coasterer

part 3 - Como Town The following day, that Monday, my mom and my sister had an admission meeting and tour at St Olaf. Not really wanting to sit through all that college stuff again, I took the car in search of Como Town. Now, I’m a pretty big whore, but still at a relatively young age, there are plenty of well established parks with plenty of good coasters for me to get to, without having tour the country in search of dragon wagons and wacky worms. But since I had the day off anyways… why not. I have stolen children before, I have gotten weird looks before, I have been turned down before for being too tall, and it has never really phased me. But driving this 40 minutes out of the way to catch a kiddie coaster where there was nothing else in the park was a really weird feeling. I now fully understand what people mean when they say, “feeling dirty” about getting kiddie credits. I felt dirty anywhere within twenty minutes of that place. The place itself was kind of seedy, like a young, run down carnival. Everything was in the grass, connected by a paved path in between. I did my best to kind of wander around with other families, trying to maintain that balance between not weirding out the family I was following, and not looking like a college student, alone, there to actually ride something. I almost turned around actually, not sure if it was really worth it. If you are above the age of ten, I’m really not sure you would find much to do in Como Town. That being said, the coaster was… just a kids ride. I did get the credit. I hopped in line right behind two younger kids, hoping it would look like I was with them. I think it might have half worked, but the ride op still did a slight double drop when she had to look up to meet my eyes. Oh well. Credit grabbed. The banking was really weird. She sent it around three times, and at the top of that curved lift, you felt like you were gonna tip. It wasn’t the most comfortable experience of my life, but it wasn’t really built for anyone of my particular stature either. I left immediately after. But I did it. Credit #168. Absolutely 100% worth it. It bumped you around quite an impressive number of times, seeing how innocent it looks Thar she blows. I honestly was almost considering just turning around and leaving. I have never felt even close to this whorish. World's best playground. (the playground would cost $3.25 of non-package-purchased tickets. What a rip off) The midway. Impressive, yes, they got quite the lineup I did not ride that. But it looked like it would be a grand time the entrance plaza. Gosh, just going in, I felt like the entire world was judging me

Thanks for the comments so far. ^^^Everything except Arnold's park. Just didn't fit into our schedule. After all, I was the one tagging along, and it was jussssst a little too inconvenient. ^^MoA is in Bloomington, MN, and tickets will range from $20-30, depending on when you go and if you have a discount. part 2 - Valleyfair We went to Valleyfair on Sunday. My sister had all her college tours set up for the weekdays, so we got the day off to just enjoy the park. My mom opted to go back to the mall. Valleyfair was a nice place. Although there wasn’t much of a valley about it at all. Just kind of a long strip that ran the entire length of the park, winding it’s way from ride to ride, ranging from concrete slab to midway to a paved path leading out back way farther than was practical. I prefer my park layouts to be in more of a circle, so that it doesn’t take as long getting to where you want to go, should the best coasters happen to be placed at opposing ends of the park. That being said, Valleyfair IS more than a slab of concrete. There were some really nicely laid out sections of the park, and I was pleasantly surprised by some of the greenery and attention to décor, as well a lovely little lake under corkscrew. We got into the park a couple minutes after park opening, and decided to get Steel Venom done first because it was closest, way out of the way, and because we didn’t want to have to wait for it later since we had V2 in our home park. We were able to get three rides without getting off, and worked our way back up, heading to Wild Thing, never to visit that lower section of the park again. Steel Venom was nice, smoother than Wicked Twister, and still had the hold on the back spike, which caught me off guard the first time, even though I had known beforehand that it was there. Wild Thing was next. It was fairly large, a bit green and nice to look at. Supposedly it had the longest single moment of airtime in the world. If I hadn’t known beforehand, I would have thought nothing of it. I do not mind the Morgan Hypers. There is nothing particularly wrong with them. They may be a bit forceless, true, and don’t hold a grain of salt to any of the B&Ms or Intamin hypers, but they are nice, pleasant and refreshing: nothing to complain about. We took 3 rides without getting off, then left, returning later in the day for a total of 11 Wild Thing rides. The line remained about a 2 train wait throughout the day. Mad Mouse was on the way to Renegade and we decided to hit it then wo we wouldn’t have to wait for it. It was actually the least pointless and forceless wild mouse I can remember riding. It looked terrible though, the color scheme is not only repulsive but pealing as well. Renegade was about a 15-20 minute wait throughout the day. I don’t know, but I was surprised at how forceful it was. It’s been a while since I’ve ridden Thunderhead, but I reckon they are around the same level of intensity. Compared to the power of Renegade, Prowler indeed does feel like more of a family ride. Renegade however, was a little rougher, and didn’t have as much airtime I didn’t think. But it was still really close, I have a really hard time ranking GCI’s against each other and against other rides. They all kind of blur together, and it’s difficult to sort out the levels of intensity, power, airtime, and smoothness that lend to ranking them against each other. Renegade was right up there though. The first drop was unfortunately only really cool in the back – I felt like it could have made that directional change a little faster - and there was little theme or integration into any scenery or greenery. Also, it was impossible to photograph. Pity. But the way it rode was nothing to feel sorry about it. We got 8 rides throughout the day. High Roller wasn’t bad at all! It looks like it might be a dump, but it was surprisingly smooth, and had that old, enjoyable nostalgia that I’m beginning to appreciate more and more in old wooden coasters. It was a little slow in spots maybe, but really, not bad at all. Corkscrew wasn’t that bad either, and the location was really nice. Mild thing was a no go. Excalibur opened late, around 11:30 I think, and it was one of the strangest coaster experiences of my life. With the structure the way it was, it looked like a wreck. It looked like someone had built in someone’s back yard, and it was all just very strange. Some parts felt like they were taken too fast, some parts were too rough, some spots felt like they shouldn’t be happening quite the way they were, some parts were extended flat stretches, and there was one moment of extreme ejector airtime if you sat in the front. It wasn’t really bad, it was just really strange. I don’t know, we rode it a few times, and it just wasn’t for me. Anyways, the lines were pretty short, and we left at about 5 with just under thirty laps. All in all, it was a pretty nice park. This is another one of those parks that would have felt really empty if it didn’t have the GCI, so that was a really smart addition on their part. Now for some pictures. The view from the parking lot. Even though they may meander a bit, I love how the Morgan hypers look so imposing And one last parting shot of Renegade's awesome first drop. So long Valleyfair! Next stop, Como Town It started getting a little foreboding around late afternoon, and my mom was calling saying she was tired, so we took off shortly thereafter, still with a buttload of rides under our belt Oh yeah, workin the family photo I like how this turned out a lot Last little shabang before hitting the break run. Great ride This is where it heads over the queue, and takes your picture. This is also where some girl threw up. So back to Renegade we went. I don't know if anyone else has this impression, but it kind of felt like something somebody put together in their back yard. It was just really out there for me Excalibur was a little odd for me. Wild thing from the queue. We got quite a number of rides on this thing. It's great to just sit down on and feel the wind in your hair Two trains, wow. Definitely... was an accident. I don't know exactly what's in between me and the coasters, but it sure does look nice Too bad I failed to capture the fact that it was built over a beautiful lake! That's ok, this'll do Corkscrew looking lovely this morning High Roller was surprisingly nice and reridable. Too bad... we didn't reride it tearing towards the station I was surprised how much force this thing had. Maybe a little lacking on the air, relatively speaking, but man, it sure knew how to fly Too bad it's built off in that direction. You can hardly get any decent pictures "Hey Lora, look like a Renegade!" "okay" *snap* ... "Wait, what's a Renegade?" Back in the park heading toward Renegade This wild mouse actually rode much better than it looked! I'm not sure I've ever had that happen to me before Early morning coasters make me giddy I like the art deco style used in conjunction with the Morgan design. It really works well I enjoyed these things. I mean, there's nothing bad about them. They certainly don' live up to some of the other hypers, but they don't have to Love that turn. You make my heart sing I love how they still have the hold on the back spike, unlike V2 at SFGAm

