GigaG

Have we ruled out an out & back Intamin in the style of MF or Bizarro? They don't really do it a lot now, but KI could surprise. Of course, KI seems to get different coasters than CP. Of course, having MF 3 hours from another Intamin giga is better than having Diamondback within walking distance from a scaled-up version... It seems like if they build "Banshee" as a B&M giga, it would be closer to Diamondback than Leviathan is from Behemoth.

So I went to CP Saturday. GK had a line of about 1 and a half hours. My friend and I sat in the back left, my favorite seat so far. It was running FAST. The airtime hill was better than Media Day and the "side keyholing" was faster. I believe keyholing and the corkscrew were faster, and it was noticeable watching the ride. I have some theories including that they installed more "hard wheels" (although when would they have time to do that?) or the ride is just broken in now. Does anybody else think this?

Off topic, but in my opinion, Maverick just bridges the line between the old generation (MF) and the new (I305). The twisties on "Maverick" are flat, unlike the undulating I305 ones. It uses the old track construction. On the contrary, it uses LSM launches and, of course, "twisties", along with the newer-generation restraints.

Cedar Point has a ton of coasters but they are more about quantity over quality. The more parks you get to(judging by your top two woodies it is not very many) the more you will realize this. Looks like I will be adding a few of these coasters to my list in the next couple of years. I've been on other good woodies, such as Beast and Cyclops, but I don't remember Cyclops' airtime well and Beast is fun, but not particularly intense. I also have been on Prowler and Renegade, forgot about Prowler. I guess I just like the ejector airtime on Blue Streak or the insane WTF airtime on a good Georgia Cyclone ride. I also enjoy a trimless Mean Streak ride, but its still boring for the second half. I guess I went into a sort of fanboy mode. By the way, if you want my opinion on I305 back when I rode it in 2010, the trims really messed it up. My mom, a MF lover, liked Volcano more. Hopefully I'll be able to go to KD again and ride for the untrimmed experience. And also, now that I have a SF pass I might be able to try El Toro and Bizarro.

I went to CP on Thursday and Saturday. Here's the scoop. Blue Streak - It is running AMAZINGLY. Smooth, except the turnaround was a bit bumpy. The retracking REALLY paid off. Whee! CCMR - Didn't ride it. Corkscrew - Didn't ride it. GateKeeper - I love the floaty feeling through the inversions. However, the airtime hill left me a bit disappointed at times. Also, fter my friend said Griffon was the smoothest ride that he had been on, I was expecting this newer one to be glass-smooth, but it rattled a bit. On the brakes, you realize the restraint is pressing you hard around the collarbones. However, the ride is awesome besides this. I like the back left seat. You miss the hangtime on the dive drop, but being whipped through a roll and looping 170 feet to the ground while staying in your seat is an experience in itself. The keyholes seem somewhat more disorienting (maybe) and awesome. It is amazing that the ride is nearly silent (no roar except after the MCBR and a bit into the brakes) besides the clicking (I believe it is chain dogs or anti-rollbacks clicking up and down like SFOG's Goliath on airtime hills, correct me if I'm wrong.) Gemini - Didn't ride it. Iron Dragon - Didn't ride it,but it valleyed on Media Day (the train made loud banging noises twice and appeared to be going slower. I saw the train from near MF's entrance, but I didn't see the actual valley. The valley was before the brakes approaching lift 2). I think it was running on Opening Day. Jr. Gemini - I'm short, but not under 54", so nope Magnum - Ran normally. It might be just me, but the trims seem louder. Mantis - Didn't ride it Maverick - Ran a bit slow opening day. We had to wait a bit for them to fix it, but I didn't want to relinquish my good spot in line, so we waited. And we saw Robb twice, but I didn't get to talk to him here. Mean Streak - Maybe just the weather, but the trims seemed a bit less harsh than usual. And I said some words to Robb before and after the ride. As I departed, it looked like he was filming and I yelled "TWISTY" in homage to my favorite TPR video so far. Robb, do you remember that? MF - Millie looks nice in the new paint. The ride is running pretty much normally. Raptor - Running pretty much normally. Dragster - Rode in the front seat. It was INSANE, not to mention it really pushed my friend and I's hair back. WT - Fine. The test seat is smaller than the real ones, it seems. Woodstock Express - Didn't ride it.

Sorry about my comment earlier. I just might have been expecting one of my home park rides to be on the list (Cedar Point). And of course, I'm wishing for some crazier coasters in the US (why does Aisa get half of the good woodies now? Besides El Toro, of course, but they have T Express, Dauling Dragons, the one at Knight Valley, and whatever the one was with the insane double-down. In comparison, my favorite woodies are probably Blue Streak or Georgia Cyclone.)

