Canobie Coaster

I went on a Sunday last year (Memorial Day weekend) and most rides had no wait. That included Outlaw Run presumably due to its location in the very back of the park. I don't know if waits have cooled down for Time Traveler, but that was the only crazy wait. That was posted at 60-90 minutes until the evening. PowderKeg and the water rides got up to a half hour. I think the kiddie coaster actually had the second longest posted wait but it isn't on the Trailblazer pass.

^ Even the employee at the Flash Pass center joked they should replace Goliath with a RMC Raptor.

Finally!

I had an hour to kill before meeting friends in Springfield, so I decided to stop into Six Flags. I figured that'd be enough time to get a ride on Superman and Wicked Cyclone. Go figure they were both broken down, but against all odds Goliath was somehow running. It seemed like a sign I should ride it. I used to defend this ride. But I now see the light. Ouch. I never thought I'd visit SFNE and only ride Goliath. What are the odds this is running with Superman and Wicked Cyclone being closed?

That sounds odd...wheels are swapped all the time, just standard maintenance. It's hard to think of a problem with wheels keeping the rides down for months, unless it's a safety issue with them...but the same rides at other parks are running without issue. I've heard it's the coating on the wheels. The original date I heard for the coaster being back up was right before the 4th of July so we'll see if that happens.

Lake Compounce's Phobia has been closed all this year. Since they're owned by the same company as Kennywood, it could be related. Rumor has it, it's the wheels.

Nighttime Boulder Dash really is the only thing that compares for me, but even that can't match the Voyage's raw intensity. I rode the Voyage on Labor Day weekend last year and thought it was running about as smooth as it was this visit. Thanks! Did you find Voyage too rough? If so, I don't think a night ride would help there since if anything, it'll feel wilder.

^ My last visit was my first visit where the place was packed. I had walk-ons in my other two visits (a random summer weekday when a thunderstorm never hit and a rainy day in October for the non-haunt admission).

Comet is a fantastic wooden coaster so that alone makes it worth the trip. And Lake George has some amazing mini golf courses. The Alpine Bobsled has avoided the grim reaper for the past decade, but I have to think this is its last year if they can't get it running consistently.

^ That also doesn't look like a very comfortable riding position.

I have to chime in to toss my vote to team Maverick. Taron's visuals are amazing and the second launch is as good as Maverick's launch, but it doesn't have the intensity, airtime, or diverse layout of Maverick. Taron is still a great ride, but I'll take Maverick.

^ Ah ok. Yeah that gift shop was pretty cluttered every time a ride cycle ended.