My sister is going to be a senior in high school, and still doesn’t really know where she wants to go to college. So, this MN and IA trip was my mom’s last ditch attempt to get her to at least have a little broader of a base when it comes time to make her decision. Naturally, I had to tag along, seeing as how one can’t let all those parks go to waste. So, I wasn’t so much along for the ride, as along for the rides (haha...). We got to the Mall of America Saturday afternoon, my sister and I, and just decided to wait til 5 to get the cheaper tickets. In retrospect, I don’t think there was any reason to stay for more than that. I mean, it was a really nice place, and an amazing find in a mall, but it wasn’t a place you would need to spend all day at. I really enjoyed the place. For what it was, I thought it was an amazing use of a fairly limited space. The coasters were really nicely integrated into a really compact, interactive, organic layout, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. The lines were about 15 minutes or so for everything, and we were able to get 6-8 rides on both the Orange Streak and Spongebob. The fairly odd coaster – was that the first Gerstauer Spinning model? I find it hard to believe that a clone was able to fit that well into that space. The ride was rather enjoyable, pretty much just like all the other models. Except in a mall. The half pipe was kind of nifty, I’d never been on one before, and I did like it a lot. You don’t spin too much, and it’s neat being able to see the park sideways from the ceiling. I liked how you were able to see the other people on the other seat circle. The Pepsi Orange streak was a nice, relaxing ride. It was a cool tour of the place, and a good way to just enjoy the area in its entirety. Spongebob was pretty fun, and smoother than I was anticipating. It’s neat how much they are able to fit in such a limited space. I’ve only been on Mystery Mine, in terms of the 97 degree Gerstlauers, and in my opinion, there really isn’t much that can beat that one and a half barrel roll into hang time, from the fire engulfed super-vertical plunge. But Spongebob did have a nice, refreshing layout. It was fairly forceful, and there was hangtime in the barrel roll. Also, the log flume was rather enjoyable, and we didn’t get too wet, and the drop tower had a nice long cycle. I really enjoyed the place overall, and was honestly pleasantly surprised with how enveloping the atmosphere was. Now for the pictures. Valleyfair will be up some time tomorrow morning. Como Town and Adventureland to follow. Thanks for reading. And I'll leave you here overlooking the place, Orange streak doing what it does best. Thanks for reading, Valleyfair coming soon It's pretty hard to photograph the Orange streak from anywhere except from up aboe. Here's the majority of the first half It really surprised me, how cool this place looked. They had a lookover area with a bunch of different restaurants. It was pretty to neat to eat overseeing the entire park. Spongebob from up above This kind of gives you an idea of how chaotic the place was. It really is pretty cool Oh yeah. Laying on your back isn't my first choice as to how to get to the top of the lift hill. I find vertical lifts just a little uncomfortable I liked the sign. This log flume was pretty fun. Not the wettest of the log flumes, but certainly more on the nifty side of things. Just like a halo. Fitting. My sister A little blurry, but still. Very very blue. You alllllmost feel as if you're underwater. At least more so than you usually do Coming out of the break run. It really was a lot smoother than I was anticipating This is the majority of the ride. The only thing I wish they had done was integrate it into the park like everything else. But I can understand how that might have been tough So, I don't know how many of you know too much about the show. I never cared for it SPONGEBOB! I like how Avatar is partially built into the floor. Avatar Airbender across the way A shot from the queue. I mean, I think these things are pretty enjoyable My sister and I. Ready for some fairly odd action... (wait, that'd disgusting) For whatever reason, this park managed to somehow make the orange-green color scheme work really really well Yes. Yes, that's right. Our first stop was that Fairly Odd coaster, an impressive coaster, if only for the reason they managed to fit it into the space they did. Mall of America was pretty incredible. The fact that any building could have a themepark in it is pretty remarkable. The fact that there is a world's biggest mall in the same building... pretty darn neat.

"I hope it's a new set of thighs." Hilarious. I really enjoyed the report. You had some great shots, and I found myself laughing quite a number of times. Thanks for the pictures!

Patriot was smooth, sure, and certainly nice and pleasant and fun. I did not, unfortunately sit in the front, I prefer to take the back than to wait, so maybe I did miss out, I don't know. Nothing bad about it, I just thought it was not as forceful as others. Timberwolf is not the world's worst coaster. That's not what I'm saying. It just didn't cater to my interests. I thought it was rough to the point of painful, had awkward pacing as in there were flat spots, like those turns, and that one part where it had to be chained up one of the hills. I thought it was too long, too meandering, and overall, nothing to take note of when there is a brand new GCI woodie just a short walk away. ^ And thanks, haha, I'm glad you caught that. It's wonderful to be able to say that in a place where people understand exactly what I'm talking about.

Thanks for the comment. Maybe I just haven't been 'up' on the WoF discussion bases. Is Timberwolf generally considered a good ride? Maybe I just caught it on an off day. A very, verrrry off day. And I don't know, Patriot was fine, just not as exciting as I was hoping. Inverts are generally my favorite, so I had high expectations, but as far as the inverts I've been on go... (Alpengeist, Raptor, Batman, and now Patriot), Patriot was by far the weakest, in my opinion. I just like a little more power in my rides. And by the way the polls and rankings go, I can't imagine I'm alone in my views.

