Six Flags Enthuseast

Final part of DAY 4. Flashback sign... I have to go to bed shortly. I'll finish the update soon, there's only a few photos left. Thanks for reading! NOTED! BIG shadow! Meh, these are just pimples compared to what we have in Washington! National Lampoon's Vacation, anyone? Viper before the tall cactus grew all the way. Nerdyish technical drawing. Cool! Lot's of rides visable from here. Well of course, it's the parks 2nd tallest ride, the tallest making you unable to see anything but silver Intamin track and a guy in red, yellow and blue tights! Flying cheeseburger>1991 Dinn coaster (just make sure to take off the tomato) RIP Flashback, the only Intamin/B&M Spacediver ever built... Now just steel, fiberglass, and wheelnuts that many TPR nerds have hastily aquired. I find it odd that 2 B&M standups have traversed this park... Hah, opened 18 years and 2 months before now. Revolution's loop topping and Metro when there were only 2 trees blocking its path! Old black & white crap, some still here, some gone. The 'upcharge' side of the park, as well as RR, Ninja, and Jet Stream. The awesome RR ride op shirt! Deja vu and the remains of Psy....coughcoughcough.... TS:TR. B:tR when it was first advertised. And Spin Out. RIP GGP and Free Fall. Erection pictures of Sky Tower. They had a nice lil' GASM model. Why do I look so weird in this photo? Almost there... Hmm..... Nostalgia nerds rejoice! ...that gets VERY close with B&M Flyer! 300ft Hexagonal Intamin tower ride..... Yay! It's open this time! For you B&M nerds, you get a nice shot of the transfer track on Tatsu near the top of Orient Express. Proof of Austrian Awesomeness! Z00M! Almost at the top... We decide to take Orient Express up to Samurai Summit so I can get my Sky Tower Museum credit. Mr. Six FAIL! For some reason, Metro's queue was completely open Even though this technically doesn't count as 'backstage' due to the lack of blocking (I swear, there were NO gates, NO ropes, NOT a single sign that had anything to do with blocking). , my better judgement kicked in to ensure I had many more years of TPR joy to come. I remember when we first visited here in 2005, we had a really hard time trying to get the whole GOLIATH in the picture. Now, with improved digital camera technology, it's a breeze! "I'm standing next to this thing that Robb is confused about classifying. What do YOU think it is?" Goliath trains; still awesome as ever! I'm out. Peace! Patrick-approved ride op who says "Oh Yeah!" like Kool Aid Man! In fact, he says he used to do local commercials for them. Hmm..... OMG, Q-Bot! Those Giovanola trains are the coolest! If only Giovanola had lasted a little longer... =( NOTED! Well, I can't drink and conquer Goliath at the same time... NOTED! It really is amazing how little supporting the whole ride has... How do those staff people stay up there while sitting 5 feet from the 3rd loudest noise ever generated?? NOTED! "Make sure that you ride Colossus in the back next time you ride, there's actually a little bit of airtime!" I swear I don't remember the restraints being orange last time I saw this ride... curse you, RCT2! We see you under those tarps, Psyclone trains! Patrick also approves that Colossus is getting some attention, since it was my first 'major' coaster credit. Patrick approved first-time-on-right-side credit. NOTED!

Wow, of all the crazy modern stuff I've seen so far, this pretty much tops it all! Next time I'm in the Philippenes (this is thinking kinda far), I'll try it out.

^Gone.

^It doesn't actually launch you facing down, it only tilts you forward on the first 2 descents. I could imagine it feeling like that if it did launch you while facing down. When the original seats were being used, it had a mode where it faced you up on the launch and faced you 180 degrees (headfirst) into the descent. But, along with the seats, the customizable modes left.

^I don't think they had strawberry lemonade at the stand I went to, but I'm not a big fan of strawerry, so I was ok with it. Thrill Shot has a little bit of airtime, but the launch and the 45 degree free fall facing straight down are the main thrills on it. Next time you go to a park with one, you should definitely try it, they are awesome! I wish Cedar Point and Knott's wouldn't have taken theirs down, and I wish S&S would have kept the original seats, because they seemed to be much more free and exiting for the riders. Still, even with the new restraints, it's a fun and rare ride. I still look at some of my ride photos, and I remember the rides better by doing so. I bet I would've liked my Batman photo if I would've bought one. Then again, it would've been $10-$20 we didn't really have to spend.

