Thursday, May 27, 2010

Sea Lion Splash at Darien Lake!

Darien Lake has made a bunch of cool changes for the 2010 season.

In addition to the giant waterpark expansion which opens this weekend (Splashtown at Darien Lake), they've also added a new show to the Galaxy Theater.

It's called Sea Lion Splash and starts this weekend. It even includes a pool in front of the theater where you can photograph the sea lions after the show. Find out more on the Darien Lake website.

There will also be the Kris Allen free in-park concert this Sunday. And there's been a few awesome changes to some classic rides...
  • VIPER: It's back to it's original color! Plus another little on-ride surprise.

  • CORN POPPER: The original name returns (previously the Rodeo Roundup). Corn Popper describes this ride so much better, so I'm happy the name is back.

  • SLEIGHRIDE: A new light package and another fun surprise.

  • ALL ROLLER COASTERS: New rider announcements (which me and Kiss' Shannon Steele are VERY psyched about). :)

If you're going on a road trip and looking for an amusement park to visit, don't forget to check out my giant list of amusement parks with park links, what's new for 2010, and distances from Buffalo...

Buffalo Area Amusement Parks

Eastern New York Amusement Parks

Pennsylvania Amusement Parks

Other Recommended Amusement Parks

Lost Finale: 13-Minute Deleted Epilogue...

Yup, it's not over yet. There's a major scene we didn't see Sunday night.

It's about 13 minutes long and deals with the gap of time between Hurley becoming number one and the end of the series.

This according to a recent interview Michael Emerson (Ben) did on the G4 Network...



The scene will be included on the Lost Season 6 DVD on August 24th. Michael Emerson specifically states it'll be on the complete Lost DVD collection.

But what about the individual season 6 set which is also being released that day? How annoying would that be if all of us true Lost fans who have been buying the DVDs all along now have to re-buy season 1 - 5 in the complete collection just to get that extra scene with the season 6 set?! That would not be cool.

I'll let you know when I hear more...

UPDATE 8-11-10: It looks like the epilogue might be included on the Season 6 DVD set too. We'll know for sure on August 24th of course. It looks as if the epilogue is actually 12 minutes long (which includes 30 seconds of credits). See my August 11th post for more.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

So much for my Lost theory...

We've all been talking about the Lost finale in the building this week.

My theory that they all died when the plane originally crashed (right at the start of the very first episode) made sense thanks to that final scene with the crash footage minus the people (which was shown over the final credits Sunday night).

Brian Demay insisted that wasn't actually a part of the story. And then this morning, I got this e-mail from him...


Hmmm. Well up until I read this article from Entertainment Weekly my theory made sense (at least to me).

Turns out that final scene was added to the end of Lost by the network to make the transition to the evening news easier. Because apparently plane crash footage is far more comforting than someone closing their eyes (in the network's mind at least).

So knowing now that the producers had nothing to do with that final plane crash scene, I guess what Christian Shephard said really is the explanation. Which kind of saddens me - I liked the idea that they were all dead right from the beginning. It all seemed to flow together better that way.

I'm sure it'll make total sense when I rewatch it all someday.

So for all those that responded to my original post, here you go...

I was wrong. You were right.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The main Lost theories...

There's a bunch of Lost theories floating around trying to explain what happened on the finale. These seems to be the ones that make the most sense...

  • They all came together in the church after their death (whenever that might have been) to pass over together. This is easily the most popular theory and yes, this is what Christian Shephard was talking about.

  • They all died when Oceanic flight 815 crashed. The island and everything that followed was just a test to determine where they would end up in the afterlife. This seems to be the second most popular theory (Whoopi even talked about it on-air today, so there must be something to it).

  • They all (or at least most of them) died when the atomic blast occurred at the end of season five. This was from a listener that called in on the request line today. It does make sense - except for the people that were in the future at the time.

Click on the Lost logo above for the Dark UFO site which has even more theories for the final episode. There's some crazy ones and not so crazy ones there. The way I see it, it's all in how you put it together in your own mind. Everyone's theory is right then.