Hey all! One of my friends from Chicago, and Karen, were going to meet up with a few friends from school in Kansas City, and of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to hit a few parks on the way. Worlds of Fun was first, and there were several things about this park that made this day kind of special. 1) the girl's house we were staying at, Caroline, had never been on a roller coaster before. Naturally we took her on the 200 foot one first. 2) I had 148 credits, and had never been to this park before. That meant credit #150, and what better ride to get it with than a brand new GCI woodie. And 3) I am not only a HUGE invert fan, but also a pretty big GCI fan as well. So the prospect of riding both Patriot and Prowler was really really exciting. It was a sunday afternoon in July, and we got to the park around 4, and had nooooo trouble getting everything in. Which was nice, being used to two hour lines for everything at SFGAm on a weekday morning. So, even though it is a nice park, it's a little smaller, and at all crowded. If you do visit, go ahead and save yourself some money and get the discounted tickets after four. We started on Mamba, which, like I said, was Caroline's first roller coaster ever. Leading up to it she had been excited, but once we got to the park she started having second thoughts. The line was only 15 minutes, but that still gave her plenty of thoughts to question why exactly anyone would want to be dropped 200 feet. We took her on Mamba first so that she wouldn't be afraid of anything else the rest of the day. Well, considering she liked it. But no worries. She was converted in one ride, having absolutely loved it, and was right there with me at the eigth consecutive Prowler ride of the evening, sprinting back to the front to try and beat the 10 o clock cut off for one last amazing ride. Mamba was fun actually. It wasn't Great, but it wasn't painful at all where we st (a row or two out of the back) and was just like a nice relaxing little meander around a mile's worth of fairly scenic track. I enjoyed it. Not as a thrilling force monster, but as a nice pleasant journey. Now onto Prowler, number 150 for me. I love the power on these GCI contraptions, and think they've really hit on something with the whole just charging around, tearing up the layout while hovering no more than 30 feet off the ground for the most part. I think Thunderhead is pure genius. Prowler was everything I'd hoped for and more. It was fast, it was wild, it had power, and force, and popped over the airtime, and tore through the trees, and hopped and leapt and flew through the forest, providing such a good time everyone in our group was left wanting more. We immediately hopped in line again to reride, the line already two queues shorter. By six or seven, the park was empty to the point of only a few train wait for all the coasters. It was almost as good as Thunderhead. Almost. Not quite, but it was still a fanTAStic ride. It was better than Kentucky Rumbler for me, and as soon as I had ridden Evel Knievel the next day, it would beat that as well. Spinning Dragons was really nothing to write home about. It was just like all the other spinning coasters out there like it, just a little more Oriental. The World's concept of this theme park was nice. It wasn't TOO over the top and outstanding, but it was a nice break from the six flags monotonous commerciality. The park was rather nicer than I expected. Patriot was next. And honestly... it kind of disappointed. I thought it was just kind of tame. I like force and power and positive Gs and tight quick transitions and elements. Patriot just kind of meandered. There were flat spots, soft transitions, pointless places that felt like they were just there to fill up space, and all of the inversions were taken a bit too slow for my taste. It was nice though, just a little bit of a let down. From what I've ridden, I liked Alpengeist, the Batman clones, and Raptor all better. Timberwolf was a nightmare, and should be taken down immediately. I don't recall a ride that painful ever lasting quite as long as that one. I was able to get the kiddie ride credit by stealing a child, muahahaha, and thought that it was kind of out of place in a park that clearly valued at least a theme, if not theming. It was just a carnival ride stuck down in the middle of a neglected flat spot of land. And Boomerang was not too great, no. We then rerode Mamba, took another spin on Patriot, and then rode Prowler another 9 times, waiting til it got dark, and things reeeeally started to heat up. Prowler at night is really not quite like anything I've ever ridden. After you leave the first drop, any light disappears, and you are flung out into the back woods with surprisingly little recollection of the course, considering the number of times you rode it in the light. The on ride photo blinds you for a few seconds, and in those few seconds, you completely lose your bearings. You charge down that last triple down thing, which, imo, is the best part of the ride, and fly into the brakes. It really is incredible, and worked it's way into my number 6 spot, just behind Shivering Timbers, Thunderhead, and Hades. --- The next day we started working our way home back up to Chicago, and stopped at SFStL for a few hours on the way. I had been there a few times, but hadn't ridden Evel Knievel yet. Ok, maybe I'm just too young, but I still don't really understand why America is so behind a guy who crashed as much as he landed, and wasn't smart enough to call it quits when he had broken 435 bones in his body. But maybe that's just the practical side coming out in me. Evel Knievel was great! I know it ranked really well in the Hawker polls, coming in at 15, and now I can see why. It was speedy, powerful, and those last few bunny hills were terrific. Prowler wins because of the layout for me, and because of the terrain, and because of the theme. Not gonna lie, the idea of the big black cat plunging through the rainforests of Peru, or Africa, or India, or wherever, underneath the indigo sky with the stars strewn haphazardly about, and the thick dense dark green trees clouding any sort of cognizance or sense of direction, with the starkly illuminated wood track disappearing into the woods, is kind of an unbeatable theme, in my opinion. I love everything about it. And if EK ranked that highly, I can't wait to see the 2009 polls for Prowler. But regardless, EK was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr Freeze was a little more uncomfortable than I remember, but Mr Boss wasn't quite as painful, which is nice, because it's quite an awesome specimen when it chooses not to rape you. I still don't get Screamin Eagle. It's just rather pointless and airtimeless. Oh well. But EK is where it's at. We were satisfied after our third ride on EK, and took off within three hours. Overall it was a great trip, and it's amazing to me to watch my coaster count continue to grow. Thanks for reading Good bye St Louis. I'm sure I'll see you soon... as soon as you build something else Bossy Mr Freeze, looking good. The rest of the picture... it's debatable It really is a monster of a ride this is the roughest part of the ride. the rest was really enjoyable. Hey guys, be Bossy It looks cool, sure, I thought it was a bit of a strange ride though, all things told Mr Freeze. It was a slightly different shade of blue last time I was here It really was a top notch coaster. Better than Kentucky Rumbler, I thought. And after the last turn. I was surprised as to how this one turned out touch down turn around Charging through the last bit. The best bit That little pop coming off the turn around - it's attention to detail like THAT that makes GCI really stand out nowadays that was a lovely spot on this ride GCI excitement Almost as good as Prowler It was too bad, as far as integration is concerned, they kind of just plopped this one down in the middle of a flat spot. the St Louis skyline, pretty darn different than it was last time I was here Prowwwler Prowler in TOTAL DARKNESS. It really doesn't get much better than this This is a rather quality onride, if I do say so myself hahaha Prowlerrrrr Boomerang stank. And it also had the world's weirdest color scheme Mamba lookin good I opted out of the rapids, but they had a pretty good time... except for the whole wetness part Got the credit! There are no Timberwolf pictures - simply because the world would be better off if it didn't exist Aw this is ni... Karen? That half tilted loop thing was kind of... pointless. IMO I love the way inverts look. But see that flat spot out of the loop and into the barrel roll? why? hahahahaHAHAHA HA! Oh man. This is just wonderful though And part of me just thinks it's theme makes it look like a cheap carnival attraction Part of me likes the way Patriot looks. hahahaha, Pagoda Soda Patriot. Nice At least it LOOKS nice. We weren't the biggest fans of the spinners Spinning Dragons, looking lovely and nauseating, per usual And now a tribute to ALL nations, but especially America This back half, this triple down, was fantastic!!! hahahaha... I didn't have pen and paper, give me a break Prowle... what??? cresting! It really does look fantastic, WoF did a GREAT job incorporating it into the park. Without Prowler, WoF would have been sigNIFicantly less good. PROWLER! PROWLER! PROWLER!!!! For her first coaster EVER, she's taking it rather well I like how it rolls back past the queue line OH YEAH! I love how these Morgan and Arrow hyper supports make the rides look monstrous the whole of the Worlds of fun skyline Mamba was more pleasant than I was expecting It really does look great from the highway. If you haven't heard this before, you can see the park for miles before you get there

