaker
It's like life is simple when you have those moments where you're just like, it's, I don't know. I've done it tons of times and like, it's kind of fun. ah theyre like Yeah. Yeah. Here's what you have to do. You give yourself bed bugs on purpose. So you have to get rid of all your furniture.
00:01:52
Speaker
And then you start from camping chairs. It's,
00:01:58
Speaker
Like I, I always go retreat every five years. Bed bug camping chair retreat every two years. It's like the bed bug retreat is the new juice cleanse.
00:02:16
Speaker
It is, it is, it is weird though. When I've, I don't know. Cause like, especially cause like you, do you guys have like a TV, like just sitting on the floor or anything?
00:02:28
Speaker
Uh, no, no, we've been watching, uh, YouTube and content off of, uh, either my laptop or the iPad. Yeah. See the iPad specifically that's the the camp in turn, iPad combo is also important. Um,
00:02:45
Speaker
so So if you have nothing to set it on, so you have to like kind of hold it like one person, you can like kind of take turns or you can like face like a table or like leaning up against the wall and you're just sort of looking down at like a 45 degree angle. So we're having the full experience here. We do have, um, a small cooler. Oh, perfect. Yeah. Yep. So we're using that to position.
00:03:12
Speaker
Uh, the device is on for optimal viewing. We'll call it. And then sleeping on an air mattress, air mattress. yeah Nothing beats it on the floor. Of course. Yeah. That's so right now that's, that was our Duluth set up for the past year. And so we've done that for probably like five weeks now, five, six weeks in the last nine months.
00:03:42
Speaker
Bro, my my spine, my shoulders, my neck. Beautiful. Chef's kiss. Yeah. I also thought pullouts were comfortable. Holy shit. Nothing like that waterbed effect in the morning. Do you guys have cooking utensils and supplies?
00:04:04
Speaker
um As of right now, we have one spatula, one knife. one pan and one pot yep and uh plastic silverware and uh some paper plates so we're keeping the meals pretty basic nice yeah one one time we were cooking um like i had frozen burritos but our microwave was broken but we had one like one pan or no, it was like or skillet, pot, whatever you call it. And as yeah I was using like a pizza box as a lid to like trap the heat in. And then we had yeah we had literally like two forks, two knives, two spoons, two cups. And then we cooked up meals like that for like six for those six weeks. It's ah it's fun. It's like you tumbling. If you can get through that, then like you don't have to worry about, you know,
00:05:06
Speaker
any 40% capital gains tax? Oh, yeah, no.
00:05:16
Speaker
um As much as I was concerned about that previously.
Jokes and Financial Advice: Bed Bugs and Investments
00:05:22
Speaker
Um, I do have to say with that, uh, this is not a financial podcast. So do not construe anything we say as advice. We are not financial advisors, but do buy crypto by lots and lots and lots of tasty crypto. You should be putting at least 70% of your take home in crypto.
00:05:50
Speaker
Did you say klepto? No, crypto. Oh, OK. 70 percent of your take home in crypto and then like 20 percent in like. Tesla stock.
00:06:05
Speaker
And all the move, I'd say X stock is a better idea. Is X his own stock now? Or twitter yeah, that's right. it had to Yeah, it changed. X formally Twitter, I should say. Yeah.
00:06:23
Speaker
get yourself a high interest credit card, put your living expenses on that, put your rent on it, rack it up. And then as we're living for today, baby, do a little bit of girl math.
00:06:41
Speaker
ah Yeah, I think the economy is fine. Inflation's fine. Buy an absurd amount of your illicit substance of choice. Throw a party with it. At your new apartment. Lots of DoorDash.
00:07:06
Speaker
Oh yeah, insane. Order 53 pizzas. Why not? Let them sit there and get old.
00:07:15
Speaker
Fuck it.
00:07:19
Speaker
oh Welcome back to your favorite coaster
Roller Coaster Talk: Your Favorite Coaster Sucks
00:07:22
Speaker
sucks. We are an all roller coaster podcast, if you couldn't tell. I forgot. Oh, and it's only going uphill from here. See what I did there? But that's not true, because we're going to have air time and there's going to be twists and turns and and tri inversion and a couple of trim breaks.
00:07:44
Speaker
ah way too many trim breaks and stupidly restrictive restraints for what should be a fun ride. But that's really aside from the point. What we were talking about was making sure that you secure yourself the right fucking Disney pins so that you'll be a millionaire
00:08:12
Speaker
what's the so What's the highest value Disney pin on the market? like Oh, I don't know. I gotta imagine, just speculatively, it's gotta be the one where Stitch's nuts are out. Wait, is that real? No. I mean, considering the the Little Mermaid cover fiasco, like
00:08:40
Speaker
ah like i would i don't know wouldn't It wouldn't surprise me. Stitch with his little blue ball.
00:08:51
Speaker
That's obviously, that's a joke. Stitch is neutered. What if we started making like counterfeit ones? There are lots of people do that. But like not necessarily a rip off of a real one, but just like completely new ones. Like, um,
00:09:09
Speaker
but with stitches balls. Yeah. Or, um, how about, how about we do like that episode of Bob's burgers where she paints the the animals asses. Yeah. And it's just Disney characters. Or it's like snow white, but she's sitting and like in front of like three Coke lines.
00:09:40
Speaker
That is, uh, I think what you're describing is Florida. Yeah, it'll go over well to good market.
00:09:51
Speaker
I think that's a bumper sticker in Florida. Belongs to Florida man. Goofy with bloodshot eyes. That's definitely a t-shirt that's for sale in fucking Key West.
TSA Tales: Humorous Airport Encounters
00:10:10
Speaker
oh so at um So recently I went to Fishdix two weekends ago. and What are you, a gay fish? You know it. Which by the way, fish is insane. I know, i'm I'm sure I've talked about it last time I went, but like, that's like a whole thing. um But there was a shirt that was like the TSA pre-check logo.
00:10:40
Speaker
But instead of pre-check, it said pre-come, like in the exact logo and font and everything. Oh, God. And then and on the back, it was like ah pat me down. I'm going to come. And you would notice this one. It was a great one. but You're like, I bumped into the guy on accident. He made a weird noise.
00:11:12
Speaker
I wouldn't call it a grunt exactly, but... God, I haven't haven't had a pat down in a while. but One of them was like... and I thought you were about to say, like, I could go for one. No, once I got the most disgusting pat down by, like, the most disgusting human, um I was... I actually, like, I felt so violated.
00:11:38
Speaker
to where I was ah considered voting Trump. um Was he like staring you in the eyes while he did it? No, he was just he was clearly gay and clearly like a pervert and like enjoyed it. But like when you're in that position, like you're completely powerless. You just have to like go along with it. um so Because he went over my literal penis five like five passes.
00:12:09
Speaker
and like pushed way too hard. And dude is like a total troll, like literal troll, like five, three greasy hair, socially awkward.
00:12:21
Speaker
um So. Sounds like a real garden city stud. Oh, for sure. Like they're they're on the same same level.
00:12:38
Speaker
It wouldn't surprise me if that person turned out to be a T.S. age and at some point, I mean, that's assuming he passes the the the background checks and. I feel like, yeah, they're like, do you do you currently own a gun? He's like me. No, they're like, are you sure? He's like me. i Yeah, I do.
