Grand Concourse Posted September 16, 2011 Share #1 Posted September 16, 2011 Before anyone tars and feathers me, I think there's a few of us fans of these thrilling rides at the parks and we could talk about favorite rides and 'trip reports' of our day at the parks. I'll start off with my day at Coney Island last week: went to CI and finally got to ride Soarin Eagle and after riding it, I will not be going back on that anytime soon as it was very rough on my shoulders- ouch. Steeplechase was fun, but more or less a forgetable ride. It's the launch and then 'whatever'. Not worth the 7 creds that it costs. The 'Zenobio' or skyscraper ride was pretty fun and compared to the other rides in that section, the most value for its price at 8 creds. Normally heights that far up freaks me out, but I guess it was part the otsr and the 'cage' that made me feel a bit more secure despite being so high up and the cage swinging around when the arm stops moving. Finally I made it over to the cyclone where i was disappointed to find they don't allow people to wait for the front row anymore. So by default i decided to take my first and only ride in the back row. Holy crap, I think if i didn't hold on to the bar in front of me, I think I might've been thrown off the coaster. I would probably say it could've been like riding a wild bull. I had a 40 cred card, so I didn't want my 1 cyclone ride to be tainted by my bad back row experience, so I went back and took the 2nd car, front row and the ride felt a lot 'safer', but not much better. Finally I refilled the card for another 3 creds and went to the air race ride at Luna Park and took a few more pics of the decomissioned astroland tower. And that was that for my day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted September 16, 2011 Share #2 Posted September 16, 2011 Not much into roller coasters. Suffer from mild form of motion sickness. Been on the CI Cyclone couple of times in my life most recent about 15 years ago around 1995-'96. More a bumper car/water ride fan at any asument park myself.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Far Rock Depot Posted September 16, 2011 Share #3 Posted September 16, 2011 i decided to continue this convo here: I've only heard of Shockwave, I was way too young to have rode it. It was the most important coaster as that was the last ride B&M made before they split off from Intamin and are now famous for that track style and the 4 across [and more with those dive coasters] seating. But I've heard how rough those 1st gen rides are. I'd much rather wait for custom/newer gen versions of their rides.Shockwave, last I heard was still in storeage at Darien lake when Six Flags sold off that park. For historical purposes, I hope that isn't scrapped. = Awesome! I am more a roller coaster nut than a subway/bus [combined] fan. Any major park I go to, I plan out my day based around the major or 2nd major coaster at the park. I'd like to ride GL at SF GAdv, but I still wished they didn't have to tear down GASM. They had enough space on the 'Batman' side of the park... But overall, it is nice they have a 'new'* ride than a crap 'wild mouse in the box' or rethemed [medusa to bizarro] coaster. *It's actually a 2nd hand coaster moved from the defunct Six flags Kentucky. = Since it seems people are starting up random threads, maybe we could start up a Roller coaster thread? Who's interested? As much as i loved GASM, it had to go. It was 21 years old (opened in 1989). i rode it last year right before its last ride on July 18, 2010. There were an average 5 riders per train. Its time had come and past and it was one helluva run!! Ah yes, Green Lantern was once the great coaster "Chang"! Built back in 1997 for Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, the original rumor was that the coaster was to go to Georgia but I guess they wanted to get rid of the Scream Machine... No one really rode it much but it sure did rattle the head. Bolliger and Mabillard is probably the top coaster builder out there, I love them for what they do, they recently wandered into new territory with two new coaster types, with one being their version of the giga-coaster and a slight variation of the 4th dimension coaster except without the rotating seats but riders will still ride NEXT to the track and not on top/below 4th Dimension coasters arent 4th dimensions without rotating seats. X2 in SF Magic Mountain has seats on a fixed rotation while Green Lantern: First Flght has free-rotating seats although it's "4th Dimension" classification is under debate due its lack of lateral movement (no left or right turns). I read another rumor they were going to send Chang to SF GAm [chicago] and move Iron Wolf [irnoically which is now going to be moved to Maryland's Six Flags]. Granted I only got to ride GASM once, I never felt too much pain on it. Mainly as I leaned outwards than lean back in. THat's probably why I was better prepared for it. I liked it mainly for having the most inversions at 7 and for that batwing element. Yeah I heard a park in Canada was getting a B&M giga, which is strange as