The ATRA Tour Continues...
Lilly's Birthday in Florida!
November 10-16, 2012
In November of 2012 our own Lily Von Staple celebrated her Golden Jubilee in Central Florida. She and Duke stayed on Disney property and hit every operating coaster in the Orlando-Tampa area, including Cheetah Hunt, Lily's 700th coaster, ON HER BIRTHDAY!
Click here read the full report •
Click here to see a photo report
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The ATRA Tour Continues...
The ATRA Relocated Coaster Tour....plus Paul McCartney at Wrigley Field!
July 28 to Aug 2, 2011
I have returned from my trip to Chicago to see Paul McCartney at Wrigley Field. I also visited 5 amusement parks. Each park has a roller coaster that was saved and relocated from a defunct amusement park:
1. Kokomo's Family Fun Center, Saginaw, MI - Serpent Coaster from LeSourdesville Lake Amusement Park (closed 2003
2. Michigan's Adventure, Muskegon, MI - Serial Thriller from Geauga Lake, now called Thunderhawk (closed 2007).
3. Santa's Village Azoosement Park, East Dundee, IL - Dragon Wagon from Go Bananas! in Arlington Heights, IL. (closed 2010).
4. Bay Beach Amusement Park, Green Bay, WI - Zippin Pippin from Libertyland in Memphis, TN (closed 2005).
5. Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, IL - Little Dipper from Kiddieland in Melrose Park, IL (closed 2009).
It should also be noted that Santa's Village was a defunct park that closed in 2005. The park re-opened this year and is now called Azoosement Park.
While in Chicago, I visited with friends Joe & Steve, who moved there from Pittsburgh last year. They went to Wrigley Field and Six Flags with me. Here are a couple photos.
Joe also took videos at the Paul McCartney concert and posted them to YouTube. You can see them here. Enjoy!
The ATRA Tour Continues....
Pete
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The ATRA Tour Continues...
Flying High - MidSummer Scream at Waldameer Park
Saturday, August 14, 2010
After their fun day at Kennywood, many ATRA members traveld to Waldameer for the WNYCC/GOCC co-hosted Flying High - MidSummer Scream event Click here to see a photo trip report
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The ATRA Tour Continues...
Coasting By The Ocean
July 9 to 11, 2010
Numerous ATRA members gathered at the Shore in Wildwood NJ to enjoy the hospitality offered at Morey's annual event. Click here to see a Photo trip report
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A stop at Conneaut Lake Park
Pete's report from a side trip to the resurgent Conneaut Lake Park
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Conneaut Lake Park looked great!!! ATRA Chris and I visited the park on Saturday afternoon. I know I said last October that the park looked so bad that it would never re-open again....I was wrong! The park looks as good (or better) than it did the year that it closed! Nice landscaping and fresh paint...even gold fish in the pond! The boardwalk by the lake is being replaced. There is a new Skyscraper ride to replace the Ferris wheel. The train opened on July 4th and is running great...new track work and gravel. The water park recently re-opened. All rides operating great, except The Blue Streak, which does not look bad. Park maintenance men said the coaster will operate next year! I was very impressed with the appearance and operations of the park. Some very positive news in these hard times!
Please support Conneaut Lake Park! Keep the small parks alive!
Click here to see some photos from Conneaut
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Flying High on the Ravine Flyer
Waldameer Park, with a side trip to the resurgent Conneaut Lake Park
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Click here to see some photos from Waldameer
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Renegade Midwest Trip Report
Valleyfair!
August 1, 2007
Rick and I left Thursday morning for our Renegade Midwest Trip. Our intent was to drive the entire 14 hour trip that day, and participate in the Coaster Craze event at Valleyfair! on Friday.
Our first stop was in Rockford, IL at Cherry Valley Golf & Games. The Tidal Wave roller coaster was moved to this location in 2006, but never opened. Cherry Valley Golf & Games went out of business and did not open in 2007. A sign outside says to visit their new location called Volcano Falls. They advertised a roller coaster and a train at the new location. Since the Tidal Wave was still standing but not operating at Cherry Valley, we thought the new location may have a new coaster that we did not know about! More...
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Pete's Labor Day Weekend Small Park Excursion
September 1 - 4, 2006
Yes, I can't stop seeking out new small traditional amusement parks! Since Rick could not go on this trip to North Carolina, I decided to skip Myrtle Beach & Dollywood, and just go to the small parks that I have not visited before. I could not believe there are three small parks within 8 hours from home that I have never seen! More...
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ATRA 2006 Small Park Preservation Tour
Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, & Arkansas
18 Amusement Parks! 55 Roller Coasters! 16 New Roller Coasters!
August 2 - 12, 2006
This is just a quick trip report. If you have any specific questions about the trip, please email me!