00:13:03
Speaker
Shouts to whoever gets that joke. um
00:13:10
Speaker
But. he So did you like file a complaint or something? No, you you can't do shit like there's literally nothing you can do. I mean, because you're not allowed to have I mean, you can't film your interactions with TSA people. So there's no evidence. I mean, like unless. Because even if you were to like look at the security footage, um you know, it wouldn't have looked like, you know what I mean? like They would have just like, oh, that's a normal procedure.
00:13:40
Speaker
Um, I don't know. It was just annoying. S F it was an SFO.
00:13:51
Speaker
Oh, okay. And I also had weed in my, I guess just, I started weed in my bag. So it was like, you know, which I know is fine. Like it's not, there's no, you know, you can do that now, but like still.
00:14:10
Speaker
You could consider flying in and out of Oakland next time. Yeah. But I mean, TSA is the same everywhere. Like, although it is funny when occasionally you do run into like very friendly TSA people and it's almost like, it's almost kind of alarming. Like you feel like you're like getting set up or something. Yeah. I had that happen to me cause like Rihanna put some Epsom salt in my bag.
00:14:40
Speaker
And then like they were like, hey, we got a look in there. And I'm like, oh, yeah, no problem. And then he started making small talk with me about my Cubs hat. And I'm just like, yep, uh-huh. And he's like, oh, yeah, OK. You're all good. I'm like, oh, OK, thanks.
00:15:00
Speaker
I totally, but the whole time I'm on edge, like, oh, god, they're going to call me into the other room at any moment now. yeah Yeah, that was... the um When I was living in Seattle, I was flying to Chicago for to like drive up to my parents' house for Christmas, and I remember I took a dab before getting into the Uber, realized my ticket didn't have the pre-check logo on it, and like I was locked out of my Southwest account, so I couldn't like put it in. I didn't even know what my pre-check number was.
00:15:36
Speaker
I was like hyperventilating in the in the Uber and I was late and then um I was like, oh, wait a minute. If you do clear, they give you like a free trial. Right. But my ID wasn't scanning and this guy tried for like 15 minutes. He wanted that commission so bad. And I'm like, dude, my flight boards in five minutes. And then um he's like, OK, OK, let me just I'll just get you through the line. And then so he like lets me I don't know. They have the whole like cutting thing, whatever.
00:16:04
Speaker
And then like I go to the TSA guy, he looks at me and he's just, he's like, so are you winning the race? And I was like very high and I'm just like, uh, hopefully.
00:16:17
Speaker
And he's like, Hmm, okay. And then he like gives me the ID and then I like go through the the scanner and I had to do like the full body scanner and all these different things. And then like the guy pulled my bag and I had like 16 pre rolls in just like a plastic container. Um,
00:16:37
Speaker
And with no bagging. And then next to the guys going through my bag, he like pulls out toothpaste. He grabs the container with the joints. And then he's just like, Hey man, you can't have this. And he's holding the toothpaste. I was like, Oh, um, okay. And he like throws the toothpaste away. It puts my weed back in the bag, zips the bag. And then he's just like, Hey, you should really double bag your weed.
00:17:00
Speaker
And then that was it. And he just handed me my bag and got in the plane, landed in Chicago and and the whole back of the plane was stunk up.
00:17:11
Speaker
Nice. And everyone was like, taught everyone was commenting on it. Like the flight attendant said something and like, uh, people like around me were saying something and I'm like, Oh God, this is not good, but nothing happened. So.
00:17:26
Speaker
Well, um, just for future reference, Illinois did legalize in 2020. And this was December 26th, 2019.
00:17:40
Speaker
Well, I think at that point I had, I had some weed that I would have gotten. and No, I'm just fucking with you. They say it's not illegal to fly with it now. Like they don't, they don't do anything about it. So.
00:17:58
Speaker
I mean, like, I don't really think there's a lot of risk if you're flying to a place where it's legal. yeah Like, if you're flying from a place where it's legal to a place where it's legal, I would say the risk is virtually zero.
00:18:18
Speaker
um
00:18:21
Speaker
unless there happens to be a DEA agent on your plane looking for you. right um If you're going from a legal state to a not legal state, then the risks are the same of carrying weed in a not legal state regardless.
00:18:45
Speaker
I don't think the the whole federal thing really wouldn't apply if you're carrying personal amounts of weed. Yeah, I don't think they've got other shit to worry about. You know, they're not like they don't have time. That's what I'm saying. Unless unless your bag has like secret compartments that are full of weed.
00:19:08
Speaker
and shit and like the whole bag is all weed. Oops, all weed. Then I wouldn't be too worried about it. Or I guess if you don't have like rolls of cash. In your bag, I wouldn't I wouldn't carry a shitload of cash when you're traveling regardless. Just good rule of thumb.
00:19:35
Speaker
Yeah, I was in Las Vegas. Yeah, yeah, I won. what What game did you win at? You know, cards.
00:19:53
Speaker
Holy shit, man.
00:19:57
Speaker
So, uh, you went to the DC area, right? Yeah, it was. So I think last summer we recorded, I booked a very last minute trip to, um, Virginia area, which really worked out.
Theme Park Adventures: Six Flags and More
00:20:15
Speaker
Like, um, I got on a lot of shit. So basically flew out of Denver on Thursday.
00:20:24
Speaker
Uh, got to Maryland late Thursday night. And then my plan was to do Six Flags America on Friday, Busch Gardens on Saturday, and then Kings Dominion on Sunday. Um, so got it, stayed at this like, okay, so first of all hotels, have you ever stayed in a hotel that's not Marriott or Hyatt, like like a choice hotel that's really, really big? And they're the ones that have like the,
00:20:54
Speaker
They have like the banquet rooms and they have like an out giant outdoor pool and they have like multiple towers. Um, but they're kind of in the middle of nowhere. So the types of conventions they have are usually probably like pretty, you know, pretty like pointless. Like, um, I dunno, something like no coaster con or like, uh, a telemeric or conference, you know,
00:21:22
Speaker
Like those are, those hotels are always kind of weird because they're like, when I said there, it was completely empty. Like there's nobody staying there. And like, you're just walking to these giant hallways where it's like, man, there's like six bar cards. There's like, you know, multiple restaurants. There's these giant banquet halls and it's completely empty. Like I can't even think of the last time this was probably used. You know what I mean? Yeah. Um, they're like very spooky.
00:21:53
Speaker
We stayed at one when we came to San Francisco to do apartment hunting last month. And there was a ah fucking KFC franchisees convention going on because it wasn't it we weren't staying in San Francisco. We were staying near the airport in Berlin game. yeah So, yeah, they were.
00:22:19
Speaker
It was, and it was a big one too, because it was taking place over two weeks. oh sure There was like an A group and a B group. Yeah. I was like, Oh, wow. I want to know what goes down in that. Are they eating? Is it catered by KFC?
00:22:35
Speaker
No, the food actually looked pretty good. and Um, I got stuck on the elevator with like a group of them and one of them, like this boomer that was balding and wearing like the dumb button up shirts, you know, was like joking around with everybody else in the elevator that had name badges on. He's like, Oh, Hey, good to see you, Linda. Oh, what's up, Kevin? Like, yeah.
