MASSIVE PTR: Visions of my Spain trip 2007

This PTR has been rocking hard, but that last picture of Chris is just perfect. That needs to be his new avatar.

 

And I liked how you trademarked Elissa Bingo. I need to make it into a TV show somehow...

 

dt

Lou's not used to taking it in the back.

This quote = hilarious!

The following picture (Lou's look) = even better!

 

This TR /= suck! Great job!

"Cargo nets of destruction"

 

lol

GRAND FINALE Part 1!

 

Like Port Aventura in Spain, Phantasialand was our base for a few nights and we had the immense pleasure of staying at the beautiful Hotel Ling Bao. Prior to our arrival, Germany had seen a lot of rain and little sun, but someone knew we were coming and it hardly rained during the day the whole trip. At night however, that was a different story as we pulled into Phantasialand, we noticed we would have to walk up the driveway to the Hotel in the rain as the bus could not fit. That made for an interesting arrival.

 

Soon after drooling at the gorgeous lobby we headed off to our rooms and then up to the Bar were we had more "get to know you time" with people who were not on the Spain portion and have fun in general. The next morning proved great as we had ERT on Winjas, which just beat out Tarantula for my favorite spinning coaster. Plenty of darkness and things coasters should just not do meant it was a REAL treat for those of us who knew little about the ride. After ERT ended, we headed out to explore a bit and find Talocan.

 

New for 2007, Talocan is a Huss floorless Top Spin featuring a half show building and plenty of water and fire to make "oooooo" more then a few times. Running a very decent program for a top spin, we managed to flip 7 times every ride (and there were multiple re-rides of this bad boy) making it just enough to make it disorientating, but not too nauseating. The sound system they use for the ride also provided much bass and the soundtrack was very exciting for those just watching from in front or from up on the bridge. It's biggest downfall however was the long load and unload time it had.

 

 

Black mamba was really fun, but pretty disappointing as the park had warned us that we had to walk all the way around the rides line to re-ride because it was so intense, which it wasn't. Some awesome visuals in the front row and you do get REALLY close to the sides (at passing of a waterfall, and you were on the outside right and stuck your hand out, it would get wet.)

 

The Colorado Adventure (insert tired and worn out Michael Jackson jokes here) was a very decent mine train, it didn't blow me a way but it was pretty damn fun.

 

Other rides include Mystery Castle, Intamin's Bungee Drop which actually had two ride programs. One was really intense and unexpected and the other was really tame and made me so mad (lol I still get pissed off thinking about the lame car) and sadly there was no visible indicator of which car did which as they all ran at the same time and looked the same.

 

On of the rides I was definitely looking forward to the most was River Quest. Built by Hafema, the ride was plagued with problems to it's special effects (most notably the last drop was to actually have a trap door drop the boat from mid air) and it had such huge drops that it was a no brainer for me to ride. We ended up using our "fast passes" to skip the line and get straight to the ride. One word of caution, you WILL get wet. It's not a joke, the boats take on such an insane amount of water when they hit the bottom of the drops it's like jumping into a kiddie pool (or having one thrown on you) Luckily the high sides separating the sections of seats protect you from some of it, but that doesn't mean all ( or very much) overall it's definitely in my top four (including Grizzly River Run at DCA, Popeye at IOA, and Acme River at Parque Warner all ranked at #1)

YAY we made it to the gates of Wuze town!

 

Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 tonight!

Traveling through the old west and into Mexico

Time to head back to Winjas! I see you River Quest

I'm so in love with this place.

The pond right inside the lobby under the stairs

TPR(ers?) waiting for our fearless leader and Natasha... er the PR ladies.

The rock work and the park entrance

Stone art. Very Zen.

The gift shop roof

More stone work in the paths. This was too pretty not to take a picture of

Looking back to the lobby

The paths around the garden were peaceful

The themeing in the hotel and the park just blends right into each other. the big building is a gift shop inside the park

The Hotel had it's own park entrance

very well themed

We had some time for the PR ladies to come and get us so I took the opportunity to grab a lot of pics of the grounds

One ZOmbie and I was gone, next thing I now it was morning and time for Winjas!

"Ron look!"

In the two story Dragon bar

My jaws dropped when I first walked in

The lobby was three stories high

The Hallway was gorgeous too

The hand carved door to our room in the Four Star Hotel Ling Bao

Part 2!

 

 

Overall I really liked Phantasialand, even the creepy mascots that growl. The newly built Africa section of the park was really well done and Black Mamba was an amazing site to see zooming around pathways and trenches. the Other sections were also well themed, not Disney standards, but more like Movie World standards, could be better, but could be WAY worse!

Beautiful double decker carousel

see?

They had some nice theming around the park

Watch your feet!

Still broken and I didn't feel like waiting for a train later on.

Sadly it broke down the first day, but we made up for it sooner rather then later!

The mist is trying to hide the topless ride.

oooo Colorado adventure

Dave don't look!

Hi Derek

Not too many rides you can do this on

MORE FIRE!

WATER!

WEEEEEEEEEEEE

FIRE!

Mist attack!

Talocan Mmmmmmmmm

This is the main entrance right? We never used it as we had the side Hotel entrance to use.

awwww cute little baby ducks (filler)

We're all hungover, make it spin faster!

ooooo it's so pretty!

