Mich17mak

Was on the first train out today on Manta , but my last ride was Kraken earlier today.

^^I heard from a local that it was testing a few days ago when they drove by...so that can be a good sign.

If anyone wants to place a bid to be one of the first riders of Intimidator their auction website is up and working: http://intimidator.carowinds.com/public/auction/index.cfm

This is interesting: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/12/11/alton-towers-to-launch-scariest-rollercoaster-ride-in-the-uk-dubbed-the-psychoaster-115875-21889607/ age limit and visitors limited to one ride per day...? hmm

My last ride was on Nitro at SFGAdv awhile ago...I'm not going to anymore parks this year unless something magical happens to change that, so my off-season already started.

At first, I thought that each episode would feature someone different, but according to the website, it will actually be more of a "recurring" cast. If you are still interested in watching it, it premieres tonight on TruTV at 9pm with back to back episodes (9 and 9:30). Edit: There was nothing on Dan Hall/Dorney Park on tonight's episodes...it did show him in a clip for next week's episode (during the preview for next week)...who knows. So much for this thread

...Forgive me if this had been posted, but I searched for it and could not find anything. Anyway, I heard there was some sort of filming in Dorney Park over the summer...after searching for a bit this is what I found - perhaps it will interest some of you. TruTV created a new series called "All Worked Up" ( http://www.trutv.com/shows/more_series/index.html ) which will premiere on October 19th at 9pm (Eastern Time). The series will be about people who's job deal with conflict on a daily basis. The episode that would be of interest (not exactly sure which day this episode will air): Source: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=09/17/09&id=20090917trutv01

Yeh, I'm in the process of moving, so I've been using Craigslist to sell a lot of things like furniture and household items - it works really well especially since people can come pick up the items. I've only bought things from ebay...didn't want to deal with selling things on there...it's fun to try to outbid others for an item, though! I used kijiji for job searches before but never thought of using it to sell things...now that you pointed that out I realize you can! But craigslist has been working really well for me so far, especially since it's easy to use and free - the only thing is I get a lot of spam mail I actually just made up an extra @yahoo.com account so my real email account doesn't get creamed with spam-mail.

I watched it a few times...Kanye wasn't on stage in the first place when Taylor got her award (..right?), so did he just walk on up while she was starting her "Thank You" speech?..and he didn't get stopped.. He is such an ass.

..it's like a rollercoaster sculpture. I like it.

Nitro, into the sunset last night

Every time I've been to Great Adventure this year happened to be on a Friday when they called for Rain/Thunder at 60-70%...once it only rained for 40 minutes (during lunch time, fortunately) - Kingda Ka was the only thing closed in the morning that day, then when the skies cleared they opened it (this was back in June) - but I'm sure they closed some rides when it rained, I was eating lunch and waited it out so I didn't care. Another time we went all the rides were open (except KK) until it finally stormed around 7pm...I was in line for El Toro, it was the longest wait all day (35 minutes - b/c they were only running one train, so it wasn't a bad wait at all), and my relatives and I were literally behind the gate ready to board the next train...and then the ride op announced that they were closing the ride down b/c of the forecast! Which was ok w/ me..better safe then sorry. Anyway, on all of those days the weather turned out to be nice for the majority of the day and the there was minimal crowds (the longest wait was for KK and El Toro at about 35 minutes each at some point in the day...less in the morning) - I find it that weather forecasts usually aren't that accurate..but it may have just been my luck this year so far since all the days I went turned out to be sunny for most of the day (I'm planning on going tomorrow also). There's also another thing to consider...there's a concert there tomorrow night..the mtvU VMA tour...and I hear that there are A LOT of people who are going to see the concert (..especially annoying little girls). I don't know what they do about concerts when there's bad weather, but it will probably be crowded b/c people are anticipating going to that concert that night. So there will be low crowds w/ the forecast for tomorrow, but there's going to be a concert w/ popular artists, so that will be what draws the crowds into the park even if the weather is crappy. If it's not raining in the morning, then go on KK or El Toro first since they will have the longest lines during the day (or Bizarro...Nitro usually looks like it has a long line, but they run 3 trains and the line moves rather quickly). If the weather holds out tomorrow night, it will be great b/c a lot of the guests will be at the concert so it leaves the coasters for us Very Happy I think I only answered 2 of your questions..but there you go.

