cal1br3tto

Yay for more Colorado reports! Ride hours are just what I needed. It's tough to resist those little Dragon coasters. Santa's Village looks like an adorable, scenic and creatively designed place as well!

Absolutely stunning. Previously, I had gone back and forth in my opinions of the color scheme, but no more. I like how the blue blends in with the sky, and the yellow, which I've decided is the perfect brightness for my tastes, pops against it.

I just used my hand and got 69 for my ambient rate. Hopefully this means my rate has actually improved to a reasonable number, and I don't just suck at counting. I also did a 30-second test and got 34 (68 in a minute), and counted 11 (66 in a minute) for the 10-second test.

From early reports, this reminded me of Steel Pier, but it looks like it'll be more polished and have more action-packed rides. There'll undoubtedly be some picturesque views from a number of the attractions.

If that's the case, I'll take it! Those hills are a major part of why I love those two rides. I personally thought Millennium Force had a decent amount of airtime, certainly enough to keep it highly ranked in my book (along with several other aspects that also endear it to me). I realize it may be a matter of time or weather; I experienced this from morning to night on dry, hot days. At any rate, gentle airtime is perfectly fine by me.

I got 11/20. That's a kind of scary...scary low! I was just studying Japanese coasters yesterday, but oddly enough, some of the stats I specifically looked at, I clearly didn't memorize (this is probably a good thing overall), since I missed the questions pertaining to them.

One coaster that threw me for a loop (figuratively speaking) when I first heard of it was the Spanish Montaña Suiza, thought to be the world's only concrete coaster. Apart from that anomaly, it's essentially a traditional scenic railway. I'm honestly interested in checking it out someday.

^^Photos like those make me want to raise a dog from puppyhood. Adorable!

I'm not sure I've ever heard a review from anyone who'd ridden Flashback at one of its first two parks. I suppose that's partly because it didn't last long at either. I, too, wonder if it was better then, or simply a doomed design.

That wasn't my favorite part of the ride, so I'll be fine as long as it's smoother! I am interested to see how it will change the ride experience, though.

Even the GCI I felt easily had the most airtime, American Thunder, still seemed "gentle" rather than being intense or thrilling. But I love all kinds of airtime (though my preference is decidedly for ejector), so it's still one of my favorite coasters. Overall, nearly all GCIs offer something I like, whether it's speed, intensity (Prowler), or slight-to-moderate airtime. I've always liked how GCI claims to make the "most twisted" wooden coasters and I'd really love to see more truly compact twisters like American Thunder. I take it Thunderbird is even better?

I'd completely forgotten this was supposed to be a good-sized coaster. For some reason I'd had the idea of a wild mouse in my head. I like the sound of a wild shark much better.

I've been having a tough time with this question, even though it sounds simple enough. It seems like a lot of wooden coasters especially wouldn't have exact clones (or have lost any former clones to time). That said, I think I've come up with a couple. Ice Mountain Bobsled at Enchanted Forest, Oregon: Small terrain steel coaster designed in-house. Enclosed cars. Partial mountain themeing (enough to get it labeled "the poor man's Matterhorn"). The ride used to be a twin-track alpine slide before being converted to a coaster, and you can still see remnants of the other track. Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain, Indiana Beach, Indiana: Once a dark ride, this was converted into an unusual wooden coaster by CCI. It features an elevator lift, enclosed cars (each with two backward-facing seats), and various mountain-themed indoor sections.

^Somehow that reminded me, I once chose the username "not a creative type". Yes, it was directly referring to my (lack of) ability to come up with a username.

^I got so f-ing angry when I tried to look out the window at a stupid, run-of-the-mill airplane, and knocked over my Valleyfair tall shot glass!

^I totally get what you're saying, but I think it works both ways for me. I know some coasters thrilled me more because they were the first of their type or manufacturer that I rode. But I find I'm just as likely to think a bit less of rides over time simply because I've only ridden them once and/or haven't ridden them in years. It's confusing trying to tease out what I really think of them versus what's just a product of hazy memories.

^^I think there are a lot of biases that can subconsciously affect ride impressions. But I agree that as long as you keep yourself honest, it's not something to worry about too much.

^I can definitely see how that would smooth a coaster out, though I'll have to try it out more to know if I really like it.

^^I certainly like the sound of unrelenting airtime and no stapling! Although the stapling and near-stapling didn't bother me on El Toro like it did on Bizarro and Magnum (didn't even know Magnum was a stapler before riding). ^I'm with you! For me Boulder Dash has a perfect combination of ejector airtime, intense speed, a disorienting layout (not even sure how it manages that since it's roughly an out-and-back, but I think the steadily increasing speed helps make it confusing), and the magical experience of flying through the woods.

The airtime and killer lats (which I usually don't even like, but they're so terrifying here as to be appealing) do it for me. Like you, I enjoyed Coaster better, though; it had more consistent (and perhaps stronger, though it's close) airtime in the several seats I rode. Phoenix had a couple calmer sections for me, though I'll admit I didn't ride front, back, or 1.3. Not sure how to explain the Knoebels vibe beyond what anyone else has said in the past, but I can say I thoroughly "get" it and it's easily my favorite amusement park. The Flyers are definitely a part of it! This (along with Elissa's point that it's likely a temporary dip in rankings) gives me a better idea. While I'm not always too fussed about speed, I do love me a good unrelenting coaster. El Toro excels in that for me. It also clearly seems like a wooden coaster to me despite differences from the more traditional versions; a bit of harmless shakiness helped make that even more apparent. I'm looking forward to comparing it with the other Pre-Fabs some day.

I know Balder is ranked very highly all things considered, but does anyone have insight as it why it was so "low" this year? Has it gotten a bit rough? Or do some of the voters who've ridden it simply have different preferences? As for Voyage, I managed to genuinely love it in 2010 when it was very rough. But I'm still surprised it ended up so high, since so many people have ridden it recently and denounced it for being so painful. I would've expected that influence to be more apparent despite the people who remember its smoother times. Still...bring on the Timberliners!

^I'm not sure I've personally seen something like that documented before. I feel strangely moved.

I'm eager to see how this compares with other coasters that are based on the same layout. Currently I have the Coney Island Cyclone ranked just above Viper. They're each good and bad in their own special ways (although Viper wasn't really "bad", just a bit underwhelming), and they're fairly high up on my list. This one sounds crazy, too. If rides like the Voyage and the Coney Island Cyclone are any indication, the sections under the knife now are a perfect starting point for improvements. I'm sure many of my bones will be thanking the park later.

I just realized you can find the full list by downloading the Mutual Rider Spreadsheet. Ignore the confusing stuff (if it confuses you, as it does me, that is) and there you have it. It appears I've been on 26 of the top 50 woodies. I'll rule this a good thing.

^^My only quibble with Prowler's high ranking is simply that I had more fun on American Thunder. Can't wait for the detailed results!