John Peck

I had no idea! Duly-noted, thanks! I was looking at COSI's website, and i'm not seeing it listed, but that doesn't mean it's not there, since it's part of an outside area. I think that outdoor section is closed for the winter. It's obviously an "educational" ride now, since they teach visitors about centrifugal force. COSI in 2010

Skyhawk (at CP) seems to run nearly everytime I'm there. And except for the cable snap (which was commented by industry experts as a rare incident to have a cable break) I don't know of any other problems CP or any other cedar fair park has experienced. But yes, Screaming Swings are awesome.

Maybe they also got more push-back than expected due to the removal of Thunder Road and wanted to fill the ride park up a bit quicker. I don't know... just a thought.

We still have a Rotor in Ohio at COSI in Columbus. I rode it back in 2010. I think it's still there.

I posted a link in the Carowinds thread, but this is truly noteworthy to have its own discussion.

Looks like Carowinds might also be getting 5 new-used rides for this season: Muzik Express, Trokia, Top Scan, Wave Swinger and Breakdance http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-cedar-fair-flat-rides-20160206-story.html A team of scavengers scouring the globe for vintage thrill rides to bring back to Cedar Fair amusement parks in the United States hit the mother lode in Europe and plans to continue the search in Japan. The transcontinental trek took Monty Jasper and a small crew of Cedar Fair maintenance coordinators to Scotland, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and Germany where they collected seven classic flat rides — industry-speak for spinning thrill rides that travel near the ground and/or rise up into the air. “To be honest, I was surprised at all we found,” said Jasper, a 42-year industry veteran and chief ride curator for Cedar Fair’s chain of 11 amusement parks. Let's take a detailed look at the inventory of vintage flat rides — past and present — at Cedar Fair's amusement parks. (Brady MacDonald) In all, Jasper spent $7 million — about $1 million per ride — on a Mondial Top Scan, Mack Music Express, Zierer Wave Swinger, Huss Condor, Huss Breakdance and a pair of Huss Troikas. After extensive rehabs, five of the rides are heading to Carowinds outside Charlotte, N.C., and the other two are on their way to Missouri’s Worlds of Fun in time for the summer season. Jasper likes the rides from the 1950s, '60s and '70s because they tend to be more robust and mechanically sound than their modern brethren. “If you take care of them, they will last a long time,” Jasper said. Inspired by the “American Pickers” reality television show, Jasper’s team of collectors departed for Europe with the goal of filling out Cedar Fair’s portfolio of mid-range rides — those unheralded but essential workhorses that fall somewhere between the mega coasters and the kiddie rides. Jasper hoped to even pick up a sturdy old coaster if found one he liked. At Scotland’s Loudoun Castle theme park, which closed in 2010, the Cedar Fair ride pickers passed on a portable Schwarzkopf looping coaster but picked up a Troika, which is similar to the familiar Scrambler except it's suspended from overhead arms that tilt during the ride. “They stuck the key in the ignition and it started right up,” Jasper said. “Troikas are stout rides. They’re built like tanks.” In Germany, the pickers decided against a Funtime Star Flyer tower swing at Holiday Park but grabbed a Breakdance, which features a sloped spinning platform with hubs of cars that spin in the opposite direction. California’s Great America, a Cedar Fair park in Santa Clara, has a Breakdance ride called Peanuts Pirates in its Planet Snoopy kiddie land. Switzerland and Italy proved scenic but fruitless, with the pickers deciding against a Huss Top Scan and a Mack bobsled roller coaster. “Anything can run again if you throw enough money at it, but it might not be worth it,” Jasper said. “You don’t want to put some troublemaker into a park.” Corroy Consulting, a ride-refurbishment factory in Holland that finds and resells classic flat rides, turned out to be a goldmine — with Jasper and the pickers snapping up five rides that will be stripped, repainted, repaired and updated with new electrical and lighting before being shipped to the United States. Carowinds is expected to get the Scottish Troika, Breakdance, Music Express, Top Scan and Wave Swinger. The Music Express features a snake-like train traversing an undulating track, and the Top Scan spins riders in free-rotating gondolas. The Wave Swinger may replace the park’s Chance Yo Yo, a similar spinning ride with seats suspended from chains. Worlds of Fun is expected to become home to the Dutch Troika as well as the Condor, a spinning tower ride with counter-spinning swinging gondola seats. This month, Jasper plans to visit Japan on another scavenger hunt in hopes of discovering more rides like the ones he found in Europe while also looking for other classics like the Chance Trabant, Schwarzkopf Enterprise and Eli Bridge Scrambler. “It may not be as good as that first trip,” Jasper said. “We will see.”