As the days started winding down I had a sense of sadness that the trip was over, but also a sense of calm that I know I've made many friends with people I would have never even considered talking to passing in the street. I also got to travel all over europe and stay in some amazing hotels adn ride amazing coasters with amazing people (get the hint that this was amazing yet?)

 

 

Anyway, it was our final few days at Phantasialand with the side trip to toverland (already covered) and then it was ERT on Black Mamba and then it was back to the airport for most of us who did Spain. Honestely it wasn't as tearfula sI thought it could end up, but like I said, I ended up leaving with a sense of great accomplishment.

 

I really hope you've enjoyed looking at the 500 posted pictures from the point of view of a dork and for those of you able to have joined us at any part of the trip, thank you for making it so special to me. And finally, To Robb and Elissa, thank you for all the hard work you put into the trips AND the baby.You guys are special people that I'm glad I got to know and know more as time passes and I'll never forget that.

 

 

now what are you waiting for, sign up for a damn trip already and Get TPR's Coaster Expedition 9 available soon-ish!

Last shot I took of the trip.

 

 

 

In closing, I'm glad I took the chance (and debt) to go on an amazing journey with some awesome people and I can't wait to do it AGAIN!

I miss you lou

I miss you Zamperla Hat, I wanted you so bad but at least I got to hold you for a few minutes!

Duesseldorf Airport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funny story. We were all just sitting around and some random guy came up to us and gave us his McDonald's and said he ordered to much. riiiiiight we tossed it in the trash as soon as he left lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, so it was funny to me at the time...

 

 

 

 

I gues you had to have been there?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop looking at me like that...

Nap time! (even though id di take the picture myself...)

TERRORIST COOKIE!!! This damn cookie got me stopped TWICE by airport security

The Living Statue couldn't hold it anymore.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Hey how'd you get on that side so fast?

You spin me right round baby, right round, like a record baby, right round, round, round.

YAY Vekoma!

I wonder which stick of chocolate enjoyed it more?

You ok Ed?

Art-y or stalker-y?

 

 

You decide.

uh Robb? I don't even want to know...

The Dragon bar is way up there

I'm in love!

Where's Waldo?

Old Guy Statue: "What up bird?"

 

 

Bird Statue: "not much dawg. Chillin' witht he dragon out again, but I think he had too much to drink."

No dry souls allowed to exit please.

Mystery Castle was AWESOME unless you got the crappy chair that i want to burn down

Mmmmm River Quest

That is one awesome TR. The hotel and park in this last segment are just incredible. I could seriously live in that place. Just beautiful.

Thanks for posting Hector. Really enjoyed it. I'm glad you took pictures of each rope challenge. And the bucket of death pic is one of my all-time favorites and never fails to bring a smile to my face.

Quit posting pictures of me with a cigarette in my hand!!!!

 

I loved Ling Bao, that hotel was so freaking awesome... We are staying there on the Europe trip, right??

 

Hector, whole TR was awesome, thanks for posting it all!! And thanks for saying you would never have spoken to us on the street... LOL.

 

This has me all hyped up for Europe!

^^^ The Hotel was gorgeous, but I still think the other one we stayed at in Benidorm was far superior. But yeah, I could totally live there too.

 

^^ I'm glad you were able to join us on the trip and celebrate your birthday with us!

 

^It's simple sweetie, don't smoke and you wouldn't have to worry about that lol. have fun in Europe and you never know who may or may not show up. Just saying.

have fun in Europe and you never know who may or may not show up. Just saying.

 

DO IT.

 

That is all.

 

Great pics!

One of the best TRs I have read on this site this side of Robb and Elissa's of course. GREAT pictures buddy...I almost feel like I was there at times...sigh. Guess I need to save my pennies to go on a Trip...was going to do East Coast, but it is too long away from work to use up almost all of my vacation on it....dammit. Around a week and a half is my limit...anyway, I digress....Thank you so much for sharing your 500 + pictures with us!

 

HUGS!

Awesome!

 

Great Photo TR!

 

May I ask, what kind of camera do you use?

I'M WORKING ON IT LOU. Thank.you.very.much.

 

 

It's DEFINITELY more then worth using your vacation time on. The trips are amazing in themselves then add on the great people you meet and it's more then worth it, at least once.

 

 

These were taken with a "Older" camera, the Canon Powershot S80 (2005). I love my little brick, it's been with me around the world and definitely has given me some amazing pictures.

 

 

Thanks again for the kind words eevryone.

New York City!

I'll be there in two weeks! I'm seeing Rent and we're staying at a hotel not far at all from Times Square.

We sell Jones Blue Bubblegum in Yosemite. Come on up!!!

 

My personal favorite is fufu berry. mmmmm.

 

If im not mistaken, 711 started carying Jones in the LA area shortly before I moved to the forest. I could be wrong though.

 

GREAT TR! Enjoyed myself very much.

 

Chris.

Dude! I would be in Lego heaven! There's a model of the Empire State Building @ the Lego Store in Downtown Disney in Anaheim, but they have a life size model of Jack Sparrow! anyways good pics so far, looking foreward to more.

>>Jake

Is that Jack Sparow I see?

Fantastic pictures, man! The TPR trips really doo look fantastic.