scooterdoug

Actually, Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has two counter-clockwise corkscrews, as does Bizarro/Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure. And, while we're on the subject of SFDK: V2 is the first and only Intamin shuttle coaster with an angled heartline roll (even if it was made that way to fix a rather sizable mistake). But, Dragon Fire was the first to feature two counter-clockwise corkscrews when it opened in 1981. Right you are, sir. But, it's not the only one to have counter-clockwise corkscrews. I actually never realized that most corkscrews seem to travel clockwise until you mentioned it.

Actually, Medusa at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has two counter-clockwise corkscrews, as does Bizarro/Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure. And, while we're on the subject of SFDK: V2 is the first and only Intamin shuttle coaster with an angled heartline roll (even if it was made that way to fix a rather sizable mistake).

It was still down for rehab last weekend and it didn't look close to being ready...train in pieces. ...that was how it looked when I was there back at the beginning of March. Have they done anything? Seriously. I'm wondering what the heck is going on with that ride. It's been down for most of 2016.

the website makes no mention of V2 being down for the past 3-4 months or however long it's been down. If you really want to find out you'd have to call the park or wait for someone who went today. The website says that V2 is temporarily closed. The Joker, it says, is open. Not sure how accurate that is, but it is acknowledging V2's closure.

Well, I joined the masses and headed to SFDK yesterday to try out the Joker for my first time. You usually couldn't pay me to go to a park on a Saturday (during a holiday weekend to boot), but the opening of the ride I've been waiting for all winter got me to make an exception. I got 3 rides on it...2 in the front and one in the back. My impressions? I loved it. I think it's the best roller coaster on the west coast. Twisted Colossus is outstanding, but the Joker is far more aggressive and intense, with stronger g forces. I counted 14 clear moments of airtime on that ride. The first bunny hop out of the station gives you a surprising yank out of your seat. Heck, even the breaking wave turn (the turn itself) gave air (like the first overbank on Iron Rattler). It sped up noticeably during each successive ride. The train was in a hurry to get back to the station during the final lap. As for seats, I guess I'm in the minority here in preferring the front. The back definitely gave superior airtime in the first drop and second asian camelback. However, the airtime was more consistent and strong (and longer lasting) in the front. Plus, the view! I can't wait to get back. I can feel that this is the very beginning of an unhealthy addiction. I told my wife all about it, and she says that she wants to ride it now. All in all, a fantastic ride...undoubtably the best in the park. I'm heading back there on June 14 to get me some more airtime. Honestly, I have no desire to ride anything else in the park now.

^Have fun. Unfortunately, I can't go for the first day (I have to work). I'll be there for the Saturday 9:30-1 time slot. Hopefully, the lines aren't too long then. *crosses fingers*

Official POV! Opening day has to be coming soon (even if the park hasn't made an official announcement yet). I'm abstaining from watching it, as I want to wait to see it in real life, when I ride it the first time. Until then, it's taking tremendous willpower not to click the play button...

Fantastic trip report! I read the entire thing, and was thoroughly entertained. You're a very good storyteller.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is 35 minutes from my house, with traffic never being an issue. This is a huge improvement over when I lived in Reno, Nevada. During that time, the closest roller coasters were still at SFDK, but they were about 3.5 hours away. I find my current situation to be much more agreeable. It will be even more agreeable once our new RMC opens.

Just got back from a pleasant trip to SFDK today. I met up with ABW for some rides. It was quite warm today. The park was busy, but the lines for the coasters stayed reasonable. I got 10 rides on Superman in the morning, then a few rides on Medusa, which remained a station wait all day. Of course, I took some pictures of progress on the Joker. It's looking good, of course, and I was able to get some good (and some not quite as good) shots of where we're at in construction right now. So, on to the pictures! An overview of the construction site. My apologies for the trucks and container in the way. I figured that they would have removed them in honor of my visit. I was sorely disappointed to find that wasn't the case. A closer shot of the double airtime hill. Let's be honest here: it looks good, but the garbage container looks better. Final airtime hill. Here are the same elements from another angle. I'm very much looking forward to this double airtime hill. It might very well be responsible for the demise of my marriage. Another shot of the final airtime hill. I predict that this will make me scream like a little girl. The first overbank turn after the banked airtime hill. Final brake run. It looks like there'll even be airtime there. The train, minus the front. Close up.