Indiana Beach, the greatest and smallest of ALLLLLLLLLLLL the parks. I had been to Indiana Beach before, and absolutely loved it. It's probably my favorite park, just because it's so chaotic. I love the atmosphere, and I love how much the atmosphere makes a difference in the quality of a day you have. Cornball was running just as good as I remember it. I think this is probably one of the most fun coasters, if not THE most fun coaster I've ever been on. The dive down to the water, and the last two pops were great. The whole thing is just a chaotic airtime machine, swooping down over places you frankly weren't ever aware you could fit a roller coaster. Hoosier too was running really well, better than last time. I love how it takes you the entire length of the pier. And it just looks spectacular cutting through everything else. Galaxi was fun, not as bad as I remember being, but Tig'rr was a little rough. Last time I rode it there were no seatbelts, and I felt like adding them takes away a large part of the charm of the ride. LCSM is just plain awesome. One of the most fun, quirkiest rides I can think of, it does many a thing most coasters should never do, but it's a one of a kind, and it sure is a blast. The dark ride was a ton of fun, and the chair swing is probably one of the greatest flat rides ever created. The way you just soar out over the water, and your chair just kind of rocks dangerously back and forth, tipping you this way and that as there's nothing beneath you, is really a one of a kind experience. The new coaster I had yet to ride, Steel Hawg, and frankly, I wasn't expecting too much. It just looks a little odd. And yes, that's a fairly understated way of putting it. That thing is effed up. The whole time it's going you can't stop thinking of why it shouldn't be doing the things it's doing. The first ride we had in the front was actually pretty decent, and much less painful than I had guessed. The first drop was exciting, and nothing was as painful as it looked. The only problem was that the entire ride is braked (and thank God for that), but I like my coasters with a little more momentum, not just element pause element pause element pause. The second ride, I rode in the back, and that felt like a Wild Mouse on cocaine being punted down a set of stairs. It really was not a pleasant thing, and thus ended our reriding on this odd little machine. I also hate that it's that far away from everything. There was really no thought given into location and integration. And with a park like IB, location and integration is everything. But we had a fantastic day. We didn't do the dark ride, due to time and money and wanting to get back home at a decent hour (and because Harry Potter opened that night), but there really is nothing quite like this little park. Thanks for reading, I had a blast, and hopefully I did an alright job of conveying how awesome these three parks were. And the classiest car in Indiana. thanks for reading One last shot of Cornball Hoosier ravaged Hoosier has a special place in our hearts GROUP PHOTO under the boardwalk Hoosier from across the way. Such a good looking ride What exactly even is a cornball?? The flyers were a lot of fun too Cukoo for cornballs Hey Eric, look like a lost sheep Car ride action More rides should do this LoCoSuMo was a hot mess of fun This car ride is also excellent, how it is built over the water This chair swing was AMAZING!!! Definitely don't pass it up I don't think I would ever do what this man is doing, not in a million years CARP! Hey Eric, look like a Galaxi The park from the double shot This corkscrew toward the ground thing was really unnerving Hang time is nice That first drop is ridiculous! Kind of what you'd expect, but still... ridiculous Steel Hawg close up First drop action There is many and many an element that really shouldn't be happening in this picture Cornball from Hoosier Gotta love those curves Cornball Express. Nothing but the best The pier down the stretch of the midway A little squinty, but other than that, not half bad I love Indiana THIS much The rest of the park There's more than corn in Indiana... but mostly just corn some Indiana Hops Seeing this view while walking across the bridge gets me every time Indiana Beach - nothing but the classiest

thanks for the comments so far everyone, I really appreciate it. Moving on, here's the second half of Cedar Point and finally, the night time skyline. It was such a great day, thanks for reading Got the last ride of TTD front row. It was unbelievable It rides like you've got a rocket up your butt This thing in the dark is unbelievable didn't even notice the water cannon, not gonna lie Millennium Force looks like it was pulled from an animated movie it looks so good Look, it's stunning. It rode this well this time around too, it was an amazing ride In my opinion, this park is absolutely gorgeous. The theming is subtle and existent, but not over done. The landscaping and greenery is there, and it is clean. No, it's not Busch Gardens, but it's nothing to complain about And here's why I don't get the criticism of the commerciality of Cedar Point They don't come looking any better than this I could ride this thing all day Millennium Force from the Mantis line. It's probably one of the most beautiful rides in the world, let's be honest I love this little breath in the middle of the ride I love how it interacts with the line and the water I'm one of the few that thinks Mantis is a gift from God From the other side Dive loop glory This loop is just wonderful This picture is pure chaos. I love all of it The world's best back spike. Front spike and sign Wicked Twister never looked better I LOVE LOVE LOVE how Wicked Twister is built right on the beach It's like a new generation of flat ride Maxair rode fantastically as well. AND it looks great. Both this and Skyhawk really are a step above most every other flat ride This really is a beautiful corner of the park don't fear the raptor hahaha... demon drop. The ride that you always forget about until you're walking out of the park I don't know who thought of the sky - ferris wheel - wicked twister color scheme, but props to them But the first half, and the finale helix, were really quite nice. Also, the color scheme looks great In my opinion though, it was built too high to really fly, staying up over the midway too much. Also, that flat part before the corkscrew really bothered me Raptor ran really good. I really enjoyed it, and for an invert, I can understand the love. Some corkscrew love. (We didn't actually ride it... just admired it from a less jostling position) Magnum looks much better than the way it treated my thighs. I'm pretty sure I still have bruises Some more dragster The new sign looked lovely before. But now. It bespeaks perfection Story time. 13 years ago, my family took a trip to Cedar Point. Recently I was looking through old family photos and found a picture of my mom, my sister and I in this very location with this very lamppost and that very trash can. It was the only picture from that trip, and it is now hanging on our wall. This will be put up right next to it. I was about to climb through the brush to get a little closer even than this, but decided against it TTD doing what it does best My humps. My humps my humps my humps.