00:23:06
Speaker
And I'm just standing in the middle of this like, uh-huh. I'm just trying to go downstairs and buy a Red Bull. Yeah, it's weird. I don't know. Hotels are like...
00:23:20
Speaker
Sometimes are creepy. What's also what was also weird about this one is that the inside of the room was actually like very nice. But the bone, it was like the bones of the room were really shitty, like, um you know, Soviet era, like jail cell kind of room, but then everything inside of it was new and clean. um So it was like very odd. It's like this should be like a shitty hotel, but like the furniture is nice. I don't know. It was very but it was very bizarre.
00:23:49
Speaker
um So anyway, stayed there first night, got up early, um got some coffee, went to Six Flags America, the park opened at 11.
00:24:02
Speaker
or yeah, I think it opened at 11. And i' I don't know what I was thinking. I always like overdo it when I plan for going to park. So I like bought the parking ahead of time and I bought like um preferred parking. Cause I was like, oh man, it might be busy. And like, I should get there early. And then I plan to get there like 20 minutes before the park opened. I ended up being like the second person in line basically at the gate. There was like nobody there.
00:24:29
Speaker
And so like Park opened. The first thing I did was ride Joker's Jinx. And I had the whole train to myself. And rode Firebird second. Waited maybe like two trains for it. Got a last row ride. it's crazy How was it? It's crazy how like your the muscle memory of every little imperfection of the track, you still remember.
00:24:58
Speaker
You know, like all the little like pumps and like the weird kind of like side to side shuffle at the bottom of the first drop into the loop and like that weird kind of kink when you go through that fake mid course. And, um, so it was weird. It feels, it feels the same just with sit down seats. It is a little more comfortable obviously. Cause you're not standing. Um,
00:25:24
Speaker
It feels like it runs a little faster too. And surprisingly, the fire effect was actually working. So yeah, that I think that ride's almost the most popular ride because it's sort of front and center.
00:25:41
Speaker
I mean, that ride had a line all day. Oh, nice. So rode that, rode Roar, which is actually running pretty good because it looks like most of the track has never been touched. So Roar, when I last rode that in 2005, fuck I'm old, I remember the ride operator at the back of the station stepping onto the train and riding it to the front. Nice. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:26:12
Speaker
so like with So was that this park like worse off in the past? Because overall, I mean, just an observation. The staff was pretty cool. I mean, like it it was clean. Everything worked. Everything was open. So i always you always hear like shitty stories about the park. But like i that wasn't my experience. There was probably five Six Flags parks I had put above or before Six Flags America.
00:26:41
Speaker
as far as like bad Six Flags experiences. I don't remember it being particularly bad. I remember it not really having anything super stand out about it. Yeah. I mean, that's ah that's fair. Like there's nothing, um, I mean, there's coaster wise, it's still kind of an old collection, but
00:27:08
Speaker
And I'm also pretty sure I went there after Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion, which would make it seem pretty underwhelming. Yeah. In comparison. Yeah. That makes sense. Yeah. I think if you go there first, then yeah, it's definitely going to seem a lot better. Yeah. That's kind of why I did it first. Although, so in, so, um, yeah, the other, other than that, I wrote, I got seven rides on Superman because it was a walk on. them um fun little nostalgia, Intamin nostalgia. The ride's still running pretty good. like It's funny how, and I'll have to go into this later about my B and&M gripe lately, but ah it still runs. like It doesn't really have like a shuffle or a rattle or anything. Their time is still good. and
00:28:02
Speaker
um I am too tall for it by like two inches and did not have any issues boarding. Um, so that was nice. Okay. And then by the seventh ride, it was so hot. I blocked out in the helix, like completely blocked out and collapsed into my lap.
00:28:26
Speaker
Um, so it was fun. Wow. Yeah. I mean, it's not forceful helix, but it's enough, you know, it's pretty sustained. But I love how there's something about old Intamin airtime.
00:28:43
Speaker
That is fun. It's it's ah because it's funny how like, you know, Intamin rides are like even that one feels pretty modern. But you can tell by the way that the track, the all the hills are designed, that it's still kind of like old school, like pre computer design. I think that was built in what, 2000? Yeah, I think so. I think it was built the same year as Darien Lake. That might have been 99 then.
00:29:14
Speaker
Unless it was like Darian, like 99, Six Flags America 2000, New England 2001. Maybe that was it. Yeah.
00:29:26
Speaker
I didn't know. One thing I didn't notice though, was that I had like better rides in the front and then better rides in the back. It really varied on how full the train was, which I noticed like riding the train empty.
00:29:41
Speaker
The like front was better and then when the train was full, the back was better. Um, but still good. I love that. Like air time. That feels like you could die if you weren't properly secured because it's sort of like throws your upper body forward as you're getting lifted out of your seat. Um, so glad I got a bunch of rides on that. It might be the last time I'll ride any of those three. I don't know.
00:30:11
Speaker
So and then um initially, well, so like initially my plan was like in my head, I'm like, all right, I'm like, I'm going to go to Six Flags America and I'll spend like, you know, four or five hours there and I'll just kind of enjoy the park and then I'll take my time and then I'll spend the whole day Saturday at Busch Gardens. And after like 90 minutes in the park, I was like, oh, I can like literally get the fuck out of here. Like, I don't know what I was thinking.
00:30:40
Speaker
I wrote everything once, got on Wild One, that was the last thing I needed. um And I left after like 90 minutes, it was like just under two hours. um So then I drove to Busch Gardens, got to Busch Gardens at like four o'clock and the park closed at seven. And my in my head I was like, all right, I'll go today and if I need to come back tomorrow, no big deal.
00:31:04
Speaker
So first mistake was I saw the tram and I didn't realize that I was parked in the parking lot by the main entrance. So I sit down on the tram, we drive to the second parking lot, and then they're like, okay, just so you aware, there are only two parking lots on this tram. And I'm like, wait a minute, where the fuck why the fuck did I do this? I went further away. So then everyone got off the tram and I'm sitting there and I'm like, oh, I actually got to go back.
00:31:35
Speaker
Because like the employees are like telling me, like, were you trying to go? And I'm like, oh, I actually didn't either get on this thing. Sorry. So I rode the tram back.
00:31:47
Speaker
um Got into the park, walked past Pantheon. Pantheon was like a 45 minute wait. And then I'm like, fuck, like um I need food. So and i when I'm like, I'll come back to this. Walked to the German section and I got a pretzel sandwich and some ah waffle fries, which was like decent for park food. um Walked past Revoltin, which was closed. Walked past Straddle Coaster um that had a, I think their height limit is like six three, um which was,
00:32:27
Speaker
kind of weird. So I like got in line. I stood there for five minutes. didnt Line did not move. I'm like, all right, fuck this. like not Not doing it. ah Go to Alpengeist. Alpengeist is a walk on. Got a road on the ride in the back row.
00:32:42
Speaker
um And I wouldn't say that. So here's the thing. like There's kind of a joke about people complaining about B and&M rattles. And I believe that to some extent.
