robbalvey

Here's a new POV of Nitro we posted:

To be honest, this is how I felt about Helix in general. Don't get me wrong, it's a *GREAT* ride, and I'm not sure if it was possibly over-hyped by other people or it's just not really "my thing" but after riding some REALLY intense looping coasters like Kumba, Maverick, iSpeed, etc or launched coasters with AMAZINGLY FORCEFUL launches like Dodonpa, Formula Rossa, and Top Thrill Dragster, that I just felt a *little* underwhelmed by Helix. It could also be that Balder is in the same park, and I'm more of an airtime person than I am an "inversion" person, and to me most of the inversions on Helix felt very similar and not much variety. It's saving grace was the moments of airtime the ride had, but it still didn't compare to Balder across the park. I think Helix is a fantastic, wonderful ride... but it just didn't "thrill" me as much as I was expecting it to.

Dear everyone. While we really do appreciate your enthusiasm about wanting to share the news about when a park announces a new ride, please be mindful that we like to present these announcements on the forum in the best way possible. If all you're going to do is "post a link" with little to no other information about a new addition, please wait until someone else, either a moderator from TPR or someone who is willing to put more effort into the announcement has time to create the post. For example, these are NOT the kind of posts we'd like our members to create when new rides are announced: THIS and THIS are perfect examples of what we'd like to see. Please follow these examples. So please, I know a lot of people like to feel "important" by being the first person to break the news, but if you're going to be lazy about doing it, you're only just making MORE WORK for the rest of us, and that's not cool. Thank you for your understanding.

Two New Thrilling Rides and the Introduction of WinterFest at Worlds of Fun in 2017 KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Worlds of Fun announced today it will be adding two new unique and thrilling rides in 2017, as well as a completely redesigned front gate to enhance the guest experience next season. - Falcon's Flight – A hair-raising thrill at nearly 100 feet above the ground. This ride spins and rises at the same time and holds more than 50 riders at a time. - Mustang Runner – Three arms with seven gondolas per arm turn one way while the base of the ride spins the other direction. "We couldn't be more pleased to add two new rides for guests to enjoy. These classic amusement park rides will add thrills unlike anything in the Midwest," said Worlds of Fun General Manager, Frank Wilburn. But that's not all. Families will be able to ring in the holidays next season and enjoy what is sure to be a new family tradition. WinterFest is coming to Worlds of Fun, showcasing 16 favorite holiday characters, spectacular light displays, ice skating, and festive live entertainment. The park will be transformed into a winter wonderland for six weeks beginning November 24, 2017. "While rides and water slides are the focus for the summer, we pride ourselves on creating memories for families. What better way to create more memories than during Winterfest by starting a new holiday family tradition in Kansas City," Wilburn added. WinterFest is included with the purchase of a 2017 Gold Season Pass. Passes are on sale now and also include one visit to the park in 2016.

Actually as I'm reading facebook, it looks like people are saying Winterfest will be included with your gold/platinum passes. I don't understand why people keep asking about this. It says RIGHT ON THE INFO PAGE.... Operating dates, hours and ticket prices for WinterFest will be announced at a later date. The event will be included free for 2017 Gold and Platinum season passholders. More details: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/what-s-new/winterfest

Kings Island Announces the return of Winterfest for 2017! After a 12-year absence, the long awaited return of WinterFest will provide Gold season passholders and Tristate residents with four seasons of fun at the 364-acre amusement and water park. The focal point of WinterFest will be the world’s largest Christmas tree display with the park’s iconic 314-foot tall Eiffel Tower decorated with thousands of lights which will be seen for miles. Below the Eiffel Tower, International Street will be transformed into a colorful and quaint winter village, featuring the fun of holidays past – outdoor ice skating on the park’s Royal Fountain, Christmas carolers, and homemade crafts. Tasty foods, colorful gifts, live stage shows, fun rides, and of course, Santa’s workshop will all be part of WinterFest’s warmth and excitement. Rides will include the Grand Carousel and a journey through the park’s Rivertown area on an authentic steam train. Operating dates, hours and ticket prices for WinterFest will be announced at a later date. The event will be included free for 2017 Gold and Platinum season passholders. More details: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/what-s-new/winterfest

Guys - while I appreciate everyone's enthusiasm for wanting to post park announcements and news, if all you're going to do is post one sentence and a link, please don't bother. Please wait for someone either officially with TPR or someone who is actually willing to put effort into a post instead of being lazy and just posting a link do the work. Example, this is not a good post and not how we want new ride announcements represented on our forums: THIS is how we would appreciate an announcement post to be made. Again, if you're not willing to make a post like that, please wait for someone else to do it, because if you're going to be lazy about your post, we just have to do extra work to clean up your crappy post. Got it? Thanks everyone!

