I got a good taste of Worldfest today! (Thursday, 4/19/12) Arrived at 9:05am and parked right at stop 2. Tram was there waiting for me. Into the park with no problem, and a good breakfast at the mill. Gotta tell ya this...the waitress at the mill paid me a big complement. I was dressed in jeans and a pullover golf shirt and was wearing an old SDC cap that I've had since the early '90's. When the waitress came to get my drink order, she assumed I was an employee, and asked where I worked! I had to explain to her that I worked at the mill...but back in '79! I told her I am a FORMER employee, just up for a day of exploring the park. It was a good day to visit shops or go to rides. There were no lines anywhere...whoops...there were LONG LINES to get into the Meeting Hall and the Opera House to see the bigger Worldfest performances. When I say long lines, I really mean it, too. The line for the meeting hall extended all the way to the Dockside Theater, and the line for the Opera House was all the way to the entrance to the Powder Keg store. You could walk right in to FITH, Flooded Mine, Train, ANY of the rides with no problem. It was a "grey" crowd...older folks, not too many kids 'cause they are still in school. I saw the Russian Academic Band, Ecuador Manta, the Kenyan Sarakasi Acrobats,Austrian Master Yodeler Kerry Christensen, and some performers on stilts dressed as "Italian" characters on the streets in the Red/Gold Heritage Hall area. Another whirlwind trip through the park, and back out to the car at 1:30pm. NOTE: I did get to see my old co-worker and buddy from the diving bell, Kerry Chester, who served all those long years ago as our maintenance lead man. Kerry was operating the audio board at the Dockside Theater today. It was nice to see him, and he showed me a photo of his new grandchild, born in January. Congratulations, Kerry! Construction on the new coaster was proceeding well, however, they have erected a temporary fence that is in front of Hobo Junction, the footprint for the new ride comes right up to it. The park really looked good today. Photos of Worldfest, coaster construction, Echo Hollow stage construction, and more at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan