xVicesAndVirtues

I love how people keep saying "MAYBE THEY SHOULD BE REPLACING TEH CABLES MORE OFTEN SO THEY DONT GO SNAPPY!!!111" I'm sure Intamin releases a maintenance schedule for their coasters, and the parks follow it, dictating when the cables should be switched out. That doesn't mean that the cable couldn't be strained and break prematurely. Your car maintenance schedule says when to change your oil, rotate your tires, change spark plugs/wires, change timing belt, etc., but that doesn't mean one of those parts may wear prematurely and cause a repair to be needed. As Robb said before, sh*t happens. Intamin is the most innovative coaster company out there, and with innovation comes a little bit of trial and error. I'd rather have a few broken Intamins around than a bunch of trimmed-out B&M hypers at every single park, gently giving you -0.00000001g over the top of hills. Maybe Screamscape's writer will add this to the little "Intamin decade of destruction" list. I just don't understand Intamin haters. Intamin is the best f*cking coaster manufacturer out there. Deal with it.

I've personally never ended up being stapled into Bizarro...but for pretty much any Intamin coaster, I usually sit forward a little bit while they're checking restraints, so that I have an extra inch or two for extra airtime space. The only time I've gotten "caught" was one time on Millennium Force, when the operator checking my restraint said "sit BACK" and subsequently stapled me into my seat. I just rode on the left side the next ride I also am not a huge fan of the new restraints so much as the old Intamin T-bars, or El Toro's smaller U-bars. The new U-bars are very B&M clamshell-like in size, but I don't find them to hurt the ride experience at all. I think the Bizarro treatment is the best thing that ever happened to Superman Ride of Steel, especially after it's been plagued by unlucky accidents. My only complaint is that the newer Intamin trains seem to be made of a lot more plastic, as opposed to being mostly metal like the old trains. The new trains just seem slightly more lightweight, and seemed like they lagged a little in the helices on my last ride, yet the lateral g's seemed just as strong. But, I also had been marathoning Millennium Force just a few days before, so the speed may have just thrown me off. And that's a shame to hear that about Expedition GeForce...it's probably the coaster I'm looking forward to riding someday the most. Dutch Goliath looks pretty sick, too, though. I have to say though...it's hard to complain about any Intamin Mega/Giga...the ones I have been on really are the most insanely awesome coasters I've been on. Bizarro, Millennium Force, and Superman Ride of Steel all really kicked a$$. The only one I found to be a *little* bit lagging was Ride of Steel at Darien Lake, but even that was still an awesome, airtime-filled coaster, and better than my favorite B&M mega, Nitro.

^Agreed. I have to ask...how much better is Expedition GeForce than Bizarro? I guess what I'm asking is, how would you directly compare the two? Bizarro is my #1 coaster...but it seems fairly unanimous among riders that have been on both that EGF is the clear winner...and I'm not one of those iron-clad people who will keep Bizarro my #1 no matter what, when I finally get to visit Holiday Park, I will go with an open mind that EGF could win it for me. Someday, I will ride Expedition GeForce...

^Wow...a park with an exit shop at the end of their major coaster so you can buy a T-shirt! WHAT A SURPRISE! OMFG I've never seen that at a Disney, Universal, Cedar Fair, or Six Flags park EVER before. Theme parks are in business for a reason. TO MAKE MONEY. That's why the stores you buy your food/clothes from are in business, that's why the car dealership you bought your car from is in business, that's why the movie theatre you saw the latest film is there, to make money. Your statements are completely baseless, as Cedar Fair is run the same way...I got off Hydra the Revenge on Saturday...and BAM. Gift shop. Guess it's the worst-maintained, make-you-buy-stuff coaster EVER. If Millennium Force were in a Six Flags park, it'd be maintained just as well. Oh, wow. I've honestly never had a bad experience at SFNE. I've noticed the no-reride policy...and the no choice of seats thing on BTDK...but I've kind of just shrugged off most of the policies as a better strategy for efficiency. I have, however, noticed that some Six Flags parks will allow you re-rides. On my last visit to Great Adventure, there was no line for Batman the Ride, so the crew kept letting us go. And, pretty much every trip I take to Six Flags Great Escape, at night, there's plenty of re-rides to be had.

