Photo TR: Drayton Manor (Page 19)

SDC is a park you want to stay at for as long as possible--it's depressing to have to tear yourself away! They really do have a strong coaster collection; I enjoyed them all, largely for some of the reasons you mentioned.

 

I think the Dalmatians are a really cute idea--I met one when I went recently--and I trust SDC treats them well.

 

American Plunge is one of my favorite log flumes, even if I generally prefer ones that spend more time off the ground. Plenty of bizarre theming, and there is a storyline although it would've helped to have learned it before I rode.

 

Thanks for the TR!

Wow, the park looks beautiful! Looks very similar to Dollywood scenery wise.

 

I keep hearing great things about how Power Keg is the "perfectly rounded coaster", and I am really starting to want to take a trip down there some time soon.

As for Wildfire, better than Kumba? I'll have to do some B&M sit-down lovin to find out for myself!

Powder Keg definitely met my expectations. It was such a great ride. Wildfire is also great, and the views from the top of the lift hill are amazing. The ride is really good, as long as you don't get stung by a bee

Wildfire looks awesome! (Immelmann on a sitdown )

This is one of those parks I really want to make it to eventually....The picture look great and the coasters seem great even though they arent the tallest and fastest(which usually isnt better).

^ Judging from you reaction to Dollywood - you will LOVE Silver Dollar City when you get the chance to go. It is like an older version of Dollywood with a big a$$ cave under it. The ride ops and shops and staff have that same "niceness" to them.

 

This was a definite standout park on the Mid-America tour.

So after Silver Dollar City, on Tuesday August 10th, I went to Worlds of Fun! I wasn't expecting much from this Cedar Fair park, and I didn't get much out of it. The coaster collection was alright, it could use another major coaster, but still is a great park to live by in Kansas City. Maybe my visit to Silver Dollar City visit the previous day shunned this park all the way to the toilet, it was just nothing special. Let's just get to the roller coaster reviews...

 

Spinning Dragons: I was told to ride this first thing in the morning, so I did. I waited around 15 minutes but later in the day, it was a walk on. I actually liked it, my brother and I sat next to each other and got the most intense spinning I ever experienced. I still like the original one at Nickelodeon Universe, but these spinners are just too darn fun!

 

Patriot: It was a very nice invert! I found it better than the Batman clones, and towards the end of the ride, there was this turn that really hurt my legs. Most forceful turn on any invert I've been on, and that white stripe on the track was sweet.

 

Timber Wolf: I love this ride! I rode it again and still loved it. Definitely better than Prowler, in my opinion. It was almost 100 that day (I didn't mind) and they had sprinklers all over on the coaster track with pretty much made the "wet woodie" very much enjoyable! No much shuffling and totally want to go back just for this!

 

Mamba: The death healix was definitely the climax of the ride! The bunny hops weren't too bad, MCBR didn't grab, but Magnum takes a giant poop on this ride. Rode it twice in the back.

 

Boomerang: Made me sick. Meh.

 

Prowler: A let down. It didn't have as much airtime as I thought it would (rode in front and back) but still was pretty tame. Evel Knievel 2 days earlier was so much better. I did love the little triple up bunny hops, but otherwise, the ride is pretty repetitive till it rolls into the station.

My hotel was across the highway and this was the view. The hotel was a piece of junk.

Pretty cool, eh?

This Asian part of park. It has Asian fountains, dragons, and a Panda Express to complete the area!

So how many parks have this color scheme now?

I'm glad they didn't pair us up with strangers, I don't like staring at strangers while spinning...

Twisty.

Everything was running one cart (except Spinning Dragons) so sorry if a lot of my pictures don't have carts!

I love the random sightings of Patriot throughout the park.

I love the layout of this ride, pretty unique if you ask me. It has weird elements throughout the ride.

Screw my terrible photo taking skills! Don't ask me why you are still reading this.

More twisty! This park is full of twisty.