I'll be hated for this, but what do you think of the idea to move Bizzaro down to SFoT and turn Green Lantern into a Floorless? Mantis/Rouguro is so much better now. Or... once the hype wears off, someday move Green Lantern to SFoT or Great America and change it to floorless. (I know there's some stand-up love out there, but as I said, Mantis is amazing now)

Some more from me Gatekeeper, ©2013 John Peck Maverick, ©2012 John Peck Kentucky Rumbler, ©2006 John Peck Mind Eraser, ©2004 John Peck Villain, ©2006 John Peck Nitro, ©2003 John Peck Cyclone, Flashback, ©2003 John Peck Toboggan, Trimpers Rides, ©2003 John Peck

Thank you. Yes, the 18 flags of texas + sea world trip was pretty awesome, but a whirlwind and a whole lot of driving. We flew in from Ohio on friday early afternoon, saw a movie to kill some time (Corpse Bride... hey, it was Halloween time), got to Astroworld before the 6pm opening and we worked our way clockwise starting at Serial Thriller. It was running one train, so it was a good 20 minute wait, and since it was their newest coaster, we wanted to get it done first due to the line. We rode in order: (each 1x, and it was busy, most rides had one train on) Serial Thriller Log Flume Serpent Mayan Mindbender XLR-8 Ultra Twister Texas Cyclone Batman Greezed Lightning We left the park close to 11pm, drove part of the way to SFoT and stayed at a hotel. We continued on to SFoT in the morning. I thought it opened at Noon, but misread the times, so it opened at 10am, so we had long lines once we got there. It was a full day at SFoT, we missed a lot of the credits due to lines, but we did get on The Parachute tower 3 times and Texas Giant. We drove part of the night to San Antonio and stayed at a hotel The next morning we finished our trip to San Antonio and started with Sea World and since it was not busy, did what we wanted to do (Loved Steel Eel) and headed to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. That was fun. We flew home from San Antonio the next morning. The End!

Serpent was great. So is the mini mine train at SFoT, which both are Arrow

Thank you for liking them, as well as the other comments on here. The restraints on Batman are different, because Batman was an Intamin, though B&M I think were working there at the time before going on their own. (I don't really know the whole history story). Glad there is one more Sky Swat in the world. I had forgotten about that.

Yep! Here: www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71465

Since the Texas Cyclone thread was brought back to the surface and I was asked if I had any more Astroworld pics, I wanted to put together this TR for you. When i heard the park was closing, I said to myself: "Self, you need to get down there, many of these rides may never operate again" So the wife and I flew down to Texas and did the 18-flags over Texas and Sea World from Friday to Monday in October of 2005. Now, since we were limited on time, Astroworld was done on a Friday and they opened at 6pm since it was their fright fest, so I have very few photos of the park in the light, which I regret. In hindsight, I should have stayed two days to soak it all in, but since we also hit SFoT, Sea World and Fiesta Texas, we were limited. I regretted that for years until they made-over Rattler and Texas Giant, and since I haven't been able to get back down there, I can say I'm happy to have gotten the Rattler and Texas Giant non-RMC credits now. Some of the photos are mediocre, as my old 3.2 megapixel camera wasn't great. Now, onto the photos.... we got there right before 6pm those ghost decorations remained there after the park was being torn down at last OMG! Best ride ever! And best theming ever! I was disappointed. I've been on quite a few SLC's and this one was one of the rougher ones. I loved the theme here cool lighting I skipped this because I knew it was going to be relocated, but missed it at New England... crap. I really enjoyed Viper I loved the lighting This was fun. By then it was almost ptch dark so it was great in the dark. Sadly, I only rode it forward as the line got too long Beautiful lights Loved the Cyclone That awkward moment when you are trying to take a pic of the train and someone looks you straight in the eye Even better than Knotts' So much speed

Gone but not forgotten. Some pics of the Cyclone on my first and only trip to Astroworld in October of 2005.

Very cool. I didn't realize Santa Cruz's ride was a snowball. Nice that it's going back to that theme, and I'm glad another classic Arrow lives on. What is the fate of the Wildcat? did you sell it or scrap it?

So happy to hear about the Snowball returning! That was a great ride when i last rode it in 2002

In my opinion, maXairs cycle is much better than deliriums, as it is about 3 or 4 swings longer. Hope they keep that up! I love these rides and I am fortunate to live in between both of them!

That soccer thing does feel like a filler to me, but to be fair, I thought the 3-point challenge at CP in Chaos' spot was temporary as well and it's been there 5 or 6 years now.

Oh, also, it was actually a pretty good-sized building.

The Diamondback webcam is showing the old Funnel Cake building torn down. (it was being torn down yesterday)

Dominator, Geauga Lake Park 2004. ©2004, 2016 John Peck

I'm just a hair under 6' 1" and I still love Vortex. I also just turned 42. I find myself disliking certain coasters "more" that I disliked due to roughness in the past. Or other thrill rides that I disliked or found mediocre in the past (Hurricanes, super loops), I like them even less now. I have less of a will to re-ride certain rides nowadays, too, though I'm trying to decide if it's just due to age or if i've ridden them so much in the past, I don't care to ride them as much currently.

I think the Skyflyer was repainted in the 2013/2014 off season. I like the color on Slingshot, it makes Banshee look brighter. Coney mall could paint the rails on Racer back to their red and blue. That would look nice. Though the next thing I think needs looking at is a refurbishment of the Carousel.

I do have some Raptor love as well... much of that being for sentimental reasons, as many can understand. I really loved Montu and Afterburn as well. Flight deck at Great America was great as well as well as Great Bear. I like the Batmen, but since there all clones of one another, they stand out less to me, but I think i like them a bit more than Talon. I haven't been on Patriot. Alpengiest, though, is a little on the rough side for me and the second half is a bit dead, so that may be a bit near the bottom of my list. Still too big for Banshee, but I want to get on that as soon as I thin down more.

Magnum is also a giant mine train. But the one at Six Flags over Georgia is the roughest one in my opinion, and I have been on most of them in the US.