GREAT AMERICA INTRODUCES PATRIOT FLOORLESS COASTER FOR 2017 SANTA CLARA, CA – Today California’s Great America announced that for the 2017 season, it will introduce Patriot, the first floorless coaster in the park’s 41-year history. Patriot will emerge from the soon to be retired Vortex coaster, the oldest stand up roller coaster in the United States. Patriot will take riders to a 91-foot height before plummeting them into a 360-degree loop at 45 miles per hour. Patriot’s position in the park makes it a dynamic visual from three different sections of Great America. The inspiration for the coaster’s name was taken from the fact that the ride is nestled adjacent to All American Corners within a park whose name celebrates America. The transition from a stand up to floorless ride will include state-of-the-art blue and white trains positioning guests with their feet dangling above the blue and white track. “With the track visible beneath their fee, Patriot will create unique and exciting new perspectives throughout the ride,” said California’s Great America Vice President and General Manager Raul Rehnborg. Guests can take their “Last Stand” on Vortex through September 5. Then work will begin to ready Patriot for the 2017 season. Great America’s season continues weekend operations through Oct. 30, with Halloween Haunt running Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 24-Oct. 30. WinterFest debuts and takes center stage Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 25-Dec. 30, with daily operations Dec. 19-23 and 26-30. Guests can ice skate in front of the iconic Carousel Columbia, admire magnificent displays of lights and décor, view spectacular live holiday shows, experience 18 rides, see Santa’s workshop and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen, and enjoy scrumptious holiday foods around the park. Season Passes for the 2017 season go on sale today at the lowest price of the season, offering unlimited admission for the rest of 2016 and all of 2017. 2017 Gold Season Passes are now on sale for 9 easy payments of $9.75 and include unlimited visits during the rest of the 2016 season, admission to Halloween Haunt, WinterFest, Gilroy Gardens (excluding Lumination), unlimited admission during the 2017 season, and more. More details: https://www.cagreatamerica.com/what-s-new/2017-announcement

Here's the clip we posted on our FB page: [fbvideonew] [/fbvideonew]

I'm surprised we never saw any clones of Balder being built, considering the small footprint combined with a good ride experience. If you look at the POV of T-Express you can see that the ride starts out like El Toro and goes into what basically is a Balder clone. When we talked with the project managers at the park they told me "We went and ride El Toro and Balder. We told Intamin we liked them both and we want our ride to be a combination of the two and that's exactly what they gave us!" It's a shame that Everland hasn't built another major coaster since as that's sort of what we were waiting for to go back to that park. It's a great park and my memory of that ride is it's the best wooden coaster I've ever been on. Considering that El Toro and Balder haven't changed that much over the years I can't imagine that T Express wouldn't be any less amazing then it was when i rode it in 2008.

Yeah, this even makes some of my stuff seem intelligent. Don't give yourself too much credit.

Thanks for that! That's still not cool though and I was never asked. These people sometimes make entire channels out of other people's content and it's just not right. Thanks for letting us know!

I don't know what's worse.... people on our forum pretending to be engineers posting total crap and expecting other people to discuss their drivel, or articles like this written by people who know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the theme park industry trying to convince their readers that they are experts and know more about the subject than the people who built it. I hate articles like this, but they actually make our dumbest posters here look good: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article95562432.html

It's not up to Intamin to build a ride at the parks, it's up to Six Flags to build a ride at their parks. Intamin just can't go in and build a ride when they want to, you know! True, I apologize for wording that wrong. I should have stated that I was surprised various North American parks didn't hire Intamin to build more pre-fabs, due to the success of El-Toro. Yes. THIS I don't quite understand either. You would think that parks would go "Wow, they just built one of the greatest ranked roller coasters of all-time...we want one, too!" But that oddly enough didn't happen at all. It was like when Great Adventure went "Wow, Cedar Point just built the tallest/fastest roller coaster in the world...we want one, too!" So maybe the lesson learned here is that the buck stops with Great Adventure?