Part 2 of DAY 4. "I approve of the only floorless coaster I've ever been on!" I'm going to Iowa tonight to attend my grandma's funeral. I'll be back by next weekend to post Part 3. See ya later, and thanks for reading! This is how it looks to be waiting in the station before you ride. These seats are awesome! And they've still survived many years of California sun abuse. Weird plate thingys... Scream! was pretty busy today. There's too much parking lot in this photo, don't you think? Jeez, it isn't that bad! Here's the Scream! love you've been waiting for! Mmm... Goliath lift! "You didn't just diss me in the face, did you?" It's a bear with a Batman symbol on his chest.... What kind of idea is that? That makes NO sense whatsoever! I wonder why they don't have the photobooth anymore... Random, unrelated junkyard pic or Batman queue themeing? My hair was pretty blown back after riding B:TR. I wonder what this big, red, flashey light does.... This area of the queue needs WAY more AC than just this little vent, especially while going up the stairs! The zero-g roll is one of the best parts of the ride. The loops on this ride are a little too small for me. Intensity is good, but this almost overdoes it. Now that I think about it, a 270ft Intamin Gyro Drop like the one @ Kings Island seems pretty short if you compare it to S:TE. All they need to do is spiffy up the station paint, check the operating systems, and cut some tree brances and Metro would be good to go! Even from here, it's pretty loud. "So far, the first upcharge attraction I've been on!" This is my Facebook picture. Obvously, you can tell that I liked Thrill Shot! (Although I'm a little sad I couldn't ride it as it used to be, with the really unsecure restraints and nothing to hold onto and all) I even managed to get Jg's autograph! Mmm.... Thrill Shot's car has all 3 of my favorite colors! Thrill Shot's control panel is the shizz. I thought I didn't get a shot of Jadagrace, but I DID! Apparently, Jadagrace and her family were riding Thrill Shot! This is why they put Thrill Shot and Dive Devil so close! "On a hot day like this, an ice lemonade sure helps!" NOTED! Can you see the SFMM staff memeber who's trying to be crafty? 28 more happy riders getting ready to experience a kick A$$ B&M ride. "Now I've been on a standup I can lick.... AND ride!" The intensity kept my face in this position for a while. It's nose is a little sharp, but that's cool with me. "The only other B&M Standup I've been on sucked. Hope this one isn't as bad!" B&M Wheel Assembly shot for those B&M Wheel Assembly fans. Another shot for Rollerman87. The smooth wind noise generated by the trains is one of the coolest things about Riddler! Random blue thing?? "Riddler's Revenge was one of the last B&M Standup Coasters ever built. But I hear it's REALLY good, so that makes me wonder a bit." This space looks surprisingly quiet... Next up is Riddler's Revenge! Next time you're at SFMM (Robb's gonna hate me for this), buy a frozen lemonade. It's delicious. Hi Goldrusher! Well I can surely tell you what's sexier! Which is shinier, the new paint on Ninja, or the sun?

^Suggestions: Just make sure you go to IAAPA 2010, and I'll be happy.

A video of Elissa amazing Whack A Mole skills! . [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=Elissa_Rodent_Bashing_gebh[/coastertube] She's certainly better than I am. I'm just 'ok' at Whack-A-Mole. Great report! Can't wait to see the Orlando IAAPA next year.

^Yes, by far, it is the best themed ride @ SFMM. They really did a great job with it, it's my current favorite woodie. By far the smoothest one I've been on.