Holiday World/HoliWood Nights HoliWood Nights is often described as the enthusiast event that puts all other enthusiast events to shame. With that sort of reputation, it was impossible not to go in with sky-high expectations. And you know what? Holiday World somehow surpassed them. Until I find some reindeer at the local pet shop and train them how to fly, it’s always going to be hard to get to Santa Claus, Indiana. But I think HoliWood Nights may now be an annual event for me. It’s just that good! Greetings from Santa Claus, Indiana, a place where they aren't afraid to say Merry Christmas. Rumor has it, the Santa Claus Police arrest you if you say Happy Holidays. I had some time to burn before check-in, so I decided to see what kind of tourist traps were in Santa Claus, Indiana. With a name like that, I figured there had to be something. And there was, the Santa Claus Museum. I thought it was closed when I pulled in. It was eerily quiet. The blinds were down. And there was no one else there. I figured the door would be locked, but it was open. The museum had a toy train and one Santa display, but it otherwise felt like the unofficial museum of Holiday World. Admission was free, but they suggest a $2-3 donation if I remember correctly. If this is what the Santa Claus Museum looks like when it's open, what does it look like when it's closed? It was small, but cute. It felt like Holiday World's unofficial museum. Oh no, Holidog was decapitated. Ho, ho, ho. I then made my way over to Holiday World and the check-in process was seamless. Since I had an hour before the organized activities, I got a quick lap on Voyage (more on that later). Then I felt compelled to ride Raging Rapids since I was already in my swim trunks. Raging Rapids is a misnomer. There are hardly any rapids. This ride is all about the geysers. In some ways it’s more exciting because you can’t see them coming. I think there are 6-7 geysers and they get you acceptably wet. However, the unavoidable waterfall towards the end takes no prisoners. 7 out of 10 This really should be called Raging Geysers... and a Waterfall. Then HoliWood Nights officially began not with coaster ERT, but with water park ERT. I think they had a few slides plus the wave pool open for us, but I only cared about the two water coasters. There was also a delicious buffet of chicken wings and fried fish that I’m pretty sure had a longer line than the slides. I started with Wildebeest, which is probably my favorite water slide in the world. This slide has some serious airtime, especially if you ride in the back. There’s a reason they tell you to hold on at all times. I’m pretty sure you’d the raft would continue without you if you let go during the two shed drops. Not only is the airtime above and beyond what one can reasonably expect from a water slide, but it just doesn’t end. It’s like the Avengers Endgame of all water slides. I think there are like 9 or 10 drops in total. 10 out of 10 The slide that slayed Master Blaster in the Golden Ticket awards. At most water parks, Mammoth would be the undoubted star. The spinning makes Mammoth more unpredictable than Wildebeest, but the airtime isn’t quite as pronounced. The airtime is still better than 99% of water slides though; Wildebeest is just that special 1%. 9 out of 10 Also, does Holiday World want to give riders hypothermia? I wasn’t the only one who thought this, but the water on Mammoth was absolutely frigid. It probably didn’t help that we rode it during sunset or the fact the queue was fully shaded with misting fans on full blast. My teeth are still chattering. Then it was time for the coasters. Most of the photos I’m going to include in this report were from two awesome walkback tours the following day. I barely took any night shots since the coasters were in almost total darkness, and that’s what made them especially awesome. I also want to preface my reviews by saying I have a high tolerance for rough coasters. I personally wouldn’t call any of Holiday World’s woodies rough, but I can totally understand why others may call them rough. I classify them as aggressive, much like Boulder Dash (which I ride an unhealthy amount). Everyone always raves about the trimless Voyage night rides. At the start of HoliWood Nights, the mid-course was still biting. Were the trimless rides just an enthusiast urban legend? Once darkness fully set-in, the magic happened. The trims deactivated. And on one of the first trimless trains, an enthusiast puked. Let me repeat that, an enthusiast puked. I’m sure the copious amount of food Holiday World gave us played a factor, but it was clear there was something different about Voyage. When word got out that the Voyage was running trimless, this was what the ERT line looked like. These rides were almost enough to make Voyage supplant Lightning Rod as my number one coaster. Did the trimless rides make that big of a difference? Not exactly. Voyage already hauls on the return trip. The only difference I noticed was on the triple down, which now had some incredible airtime. What made Voyage special was the fact I was now able to ride it at night. My one gripe with Holiday World is that they often close early, so night rides had eluded me. Not anymore. The outward leg is gets darker and darker until you reach the spaghetti bowl. There is absolutely no light out there. You’d find more light in a black hole. I had no clue if Voyage was going to turn right or left. All I knew was that I was getting launched out of my seat on every hill. It was a religious experience. Voyage is relentless. It’s the triathlon of coasters. You have a hypercoaster-like outward leg, a twister section in the middle, and a return leg that feels like you’ve set sail during a typhoon. The ride just doesn’t end and you’re getting airtime or laterals constantly. 10 out of 10 I don't think anyone will ever build anything quite like the Voyage again. I think the enthusiasts have been spotted. Just imagine cresting this hill and seeing a crowd of 100 people with their cameras pointed at them. I lost count how many airtime hills there were. Fresh wood all over the place had the Voyage running fantastic. Legend, aka laterals the ride, was an incredible night ride as well. It was almost as dark as the Voyage, which made the already insane laterals feel that much wilder. I felt like the side of the train was going to snap off during the double helix. But beyond the laterals, Legend has some underrated airtime. The return leg has 3-4 very good pops of airtime, the bunny hill under the water slides has awesome floater air, and the 5th hill has some borderline ejector air (particularly in the back). 