Whether you're happy or not that the Lost writers didn't just definitively answer everything for us, you've got to give them credit. Ending the show the way they did has kept people talking about it even when it's no longer on-air.

And as for that second theory, I've found someone else who agrees with me. Sadly, they didn't attach their name to the article.

One thing I'm pretty sure of - I'll definitely be rewatching the entire series again someday. And knowing how it ends while watching it might result in a completely different theory on what happened.

Now for all the unanswered questions. Here's a 4-1/2 minute video detailing all the Lost things that will probably forever remain a mystery...



One mystery I've been wondering about has been resolved. E! Online has revealed why Mr. Eko wasn't in the finale (it was all about the money sadly).

Monday, May 24, 2010

The Lost finale (SPOILERS)...

*** If you haven't seen the finale and don't want the ending to be completely spoiled, read no further! ***

It's rare that a TV show actually gets to do a true final episode. And it's even more rare when the producers actually use that chance to wrap up the entire series. But luckily, both of those things happened with Lost.

Not every mystery was solved and that's okay with me. I'd rather still have some things left to the imagination. But I was very happy with the biggest mystery of all being answered and I think the explanation they gave was the only one that made sense. So I loved the finale.

My favorite scene in the finale: the final one (after his eye closing) where they showed the plane crash with no survivors. That was a cool way to end the series.

Now the confusing stuff.

The final revelation made the flash forwards from seasons 4 & 5 pretty much useless. They were still a part of the overall story, but I would have rather seen more island stories than those.

One thing that did annoy me with the resolution is the fact that all the characters who died in the plane crash were interacting with people who were still alive in the flash-sideways. There's no way all the people they dealt with in the hospital, police department, etc. were also dead. So that doesn't make any sense. In the flash forwards, that was okay because that was apparently just all in their minds anyways (like their lives on the island). But that couldn't be the case with the flash-sideways.

And I'm guessing characters like Frank Lapidus and Miles (who were on the plane that left the island but weren't from the original plane crash) managed to return home safely with no memories of the others from the island since no one survived that initial plane crash. Maybe they were never even there and were just imagined characters.

This is now officially getting too confusing for me for a Monday.

Luckily, one mystery I was wondering about after the finale was answered during the Jimmy Kimmel show last night. Michael wasn't in the church because he was still one of the lost souls / voices on the island (that's what the actor who played Michael thought and I agree with that). Maybe that's where Walt was too.

A two-hour edited version of the final episode is scheduled to air Saturday night at 8pm with the Jimmy Kimmel "Aloha To Lost" special right after it at 10pm on ABC. The online Q&A with Jimmy Kimmel and the Lost cast can be seen on the ABC website.

Then get ready for the final season DVD on August 24th!


UPDATE: Star 102.5 listeners absolutely don't agree with me that all the passengers on Oceanic flight 815 died when the plane originally crashed on the island.

But how else can that final scene be explained with the plane wreckage on the beach? The moment I saw that scene, I understood. That seemed to make a lot more sense to me than what Christian Shephard had said.

But where are the bones / remains of the bodies if that's the case? That I have no idea, but that's still not enough to discount this possibility.

In order for everything to actually be real (well, kind of) and not total science-fiction (the time travel stuff, the smoke monster, etc.), this is the explanation that works. And if I remember right, back in the first season the producers said everything in the show is possible in real life. Christian Shepherd's explanation does not make sense then for that to be true.

And I'm happy to say I'm not the only person that thinks this! I'll admit it took a little searching, but I did find an article on TV Squad that says others think this as well. So I'm really not crazy! And I really was watching Lost and not Celebrity Apprentice! :)

Monday, May 17, 2010

A relaxing weekend in Lake Placid...

I barely even took the camera around. Most of the weekend was spent eating, walking around Main Street, and eating some more with friends and family. But here's a few pictures I did take...

I had a S'mores crepe here - mmmmmm. The bobsled in front of the place definitely caught my attention.


A cool building on Main Street.


Three Olympic venues in one here. Up close is the outdoor speed skating rink. Off to the far right is the ski jumping complex. And way out is the Mount Van Hoevenberg area with the luge / bobsled / skeleton track (that's where I'll be spending quite a few weekends this coming winter).