00:32:55
Speaker
um But I think my complaint, I kind of like don't love B and M's anymore. And this is something I learned last summer is that like, they're not, like, I feel like all the B and M's are like not aging well at the same time. Like,
00:33:12
Speaker
All the ones that were built in the late 90s, early 2000s have all gone through this like weird, neglectful aging process since COVID, and now some of them are unrideable. Not from like a headbanging perspective and not from a roughness perspective, but just from this like this like deep rattle that they all have now. and Maybe I only ride in the back row, so maybe that's my problem.
00:33:36
Speaker
um to where it's just not pleasant. And I don't know what it is, because it's happened it happened to me on like most of the B and&Ms.
Coaster Critiques: B&M and Arrow Experiences
00:33:45
Speaker
um So I don't know what's going on, like because I felt that way on Kumba, I felt that way on Chikra, Montu, Medusa West, and then later on the trip Dominator.
00:33:59
Speaker
So it's almost like, uh, although except for Paulo Sherry, it was fine. Like raging bowl last year was fine. So there are some that are raging. Okay. But some of them are not. And I don't know what's going on. I don't know. Do you ever get B and M migraines?
00:34:17
Speaker
It's been a little bit, so I don't really know. Holy shit, I'm trying to remember the last time I was on a B and&M that wasn't raging bull. and It was probably 2021. Well, the B and&M, Great America B and&Ms are actually okay. X-Flight has that one spot in the last helix that's a little Um, rattly, but that one's okay. It's not bad. It's specific. It's specifically like the, the big ones. So like, that's the tall ones, like, uh, like the Medusa's and the floorless ones, um, like Alpin guys, Monty, Kuma. Um, Monty was good in 2021 when I wrote it. Fuck no, that was 2020.
00:35:07
Speaker
Wait, no, I went back in 2021. Yeah, it was good when I wrote it in 2021. Yeah. Same with Kumba. See, I guess Monty was okay. Monty wasn't that bad, but Kumba was pretty bad. And I get it. It was an empty train, completely empty train. I wrote in the last row on the outside. and Like I was dehydrated. Um, there were a few other things at play. I get like, I kind of set myself up to fail, but I still was like, it wasn't what I remember. Cause at one point I was like, Oh, this is like a top 10 ride for me. And now it's like, I don't, I don't know. It's just not comfortable. And I've had that now in a few B and M's where they're just not like.
00:35:49
Speaker
I don't know, like some some of them just don't haven't been aging well. And then like Griffin too, like um Griffin had a little bit of a, I didn't end again, sat on that last last row outside seat. um But yeah, it was weird. Like i I was like, I should be enjoying this, but this is like kind of painful. And it's just like rattles your head.
00:36:13
Speaker
Um, that the, that other older coasters don't do. So like the and old Intamin coasters don't do that. Even arrow, there are older arrows that are like 30, 20 years older than B and M's that don't do that. Um, premier coasters don't do that. Um, it's like specifically B and M that just has that like deep brain rattle that for some reason has been bothering me. Um, Oh yeah. I got on an invader.
00:36:41
Speaker
Uh, which was fun. I don't know. Have you been on the invader or no, that's, that's a newer ride, right? Yeah. That's like, to that, that cluster of parks in 20 years, my man. Cause I'm an old dude. Was Griffin open when you were there? No, dude, not yet. Okay. So because were still I think two or three years out, big bad wolf was open when I was there. Yeah.
00:37:09
Speaker
Kings Dominion was a paramount park when I was there. ah Invader was pretty fun. I did have a very awkward moment where ah so this was it' like I keep forgetting about this.
00:37:21
Speaker
I don't know if I stuck out as a coaster person while I was there. Maybe, maybe like waiting, maybe, maybe waiting for the back row by yourself at a theme park as a giveaway. Um, but there were so many enthusiasts there that day. It was kind of funny cause I had like multiple random conversations with people that just like approached me and it was basically like, Hey, you like roller coasters? It's like, uh,
00:37:47
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, I do. Hey, are you Ben from your favorite coaster sucks? No, no one. No one was a, did not run in any, any listeners, at least not that I'm aware of. Um, I did run into somebody though that knows Danin because they said I looked familiar.
00:38:07
Speaker
like from posts from Dana and I don't know. I didn't, it was like one of those things where like they were getting on the train and like they had four people and I was on the next train and I just didn't, you know, there wasn't enough to really like, you know, converse about, um, be a friend of Dana's. Pretty much, yeah, it was like, I was like, uh, yeah, like it's like, Oh yeah, you look familiar from like his Facebook posts or something. So I don't know who that was. Um, but yeah, multiple through the, through the conversations. But anyway, so I was in line for invader and a like, probably like nine to 10 year old kid comes up to me and he's like,
00:38:57
Speaker
He's like, Hey, can I ride with you? And I was like, uh, I was like, I don't know. I'm like, uh, well, my group was up on the station. Like, let me see if they're up there. I just, you know, made something up. And then he was like,
00:39:12
Speaker
You know, what's your favorite ride here? Have you been on Pantheon? What's your favorite ride in the back row? What's your favorite ride in the first row? Do you like Intamin coasters? Um, so like I was trying to like be nice, but also like, you know, you're in a theme park, you're by yourself, 34 years old. You gotta like, you know, it is a little uncomfortable of like people approaching you like that. So anyway, um,
00:39:39
Speaker
get to the station after like 15 minutes of him asking me questions and me just being like polite. I was like, okay, well I'm going to go in the back row. And he's like, is the back row scary? And I'm like, I think it's fine. And he's like, okay, I'll come with you. And then like, he sat with me in the back row. And then afterwards he's like, what are you going on next? And I was like, I think I'm actually gonna go to the parking lot. I gotta to run in my car. He was like, okay. And then he just like walked away. Um,
00:40:08
Speaker
So invader was an ah Invader was fun. It's a terrain coaster. I feel like it's very similar to Zambezi Zinger. um All right. You know, it's cool. It's fine. um Got off that, did the new Loch Ness Monster, which had like a 30 minute wait. It was actually the longest wait in the park. um I guess the ride's super popular, which makes sense. But like the retract sections are so smooth.
00:40:37
Speaker
it does not feel like an arrow. Like it's shocking how smooth the bottoms of the drops are now. um
00:40:47
Speaker
So I think, cause I don't know, I don't know what they actually redid, um but like definitely the bottom of the first drop. And then I think like, um there were a few turns that felt pretty new too, but it was like glass smooth, like shockingly glass smooth.
00:41:05
Speaker
So it's cool to see that they're able to do that kind of refurb on an arrow coaster. I don't know like what other their coasters out there could use that sort of treatment. Like I doubt they'll do that on Viper um or so like Magnum or something, but it was pretty cool. Uh, then I decided to go over to Pantheon and As I'm walking the Pantheon, I see the kid that rode with me on Invader. And he like grabbed his mom's, like, hand and he was like, Oh, that's the guy that rode with me. And I was like walking past, which made me feel a little awkward.
00:41:50
Speaker
um
00:41:54
Speaker
And then um got a line for Pantheon. which has a height limit of 6.3 or 6.4. So I'm a couple inches over that. um Got on it. Didn't have anyone stop me or check my height. ah got online or Got on the last row. And Pantheon is not Velocicoaster. That's like the best way I can sum up that ride.