We finally arrived in Sandusky around 12 that night, got in our hotel room, and crashed in under 10 minutes. CP the next day was one of the best times I've ever had at a park. I've been there 3 times now, but my last visit was in 06, before Maverick was built. We got to the park before 10, and waited for the ropes to drop. I was so excited I could hardly talk, and the weather was absolutely perfect. I don't really like how resort guests get an extra hour in the park. Maybe I would have a different opinion if we had paid the extra money to stay on site, but we're all three of us poor college students, and that extra expense wasn't really an option. So they finally let us through, and we sprinted to TTD to avoid the long lines and frequent breakdowns that might come later in the day. Unfortunately... we hit both of those. EVEN THOUGH we were the first ones in line from the general public 10 o clock opening, there was already over a half hour wait built up outside of the queue. Kind of a bummer. And then, when they opened it, we got to the top of the ramp, 10:20 or so, and it broke down. Kind of another bummer. But still, it opened up 10/15 minutes later, and we got our ride, and it was everything I'd remembered and more. I still can't figure out what exactly makes TTD so much better than Kingda Ka, besides even the rattle and no OTSRs. I don't know whether maybe it's the atmosphere, or the fact that it was first, or the fact that you can see the ENTIRE PENINSULA from the top, but it really is a wonderful, one of a kind experience. We went to MF next, waited and hour, and had our minds blown once again. I don't really care if the layout is a bit skimpy, or if the airtime after the first drop isn't as good as it could be, it really is a phenomenal ride. The first 80 degree drop into that incredible fan turn is one of the best combos in the world, and I give MF a lot of respect for that. Even if it is overrated, it really is a wonderful wonderful ride, and shouldn't be cut down just because a few too many people claim it to be the world's best ride. Maverick was next. After an hour wait (I don't know if they changed things, but the single rider line is pointless if you're just trying to get through faster), but this ride didn't blow me away the first time. The neck chops were what killed it. The second ride, at sunset, was fantastic. I still prefer MF out of all the CP rides, but Maverick did crack my top ten. We rode sunset back row, and the airtime was unreal, and it was actually smoother, and less painful. Also, I don't know if it was because I knew how to ride it, but the neck chops disappeared. Then to Magnum. Oh yeah, Gemeni, I forgot about Gemeni - That about sums that ride up. Magnum was... not really very enjoyable. Maybe this was my mistake though. We rode third row to get the airtime, but forgot that I have exceptionally long legs. This being the case, the lap bar can't get past my mid thigh. Which, is usually very good, it gives me more room. This time around, though, those last few bunny hops almost broke my thighs in half. It was awful. And even if the lap bar wasn't in the middle of my thigh, I'm not sure it would have been too much better. It's a shame though, I remember my ride when I was six, and back then it was magical. Wicked Twister is awesome in the back on that twisting spike, since we come from SFGAm where V2 has a straight back spike. Raptor was fun, but not quite as good as Batman or Alpengeist. Blue Streak was not as good as I remember, Demon Drop is a classic, and Mantis rocked my socks off again. Last time in 06 when I left, Mantis was my favorite coaster at the park. Most peoples' scorn for it has made me second guess that opinion, but now I know for sure, it was not a fluke. This ride kicks major butt, especially when your home stand up is Iron Wolf. We got second rides on Maverick, MF, and TTD, which we managed to get the last ride of the night in the front row. I can't really understand why people give this place so much crap. Who cares if it's overrated, who cares if maybe it's not the world's best park like it says. It is what it is, a powerhouse of fantastic coasters, and a clean, nicely kept haven for thrill seekers. Take it for what it is, and you'll get an absolutely phenomenal day out of it. We had an amazing time, thanks for reading again. We'll get some pictures, and then the rest of Cedar Point and maybe even Indiana Beach will be put up some time soon, but not til at the very least later tonight around 9 or 10 central time. Maverick. Complete with sign. I love this picture. It looks like they tried to look at the train, but just missed Little Mermaid Wait... why aren't we riding Mean Streak? Timing at its finest Ohhhhh Yeahhh It looks absolutely perfect The theming here was really nice. Better than Dark Knight Genius Such a pretty ride The airtime here was perfect LOVED this element Hidden mickey Maverick. First ride was like getting karate chopped in the neck. Second ride at sunset in the back was pure awesomeness This picture is a necessity on a visit to CP. Lumpy This is the greatest picture I have ever accidentally taken. I didn't know I took this til the ride home MF virgins - they're ready This is my favorite. That fan turn is unreal poppin up over that last little bumplet. too big for one camera TRAIN I don't know, sure it is a little overrated in terms of best in the world, but regardless, this thing gives a wonderful ride Really lovely Probably one of the most photogenic loops in the wooooooorld Heading over to MF Iron Dragon we didn't really have the time or desire to ride today. Maybe it's short, maybe it's a gimmick, maybe it brakes down all the time, but it really is one of the most remarkable single trick experiences in the world But it was up and running in no time, and we were off And this is about where we were when it broke down This picture really emphasizes the size of the ride. Not that it needs it GO GO GO GO GO! so... the run to TTD is a lot longer than I bargained for. Good lord I about died Raptor from the midway. The problem I had with Raptor was the long flat transitions that killed any momentum Right before the drop CP skyline. There really wasn't any containing our excitement at this point. All three of us just peed

