[PC/RCT3] Valley Hills

The survey will continue until tomorrow, please submit your responses by then please.

If you have not participated yet please follow the link here.

Comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Could you post an overhead of the park?

Could you post an overhead of the park?

I'll see if I can get an updated one for the next update. If not by then, I'll try my best for next season.

Survey is now closed, thank you all for your responses. I've looked over the results and will incorporate the best 3 suggestions into my long-term plan.

Loved this update, Sad to see that Towering Inferno is down...

But anyways leaving on a high note, will we see a download anytime soon?

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Amanda Sands - regular guest

I dread this day every year, the final operating day of the season. I made sure to arrive early today before the long winter off-season kicks in.

As soon as the front gates opened I scrammed to Black Stallion to get some early morning rides before the line became enormous. An empty station on Black Stallion doesn't last long, and I made sure to capture this rare moment.

Black Stallion has seen better days. The airtime is there just not quite what it used to be, and the roughness keeps getting worse each season. The twisted turnaround section now shuffles you around like a buckling bull on crack.

After a rough ride on Black Stallion it was time to ride this year's new hotness, Rotor and Charlie Brown's Wind-up. I was rather surprised with these two "classic" rides being added this year. Charlie Brown's Wind-up has an unbelievably intense whip, comparable to Camden Park's model.

After waiting 10 minutes and riding Ignition, the next ride on my itinerary was Rattle Snake. I was amazed to find that Rattle Snake had stalled during a test run, apparently due to the colder temperatures. I heard it stalled last season when it was backwards, although this is the first time I've seen it in person.

I decided to skip Rattle Snake for the time being and head over to the park's star coaster, White Lightning. White Lightning was a walk-on all day and I managed to do six laps. Lines like this make up for the colder temperatures.

After six laps on White Lightning I noticed that Rattle Snake was STILL down, and remained that way the rest of the day. Oh well, maybe I can ride it again next year.

Nothing seemed to be working today as Cardinal kept having restraint locking issues. I watched the restraints open and close nearly a dozen times before they finally worked the kinks out. I managed to ride Cardinal once afterwards.

Aha, ZER0! This massive drop tower is by far my favorite drop tower in the park. The orange color reminds me of Halloween, and Valley Hills' lack of a Halloween event. Seriously, almost every major park has one of these and I feel like Valley Hills is missing out. I'd like to eventually see a Halloween event at the park, but I'm not holding my breath...

Camp Snoopy was rather "productive" this evening. I almost missed this, but apparently work is already underway for next season.

I spy footers!

And a lot of wood.

It looks like they're extending the land out onto the lake. This must be a big deal if they're that desperate for land.

Towering Inferno has been closed since its incident in July. I haven't ridden it since 2009, and that was a rather unpleasant experience. The ride is way past its prime and needs to GO in my opinion. Rumor has it that Towering Inferno has been up for sale since January. I'd love to see an Aqua Trax replace it!

Allegheny Hall was having a 30% off deal, and with it being the last day of the season they're probably just trying to get rid of their inventory before season's end. Which is fine by me as I got three hot dogs and a large drink for only $10! This is unheard of in a Cedar Fair park.

With all the technical & structural difficulties Pulse has had over the years, and with it being an Intamin, you'd think it would be down to. Surprise, surprise, Pulse was working flawlessly all day. Pulse always delivers a solid ride with it high-speed launches and holding brake section.

Today was great way to end the season, minus a few minor hiccups. I'm looking forward to what's to come next year.

-Amanda Sands

Hi JonnyRCT3,

What cs set are the cars in the parking lot?. I cannot find them anywhere.

Thanks!

Great overview of the park. The park has a good mix of flats and coasters. I agree if the park is expanding onto the water they must be desperate for land or the next new ride must be HUGE! It is going to be hard to top White lighting, the pics you take of that ride make it feel so real an intense! Can't wait to see what the next 10 year bring!

Looks like a GCI to me. Maybe an RMC because those were making their debut in this time period, but I doubt it.

