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There are always people worried about the effects on the ride experience, but the issue for me is the unnecessary change that could harm capacity (and definitely does at some poorly operated rides). The ride experience should be the same. It really only makes a difference when the seatbelt is much closer to the body than the primary restraint, as with buzz bars. Even then you still get to enjoy the benefits of the higher restraint, since the belt has plenty of give. Mostly irrelevant side note: I really like when parks install retractable seatbelts. No need to buckle them on empty seats, easy to be certain they're buckled (I assume), no need to for operators to tighten them if that's required, and little chance of riders struggling to adjust them. (What this has to do with Diamondback is, uh, nothing.)

I'm just glad I'm not the only one who's unhappy with this. Maybe we were a bit too quick to dismiss the Intimidator rumors after all. I just hope this doesn't serve as a precedent for other chains--or other ride types, for that matter.

I know they said "major," but I'd guess it would just be something they can quickly add for this season. As always, it may not even be a ride.

I was about to agree, then I remembered that I consider the El Loco to pretty much be a Eurofighter equivalent.

You were just down the road from me at Black Bear Diner! I think the Oregon parks are well worth visiting if you know what to expect; I don't think there's anything left quite like our Enchanted Forest. Glad you guys had a good visit!

^Houdini's Great Escape! I didn't even realize the parachute tower was still there. Were there rumors of its removal, say to put in SkyScreamer? Or am I just confused with SFOT? Glad to see it's still around.

1920s: Giant Dipper, SCBB 1930s: Yankee Cannonball 1940s: Thunderbolt, SFNE 1950s: Coaster, Playland 1960s: Blue Streak, CP 1970s: The Beast 1980s: Phoenix 1990s: Phantom's Revenge (current version only) or Timber Terror 2000s: Boulder Dash, X2, Maverick 2010s: iRat and Outlaw Run Not a bad list; as you can see, even with my love for classic coasters, things really began heating up with rides built in my lifetime. All but Thunderbolt and Blue Streak rest within my top 25, with many in my top 10.

^Gorgeous. This should easily make any list of best terrain coasters, which of course is a big reason I'm so excited.

Keep these reports coming! Interesting, though not surprising, to hear that many people strongly prefer the front or the back. I mean, it makes sense of course, but often there's more of a consensus. I have a good feeling that the ride will have enough airtime for my tastes. Looking forward to how the scenery will shape up even better over time.

Great photos, and as usual I enjoyed your detailed report. I learned a lot from it! Thankfully, I've chosen the latter.

Thanks for reporting on this for us. I really like how the train looks in action.

^^Train in Vain is awesome. Also liking all the classic rock songs posted. In fact, I can tell I'm going to agree with a lot of the songs named here (at least in terms of liking them generally), so I'll try not to comment on too many of them!

This debate is going to keep cropping up as long as Wing Coasters have any relevance. I'm still fairly moderate on them, myself. For me, the setting totally makes GateKeeper; same for many of the coasters at CP that aren't outstanding in ride quality. I haven't found any of the three US ones to be forceless, with X-Flight probably having the most forces of the lot (and they actually all have nice settings or landscaping).

^^^Cool, so I just barely got both Chaos and the tower. I guess I was right in thinking they'd have the presence of mind to try to have everything running for Easter weekend. El Loco is a fantastic addition and (as a first-time visitor) I can't imagine the place without it. Most of what I experienced, I recognized from numerous play-by-plays, which have all been spot-on. Plenty of hangtime, "Loco" turns, and a couple pops of air, all in an interesting environment. I personally didn't think the music added too much--a couple times I think I just zoned out on it, which at least means it's not obnoxiously loud. The trains were comfortable and operations were efficient. Reports that the full switchback portion is about a 15 minute wait seemed accurate to me. Canyon Blaster is one of the better Arrows, as often reported, and possibly my favorite inverting one. It was also efficiently run and I enjoyed how the setting and theming added to it. Like El Loco it gives some fun forces including both air and positives, though even in magic seats it wasn't perfectly smooth. I found it unusual that even though they heavily pushed locking storage with multiple signs, they not only allowed but possibly required purses and bags of many shapes and sizes on both coasters. While not totally unheard of, it's an odd contrast to the exceedingly strict policies at nearby New York New York. (The fluffy bunnies are reasonable at $1 for one use, meaning up to all day if unopened, and I felt better using them to ensure my stuff was secure.)

It seems reasonable that if a death can be adequately proven, the park wouldn't lose much by issuing a refund, especially if the survivors are happy to keep their passes. Hopefully it was just a case of the park not encountering this often and uninformed employees attempting to handle it, as someone above stated.

^At this point, I'm not sure I could narrow it down. But let me be a total nerd and comment on some of yours! This might make my list. I've never considered it to be even remotely overrated, nor overplayed. Regardless of any rumored meaning, I've always found it to be personally inspiring. Not my top Skillet song, but it's from my favorite Skillet album. I was crazy for "Open Wounds" and "My Obsession." I'm sure many call it cheesy, but this song just tears me up inside. Something about the deliciously dated 80s sound combined with the down-and-out lyrical content really gets to me.

El Loco.

Good! Hope they stay true to that.

Wow, totally random. With the overwrought reactions for publicity's sake, it actually reads like more like a joke than a true story (though I don't doubt these things can happen, and based on the sources I do believe it). Yet another reason for us to wish those balls were handed out uninflated...

^Where were you when I was trying in vain to get people to ride the El Dorado Skooters with me?! Anyway, I'd love to know, too. I try to keep an eye out for those outfits, but they're hard to keep track of since they lack a web presence. Last I heard, El Dorado was able to bounce back from both the oustings and the hurricane, despite multiple strong rumors of its permanent closure. I think 12th St. Amusements was still alive, too. But I always wonder...

^^^Intriguing. You'd think someone would've long-ago proven that if it were true, but sometimes things do slip past the enthusiast radar. Then again, RCDB says it was in storage through 2006, but who knows what their source was.

Yay NTAG, Maverick and iRat! A little surprised to see X2 at 21; the bump from last year may be modest, but it's the best ranking it's had in years. I noticed plenty of other changes, mostly in the middle rankings, that looked significant enough to be interesting, but I suppose it could just be the different comparisons or voter opinions from year to year. I'm relieved that iRat debuted in the top 10. I'd heard descriptions ranging from awesome and in some cases stronger than NTAG, to tamer than expected. I think I like it a bit more than NTAG. Was I really the only one who voted Rainier Rush?

"I'll Replace You With Machines" - Guided By Voices

"Whiskey Drinkin' Woman" - Nazareth