Some fun things to do when visiting Lake Placid...

GOLD MEDAL ADVENTURE: A three-hour family summer program where you learn about the sports of luge & bobsled by actually trying them (on wheeled sleds) along with tours of the ski jump tower and the Olympic training complex.

BOBSLED EXPERIENCE: Go down the bobsled track with a professional driver and brakeman (in a sled with wheels during the summer - in the winter, the real thing with the sled on blades).

SKELETON EXPERIENCE: This is a winter only thing. You go down the track from Start 5. You're on the sled going down the track head-first, on your stomach, and on your own!

GOLD MEDAL GAMES - FAMILY EDITION: Another winter only thing. A friendly family Olympic competition including curling, hockey, skiing, bobsled, speed skating, and more. The 2011 dates aren't up yet, but keep checking.

Make sure to check the websites for height and age restrictions for some of these programs.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

a-ha Concert Videos!!!

Here's a bunch of concert videos I found on YouTube. Watch soon as I'm sure they won't be up forever.

The long note Morten held for Summer Moved On (from 2:54 - 3:14) was amazing! That's in the second video down.

One of the concerts from this tour will be put on DVD sometime in the next year. For now, we have all these...











Tuesday, May 11, 2010

a-ha Reissues & An Awesome Concert!

The a-ha concert in Toronto last night was amazing! It's like the group has managed to find some way to stop time, as they sounded just like their singles from the 80's!

This was their only stop in Canada on their Ending On A High Note Tour. It was my first time seeing them perform and I sure picked a great concert to see. And a perfect venue too - I love Massey Hall.

a-ha performed for almost two hours and focused a lot on their 80's songs, ending of course with The Sun Always Shines On TV and Take On Me.


I ended up getting back from Toronto at about 3am to some great news: a-ha's first two albums are being re-released by Rhino with tons of extra content! They'll both be out June 28th, 2010 with lots of extended versions, live tracks, and demos - including both the original version of Take On Me (called Lesson One) AND the original released version of Take On Me (very different than what's always been played on the radio).

Here's the links...

Hunting High and Low (2-CD Deluxe Edition)

Scoundrel Days (2-CD Deluxe Edition)

And here's three music videos that have been released from a-ha's recent album Foot Of The Mountain. I think the title track is equally as incredible as Take On Me - a feel-good song that you'll be happy to have stuck in your head...







Finally, Liz called in during the Request Hour and knew that another popular a-ha song was Summer Moved On. She won an American Idol Season 9 CD for knowing that. That's one of the songs they performed flawlessly last night. Here's the music video for that...

Friday, May 7, 2010

2010 Starry Night Artists...

Starry Night In The Garden is Wednesday, June 30th at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens.

Tickets for Starry Night In The Garden are on sale now on the Star 102.5 website.

The 2010 Starry Night artists are...

2010 Alpine Coasters & Slides...

The alpine coaster is on a track with rails similar to a regular roller coaster. An alpine coaster can operate year round (but there are exceptions). Check out the video to the right on the Park City, UT alpine coaster in winter!

The alpine slide is more like a toboggan run, with the sled free to move around in the chute. You can control the speed (which sometimes results in things like this happening - don't worry, no one was hurt). These usually only operate spring - fall (again, there are exceptions). This POV video from the Jiminy Peak alpine slide most reminds me of riding the luge in Lake Placid.

I've included links for all the alpine coasters and then only the alpine slides that are relatively close to Buffalo, NY. For the rest, Google the websites. For all, check the websites for dates of operation as it varies greatly from park to park.