I've been keeping track of this for a long time but only recently joined TPR. Will you be continuing this>

Hi JonnyRCT3,

 

What cs set are the cars in the parking lot?. I cannot find them anywhere.

 

Thanks!

I don't know at this current time, but next time I boot up the game I'll make sure to P.M. you the set name.

Great overview of the park. The park has a good mix of flats and coasters. I agree if the park is expanding onto the water they must be desperate for land or the next new ride must be HUGE! It is going to be hard to top White lighting, the pics you take of that ride make it feel so real an intense! Can't wait to see what the next 10 year bring!

Thank you for the feedback. I've always tried to keep the park in first-person view to give readers a first-hand perspective. The next 10 years will most certainly bring new things to the Valley.

Looks like a GCI to me. Maybe an RMC because those were making their debut in this time period, but I doubt it.

Maybe not...or maybe....which is it?

I've been keeping track of this for a long time but only recently joined TPR. Will you be continuing this>

Yes, I'm planning on continuing this park for many more seasons. Thank you for your long time support too.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Amanda Sands - regular guest

The 2011 season is finally among us with 5 new attractions in an expanded Camp Snoopy midway.

The first new ride most will notice is Crazy Kars, a kiddie bumper cars.

Since the classic Dodge 'Em closed at the end of the 2009 season, I've longed for a replacement.

Flying Beagle, another NEW for 2011 ride.

My favorite part about Flying Beagle is flying over the water. Neat!

I'm loving the new views of White Lightning.

The main attraction on the expanded midway is Snoopy's Rocket Express, a family roller coaster.

Snoopy's Rocket Express begins with a backwards tire-lift, quite unusual.

The ride is filled with twists, turns and drops throughout it's compact layout.

At the end of the circuit the ride repeats itself in reverse. I heard lines got up to 45 minutes for Snoopy's Rocket Express, quite the feat for a family coaster.

A bit further down the midway, I noticed Spruce Pavilions, Valley Hills new picnic pavilion area. These pavilions are open to park guests, and you can also rent them out for private events. $180 per hour, per pavilion, to be precise.

Coasters Restaurant received an expansion as well over the off season. The outdoor seating has helped immensely with the congestion inside the restaurant.

I noticed this unusual rock climbing wall. Judging by the slapped together Que, a possible temporary addition. This up-charge attraction replaced Apple Twists, which opened with the park back in 1972. Not liking this trade, at all.

Elsewhere in the park, I noticed two other ride removals. This is the former spot of Charlie Brown's Wind-Up, which debuted last season. I wonder what prompted the park to remove it after only one season.

Another ride removal, and a bit more noticeable, was that of Towering Inferno. Nothing but a field of dirt now.

I'm sure a lot of die-hard Intamin fans are crying over this right now. But I was never a fan of this rough ride, so it's no loss to me. I wonder if this removal is related to last year's incidents.

I also picked up a 2011 souvenir map at Kanwha Marketplace.

(Full Size can be found here --> Link)

Until next time...

~Amanda Sands

Very interesting offseason. I love the realism of removing the Intamin Freefall, and the Camp Snoopy additions seem very classic Cedar Fair. Very well done.

Great update. Nice expansion for the kids HOWEVER I am a credit whore so I would still try to squeeze on Snoopy's Rocket Express. It actually looks pretty intense for a children area's but I guess you have to get them hooked on intense coasters early!

Just looked at your larger version of the souvenir park map - very well done! Looks better than the real Cedar Fair maps.

I don't see it for 2012, but I'd love to see a hyper (or giga) coaster at this park. At this point it seems large enough to support a $20+ million investment and it's something obviously lacking in the ride selection.

Sorry, Bump, when is the next update?

Very interesting offseason. I love the realism of removing the Intamin Freefall, and the Camp Snoopy additions seem very classic Cedar Fair. Very well done.

Thank you. I felt the need to get rid of the old, and bring in some fresh CF treatment.

Great update. Nice expansion for the kids HOWEVER I am a credit whore so I would still try to squeeze on Snoopy's Rocket Express. It actually looks pretty intense for a children area's but I guess you have to get them hooked on intense coasters early!