The three of us, one of my good friends Eric, my girlfriend Tina, and I, have been talking about taking a roadtrip to Cedar Point for years, so to see it finally go through, was one of the most exciting times of my life. I had been to all three parks before, but neither Eric or Tina had been to a park outside of our home park SFGAm, or anything in the Universal area. So naturally, excitement was high. We stayed the night at Tina's place Saturday evening, preparing to get an early night's rest and take off by 3 that morning, to get to Holiday World by opening. Naturally... that didn't go entirely the way we envisioned it. We finally settled down enough to attempt to go to bed by about 12:30. By 1:15, all three of us came to the realization that no one was sleeping, and that wasn't about to change in the next hour and half. So we started our trip, out the door by 2:45, on no sleep. Awesome start. We arrived at HW by 8:30, no problems, and waited for opening. Voyage is my favorite coaster by a mile, and I was incredibly excited to ride it again, especially with the opportunity to take two of my best friends along for the ride. We ran there, were the first in line, and grabbed the last row. Once again, this ride blew my mind. The park stayed rather empty the entire day, keeping lines under a few train wait. I ended up with 16 rides on the Voyage by the time we left around 5 for Cedar Point, bringing my two visit total to 50. Great stuff. The Voyage still remains my undisputed favorite coaster. The amount of power it packs into its ridiculously long unique layout is unreal. To still be flying that fast on the return trip just blows my mind. There's airtime everywhere, on the big drops up front and the short bounds on the back half, and the aggression is unmatched. This coaster kicks so much butt it simply defies description. No other coaster in the world (well... from what I've ridden and what I've read) comes close to tearing up the course quite the way the Voyage is capable of doing. The Legend confuses me. Why aren't the turns banked? It really detracts from the ride in my opinion, and just makes it uncomfortable. For me, the Raven is nice, but it just pales in comparison to the Voyage. Also, I'm sure SOMEbody's said this before, but... it's much too short. We only rode Raven and Legend once each. The liberty launch was surprisingly enjoyable, and Revolution was just a bad idea all around. Pilgrim's Plunge was an interesting new addition. It was a little unincorporated into the rest of the park, but was sure nice to look at. It was nice, for a water ride. Not really all that impressive to ride, although the lift sure was nifty. Turkey Gobbler is hilarious, and should not be passed up. Oh, and I don't know if we were just the wrong age, or we were just all a little too exhausted, or if it was because Eric and I are both competitive gymnasts, but we really weren't THAT impressed by the dive show. Overall, an amazing start to an amazing trip - now for some pictures Thanks for reading, CP report coming relatively soon And the sunset as we drove north to Cedar Point that evening, trying not to keel over from exhaustion. CP pics coming soon Some car ride fun Both of the loves of my life in one picture. Ah, Love I think Eric's actually in this one. Ah yes, in the seventh to last row, if you squint But "Tyler Voyage Weiss" really just doesn't have that much 'ring' to it I spent a large part of the afternoon wondering how I could incorporate the name "Voyage" into my firstborn's name. Let us once more return to the Voyage This was just a bad idea all around CHRISTMAS!!! Unfortunately, this picture is actually longer than the ride itself is from the picnic area Same with the Raven - one ride was enough for us. I know some people love love love love LOVE this ride, but I just don't really get it This picture confuses me The Legend... not for us. One ride was enough This migggggghhhhhhhttttttttt be the best picture of my entire life. This is wonderful Eric and Tina - the essence of class Really good rollercoasters make me fly Not quite as much on the dainty butterfly... more like an aggressive Indian tribal dance. But either way, we all decided that the best part of this ride was the elevator lift. Still fun, but the tiniest mite of a shame Like a dainty pair of butterflies... It rode just as good as I remember, if not better. I think the brakes were on much more last time, so the back half this time was even MORE insane than I was used to. I really realllllllly love how it's built into a house. The station is one of my favorites Running to Voyage - we won Right before they dropped the rope Thar she blows. Looking good dear, looking good The Raven's never looked better Excitement was running high The Holiday World splay... WE FOUND IT! I love starting roadtrips at such ungodly hours. By the time you've accomplished more than you do on a regular day, it's only 8 o clock. World's greatest looking roadtrip? Probably So, our GPS had a bad habit of deciding that the world's most out of the way, small towns were a better option than, say, a highway. This is the only gas station within a 30 mile radius I'm rather certain, and also one of the top ten sketchiest places I've ever been

Does anyone remember the tri-pronged ferris wheel observation type ride? I don't remember the name, but I have a vivid, isolated memory of it being there, and me going on it when I was probably about 3 or 4. I even remember what shirt I was wearing. But does anyone know where that was, and the history on that thing, when it was taken down, etc? Just out of personal curiosity.

I don't care for King Chaos or Revolution that much. I usually end up in a great deal of pain and discomfort. Now Fiddler's Fling, that's where it's at. That thing flies!

Riding backwards didn't really do anything for me actually. I prefer it forwards, and I definitely prefer the red side by a mile. It has an extra hill on the back stretch, much more airtime, and less meandering flat track than the blue side.

^American Eagle is your favorite? Interesting. You don't get to many positive opinions of that ride anymore. I'm a really big fan of AE, especially the red side. I wouldn't call it my favorite ride in the park, but I have a lot of respect for that thing. I've also thought that the holding brake might have been axed to save money, although it might be more to save the ride from wear and tear. I imagine that brake did a number on the ride and on the train, and running the ride without it will probably reduce maintenance costs in the long run.

V2 has been frustrating the last year or two. Especially now without the holding brake. But has anyone felt like the line it gets now wasn't there a few years ago? I remember being able to just walk right into the station practically, especially after about 4 in the afternoon, but now it always seems to have a much slower longer line.

I have yet to ride it, mainly because I'm not the biggest fan of wetness by any means. And really, it seems kind of silly to me - the ONLY point of the ride is to get you wet. There aren't any rapids, or any drops, or any impressive splashes. So, that really doesn't appeal to me. Iron Wolf used to be my favorite ride in the park, back in the day, probably about 10 years ago or so. Now I can't stand it, am appalled at what it turned into, and would choose it over any other coaster to leave (except for maybe Dark Knight, but that would be unrealistic seeing how new it is). And let's be honest, this park has hit high time for a new good coaster, so if removing Iron Wolf is the means for that to happen, I'm all for it.

Thanks for keeping us updated Big Mike. Amaaaaaazing reports so far. Can't wait to hear what you thought about Piraten

Great TR! Great to see some love for Raging Bull, I rank it higher than both Nitro and Apollo's Chariot. Turns out I was there at SFGA the same day as you. Way too many school kids, but the park did empty out nicely towards the end of the day. I agree with you on just about everything else. I don't get the hype about Raven either. Although It's strange that you didn't get any good air on Cyclops on that last big drop. That's probably the greatest single moment of airtime I've ever gotten on any coaster. Thanks for posting!