^Agreed. ^^And you say you don't have any desire to ride it, now that it's Bizarro? In case you haven't noticed, it's not just a "lame Six Flags makeover", they actually have the coaster the TLC it's been in dire need of for years. The ride experience is actually changed. Rather than crawling over the hills like it had been the past few years, it actually flies over them like crazy again. I've never understood the idiots who try to hate certain parks for no reason. Under the old Six Flags management, there were definitely some operational issues. But, under the new management, I personally find Six Flags parks to be better-run than Disney or Cedar Fair parks. People complain about the prices, when food prices are the same across the industry at parks. But, people fail to notice that a Six Flags season pass costs $70, add parking and you total $100...plus you get a discount book and discounts on most food/games/retail items. My Cedar Fair Platinum Pass cost me $160, and I only found one shop at Cedar Point with any kind of discount for it, no food discounts, and no coupon book. People complain about the theming...personally, I find The Golden Kingdom at Six Flags Great Adventure to be up to par with Disney/Universal theming. Then, three of my top five coasters are all at Six Flags parks. I think people need to stop complaining and enjoy parks/coasters for what they are. But I guess everyone needs something to hate.

It's last few years as Superman Ride of Steel, I think it really disappointed a lot of riders. But, it's first 5 or so years, then now that it's been transformed into Bizarro and given a LOT of TLC, it is truly an amazing experience. It's the perfect mix of speed, airtime, midway interaction, subterranean dives, lateral g force, and...did I mention airtime? The only thing I can really say is that I like the un-modified first generation Intamin trains better, ala Millennium Force. But, really. I've been on pretty much every "acclaimed" Intamin coaster in the U.S., and they're all extremely awesome, especially Bizarro. Six Flags New England is a park truly worth a visit...but so are all the other parks with their fantastic Intamin creations. I'd rank the major U.S. Intamin coasters as follows: 1. Bizarro 2. El Toro 3. Millennium Force 4. Superman Ride of Steel 5. Maverick 6. Storm Runner 7. Ride of Steel 8. Fahrenheit 9. Top Thrill Dragster 10. Kingda Ka

^That's what I mean. The land is owned by Montreal, but Six Flags is still obligated to make improvement investments, until the 100-year contract is up, and Six Flags does own the land.

The coaster is being installed due to a public agreement between the city of Montreal and Six Flags. The city of Montreal owns the park, Six Flags manages the park. However, to maintain the terms of the contract, Six Flags must make a minimum investment of $1 million in the park per year. I'm trying to find the contract online...I saw a copy of it posted a few years ago online. Basically...Six Flags is putting up the coaster primarily to satisfy the terms of the contract. But, I think Six Flags is making all the right moves lately, re-theming and improving rides and coasters and marketing them as new, and now, in this case, taking an unused coaster that was sitting in a field at Great Escape since 2005, refurbishing it, and installing it as the new best-themed attraction at LaRonde. Now, we all just have to be left to wonder whether anything will be removed or not. I think it's likely...maybe not Le Vampire, but I wouldn't be surprised if Cobra or one of the other coasters will be removed and "traded" elsewhere.

My home park is Great Escape...where this SLC has been sitting since 2005. To this, I can only say one thing... THANK YOU LA RONDE! But seriously, if you want to give us your BTR since we shared first and gave you our SLC, pleaaaase feel free

The other day at SFNE, while walking up toward Taz's DareDevil Dive (Skycoaster). "I was at another park one time where they had one of these over the water, and the cord snapped and the people just fell right in the water...I don't think I'd do one over just land"

Pretty much any Intamin super-awesomeness that I haven't been on: Expedition GeForce (the most) Goliath at Walibi World The Mega-Lites Balder T Express Colossos Thunder Dolphin Oh, and, only because it hasn't yet been built...Intimidator 305.

I really can't vote on this one, because I don't consider Vekoma or Arrow "bad". I think a decent Arrow or Vekoma is appropriate for a park and really adds to the park's coaster collection. Think of Cedar Point, minus Magnum, Gemini, Corkscrew, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, and Iron Dragon, Great Adventure without GASM and Runaway Train, or Animal Kingdom without Everest. Better yet, think of Busch Gardens Williamsburg without Loch Ness Monster and Big Bad...err...nevermind. (too soon?) Basically, my point is, we've all been beaten up by a few coasters every now and then, but I really don't mind a little "defensive riding" to get to experience something else a park has to offer. My only exception would be some SLCs...which are nearly impossible to avoid the pain on...yet, I've even been on a smooth SLC at SFA. I love my B&Ms as much as the next person, but sometimes I even prefer the random, unique layouts of some Arrows and Vekomas to "loop, dive loop, zero g roll, cobra roll, interlocking flat spins".