they have a hyper coaster by B&M, I just hope that a park here in the US gets a giga. Intamin's I-305 at KD is very fun, but I rode that when they had to put trims to slow the decent down to prevent the wheels from getting burnt out. Hem, I think we have enough guys here for a coaster thread. I guess I'll start that up. Youre right about Chang originally going to Great America. I just heard about Iron Wolf Going to SF America. I always get a season pass so im planning to go there and SF New England next Summer. SF America is actually very easy to get to and almost went last month. GASM was a coaster you had to sit still on. IT was my stater/ender coaster for many years every time i went there. GL: SUTYF is already rattling a few heads. But Stand-Ups are one of the more fun unique classes. I LOOOOVE El Toro and Nitro! Mega-Coasters are phenominal and nitro is the #3 best steel coaster on the planet! Its around 2 mins and 30 seconds of "yeeeeeeeah booooyyyeeeeeeeeee!" El Toro.....that yo have to ride twice each time!! Once in the front once in the back!!! 75 degree drop and and avg. 85mph speen is 2 of the reasons why it was rated #2 wooden coaster! GC, i feel you on 2 things, SFGA's Bizzarro is only slightly better then when it was Medusa only when every element is on. The fireballs are always cool though! I call that the "Haduken loop"! And DO NOT get me started on DArk Knight! Im glad im not the only one calling it a "wildmouse in a box"!!!! BTW. MAD PROPS goes to the inverted loop on Superman: Ultimate Flight! Being pushed INTO your seat instead of feeling the "fall" is a one of a kind feeling that goes great with a Flying Coaster! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted September 16, 2011 Thing about Six Flags America is that it's so small, I kinda wonder why they still kept that park given how spread out their parks are. But that's just me, I'm biased for the bigger parks. I haven't rode a B&M stand up yet, but I rode another 'shockwave' at Kings Dominion and I'm not really a fan of that type of coaster. Love Nitro, I gotta ride that again. I rode a similar ride at Busch Gardens Virginia: Apollo's chariot, very fun. Thing about BG is that it's pretty small, so rerides are a must to get the most out of the day. I think I rode AC like 10-15 times. Missed out on El Toro in 2008 cuz it was broken at the time. Yeah true about the flame throwers, they look neat. I haven't been to the park since they changed Medusa to Bizzaro. Lol! Yeah given that Batman and Robin used to be in that area, to have 'Dark Krap' [as someone on a roller coaster forum called it] replace that was a total mistake. I have felt that if they wanted a Dark Knight theme, just retheme Batman the ride. Add the preshow for that one and have a new batmobile next to the old one. Superman Ultimate flight is ok, the 'pretzel loop' is very intense. Not my favorite element though. If you ever go to Sea World Orlando, they have a flying coaster called manta. Now that ride puts Sups to shame. I like Manta more as it seems to do just a bit more and has an awesome 'splash' segment that just adds to the ride. I haven't had chance to upload those pics, but I will try by this or next month. Finally I should note that the Soarin Eagle at Coney Island was moved from a former Six Flags park in Colorado. Man, it's always neat knowing about how a coaster is just packed up and shipped over to another place. East Coast is where it's at Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AA 8th Avenue Posted September 16, 2011 Share #5 Posted September 16, 2011 Since you mentioned Orlando, dont forget about Kraken at Sea World. However, My favorite ride in Florida was The Hulk At Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. The whole ride beginning to end.... Just awesome. Miss some of the old rides at great adventure, Viper, Medusa, Batman/Robin, and the Scream Machine. Nitro is the best but Kraken in Sea world is similar but with loops, thats how Nitro should have been. Like Mantra is how Superman should have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Far Rock Depot Posted September 16, 2011 Share #6 Posted September 16, 2011 Actually, Batman and Robin The Chiller is still there! Its behind the Dark Krap. The track is gone but the building still stands. I hear they use it for an attraction during Frigh Fest. Im about to find out for myself in October Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted September 17, 2011 Share #7 Posted September 17, 2011 That Batman Chiller ride that buliding is used as a haunted asylum but you have to pay $5 per person for that. Me & my gf always go to Six Flags during Fright Fest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted September 17, 2011 Since you mentioned Orlando, dont forget about Kraken at Sea World. However, My favorite ride in Florida was The Hulk At Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. The whole ride beginning to end.... Just awesome. Miss some of the old rides at great adventure, Viper, Medusa, Batman/Robin, and the Scream Machine. Nitro is the best but Kraken in Sea world