9 out of 10 Laterals the Ride. Or Tunnels the Ride. Either works. The finale actually has some nice airtime though. Remember when HoliWood Nights was Stark Raven Mad? The Raven sure does. Before the Voyage overshadowed it, the Raven was considered one of the best night rides anywhere. And you know what? It still stands out. It feels like you’re deep in the woods during the ride, but in reality you’re mere feet from the parking lot and a wide open field. Holiday World has just enough trees adjacent to the track to complete the illusion. The Raven gets progressively wilder as it goes. The first half has some decent pops of airtime, but then comes the fifth drop. This is some of the strongest ejector air out there. That’s followed by some high-speed turns in total darkness. There’s only a quick pop of air, but plenty of laterals. 8.5 out of 10 Unlike Thunderhead, Raven still proudly displays its Golden Ticket awards. You really aren't that deep in the woods at all. But you're going too fast to notice. Last but not least, there was Thunderbird. I used to think it was a middle-of-the-road wing coaster. But I’ve now been converted; Thunderbird is the best wing coaster. The night rides certainly helped, but I came to that conclusion after day rides as well. The launch is forceful and the combination of audio and fog really amps you up. Usually I’m not a big fan of Immelmanns, but this one has some good whip on the drop afterwards. And that’s followed by a pretty forceful loop. While the first half is decently illuminated by the pathways, the second half is in total darkness. The zero-G and barrel rolls are pure bliss and loaded with hangtime, but one of the most underrated elements is that funky S-hill. It’s like B&M tried to do one of those aggressive Intamin s-hills, but they decided to do it on their least agile coaster model. Still it gives some very funky airtime. 8.5 out of 10 Thunderbird ready for launch. Blasting through the barn. You can't get these views normally. A train full of happy riders. Most people were focused on the nacho bar. I was focused on this photogenic coaster. HoliWood Nights had two auctions. The first was for physical items such as the coaster flags and used ride parts. The second was the experiential auction. I could only imagine what TSA would say if I whipped out a piece of Wildebeest’s conveyor belt, so I was more interested in the experiences. As were most people. The most fierce bidding happened for the Voyage zen rides. Last I checked, both the Friday and Saturday night zen rides went for over $200! But I was more interested in the ride tours. The Voyage lift walk, Voyage track walk, and Thunderbird behind the scenes tours all went for over $100. However, I found a steal. The Gobbler Getaway tour was only $25! I jumped all over that. I guess most people at the event were all about the coasters. I ran into a fellow TPR member from the Japan (Dreaming Airtime) and invited him since the tour included a guest. It was really cool to see the inside of Gobbler Getaway and a unique way to start day two. In some ways, it was sort of creepy to walk through there without the constant gobbling of the guns. Walking through a dark ride is a surreal experience. What's in door number one? It was nice to be able to focus on the detail of the sets instead of the targets when you're on the ride. Happy Thanksgiving! It was really interesting to ride Gobbler Getaway later in the day after getting the tour. I felt like I saw the answers to the test since I noticed a few targets I never knew existed (hint, look up). And the zany ending always leaves me with a big, goofy smile on my face. 8 out of 10 Granny's got a gun. Most of the day was focused on coasters- either riding or photographing them. One of the most noteworthy items was that Voyage started the day trimless. That surprised all of us. By the afternoon, the trim was back on, but it went off come ERT. I also made sure to hit several of the other non-coasters I missed. For flats, that included Crow’s Nest, Turkey Whirl, and Eagle’s Flight. Crow’s Nest was a short, forceless star flyer, but it offered some really unique views of Thunderbird. I think this is the model I usually see at local fairs where the tower itself rotates rather than the gondolas. 6 out of 10 1/6 of the New England Sky Screamer. Turkey Whirl was adorable. I never thought I’d find a tilt-a-whirl cuter than Story Land’s Turtle Twirl, but Holiday World did it. However, I did miss the covered vehicles since the seats were piping hot. The ride itself was your average tilt-a-whirl though. 5 out of 10 Gobble, gobble, gobble. I always thought Eagle’s Flight was a newer Larson flyer, but I discovered it’s actually a classic Bisch-Rocco version. I had visions of snapping. The ride isn’t run as fast as the ones at Knoebels or Lagoon, but the rudders had more movement than any other flying scooters I’ve ridden. This meant it was possible to get some decent snapping. At no point did I feel like I was going to die (isn’t that what we all go for on these rides), but it was definitely bouncy and the park gave a nice, long cycle too. 7 out of 10 I love how each of the birds had a different design. Last but not least, I also made sure to hit the park’s log flume. I actually met up with RAWKIN_coaster38 prior to riding Frightful Falls and she became my riding buddy for the rest of the night. Frightful Falls only has one drop, but it’s a pretty good one. It’s decently tall and passes through Legend. The other notable thing about Frightful Falls is the super long tunnel at the start. 8 out of 10 A rare view of the Frightful Falls drop. After a wonderful buffet dinner with fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs, and salad (lol theme parks are my cheat day), it was time for the night ERT. However, there was a black cloud over ERT. Voyage was down. Fortunately the park only had the coaster down for the first half hour of ERT and when it reopened, it was running just as awesome as the night before. Voyage at night truly is exceptional. I parked myself here for the entirety of ERT except for one special treat. Voyage at night is something special. Holiday World decided to do a water cup challenge on Legend. For those unfamiliar with a water cup challenge, you are given an uncovered cup of water and you try to return to the station with as much water as possible. This would be tricky on a kiddie coaster, so it seemed dang near impossible on something as aggressive as Legend. After hearing the rules, I found a riding position that allowed me to return to the station with a full cup of water! I was in shock, as was everyone else. A magician never reveals his tricks…unless you sign up to be on my team next year. Voyage made many enthusiasts wet. HoliWood Nights was exceptional. I could go on and on listing superlatives to describe it, but the key takeaway is that you should do everything in your power to attend this event in future years. Voyage at night is a contender for the best coaster in the world, the park’s hospitality is legendary, and I made several new friends with fellow enthusiasts. Only 48 more weeks until HoliWood Nights 2020…not that I’m counting.