Wooden Out & Back- El Toro Wooden Twister- Boulder Dash Wooden Racing/Dueling- Lightning Racer Mine Train- Runaway Mine Train (SFGAdv) Wild Mouse- Dark Knight Bobsled- Disaster Transport Stand Up- Mantis Floorless- (tie) Hydra the Revenge, BTDK Mega-Looper- Incredible Hulk Flying- Batwing Suspended- Iron Dragon Inverted/SLC- Talon Non Looper Mega Coaster- Haven't really been on any.. Hypercoaster- Bizarro Giga Coaster- Millennium Force Strata Coaster- Top Thrill Dragster Boomerang- Darien Lake's LIM/LSM- Maverick Arrow Multi Looper- Viper (Darien Lake)

lol Can someone please explain this to me? Lol, yes, I mean that unlike the smaller S&S Towers, the forces on Power Tower are relatively weak. This is particularly true in the case of the shot side. The drop side can be good, just depends sometimes. For some reason PT likes to be different from time to time. I don't mean that it's "too big", there never is such a thing at CP! I'm still at a loss as to what you mean here...I went on both space shot and turbo drop...and, I don't see how either are "too big" for an S&S tower. All S&S towers I've been on have dropped the same way, meaning they let you go and you fall toward the ground. Power Tower's drop side is the best S&S tower I've ever been on, because you go up slower and higher than any S&S tower I've been on, and because you drop for longer because, well, it's taller. As far as the space shots go...I find some S&S towers to launch with a lot more force than others...and it has nothing to do with the height. I find that IOA's space shots are relatively weak, and the same goes for Sasquatch at Great Escape. However, I've found Dorney Park and SFNE's towers to provide a much stronger shot. Now, all these vary in height, and I've actually found the shortest one I've been on to provide the weakest shot. As far as Power Tower goes, I found the space shot to be right in between my most and least powerful, from the initial second you start launching, but, obviously, the launch provides more upward force overall, because you have to go higher. In total, I've been on 14 S&S towers, and height has no relation to the ride experience for space shots, and only adds extra thrill for turbo drops.

^Yeah, and CP fanboys totally live to bash CP bashers But, all joking aside, I'd have to agree with you. I live too far away from Cedar Point to be a fanboy, but I REALLY liked their flat ride collection. maXair was incredible and had a nice long ride cycle. Skyhawk was awesome and my first Screamin Swing experience. On top of that, they have tons of classic flat rides that I've never seen before. And, while I guess they're not "flat rides", I really like how they have both the S&S tower complex AND an Intamin first generation freefall. Plus, on one of the days when it was pouring outside, me and my friend did some "exploring" around the park, and what we found was really nice. We took the Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad, which gives you awesome views of both the old and the new attractions in the park...plus, it was one of my first theme park train experiences that had an "outdoor dark ride" feel to it, when you go through the western themed part of the ride. We also walked through just about every little shop in the Frontier Trail, and I thought it was great how they have all kinds of artists and craftsmen working for the park and selling their work. I found Cedar Point to be a park that both families and thrill seekers can spend a vacation at. As much as I love Great Adventure and it's coaster collection, you definitely can't get that kind of experience there.

^Exactly. I'd have no problem with it if he said "trust me, guys, I've been on Bizarro and Kingda Ka and Millennium Force totally wins!" but, he hadn't even been on either coaster he compared it to...I wanted to run up to him and be like "ehh, Kingda Ka is just "ok", but you really need to go ride Bizarro before you go saying that!".

I think I might have gone to a different Cedar Point than everybody else... When I went, it poured at least 2-3 times on two of the four days I was there...but they didn't close any of the coasters, except Top Thrill Dragster was closed for a short time when the rain was really torrential. Millennium Force had a train taken off, but the line was so short that it didn't need all 3 trains running. I'll have to say though, Millennium Force hurts pretty bad in the rain. But, overall, I thought Cedar Point was fantastic...I liked most of the coasters, the food was decent, guest service was great, and operations were very fast. It was pretty much everything it was hyped up to be. I think some people are sort of confusing the title of the thread here...Darien Lake? WTF? How is this park overrated? It's not even "rated". I've never once heard anyone say OMG DARIEN LAKE IS THE BEST PARK EVARRR! All everyone ever says is "yeah, if you're in the area...". That being said, I think the *most* overrated park I've been to would be Hershey. But, that being said, it was only slightly overrated. I still had a great time. I'd almost want to call USF/IOA overrated, as far as the fact that I get "ride bored" after about 2 hours. You can't go there expecting a Cedar Point or Six Flags Great Adventure number of rides/coasters. But the theming and artistic design that goes into these parks are unlike anything I've seen, especially at Islands of Adventure. I wish every theme park looked like that. Plus, the fact that they dispatch trains faster than the operator can say "all clear", and the fact that CityWalk and Mythos rule, makes the Universal Orlando Resort not so overrated.

