Nitro1118

Wow that actually looks better than I was anticipating. Layout looks really fun with some great racing/dueling moments. Definitely a great addition to the lineup.

I think GAdv is past "needing" flats at this point. We have more than some of SF's most well-rounded parks, such as SFGAm, SFOT and SFFT. We got a dozen more than SFMM. We got more than major CF parks like KI, and about the same amount as Carowinds. SF has done an awesome job the last few years of filling GAdv with much-needed non-coaster attractions. 2012 we got a flat package, 2013 SORA, 2014 Zumanjaro, 2015 El Diablo, 2017 Justice League and 2018 Cyborg. This is why I'd really like to see a coaster in the next year or 2. Considering the coaster removals and their replacements in the last 11 years, I really feel like our collection is worse now than it was in 2007. With that said, a Giant Discovery will look awesome in Freefall's spot and finally complete what was a dead area for so many years.

Why are the restraints so terrible? I keep hearing this and IDK, I don't mind them.....thing is though - Superman is really the only hyper I have ridden.....I need to get out more lol There was an accident early in the early 2000s. I forget which year, but when it reopened the state would not allow the original T-bar restraints it was designed with ala Millenium Force or Top Thrill Dragster. Now they’re thick yellow U-bars? Correct me if im wrong, I haven’t been in a few years, kind of similar to the thickness of El toro. The accident happened in early 2004. They added weird ankle restraints and side bars to the T-bar restraints. I rode it for the first time later that season, and compared to the T-bar system of MF/TTD, they were the exact same but just more crammed due to the additions. In 2009 they got totally new trains, which included the massive new lap bars that land directly on the mid-thigh (they are much thicker than Toro's lap bar as well). They are also now ratchet-style, so they are easier to click down even further during high g-force moments than the old restraints, which further compounds the stapling/painfulness.

1) Steel Vengeance 2) Superman: The Ride 3) Skyrush 4) Apollo's Chariot 5) Nitro 6) Magnum 7) Steel Force 8) S:RoS at SFA 9) Raging Bull

I just got the same survey for SFGAdv with the same questions, except for the "new land" part. I think you guys might be taking the questions a little too literally, lol...

Looks like multiple crates have arrived in the parking lot. Possibly something of interest.... (Found on GA History but I believe the originals were posted on the Connoseuir facebook page)

On Tuesday there was thunderstorm and rain forecasts, which actually closed the coasters for 30min. SV was still 1.5 hours all day and Maverick was 45min. If you want rerides on those, FL+ will be worth it.

Yeah, I was shocked as my memory of it was favorable. That back row experience was a dumpster fire.