Wow..Good for you, Kings Dominion!! Although I lived close to KD this year, I couldn't go. Since I've never been to Cedar Point, I was hoping to get a Cedar Fair Platinum Pass next year and make a road trip to Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Kings Dominion...now I am psyched! Next summer is going to be great And I'll finally be able to ride Millennium Force...and compare it to Intimidator 305!! Whooot Whooot!

The two times that I went to Dorney happened to be on Wednesdays in August..and the line to purchase tickets were pretty long even during the weekday, however I was lucky enough to get tickets before hand from ebay. I figured that would cut down on the line to get into the park..wrong. The wait to past the entrance was the longest I've ever waited for any park - and it was pretty much just a mosh of people, so someone could cut through to the front..it wasn't very efficient at all (hopefully they fixed that since I've been there..). I'd advise to get there early so you can get a decent parking spot and try to beat the line to enter (and try to purchase your ticket beforehand online!). Anyway, about the flat rides - The one thing that I like about Dorney compared to Six Flags (Great Adv. or America) is that they have great flat rides. I hope you have a chance to go on Dominator, Meteor, Hang Time, and Revolution. They are all really fun (esp. Meteor and Hang Time - really thrilling). My experience w/ parks that also have attached waterparks is that the coasters have less lines mid-day...then once it gets close to the waterpark's closing times, the lines dramatically increase, so try to go on Hydra, Possessed, and especially Talon in the morning if you can (although Talon may have a big line in the morning since it's the closest coaster to the entrance). Anyway, Steel Force usually doesn't have that long of a wait b/c they usually run 3 trains.

^^ I almost always start to black out during the 1st helix especially if I've ridden the ride a few times in a row. -It's amazing (the helix, NOT the feeling of starting to black out!) - I love the front row, especially at the end of the ride when you are going over the last few hills over the walking path and the last hill seems seems like you are going to go right through the station - but then the brakes stop you quickly at what seems to be the last second. It's a great way to end

Hey! I don't know if you decided to go to Great Adventure early and went yet, but if you are still planning on going in September mid-week I would say you should def. go! Young kids will be in school during the week and a lot of the local young adults will be off to college by then. If you go during the week, you do noooottt need a flash pass. I always go on Fridays, and maybe it's just my luck, but I can hit all of the coasters several times, get on some flat rides, have a lunch break and go see a show...and still leave the park by 5 or 6pm. I would recommend going on El Toro first...just to wake you up The cost of parking is $15. About Kingda Ka...I heard that lately people who went to Six Flags have been hearing the Kingda Ka horn (the horn they used to play before the train was launched, but then they stopped b/c of noise complaints...and now supposedly they sound the horn when they launch the ride after it's been idle for awhile...) but no one had seen it test-launch yet (maybe they are just sounding the horn to PLAY WITH OUT MINDS). The rumor from one of the mechanics is that it may be up in September (late August being the earliest). I'm not sure how to answer your wind question...just try to go on a less windy day I guess (yeh, I know that doesn't answer your question, sorry). Sundays in August shouldn't be too bad, the later in August the better and check to see if there are any concerts the day you go (they draw a bit of a crowd) - but if you could go on a weekday, do that. My tip is to NOT go on Superman at the beginning of the day - it's one of the first rides in the park, so the line is always long (when I go, the line will be an hour or more in the morning..then I'll check back around 3 or 4pm, and the wait will be 25 minutes). It's not really worth the wait, so go on it later in the day. Also, Nitro's line moves incredibly fast. They usually run all 3 trains, and each train holds rows of 4 people, so even if you are at the 60 minute wait marker, it won't take anywhere near that time (actually, I find that all of their signs are exaggerated). Great Am. Scream Machine never has a line. I would also go on Skull Mountain/The Dark Knight during the hottest part of the day just to get out of the sun And about the gold/regular flash pass...don't get it if you go during the week. My brother and I always laugh at people who pay a lot for those passes when the lines end up being 10-15 minutes long for most of the coasters. Maybe we just happen to go on light days (which I cannot believe is my luck), but I don't think it's worth it...unless you want to ride on El Toro all day (Batman the Ride also has a long wait, esp for the 1st row so it may be worth it for that). Have a great time! Let us know how it turned out!!