That's exactly what SRE is for, a stepping stone coaster. But it's still a light thrill coaster even adults can enjoy.

Just looked at your larger version of the souvenir park map - very well done! Looks better than the real Cedar Fair maps.

Thank you. I usually dread doing maps because they take forever. I think this one may be my best one yet.

I don't see it for 2012, but I'd love to see a hyper (or giga) coaster at this park. At this point it seems large enough to support a $20+ million investment and it's something obviously lacking in the ride selection.

$20 million is a lot of money. I don't know...seems expensive.

Sorry, Bump, when is the next update?

Sorry for the delay. I've been in the process of switching laptops, and I've finally had time to get back into RCT3. This is the third PC the park has been hosted on since starting it back in February 2014. My new laptop has 5x the processing & graphical power as the original system. Valley Hills used to drop down to as low as 7fps (un-playable) on the original system, and I can now play in a solid high frame rate, with no issues.

The next update will contain the last set of photos that were taken on my last laptop, and were taken about a week ago when I was planning to update the park. But just decided to wait until I got my new laptop.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

James Smith - regular guest

Over the years Valley Hills has grown larger with new rides and attractions popping up almost everywhere. With over 40 rides and attractions, it's hard to keep up with it all. So I've compiled only the park's flat rides together to showcase them in full detail. Enjoy!

Upon entering the park the first ride many notice is Parachute Tower, a 130' airborne excursion with plentiful views of the park. Also pictured is the HUSS inverting ship ride Patriot.

Even with over 25 years of operation, Patriot still delivers an excellent first thrill of the day.

Music Box retains a lengthy queue after all these years, and is equipped with an on-board audio system. Some ride cycles have retro 90's music, while others play modern pop hits or even classic rock.

What was once Towering Inferno. (moving along)

If you're willing to pay $8 (which isn't THAT bad compared to similar rides at other parks), Valley Scream will make you scream. Clever name.

Buccaneer, unlike most rides of this variety, has a lengthy 3 minute ride time filled with pops of floater airtime on every swing. The unique placement inside Wild Waters' ride area helps maintain some loose "theming".

Wild Waters is hands-down my favorite log flume ride ever. Especially after receiving a light theming package, a surprise move for a Cedar Fair park.

(photo credit: Valley Hills)

Not only are there $5 lockers, but also $5 dryers located conveniently next to the ride. Moral of the story; you need $10 to ride Wild Waters.

Yet another loosely "themed" ride at Valley Hills is Barrel Blast.

It's your average tea cup ride, but with added bonus of it being way more out of control and nothing like your average tea cup ride.

Continuing a trend of spinning rides, Chaos takes the cake by being the most bizarre of them all. Its pretty color scheme makes for great photos.

(side note: You have to basically walk through an eatery to get to the entrance of the ride. Seems like forced advertising if you ask me.)

Next up is Camp Snoopy, a PEANUTS themed family area with a total of 10 rides. 2 coasters & 7 flats to be exact. First up is Snoopy's Deep Sea Adventure. A typical Octopus ride surrounded by lush greenery that made it hard to photograph.

The Camp Wheel has an unfitting name since there is nothing "campy" about views of a giant B&M Dive Coaster. Maybe it's just me.

(Side note: This ride has been relocated 3 times since its inception in 1974.)

The relatively new Snoopy vs. Red Baron.

The $5 up-charge Snoopy's Bounce House. I didn't see anyone interested in this attraction.

Camp Carousel. Another ride generously surrounded by vegetation. At least the "camp" theme is somewhat maintained. +1 point.

Krazy Kars is one of the "new for 2011" family rides.

Unfortunately, Apple Twists, the classic paratrooper ride that opened with the park, has gotten the boot and has been replaced by an up-charge rock climbing attraction.

Also new this year is Flying Beagle, a Larson flying scooters attraction. The beautiful lakefront setting is appealing, the strict "no snapping" policy is not.

Now that Camp Snoopy is out of the way, we can get back to the thrill rides. And it doesn't get anymore thrilling than ZER0, spelled with a zero at the end for those who didn't know. A great Intamin drop tower of 272' vertical. Not the biggest fan of heights, so ZER0 is easily the scariest ride in the park to me.