00:42:24
Speaker
um I don't get it. There's like no theming. It's kind of randomly placed there. ah It's cool, but like also like the the top hat is the best part of the ride, and then the rest of it's just kind of filler. um The launch section is pretty cool. There's like one section that has a dip.
00:42:46
Speaker
at full speed that kind of launches you a little bit. Um, yeah, I don't know. Well, I don't wouldn't say it's like a top 10 velocity coasters way better. Um, is it good to get, is it a good addition to the park? I don't know, but it was pop, but it was, but it was popular. Um, I don't know why there was a height limit on it being that none of those other intimate coasters have height limits.
00:43:15
Speaker
um Got on a polished chariot. um Some woman apparently in front of me smacked her hand on a deer that was next to the track. And knowing the history of the ride, it's pretty funny. Any wild encounter animal or animal encounters is always a little funny. Absolutely.
00:43:38
Speaker
um because we're like going down that weird helix thing on the turnaround. And this woman just starts here. She's like, oh, my God, I hit a deer. And they're just like two deer that are in the restricted zone, just like next to the track.
00:43:52
Speaker
um And then after after the ride, they ended up cycling it empty and they shut it they closed it early. So I think they like realize that deer, the deer must have like jumped over the fence and they had to like get them out or something. So it was pretty funny.
00:44:10
Speaker
Oh, good Lord. I got gelato. That was very disappointing. Um, did you go on escape from Pompeii? I did not. I should have. I had plenty of time to. Um, did you go on tempesto? Uh, yes, I did get on tempesto. The, they're all kind of the same.
00:44:38
Speaker
I did Tigris and ah Superman at Six Flags last year. the The operations on that one were the worst operations I've ever seen. Like there's nothing worse than a one train op coaster, but then when the ops suck on it too, it's like even more frustrating because it had one of those stations that had the like super long air gate lines, you know, um,
00:45:05
Speaker
But yeah, I don't know.
Theme Parks Post-COVID: Changes and Challenges
00:45:06
Speaker
The park was kind of in decay. it's like sad like It felt like the whole park was neglect like very neglected. um Lots of the buildings had like chipped paint, faded paint. um i saw a lot of trash I saw a lot of trash. There were a lot of like shops and stalls that were closed. I don't know if that's because it was a Friday over a Saturday. um The rides felt a little neglected at times.
00:45:33
Speaker
um Like it's very, I don't know. It just wasn't what I remember. So, and I kind of felt the same way at Busch Gardens Tampa too.
00:45:46
Speaker
So, cause that's C's right now. Yeah. Yeah. So that makes a lot of sense, I would say. And then like, when you look at the, how they built Pantheon and put that in there, like you can kind of see like, okay, yeah, this is like,
00:46:03
Speaker
the new bar that's set and everything else is kind of like falling the match to it. um The whole Loch Ness Monster like re-theme is probably like the most effort they put into anything in the park recently. um And I don't know if it's, there weren't really any like, there wasn't really any like live music. There wasn't any like bands or like performers or anything like that. So it's kind of a weird visit.
00:46:29
Speaker
Like you want to give the park a chance. You understand that like, you know, things happen with age, but like, it was kind of sad. Um, especially knowing like how that park used to be. So I don't know. Um, I guess he's ownership. I mean, like, cause like, you know, like the sea world management, like sea worlds are fine, but like, they're also not like, I don't know. You know what I mean? They're fine. They're not great.
00:47:01
Speaker
Yeah, they're, they're like, I'd say they're about on par with Cedar Fair. Not terrible, but definitely leave something to be desired. Yeah. And like, they don't know how to manage. And like the infrastructure that was built at Busch Gardens is at one point was probably pretty well maintained.
00:47:24
Speaker
But like, yeah, you can tell they're not putting any money in the upkeep on that, in that park. Kind of like, um, I don't know, sort of like all the old, you know, Marriott things that have been slowly been, slowly have been neglected by six flags. Um, so which sucks. I was going to say, I think maybe that's just like post COVID theme parks. Yeah. Yeah.
00:47:55
Speaker
I think that's true. And I also wonder if that's one of the reasons why some of these B and&Ms going back to that, some of these B&Ms since COVID have like really. ah I don't know, some of them have gone gotten pretty rough, like not rough, just like rattly. So I don't know, I left Busch Gardens after like three is either four to I think it's four to eight. So it's like three and a half hours.
00:48:25
Speaker
I did everything I needed to do. Got two rides on two rides in Alpengeist. Uh, I think two rides on Apollo and two on Griffin. And then like everything was pretty short. So it wasn't a bad day. Third day, um, met up with, uh, so Nathan from our meetup friend the show Nathan um Went to Kings Dominion with ah and No, that was Saturday but It wasn't I'm getting all confused. Yeah, that was Saturday so I stayed um So stayed with him
00:49:18
Speaker
at ah at their place, and then we went to King's Dominion. We got there at like two o'clock. Ate a few edibles. It was hot as fuck. Got on Intimidator first, was the first thing we rode. Oh, not such a, we rode the bobsled coaster first. Witnessed a ah pretty racist Karen argument in waiting in line.
00:49:47
Speaker
um So you know, like every switch back row has like their own seat or whatever. yeah So it was an argument where like two people were trying to sit in one car. So then the, the one of the, per one of the two people just jumped to the car behind them.
00:50:06
Speaker
And then the woman in the air gate was like like, what are you doing? like We're in line, like we're next. And then the people sitting down were like, no, no, no, like we were before you. like we you know We're riding together. And then it's like, no, no, that's not how the it's not how the line works. That's not how the rows work. And then, yeah, it stopped the ride for a good 10 minutes as the employee just like was stunned not knowing what to do.
00:50:32
Speaker
And then like the one woman like waited in the exit for the other woman. um So. On par for a Saturday in a theme park. And then ah got on a Timidator, really slow operations, broke down when we were like next to ride, somehow got on it. um Timidator is great, but like but i'm being on Edibles, though, like it was almost like intimidating. No shit, huh?
00:51:02
Speaker
And not from like the ride experience, but just like being next to it and like thinking about like, because they they didn't, they didn't have a metal detector on the ride and the track goes right above like the exit line and like part of the, you know, entrance. So like you're just thinking like, man, like if someone loses their phone, it's going to like smack you at 80 miles an hour and there's no nets or coverings or anything. You're just like completely exposed.
00:51:29
Speaker
um So that was a little crazy.
Thrills and Chills: Intimidator 305 and Edibles
00:51:32
Speaker
Timminator was fucking great though. Um, especially in that state. Like it was, it was nuts. Um, I need to get on that ride. Yeah. It's probably, I it's riding it now. Like I would say it's probably like one of the most intense coasters that has been built. Like it's,
00:51:58
Speaker
And like, especially like when you watch all the video footage and then you go see it in real life, it's just like insane. The track, the track is huge. Like, um, yeah, it's like, it's nuts. And I mean, it's probably, I think it's like the coaster that has the fastest average top speed. I think it averages like 83 miles an hour or something ridiculous. Um, and those transitions are crazy. It's just, it's such a good ride.
