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Theme Park Christmas...A Different Take

Get any amusement/theme park/coaster related Christmas goodies?

From Mike Gallagher
Posted December 28, 2012 at 10:04 AM
I like roller coasters. A lot. Did you know that?

I dislike Star Wars. A lot. Did you know that?

So I'm very conflicted about the t-shirt my nephew gave me for Christmas. It portrays Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper riding a roller coaster. Should I wear it? Should I not? I now have TWO t-shirts with famous people/characters doing what I love to do. But the Pope one was my creation ("my CREATION?" Who am I, Victor Frankenstein (Fronkonsteen?)...so I'm partial to that.

One of my clients (anonymously, unfortunately) sent me a $100 Amazon gift card and my sister gave me a $50 Visa card, so there's a possibility coaster related-stuff may come from those. Last year (well, this year) I used the Visa card toward my Cedar Fair Platinum Pass.

I had also purchased for myself before Christmas two copies of ACE's Roller Coaster Calendar for 2013. Sadly, I have been on ZERO of the 12 depicted.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I was an honorary Jewish person for the day, and went to the movies and had pizza (and a RING DING! One of the last available!) with my friend Ellen. We also watched a bit of A Charlie Brown Christmas on her DVR. Then I came home and watched Snow White and the Huntsman.



Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Dominick D
Posted December 28, 2012 at 10:53 AM
Mike, why don't you like SW?

I did get some Vinylmations, but that's it.

From Bryce McGibeny
Posted December 28, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Me and my dad went to Islands of Adventure for a day.

I also got a Visa card and some money. That could possibly go to a Universal AP (since they are so darn cheap!) after I get a car. But that won't be for a while.

From Rob Pastor
Posted December 28, 2012 at 11:42 AM
One of the gifts from my girl friend was a dancing Mickey Mouse plush singing "Deck the Halls". It does a minute of two/three step combinations across the table. It's funny as all heck. People visiting for my Christmas Eve & Christmas day parties loved it.

From Amy Smith
Posted December 28, 2012 at 1:21 PM
I got money specifically for an Aquatica annual pass and then a $200 check from the grandparents (It really does pay to be nice to the relatives no one else can stand!) and I am deciding whether or not to put that towards renewing the WDW pass or letting it lapse.

From Mike Gallagher
Posted December 28, 2012 at 2:31 PM
Dom, I'm not a person that gets very far when attempting to explain why I like or dislike something. I know what I like and don't like, and I've never liked Star Wars. I saw it on its initial release in 1977, it did nothing for me, and I never watched it again or had any desire to. If you want an "explanation," I'm afraid I won't have one for you. But then again, I can't even describe why I like certain roller coasters and not others.

From AJ Hummel
Posted December 28, 2012 at 4:23 PM
I actually got several gifts related to theme parks this year.

-2 books: Coasters 101: An Engineer's Guide to Roller Coaster Design by Nick Weisenberger and Theme Park Design: Behind the Scenes with an Engineer by Steve Alcorn
-A 2013 Knott's Berry Farm Season Pass (essentially a renewal of my current pass)
-A 2013 Six Flags Pass (actually got it before Christmas, but it was treated as a present)
-TPR's Roller Coasters in the Raw: Volume 7 DVD (this series is the best coaster footage DVDs I've found anywhere)

I also bought myself a 2013 ACE calendar, but that doesn't count as a gift.

From Melanie Howe
Posted December 28, 2012 at 4:42 PM
Mike, I think I'd have to say "no" on whether you should wear the Vader/Stormtrooper t-shirt. The joke is who's on the coaster, not the coaster itself, and to me the shirt would scream Star Wars nerd more than coaster fanatic. (As I AM a dyed-in-wool Star Wars nerd, I can say that....). So, yeah, unless you want folks to assume you love SW, I'd avoid the shirt. Pity....

No specific theme park-related gifts in my house, though my hubby's haul did include a couple new Simpson's Treehouse of Horror comic collections bought from Amazon that we started collecting after buying a few in the USF Kwik-E-Mart. Does that count?

From Mike Gallagher
Posted December 28, 2012 at 6:06 PM
Interesting point, Melanie. I sorta feel I owe it to my nephew to wear it, since I wasn't thrilled with the other gift he got me...a WWE DVD box set of about 10 discs of specifically Hulk Hogan, Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper. I actually attempted to exchange that today, but could not, as it was the "Free" half of a Buy One Get One Free Offer, and therefore had no exchange value.

When I mentioned the shirt on another forum, my friend Jennifer, with whom I hit parks at least a couple times a season, confessed to having a crush on Darth Vader in her younger days, and said if I wouldn't wear it, she'd be glad to.

Maybe I'll write a message on the back..I LOVE ROLLER COASTERS AND I HATE STAR WARS. I'M A WALKING CONTRADICTION!

From Melanie Howe
Posted December 28, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Ha! Okay then, I'd compromise by wearing the shirt once for your nephew's sake then pass it off to Jennifer. At least that way it will be well loved :-).

From Dominick D
Posted December 28, 2012 at 6:47 PM
Give it another chance Mike. I did that with LOTR and ended up loving it.

P.S. I have that shirt, it's at Khol's.

From Mike Gallagher
Posted December 28, 2012 at 7:43 PM
Well, Dom, at least I got through Star Wars once. I can't say that about LOTR, and I tried 3 separate times.

The only other Star Wars movie I saw was ROTJ, and I will admit to enjoying that.

But thanks for the advice. And thanks for yours too, Ms. Howe.

I ordered a few items today with the Amazon card, including DVDs of Gremlins and Little Shop Of Horrors and Stephen King's Under The Dome. And...a license plate frame that reads: I'D RATHER BE ON A ROLLER COASTER. Well, it's true...

From Dominick D
Posted December 28, 2012 at 7:59 PM
James Rao is gonna be mad to hear you liked ROTJ ;) If you do plan on watching the Star Wars films, skip Phantom Menace and AOTC.

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