is similar but with loops, thats how Nitro should have been. Like Mantra is how Superman should have been. Of course, rode that as well. Hulk and the Dragons at IOA were very fun. I was very disappointed to hear that they no longer duel because of the recent incident where a guy got hit in the eye by some object [likely from some a-hole trying to video record their ride on the other coaster]. Nitro and Kraken are different animals. Nitro is all about the ejector feeling. Kraken and other multi-loopers are about the inversions. Yup, leave it to Six Flags to go the cheap route in buying clones rather than custom made. THank goodness Nitro is 'custom'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted September 17, 2011 Share #9 Posted September 17, 2011 As much as I like Kingda Ka it pisses me off that its basically Top Thrill taller & with that airtime hill at the end. However EL Toro is some crazy shyt I can ride it all day long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted September 17, 2011 I totally agree. Kingda Ka is a gimick coaster, but since I've yet to go to Cedar Point [the 'mecca' of the coaster world] - I'll make do with Six Flags GAdv. However, there's no denying that launch is just insane. Also the airtime going down the tower is just amazing. I know that it probably would be impractical, but when they tore down GASM, I thought that would've been a perfect time to redesign Kingda ka by adding something it lacked: elements. Something like a 540 degree helix or maybe a giant loop since it has otsr [over the shoulder restraints]. But how TTD still gets to be ranked near the top 10 makes no sense. It seems to have 2 factors going for it: Cedar Point and lap restraints. Otherwise it's the same as Kingda Ka, just shorter and 'slower'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Far Rock Depot Posted September 17, 2011 Share #11 Posted September 17, 2011 If the "gimmick" is being the tallest coaster in the world then yeah. But in all honesty, adding elements would strain the coaster more. it gets shut down constantly for maintainence and does not operate on windy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted September 17, 2011 Yeah that's true... to me the ride has a great start, but the ending makes me feel like I wasted 45min of waiting in line for just a launch. In my insane mind, the ride isn't 'enough'. But there is no doubt it is the first ride I will go on because I know I won't have a chance later in the day and I just want to cross it off the list. Nitro is my fav there. If there weren't so many coasters there, I could easily do like 10+ rides on it. Haven't rode El Toro at all since last I went in 2008. It was down due to mechnical problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Far Rock Depot Posted September 17, 2011 Share #13 Posted September 17, 2011 with Kingda Ka, im waiting for the one time it doesnt clear the hill on the first try and have to re-launch! You NEED to ride El Toro! Nitro was my fav too until El Toro kicked my a$$!! and you gotta ride twice! and when you ride the front, see if you dont reach for the lap bar on the first drop! thats the challenge!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted September 17, 2011 lol, Omg, the day I get a rollback on Kingda Ka would be heaven. 2 launches for the wait of 1. Yeah, i was so pissed it was closed when I went there. The only wooden coaster that I've kept both arms in the air for the whole ride are the Gwazi coasters at Busch gardens Tampa. What a difference the new trains made. They were much smoother than the old trains there and the ride just felt better overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoSpectacular Posted September 17, 2011 Share #15 Posted September 17, 2011 I rode Scream Machine twice before it went, it was a better ride the second time around after I tried stiffening my neck up. The pretzel loop element in Superman: Ultimate Flight is pretty unique. but my favorite element has to be the zero-G roll on Medusa/Bizarro, you literally feel nothing on that one, you just float. El Toro is awesome for airtime but the positive G forces are INSANE hitting the bottom of those hills following the first drop, like WOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Concourse Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted September 22, 2011 Recent news: Cedar Fair is going to sell CA's Great America [a park famous for being the setting for Beverly Hills Cop 3] for $70 mil. I feel the new owners are just going to take the land to help out the 49ers. THe city never gave a damn about that park by refusing any expansion plans. I still hope that they could try and relocate some of the rides... It would be terrible to see those rides packed up to gather rust just to clear the land. Disney parks is going to team up with the creators of James Cameron's Avatar to bring Pandora to life. Seems very promising. Disney needed something to counter Universal for getting Harry Potter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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