00:52:28
Speaker
Um, we got on rebel yell, which was like running really fucking good. It's your 71. Sorry. I keep what's within the rechange it like five years ago, like pretty recently. Yeah. That was like very recent. Yeah. Within the, since we've been doing this podcast, I'm pretty sure, which is insane to me. Like I found that.
00:52:56
Speaker
I don't know. That's just crazy that it was named that for that long. And it took them this long to change it. um But anyway, race or 75. It was really fun. It was it was like they must have done a big retrack on it. um And then we got a ride on Grizzly. Grizzly is the shit. Grizzly was so much fun. We got two rides on it front and back. We we got a night ride on it.
00:53:23
Speaker
um Dude, the air time is crazy. It's got laterals. I would say it better than Phoenix. That's my pot take. Damn. Yeah. um Got on Twisted Timbers, which had a very restrictive like metal detector queue line setup.
00:53:43
Speaker
um But what's cool about it is like they have like they split the lineup. So like if you go through the metal detector and you have nothing, and it doesn't go off. You get to go like more priority up into the station, which is nice.
00:53:58
Speaker
um Because like if you go if you have to go to the lockers, they like sort of hold you. And then they like they know they they kind of release you in groups. um Had an a little hiccup on the drop tower.
00:54:15
Speaker
So I'm sitting there, then I think they had like two water park employees operating the ride. And like, I don't know if anyone can, if anyone knows, but like the, the sensor on it, um, I don't, I'm pretty sure it won't start the ride unless it's up. But what happened was like, I was pulling down the restraint and it stopped like a millimeter before the ball, I could get the buckle closed and it was like locked. Like it was just kind of weird.
00:54:42
Speaker
And so they were like training new employees that were like lifeguards to like operate the ride. And so they go around to do the whole height, like the restraint track, come to me and I'm like, Hey, like it's not buckling. its It won't stop. I need it released. And they're like, Oh, okay. And then like, but they keep checking and they come around to this, they come around full circle to like two to my left. And then the employee goes into the booth.
00:55:08
Speaker
And I'm like, uh, are you going to like release the restraints? And then, um, like she like comes out and then I see the other one like put her thumb up and I was like, Oh shit, they're starting this. Um, and then like eventually she came out and then like, I like waves and you know, I don't think, I don't know if it it has a sensor like that, but I'm guessing because it was so close to the buckle, maybe it would have started and like, not that.
00:55:35
Speaker
I would have, I was like afraid of falling out or anything, but like, you know, you want a seatbelt on a drop tower. So she had big one like that. Uh, an intimate one. Yeah, absolutely. I'd say, I'd say, yeah, I'll take the seatbelt. It was just more, it was more just like crazy to see like, you know, you think that like all these new policies and these new operational procedures and all these different things they have, but like when you see it, blame me like, Oh, like,
00:56:05
Speaker
You literally could have just started the ride without buckling a seatbelt. This could have been like a child. This could have been like someone who didn't fit, right? Like it's so crazy how easy it is to get distracted and like, you know, fuck up. So, um, got on that. That was a lot of fun. I love those drop towers. And then we got like a night ride on an Intimidator and then we rode Dominator before close. And like that ride gave me an instant headache, rode in the back row outside seat.
00:56:34
Speaker
It was fun from like the nostalgia standpoint because that's a really awesome B and&M. ah But the rattle just kind of like took away from it. So. Damn. Yeah. Overall though, it was pretty fucking fun. Highlight probably definitely like Intimidator and Grizzly. For sure. Also like, pin I mean, King's Dominion was a, I mean, like I know it's a Cedar Fair Park, but like,
00:57:03
Speaker
um Other than the very front section where Dominator where it's basically in a parking lot um I Mean the park was seemed like it was doing pretty well They had flowers and stuff ah What's the the flyer or the wing coaster they're building? Whatever the hell it is. That one looks pretty cool name of it. It's cool that grizzlies in good shape now Yeah, it's not even and it's not even like There's new smooth sections and there's the old rough sections. It's like the whole ride's running really well. It maintains really good speed. Yeah, it was great. Like one of those rides that's never on my radar as being like a decent wooden coaster and it totally shocked me. Yeah, I feel like it was pretty unremarkable when I wrote it, but I don't remember super well, which is why I feel like it was probably unremarkable.
00:57:52
Speaker
Yeah. Well, from what I remember, it's basically the same as wild beast, a Canada's wonderland, which I also don't really remember. Yeah. That right sucked. That right has like no air time. So the, um, and then like same thing for racer to like racer was same thing as the racer at Kings Island that like before they retract it, it didn't have any air time on those first hills.
00:58:17
Speaker
And now like with the retrack it has like just, it's not like ejector, but it's like floater. That's like one notch above floater. If you know what I mean, it's like, you know, if you like, raise plus yeah, it's like you raise your hands and you like, you're like zero G and you just lift onto the seat just a little bit. Yeah. Good park visits overall. Nice. Sounds like a good trip. Overall Six Flags America had the best operations.
00:58:47
Speaker
of the three parks. Wow. Just an observation. Didn't that have didn't have that on my 2024 bingo card. I think ah I will have another trip report soon because in the next couple of weeks,
00:59:07
Speaker
My brother in law is coming to town and we're all going to six flags and California street America. Nice. Yeah. So I'm pretty excited. Yeah. That'll be cool. Yeah. They're, I mean, they're not great parks, but I mean, they're fun. Well, they're my new home parks. So, you know, there's that. Yeah.
00:59:35
Speaker
Which one is technically closer? I, I think that technically discovery kingdoms closer, but they're, they're both like once, I think 40 minutes away and once 38 minutes away. Okay. So it's like really close. Yeah. But they're obviously in like opposite directions. That one has a, uh, as a spinning wild mouse that has aquarium tanks with snakes in it.
01:00:04
Speaker
Interesting yeah, that's a weird six flags six the six flies. There's a really weird park because They the rides are split up in into two sections So you have this like really long walk in between them? The layout is this the layout is fucking weird. and So it's like to get to the section. We're like We're like Joker and Superman and the free spin and and like the spin sanity, whatever, you have to like walk down this path that like parallels the parking lot. And then you're kind of just like in this own section. And then when you want to go ride the other rides, you have to like go back up the hill and like go to the very opposite end of the park through all the animals and stuff. Huh? Well, I'm looking forward to seeing it because it's ah I'm pretty sure that's the last Six Flags Park in the USA.
01:01:02
Speaker
Pretty sure that one and Mexico are the only two I haven't been to. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. So I mean, I'm excited for that and I'm going to hit 500. How many, how many away are you? I think nine. ah Okay, cool. But it might be six. Yeah. I can't remember for sure. I'm going to make sure that 500 is I'm going to either, I'm going to try to line up gold striker to be my 500th.
01:01:31
Speaker
So you're doing, you're doing great America first. I think so. Yeah. Okay. I wonder if demon, I don't know. I haven't heard anything about demon there being open. I wonder if that that's been open yet. If it's not gold striker, if I can't line up gold striker to be it, then I'll probably try to line up so that, um, Santa Cruz beach boardwalk, uh, the giant tipper. Yeah. It's a good one. It's 500. Yeah. That's a good one.