Hey! You know, I had never been to SFA before until this year, when I happen to be living in Baltimore so it was the closest Six Flags to me. I read HORRIBLE reviews of the park and the staff online - and I was weary about going to the park, but I figured I would get my pass there (since it was a little cheaper then at Great Adventure), and I could decide for myself whether the park would be worth going to again - I was also in desperate need to go on rollercoasters, so I just went. The first time I went was the weekend before Memorial weekend...so needless to say, the park was TOTALLY empty - it was great, as if I had the park signed out to my brother and me for a special event or something. Anyway, we went on a few coaster rides...and I kept telling my brother "..the staff aren't so bad here..they are actually really fun!". Honestly - most of the ride staff were social with the other guests and they all seemed to be polite and having fun. I was confused on why they were in a good mood...I decided it was b/c there were no crowds that day so they didn't have to yell at a lot of people. Anyway, I saw on the news online that apparently they had the largest pool of job applications that year, so this year they didn't have to pick from the "bottom of the barrel". The only ride that was closed that day was Batwing in the morning - but it opened by 1pm. The only other time that I went and a ride was closed was when Superman was closed for awhile (I think it was several weeks?..). Anyway, I went several times to the park since then, and the staff remained friendly and dutiful. One time that I went I was on line for Batwing and I was in line for the next train, well some stupid kid jumped over the gate that is between the next people on line for the coaster and where the train loads - I guess he wanted to take an empty spot on the rollercoaster, but he jumped the gate after the operator closed it for safety..anyway, the ride operator called security, and the security guy got him out, along with 2 line-jumpers that someone else pointed out (man, that security guard was really scary - the guy who jumped the gate was getting attitudey w/ the security guard and the guard said "I'M NOT PLAYING!" and really scared that boy - so he shut it and went w/ the guard through the exit along w/ the other 2 line jumpers..so you can imagine that they reinforce the rules now!) I do think, however, that the food courts are understaffed (it will take you longer to get a burger then to get on the front row of any coaster..). Also, Batwing has a horrible wait (three times as long compared to all of the other coasters). So to answer your question about staff: they are great now. Your question about rides being closed/down: not an issue compared to previous years (at least w/ my experience so far this year). About crowds - I usually go on Friday or Sunday. Fridays there is NO ONE there - I walked onto almost every ride except Batwing which was about a 25 min wait (which is short for that ride). When I go on Sundays, the crowds aren't so bad either. Batwing will have the longest line - around 45 minutes more or less (even when they do use 2 trains..during the week they only use 1). Lines for the other coasters tend to get longer in the evening when crowds migrate from the water park to the dry part of the park, but you can definitely hit every rollercoaster more then once on a Sunday. I can't imagine Saturday being too bad, especially since you are going in late August when kids are getting ready to go back to school and young adults are probably already off to college. I would try to hit Batwing as early as possible. The lines for Mind Eraser seem a lot shorter in the morning also, but all in all, I would say that it's probably the least crowded amusement park that I've been to on the weekends. (and every time I went, the weather was beautiful, so I didn't dodge crowds b/c of the weather). I hope that helps and that you have a great time! Don't be weary of the rides being down or the staff - it had improved from all of the bad reviews I read previous to this year!