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^^^I just realized Barnstormer must be from Bowcraft in Scotch Plains, NJ, where Silverwood said it came from.

So that's where that Wild Mouse is going. I will just have to wait to ride it, then (not that I enjoy the Zamperla ones). I'm glad Family Kingdom is doing okay, and I hope to check it out within the next few years so I can ride Swamp Fox.

^^...And if it rides anything like a good Evolution, I am going to die. I'm not necessarily planning to get back there this year, but I look forward to checking this out next time I go. I hope the long-rumored RMC coaster is still on for 2014. It certainly seems plausible to me.

One fine day, while trip planning, I realized that two major centers of US and global importance were quite a bit closer to each other than I had previously realized. Right there on my coaster map, the Coney Island Cyclone called out to its old friend...Wild One at Six Flags America. And so it was settled...or was it? Fast forward a couple weeks. It seemed I would be making the bold trek south to the DC area...alone. (By the way, sorry to the few of you I missed connections with. I would say "next time," but this is Six Flags America we're talking about...) Needless to say, my mind was clouded with misgivings about my plans. Eventually, pre-paid expenses be damned, the trip hinged simply on whether I woke up in time to leave. It was close, but eventually the thundering of the above-ground D train in Brooklyn roused me for the final time. Just early enough to get ready and go. I had been wondering why the temperature kept rising up to such unholy degrees. Then I looked up and saw this sign marking the fateful gates. What had I done to deserve this? Alas, I knew it was all my own fault for the choices I had made leading up to this point. A sign promoting the latest comedy entertaining visitors to the park. Let us pause to respect this valiant attempt at theming the main entrance. ...And now a moment of silence for how quickly it dies off as you walk further into the park. At least they incorporated some local historical flavor. All area politicians are required to ride this before being sworn in. Not having much of a mind to begin with, I naturally opted for the back row. And now I would like to take the time to apologize for the quality of the rest of this report. I stopped in to visit some friends who once designed roller coasters for Vekoma. Next up, Roar. Personally, I would've named it "Moo," not "Roar." But that's just me. Oh...never mind. This pathetic structure was ironically named after the bravery, courage and power of a lion. I boarded the back row expecting to be slaughtered, but there just wasn't a lot to this ride. Mew! This didn't have as much airtime as its California sibling. Wait, less airtime than a coaster in California? What?! Oh no. Oh no. OH NO. Theming at a Six Flags? Yes, definitely a sign of the Apocalypse. A youthful gentleman asked me to ride the coaster with him. At one point, I thought he said "I like your ass." But he didn't. (Sorry, it was an automatic assumption...) What he DID do was call me "Shawty." Shawty?! In this case, "cougar" would've worked. (Um. Not really though.) Apocalypse was...not very good. While I appreciate the attempts at theming, I thought the overall ride experience was better as Iron Wolf. After that ordeal, it was only fair to award myself a new coaster credit. Standing here, I'm much more interested by what's in back. Someone is on a boat. Not I. I have more important things to do here. I heard this is the finest Gotham City of them all. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm CLOSED! Riddle me this: Why did I decide to go to Six Flags America today? Well, mostly to ride Joker's Jinx, unfortunately. Here to save the day is resident tall coaster Superman: Ride of Steel. Singlehandedly keeping SFA in business since the year 2000. Plenty of muscle in those helices, and some good flying over the bunny hops. I'd say this coaster lives up to its name, and not just by being a ride made out of steel. Would ride again. Especially if they move it to my backyard. Oh, Batwing. How picturesque and photogenic you are. (In Bizarro World. Maybe.) Batwing is at least as good as any other Vekoma flyer, of which there are, understandably, very few. I've always enjoyed the forces they offer up. And the jinx is lifted. Joker's Jinx is back in town and ready to roll! Unlike some, I've never been able to tell much of a difference between these rides, except that some of them have a box over them. I just daydream of spaghetti while referring to this beauty as "Poltergeist." Major props to Premier for these powerful works of pasta. The launch has a good punch to it, the layout is disorienting and deliciously twisted, and the headchoppers can't be beat. Let's go ride that big white one over there! I didn't think they made those anymore. Looking for a wild time? 'Cause you'll find one here! This classic is quite the airtime machine, especially in the front seat. Wild One, I think I love you. THROUGH THE COASTER!!! This was a fun tower. I like the way they drop it down low. What you know about that? Hey I know all about that. You don't know what we can find...like an actual working flat ride at Six Flags America! This way lies the path of shame and embarrassment. Even more of it, I mean. And here we have it. The coaster I've slowly been working my way up to, hoping that by some miracle I could manage to avoid it. But there are no miracles in Hell. It turned out to be Great! Great Chase, that is, in case you already forgot the name. Not the first time I have ended a trip report in this very exclusive and original way. After four hours, I was like so done with the park. Especially the heat. So I hightailed it on out of there at last. Finally, in the dead of night, I found myself back in good old NYC. Unfortunately, my chariot had turned back into a pumpkin. I had to walk some ways downtown for a train, as the D line was down for service. By some now-forgotten (and possibly unnecessary) combo of trains with connections in sketchy areas, I finally arrived at my bed. You needed to have a sense of humor in order to read my report, because if you thought I hated Six Flags America...well...I didn't. Sorry to disappoint. With the minimal crowds, it just seemed like an average smaller-to-midsized chain park, like a more spread-out Elitch Gardens, which I also didn't hate. I enjoyed the ride collection about as much as I expected to, with Wild One, Superman, Joker's Jinx, and kinda-sorta-Batwing as the highlights. Sure, they're not all unique, but they're not everywhere, either. If you go, just remember to pack a good luck charm and maybe you'll be fine, too!