01:02:01
Speaker
Yeah, like if something goes off at Great America, we're like, demons not open and and I can't get another credit and the timing won't work. Then I'll line it up for it to be giant dipper. Yeah. And there's, oh yeah, there's, there's two credits there. I didn't, I didn't know about the train. Um, apparently there's like a train that goes under the boardwalk. Interesting. I didn't even, I didn't even know about it when we were there.
01:02:29
Speaker
I'm excited to go there too and eventually Gilroy Gardens. So, but yeah, I'll have a, I'll have a trip report of my new home parks soon. Nice. Oh, and also, uh, as of our date of upload, it's 55 years exactly to our first upload. That's pretty crazy. Yeah. So, uh, thank you to anyone who is, uh, who has been around since, uh, first episode.
01:02:57
Speaker
It's hard to believe half of it. that I mean, because when we started it, it was weird to think of so of stuff that happened five years ago. And now there's this two year blur of COVID in there. Right. Well, it definitely feels wild. And thank you to everyone who's been a part of the the journey for the past five years. Yeah, for sure.
01:03:20
Speaker
good time to plug our discord as well if you've been around at all during the past five years including just joining us now uh jump in our discord it's free it's a good place to hang it's uh fun there's good people i don't know it's free well um are we short no we had we just had one like two weeks ago right no uh yeah yeah like two weeks ago right before i moved that's right And now I'm on West Coast time, but that's okay. We'll be starting our, uh, our, um, voice chats at about the same time. 7 30 central. We'll be aiming for that same time. Sorry. East coast folks. I know that's a little bit late. Well, now we can, now we can stay on a little later. Yeah. And if you're interested in joining on the voice chats, um, you can join our Patreon.
01:04:15
Speaker
um Or like just join our fucking Discord and ask us if you can join the voice chat. Anyway, um what else is going on? Do we got anything coaster-wise? I haven't heard much. Yeah, I don't think shit's going on. I accidentally swallowed a leaf. Oh, well, it's healthy. Good fiber in there. Yeah, I don't think much is happening.
Fright Fest Plans: Southern California Meetups
01:04:44
Speaker
and We're coming into the haunt season, which is always like ah kind of a slow time of year for the coaster world. Meow Wolf locations do host cosmic howl Halloween experiences in October. It's interesting the cities that they put those in. Yeah. Well, they also they also had a massive layoff. um And so like I've just heard that basically all the all the locations are just like completely bare bones.
01:05:13
Speaker
So there's like no step, like interactive staff in there anymore. Um, which is like kind of a big big deal. Yeah. That kind of ruins it. Yeah. I also don't understand their business model around it of like, there's not that many repeat customers that are going to go back to it.
01:05:31
Speaker
Yeah, that's kind of how I feel. I mean, you do it. I mean, like I could see myself, if I lived near one, like in the same city, I could see myself going like twice within a six month period. Yeah. But then probably not again for another year. Right.
01:05:52
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's kind of, yeah, it's kind of it. Like, um it's been two years now since I've been, I think. For a while, it was like fun, you know, when people are in town and stuff you go, but I mean, I don't really, I mean, nothing's new, right? It's exactly the same as it has been.
01:06:12
Speaker
which like, it kind of reminds me of IKEA. Every time I go into IKEA, I'm expecting to see new things, but it's like the same exact stock that they've had now for like the last 10 years. You ever notice that? I don't think I've been to IKEA that frequently.
01:06:30
Speaker
Well, I've been I've been really either. it's It's like every couple of years I'll be like, oh, like, I don't know. You move somewhere like, oh, I should let's go to i Ikea. And then like I go through the whole thing and I'm like, there's literally nothing new. The same shitty tables, the same shitty chairs, the same like two hundred dollar couch. You know, I'm sorry. Those are Clergan Starks and scaffold mules.
01:06:59
Speaker
Yeah, it's like they don't do anything new. And now, and now it's like, I feel like it's been the same shit they've had since they've opened those stores. There's no innovation. Like, damn it, Ikea.
01:07:14
Speaker
I went to the one in downtown San Francisco recently. It's one of those really small ones. isn Yeah, we didn't really get much of anything because, yeah, like none of it's that. Yeah, it's like, yeah, it's kind of all the same crap and none of it looks that good.
01:07:32
Speaker
Yeah, like that's and that's the thing. It's like, oh, this is still like I can tell it's an Ikea piece of furniture, but it's only like but it's still like two hundred and eighty dollars. You know, it's like and they have like the model bedrooms where it's like. Oh, here's two women that live in this two hundred and eighty square foot apartment. And they have like, a so you know, like a whole thing set up. Yeah, all you need is floating shelves.
01:08:01
Speaker
I can't, but I want to live like that. Speak for yourself. I say as I'm in a tiny San Francisco apartment. Well, it's it's not that's necessarily the size. It's just like so I mean, I've lived in plenty of studios, but like I'm not going to I'm not going to deck out a studio like spend like seven grand to like fully deck it out where it's like, oh, I have my my gaming floating shelf where I can play all my video games and I go five feet over. Now here's my collection of spices and it's a dark room and then like a bed that folds into the wall.
01:08:38
Speaker
And if I flip this light, there's a projector. And if I move this right here, it's a dance floor. Yeah. Well, you got any other trips coming up this year? I don't think so. I think there's like nothing happening. Omaha. That's about it. I think lost islands probably closed. Um,
01:09:03
Speaker
I kind of want to try to go to Worlds of Fun if they're open on a Friday. We'll see. Right on. That's about it. For sure. I mean, like I feel like I'll at least try to probably try to make it to Magic Mountain this year. Yeah. I feel like a like a random Saturday in November would be a good time to go.
01:09:32
Speaker
Well the nice thing is, it's like from here, driving there is kind of like driving to Six Flags St. Louis from Chicago. Okay, yeah. So it's like you can do it in a day, but it's better to like, leave one day, go that day, and then stay in a hotel. Right, yeah. But yeah, I think I'll try to at least make that happen. Maybe for Fright Fest?
01:10:00
Speaker
Yeah, there's might be. a I mean, I don't know how there's how good there is, but yeah, that'd be cool. I mean, look, I'd love to be able to go down to Southern California and visit like a not scary farm and and Halloween Horror Nights. But that's going to depend on like like I still haven't gotten like the buy-on option to add the Cedar Fair parks to my membership. Okay. And even, ah even so, that doesn't include like a ticket to not scary farm. Right. So, I mean, but yeah, the Fright Fest at Magic Mountain looks like it's going to be really good. and I think I'll see if it's reasonable to try to get down to visit some of the Halloween events. Okay. Yeah.