Background: The last time I visited CP was August 12th-15th, 2003 at the age of 12. It was my first major "roller coaster" trip as an enthusiast, which took over a year to convince my mom to take me on. That trip, which also included the now-defunct SFWoA and a stay at Hotel Breakers, is what sparked us to do similar annual trips every year over the next 5 years. This stretch is where probably 80% of my 150+ coaster count came from. So many amazing memories were sparked from that CP trip. Let's flash back to those days for a moment. The rookie TTD was a phenomenon in the coaster community, shattering height and speed records. MF was just 3 years old and was in the midst of headlining Discovery Channel shows and winning Golden Tickets. Raptor was still less than 10 years old and Magnum less than 15. The excitement was sky-high to visit America's Roller Coast. Oh, one more notable thing about that trip- August 14th is when the massive blackout of 2003 happened, which wiped out seemingly half the USA's electricity. At CP, most of the coasters were stuck on the lifts or brakeruns. Breakers was out of power and we had bagels for dinner. It was a shit-show, but definitely a very unique experience in retrospect. I won't go into many details about that trip, but MF claimed my #1 spot and held it for a year until I got on S:RoS at SFNE. I got 3 rides on TTD, the first of which included a 4hr line and about 10 combined breakdowns/rollbacks. My 1 full day at the park was PACKED, including a 45min wait for CCMR and 1 hour for Raptor. Despite the crowds, I had a blast and have been planning to go back now for 15 years. July 31st/August 1st, 2018: This current trip has been a couple years in the making. In late 2015 I started to plan a CP trip, but that was haulted by a job change in early 2016. By late 2016, it was basically confirmed RMC Mean Streak would be a thing, so I planned other trips to SFNE/KD in 2017 as filler to bridge the gap until Steel Vengeance would be operational. Still, this trip was almost postponed anorther year as I recently received a promotion which makes planning trips logistically difficult. Then about 2 weeks ago I found an opportunity to barely make it work and took it. We decided to budget our $ and stay at Breakers Express, which offered 2 nights + 2 tickets each for my girlfriend and I for $500 total. Considering this included free parking, early entry and an easy 2min drive to the park, it was a no-brainer. It also gave us the chance to keep FL+ in the budget, which we figured would be key. Instead of going beat by beat of how the trip went, I'll just give an overview of the rides and some random notes: Rides: Steel Vengeance- 7x: This was the first time since El Toro in 2006 where I came off my first ride of a coaster and said, "This is undoubtedly the best coaster I've ever ridden." WOW. The best adjective I can use to describe this coaster is "powerful." I had seen the POV's many times, read all the reviews, and still I could not prepare myself for how amazing this thing is. A quick review of the elemenths- The first drop was killer as expected, although it honestly gets lost in relation to everything that follows. The 2 hills that follow provide the sustained ejector of El Toro, but also throw in some crazy laterals as well. After that we have a pop of air and go through a rather whippy and disorienting zero g. A fast turnaround leads into what I believe is called a snake dive, which provides a great sensation of floater and ends with a strong snap in the pullout. Another quick pop of air and then into probably the strongest ejector on the ride, which is the hill right before the MCBR. Now, 2 of my 7 rides were untrimmed, and the other 5 were trimmed at varying degrees. If trimmed, the rest of the ride is still very intense and with strong pacing. When it's untrimmed, the rest of the ride is completely insane. When untrimmed, the drop off the MCBR provides strong ejector, the next 2 hills provide ejector, and then the curved drop thru the structure provides ejector and laterals. Inside the structure is incredible and you are completely engulfed by the structure. The first inversion is taken at a very fast speed, the following 2 hills provide strong ejector, and then you hit the wave turn which provide sideways airtime. Immediately following is a zero g with a strange pullout transition, which feels like a dip and then quick turn. From the wave turn to that pullout is incredibly disorienting, especially surrounded by a tunnel of wood. The last 5 bunny hops all provide stronger ejector than I anticipated and are taken at rapid succession. Overall, this thing is stunning. There is just so much packed into the layout, and every little bit of it is intense and with fast pace. The variety is unmatched. From the appearance to the ride experience, CP created what I would call roller coaster perfection. Also, one of my untrimmed rides was a night ride, which was the single greatest lap on a coaster I've ever had. With the structure lit up, the 2nd half of this ride is a total mindf*ck. Maverick- 2x: Honestly, even though Maverick is easily a top 15, possibly top 10 coaster for me, I came off ever-so slightly disappointed. In technical terms it hits every mark, but I just wasn't blown away. It has the great first drop, ejector, inversions and a launch, so I still don't quite understand why I wasn't blown away. I do think that riding SV right before it effected the "wow" factor for me. Either way, great ride. Magnum- 3x: The only foggy memory I had of my 2003 trip was my fondness of Magnum. I remember having a blast on it, but after 15 years of hearing people knock it made me feel that maybe my 12 year old self was irrational with an abnormally high pain tolerance. Well, I can now safely say with confidence that Magnum has become underrated in recent years. Row 2 provides a relatively smooth ride with some awesome, laugh-inducing ejector on the return trianglular hills. Row 3, aka the ejector seat, is borderline too rough, but the ejector is that much more intense as well. A very hard coaster for me to rank, but I had a ton of fun on this thing. Top Thrill Dragster- 2x: Most definitely smoother than KK, with a better location and far better trains. Also, no noticable "pulses" in the launch like KK. I do feel that KK's speed-hill is far better than TTD's straight brakerun, and for some reason I feel that KK's launch has a tiny bit more punch to it despite the pulsing. In the front row I'd say they are about even, and every other row TTD is far more enjoyable. Raptor- 2x: Still a middle of the pack invert like I remembered. The back row is starting to get a bit shaky, and the cobra roll and turn into the brakerun are a little too violent for comfort. In the front row I had a far better ride. I love the corkscrew to downward helix finale. Even though I call