Looks like the Alpine Bobsled has been closed the past week per Queue Times. Looks like it'll be another visit where I only ride the Comet.

I'd recommend trying all major coasters in both the front and back. The grouper at Fury does sometimes do assigned seating, so it's always worth asking if you see the employees change. If the park is packed, FastLane gets you right into the station and on the major coasters almost immediately.

^ Some stations are too small to let people just fill the station. The one that comes to mind for me is SFNE's Thunderbolt. My favorite station configuration is assigned seating with the ability to request a row (I feel nerdy for saying this). Most people don't have an objection to where they sit, so it helps minimize the wait for premium seats for those who care by keeping the station open.

^^ The only rides at Cedar Fair this year where my seating requests weren't honored were Copperhead Strike (2nd weekend), Valravn, or Yukon Striker. Last year I had a few Steel Vengeance rides where I wasn't allowed to pick, but usually the groupers honor my request. I usually phrase it like, "Could I please wait extra for seat X?"

Don't forget the transfer track collision on Corkscrew too. I'm glad no one got hurt. Is this the first collision where a B&M coaster has been involved?

I'm seeing a video circulating of some lucky riders on Steel Curtain. Probably test riders, but definitely a great sign.

RMC Predator? Keep an eye for it an Darien Lake. In all seriousness, the fact the ride has its own custom sign for one train ops shows this is a normal occurance even if the train is on the transfer track.

I went to Canobie after work today hoping to try their new for 2018 new for 2019 water park. Today was one of the hottest days of the year so it seemed perfect. Unfortunately it closed at 4. Their website announced the closure with the weather icon, but it was actually for a private event. That actually reassured me because I'd be terrified if 80 degrees was too cold for a water park in New England. I checked with the park and they said it should close at 6 on most days. It's small, but it looks nice for a park like Canobie. They also started construction on a surprise new addition. They demolished the pathway between the Sky Ride and Over the Rainbow. In its place they're erecting a double decker carousel. I find the move a bit odd considering they already have a classic carousel on the other side of the park and a kiddie carousel next to this one. They must've been inspired by Six Flags New England. You know, the park that built two boomerangs and two wipeouts next to each other. But the artwork of the carousel and garden looks really nice. It didn't say if it was for 2019 or 2020, but Canobie does tend to open rides in the fall. And the park has a lot of new coaster apparel. Like this awesome Yankee Cannonball sweatshirt. It's not cold. I'm just too lazy to carry a bag or put this in the car. I'd totally go to a water park right now if it were open.

This 10 minutes ago.

^ They did almost put two rides named Harley Quinn Spinsanity next to each other at Over Texas until they changed the name of the original one to something else.

Six Flags New England put two boomerangs next to each other. Silverwood put two wood coasters right next to each other. If the ride is good*, people will ride it even if it looks similar to another. * Or I guess mediocre considering SFNE's Goliath has an hour wait when it decides to operate.

^ I used my diamond elite skip the line passes at Ride of Steel and it's worth noting that if you skip the line, you cannot pick your seat on that ride. They load you through the exit and put you in the middle of the train.