^Never been to Vancouver Playland, but I hope to go sometime. And are you talking about the Vekoma Corkscrew they have, or a different coaster there? I didn't know that they added the second seatbelt to all GIBs. I don't remember it on SFMM's Deja vu. When did they add them? The first time I rode a GIB (Deja vu @ SFGAm) they didn't have them. The roughness isn't as bad as an SLC (the only SLC I've ridden is Kong @ SFDK; by what I remember it was pretty smooth, but I'm basing my statement on what most people would consider SLC rough). The GIB's I've been on are a little rougher than Boomerangs, but not ase rough as SLCs. If Vekoma were to redesign the trains like they did with Boomerangs, riding a GIB would probably be one of the most intense and smooth experiences I could think of. Don't worry, Scream! will get a little love. I just didn't ride it the first day. DAY 4: SFMM TS:TR Media Day I'll get right to the photos. Mmm... Dodge Challenger! Part 2 of DAY 4 soon to come. Don't miss it! Lot's of red in this photo! 3 VERY tall rides are in this photo. Note the very nice Thrill Shot drawing inside the ticket booth. See 'ya later Robb and Alabama Twins! Hmm... Never really noticed that cone shaped thing ontop of Sky Tower. Dad's a big fan of the Army Vehicle type things. Robb got to talk with all of the awesome Terminator Army people! Awesomeness on a stick! "Who's that guy behind me?" Faint........ "How's it going, Mr. 'Doesn't know how to spell Enthusiast' Carnahan?" The *LEGENDARY* Alabama Twins! (according to them, Robb was babysitting them while they were down in Valencia) Ladies and Gentlemen, I was 5 ft from the filming of the TS:TR Media Day video! HOLY CRAP! It's Mr. TPR himself AND the Alabama Twins! Whoosh.... Hey wait, who's that to the right? Yes, TS:TR! Sexy Arrow track! "Can YOU spot the SFMM employee?" I saw the stairs and was like "Ohh, somebody dropped a whole bunch of M&Ms!"and I ran over, but then I found out they were just stickers... Looking good today, Tatsu! Peekaboo! Flashpass entrance or ride exit? According to the preceding sign, your 'cactus garden' should look something like this. NOTED! Jahan is having a fit right now! NOTED.... Whatever it says. Classic Revolution Helix Shot. AKA the Pretzel Loop of Death! AKA My dad's favorite ride @ SFMM. Funny Story: Later on in the day, I decide to ride Revolution. My parents stay behind and quickly find Elissa! They say that KidTums was complaining that she only got 2 rides on the Carousel. She's growing up very much like her parents! Mr. Six was going to play live, but, sadly, we had more important things to do. The entrance gates are very much like the ones on RCT2... Or the RCT2 SFMM's gates are like the real ones. NOTED! "Note the green roofs, exclusive to SFMM's security scanning terminals and Chicago, Illinois!" Yay! Viper is operating! The tram is VERY rough! Almost as rough as X2. Sigh... Wish both tracks would operate again. =( You can easily hear Colossus running throughout the whole parking lot. Hello Parking Lot: The Ride! X2 has always had the coolest looking half-half barrel roll. This park has the only 400ft ride in California. The last time I saw this baby, it was still Magenta and Yellow. While Red and Black is cool, the Magenta and Yellow was always one of the cooler and more unique coaster schemes. Robb and Elissa get this view every day! NOBODY is on the highway!

^You're welcome. Actually, Aftershock is actually a little different than the other Vekoma GIBs. I rode it when it was Deja vu @ SFGAm, and after my more recent rides on it, I really think Silverwood did something magic to make it better. Have you been on a GIB? If so, you'll probably know that they are very intense (not overly, though), but are also very rough. Silverwood added a 2nd seatbelt to the ride, and somehow, that has made it feel slightly smoother than when it was Deja vu. I've also ridden the one @ SFMM, and the difference is clear. Silverwood also has made it more reliable; It's only had 1 major accident since opening. I really like it because it's the only 'world class' coaster in the Pacific Northwest. (I personally don't like Tremors, so I wouldn't count it as world class)

Tatsu is MUCH more intense than Goliath! In terms of intensity (and of general comparability), they are in different worlds. Tatsu is a B&M Flying Coaster, which are well known for their intensity. Even the smaller ones tend to have a lot of G force, especially in the pretzel loop. On Tatsu, many people tend to grayout because of the intense force on the Pretzel loop. Imagine: It's like a dive loop on a B&M Sitdown coaster or a B&M Floorless coaster. Now think of being on your back while at the bottom of it... Personally I'm not a big fan of Tatsu because of the overly intense pretzel loop, but most everybody else loves it. The rest of the ride is good, but the pretzel loop just gets me. If you are ok with intensity (get ready for a very light headache after riding) you're good to go. Otherwise, only ride if for the credit. The Scream Guards actually don't make you feel the wind as little as you think. You feel a small breeze on the launch up. However, I do suggest with your claustrophobia that you don't ride. Disney recommends it too.

