rollin_n_coastin

I think mine was Europe last year with great TPR company in a turbo diesel 9 seat van that could "almost" hold its own on the autobahn lol. It was a pretty epic four country trip. Walibi Belgium Bobbejaanland Walibi Holland Phantasialand Holiday Park Heide Park Europa Park Park Asterix Walygator Parc Plopsaland De Panne

I feel really lucky to have ridden Fury 325, Intimidator, Apollo's Chariot and Intimidator 305 within a three day period two weeks ago, all running under essentially the same weather conditions. I wasn't sure before but now feel strongly that i305 is the best giga out there after riding it back when in it opened and again this summer. Apollo's Chariot really surprised me at its slightly beyond floater air time (for a B&M) compared to other times I've ridden it. It was a lot of fun without a doubt in a great setting. For the newer B&M hypers, I think Behemoth is still ahead but the others are all very similar and just about as good (Intimidator and Diamondback). Compared to i305, Fury 325 is for sure more re-ridable as it is less intense but i305 was just so addicting that the grey outs and ejector bruises were well worth it. It was all well balanced out by the twisty layout. No one does quick transitions as good as Intamin that I've found to date, although Fury 325 gave it a fair shot and does it less aggressively, which isn't a bad thing. I think the only coaster that is more intense than i305 in the US so far is SkyRush. KD, you've got such an amazing gem of a coaster there in i305 and that doesn't even take into account that you also have the awesome Volcano. What a great collection of coasters overall within a couple hours drive.

A great fit for the park and a solid ride. I still like Sky Rocket at Kennywood and the spaghetti bowls better but it doesn't mean that these are any less fun. Tempesto was great and the "comfort collar" actually does make the ride more comfortable when being whipped over the top. Sky Scream was somewhat uncomfortable in comparison without the collar. I remember the BGW comments worried about capacity but they really are able to pump people through at a good clip so these are just as great for larger parks along with parks the size as LC. Looking forward to riding this along with Boulder Dash.

All the coasters were running really well. I'm not a laterals fan so Legend was never my favourite but it is still a ton of fun. Raven was running really well and is always worth many rides. Voyage is an aggressive ride for sure. In 2010 I couldn't get on it more than two very painful rides and during this visit, I managed about 25 or so rides so they must be doing some great work on it. It's too bad that the potential to get rougher as the season progresses is there. What's great is that we have an aggressive Gravity Group woody that is actually being maintained. I'd rather see them keep it up if possible instead of converting it to steel. Maybe even give the Timberliners another go if it means less track maintenance in the off season?

Great report on the ride and day! It was honestly one of the best coaster related days that I've ever experienced. It was exceptionally smooth and well planned with every detail covered. There were so many smiling faces with so much enthusiasm for Thunderbird and rightfully so. The guys from Perdue looked like they were having a blast. The auction winners looked really happy and so did media and all of us enthusiasts. Just a great day all around. It was a pleasure supporting GKTW and being able to attend. I hope the two to four of us riding Voyage for who knows how many times in a row helped with the backstage pictures lol. It was so funny coming up over the hill and seeing so many people standing there all of a sudden.

Chuck, thanks for the media day update. Premier has always made some really cool rides. The spaghetti bowls are still the coolest looking coasters out there I think. I'm really looking forward to trying out Tempesto. My only critique--Tempesto looks to have the figure of a man who loves his prosciutto and bocconcini more than sun dried tomatoes