ALPINE COASTERS:

MASSACHUSETTS: Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock, MA (POV)

MARYLAND: Wisp Resort in McHenry, MD (POV)

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH (opening in 2011)

MINNESOTA: Spirit Mountain Timber Twister in Duluth, MN

COLORADO: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Canyon Flyer in Glenwood Springs, CO (POV)

UTAH: Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, UT (POV)


ALPINE SLIDES:

PENNSYLVANIA: Seven Springs Resort in Champion, PA (POV)

MASSACHUSETTS: Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA (POV)

VERMONT: Bromley in Peru, VT (3 slides) (POV)
VERMONT: Pico Mountain in Killington, VT (2 slides) (POV)
VERMONT: Stowe in Stowe, VT

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Attitash Ski Area in Bartlett, NH (2 slides) (POV)
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH (opening in 2011)

KENTUCKY: Alpine Slide in Cave City, KY

TENNESSEE: Ober Gatlinburg in Gatlinburg, TN (2 slides) (POV)

ILLINOIS: Chestnut Mountain Lodge in Galena, IL (POV)

MINNESOTA: Lutsen Mountains in Lutsen, MN
MINNESOTA: Wild Mountain Ski Area in Taylor Falls, MN (POV)

COLORADO: Breckenridge/Keystone Resort in Breckenridge, CO
COLORADO: Steamboat Springs in Steamboat Springs, CO (POV)
COLORADO: Durango Mountain Resort in Durango, CO
COLORADO: Great Heritage in Golden, CO
COLORADO: Intrawest/Winter Park in Winter Park, CO

UTAH: Park City Mountain Resort in Park City, UT (POV)
UTAH: Alpine Slide At Jackson Hole in Jackson, WY

OREGON: Ski Bowl Ski Area in Government Camp, OR

CALIFORNIA: Big Bear Alpine Slide At Magic Mountain in Big Bear Lake, CA (POV)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Other amusement parks...

If you’re going on a long road trip this summer and run across one of these parks, it’s definitely worth stopping...

CANOBIE LAKE PARK
Location: Salem, NH
Distance: 7.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2009: MystiQue, The Magical World Of Illusion will be their big show this year.
Similar to: Fantasy Island. They've got a Frisbee, one of my absolute favorite rides right now. And they're still running it great! In addition to that, there's a bunch of other great rides and three arcades, one which features about 30 pinball machines. I highly recommend this park!
Video: 2010 TV commercial


LAKE COMPOUNCE
Location: Bristol, CT
Distance: 6.5 hours
Opening date: May 15th
Similar to: Darien Lake.


SIX FLAGS NEW ENGLAND
Location: Agawam, MA
Distance: 6 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Mr. Six's Splash Island, a waterpark area for young kids.
Similar to: Darien Lake.




MOREY’S PIERS
Location: Wildwood, NJ
Distance: 8 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Ignis Fatuus - a mystery attraction that will be revealed Memorial Day weekend.
Similar to: The park itself reminds me of a gigantic Crystal Beach, except it’s all on three large piers overlooking the ocean. The boardwalk is super long and has all sorts of crazy shops.


KING’S DOMINION
Location: Doswell, VA
Distance: 9 hours
Opening Date: Now open
New for 2010: Intimidator 305, the tallest and fastest gravity driven roller coaster on the east coast!
Similar to: Canada’s Wonderland




BUSCH GARDENS: EUROPE
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Distance: 10 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: It's Canada’s Wonderland with more extreme roller coasters, fewer rides, and a lot more shops & restaurants.


CEDAR POINT
Location: Sandusky, OH
Distance: 4 hours
Opening date: May 15th
New for 2010: Shoot The Rapids - a log flume
Similar to: Unique with 17 roller coasters.
Video: Virtual ride on the new Shoot The Rapids


KING’S ISLAND
Location: King's Island, OH
Distance: 6.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Planet Snoopy - a retheming of their kiddie section and Boo Blasters On Boo Hill (formerly Scooby-Doo & The Haunted Castle).
Similar to: Canada’s Wonderland with bigger roller coasters.
Note: The Son Of Beast wooden roller coaster is no longer listed on the park's website or maps even though it does still exist. Chances are it won't be open this season.




STRICKER'S GROVE
Location: Hamilton, OH
Distance: 7.5 hours
Open: July 4, August 8, September 6, October 10
Similar to: A smaller Fantasy Island
Note: Only open to the public four days a year.