More nerd shots? You got it! Also, the 'puke guards' (actually, they're supposed to be 'scream guards'; since the park is in the middle of Anaheim, all of the new high rides build into DCA would've broken noise violations, so they had to retrofit California Screamin' and Maliboomer with sheilds to keep screams from going into town. For Maliboomer, they simply fitted the plastic, for CS they put the tunnels over higher parts of the ride) don't really take away from the experience. It simply makes it feel like having a larger version of a racing-helmet windsheild in front of you. Goliath is almost the same Titan (except for the famous extra helix before the brake run), so you can expect a thrilling ride no matter where you sit. For airtime, I'd suggest you sit in the back. When you're there, you get a little off the first drop, a little over the airtime hill, and a slightly more intense ride in general. Goliath and Titan really make me sad about Giovanola's fate. R.I.P. Giovanola Thank you! And don't worry, I have another turnstile photo... Sorry PKI JizzMan, this is the only turnstile shot I took. =( What's that big blue thing at the bottom?? Bolts & Beams! Notice how the connectors for each train are deep red in color. Dark ride transfers For The Win! Classic S&S Ascend shot. These pressure guages are VERY important. If they don't read correctly, you're screwed! (Perfectly original, eh?) Didn't think I had this many nerd shots, didja? You did? Why am I not surprised? More of the same. Ohhh, more nerdy piping! Notice the crap beneth the car. Oh yeah, look at all of the pnumatic piping! If that doesn't give S&S fanboys (like me) orgasims, I don't know what will! For Maurer mouse exit-staircase fanboys.

DAY 4: Final DLR Parks visit. Since we still had a day left on our DLR pass, we decided we'd use it up on the last remaining attractions @ DL and DCA. We also did a few rerides at those parks. Tonight's Dinner: Orange chicken and rice with sweet and sour! Thank's for reading! Next is DAY 5: SFMM Terminator Salvation: The Ride Media Day. Be sure not to miss this! Hmm.... So this is where they put it... OMG, a Super Mario shirt! DCA looks beautiful from this angle! Bye DL! We'll see you in another 10 years! (before this, my last trip to Disneyland was in 1999) Can you say Giant A$$ Cookie? One for you, Elissa. Hey wait.... Is that the Disney Castle? There's that awesome trash mower thing that we saw at SFMM! 3 words: First Arrow Ever Hey, how'd she get in? Inside the future showplex thing, they had this awesome game that consisted of generating electricity to power your new city. I was able to power one the size of New York! (according to the game) Bye ASIMO! We go right over to the ASIMO show in DL, the last one of the day. See ya later DCA! California Screamin' would look MUCH better with a full lagoon. Then again, doesn't everybody think that? Entrance to the best dark ride fighting game ever! Yeah, so sexy! I saw a curtin covering half of the 3D Glasses box for TSMM, and I got exited that it may be hiding the first Intamin Ball Coaster for North America, or some kind of zombie-alien spaceship that takes us to Cedar Point! Instead we noticed that there were more glasses. =( Z00M! Mr. Potatohead has come all the way from Los Angeles to perform live at DCA! Or he's just an animatronic figure who looks like MPH and sounds like MPH and is interactive. Intamin Ferris Wheel of Death! Now he's REALLY queer! Most people wouldn't consider Maliboomer a star attraction at DCA, but then again most people don't wear Stan Checketts underwear. Artsy shot. (Sorry if I'm doing the unnecessary photo thing again) I hope this to be my workdesk someday. This is my Twitter picture. For all of those 'Intamin Wheel Assembly' fanboys, me being one of them. "Welcome to the Mallllllliiboomer!" Once agian, time for "S&S Space Shot themed to a bell ringer game: the Ride"! One of only a few wild mouses I approve of. That kid in red in the Purple/w Flames (funny, looks like a mini Xcelerator Purple train) said "Holy s**t, a DSi!" I'm not kidding! It was hilarious! Taken exactly 5 seconds after the preceding one. This ride has a pretty darn fast lift. Fact: Washingtonians are the only creatures on Earth that wear socks with sandals in hot weather! This is one of the more unusually themed rides I've been on. Now for the only other credit @ DCA. Yes, Maliboomer IS, in fact, taller than the average flying altitude of a jet! I always thought that was one of the coolest not-based-on-an-actual-car cars in a movie ever. Sup Goofy? Nice panorama (spelled correctly, right?) shot. Gotta say hi to my best bud Stitch! The airtime on this ride scares me a little. Thanks for being a great ride op, Mr.... Oh crap! Forgot his name! This guy gets extra credit for acting. Score 2 for Disney! Here's the guy I mentioned in the 'Funny Ride ops' thread! Once again, Disney scores extra credit for awesome queue themeing and blacklight-illuminated guageboxes. (Cue TZ Theme Song) YEESS!! So as to avoid the catastrophe we experienced on Sunday, we'll ride ToT first! "Note the fluffy white clouds, which are very common in California." NOTED! Queer! Oh, wait... That's my dad! I guess that explains me, now. Skor Bars>DLR White (and blurry, sorry for that) Prius! (Just in case you didn't know, our family plays something called the 'Prius Game.' The Toyota Prius is extremely common in the U.S., especially in states like Washington, California, Texas, and New York. My dad and I noticed this and began hunting for them. If you can look for some where you live, play it with us!) We head over to the DCA parking lot and begin our day! After a nice, big, tasty breakfast....

