rollin_n_coastin

Intamin in Florida! Whoohoo! This looks amazing. The operative word here is "look", since that's all I'll be doing from the ground What a cool looking drop tower though.

Congratulations everyone! What an amazing result! Good luck on Sunday.

Done, good luck! http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jasonatcw/CanadasWonderland2013

Only $60.00 away from my goal if anyone wants to take a small piece out of it http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jasonatcw/CanadasWonderland2013 Edit -- Make that $35.00 away

It is too bad about the Timber Liners. It is however an example of how awesome Holiday World is for even being the first to consider them (risky move) and even help GC test them, all for our future benefit. This project is just taking a bit longer, whereas Pilgrim's Plunge and Wilde Beast as new concepts, worked out really well. The fact that they even considered these projects in the first place is fantastic. I definitely see amazing things coming given their track record, even a mega lite potentially?

Wow, Piraten was such an awesome surprise. I loved the slalom elements at the end--crazy sideways air? For such a small footprint, it's amazing how much fun you can have. Tranan is something to experience. I honestly thought it was one of the scariest rides ever when you're used to being overly restrained here in North America and then put in a wild feeling coaster with nothing holding you in above your waist. Such a great ride!

This coaster looks so awesome, that a YOLO or two is kinda sorta ok to promote it...but only kinda sorta

YOLO please! Definitely will be more exciting if it is anything like other Premier coasters.

Conneaut is a bit sketchy no doubt, but the location saves it a bit--it looks more tired than anything. So far for me, it's been a tie between Rye Playland and Coney Island, with Conneaut up there. I haven't been back to Coney since Luna Park opened though.

Hey everybody: Back at Canada's Wonderland in support of this great cause! It really is an amazing day thanks to everyone at Cedar Fair and our local parks. Our friends over at Canada's Wonderland really put on a well organized and fun day in support of GKTW. The word must have gotten out there even more than before because our event is full! This is fantastic but, it also means that Team CW will need your support more than ever as we won't be able to add any more participants at this point. Really looking forward to giving it another go and seeing if that riding a roller coaster feeling will last as long as it did last year, after the fact As with last year, it would be awesome having your support again! Please consider a click on my link below: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jasonatcw/CanadasWonderland2013 Thanks everyone! Edit - Thanks Chuck for being the first as soon as I posted this message! Really appreciate it!

Just fantastic. Branson is such a quirky place, it only makes sense that they'd have a wooden roller coaster that goes upside down. I'm sad that it's Yakov's last year there! I kind of feel bad that we passed by the theatre in 2010 but that show could make a trip to Branson in 2013 worth it even more so. Ah, who am I kidding, it'll be all about Outlaw Run...and perhaps pulling out some old Night Court Episodes with Yakov

I enjoyed Griffon much more. It's my favorite ride at the park and I would visit just for Griffon. It just felt more majestic, graceful and frightening all at the same time. The larger cars and incredible view must be part of it. I could seriously ride Griffon all day/ night and was good after one or two rides on Sheikra. Maybe it's a function of liking BGW a bit better than Tampa? Maybe this a confirmed case where bigger is better?

"My voice is gone. Probably not a bad thing". almost spit out my coffee laughing--a great nod to certain POV fans! What a great video and of an insanely fun looking ride. Outlaw Run really does look like a perfect fit for SDC. Can't wait to try it out one day. I think could happily live on Powder Keg and Outlaw Run all day. ^^Chad, great little review of the ride!

Kinda fun talking about The Beast in a steel poll thread I rode it for the first time on my first visit to the park in 2012 and loved it. The Beast is a journey worth taking and I loved it as much in the day as I did at night, which is the case for all of the favorites. Sure, it won't rank as high as others as it is more like a mine train on steroids, made out of wood, which doesn't exactly compare to El Toro, Voyage or Boulder Dash, but I don't see that as being such a bad thing whatsoever. The music, surroundings, crazy layout, natural terrain--amazing as it is unlike anything out there. Since this is a steel poll thing--can I say Go Intamin again and can I keep saying it? Seeing all of them ranking as they do still makes me happier than kid at Sugar Mountain. Thanks for bringing this back Mitch!

Everything I've heard and read suggests the same thing, that Shambala is a bit of an exception to the rule for new B&M Hypers. Looking forward to trying it out next month to make up my own mind. Definitely not an exception to the rule...the only forceful seats are the very last car. It rides very similar to every modern B&M mega or giga but the cool turnaround, theming and other things that CGM mentions push it over the top over other modern B&Ms, even over Leviathan and Behemoth. It's definitely not Dragon Khan or Nemesis. Any Intamin or old school B&M will be much more forceful.