^from what I could tell they were identical, but to be honest I didn't listen during the Medusa soundtrack while the ride was actually in motion. So over the course of the rides, I'm not entirely sure, but the lift hill and endings were identical.

^^ I mean, the sound system wasn't going to keep me from riding, but especially at SFNE, it was way too loud to comfortably enjoy it.

^^^ hmmm. Theming wise between the two, I'd say they are pretty similar. SFNE's queue beats SFGAdv's by a mile, though. Superman's got the two tunnels, which helps alot, but those were already there. Medusa has the huge tube over and under the two corkscrews with mist coming off, which I liked alot. The yellow faux-tunnel triangle cut out mist tunnel things were more effective on Medusa than on Superman. And I thought the fire placement works better on the immelmann than on the helix. But really, the theming was very similar between the two. It was weird with them being so closely themed, since the styles of rides are entirely different. ^^ haha thanks a lot. It's funny you mention it though, the really good shots are taken by my friend Dave, who just happens to already be making a living off of his photography skills at the age of 19. I guess I forgot to mention that. A few of these, especially the good ones, courtesy of Dave Heinz. ^ I would have LOVED to ride this back in the day. And yeah, I mean, you'll fit, but especially if you have long legs, it won't be the most comfortable ride of your life. I fit on El Toro a little better than I fit on Bizarro SFNE Thanks everyone for the comments so far!

So over the course of this past week, I was fortunate enough to get to BOTH Bizarros. Last Saturday, a friend I knew borrowed a car from an upperclassmen to do some shopping for a show, and was kind and conniving enough to sneak us to Six Flags and drop us off while she did her business. The weather was beautiful, and the crowds were moderate. We didn't wait longer than 40 minutes on anything, including front seat on Bizarro. Oh yeah, and this was the first time I've ever worn flip flops to a park. Except for the fact that I no longer had skin in between my first and second toes, it went pretty well. I'm not really sure I'm completely 100% on board with the whole Bizarro thing. Am I going to slam it? No no, not in the least. But to me, I really respect the fact that six flags is trying to fix up and retheme some of their rides, and I'm all for new paint jobs and makeovers and more landscaping, and a well executed love fest toward specific coasters that seem to be neglected. And Medusa certainly was neglected. But spending millions of dollars to retheme the ride to try and add a story line that frankly, you can easily pass through the line without even beginning to understand, seems a bit unnecessary to me. Not bad, just unnecessary. I don't need flame throwers, I don't need mist, I don't need an upside down horse. The paint job looked nice, and the ride did feel slightly smoother, which I really appreciate, and I'm glad they put some love into that area. But maybe it was just a little much for me. I suppose I'm more of a landscaping guy than a mist tunnel flame thrower cardboard cutout type of guy, and that's fine. I did enjoy the ride experience just a little more than I previously remember, so I really am not complaining. I wasn't the biggest fan of the onboard sound system however. I thought the yelling and explosions and stuff you heard going up the lift hill were unnecessary, and to be honest, nobody in our group even noticed that there was a soundtrack over the course of the ride, while it was in motion. And then, on the brakerun, the Bizarro chants were a little much too. Also, with the noise, it is impossible to carry on conversation with your friends and those you ride with. I guess, at a park like Disney, where I'm expecting a story line and completely immersive theming, all this is fine. But here, I don't really need it. Just give me a good solid ride and an overarching theme, more like an ambiance, and that's more than enough. Some fire and an on board soundtrack really won't do much more for the ride, for me at least. The one thing I did really like, though, was the corkscrew over the long cylinder tube mist thing, so that you got misted when you were upside down. That was neat. Oh, and one other thing, we rode at night, expecting to get more out of the lighting and flame and stuff, and it didn't do much for me. No more than in the daytime. I would actually say I had a better ride in the day than at night. The rest of the day was excellent. We managed Nitro - 4 Bizarro - 2 Mine train - 1 GASM - 1 Rolling Thunder - 1 El Toro - 6 And I think that's it. Overall though, this was the best experience I've had at a six flags park, in regards to what Six Flags has done with the place, in a very long time. So thank you Six Flags, it was an amazing day, ride operations were superb, and the ending fireworks show while El Toro was still running was something I will never forget. SFNE Spur of the moment, I took the train up to my friend's house in New York, who was already home, having finished early, and from there we drove up to SFNE the next morning, coming back that night to crash at his place. It was an amazing time. Being a Tuesday, the park was just about empty. We managed to get in 39 rides that day, even with them closing at 6, and had a great time. The problem I have with Bizarro at SFNE, is that there was no point for it. It was already the number one coaster in the world, it was already an iconic testament to the force and power that associated the name Superman to the world's most intense, enjoyable steel coaster experience, why change it? I just for the life of my can't understand why you would take the world's best coaster, and paint it purple. This is where the fire and mist really started to look like gimmicks. You don't need them since you have such a good coaster, and having them almost takes away from the main attraction, since they almost act as if they're covering up something, trying to throw every last cover and concealer on the ride, so that it appears even better, when it doesn't need it, and ends up looking slightly overdone. It's like if you have the world's most beautiful natural face, and then go and smother an inch of make up on it. There's just no need for it. Superman is such an iconic figure too. Surely, if anyone deserves to be associated with the world's best steel coaster, it's superman, the man of steel. But who is Bizarro? Honestly, I still can't fully tell you. I mean, I know he's the alternate universe version of superman or whatever, but that doesn't mean anything to me, you know? That being said, the queue area looked very nice. Once again, the fire didn't do too much for me, although as the day wore on, and the shots of mist left you colder and colder, the heat was very welcome. Three shots of mist is overkill in my opinion. And this time I noticed, with the onboard sound system and how it curved in slightly around your head, it almost started to get in the way of your shoulders when you put your hands up. Also, the sound was up wayyyyy too loud, and I heard more than just my friend and I relieved when the train with the non-working sound system pulled in for us to board. It was so loud you couldn't hear anything the person next to you shouted at you up the lift hill or in the breaks. I don't know, it's just not necessary for me to enjoy the ride. The ride itself however... it took a while to warm up, but once it did, it was great. I think by the end of the summer it will be back to number 1 material. If I had ridden every coaster in the world, I'm not sure I would have put this at the top of the list, but I could tell that it had what it took. The first ride of the day wasn't good at all, however, and left it needing to prove itself, which it did, over time. It was slow, and cumbersome, shifty all over the place, and just kind of sluggish and lumpy in general. It wasn't til the third ride that we felt it, and in the afternoon, it was giving much better rides. The front provided just as much airtime as the back, and I enjoyed both equally. Even the second seat (which had no line ever since they included the first to rows in the same line for the front, so everybody was always waiting for the front, and unable to reach the second row from the main station area, if you follow me) provided as good a ride as the second to last. So it was a toss up, and it was nice, having more options, then always having to sit near the back to get the better ride. I am a rather tall person. 6'3", pushing 6'4", and with extremely long legs, I had a rough time fitting in these seats with the restraints. There was virtually NO leg room, and the way the lap bar worked, it came more at you than down, so that it would get stuck on my thighs, and never make itself to my waist. So all of the rides I rode I had the restraint jammed way down into the middle of my thighs, and I wasn't the biggest fan of that. I just fit much better in the B&M restraints. I also don't like that they do everything in their power to give you as little room as possible. I'm the kid who loves keeping their lap bar up as high as you can manage, to maximize the effects of the airtime, and these intamin restraints don't let me get away with that. But that's just a rather minor detail. But getting stapled in ride after ride wasn't the most comfortable experience. Enough criticism. The ride was spectacular, really, I really enjoyed it. The first drop gave a great pop, even if it didn't sustain it all the way down, and that first hill in the front was glorious, even if it came out a bit shallow. The turn around was nice and forceful, and the two main hills after that were AMAZING!!! From there it was positive and lateral Gs, with short explicit pops of ejector airtime spaced throughout, and those last two hills were wonderful. Bizarro was a great ride, and I'm so excited I finally was able to get that one under my belt. As far as the rest of the park goes, Batman Dark Knight was fun, if not small. Gotta love those barrel rolls. I really enjoy the floorless design. Minderaser was fairly excruciating, Pandemonium is a surprisingly fun ride, Flashback was awful, the kids coasters were fine, Thunderbolt was pretty fun after it warmed up, and it's really nice to be able to appreciate the history there. Also, I loved that you could feel the track shift beneath you as you rode, especially coming over the top of the lift. Awesome. I. Loved. Cyclone. I haven't ridden a ride with that much character... ever. The first drop somehow gave the biggest surprise kick of airtime ever, and from there it just ripped around that first turn and dove to the bottom, soaring majestically up, thumping you along as the track swayed feet to each side. It was wonderful. I loved the pacing, loved the drops, didn't mind the enormous shuffle at all, loved everything about it. It had an incredibly unique layout, and although it shuffled horribly, there are ways to ride without feeling it, and when you do that, it just adds personality to the ride. It was wonderfully intense, and a great showcase of the innovation of early classic wooden roller coasters. Ride counts for the day were as follows. Bizarro - 12 Batman DK - 8 Cyclone - 7 Pandemonium - 4 Thunderbolt - 4 Minderaser, catwoman's whip, Great Chase, Flashback - 1 All around, an amazing day, and an amazing trip. Thanks for reading, here are some pictures. Okay, so we'll start with a lot of really necessary pictures of Nitro, and then move on to the Bizarros from there. Ah yes. Classic shot. Again thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed. This turned pretty interesting I like this. Some first drop action. Again, I don't have the patience to wait for trains, I apologize Wonderful A pretty heavy juxtaposition of quality in this picture... Joyous The butt of the train The awnings look nice Through the fire and flames Cyclone in the background. That first drop was amazing. Pandemonium was a lot of fun. Especially when Dave and I sat on the same side across from empty seats. There's me in the back there, in the white shirt. LOVED this ride. It was like the Batman the Ride of floorless coasters. Please excuse this awful picture. Dark Knight was nice. See, this is a beautiful picture. Other times it just looks really... girly. What a lovely station Some nice positive Gs on this turn here, into that nice pop there. Sometimes it looks great. Sometimes the purple just seems really unnatural. Cool logo... First drop glory. again... Not much into the whole waiting thing when I can actually ride it. My apologies. Yeah... I'm really not a very patient person. There should be a train there. In traditional six flags style, nothing opened for about a half hour. Ho yeah. Good stuff right there. Lovely shot, really. Cept that stupid pole... Loved the classic Thunderbolt signage Time for some SFNE action!!! The park was just about empty. Excellent Well, at least Marlene liked GASM... El Toro dance party? Always necessary Karen, you up to ride Rolling Thunder? This is a terrible picture, but I felt obligated to include it since Bizarro's all new and all... Horse butt. Solid Best part of the ride. GREAT shot. Too bad you noticed them more on the ground than on the ride. Also, all three of my friends here were HUGE environmentalists, and cringed every time these went off. That's Bizarre... I don't mind this paint job at all, really. I thought I would, but it's beginning to grow on me. I LOVED the old Medusa yellow though, before it faded. Some cobra roll action And here we are, Bizarro. Floorless barrel rolls are the best. Almost as good as inverted barrel rolls Had to introduce the other two the joyous pleasure that reside in the mine train. It really is a beautiful lift hill More chins, more fun. It was good to get some Nitro back in our systems oh yeah. Possibly the most depressing picture of Batman I've ever seen Gotta love a good barrel roll Get some train action in there. Proooobably the best looking group of people IVE ever seen This turned out nice, considering it's a picture of essentially nothing. Batman looked beautiful. I've been on it enough at home though, and the rest of us had ridden it as well, so we didn't wait for it today. We were, well... IIII was really excited to ride Nitro, especially since it wasn't open the last time I was here. Nitro was running beautifully today.