it middle of the pack, I find most B&M inverts very comparable to one another, and all are fantastic rides. Gatekeeper- 2x: My first Wingrider and I was quite impressed. My ride in the back was quite rattly, but my 2nd row ride was buttery smooth. The first half of the ride is super fun and the keyhole elements are actually amazing. It is too bad the ride completely dies after the MCBR. Still, a great addition and it looks absolutely beautiful. Valravn- 1x: My first Dive Machine, and I quite liked it. The first drop actually gave me that stomach-dropping feeling which I very rarely ever get nowadays. Most of the ride is generally mediocre, with the exception of the zero-g into downward helix element which rode better than I anticipated. Another fun, quality addition that looks great. Blue Streak- 1x: Madevthe mistake of riding in the back row. Ouch. Took a nasty shot to my kidney area and vowed to avoid it the rest of the trip. Gemini- 1x: Very unique racing coaster that I had a great time on. Perfectly smooth with some solid airtime and fun interactions with the opposite train. Hopefully they keep investing into its upkeep as it is a perfect coaster for that sub-54" group. Rougaru- 1x: Big improvement over Mantis. It was mostly smooth and now that it is classified as a floorless, it offers a layout intensity that is unlike any other floorless. I pray that GAdv will cough up the $ to coonvert Green Lantern's standup trains. Skyride- 2x: Provided a relaxing ride with some incredible views of the front of the park. I do think I am spoiled by the length of the one at GAdv, but the views made up for the shorter duration. Cedar Point Railroad- 3x: Awesome steam-train that cuts out a huge amount of walking from MF too SV. The little touches of theming on the trip from the back to middle of the park were a nice touch as well. Notes: -The Express Hotel is quite large and exceeded my expectations. Nice lobby and clean rooms with a touch of CP charm. If Breakers is out of your budget, this is a great affordable, fall-back option. -I forgot just how massive this park is. It didn't effect me much in 2003 as back then, pre-Maverick/SV, there was little reason to go beyond around TTD more than once a day. Considering I am nursing a leg injury from lifting weights, this was quite a chore. The steam train and skyride were huge helps this trip. -Obviously, MF was down both days. On the 2nd day it was testing, but then the red train got stuck at the base of the lift around noon and never moved again. I am hearing rumors the lift motor crapped out. Hopefully they can get it operational soon. It sucks I couldn't ride what was once my #1 coaster, but as someone said I beelieve in the CP thread- CP is the one park where a giga can be down all day and you will still have an amazing time. -We did get FL+ the second day. Skipping the 2 hour lines for SV were worth the $ by itself, however I also saved myself from hour waits on Maverick, TTD and Valravn. -As mentioned, my leg is really messed up, so I traded a bunch of re-rides for shows. We saw "Lights, Cameras, Action", "Vertical" something or another, "Lusty Lil's", and the rock show across from MF's station whose name I cannot remember. All were highly enjoyable. It is great to see CP invest in these shows as they offer fun, AC-filled breaks from the crowds, rides and heat. -They did an awesome job of rennovating and adding to the Breakers/beach area since my last visit. It was really lively all night over there. I love the fire pits and beach activities they added. -Famous Dave's and the new Melt restaurant were awesome. Highly reccomend both to those who want quality food for basically the same price as your usual, garbage park food. -The SV crew is super strict with the new phone policy. I really enjoyed the $10, all-day moveable locker, however CP really should invest in installing lockers at a lot more of the coasters. Maverick, Raptor and a few others do not have any lockers, so you must walk back and forth to use lockers at other coasters to store your items. Not a hige issue, but it got annoying at times. -I heard about the bugs at CP at night, but thought they just hung around lights. Nope. The entire place is completely covered in a blanket of these little bastards. -Overall, had an amazing time at the park. It is such an enormous, well-rounded experience and an absolute must-visit for every enthusiast out there. And MF being down gives me even more incentive to run up the credit card next year for another visit. Hope ya'll enjoyed the TR. Below are pics from the 2 days. Hello beautiful. Quick shot of Maverick from the nearby designated smoking area. It's impossible to capture how massive this thing truly is via pictures. One of the best airtime moments on any coaster. Cedar Creek Mine Ride. Got the credit last time so it wasn't a priority. Regardless it is quite photogenic. MF from the distance. Suck it was down both days, but still had an amazing time. The lift hill/drop is still my favorite element to just look and marvel at. Timeless. Midwest Kingda Ka. Like it's East Coast cousin, it provides a rush unlike anything else. Another credit I got last time that I skipped. Another pass. Beautiful to look at, though. The Skyride provides some stunning views of Valravn. Raptor from the Skyride. Gatekeeper in the distance. My girlfriend enjoyed the break from the endless walking we did over the 2 days. Raptor from the midway. Classic B&M invert. Gatekeeper exceeded my expectations, especially towards the front of the train. The beach was very lively on a mostly overcast Tuesday night. Breakers from the boardwalk. Magnum is a blast. Underrated nowadays. Steel Vengeance looks amazing lit up at night. If you can stay at the park after nightfall, a night ride on SV is one of the greatest experiences ever. This area was redone after my last trip and looks awesome at night. Unreliable p.o.s from the boardwalk. Another credit I passed on this go-around. I love impulses, though. Gatekeeper at night. Marking the end of my first night. My room at the Express. Love sleeping under the framed MF pic, lol. CP skyline before early entry. Obligatory shot. The line for lockers at SV during early entry. From the steam train. TTD. Some of the prop theming for the steam train. Nice touch. One of the few MF trains that saw action the 2 days I was there. Huge step up from Mantis. Valravn dominates the main midway. Girlfriend posing with Snoopy. Raptor. The train stayed here for at least 6 hours, possibly longer. Maverick from the train. Arguably the best 1-2 punch in the world. Obligatory MF shot. The midway at sunset. Valravn at sunset. CP is completely infested EVERYWHERE at night with these things. Fireworks over SV from the train. MF's awesome lighting package. Rougaru at night. Power Tower. One of my favorite shots ever. Valravn looking trippy.