Not surprised about NTG, I305, Maverick and a mega lite or two in there. Phenomenal rides. A bit surprised about Shambhala. The only new B&M mega that I haven't ridden is Intimidator but so far, I think Shambhala is the best of the new B&M mega/gigas, etc built to date. If at least one had to pop up, I guess that would be the one. One day, hopefully riding Expedition GeForce will happen

This was cool! It's got to be everyone's fantasy at some point as a kid to see something like this.

Not directly park related but has anyone gone on one of the hotel's ghost hunt weekends? I was seriously thinking about the one this weekend but may do the next one for something different

Listening to a lot of news/ radio about this and even entire talk shows dedicated to the topic was a bit strange this past week. I'm quite shocked at the uneducated commentary being spewed by fellow human beings. There are so many people using this incident to justify why cruising is stupid, environmentally unfriendly or unsafe. There are many grouping all people who enjoy cruises as some sort of leper colony that should be confined to ships so that everyone else can enjoy real vacations without "cruising clientele"--you know, like at an all inclusive mega resort at a sun, surf and sea destination that looks the same as the next. Amazing what the perceptions associated with one cruise line and its clientele can do to an industry. Then there are the "nobody got hurt, the passengers are being overly dramatic and its no big deal" comments. I'd love to put all those people on a normal Carnival cruise, let alone this particular voyage and see how they feel afterwards. I've still never been on a cruise but won't let this stop me from looking forward to going on a first (quality) cruise soon I hope.

This is drop tower non-fan friendly! The view from Fritt Fall was fantastic. The only thing is that you had to drop down and perhaps land on your crotch. A view minus the agony and terror is something to look forward to. I dunno--do you think it looks classy enough not painted Six Flags colors?

Osama Bin Laden Land? Pakistan is planning to build a $30 million (£19 million) amusement park in Abbottabad, the town where Osama bin Laden was killed by US special forces. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9847231/Pakistan-to-build-19-million-amusement-park-in-Osama-bin-Laden-town.html

Lookit, they have to explore all possibilities to get the best value for current ownership. It is only one of two possibilities out there currently, with the other being going public. We know that that Apollo is a scavenger wanting to pay the lowest price possible in a partnership with Six Flags. We also know that stock values for theme park cos are actually doing ok in terms of being in an upward trend for the most part I think Six Flags/ Apollo are just drooling at the chance to make a horrible offer if the IPO’s projected value doesn’t meet expectations or falls through. I doubt that will happen and that we’ll most likely see Sea World Parks go public.

Sea World's been having some issues with front gate staff lately too. In fact last weekend for the 'kids' event there were two employees up front having a very inappropriate conversation! LOL Sounds like my last experience at Disneyland Resort gift shops. This is the most frightening news ever but then, not really sure how things have changed under Blackstone, so it could be a continuation of the status quo?

Great list with a great top 20. I'm a huge GG fan so finally having the chance to ride Voyage and Hades was a mixed blessing. I would rather not be able to marathon a coaster because of intensity rather than because it beats the living crap beat out of me, in ways that those two do. Worse than the back seat of the Coney Island Cyclone even. The Voyage looks so majestic with such a cool layout. I remember riding in very back seat with Robb and Elissa in the row in front and I think at times we were all crying or laughing because it just went on and on, which is a horrible thing during a torture session. Tried up closer to the front and it was still really bad. I can't wait to try it with Timberliners and any planned re-tracking work done to see how it was meant to ride when it first opened. So glad to see Boulder Dash and Balder up there! Boulder Dash is in the perfect setting, which really adds to the intensity of the coaster. El Toro and Balder are intense as it is in the morning and with empty trains. Go figure when they warm up and have a full train. Mamma mia.

The Flyer was torn down before I went to the CNE for the midway. Looking back, I wish I wasn't afraid of coasters back then. A lot of my friends had the chance to ride it and it looked awesome near the Doppel Looper Like everything at the CNE, it was only open while the CNE was running. It just became too expensive to maintain at its age as a fair attraction. Conklin Shows ran the midway. The fairground buildings are used all year round still. The CNE stadium was torn town in the 80's and replaced by Skydome, now Rogers Centre--where Toronto won two World Series in a row I love to throw in A few years ago a soccer stadium, BMO Field, was built near its old spot.