That park looks SO awesome! I loved Ravine Flyer II, so that woodie must haul some serious a$$! Robb, if you don't mind my asking...how do the mega lites compare with the likes of the other Intamin megas/hypers/giga? Are they even better than Expedition GeForce, Goliath, and Bizarro? The layout on those coasters just looks completely insane.

Funniest thing I've ever heard: (While in the parking lot at SFNE), lady says: If I was on the other end of the phone, I'd either be saying "holy hell, how did you end up in New Jersey?" Most unintelligent thing I've ever heard: (While walking into the Great Escape, toward Sasquatch, the park's new S&S tower complex), man on phone says: Worst thing I've ever heard: (While in line for Millennium Force), not necessarily "GP", but ride operator says:

Disney's Animal Kingdom Universal Studios Florida Islands of Adventure The Great Escape Hersheypark Six Flags New England Lake Compounce Six Flags America Six Flags Great Adventure Darien Lake Cedar Point Waldameer Park ...annd I still plan on visiting Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens Europe...and re-visiting SFNE and SFGAdv a few times before the end of the season.

Ah, yes, I completely forgot that Drop Zone/Tower was put up by Paramount. And as far as the speed goes...on the I305 website, it says "in excess of 90mph". Also, I remember seeing somewhere on the day the website went up, that it would go 92mph...but now I'm scouring the website and can't find that fact anywhere anymore. If it's 92mph vs MF's 93...I guess it could have to do with the weight/aerodynamics of the trains. But, I guess the 5 feet of height doesn't really matter, since it will have the same 300 foot drop as Millennium Force, plus 5 degrees. It'll make for one awesome drop.

Yeah, I meant both in ride quality and statistics. I don't think Kings Dominion went to Intamin and said..."okay we want a giga coaster...to lie within an area xx feet long and xx feet wide...OH but it can't be taller, faster, or better than Millennium Force!". I think, given the site by Kings Dominion, Intamin either said "well, here's our design for it...305 feet is the highest we can really go without having to stretch out the footprint needed for the ride" or Kings Dominion gave Intamin a map of the site they wanted to put it on, explained that they'd like a giga coaster, and left the experts to the rest. After all, Drop Zone/Tower is taller than Power Tower.

No no no, I'm not arguing. I'm actually interested in why he didn't like Superman (SFNE) and El Toro enough to be in the top 3-5. I am especially interested in his comparison of the two Superman coasters. Most people (me included) find the SFDL and SFA versions BORING, where as the SFNE one is just about as close to the perfect coaster as it gets (ridiculous ejector air, LOTS of air hills, an awesome banked turn around, a fast flat section, 2 forceful helices, 2 tunnels, and oh, did I mention all the insane air-time?). I see where you're coming from...I also view Bizarro as pretty much the "perfect" coaster, in that it has pretty much everything for everyone. Great drop, speed, airtime, underground dives, a good spot of on-the-ground speed, and large helices with great laterals. But one thing I don't understand from his list is how he ranks Goliath at Walibi World so high and SROS/Bizarro and El Toro so low...when Goliath at WW is pretty much the same type of experience, or appears to be very similar. But, as was said, to each his own. I definitely have that problem with some coasters. For me, Bizarro, El Toro, Millennium Force, and SROS at SFA cement a VERY solid top-of-the-list for me. But, as far as the other ones go, if you were to randomly ask me some days if I'd rather ride Maverick or Talon RIGHT NOW, I'd probably have trouble deciding. And I also agree for the non-SFNE "rides of steel". They're two excellent coasters that pack just as much of a big Intamin punch as the others. The only "disappointment" of RoS at Darien Lake was that the trim was on pretty hard when I rode it. SROS at SFA, on the other hand, wowed me just as much as the others.

I'm still not on the "Cedar Fait won't let it be better than Millennium Force" bandwagon. Whether it has insane Intamin airtime or not...having just rode Millennium Force this past week, I can honestly say that, no matter how much or little airtime it has, if I'm soaring at speeds of over 90mph down Intamin track for a little while, it's going to be pretty freaking awesome.

Holy crap. If IOA has to completely re-theme Marvel Super-Hero Island...well...that'd just be nuts. Maybe out of spite, Disney will open "The Incredible Hulk Coaster", 500 feet of Intamin 0-132mph launched PWN. And Disney will buy the rest of Orange County, and make it go right around the re-themed Marvel Superhero Island.