I'm glad there aren't any Patriot clones out there (if Talon is one, please slap me) because that would definitely ruin the charm of the ride.

The path to Prowler is a dead end! Meow.

The queue and path area looks very nice. I would consider this the "generic" theme.

You've seen this photo so many times in so high definition. It just so happens that my camera only has 4 times zoom!

I understand the Prowlers pounce, and pounce, and pounce, but this ride was still a let down!

My favorite photo of the trip! The train ride is really great.

If only Chicago traffic can go as fast as this train! Seriously, the train is crazy and totally worth reriding! (Rode it twice!)

This photo actually makes the ride look... awesome.

It was a smooth boomerang, but the first one to actually make nauseous.

Even if there are 50 other ones around the world, they still have great potential to be a great ride!

The area around Boomerang has the best theming around the park. The lights all around the park were also pretty nice.

Fury of the Nile... lets move on.

I give major praise to parks that keep these awesome logos on the side of the train.

I rode Mamba twice in the back, very decent ride! If the helix was a stand alone ride, it would be the best ride in the park.

One train operations didn't bring down my day!

The only photo I got of Timber Wolf, I loved this ride. Better than Prowler, and the random sprinklers all over the ride really helped.

This ride was closed, and this trip report is finally ending! If you read this, go buy a cat.

I loved the report, and the Patriot photo's especially!

 

Buying a cat because you said so,

Griffin

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Edited January 20, 2011 by themeparkman25

 

Timber Wolf: I love this ride! I rode it again and still loved it. Definitely better than Prowler, in my opinion.

 

I know opinions are opinions, but you're insane. Not because Prowler is SOOOOO good, but because Timber Wolf is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad.

^agreed! Did you have a couple drinks before going?

^He's underage so i'm guessing no.

Awesome looking park! Thanks for the pics.

I really like Worlds of Fun, especially at night. I love Mamba and Prowler. Prowler is the most intense GCI I've ever experienced, and possibly one of the most intense woodies I've ridden overall.

I also enjoyed Timber Wolf. It has some great airtime and a nice layout, but unfortunately it's disturbingly rough. Riding defensively is a must, although that doesn't change how I rate it.

^He's underage so i'm guessing no.

 

You can't rule it out with kids nowadays! lol

After visiting Six Flags St. Louis, Silver Dollar City, and Worlds of Fun, the last park I would visit on this trip would be Adventureland. I gotta say it was a pretty nice park, I wouldn't call it amazing or worth coming back to unless they got something new. I did get my 200th credit on the Dragon! I found it very intense and the ending has got to be one of the best coaster endings ever. The park's layout is also easy to navigate through (except the island with the rapids) and has a new water park included with admission. Also, does anyone know why we have to double up on Rainbows? The one at Six Flags St. Louis and Adventureland, the ride ops made us double up... thanks!

 

Here are my roller coaster reviews....

 

Tornado: It was actually a really fun wooden roller coaster! The out and back layout was implemented well but the layout did seem a little short (didn't bother me...) and wasn't too rough. Oh yeah, no station gates!

 

Dragon: This was my 200th credit! And it was definitely the best coaster in the park! The prelift was a little bad, but the drop, loops, and ending helices were totally awesome. I could care less who built the ride, it has a well designed layout which makes for a totally kick ass ride.

 

The Underground: I definitely didn't see it as good as Fire in the Hole, but for Adventureland, it was a great indoor coaster. If you wat to experience the scenery to the fullest, sit in the front.

 

Outlaw: The only let down of the park. I thought it would be a Gwazi sort of coaster, not really. It was a little slow, and the layout didn't give off much (no airtime...)

Adventureland has one of these dandy chairlifts that soar into the middle of trees.

Tornado is a fairly fun sized out and back woodie, but still has a unique layout.

Sadly, not too much airtime.

Turnaround didn't have a lot of shuffling.

This picture reminds me of all the abandoned woodies out there, rotting away.