BEECH BEND
Location: Bowling Green, KY
Distance: 10.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Tea Cups, Quad Runner (kiddie ride), and a major waterpark expansion (wave pool, lazy river, and a water play area)
Similar to: Fantasy Island.


HOLIDAY WORLD
Location: Santa Claus, IN
Distance: 10 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Wildebeest - the world's longest water coaster.
Similar to: Darien Lake, but geared more to young kids.




DOLLYWOOD
Location: Pigeon Forge, TN
Distance: 11 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Adventure Mountain - four different challenge courses up to 26-feet in the air that features swinging beams, suspension bridges, flying islands, a tire traverse, and more!
Similar to: Unique. Stores and restaurants outnumber rides here, but the rides are all good.


INDIANA BEACH
Location: Monticello, IN
Distance: 8.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: What Crystal Beach used to be.


MT. OLYMPUS
Location: Wisconsin Dells, WI
Distance: 12 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Catapult (their website says it's an extreme ride but says nothing else about it).
Similar to: Unique. It’s an amusement park made up of nine long wooden go-cart tracks, seven roller coasters, and a gigantic indoor and outdoor waterpark. The entire town of Wisconsin Dells is a giant version of Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls. Nearby, the Timber Falls Adventure Park has an amazing wooden roller coaster called Hellcat (previously called Avalanche). There’s also a puzzle-like adventure down the road called Wizard’s Quest which is definitely worth checking out.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Other New York Amusement Parks...

SYLVAN BEACH AMUSEMENT PARK
Location: Sylvan Beach, NY
Distance: 3 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Himalaya (spin ride) & The Screamer (a 40-passenger speed boat on Oneida Lake).
Similar to: A smaller version of what Crystal Beach was.


THE GREAT ESCAPE
Location: Lake George, NY
Distance: 5 hours
Opening date: May 8th
Similar to: Fantasy Island. This is where the Crystal Beach Comet now is. It’s been modified a little, but it’s still a good ride.




MAGIC FOREST
Location: Lake George, NY
Distance: 5 hours
Opening date: May 29th
Similar to: Fantasy Island with all kiddie rides.


NORTH POLE / SANTA’S WORKSHOP
Location: North Pole, NY (near Lake Placid)
Distance: 6.5 hours
Opening date: June 26th
Similar to: Unique. An amusement park for young kids themed to Santa Claus & his reindeer.


CONEY ISLAND CYCLONE
Location:
Coney Island, NY
Distance: 7 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: Unique. The Astroland Park this was part of is now gone. But there's still two amusement parks within walking distance.


LUNA PARK:
Location: Coney Island, NY
Distance: 7 hours
Opening date: May 29th
New for 2010: The entire park!
Similar to: Crystal Beach possibly.




DENO’S WONDER WHEEL AMUSEMENT PARK
Location: Coney Island, NY
Distance: 7 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: A smaller Crystal Beach. It’s within walking distance of the Cyclone roller coaster and has the world famous Wonder Wheel, a giant ferris wheel with some cars that travel on tracks and swing into and out of the wheel structure!


LONG ISLAND’S ADVENTURELAND
Location: East Farmingdale, NY
Distance: 7.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: The Ghost House - a ride-through haunted house
Similar to: Fantasy Island

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Pennsylvania Amusement Parks...

Pennsylvania is the place to go if you love old-fashioned type amusement parks.

KNOEBELS
Location: Elysburg, PA
Distance: 4.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: Unique and highly recommended for all ages! Free parking, free admission, very reasonable prices, some of the best wooden roller coasters in the country, and a gigantic variety of rides for kiddies & adults. They're still working on opening the Flying Turns roller coaster. Maybe this will be the year!
Video: The vicious Knoebels' Bumper Cars




WALDAMEER PARK
Location: Erie, PA
Distance: 2 hours
Opening date: May 8th
Similar to: A smaller Fantasy Island




CONNEAUT LAKE PARK
Location: Conneaut Lake, PA
Distance: 2.5 hours
Opening date: May 29th.
New for 2010: Two new kiddie rides for the Kiddieland section.
Returning for 2010: Blue Streak wooden roller coaster (they're trying to have it open by late summer). There's a good chance the Round Up will also return to the park, but in a new location.
Similar to: A smaller version of what Crystal Beach used to be.


