zacattack

I wasn't sure whether to post this here or in its own thread, but does anyone have any input on the best time to visit the park this year with the hopes of avoiding crowds? Getting on TT2 would be nice but is not my main concern. haven't been to a major park since 2018 and have developed a pretty serious disability since then and I'm going to have to be creative with how I pace myself. My cousin and I will have a few days at CP and are going to hit King's Island too, which takes some pressure off, and I'll definitely have to use whatever accommodations are offered. I've also done both parks a handful of times, although not for a lot of years, and my cousin's never been so I want to get her on as much as possible. I don't think any of us enjoys crowds but yeah, I would feel so much better planning the trip knowing it was at a time we have at least a chance of finding fewer people there. It's been so long since I've been at a park I don't even know if avoiding crowds is a thing one can do anymore lol. Or maybe it's just the FL parks that are like that, I don't know. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking it's better to go early while kids are in school despite running the risk of overlapping with some school trips? (And happy to make this its own thread if that's what I should have done.)

^^ Well it depends on what exactly you mean by "half-baked," but the fact that all of Liseberg's four major coasters can fit into a single picture really says something, IMO. It seems that a lot of the large American parks tend to have a higher coaster/ride count, which leaves less money for other things. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule, although a good deal of the large parks that have fewer coasters are the parks that are cited as being closer to the European fare (Disney, Universal, etc.). I really don't know if that's true and I'm sure it's not the whole story if it is, but I'd hazard a guess that is at least part of it.

It really depends. Fright Fest can be totally hit or miss, crowd wise. I wish I could give you some more solid information than that but I've been there on days when it's totally dead during FF, and days when I got in 2 rides in 4 hours. Seeing as you're going the weekend it opens, I would expect heavier crowds rather than lighter unless it turns out the weather might drive some people away. Without traffic, drive time from SF to Newark should be about 1hr 20. NJ always has traffic, though, and you'll be nearing Newark on the tail-end of rush hour just a few miles from NYC. Even though most people will be outbound from the city, you'll probably hit some delays, not to mention all the construction on the NJ turnpike and parkway. I'd plan for 1hr 45 from SF-Newark that time of day, to be on the safe side.

Something tells me Papa John's + Krispy Kreme with an Intamin chaser would NOT sit well... Also, what is that big gold(ish) thing on the right side of the picture? It's bugging me. It looks like a hand holding a sphere? Some sort of statue?

Right, Larry, I should have been more specific... you hit the nail on the head. It's the wording ("rescinding") and bad-taste-in-mouth elitism that bugs me most. For something that's a nice gesture when it stands, it's an equally not nice gesture to revoke it in such an almost bitter way when a park has to modify a ride for comfort or, more likely, safety. (Or whatever multitude of reasons a park could have for fixing up these older rides.) You know the saying "once a classic, always a classic." I wish instead of revoking the classic status, when parks had to change trains, or any of the parameters that makes a coaster an ACE classic, instead of revoking the designation there would instead be an addendum that said "on X date X park made X modifications..." and make some mention of the fact that even if the coaster isn't running the same way it did on its opening day, the park put in the years. It really seems like the right thing to do. I don't know if that's the solution, but it would seem there should be some middle ground rather than totally revoking the status. It's not really a huge deal either way, but it definitely does leave a bad taste in one's mouth sometimes.

I mean, that much is true, the bigger issue here is one of maintenance. The last time I was on the Cyclone, which wasn't all that long ago, the trains were really groaning and creaking and shaking and rattling (moreso than they should, that is.) They could use a few bolts tightened here and there; whether or not they need to be replaced is not something I feel very strongly about or know that much about from a construction stand-point. I've given these current ones plenty of runs... they're just in sore need of some TLC, or if they are (mechanically, structurally) past that, replacement.

I support ACE as well, despite sometimes... as I said... feeling like they can shove it (I was mostly appalled that they revoked Blue Streak's classic status). Since I believe that was due to the replacement of the trains, I'd guess if the Cyclone lost its original trains it would likewise lose its ACE Coaster Classic status, but it holds a different prestige than Blue Streak, so you never know. It might take a little more to bereave it of its classic-ness, but ACE can be touchy about that stuff. (Again, Blue Streak.) It all seems a bit silly, really, since at a certain point parts need to be replaced... or at the very least, heavily repaired. Those Cyclone trains have made a lot of circuits.

I'm 99% sure there used to be a Rock-o-Plane down at Point Pleasant in NJ! (Or maybe there still is, I haven't been there in years.)

Well, yeah, eff ACE is right... what I'm more curious about is the fact that the Cyclone is a National Landmark and what this reworking will do to that status. I had a friend who worked at an inn in the Rockies that was also a National Landmark and they were unable to renovate in order to become handicap accessible and that did have something to do with the original appearance of the structure and how it looked when it entered the registry. (Otherwise, they would have lost the status.) So, I would think in order to preserve the status of being a National Landmark GCI will have to tread carefully and lightly... and hopefully that's on their radar. But ACE can shove it.