I wanted to thank Holiday World for a fantastic day yesterday. In particular, thank you for opening up Media Day to Give Kids the World donors and letting us coaster fans support a fantastic cause while experiencing the warmth, friendliness and unique family thrills and fun that are truly "world famous". A day at Holiday World is always full value and beyond. In terms of unique thrills, Thunderbird is a winner for the park. POV footage does not do this attraction justice. Consider that footage was taken in the morning when it was fairly cold. The ride was noticeably faster and more intense later in the day. The ride looks fantastic, has a great launch for its family audience and is really fun, especially in the wooded area. The design, fit and finish of the new area, ride station, Will Power building and everything to do with this ride are beyond what anyone would expect for a growing family-operated park in terms of the high level of quality and attention to detail everywhere. There is high level of pride associated with this attraction and it shows in every detail. Thunderbird is one of the more intense B&M wing riders that I've been on and it is my favourite in North America after yesterday. The launch works so well for this type of coaster. The layout, although compact, is always doing something and is another reason why I really like it. The only other wing riders ahead for me are Furious Baco because of its amazing launch and high intensity and Flug der Demonan, with its compact and twisty layout that does so much on a small footprint. Elsewhere, Thunderbird Ice Cream is delicious. Oh and Voyage is still as intense and relentless as ever. For sure my favourite coaster at the park. I think it took over my number one spot for wooden coasters after around 20-25 rides throughout the day. One or two were with the trim on and for anyone worried, don't be. It gets back to speed pretty much instantly, so there really isn't any difference in ride experience. Congratulations Holiday World and thank you again for fantastic day. Thanks Holiday World! See you again soon. A long but fantastic day. Getting ready to you know, test it out. The new sleigh is ready. Santa was loving it. Thunderbird Ice Cream samples ready to go. Will Power. The thing about wearing green... My appreciation for this ride grows each visit. Ready for launch. Good morning!

I'm with A.J. on this one. I think the potential trend here is improving the first point of contact with guests and adding a wow factor through front entrance renos, which happen to include a coaster interacting with them. I still remember the first time seeing Leviathan's turn around at the gate. It really does work well and looks fantastic. So far we've had two gigas and wing rider. It really could have been any coaster. The other is choosing one manufacturer to fill a certain type of attraction gap at CF Parks, from Morgan to B&M. I'm not sure how much Intamin did outside of Cedar Point in the past.

Of course, after I posted, some fantastic up close shots were shared and I think I can happily take back most of what I said. From far away, it looked more like Cedar Point's new entrance. The up close shots show that Carowind's looks nicer. Looking forward to seeing it in person. More importantly, I can't wait to try out both Intimidator and Fury 325 for the first time. To everyone there this weekend, have a great time! I honestly think that's exactly what they are going for. Call me boring, but I actually prefer it, which is why I enjoy Cedar Fair parks. Yes, it appears that the chain is going for a more "uniform" look to their park entrances. Personally, I wouldn't mind if Kings Dominion's entrance was redone someday (it's stuck in the 1970s), and Kings Island's entrance is just "blah."

It looks like the Psyclone / Kingswood area but I'm also not 100% sure though. If it is a slinghot, they are really fun. The first time on a one is definitely a pee in your pants kind of moment. The largest one I've tried is at Kings Island. I like how they change the price depending on how busy they are throughout the day. I think it was just under or around $10.00 first thing in the morning. Next up, a Sky Scraper please.

I'm sold on this coaster at the front of the park. Leviathan makes you stop and stare in awe when walking up to CW's entrance and this sure looks like it accomplishes something very similar, if not as right in your face as Leviathan's hammerhead. The only nitpick is the "standard Cedar Fair design" of the entrance and well, all of their structures, still doesn't really inspire a warm welcome with a ton of fun or wonder in store. If they're looking for non-offending, clean, safe, generic in a new college dorm or government building kinda way--I think they've nailed it. I'm glad that CW kept its own design language,even after Cedar Fair took over in that sense. Regardless, the entrance is all about that coaster and it looks fantastic. The one thing I've always loved about B&M coasters is how great they look. With Leviathan at least, B&M did a great job with their take on a Millennium Force style speed coaster, which is still in my top five and why I think I'll really enjoy Fury. It'll be cool to see what the high speed turns instead of the giant camelback heading out will be like in comparison to Leviathan. I won't compare from the Helix on Fury since Leviathan ends at that point on a bridge over Dragon Fire and Go Karts to get back to the station. I agree that the the extra track (and $5MM) on Fury makes it look like a much more complete finish. I'm really looking forward to trying this out, hopefully with KerryB in the coming weeks.

Adam, just catching up on the thread. Great stuff on the Potter and Mardis Gras posts! The Potter event looked awesome for fans of the series. I'm a huge Sir Michael Gambon fan, not really because of Potter or any of his classic work. No, not that at all. It's all about having a Top Gear test track corner named after him, of course. I'm also hoping that bringing back Kong will mean a return of Jaws in some way in the future. Is it wrong to hope that Kong won't be yet another simulator ride, though? I'm hoping that they go a bit Kong-frontation old school instead of another 3D simulator ride.