I know that's what they advertise, but in my experience over several years with people with both platinum and gold passes, the platinum and gold passes almost always show rides ready at virtually the same time. There might be more of a difference on exceptionally busy days, but there hasn't been on any normal day.The platinum pass is still worth it for the other things it provides, and I might get one for the first time this year for that reason. I visited the park two years in a row at the same time (spring break), and used Gold the first time and Platinum the second time. The first time I visited, lines were roughly the same length. Tatsu, for example, was about an hour wait. The first year, using the gold level, the adjusted wait time was about 30 minutes. The second visit, using the platinum level, the adjusted wait time held steady at 6 minutes all day. Both correlated with the advertised reduction in wait time. Perhaps there is a difference, as you say, on exceptionally busy days (it does advertise wait reductions of "up to" 90%). I found, however, that reductions in wait time were indeed 50% for gold and 90% for platinum. Perhaps mileage varies depending on the day? I agree with you that, for all the other bonuses it provides, and for a first time visitor, platinum is the way to go.

I only get to visit SFMM once a year (not including West Coast Bash). If I'm visiting on a busy day (which usually seems to be the case), I go straight for a Platinum Flash Pass. Gold cuts your wait time by 50%, while Platinum reduces it by 90%. It has always, always, been worth it. Personally, I run straight to X2, as I don't want to pay extra to ride it. I also do this because I have a Gold Season Pass and can get in early, run to the ride, and be the first in line. Once I'm done riding, I leave the ride (silently enjoying the fact that I don't have to wait in the 2+ hour line that has now formed) and go get my Flash Pass (before the lines there build up). Then, the park is my oyster, and I can ride everything else, including the 1 time rides on FT and TC. It's not the cheapest option, but it's absolutely worth it. You should be able to ride everything at least once.

^Thanks for the clarification. I assumed that, since trains are on site, track work was completed. I guess not. I'm hoping to go either this Sunday or next in order to get some pictures for an update. Thanks again for the update.

^Thanks for the update. Sucks that things didn't go exactly as planned, but I'm glad that you didn't have to wait in long lines. I'm curious about progress on the Joker. You said that there was nothing really new there. Last I went (3 weeks ago), they had completed the overbank turn next to the bottom of the first drop and were beginning to lay track on the double airtime hill. Have they done anything else beyond that? Was there any new track in the parking lot? Just curious, as I want to go next Sunday and take pictures. If they haven't made any progress since my last update, then I don't think I'll bother. Thanks!

I saw those wheel pics as well. Makes me excited at the progress. Joey, I'm not aware of any designated nursing center. Don't let the rain discourage you. I've ridden the major rides in the rain. If the rain is intermittent and not heavy (which is how it looks so far), then you should have plenty of riding opportunities. Additionally, the park should be empty. Have fun!

As a personal rule of thumb, I always assume that special event days will be crowded. If the chance of rain (which is currently forecasted at a low 20%) increases significantly, then that could lower attendance. However, if it was me, I would assume a crowded (or, at least, more crowded than usual) day. EDIT: I just realized that even though the question was regarding June 16, I looked at the weather forecast for this coming Sunday. Obviously, Sunday's weather forecast won't factor into the equation 2 months from now. Indeed, I would assume that the weather will be sunny and warm. Add to that the fact that most schools will be out on summer break, and I would assume a crowded park.

I agree that Dorney is a very middle-of-the-pack kind of park. It's not bad by any definition, but nothing makes it stand out. It's clean and generic mediocrity. I was also shocked at the crowds (or lack thereof) during the first Saturday in August. I've heard so much about how quiet the park always is, and didn't really understand until that day. I mean, the park was just so dead! After a little marathon of Talon during morning ERT, then picking up the other credits (with repeat rides where desired) after the park opened, I found that I was done. I had ridden my fill and could have gone home (if I was a local, that is). I then checked my watch to see that it was 11:51am. Not even 2.5 hours, and I was done. Like I said before, not a bad park. Just generic, and no rides worth getting excited over. Still a fun day. I rather enjoyed Talon and Steel Force. It was also nice to stroll down memory lane via the old school Intamin drop tower. Good times.

