amusementparkpodcast

Today I’m excited to bring you our very first Universal Orlando trip report from our long-time reader, Rebecca!

Rebecca will share the good moments and not-so-good moments of her recent vacation to this Orlando resort. I hope you enjoy the story!

Read Rebecca's full Universal vacation report here: https://www.themeparkhipster.com/universal-orlando-trip-report-rebecca-2022/

Watch the Top Universal Orlando Mistakes to AVOID here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrT3tXVPF_M 

Where to Find Cheap Universal Studios Tickets here: https://www.themeparkhipster.com/discount-universal-orlando-tickets/ 

Enjoy!

NikkyJ

Ready for your Universal Orlando Snacks challenge?

Have you ever heard of a “lady who lunches?” We need to start recognizing those ladies who snack, in my personal opinion!

So many people talk and gush about the snacks at Walt Disney World, but I feel it’s high time that Universal starts getting some love when it comes to their snacks.

Get the full foodie list here: https://www.themeparkhipster.com/cheap-universal-orlando-snacks/

Watch the full foodie video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJeiTqX9do

Enjoy!

NikkyJ

In my best Captain America voice, “So, you decided to go to Halloween Horror Nights and you want to know what to bring?”

You bucked up the courage, you found a friend (or two) to protect you AND you bought your nonrefundable, nontransferable ticket.

There is no turning back now, you are going to enter the fog!

Get the full HHN packing list here: https://www.themeparkhipster.com/what-to-bring-to-halloween-horror-nights-hhn-packing-list/

Watch the Halloween Horror Nights Planning Guide series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-P__F4_Tc&list=PLs_pi5MBS3_D1PRFvCy-uYqR1mKgf1c2d

Where to Find Cheap HHN Tickets: https://www.themeparkhipster.com/cheap-halloween-horror-nights-tickets/

Enjoy!

NikkyJ

The recent announcement by Cedar Point of the retirement of Top Thrill Dragster was a tough pill to swallow for coaster enthusiasts across the world. Being the first full circuit roller coaster in the world to break the 400 foot tall barrier made this coaster legendary in many coaster enthusiasts eyes. So to have this coaster shuttered for good after 19 short seasons was a bit of a surprise. You could also say it was a bit predictable considering the rides history of having consistent mechanical issues causing larges amounts of downtime. The final nail in the coffin, a freak accident in 2021 where a small piece of metal from the ride became dislodged and struck a guest waiting the ride queue, causing serious injury. The coaster has not operated since this incident.

However, some of the wording that Cedar Point chose to use in their released statement concerning the fate of Top Thrill Dragster, has left us with a little spark of hope. Particularly the phrases “Top Thrill Dragster, as you know it, is being retired” and “Our team is hard at work, creating a new and innovative ride experience.” What does this mean exactly? Nobody is certain. BUT, it does leave open the possibility that Top Thrill Dragster won’t be leaving the park completely, which is a very intriguing thought.

In this episode we discuss the history of Top Thrill Dragster and what our best guesses are for the future of this towering behemoth. Let us know what you think the future holds for Top Thrill Dragster in the comment section below.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @airtimemisfits

www.airtimemisfits.com

The recent announcement from Cedar Fair about the sale and the inevitable closing of California's Great America has the roller coaster community shook. It's always a bad day when an amusement park closes its doors. Especially to the locals who claim Great America as their home park. While this is terrible new for the coaster community as a whole, it's good news for the smaller, neglected parks in the Cedar Fair chain. These parks now eagerly await to learn which of CGA's hand-me-down attractions they will be gifted.

In this episode, we briefly discuss the history of Great America, Nick's experience visiting the park and our thoughts of why Cedar Fair decided to pull the plug. Most fun of all, we give our best guesses as to which parks will become the new owners of these hand-me-down roller coaster and thrill ride attractions.

On this episode of the Airtime Misfits Podcast, we're discussing The Dragon. Making it's debut on May 12, 1990 at Adventureland in Altoona, IA, The Dragon was the first coaster in Iowa to feature an inversion (two back-to-back vertical loops). Not only was The Dragon the only looping coaster at Adventureland, it was also the only looping coaster in the entire state of Iowa for over 25 years. All the way until 2016 when Adventureland debuted The Monster, a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster featuring five inversions.

The Dragon gave its last rides to guests on September 29, 2019. A portion of The Dragon was removed to make room for Dragon Slayer, a 4-D Free-Spin Coaster from S&S. As of the summer of 2021, a large portion of The Dragon is still standing, including the very picturesque back-to-back vertical loops.

Did you have the chance to ride The Dragon before it closed for good? Let us know your thoughts about this coaster in the comment section.

Thanks for listening!