South Korea has the right idea, even if the reasons are bizarre. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/south-korean-authorities-ban-selfie-sticks-9880060.html

^Shane, awesome stuff as always. Love looking through attic thread. The 90s sure kicked off the race to building some amazing stuff out there, especially with both Intamin and B&M working with Stengel. I'm really happy that Intamin kept that relationship. I think it was a huge benefit to them, especially with securing multi-park contracts when chains were looking for something new and exciting in the 2000s. Intamin sure delivered the right stuff at the right time during the 'coaster wars'. Timing sure is everything since multi-park contracts really help contribute to a a manufacturer's popularity in varying degrees over time--B&M with Busch in the 90s, Morgan as the "go to" for larger coasters at new Cedar Fair parks when they expanded the first time, Intamin with both Six Flags and Cedar Fair in the 2000s, Premier with Six Flags, B&M replacing Morgan as Cedar Fair's "go to" to for large coasters at the old Paramount parks and now RMC with Six Flags.

It's really hard to pick just one of each! Intamin--edge to Maverick but Expedition GeForce is really close. B&M--edge to Montu with Griffin a really close second.

I rode both sides a bunch in 1999 when it opened, rode the one open side the first year they got the Millennium Flyers as a courtesy and and will be back just in time to try it again before it closes. Total fluke I guess. I don't remember Gwazi being anything memorable or particularly bad. Montu memories must have suppressed Gwazi lol.

Another year of nerd paradise, without a doubt Loved the format this year and following along on Facebook.

The site looks fairly large after seeing it last weekend. Here's hoping for more water park updates and a new looping coaster of some sort, which will hopefully not be B&M for a bit more excitement in the lineup. There are so many other phenomenal coasters out there by other manufactures that we're missing out on in a major way. A launched looper from Premier, Intamin, Mack or S&S would really be something to make losing SkyRider worth it. 2016 is going to be a really exciting year.

I see SkyRider fitting in really well at Great Escape or Darien Lake. Nothing wrong with re-located rides if they fit a park.

It would be great if La Ronde bought it to put near Ednor. That way they can have an invert and stand up at both sides of the park. Looking forward to seeing what happens to that land. An intense launched looper would be fantastic. It'll be especially nice to move to something new/ away from B&M. Imagine S&S building a looping Powder Keg.

I still think WMG is a great ride. There are still a few glitches from time to time. On my last visit, our group all had next train re-rides since at least one car's blasters on each train weren't working during the morning, even after they had just "fixed" them. Always fun to get a huge score of zero... haha The staff on WMB is fantastic and very accommodating. Hopefully a future upgrade will add 1080p video. Maybe that would help counter the dim lighting/ picture that is just part of any modern 3D experience. I still have a hard time making out what's happening in front of me since the picture seems dim and sometimes blurry. The ending still gets me every time--I love it. It feels much more intense than 13.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, SKYRIDER! SKYRIDER RETIRES TODAY AT 8:00PM Happy Labour Day! It’s fitting that on Labour Day, one of the hardest working attractions at Canada’s Wonderland, SkyRider, is set for retirement. In just under an hour, SkyRider will enter its last day of service, ever. The winners of the park’s daily Facebook contests over the past week will have a spot on the last two trains out at 8:00pm this evening. So what is SkyRider like to ride? It is a pure blast and a ton of fun, which is exactly what a roller coaster is meant to be. SkyRider is the perfect length to deal with roller coaster forces while standing up. It has a great mix of elements with the perfect intensity of accompanying forces that appear throughout a vertical loop, helix, airtime hills, trick track and bunny hops. The entry into the helix and the bunny hops in particular give an exceptional amount of stand up airtime—there really isn’t anything quite like it. After riding stand up roller coasters from different manufacturers from Japan to North America, this is why it's my favourite stand up roller coaster. I’m happy to have brought at least a few TPR members to the same conclusion over the years....at least I think! Will SkyRider be missed? It is certainly a very polarizing ride depending on how comfortable standing up on a roller coaster actually is for riders. I will definitely miss it but I’m thankful for the memories and can’t wait to see what comes next. Canada’s Wonderland tells TPR that the location and size of land area that will become available after SkyRider’s retirement will open up a very exciting redevelopment project that will continue to make Canada’s Wonderland a leader in thrills throughout the industry. Since 1981, this is Canada’s Wonderland’s first roller coaster retirement, which is quite an achievement in itself. The redevelopment opportunity to spark such a decision must be incredible, making it a great time to be excited about what the future will bring for park guests and us super fans alike. The park isn’t able to share the timing and completion of the redevelopment project at this early stage but they have confirmed that the upcoming construction project will be very large in scope. Are you up for taking in a bit of history before a very exciting future? If so, you have until 8pm today to enjoy a final ride on SkyRider. Thanks for the memories, SkyRider! ABOUT SKYRIDER SkyRider opened in May 1985 as the first stand up roller coaster in Canada and only the second in the world with a loop at the time. SkyRider is located on 5,100 square metres of land (1.2 acres) in a prime location between the water park and Wonder Mountain. Its entrance sits directly across the Mighty Canadian Mine Buster. NEW FOR 1985! THERE AIN'T NO SEATS! STATS Opened: May 1985 Manufacturer: Togo Japan Track length: 673m (2,210 ft) Height: 27m (88ft) Inversions (loop): 1 Speed: 82kph (51mph) Last Ride: September 1, 2014 at 8:00pm Riders: Approximately 23 million riders to date PRESS RELEASE Vaughan, ON (August 6, 2014) – After almost 23 million riders, Canada’s Wonderland will be saying goodbye to the iconic stand-up looping roller coaster, SkyRider. Monday, September 1, 2014 will be the last chance for riders to experience one of the legends in the roller coaster collection at the park.