Rick and I had a great time on this trip! It is the second longest trip w e have ever done, the first being our Texas, New Mexico, Colorado Trip in 2004. We drove more than 3200 miles! This trip had the most parks visited- more than any other!
My coaster count is now 762. My park count is now 217.
Keeping the small parks alive,
Pete
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Pete & April's Florida Trip
April 16-24, 2006
| SUNDAY April 16 |
Fly to Orlando, Florida
Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom (8AM-8PM)Drive to Winter Haven (45 min.)
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| MONDAY April 17 |
Cypress Gardens (10AM-6PM)Drive to Clearwater (55 min.)
Celebration Station (4PM-10pm)Drive to Tampa (20 min.)
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| TUESDAY April 18 |
Busch Gardens, Tampa (9AM-8PM)Drive to Port Charlotte (90 min.)
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| WEDNESDAY April 19 |
Kidstar Park, Port CharlotteDrive to Ft. Myers (60 min.)
Zoomer's Family Amusement ParkDrive to Naples (40 min.)
King Richard's Fun Park (l1AM-9PM)Drive to Dania Beach (95 min.)
Boomers! (ride The Hurricane till midnight!) |
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| THURSDAY April 20 |
Drive to Miami (30 min.) City of Miami PBADrive to Ft. Lauderdale (30 min.)
Uncle Bernie's Theme ParkDrive to Orlando (3 hours)
Universal Studios (9AM-10PM) |
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| FRIDAY April 21 |
Drive to Augusta, GA (6.5 hours)
Funsville (12PM-10PM)Drive to Austell, GA (2 hours)
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| SATURDAY April 22 |
Six Flags Over GeorgiaACE Spring Fling |
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| SUNDAY April 23 |
Drive to Marietta, GA (25 min.)
American Adventures (l1AM-6PM)Drive to Rossvllle, GA (90 min.)
Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park (12-8PM) Drive to Orlando, FL (8 hours) |
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| MONDAY April 24 |
Fly home to Pittsburgh
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| Total of 15 parks in 9 days! Total of 40 rollercoasters! Total of 20 new rollercoasters for Pete! (702 total count) | |||||||||||
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Pete & April's Ozarks Trip
From Silver Dollar City to the Rolling Stones
December 1-5, 2005
This past weekend, my friend Pete and I went to Silver Dollar City and to see the Rolling Stones in Memphis, TN, with a final stop at Beech Bend to check out the Kentucky Rumbler.
Pete arrived here in Dayton on Wednesday evening, and then he came to my apartment on Thursday morning and we were off.
It took us most of the day to get to Branson, MO, home of Silver Dollar City, my favorite park in the whole world (at least of all the parks I have been to.) It is about a 9-hour drive from my place to Branson, and 13 hours from Pittsburgh to Branson (Pete lives in Pittsburgh.) More...
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Pete's California/Las Vegas Tour
March 11 to 19, 2005
Pete returned home on Sunday night, March 20, and quickly wrote a report of his trip. This massive tour included Pacific Park, Santa Monica Pier, Knott's Berry Farm (and the Winter Coaster Solace), Adventure City, Scandia Family Fun Center, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland & Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios, all of Las Vegas, NV & Buffalo Bill's Casino, Sea World San Diego, Belmont Park, Legoland, Castle Park, and Pharoh's Lost Kingdom!
Click here to read the full report...
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Pete's ACE Summer Conference Trip
The Pacific Northwest
September 9 - 12, 2004
I returned home last night from my trip to ACE Summer Conference in Seattle and Vancouver, BC. There were 156 coaster enthusiasts in attendance, mostly the older members of the group. This was good for me because I knew a lot of them from before, since I have been a member for 12 years myself. We were all there for the same reason- to ride two of the best classic wooden coasters in the world, "Roller Coaster" at The Puyallup Fair in Washington, and "Coaster" at The PNC Playland in Vancouver, BC. More...
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Pete's Trip to Delaware, New Jersey and New York
August 19-22, 2004
I just returned from my trip to Delaware, New Jersey. and New York. Rick could not go, so I did this trip alone. I had two purposes to this trip.. to ride Tsunami, the new wood coaster at Clementon Amusement Park and to visit five small amusement parks that I never visited before, to "fill in the gaps" on my roller coaster list. More...
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Pete & Clyde Tour the Southeast
August 3-9, 2004
We just returned yesterday from our trip to the south. Rick could not go because of his new job, so Clyde went with me. We visited 6 parks in 6 days and I added 10 new coasters to my list- now 453 total! We drove over 3000 miles. More...
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Pete & Rick Go West by Southwest
June 24 - July 4, 2004
Hi Everyone!
Rick and I just returned from our fantastic trip out west to Texas, New Mexico, and Denver. We visited 12 Amusement Parks in 11 days, 10 of which we were never at before. We rode 54 new roller coasters! Click here for the full report
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