The park isn't huge, so you can see Tornado pretty much anywhere around the park.

I think this ride is called Gaunlet, but I didn't care enough to ride it...

Sawmill Splash was pretty bad. Lots of spinning during the helices, and the splash was pretty small...

Outllaw has a great atmosphere, the ride itself, not so much.

No, it wasn't shaky...

This does remind me of a GCI woodie with PTC trains...

Nope, Not a lot of laterals here...

The rapids were a little lame, but still worth riding.

I was just happy the water wasn't brown.

The Underground: An above ground indoor roller coaster.

I love these space shots!

There it goes!!!

Didn't ride, but trust me, this park has a ferris wheel.

The paratrooper at Indiana Beach is better. It doesn't have a big slant either...

The train is pretty cool though.

This would be the Dragon!

Loop!

The park is very well kept, and it beautiful for taking pictures like these...

Believe it or not, this was the worst part of the ride.

Very, very fun!

This shot turned out really nice.

There was a fire here. I feel like they should keep it open like this because if they built it back with buildings, it will be all cramped up again...

This dude needs a girlfriend.

The only log flume where you get the most wet on the little predrop.

I think I've grown onto riding log flumes.

Oh man, Break Bances are so fun! The only other one I remember riding was the only at Six Flags New England back in 2004, but I was told it was removed...

This year new to Adventureland was the water park! I only had a chance to ride two slides though.

If you wanted to wait an hour for slides that aren't that special, then you should ride one of these!

I rode the Orange and Yellow slide. It was terrible, they installed speed bumps on the ride and it was quite uncomfortable... I thought they would be better.

Last picture... An alright slide. The bigger tornadoes are better...

After seeing the review on Dragon I can understand now why the Prowler review wasn't so great!

Another great set of photos!

 

I must say, for a park I never really hear about, Adventureland does look really!

 

I have noticed that a few of your reviews are pretty much the exact opposite from what I usually hear about the rides..not that thats a bad thing!

 

Sucks to hear that their new slides have the speed bumps like the Aquatica ones, they do look like they cold have potential for awesomeness!

 

Can't wait for the pics from your latest trip!

 

- Jon

Whenever I go to Colorado I pass by Adventureland, but i've never actually stopped to go there. Thanks for showing us what the park is like! It's a bummer that those slides are "trimmed", they look like a a lot of fun.

They can trim waterslides?! Ugh.. the things they trim these days..

You undoubtedly have the most bizarre preferences in coasters that I've ever seen.

They can trim waterslides?! Ugh.. the things they trim these days..

 

Yeah, it does sound really stupid doesn't it?

Thanks for those uplifting comments you guys! Now it's time for another trip report...

 

So on September 4th, I headed to Beech Bend with some of my friends, and on September 5th, we headed to Holiday World!

 

Beech Bend: I knew it wasn't going to be the best park I visited. What I expected was a park with carnival rides just plopped around, and you could say I was right. It wasn't crowded, the longest we had to wait was 20 minutes for the Wild Mouse, but everything else was a walk on. I have to say that they have the SCARIEST Dragon Wagon around, I believe it goes beyond 90 degrees!

 

Kentucky Rumbler was my favorite coaster on this two park trip! It's just very cra cra (Crazy) and doesn't slow down till the end! This is probably my second favorite GCI after Lightning Racers!

 

Holiday World: After years of reading how fantastic and friendly the park was, I expected a lot from the park! To be honest, I was a tiny bit let down with the place. Sure, I had fun, but I guess what I imagined was too extravagant. The coasters were average in my opinion as well. We had lunch by Legend and the food service was horrible. The only friendly staff members were the operators and the shop keepers.

 

Raven's layout was pretty cool. I like how it was parallel with the parking lot for a couple drops before disappearing into the forest. I did not suspect that one drop in the middle either, which threw me totally off and couldn't stop laughing for the rest of the ride! The one train operation didn't bother me either...