 SkyRider opened for riders in May, 1985 and was instantly a hit for coaster enthusiasts across North America. It was the first stand-up coaster to be built in Canada, and second in the world with a loop. 

 “As the park evolves each year, we continue to focus on future park enhancements that will provide our guests with innovative entertainment and leisure experiences. To accommodate these enhancements, we need to make difficult decisions when considering redevelopment of the land for an improved guest experience in future years. After creating 29 years of memories for our guests, we wanted to make sure thrill seekers of all ages had advance notice of the SkyRider retirement, and an opportunity to enjoy one last ride before it closes at 8 p.m. on September 1,” Norm Pirtovshek, General Manager at Canada’s Wonderland. PICTURES SkyRider in pictures over the years from the park and my collection, including a last visit this month. Enjoy! It's all about SkyRider today! Thanks to Canada's Wonderland for the great picture! Before SkyRider in 1984 Canada's first stand up is now in the picture (1986 park map) Thanks to Canada's Wonderland for the great picture! Thanks to Canada's Wonderland for the great picture! Stand up airtime Something new is on the sign It's true. SkyRider gives its last ride today at 8pm. One of the last trains, ever. Airtime into the helix Goodbye, SkyRider! Thanks for the memories.

It would be cool if they could get the S&S treatment (Powder Keg) or S&S building a new Arrow style mega looper as smooth and awesome as Tennessee Tornado. B&M's take on an Arrow design would be interesting to see.

I think it’s cool that this is Leviathan with a few variations. The coaster looks great, the new entrance looks great and it’ll do exceptionally well for what it is—A very fast, comfortable and floaty ride that will but a huge smile on lots of people and become a landmark. I wasn’t expecting anything more or less than what they announced so nothing really to complain about. The height at least will make a B&M mega more exciting than normal. This is Cedar Fair with a new group of acquired parks. Maybe in 10 years, the next bulk purchase of similar roller coasters will move from Morgan and B&M to someone different. I am very happy that at least it’s not another wing rider, unless it was Furious Baco then I’d take that instead The whole point of Leviathan was to create an anchor attraction at the opposite side of the park that just wasn’t that busy, which worked as planned. Just like Magnum and Millennium Force at the time, this strategy definitely balances out larger properties and works well if you have a lot of varied stuff in between. Wonderland has a ton of great flats in between at the very least, along with Vortex and SkyRider (for now). I remember Carowinds having a great collection of attractions as well, including a B&M at its best invert. I’m sorry you guys don’t get the mail box tunnel at bottom of the first drop of Leviathan eating itself… They're the same manufacturer, which is the biggest similarity that Fury and Intimidator have so ya, don't even seem similar so stop complaining! Millennium Force – Out and back steel coaster Intimidator – Out and back steel coaster Fury 325 – Out and back steel coaster Maverick – Launched looping terrain coaster

So Fury 325. 325 ft is going to be the longest B&M brake run yet...especially on this launched floored wing coaster.