^Nice view of I305!

...Which would also succeed in killing you, just in a much more enjoyable way than Vortex would.

Well, the name is quickly growing on me. Besides, like the viral marketing, it seems to be creating exactly the buzz the park was hoping for.

Well, that left me speechless. Truly breathtaking.

^I remember when I used to like it almost as much as Flight Deck... But yeah, it's a head-banger, and after a few rides on it, I felt like it was over with quickly each time. Not a lot to it.

Yup. It's stunning at night, plus during the day it's great for checking on a few coasters (saw a Magnum evac once). Mondial is also responsible for one of the most amazing flat rides ever...the Shake (AKA the other Magnum).

^^That day, with its 117° heat index, still lives on in infamy. That's why I'm all for keeping water rides in the dry park.

What. I mean I know SF was looking into this, but it's neat that they're actually doing it. Hopefully it lasts until I get a chance to ride it (and if they already know the end date, they hurry up and warn us soon). I guess it's best that they're switching the entire train, lest the station become an awkward and confusing cluster.

^I was wondering why it looked sooooo much like Grizzly all of a sudden.

Gorgeous. Hard not to love a setting like that. Can't wait to get back to the park!

That's me, too, more or less. Voyage: Rough, but completely worth it because it has so many outstanding qualities (speed, length, airtime, setting, layout, and more). I enjoyed several daytime rides in the front and back on a hot summer day in 2010. Georgia Cyclone: Extremely and pointlessly rough. (I rode in both the back row and the PTC seat, which was decidedly not magical.) Yes, there is airtime, but so what? Even some of my lowest-ranked coasters have ejector airtime. Coney Island Cyclone: While it's easily the most brutal coaster I've ever encountered, I find it strangely appealing. The airtime is unusually strong and in this case helps redeem the ride. I've never able to quit that back row for good.

^Hey, don't get greedy, now. Just be grateful the park has one dark ride.

^^I'd take it! I could definitely get used to unlimited rides on Wild One, Superman and Joker's Jinx. Maybe Batwing too.

Love the new dates! Nice of you to get them out to us so early on.

Hmm...risk of sickness does seem to be more of a stereotype for flat rides, but it could be applied to coasters as well. Any chance the family ride is a coaster? I know in the past, they've been rumored to get a spinner. In that case, the sickness/dizziness angle could do double duty, representing both new rides.

Can't say I get this. Sometimes when I ride it, there's a decent amount of mild airtime, whereas other times, it's almost completely tame. I can see the idea that maybe others, like me, simply find it "okay."

I'm particularly happy for Boulder Dash (4), Tremors (20), and Coaster (28). Also glad SCBB Dipper stayed in the top 50 once again, since it always seems so close to being nudged out. Anyone notice any precipitous climbs or drops this time around? I didn't see anything too extreme at first glance.

This is one of those topics where I just have to answer "Whichever ones I get to see." (And yet I hate it when people say things like that about coasters, e.g. "My favorite coaster is whichever one I'm on now.") I guess I would go with Disneyland, though I'll add that BGW's presentation last year seemed very well choreographed. Probably my best PyroCoaster experience was riding the Coney Island Cyclone during their fireworks show.

Weren't people speculating that the ride might go in some small plot of land cleared fairly recently? A Flying Fury would definitely impact the skyline. But I still kinda hope it's just a coincidence that it fits the "rotation" teaser.

^^Yeah, a friend pointed that out to me earlier. At least it still could fit with the clues since it's never been built. But if it's not really a brand new design and someone just jumped to that conclusion because they'd never seen it before, then that does make it seem like more of a pipe dream, I guess.

I don't see them re-doing each track with a different technology. I'm sure if they did, both would get plenty of riders, but it seems like if people knew the difference at all, they might ignorantly dismiss the wooden side as, say, inferior. Plus, I'm not sure the distinction matters to SF, since NTAG was at least originally marketed as a wooden coaster.