To get to the next wave of high-tech thrill machines, you must pass through an underground tunnel. The natural cooling from the Earth can be quite soothing on those hot & humid summer days.

Next up would be the Valley Lift's Eastern station, however Cardinal is too good to pass up. Hands down the BEST flat ride in the park.

A great mix of Huss, Intamin, and B&M.

For those looking for another way to beat the heat, Blackwater Falls has you covered. This ride has some light theming to it, although I'm not certain what gunpowder cannons and such have to do with a waterfall. I believe this was the final ride Valley Hills purchased from Arrow Dynamics back in 1995.

One of last year's new additions was the return of Rotor, a once defunct ride in the park.

Charlie Brown's Wind-up, a children's whip ride, also debuted last year. But now appears to be gone. Still no explanation on this.

Treetop Flyers dominates the entrance to the second PEANUTS themed family area, Planet Snoopy.

PEANUTS 500.

Woodstock's Whirlybirds.

Planet Snoopy has a classic mat slide, Race For Your Life Charlie Brown! A rather lengthy name. And a Zamperla Rockin' Tug by the name of Lucy's Tugboat.

Kite Eating Tree is perfect to prepare the kiddies for the larger thrill rides. This ride scared the parents more than it did their kids.

This first big thrill ride to be added to the park in 1974, and also the world's first permanent Enterprise installation. Trout Spin remains ever popular with the kiddies exiting Planet Snoopy who want to try out the bigger rides.

Since I missed the Eastern station, here is an obligatory shot of Valley Lift's Western station.

Scrambler is nestled in right next to IGNITION's towering inversions. Unfortunately, Scrambler seems to have gotten a more tame ride cycle. Shame.

This was the only decent picture I could get of the West Virginia Turnpike. This ride always seems to be forgotten, which is probably due to its zero visibility from the midway and its entrance being pushed behind a headliner coaster's entrance. I didn't see many people on this classic Arrow Dynamics attraction, it makes me wonder if its days are numbered.

(photo credit: Valley Hills)

Now that we've gotten a good look at all the flat rides in the park, it's time to get acquainted with the numerous world class coasters at Valley Hills. Which will be saved until next time.

~James Smith

Love this park! And if you are still going to update this so maybe after a couple of seasons Towering Inferno could do a comeback? Or a Huss Top Spin? Would be awesome to see Towering Inferno operating again or seeing a Top Spin spinning around and soaking the riders! But keep it up man! I love this park!

You're back! I thought someone kidnapped you because of your awesome building skills! Loved the update, glad you're back. (BTW, it's always sad for an Intamin first gen. Freefall ride to go. )

It was sad to see Towering Inferno go But lets hope it will do a comeback! And as i already said in my other message, Maybe a Top Spin could come to this park and could be placed where Towering Inferno was! And it could be colored red and the name would be something with Inferno in it! Here is a link to a video of a Top Spin:

Love this park! And if you are still going to update this so maybe after a couple of seasons Towering Inferno could do a comeback? Or a Huss Top Spin? Would be awesome to see Towering Inferno operating again or seeing a Top Spin spinning around and soaking the riders! But keep it up man! I love this park!

Thank you for the positive reply.

I don't have any more plans with Towering Inferno. The ride has served it's purpose by being one of the premiere attractions from the 80's and has had a long stay at the park. It's all part of the story. The park also already has a few Huss rides so a Top Spin could definitely be plausible.

You're back! I thought someone kidnapped you because of your awesome building skills! Loved the update, glad you're back. (BTW, it's always sad for an Intamin first gen. Freefall ride to go. )

Thank you. I planned on updating the thread about a week prior to, however I got a new laptop and got distracted. However, my new laptop is able to handle the game a lot better so I'm planning on possibly doing videos for the park. And it did feel a bit sad removing such an iconic ride from the park, but the story must continue in a realistic manner.

post deleted

Bump

When do you think the next photo TR will be?

Bump

When do you think the next photo TR will be?

Good question...