^^Welcome back! It was nice to meet you. How cool that you got to meet Fred Grubb!

Glad that everything worked out. It was a bit maddening to be able to see the keys right there, but we couldn't do anything about it. Sorry that I couldn't stay longer, but I'm also glad that all your problems got solved. I'm especially glad that you got to be a volunteer during Drench. You must have been over the moon about that one. I second this. I was glad to meet him (though we never got his name). Whoever you are, we look forward to seeing you posting in our humble little SFDK thread soon.

Well, last Saturday proved to be a much better day to visit the park than a BAFF day. It was cold and threatening rain, which meant low crowds. After 11 rides on Superman and 3 on Medusa (which was a 1-2 train wait for the front...even with 1 train operation), I decided that I had made up for my disappointing previous visit. After 2 hours, the rain started, and I took off. Not, of course, before grabbing a couple of photos of The Joker. The outward tipped airtime hill (which looks gorgeous, by the way) and subsequent overbank turn are completed. There wasn't any track in the parking lot, so I assume they're now prepping the support structure for the double airtime hill coming up next. Since it was cloudy, the lighting wasn't exactly ideal for photos. And, since it was such a short visit, I opted to leave my camera in the car and just used my iPhone camera. Just a couple of pictures, but they help show the progress that has been made in the past two weeks. Enjoy. -Doug Here's the outward tipped hill in all its completed glory. The sequence is now: Breaking Wave Turn, floater airtime hill, outward tipped airtime hill, overbank turn. The overbank turn from the main gates. Unfortunately, neither photo allowed for an unobscured shot. Still, you can get the idea of what's been done.

Such a great trip report. It really took me back. Before going to Knoebels, I was wonder what the big deal was. After our stellar day there, I was like "Oh, I get it". It really is a special place. It felt like being at summer camp, but surrounded by great rides and experiences. I would love to go back again. Looking forward to the next installment. Keep 'em coming, Andy!

SFDK subtly recognizing that Kong might beat the crap out of you, especially in latter rows? There, fixed that for you.

I don't think that BAFF days are inherently bad. I've brought friends on such days in December and January, and each time the park was a ghost town. I think yesterday's clusterf**k was more due to being the last BAFF day, so everyone was trying to utilize that coupon before it expired. Also, the fact that season passes were the same price as a day's parking and admission during the flash sale last fall resulted in tons of season passes being sold. I'm guessing that the combination of those two factors lead to the insane crowds present yesterday. Just another thing for me to file away in my lifelong quest to avoid crowds.

Yes. All of the Sundays in January and February were BAFF days, so yesterday was the final one. That would seem to explain the ridiculous crowds.

I took a visit to the park today with my friend. We were dismayed to find a rather crowded Discovery Kingdom. We only got a few rides in on Superman and Medusa. None of that, however, is important. What is important is that there has been some serious progress on the Joker. Not only that, there are more changes from the concept art and animation. By this point, everyone knows of the change of the rotational direction of the exit of the 180 degree stall. Well, that's just the start. In the concept art, the exit to the breaking wave turn is the same height as the entrance, where it levels out before dropping again into a small bunny hop then the first of the significant airtime hills. Now, the exit of the braking wave turn is significantly lower than the entrance, and it goes from there into an airtime hill (instead of leveling out), then into an outward banked hill. Yes, you read that correctly. We've been upgraded from a small bunny hop into a sizable outward banked hill. While I was the most excited about that hill, I was most awed by the breaking wave turn. It looks gorgeous. You know what? I'll just stop wasting time talking about it, and just show you pictures. Enjoy! We begin our update with this lovely looking stall. From another angle, replete with much poorer lighting. Note, however, the outward banked hill on the bottom. A closer shot of said outward banked hill. My friend was amused that I was so excited about this half way completed hill. The Step Up Under Flip has received more support work to further brace the structure. Another shot of the stall. The completed breaking wave turn. Breaking wave turn above, nostalgia below. Overview of the entire sequence: outward banked single up, breaking wave turn, airtime hill. Want. To. Ride. Right. Now. Closer. Nobody does curvy quite like RMC does curvy. Outward tipped rise into the turn. From another angle. Another shot of the breaking wave turn, because, well, it just looks so damned good. Last one. I hope you enjoyed the pictures.