01:10:59
Speaker
I'd love to. I'm hope, I'm hopeful that we're able to pull it off. We'll see. But like I said, I'll at least have some trip reports coming up soon. And then I guess we're into the, we're going to be into the off season soon, right? Yeah, that's always fun. I have like nothing to look forward to this off season. And I'm like, I'm sitting here in Northern California, like, Oh, the off season. I mean,
01:11:28
Speaker
Winter I mean winter in San Francisco is obviously like very very mild but it is it's still noticeable like um I don't know I in my head I was always like oh yeah there's it's not winter there like it's fine but it's like just cold enough to where you don't really want to be outside and like wet enough to be like a little uncomfortable yeah I feel like it's approximately on average about 10 degrees colder than now Yeah. And more moisture, so. Yeah. But I mean, I always had the same, like whenever I was going out there frequently, it was like, you know, like I'd be leaving Denver and it's like five below here and snowing. And I'm like, Oh, I'm going to the Bay area. Like it's not winter there. There's no winter. And then like I get there and I get off the plane. I'm like, Oh, I'm actually like kind of cold and uncomfortable.
01:12:22
Speaker
Yeah, but the difference is like needing like a coat and a sweater and a long sleeve and long underwear and pants and boots versus like, oh, I need jeans and a jacket. Yeah. So like I'm I'm. And again, ah a magic mountain is like a five, five and a half hour drive. So. Right. Yeah. I can dig, right?
01:12:53
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. And thankfully, all of my Six Flags membership benefits are all good at Magic Mountain too, so I will be taking full advantage.
01:13:07
Speaker
Nice. I feel like I'll probably end up going there more often than the Northern California parks. Yeah, I can see that.
01:13:19
Speaker
But yeah, I, uh, oh yeah, I guess since we're talking about it still, uh, Six Flags is doing their new Fright Fest. Like they're expanded, exciting new Fright Fest shit this year. What exactly? Why? What's, what are they doing new? They got a bunch of, um, IP properties that they're licensing for houses, uh, stranger things, uh, the conjuring, I think some other ones.
01:13:48
Speaker
OK. But. Looks like they really are trying to up their game and the ah the the the epicenters, of course, are magic mountain and great adventure.
01:14:05
Speaker
If I'm not mistaken, they're calling it Fright Fest extreme.
01:14:10
Speaker
The X's for extortion.
01:14:17
Speaker
um Because it's scarier that way. Right. And I think they're making it a separate ticketed event, which is pretty fucking overdue, in my opinion. Like the whole park admission?
01:14:33
Speaker
like the the fright fest. So like it would be more like Halloween Horror Nights or Knott's Berry Scary Farm where like it'll traditionally start at five, six p.m. and that's going to require a separate ticket. But what about season passes? Unclear. Let's see if my app will shed any light on that.
01:14:55
Speaker
We'll find out in real time here on the podcast. Okay, I'm i'm navigating to my Six Flags app now. Okay, let's see. Magic Mountain. All right, I'm waiting for the hours to open up. Let's, Fright Fest from seven to one a.m., okay. It's not letting me figure out the, ah oh, here we go. Fright Fest Extreme. We'll just read the press release that they have on their website.
01:15:23
Speaker
Alright, they got Stranger Things, The Conjuring, Saw, Trick or Treat, Army of the Dead, Aftermath, Nocturnal Hunt, Condemned Forever Damned, Truth or Dare, Willoughby's Resurrected, Vault 666 Unlocked, and Sewer of Souls. Sounds cool. Those are the houses. Okay, Tickets and Passes. Well, it takes me to the memberships, or the passes.
01:15:53
Speaker
So I'm guessing they work for a fright fest. Yeah, it doesn't say otherwise. So I'm guessing so I Thought it was separately ticketed, but I guess I was wrong Well, is it just they do the thing where they close it for two hours and kick everyone out? I'm not sure cuz it doesn't really say So starting at 7 p.m. But it doesn't let's see if I look at the calendar. Maybe that'll shed some light
01:16:19
Speaker
Okay, no. So park hours, 10 30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fright Fest, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Okay. So no, I guess it's it's same as same as before. Just better haunted houses, I guess. Yeah. But I'm still excited. Magic Mountains at Gold Park. Yeah, it's been a while for me out there. Yeah, maybe we should do a Southern California meetup.
01:16:46
Speaker
I mean, that seems to be like a good logical location. Yeah. There's some good parks we could do. We could do a magic mountain, not could do universal. Could do Disneyland. Yeah. I don't know. Let's, uh, we'll, we'll just throw that out there for now and let that ruminate. But I definitely am feeling like, um, maybe a good winter time meetup.
01:17:15
Speaker
in Southern California. Yeah, that would probably, yeah, I think that'd be good. And it's, it's like far enough away to where people can plan for it. Good off season time. Yeah. Yeah. I'm feeling like, I don't know, and maybe not. Maybe the February area. Yeah. Not too close after the holidays.
01:17:44
Speaker
ah February, March timeframe. Nice, um, off season breakup thing, you know? Yeah. I don't know. We'll see. It seems like it'd be a good place for a meetup though. Yeah. I mean, that sounds good. and Yeah. Fucking a man. So, uh, shit. I don't know. We got anything else you got any haunts you're going to do this year? Yeah, I don't think so.
01:18:12
Speaker
There's not really much going on in Denver. There's Yulich does it, but like it kind of sucks. Um, went to one of the haunted houses here last October and it was like fine. But the problem now with haunts, like on sat, like if you go on a Saturday night, they're just trying to get so many people going through there that like, you're always just in like a giant line and it always backs up. So,
01:18:40
Speaker
Yeah. And like, I always feel like there's a decent chance you're going to go through and they're resetting a scene too. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And it's like, Oh, that that's probably going to be cool for the people who get to see it. Yeah.
01:18:58
Speaker
Yeah. yeah i Used to like haunts a lot more and now I'm like, yeah, they're really Like they feel like they're lacking innovation, but they're more expensive than ever. Yeah, right Yeah, I think this one was like 30 bucks And I was just like doing the quick math. and I was like, okay, we're in a group of Like our whole group is eight Right. So like I Damn, there's a hundred and Uh, why can't I do math? Was that 160 bucks? Right off the bat. I don't know. Go, go enjoy a haunt if you like them. Don't be a crotchety old man like Ben and I. Uh, fuck, I don't know, dude, you got anything else? No, I'm going to go into some TED talk thing later.
01:19:54
Speaker
Oh, well, let your head get full of whatever Joe Rogan ideas, DMT, just why AI is going to control us all. The, there was this really funny Ted talk where this guy gave a speech about Ted talks and what he, what he did was he like did like a parody of how everyone acts when they're doing a Ted talk.
01:20:24
Speaker
So it was a, fake it was like a fake presentation. So you had like the PowerPoint and it's just like, yeah, these are just numbers. These are just numbers. Um, and then he tries to do like the same memorisms where he like grabs like the note card and like, you know, laughs and like dips his head, like laughs in the note cards. And he, you know, talks like how everybody talks. It's pretty funny.
01:20:51
Speaker
Well, I hope you have a good time at the TED talk. I don't even know what it's about. Well, learn a lot then. Take lots of notes. Be an innovator. Ask a question. I wonder if you're allowed to. And try to make it as vague as possible. Yeah. like But how do we accomplish that?
01:21:21
Speaker
All right Well fucking go have a good time bring back a trip report. Yeah, and We'll catch up with more haunts and Farts and stuff soon. Yeah Yeah, sounds sounds good All right. Until next time. Well, actually, thank you for listening and thanks for making the past five years slightly more memorable than it would have been. And, uh, join our discord