downunder

I don't know how you and Robb do it, but I'm glad you do!

That is a great photo, damn Millennium Force looks great at night, I have seen it with my own two eyes but I have never been able to capture it with photos.

This is a very interesting topic, I have a couple of notable entries from the land downunder. We had a 131' arrow custom looper called Big Dipper in Sydney that was relocated over 1000km north to Dreamworld and is now called Cyclone, would this be the biggest coaster relocated until they actually move Dominator. In terms of well travelled coasters, we had a 1st gen Vekoma Boomerang at the 1988 World Expo in Brisbane, that was relocated south to Sydney, and the it was relocated to Visionland in Alabama, that coaster has clocked up some serious miles.

I was there in August, and I totally agree with get there early and head straight to X as soon as you get in. If you can get by in the park with no carry ons or loose articles, this will help with X as it will save you valuable time putting stuff in a temporary locker at X. As soon as you are done with X go straight over the mountain for Deja Vu, we did and it was walk on. If there is a line I would use the single rider line if you don't mind riding separately - you access it by walking around the back of the ride. I worked my way across the back after that ie Riddler's, Batman. Scream, Colossus, Goliath. If the Tatsu line is looking bad, get a flash pass. Rides, the good ones IMO: X, Tatsu, Goliath, Riddler's, Batman, Scream, Deja Vu Worth doing but not spectacular: pretty much the rest of them except Canyon Blaster which is a kiddie. Impossible credit: Goliath Junior

I rode Ghostrider after the Midwest Trip, and it was really rough, a lot rougher than when I last rode it September 2005 (after it's annual rehab). In 2005 it was rough in a fun way, 2007 it was rough in a can't wait for this ride to finish kind of way. It's disappointing that Ghostrider has gone down so much, it used to be a fave, though now I have been on many of the great woodies courtesy of the Midwest Trip, it would be right down my rankings even in it's prime.

Ah Freddie, I bet you are positively salivating over those laterals. This looks like a fun coaster.

Australia getting knocked out by the bloody English in the rugby world cup, if they had played their best and been neaten fair enough, but they played like a bunch of pot plants who had forgotten how to play. Oh well, at least unbackable favourites New Zealand got knocked out as well.

That's a really good point, could a Son of Beast size coaster work as a pre fab woodie. I'd love to find out.

I am glad I read the front page, or it would been X, X, and more X loving. Magnum would definitely be my favourite. Out of the others, mainly corkscrews and loopers, Vortex at Kings Island gets my vote, ahead of Viper at SFMM, GASM (GAdv), Demon (GAm), and various corkscrews.

If more pre fab woodies equals coasters like El Toro, I say bring it on. I would love to see innovation in woodies but not at the expense of the ride experience, Son Of Beast was an admirable attempt to push things but it didn't work. I agree that clamshell restraints would be great on woodies, they are comfortable, and conducive to fast load times, and more open trains would make things more exciting. Personally I would love to see an El Toro like coaster in a terrain setting like the Beast, with more airtime, with an even steeper bigger drop, and a much longer ride.

I've got an "I Rode It!" button from 2003 for Top Thrill Dragster, it seems not too many people rode Dragster that year.

From the Urban Dictionary: Mort: An unintelligent dimwitted individual who lives (or should live) in the suburb location of Mortdale, NSW, Australia. I live in Mortdale what have I done to deserve this?

Planet Terror, unrated extended version, more of a good thing.

Yes. Is El Toro the best wood coaster in the USA?

Years ago at Wet and Wild Orlando there was this enclosed slide called Black Hole, I went on with this girl who was a bit lighter than me, and half way through we somehow managed to do a full 360 and both fell out of the raft and wound up arriving down at the bottom at separately.

I have so got to come to the USA for Halloween one year, it just looks so awesome. Knott's seems to have a good reputation for Halloween Haunts but it doesn't sound like it's anywhere near as good as USH, and Magic Mountain I wouldn't expect that to be too good at all?

Probably Wet and Wild and / or Warner Bros Movie World Australia in December. Midwest trip gave me my coaster fix for at least a year.

MIA should be thankful they didn't give them the Vekoma Boomerang as well. I hear Neurosurgeons and Chiropractors and Physiotherapists in the area are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of increased patient numbers.

Yes Does Robot chicken rule?

My December Kelly Clarkson She's one jagged little idol these days.

No Do you think the All Blacks will win the Rugby World Cup (you suck if you do)?

Back row in El Toro for me, honourable mentions Top Thrill Dragster, Millennium Force & X.

The only way you will visiting Magic Mountain next year is if you buy one of the condos that will be occupying the site. Maybe they know we are all hanging for some big news and holding off to torture us, or waiting to see if they can get anyone organised for pulling down Deja Vu (interesting to see if MM and GAm's DV's survive). It will probably be Thomas the Tank Engine if it's anything at all, but who know's. Maybe they will try and pass X off as a new ride after it's refurbishment.

Not excited about this at all but it's better than nothing, I can clearly see my next SFNE visit - ride Superman repeatedly, get new credit, ride Superman until leaving park. Although it looks like they are starting to remove the Deja Vu coasters, Six Flags are increasing my feelings of deja vu when visit most of their parks.

1. Maverick, not sure if this counts but I really enjoyed it personally. 2. Top Thrill Dragster, definitely a top thrill, intensity makes up for lack of elements. 3. Superman Escape, a real surprise packet, excellent theming for a thrill coaster and some great airtime. 4. Storm Runner, wasn't as impressed with this as I thought I would. 5. Xcelerator, insane airtime in the front rows, great launch. 6. Kingda Ka, disappointing, other than in the front it was so shaky that it killed the sensation of speed for me, could be much better with some maintenance. I think that is all the one's I have been on.