griffon media day(s)

Weird as it is, not going to Peru has some unexpected side advantages. One of those is saving money. Another, and far more important at this point, is saving vacation days. And little did I know, having extra vacation days between now and my Grand Canyon trip could prove to be indescribably valuable.

I was just reminded by the local ACE rep that there are still slots available for Griffon Media Day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. And due to my sudden "abundance" of leave time, I can afford to spare a day in the middle of the pre-GC week instead of having to work nutso hours right up to our departure. So, provided I can hurry up and renew my membership fast enough, I'm on the list! Methinks.

I know this sounds cool, but it's actually much cooler than it sounds. This is an ACE-only event, FREE to members, that lasts all day on Wednesday, May 16th, and half the day on Thursday the 17th. The park will be open 5a-630p Wednesday and 6a-1p Thursday, so that's a serious chunk of time. The best part is, all in attendance -- and that hopefully won't be a huge amount -- will get unlimited rides on Griffon.

Yeah, unlimited. That's HUGE, folks. Depending on the number of ACErs who show up, that could be worth 50+ rides. On what could be the greatest thrill ride ever built on this planet. Holy freaking crap. Now that's worth hurriedly shelling out $50 to rejoin ACE!

If things go as I hope then I'll be signed up for all three shifts on Wednesday -- i.e., all 11.5 hours of 'em -- and will have a day at the park that dwarfs the greatness of any other single day I've ever had at any park. Firedrilling on Kraken at Sea World is way up there, as is the Islands of Adventure day that included multitudes of Dueling Dragons rerides and the day I was on every set of Gwazi trains for a few hours straight at Busch Tampa, but a similar experience on Griffon would surely crush them all in any metric that measures repeated thrills. And the first day at Cedar Point was something else, too, though the total ride count isn't high enough to put it up there with the Florida excursions. (Come to think of it, every day I've spent at a Florida park in recent memory has been an amazing one. That trend needs to continue.) But Griffon is Griffon, and the rest are the rest.

Throw in the always-welcome escape from the confines of southern Maryland and a chance to meet and mingle with other coaster freaks from the region, and that looks like a much-needed awesome day in the making. So, yeah, that's at the top of the dream list for now. If there is any justice, fairness, hope, or any other goodness to be found anywhere in the world these days, then I will be in Williamsburg three weeks from Wednesday.

UPDATE: God has once again exercised dominion over the dark powers of the world that would separate me from an event I have clearly and obviously been called to attend. I am on the list for all three Wednesday shifts.