In the unload station, they hooked up a tube from the control panel to a machine below the station. They pulled a long wire like a lawn mower and now the machine is running. No idea what they are doing but they are definitely working on things. Attached is a [crappy] pic.

Attached is a pic as of an hour ago, with the red train stuck at the base of the lift.

Can confirm it was down all day yesterday. Today, it was testing all 3 trains with dummies, however now the red train is stuck at the base of the lift hill. Looks like I'll be out of luck on this vacation of riding it

Thanks for all the helpful tips, guys! We just officially reserved the room. Forecast currently calls for rain both days, but it is still far enough away that I put little stock in it. It's our only chance to make this trip work this year so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

This is my vote, too. It was insanely loud when both sides were actually open. One train would be mid-launch while the other would be just exiting its final element. If you were anywhere near that exit tunnel you'd pretty much have to cover your ears. They were so loud that I could hear them in the distance while on the stairs of the HH slides.

Hey guys, so I will be heading to CP next week on Tuesday and Wednesday. My last visit was back in August 2003, so a lot has changed since then. That trip I stayed at Breakers and had a fantastic time. With cash kind of tight, I will be staying at Breakers Express. I had a few questions: 1) Since I will be staying at a CP property, I will have access to early entry on Wednesday. What entrance should I use to get me to Steel Vengeance/Maverick the quickest? And what would be the best place to park in relation to that entrance? 2) I know the hotels offer you the chance to get tickets at the lobby. Do they also sell Fast Lane at the hotels? 3) What are some good places for food after park closing in the immediate area of Breakers Express? Thanks in advance!

I can't speak for how it is riding this year, but last year there were definitely a few "potholes" when riding in the last row of each car. Most notably during the turnaround, the small hill that goes through the structure of the camelbacks, and the twister section. However, the middle rows of each car were still very smooth. And the rough spots didn't kill the experience, but definitely jarring when not expecting them.

I was not a fan. It wasn't completely terrible but I would personally spend a few extra bucks and stay at the La Quinta right next door.

Visited the park today for the first time since either late July/early August. I've had today circled for awhile as I work 13hr shifts on Saturdays/Sundays, so visiting the park after Labor Day is kind of difficult to arrange. With November being notorious for extremely low crowds, I was very excited to see that the park would be open today. Anyway... Notes: -When I arrived at 4:45pm there were ZERO employees at the parking lot entrance. We drove right thru the gates. It was probably the most bizzare thing I have ever experienced at GAdv. -Besides JL around 5pm (which we skipped until later in the night when it was a walkon), ride lines were completely non-existent. No coaster that we rode had anyone in line besides the first row and a couple random rows. If I wasn't with my girlfriend and step son I could have done serious marathoning. -El Toro was running fantastic despite the chilly weather. The ride I got in the magic seat was the smoothest Toro ride I've gotten in probably 5 years. The very last row had the typical potholes in the turnaround and a few spots afterwards. Excellent ride as always. Got 2 rides on it. -Got on KK twice, including only a 5min wait for front row. I forgot how unbelievable front row is at night. The lights that run down the launch make it a very disorienting experience. 3rd row was shaky but tolerable. -Got 1 ride on Batman. Running as well as it always has. -Got 1 ride on Nitro. Was a tad sluggish but like El Toro it gave the smoothest ride I've had on it in many years. Zero rattle whatsoever. Night time rides on Nitro are always great. -Finished our night with 2 rides on JL. Got a new high score of 168,000. I have no idea how people are managing 400k scores although I was happy with my results tonight. -I loved the atmosphere of the park tonight. It was almost strictly well-behaved families; a stark contrast to the FF crowds of just 2 weeks ago. -Most decorations for HITP seem to be up. I couldn't do too much looking around as we had only 3 hours to eat and do as much riding as possible. I can't wait to FINALLY get to HITP after missing out the last few years. A couple pics I randomly took to spice up this TR:

Twisted Timbers is starting to come aling nicely. I definitely feel it will be a darkhorse in 2018 with SV and the Raptors getting most of the attention. The airtime on this thing is going to be nuts.

Remember that Mitch required a minimum number of riders of a coaster to have it even be included in the final results. I forget what the number was but I want to say it was around 10. So that would basically help eliminate the scenario you just mentioned. Ah, didn't see that, thanks for clearing that up.

It has been an idea of mine ever since Mitch stopped running his poll. I always had two issues with putting in the work to make it happen; figuring out the best way to tabulate the votes and make a fair list, and the massive amount of free time needed to complete such a task. Here is an excerpt from Mitch regarding how he came up with final results: It was actually a relatively simple system. Where I would find issue is how to factor in ridership. For example, two people might have a relatively rare credit somewhere in Asia that they both view as their #1. Meanwhile 84 of 86 people have El Toro as their #1 coaster. The 2 voters who didn't have El Toro as their top coaster are the two who had that rare Asian coaster as their favorite. In that scenario, that coaster would have a perfect winning % and would have beaten El Toro in the head-to-head. Does that justify listing it as #1 despite the massively disproportionate ridership numbers? That brings us back to the point that these lists are arbitrary and can easily be manipulated by voters and the system itself. That, in turn, ends up just pissing people off.

But they have other rarely used structures that can still be removed such as the theater across from the Justice League and the Batman Stunt Show Arena. Also a few years ago there were rumors that Skull Mountain (sorry Cult of Skull Mountain members) might be at the end of it life cycle. I'd still like one more indoor ride/attraction to help the park in inclement weather. The Showcase just got repainted and I do think will be utilized more in the next few seasons now that the area is seeing attention. With the Granstand and Fort Independance gone, the Showcase is one of the only spots to see a traditional show left. As I mentioned earlier, the Batman Stunt Show area is another good candidate for removal. Combined with the old Freefall spot and you have a pretty solid chunk of unused land.

What's been the issues with Runaway Mine Train and Log Flume this year? And yeah . . . . they're both original park opening rides, but if they're in bad shape, maybe they'll be taken out (if so, which is more likely to bite the dust?) RMT has had issues with the lift and a warped section of track, while from my understanding the Flume was down most of the summer.

Ok, vacant from the public for about 8 of the 10 operating months of the season... Really though, for how many years the simulator operated, I highly doubt the fact that it is currently used as prize storage or a FF trail will be a make-or-break reason for it either re-opening full-time or being demolished for something new. I would honestly prefer for it to be re-opened with upgraded technology, but my gut tells me that ship has sailed. I think we will see something done with that spot in the next 5 years. Management seems commited to taking down relatively old or unused structures, even if they are still somewhat in use (like Fort Independance).

I like the addition. The park has slowly built up their non-coaster lineup over the past 6 years after Snyder ripped out a bunch of rides and simply left concrete slabs. Adventure Alley, Safari, Zumanjaro, El Diablo, JL and now Cyborg are all fantastic additions to boost the lineup. I also really liked them revitalizing the Lakefront with Joker, and now Old Country is one step closer to being complete. The only major, vacant eyesore left will be the old simulator building. I am hoping to finally get an RMC next year, though. With SFOG getting Twisted Cyclone, we are the last major SF park to not have one. With all of the problems they have had this year, I have a gut feeling either RMT or Log Flume's days are numbered. It would suck to lose either ride, but both rides are deteriorating and sitting on prime real estate. Other potential locations I could see are the old Freefall/Batman Stunt Show plot of land, the simulator building/go-karts plot, or somewhere to the right of Zumanjaro's queue/behind Toro.