November 2012
Looking Back... November 2012
28 November 2012 - 5:28pm
So who won the HoliAuction?
Did you bid?
Our HoliAuction to raise money for the Red Cross fund for SuperStorm Sandy relief got quite lively at the end. Our system's "anti-sniping" feature went into overdrive, adding five minutes to the clock each time a last-minute bid was posted. Talk about a wild ride!
Ultimately, though, there's only one top bidder.
And so we are shipping this box of goodies off to Keith in St. Peters, Missouri.
So who is this guy?
Keith is a member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts. He's visited 96 parks around the world and has ridden more than 500 roller coasters.
... including The Voyage, one of his favorites.
So when he saw the opportunity to help raise storm-relief funds (top bid was nearly $2,000!) for the Red Cross and to add to his park-memorabilia collection, Keith started bidding.
Dan and Mrs. Koch autographed the hard hat and flags, plus Keith gets four tickets for his park visit next year, commemorative Christmas ornaments, a throw from our 60th anniversary season, a Legend patch from its inaugural year, and even a piece we saved from the old Santa Claus Land tower.
Meanwhile, if you've been meaning to chip in to help with the disaster relief, here's the link to the Red Cross's donation page. Thank you!
19 November 2012 - 9:23pm
Thankful for Thanksgiving
Any lovely aromas coming out of your kitchen yet?
It's Thanksgiving week, when nearly everyone tries their hand at baking, roasting and even frying.
In our Thanksgiving-themed section, The Voyage tends to grab the glory. According to Travel Channel, it's the "most insane" wooden roller coaster out there, so accolades are rather appropriate.
But another ride, Gobbler Getaway, gets lots of kudos as well.
If you recognize this lady (did you know her name is Abigail?), then you've ridden Gobbler Getaway at least once.
Abigail explains the funky "turkey caller" and tells the story of long ago, in 1875, when Farmer Van Snoodle nearly had to cancel Thanksgiving in the sweet town of Autumn Falls!
Abigail has a photo of her ancestor - Farmer Van Snoodle - above the fireplace in her living room.
Did you know that little red thingy that hangs over the side of a turkey's beak is called a "snood"? I didn't either.
Wattle they think of next?
Happy Thanksgiving! (I know you're all thankful for the abundance of puns on this blog. Right?)
16 November 2012 - 5:55pm
Flagging down some help
The other morning, we noticed the Coaster Cats were on top of The Raven's lift hill. They were performing the annual ritual of removing that year's flags.
And in the spring, they put up a lovely new set.
So what happens to the old, tattered flags?
We auction them!
Just about everyone seems to know someone on the East Coast who was affected by Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy. My folks live on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound. Their electricity was out for four days. My dad was an Eagle Scout, so he considered it a challenge. " ... but after Hurricane Irene last year, your mom asked me to tone down my enthusiasm for roughing it," he told me. They're both 82.
They were lucky, though; their greatest loss was three containers of raspberry sorbet which melted all over the kitchen floor on the third day. "You mother wondered who - or what - I had stuffed in the freezer," my dad quipped. Ah, you hearty New Englanders, you.
Adam's from the East Coast, too. He managed a trip home to help out his dad and brother's family. His texted reports back to me were sobering. People are suffering.
So when we received this year's flags from Raven, we decided to put together an eclectic collection of fun items from the park for a big online auction, with proceeds going to the Red Cross and their Sandy relief efforts.
In all, the auction includes a box of goodies, some new and some very used: four tickets for 2013, a 60th anniversary throw, a Legend patch from its inaugural year, commemorative ornaments, the park flags from our front gate, a visitors hard hat, and even a chunk of metal we saved from the old Santa Claus Land water tower.
Here's where to check out all the details of our HoliAuction.
By the way, our rookie Coaster Cat - Drew - isn't in training to be a Santa's helper ...
... he was chosen to be the Flag Keeper that day so the coaster flags could be safely transported back down the lift hill to us.
I must admit, when I first saw the above photo, I wondered what the heck Ross was doing to poor Drew! No worries though, Drew just had the best jacket for flag carrying and Ross was adding to the collection.
Our HoliAuction, by the way, runs through noon Eastern Time (11am Central) on Tuesday, November 20. Please be generous!
9 November 2012 - 5:38pm
Santa's chair
... is empty until he returns in May.
Until then, this pretty kitty is keeping it warm, and enjoying today's springlike sunshine.
Could it be ... the real Kitty Claws?
9 November 2012 - 9:39am
Reindeer games
You never know what Nathan is going to come back with when he's been out in the park with our camera.
"You won't believe who was out at the front gate!"
Oh, no - did someone think we were open today?
"Apparently so ... and they jumped a fence!"
Well, we didn't have to call Security about these line jumpers. Santa's reindeer, after all, get free "rein" around the park.
Of course, we had to play with this photo on our Facebook page, with the caption, "Um ... the Moose out front should have told you ..."
Those who caught the joke - our reference to perhaps the most memorable line from the hilarious 1983 movie "National Lampoon's Vacation" - were delighted.
Everyone else thought I was some kind of moron.
"That's not a moose - that's a deer. Duh!" And that's one of the nicer ones. The spam filter grabbed a few others.
Sigh.
When I posted an explanation, along with an "I feel so old" whine, it was great to see some young-uns chime in that they loved that classic comedy. A few former park employees from facilities around the country even chimed in with stories of their own.
This antlered guest gave us pause as well. If he thinks he's going to get away with that tippy-toe (er ... tippy-hoof) business at the Height Measurement Station, he's got another thing coming!