It's not up to Intamin to build a ride at the parks, it's up to Six Flags to build a ride at their parks. Intamin just can't go in and build a ride when they want to, you know!

OH. MY. GOD!!! HOLY CRAP! YOU ARE RIGHT!!! I mean, these professional engineers now have the solution to the problem with this coaster! Until you came along, they hadn't sold one because they had no idea how to build it! You should send a personal letter to S&S and let them know you are the one who fixed the issue with this coaster! They will be very grateful and thank you! Well done, sir! --Robb "Seriously, have you EVER made a good post on our forum!??!?!" Alvey

My iPhone SE thanks you!

Yeah, sorry. It just came to be that people don't buy physical media as much any more and It's the same amount of work to sell 1,000 copies as it is to sell 100 copies, and when your audience is reduced to almost nothing because everyone is watching on YouTube, it makes more sense for us to shift that direction. (And it's better for us, too!)

(shhhhhhh! This thread is doing wonders for our post count this month!)

Top 8 New Steel Roller Coasters of 2016! While this is a "top 8" they are listed in no particular order as they are all AWESOME! The rides featured are: Storm Chaser at Kentucky Kingdom! Mako at SeaWorld Orlando! Flash at Lewa Adventure in China! Valravn at Cedar Point! The Joker at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom! Flying Aces at Ferrari World! Taron at Phantasialand! Lost Gravity at Walibi Holland!

Problem resolved! Thank you all for your help!

Is it possible for you to NOT make a terrible post? Thread locked for being one of the stupidest posts/threads on TPR.

Can you please let us know if the following video plays for you or not in your desktop browser: If it does NOT work. Please let us know what type of computer and browser you are using, and post of screen shot of what you see if you can. Thank you!

It was....

We have arrived at Six Flags Great Adventure! Our dinner has a WONDERFUL view! Wouldn't you agree? The awesome people @SFGrAdventure gave us dinner next to 2 Pokestops and even added lures! [twitter] [/twitter] One of the best roller coaster sights in the world! Bizzaro @SFGrAdventure! Still one of the better B&M Floorless roller coasters! Kristen proudly displays her El Toro piñata victory! Next she will conquer the actual ride! Tom really REALLY wants to go on the parachutes for some reason... Can you guess why? Not gonna lie... Superman's pretzel loop makes me feel strange... But in a happy way! [twitter] [/twitter] Night rides on Nitro @SFGrAdventure! Second only to El Toro as best night ride in the park! We are ready for night rides on El Toro! Night rides on El Toro have begun and it is freakin' amazing AWESOME!!! [twitter] [/twitter] "Took an EPIC selfie with @ThemeParkReview! They sure know how to have a fun filled evening!" - Jason B. This morning we are back @SFGrAdventure waking up with some awesome rides on Nitro! We are having an AWESOME time riding Nitro this morning @SFGrAdventure! The crew is just fantastic! Thank you!!! [twitter] [/twitter] You can get some amazing views of @SFGrAdventure from the Skyway! The "Flash Pass" @SFGrAdventure is awesome! Cuts down your wait in line and worth every penny!!! Fire makes any roller coaster better! (Unless it's a woodie burning down... Unless that woodie is Mean Streak!) Photo ops with a celebrity! The world's tallest drop tower on the world's tallest roller coaster. Zumanjaro & Kingda Ka @SFGrAdventure! Awesome! [twitter] [/twitter] WOW! I had forgotten just how intense Green Lantern @SFGrAdventure was! [twitter] [/twitter] We love the new safari attraction @SFGrAdventure! Was so happy they made this change a couple of years ago! 4 of my all-time favorite roller coaster drops! El Toro @SFGrAdventure! We ran into some TPR fans from the Netherlands! We are on a log flume... El Toro, Kingda Ka, and Zumanjaro! Three of the best rides @SFGrAdventure in one pic! And we will wrap up our visit to Great Adventure with a new El Toro 60FPS POV Video!