The weekend is 1 day away. And I'm going to spend tomorrow night at a friends house. Isn't that a reason to be happy?

After my recentish visit to Wild Waves, Good: Timberhawk. Not the best, but a little exiting. Bad: Wild Thing. Overly intense brakes.

Mmm.... B&M Sitdown Hotness! Can't wait to see more.

Robb, did you get any extra Intamin lanyards? I'd pay $5 for one if you had one.

"New Rocket hotness comes to Iowa!" -Sharktums Finally, another reason to visit Iowa (other than Adventureland and my cousin)!

^Yeah, sorry about that. I'll delete a few, but my camera is pretty bad at taking photos in the dark. If I put it on flash the photos don't turn out, but if I don't put any flash they become blurry.

At Wild Waves Theme Park, Fright Fest has been going on since Six Flags took over the park in 2000, and still keeps on going (like many of the other parks that used to be owned by Six Flags that are now owned by PARC). For the past few years, we have been going to Fright Fest for Halloween. This year, we did it again, but there were a few improvements. Firstly, I FINALLY got my ride on I-5 Dive, the parks 125 ft tall Skycoaster ride. I have to say, for $10 (for the last night of operation season they lower the price) it is well worth it. Secondly, I noticed some newly painted handrails. Thirdly, a new maze and a childrens Trick-or-Treat village were added. And, finally, Timber Axe wasn't open. Then again, it IS Wild Waves, and it takes Zamperla up to 3 months to send parts if needed, so I shouldn't be surprised. Now, onto the photos! (Which my friend Bo has been waiting impatiently to see) Mmm.... Chili Del Fries! Patrick approved menu! ...so we went to Del Taco instead! We were going to go to Panda Express, but they were out of half their menu... "Come back for mor Zamperla rides in 2010!" See ya next year Wild Waves! Stacked chairs... They got rid of the rope thing. It was one of the better parts of the waterpark. Which of these two is better dressed? E-mail Dan and give him your answer! mrt0ad13@aol.com ... Typical water spray thing that can be found at most parks. The only Canadian (I think) ride in the park! NOTED! Although it might be a nice place to put an S&S Screamin' Swing... Hello awesome Huss pirate ship ride! I believe that is the chain house. Dark lift... The ride op on the left agrees that Zamperla rides aren't good for an American park. They should do this more often when it gets dark, not just at night! I lied last year about TH not having any airtime; go to the back if you want that. During Fright Fest (and Fright Fest only) Wild Waves illuminates Timberhawk's station in Red and blacklight! Timberhawk! You know what this means.... Gambler's sign. NOTED! Another shot of KT's ultimate night credits! The guy that was following me was the same guy who's cell phone I held while he was riding I-5 Dive! If you see this TR, hi! ..and added a little bit of themeing. They covered the bridge over the would-be splash section with cloth... Drained lagoon. Nice makeup! Bad hair day? Nope, it's two fake extensions connected by a wire! "The economy is bad... But I'm thriving!" They transformed the queue of Lumberjack Falls into a new haunted maze. New for 2009! Sigh.... =( Zamperla Wild Mouse = Broken Ribs. KidTums ultimate night credits! The new-for-this-year Kids Trick-or-Treat village