GAcoaster

I remember my first computer classes in Middle School we learned to program in Basic (on Apple IIes) and then in High School we learned FORTRAN. Fat lot of good either of them did for me (or anyone else), but I guess it worked out since I work for a software company now...

RT has actually been running better this season. Over the past two years they've re-tracked a lot of it, and it rides much better (especially the inside track).

I was just reading an interview with the creator of Oregon Trail, which was the first game I ever had for my home computer. For those who never heard of it (because they are too young), it was a game designed to run on the Apple II series computers, and it was kind of a "choose your own adventure" with simple graphics, but it was mostly done with text. I can still picture playing Oregon Trail over and over on my Apple IIe, with its green screen. You had to periodically flip the floppy disc over in the drive (and that's when floppys were really floppy!) to go on with the game, and you knew something major was going to happen when the the drive would start whirring (it often meant you were killed by Indians or died of some disease or starvation). It's really amazing how far computer games have come in twenty years... :?

I'm really excited about the woodie being a record breaker and the whole new themed area just like with Kingda Ka. A great new ride is wonderful, but the continued overall rehab of the park is far more important to me.

For me, I'm not a huge fan of woodies, but I'm excited about the one we're getting at SFGAdv because I like a smooth ride, and my understanding is INTAMINs woodies are almost as smooth as steel (and smoother than some steel coasters). So far I haven't been dissappointed by any of INTAMINs coasters, and to have the first of their woodens ones built in the U.S. is like getting the first of a new model of Mercedes. Now on top of that comes official word that it will break at least one record, and will be part of an entirely new section of the park, just like Kingda Ka was last season.

It probably won't be busy. Most people won't bother coming out on a Friday night even when it's Frigth Fest, and a non-Fright Fest night shouldn't be too bad.

I think it's really interesting to read through this list so far, and hear people pitch their favorite coasters. Not only can Discovery Channel learn from this, but I think some theme park companies could learn a lot as well. Especially when a bunch of the rides people are most excited about are not tallest/fastest/loopiest, just the most FUN looking.

I'm most excited about our new woodie coming to SFGAdv! I avidly follow all construction and developments at GA, and the idea that we are getting a world class wooden roller coaster which will be the first of it's kind in the US is really exciting to me. I have been watching the project from the very start, posting updates on my website (http://www.amusementpics.com/) just like I did last season when the park built Kingda Ka, and I can't wait to get all the details of this coaster and watch it grow over the Winter months. I live near the park, and all through the Winter I make pilgrimages to Prospertown Lake to watch construction progress, waiting for the new season to start. I'm really excited since this coaster along with Kingda Ka and the new hotel which will also be under construction are turning Six Flags Great Adventure into a truly world-class park, and destination for thrill seekers.

I'm sure this has closing has been in the works for some time (before Katrina at least). Probably the plans for which rides will be relocated as "new" for 2006 have been set in stone for some time as well.

It's been misisng for about a month now. I think someone broke it.

I was underwhelmed by J2, but chiropractors everywhere must salivate at its very existence. I was at CP for the ACE event too (my first time at Clementon), and boy was I underwhelmed. The place had the great bones of a classic amusement park, but it looked like it was taken over by carnies (the guy driving the train was one of the scariest park workers I have ever seen). I found the scenery surreal (more pics on My Site): We're an Indian family with a half-destroyed nylon teepee! I'm a scary pizza monster! A very sad sight when the bushes start growing through the coaster tracks... Grrrrrr...I'm ghetto dog and I'm going to bite the train! Those Injuns started making buffalo burgers out of me

Until another person is thrown from an INTAMIN T-bar restraint ride...

The Gladiator's Gauntlet...strangest ride ever! I just found some pics the other day and posted them on my site: http://amusementpics.com/BGWPA.htm

I posted some pics on my site as well: http://amusementpics.com/2006%20Construction.htm

Six Flags pays a licensing fee to Warner for use of the DC and Looney Tunes characters in all their parks. At one point Time Warner purchased the chain, and added a LOT of their licensed properties to the parks, and when they sold to Premier, the licensing stayed with Six Flags. From the last corporate report, it said they pay Warner about $3 million a year for all the name and character licensing.

I'm having a premonition that this thread is going to end up the subject of ridicule on ARN&R...

I'd guess because Morgan hypers were cheaper to build, they went with them, saving the good stuff for their flagship park. Why spend a lot of money on a small park when you'll never recoup the investment?

They actually mention that in the press release, about how it will interact with the trees:

That's the park's entrance/exit road to the original parking lot. Goliath look like it will be a solid coaster...best of Apollo and Nitro put together.

^ Simply to transfer the height variance with the FAA, otherwise it would have meant more red tape...

The silent majority likes Six Flags, it's really only spoiled enthusiasses who feel the need to bash the chain. They have more than 33 million guests come through their gates every year, so the GP obviously has no problem. Frankly, I love Six Flags. They have done more to innovate the theme park industry than anyone besides Disney. Have they lost their way over the years, yes. With all the changes of management, the changes in guest expectations and tastes, and the pressure form Wall Street, they have not always made the smartest moves, but overall they offer one of the best entertainment values for your dollar, and keep bringing us some of the best rides and attractions year after year. It infuriates me to hear the constant bashing by the ungrateful "community" of park enthusiasts...

I wouldn't count on that. Ours at SFGAdv supposedly had an incident the other day (during testing) wher the ride car hit one of the towers. Apparently one of them under shot, causing the cable to go slack. I wouldn't be surprised to see Six Flags just give up on these turkeys like they seem to be doing with the Chaos rides they own.

I was going through some old pictures, and found some I had taken of Kings Dominion. I scanned them and I posted them over on my website. My favorite pics I found were of the awesome Sky Pilot ride. This was one of the best rides I've ever been on, and it's a shame they are all gone (in the U.S.) now. Here are a couple of pics, with a few more over on my site:

I beleive the one at SFGAdv was originally at SFStl.

For anyone who wants to see the ultimate speedo shot of Hasselhoff, click here! (it was too large a file to post )