 

Legend was just fun. I didn't like it as much as Raven, but it was something. I liked how it went under the water slides (even got wet from it) and the netting all around the ride, along with the super long layout. Parts of it was uncomfortable, but still worth the ride.

 

Voyage was the main thing I was looking for on the whole trip! I sat in the front for my only ride (no time for a re-ride) and I was a little underwhelmed. Of course there was airtime, I wasn't stapled into my seat, but the coaster was just a lot smaller than what I imagined it to be, and I guess I was just expecting too much. I loved the turnarounds at the mid-point of the ride, the turns that are close to the ground. But otherwise, I'll consider it an average ride.

 

Picture time, eh?

Kentucky Rumbler is just a beauty! But this also shows the bad side of Beech Bend. It looks like a very generic RCT park that is about to go bankrupt.

I think this is one of the two GCI's in the US that has the pre-drop turnaround, the other being Terminator...

Probably the best flat ride of the weekend. It just twists and turns for 5 minutes, can get pretty interesting.

Remember when I said Beech Bend reminds of of a permanent carnival? Yeah... this log flume totally fits that.

Better than Renegade? Bet your biscuits it is!

The ride overlaps itself, then turns it upside down and flips itself again. Very unpredictable!

I like these GCI overbank turns

Okay, if there is one thing that I absolutely crush on about GCI's, it's their little bunny hops that they throw into the rides! It's like someone's trying to rape you, but don't succeed and you fall right back into your seat.

Most of this report in Kentucky Rumbler, I apologize in advance.

If I remember correctly, this ride doesn't have any trims, which definitely pleases me..

The station fly-by! Also one of those little bunny hops that I always love!

There's another...

I do think this park was more photogenic than Holiday World though.

If you like getting tossed around under a big dick, this is definitely your ride.

Can I just say something? The most trimmed spinning wild mouse out there. The only good thing about this is that it had individual lap bar restraints....

Now I've never been on a Rotor, but I do love these Gravitation rides! Does this mean I will like Rotors?

If it wasn't for the one amazing airtime filled drop in the middle of the ride, I wouldn't think much of Raven anymore.

Does this explain why I think Holiday World isn't such a photogenic park? Trees are always blocking my view...

There was a first for me at Holiday World. I have never seen so many people in line for spinning swings or a scrambler. I swear, the line for both of them had to be about 30 minutes.

This grandma with a gun, yeah, she has a nice pussy on her lap.

I think this ride was called Gobbler Getaway? Yeah, it was fun! Always enjoy these dark rides.

Pilgrim's Plunge was awesome! I rode front row, and the lift, drop, and speed over the water was all fantastic! The only criticism I have for the ride is that it felt incomplete. The station roof wasn't finished the surrounding terrain was pretty awful, but the ride was definitely great!

Voyage isn't that photogenic either (unless you go walking into the forest on the tours) So this is what I got while waiting for the front.

And for the last photo! Voyage was by no means bad. The roughness didn't bother me. If the Timberliners make the ride a lot better though, then maybe I will think about coming back down. Thanks for reading

Awesome P:TR Jer! Take me to Holiday World the next time you go!

Jeremie, that was the weekend you introduced me to Baconators. You should have put that in your report.

 

Now, I am going to agree with Jeremie on his thoughts of HW. It's not a bad park by all means. I think a majority of my "dislike" for it was due to the fact that it was crowded that day. We did have some horrible food service, but again the park was crazy crowded so the employees were doing their best. Plus, I literally got back from the IntimidaTour like a week or two prior, so I was used to having either a Q-bot or Quick Queue system. Spoiled, yes I know.

 

Would I go to HW again? Heck yes! I'd like to head down there for Holiwood Nights next summer. And I'll take another trip to Beech Bend just to ride Kentucky Rumbler. Oh, and the Dragon Wagon was the scariest thing around. I swear I thought I was going to fall out of it. I could NOT wait to get off of that ride!