entrance. Mmm.... Calories Ahoy! One of only 4 good Zamperla rides in the park. Actual response to ride... Random weirdness... Fake response to draw attention to ourselves... PROOF that all official Arrow coasters have Arrow stamps on the wheels! Or that this is an Arrow coaster. Both are valid. These trains are not in the best of condition. The ride-ops are showing some Halloween spirit! (Quick fact: Before being built @ Wild Waves in 1997, Wild Thing originally sat at Rocky Point Amusement Park in Warwick, Rhode Island as the Corkscrew. (real creative naming here ) When the park shut down in 1995, they put it up for auction. In 1996, Wild Waves won the bid, and installed the ride in 1997. So the coaster was already 20 years old when I rode it for the first time in 2004!) The brake calipers on this ride actually slow the ride down slightly as it exits the station. IDK why, but they do. You hear them in the back. All kinds of awesome wigs on this ride! Jahan would be grabbing his tissue box right now. "Yay! Tall enough to ride!" NOTED! Z00M! Kluklunkkluklunkkluklunk...... Mmmm.... Technical stuff! Note all the crap under the train. Big lightly-fading Arrow support! Loved it, even though it's only 125ft tall. Goin' UP! Sup? And the info sign. I-5 Dive Sign. Can you tell my parents were getting too obsessed about taking pics in my super coolio Skycoaster vest? For that, you deserve to be vaporized with my laser eyes! Does this vest make me look fat? Yes?? But because Halloween was the last day of park operation, we saw this sign instead! We were expecting to pay this... Wild Thing + Night + Back seat = better than Wild Thing + Day + Front Seat. It looks taller than 125 ft... but it looks shorter at the same time... They call it I-5 Dive because it's next to the Freeway, it's a Skycoaster, and it rhythms! It seems like all the rides are operating tonight. I-5 Dive and a little bit of Wild Thing. You exit the house to... OMG! PAINTED HANDRAILS! Terminators! Please do not touch the actors. They will not try to touch you. Plus, one of them is a TPR Member; Touch him and he'll have your TPR accouny banned! "I am an ANGRY crocodile! Give me some seagulls to eat!" This pumpkin used to talk.... Then the economy caused him to loose his voice. =( Note how quickly the sun has set. Lucario and I (note that I'm dressed as a Coaster NERD for Halloween) are ready for some action! On the way to Wild Waves, I was able to get a nice shot of the sunset.

I like the GIB. But to make it a little more realistic, I suggest you put a large gear on the top of each tower, like real GIB's have. The other coaster doesn't look like it would work because it isn't full circut. Does it actually work?

I met that exact same guy! He was pretty cool. When I was @ SFMM 2 days before TS:TR Media Day, a ride op for Goliath was saying "Enjoy your ride on Goliath, OH YEAH!" We found out that he actually used to do local Kool-Aid commercials and that he was a TPR Member. If you're out there somewhere, those weird easily entertained Washingtonians would like to say hi!

Stoksy, can we build a 'recreation' if it doesn't have the same name/theme as that of the actual thing? (I.E. a Vekoma GIB not named Deja Vu) Also, can we use RCT2 predesigned coasters?

Thanks for posting the SFMM Twitter Page, disney4me2001. I really wanted to find it!