See, I don't know, the Griffon theming or lack there of really didn't bother me that much. From the front, it's set in the village, which was neat. The first drop and immelman are integrated well into the paths and the atmosphere of the area. Yeah, maybe the back half is a little sparse in terms of theming and scenery, and maybe the second half of the design wasn't given quite as much thought as the first half, but it didn't really detract from my ride experience at all. I don't really need an elaborate story line. Griffon's got an atmosphere and an ambience, and that works well enough for me. I don't need to forget I'm on a rollercoaster, just integrate the ride subtly into a more overarching theme, and I'll be happy. But maybe for BG standards it is a little subpar... I wouldn't even go close to comparing it to Six Flags standards though. It still outweighs a Six Flags theming any day. I wonder if there's any hope of BGE adding more to the theme of the ride over time?

^^^ Yeah, Nitro's bland layout is probably the main reason I like Apollo better. And I've never been to BGA, so I've never seen Shiekra, so I can't really compare them. My point is that regardless of a comparison, Griffon is still a pretty quality ride. The way the path winds around the village and over the ride itself to get to the entrance is really cool. That whole area of the park is immersed in Griffon. ^^I did ride Grover's Alpine Express, I just didn't take any pictures that were worth including. It was perfectly fine for a kiddie ride, I saw a lot of kids enjoying it. And a number of people, oddly enough, besides myself, that were way too old to justify riding it.