KENNYWOOD
Location: West Mifflin, PA
Distance: 4 hours
Opening date: May 8th
New for 2010: Sky Rocket, a launch coaster with a 90-degree drop!
Similar to: Canada’s Wonderland
Note: King Kahuna (a Top Spin ride) was removed from the park.
Video: Sky Rocket promotional video


DELGROSSO’S PARK
Location: Tipton, PA
Distance: 4 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: A small Fantasy Island.


LAKEMONT PARK
Location: Altoona, PA
Distance: 4.5 hours
Opening date: May 26th
Similar to: Fantasy Island. Remember Roseland in Canandaigua? This is where the Roseland Skyliner wooden roller coaster now is. This is also the home of the world's oldest roller coaster, Leap-The-Dips.




IDLEWILD PARK
Location: Ligonier, PA
Distance: 4.5 hours
Opening date: May 27th
Similar to: Fantasy Island. A unique feature of this park - it features Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make Believe, a life-size trolley ride through Mr. Rogers' world.


HERSHEYPARK
Location: Hershey, PA
Distance: 5.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: A "Create Your Own Candy Bar" experience at Chocolate World (which is actually outside the amusement park).
Similar to: Canada’s Wonderland
Video: A virtual tour of the "Create Your Own Candy Bar" experience.


DORNEY PARK
Location: Allentown, PA
Distance: 5.5 hours
Opening date: May 2nd
Similar to: Darien Lake


DUTCH WONDERLAND
Location: Lancaster, PA
Distance: 6 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: Fantasy Island, but geared more to younger kids.


SESAME PLACE
Location: Langhorne, PA
Distance: 6.5 hours
Opening date: Now open
Similar to: Unique. It’s an entire amusement park for kids based on Sesame Street!

Monday, May 3, 2010

Buffalo Area Amusement Parks...

As always, if you think I missed something or you find a broken link, please e-mail me.

In the upcoming days I'll post the Pennsylvania parks, the eastern New York ones, some others further off, and an updated list of North American alpine coasters & slides.

Always check the park’s calendar before visiting, as each one starts and ends their daily schedules in a different way. All distances listed are from Buffalo...

DARIEN LAKE
Location: Darien Center, NY
Distance: 45 minutes
Opening date: May 8th (Splashtown opens May 21st)
New for 2010: Splashtown at Darien Lake - a major expansion to the water park! Includes a lazy river, a second wave pool, and 4 new waterslides. Full details here. Also new this year, Sea Lion Splash in the Galaxy Theater.




FANTASY ISLAND
Location: Grand Island, NY
Distance: 15 minutes
Opening date: May 15th


MARINELAND
Location: Niagara Falls, ON
Distance: 30 minutes
Opening date: May 22nd


CANADA’S WONDERLAND
Location: Just north of Toronto, ON
Distance: 2 hours
Opening date: Now open
New for 2010: Planet Snoopy - a retheming of the kiddie area and Boo Blasters On Boo Hill (formerly Scooby-Doo's Haunted Mansion).


OLCOTT BEACH CAROUSEL PARK
Location: Olcott, NY
Distance: 1 hour
Opening date: May 29th
Similar to: A smaller Midway Park. Features a carousel and five kiddie rides, each costing 25-cents to ride.


MIDWAY PARK
Location: Bemus Point, NY
Distance: 90 minutes
Opening date: May 29th
Similar to: A smaller Fantasy Island with all kiddie rides.


ONTARIO PLACE
Location: Toronto, ON
Distance: 2 hours
Opening date: May 22nd
Similar to: A smaller Fantasy Island with mainly kiddie rides.


SEABREEZE
Location: Rochester, NY
Distance: 90 minutes
Opening date: May 22nd
New for 2010: Revolution 360 - a Mega Disk'o ride just like the one Fantasy Island got last year. This one gives you a great view of Lake Ontario while riding!
Similar to: Fantasy Island