cal1br3tto

Definitely one of the more intriguing and eye-catching of the lost flat rides. I know a few years back, there was still one operating in Australia--is that no longer true, or has it just been overlooked lately? It seems like there are always carny types claiming they want to bring back rides like these, yet it never seems to happen. Hopefully someday.

Great update! Your description of Knoebels was spot-on, and you captured some of the more unique and thoughtful details there, including some I'd never noticed before. It's a shame that Dorney has become completely corporatized, even if that's what allowed for the large additions. Seems it's the only Pennsylvania park to have completely lost its charm: Hershey still has plenty, and while Kennywood has grown (and gone downhill) some, it still has that old-school vibe. I do like the landscaping at Dorney, though.

It's too bad (but understandable) they couldn't find a way to run it this year since they kept it SBNO. I hope they're still planning on a new coaster that's more appropriate for the park. I've ridden four (all?) of these, but still wouldn't mind seeing this pop up somewhere else if feasible. They're charming, slightly intense, and perhaps more competent than some at making you feel like you'll fly off the edge.

I thought Superman was way more rideable than Bizarro, but I will agree that it was a bit underwhelming. The airtime was decent, but not copious or extreme. The helices aren't at the intensity level of a Giovanola, but they're pretty fun.

I like how, so far, all the parks with Wing Coasters have made some sort of effort with theming. It's easy to make the trains stand out, and the coasters at least look like they lend themselves well to headchopper effects.

Agreed: it is by far the most intimidating. It also tries to bust your kneecaps.

Canada Two provinces: British Columbia and Quebec Favorite wood: Coaster at Playland Favorite steel: Vampire at La Ronde United States 27 coaster states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin Favorite wood: Boulder Dash Favorite steel: X2 and Maverick

I figured you guys would do something travel-savvy like fly home on Thanksgiving. I would definitely go back to Forcella. It really is like a savory funnel cake pizza.

I think Bat and Ninja are both "nice," but not any more exciting than expected. Iron Dragon is forgettable. Others have pointed out the drawbacks of the newer-style trains. I also like the bit of old-school charm the original basket cars provide.

So basically, your ears might not bleed from the coaster anymore, but now your eyes will instead? I hope they come up with a better color scheme to refresh it with. Even the current color looks borderline ok to me.

Kohls.com (a modest 15% off). I will check out Bed Bath & Beyond in person for the obligatory iTunes gift cards. Is it just me, or is Cyber Monday dead? Seems like the online deals were all out today. Maybe this isn't new, though.

^That is awesome. Definitely not counting on it, but I'll be stoked if they bring it back! Same for the bat-a$$ Bat cars.

All of this. Regardless of any criticism or issues I may encounter, I love the atmosphere at Cedar Point, and it's one of my top parks. It's not really "traditional" any more, but not as bland and corporate as I might've feared. Great update, as always!

^^Good luck! When we went to Castle Park in September, the spinning coaster was closed, apparently long-term. Any news on it reopening? The park's okay, but the traffic makes me disinclined to ever go back.

1. Voyage: I first rode it in 2010, after it had developed a fearsome reputation, but still adored it. It has so much of what I love in a coaster: airtime, relentless speed, length, woodsy setting, innovative design and layout. The roughness was challenging, but forgivable. Will my next visit take it down a notch or 10? 2. Wooden Warrior: Adorable, smooth and comfortable airtime machine. Easily in a class with coasters three time its size rather than most of those close to its height. Not outstanding enough to be top 10 material, but it's in my top 25. 3. Boardwalk Bullet: It can be rough, and often fails to live up to its potential. But its compact nature and dives through the structure make it one of my dream layouts. On a good day, there are a couple satisfying pops of airtime. 4. Ravine Flyer II: I currently rank this just below Boardwalk Bullet. It had some decent airtime, and famously uses the terrain well. But it was not the airtime or intensity machine one might expect from many reviews. Plus, it's surprisingly brief for its style. This one seems to benefit from ideal riding conditions: nighttime, rain, multiple rides, ERT, etc. 5. Hades 360: Another one I used to love in 2010. But now I probably would rank it dead last like everyone else if I didn't still have a tiny bit of affection for that quirky parking lot tunnel.

That, and the fact this isn't Magic Mountain.

I haven't been on many lost rides that were amazing, or were iconic at the time that I rode them. So most of these will be for old times' sake or an appreciation of slightly higher ride quality. 1914 Mangels-Illions Carousel, Portland, Oregon Lusse Auto Skooters at Oaks Park: not the oldest design and not as famous as some, but hard-hitting nonetheless. I'm not even a die-hard Lusse (or bumper car) fanatic; it's just that modern replacements are ugly and usually suck. Monster Mouse at Washington State Fair: a Herschell Monster Mouse with adorable cars, a couple pops of airtime, and a quirky old-school design. Put both its Herschell Mad Mouse brethren and the dwindling family of Miler mice to shame. Disaster Transport: underrated unadulterated fun. I do love GateKeeper's impact on, well, the gate it keeps. But even if the theming was lacking, I'll miss the novelty of this mildly thrilling indoor bobsled. Stillwalk Manor at Casino Pier: before it fell into the ocean and disappeared forever, it was a very well-themed, modern homage to its many predecessors on the Jersey Shore.

No new GCI's for me this year, but I tweaked my bottom 5 of shame after re-riding a couple. I noticed the 10 I've ridden are split evenly between very good to excellent (all being top 20 material) and poor to slightly above average. Top 5 in order: American Thunder, Prowler, Thunderhead, Renegade, Lightning Racer Bottom 5 in order: Roar West, Wildcat, Gwazi, Apocalypse, Roar East Of those 5, Roar West is head and shoulders above the other 4, which I rank very closely together. I had what may have been my best ride on Wildcat this year; I finally felt a few hints of airtime, while skipping the characteristic roughness that plagued my rides in 2012. I was pleased that Apocalypse really delivered with the one or two early pops of airtime I had previously remembered, but the rest of the ride was too short and uninteresting to redeem it.

So Gerstlauer is a pretty realistic guess? It would be refreshing to see a hyper from a company not known for them.

^I know looks can be devilishly deceiving when it comes to trains and restraints, but those do look like a vast improvement, and I've heard good things about them.

Yay! Nice bit of news for Silverwood.

Looking forward to news about the rumored Story Land woodie...haven't heard a peep about it outside Screamscape. I always suspect those mini-spinning coasters will be uneventful...until I watch or ride one! I hope these surprisingly intense rides find plenty of homes; they seem to be the most thrilling pint-sized coasters by a mile. Yup.

I really like the feel of this park; well-themed and beautifully landscaped, particularly around Manta. I might actually miss the park more than the individual coasters (exact and extreme opposite of how I feel about the underwhelming Texas park). Too bad the penguin ride is seen as such a misstep, though I'm sure it's worth riding once.

Roller Skater: Gadget's Go Coaster SLC: Kong Boomerang: SFDK GIB: Aftershock Invertigo: CGA Terrible Awful Ninja: SFStL Corkscrew: PNE Playland Random weird thingy: Hornet (TX Wonderland) Jr. Suspended: KI Flying Dutchman: Firehawk

I may have gone through and done these. There may even be (very unimpressive) evidence of this.