How the Mighty Have Fallen: CFF

That... Central Florida Fair... thing
Remember when this fair used to be really, really good?
Yeah, me neither.

Continuing a birthday tradition of mine.. I made a half hearted visit to the fair. What was once a dominating midway is now a third of its size and seems to be shrinking, yearly now :(
That being said, we made the best of it.. and since it was still a fair, had fun.

The 2016 Central Florida Fair!!!
Oh wait, half the ride models shown here don't even come to the fair anymore...

Uh, the actual midway
Well, mostly just kiddie land.. but still.

Super Cyclone!

Yaayyy! After missing it at the State Fair.. because it wasn't ready for some reason.. despite the fact it was cycling with staff on it our whole visit... We got on it at Central Florida.

Although it still took two takes to get it right.. Since on our first attempt... while already seated in the train locked and ready to go... Everyone was removed from the ride and it went out of service for a few hours...
(but in the end, we did mange to get our ride...)

Zombie Apocalypse... I think the apocalypse ended before we got on the ride.. since there wasn't much going on inside it.

Observation Tower was at the far end of the kiddie midway this year (where the Mulligan used to always be) while odd to be in the kid area... Its was nice being along side of the lake.

Jungle Twist!
Is it sad that the best coaster at the fair ended up being this unsuspecting kiddie spinner?
Its actually pretty fantastic. I first came across one at the State Fair of Texas and now Wade is traveling with one.
(For sure one of those "don't judge a book" coasters)

Pirate!
(rrrrrr)

Fireball, uh, skipped.
After my lame ride on the one at the Osceola County Fair earlier this year, I've just kinda been.. uh.. over them.

Music Express was back again this year...

:3 We saw the bear show! :3
(although it was hard to get a good photo of the bears... so here's one of the empty stage area)

Oh.. And they had the giant portable slide this year.
So I rode it.
And stuff.

Opa! Uh, Mighty Mouse.
Given the courtesy ride.

Enterprise, woo

<3 Mega Drop <3
With some pretty sunset action going on

Basic Ferris Wheel, sunset, palm tree photo... because, Florida.

O-Town

Some of the adult rides on the midway from Mega Drop.

PIRATES!
(RRRRRRRRRR!)

HIT IN 2000!
Wait no, Wade doesn't even bring Hit to Central Florida anymore...

Luckily their banged up Super Himalaya still runs better than most any other!

Music Express was run better than the last time it was here
Although without directional changes or switching the cycle up.

haha, Fighter.
Remember when this was super flashy... and uh, worked right?
(lololol)

Gravinception

Fireball.. Looking pretty cool covered in LED's

Same for the Orbiter... And since we had ridden everything else we wanted to.. we took it for a ride.
I do enjoy the Orbiter but I tend to overlook them in favor of more exciting rides. 

And since there was no Swing Tower ride here to end our night... We jumped on Mega Drop once more.. because, well, I love me some drop towers <3
Woo? maybe?? 2016 may not have been as awesome as say... 2010 or 2011... But here's hoping 2017 is at least on par with this? :/

Hmm, somehow I never posted these....

Well, better late than never? maybe??
So... Whats better than working till 5am? Using a *free* day and going to the 2012 Florida Strawberry Festival!" (eww, strawberries!)

Sweet, I might hate Strawberries, but I love me some rides!

yaayyyyyy

Ok, so... Were just gonna skip past the Tractors and Cows and Pigs... and all the other crap and just get right to the ride photos.. and stuff.

OK, rides!

Brand new KMG Speeeeeed, it was closed most of the night... So I never got to ride it.

But the first thing I did ride was....

 The extremely clunky MegaDrop. I love me some drop rides but I don't know what was up with this one.. I even gave it second and third chances.. but it kept just being.... bad.

And it got worse when..

I found my first Zamp Nitro in seven years, closed, the whole night :(

Good thing the KMG Freak Out was open!

And it just kept getting better from there on out!

SPACE ROLLER

You've returned to my life, and I thank you so much for doing so.

Having been MIA at the Florida State Fair the past 2 years and seemingly dropping off the amusement-radar all together.... The amazing Mondial Top Scan has returned <3

And with my day made.. it was time to sample the rest of the rides on the fairly large midway.

Full sized Rev Spinner, hadn't seen this one since Santa's Enchanted Forest or the Meadowland's Fair  :)

 Simple and fun, worth a reride too, woo

<3 SKY WHEEL <3

Also something that was lacking at the Florida State Fair this year, making me have to ride it some 4 times here in Plant City (just in case :( ) Ah, one of my all time favorite classic rides. I still tear up sometimes at Fun Spot standing where it's Sky Wheel once was.

Hmm, now this one seemed like I'd seen it in a past life or something... Not just any ol' portable flume... but in fact one I had ridden nearly 10 years earlier!

Oh yeah, its Fiesta Fiasco Shows! And while it may have new logs on it now.. its still the same ride I just couldn't get enough of at Revere Beach back in 02 and 03 <3 

I didn't even know they still owned a flume!

(((Sun goes down now)))

Woo, rides at night.. with all their flashing lights and stuff.. yaayyyyyyyy

:O Magnum was here, and running pretty long cycles banging out TIESTO <3

Mondial Shake = :D :D :D :D

Crazy Dance = ...not so much

and while better than Wade's 'Twister' its still not a HUSS

 (although it ran a nice long cycle with multiple changes in speed to keep the cycle interesting)

Yo..................yo

One of the few rides left on the midway without LED's and it still looked great.

And now back to the negative. 

Anticipointment 101 right here....

My first Power Surge in 5 years... And I'm told the boom is broken.. So the main arm never rotated... meaning our whole ride cycle remained without a single inversion. One of the few rides Zamp makes right (and was original) and it wasn't even working right :'(

And with that the night was winding down with just enough time for a few more rides.

An overview shot from the Eli Wheel 

(a must have for any major Floridian fair it seems)

The nice and smooth ARM Vertigo

And of course I saved time for one last ride on....

Ah.....

Also,  EWWWWWW

 Oh hey, and Joey

 (cause I know you're the only one even reading this..... I'm about to go on a Dollywood adventure... So I'll send your box-o-crap once I get back from that... and stuff)