Where's the love for Maverick is quite simply there are better roller coasters in other places of the world. Had I only been in a few hundred coasters, most of them in the USA, sure, Maverick would be on that list. But I've been on 1,500 across the planet, and as much as Maverick may be one of my faves in the USA, it just didn't quite crack that list. Oh, and if you've never been on Kumba, why are you judging my selection of it? I just felt like it started like an average list, but Kumba over other old generation B&Ms? Again, tending to be an airtime rather than inversions lover, I'll criticize moves like this.

It started off good, but then kinda went weird. Kumba? I wasn't expecting that. And where's the love for Maverick? Unfortunately, I've only been on one of these (I305) when the trims were on. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get the El Toro and Bizarro credits soon, though.

CP Rundown has images of the valley on MF- It was after the 3rd (or 2nd, depending on how you count) overbank and second big airtime hill. It was pointed out in the comments that the blue train involved had issues on media day, having been pulled off and later put back on. My mother - a MF fan - was stuck at the bottom of the lift on the blue train.

Uh-oh, could that valleying of Iron Dragon towards the end of last season mean the "death growl" for Iron Dragon after this season? Was it after or before the pre-lift brakes? I have to assume after it, because the prelude to that section is downhill. Before, like last year. And didn't it somehow valley at the end the same day last year?

In line for GK. The ride is coming back from a vomit incident. I rode MF twice, but before MF, I was waiting and heard a series of bangs while Iron Dragon was slowly going around a curve. A similar set of bangs followed. From MF, I saw ID valleyed before lift 2. It was valleyed at the end of last season too, possibly due to winds. But could ID have an issue?

You're probably right. It's still not done, and I'm sure they are working on bringing some life to that area. The ride looks incredible. I wouldn't say "typical B&M", because this one looks like it will bring some forces. Cedar Point with another, potential, world class coaster. In my mind it already turns the big 3 into the big 4 (Maverick, Millenium, and Dragster being the others). Magnum is up there too. I love CP, and I'm a CP fanboy of sorts. GK looks awesome, but I'm hoping the airtime hill is better than it looks. But hey, at least it has one! It looks fun and unique and I can't wait to ride it. And no trims either! Now we need to speculate what the Point will do next . Iron Streak, anybody?

I want the list too! Let me test one based on what I found online - rings.

There was a go-kart track, but they tore it out. I think the place where we are seeing footers is its former location.

^YES.

You just bypassed those switchbacks, so no biggie. Unfortunately, I feel that this is a sign that they won't make it Iron Streak because the line would need more room. Well, the existing queue is still pretty long anyways.

You just bypassed those switchbacks, so no biggie. Unfortunately, I feel that this is a sign that they won't make it Iron Streak because the line would be longer. Well, that line is still pretty long anyways.

Maverick has more intense forces throughout the ride, including sharp turns, but it is much smaller. MF is huge, with a freaky first drop, but after the first drop and turn (which has somewhat g-force to the extent that I've gone into tunnel-vision or partial greyout or whatever, despite the feeling of less force), the ride is just fast - the airtime hills are fun, but the wide turns just give the feeling of speed. Many people call it "Millenium Forceless."

CP's FB, April 10- How can he know what an "Arrow looper" is and think that Diamondback is relocated?????

Actually, they can- http://www.greatcoasters.com/?p=trains

These posts are definitely not sarcastic...

I don't know if that's possible since all the the riders' weight is on their chest. Well if it was short and pulled out quick, it could be possible. Think about a pretzel loop, you are pinned back-down as you go in. Imagine a rapid, somewhat smooth transition out facing the ground (vertical drop) That is kinda bad though, maybe a half-loop down (raven turn) instead, I don't think any flyers have those.

They probably need a bit more oomph for the tunnel launch. It also should be going faster than previous Premier LSM coasters. The ride looks more fun every time I see it - and I'm a CP fanboy. However, the "top hat" will probably be the make-or-break moment for most enthusiasts.

Georgia Cyclone, back seat, 4th drop - Insane airtime. In some cases, you can get "nearly-fly-over-the-seat-divider-airtime", with the 5th drop also insane. Sadly, the bottoms of these drops are the bumpiest parts of the ride. Top Thrill Dragster, front or back seat, spiral down - In the front, you get the view of the heartlined spiral. In the back (and probably other seats), you float down the spiral before slamming into the brakes. Millenium Force, first drop, back seat. Airtime, airtime everywhere. Maverick - First drop and camelback. In the back, you get wicked airtime on both. In the front, you miss out on the first drop airtime, but the camelback may be more intense. Gemini, first drop (back), first hill before turnaround (front) - In the back, you get yanked over (which is ruined by the roughness at the bottom, though) and in the front, some surprising airtime coming back up. Magnum - Airtime everywhere. Coathanger design at its finest. And many, many more...

What others have you ridden?