Theme Park Withdrawal

Unless you're fortunate enough to live in Florida or California, the end of October to early spring is dreaded time of year for park and coaster enthusiasts. You guessed it....The Off Season (dun dun DUUUUUNNNN!)

The Off Season (dun dun DUUUUUNNNN!) is an empty time spent missing our favorite parks, rides, food, whatever. The typical enthusiast will try to fill his or her time by looking through pictures and videos taken from this years trips or even previous years. This behavior is usually followed by a heavy sigh and a glassy-eyed stare out the nearest window. Some fist shaking and general cursing of Mother Nature's way might follow.

Other enthusiasts will find comfort in movies or video games during...The Off Season (dun dun DUUUUUNNNN!) Yes, building a simulated coaster in No Limits or Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 is like giving someone a veggie burger. It'll fill the bill, but it sure ain't Micky D's. Same goes for the movies. Sure, that Behemoth PoV on volume #2461 of the roller coaster DVD series still looks AMAZING, but it's just no substitute for the sun on your face, wind in your hair, and calling out all the major religious deities on the way over the first hill. And don't even get me started on the lack of good food smells, although Yankee Candle Company does offer some acceptable alternatives this year.;)

Add to all this the torture of coaster construction web cams. Yes, new rides to drool over...oh, but you have to wait. Even so, the avid enthusiast, in sheer desperation for some hot coaster action, will stay up day and night watching images refresh on a given webcam, with a warm Dr. Pepper in one hand, and a vice grip on the bag of Cheetos with the other. The computer keyboard is worn out from checking Screamscape every 5 minutes for construction updates, and the Any key is still as elusive to find as ever. Is that a lonely character sheet and a painted ranger figurine nearby on the desk? (Yes, I speak from experience here.) ;)

Suffice to say, The Off Season (dun dun DUUUUUNNNN!) is just brutal for those of us who love our parks and coasters. Spring time can't come soon enough, especially with the promise of more thrills in the coming year.What will the new coasters be like? Will I score a great deal on a season pass? Will I actually get a date this year? Will the gravy on the buffet truly be "like Mom used to make"? Will they add MORE trash cans to the vast battalions already at the park? Will they still have Vault Icee? If they don't, will they get it before there's a riot of crazed, camera wielding, yet under-caffeinated enthusiasts on the verge of narcolepsy?

Yes, these are questions of the highest order and must be pondered with a most serious mind...and stale Cheetos.

How long until spring again? Not soon enough my dear comrades, not soon enough. :)