My tour began with park president Brian and "Pumpkin Princess" Natalie, decked out in her orange dress and wig. They led me to my first ride of the day, "Electric Bullet," where the kids spun me around in Brian's swivel chair while I shot his plastic cap gun at blue star targets they'd taped around his room.
But before I could ride, I had to watch a shot pre-show and safety spiel that the two had recorded on our Flip video camera. Yes, they did warn me to "keep my hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times."
Good kids!
After racking up the high score on Electric Bullet, I was walked over to Natalie's room for the "Fishing" carnival game, where I hooked a pair of AYSO dog tags on my line.
Then, it was into the bathroom for "Spider-Man's Challenge," where I had to cross the room without touching any piece of the web of yarn they'd threaded across the it. I bumped the wall the first time, and Natalie played a warning spiel that they'd recorded on the Flip. The second time through, I made it across, earning the "Congratulations" spiel.
After that, we took a quick break at the snack bar, where they presented me with the "Father's Day Special," peanuts that they fried in sugar on the stove top earlier this morning. Not bad, actually.
My final ride was downstairs, in front of the TV, upon which Brian screened his "Terminator" ride. I sat in another swivel chair, which Brian shook and swayed in synch with the film. ("It's like The Simpsons Ride!" he exclaimed.)
The movie, shot from the Terminator's point of view, offers half a dozen scenes of chasing and shooting at Natalie, who played a different character (in a different costume) in each. In a nice touch, Brian shot the whole thing holding a piece of red plastic over the lens (to match the Terminator's POV).
On my way out of the "park," I was presented with a hand-written sheet of coupons, good for free rides, snacks and meals upon future visits.
"You'll have to come back next year," Brian said, "when we'll be celebrating our first anniversary."
I most certainly will.
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I'm surprised you rode the simulator so late in the day. The lines must have been terrible.
But, yeah, I had to tell 'em to turn down the simulator a notch, after eating the sugared peanuts. Plus, I didn't want to break my chair. ;-)
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