BitterOldHag

I have to agree 1000% with this. I was taken aback by the darkness of the woods on the Pioneer Train. When I heard rustling in the trees, my mind played tricks on me... thinking perhaps there was some deranged maniac waiting to pounce on the train. Or perhaps it's a giant bear. Or who knows what else it could be. All I know is that the first ride on it can be quite frightening!

Agreed completely. The Music Express used to run much faster than it does now. Not sure what happened there. The park did make some nice improvements the past 2 years: the side entrance behind the lazy river, the rebranding of the two food stands next to the Blue Streak and next to the Tumble Bug, a new "Sweet Shop" stand next to the Kiddieland entrance, and what seem to be yearly improvements to the Devil's Den. Every year I ride it seems like they have added something new. This year for the ride's 50th anniversary there are a couple new scenes and movement has been added to them as well. Whoever is in charge of the Den deserves a lot of credit for maintaining the ride as well as they have. Aside from the asphalt, I do think the park should take a look at why there is so much water next to the Tumble Bug. My guess is there is some sort of leak in the waterpark, and while it isn't necessarily dangerous, it does look kind of odd. Oh and one more thing- maybe CLP should consider re-opening the ticket booths at the abandoned front entrance. With lines increasing, having a few extra places to purchase ride wristbands would be a big help. Just my two cents on a park I thought for sure was dead many, many times!

^ Since the train can only hold approximately 24 people per trip, should we start complaining about capacity now that the crowds are increasing? I do seem to recall the train having more than 2 passenger cars in the past, but I believe the extra weight was causing issues, especially when trying to navigate the slight uphill turn near the front entrance. I experienced a "derailment" on one of my rides several years back. No injuries to anyone on board, but still kind of unnerving!

Just had a chance to catch up on this thread today and all I can say is WOW to those above pics. I was floored that there were lines when I was there on Friday (there were over 100 people in line for the Train!), but those seem like walk-ons compared to Groupon $5 day. That Paratrooper line is insane! I guess I should say "good for them". It is absolutely astounding to see this after so many years of 10 cars in the parking lot and maybe 100 people in the park total. Is it possible Conneaut Lake Park is a viable business after all?

This was the line for wristbands upon my arrival at Conneaut Lake today at noon. After years of vacant midways, it’s nice to see signs of life again!

^ Wow. That is really crazy to see that many people at Conneaut again this year. When I visited last year, there was a constant line of about 25-30 people for the Blue Streak, which totally blew my mind as I was always used to simply walking up the empty ramp and being the next one to ride. Heck, when I visited in 2014, the park was so quiet I could literally hear my own footsteps. I guess the waterslides and lazy river have really helped bring people back to Conneaut. Now if they can just turn a profit, maybe we'll get that long-awaited asphalt renovation!

I've said this before but it bears repeating- think of the 407 as your FastLane for Toronto traffic. Yes, it's pricey even if you have a transponder, but for me, it is absolutely worth it. On my last visit to CW in 2016, I left my house on the east side of Cleveland at 5:00 am and arrived at the Wonderland parking lot at 9:50 by using the 407 instead of the QEW/Gardiner/427 route suggested by my GPS. That included 2 quick washroom breaks, topping off gas in Angola, NY, and crossing the border (I have a NEXUS card to "FastLane" any border lines also... can you tell I am not a patient person?). If I would have taken the non-toll route, I'd probably still be sitting in stop and go traffic between Burlington and the 427. If you can afford it (from the QEW starting point of 407 to the 400, the rate is $31.84 CAD without a transponder), I say it's one of the best ways of getting to areas north and east of downtown Toronto.

^ On my lone visit to the park this year (Opening Day May 5th), the Spider was down as well. It was not in pieces that day... just not operating.

Yes they do assign seats at the station. From what I saw last Friday using FL+, those guests were being assigned seats near the back. Not sure how they handle specific requests as it seemed most guests just wanted to get on and weren't complaining about where they sat. My second ride was in row 11, so I was technically in the last car. I know I'm in the minority, but I do feel that "Steel Vengeance 1 is too intense for me". My first ride was of the "what in the world just happened?" variety. My second ride I was ready for the ride to end before we hit the final turnaround. There's just too much ejector air, which I guess this old body isn't as big of a fan of as I thought.

So Marineland only runs Hurricane Cove in one direction? That kind of stinks. The ride is a Mack Sea Storm, and the boats are built to rotate 180 degrees. During the program, half the boats will swing backwards, then the other half will, then everyone goes backwards, and on some including the defunct version at Busch Gardens WIlliamsburg (pre Apollo's Chariot days), everyone faced the center of the ride going sideways! These rides are so much fun and I believe the only remaining example that actually runs as intended is at Carowinds. If you do a YouTube search for Happy Sailor ride, you'll get an idea of what this ride can really do on the European Fair circuit! Thanks for the report. I haven't been to Marineland since 2005... maybe it's time for another visit.

Testify!

Wow. I hadn't seen that photo of SkyRocket. That looks a little more intense than the Sky Ride at Cedar Point smoke we saw last week. In all seriousness, hopefully this will be a quick fix for Kennywood.

Here's the VIP Coaster Tour info: https://www.kennywood.com/VIPCoasterTours Seems they do have an Unlimited pass for $80 that has "limited availability" Also, the website mentions that the Sky Rocket is down for repairs until further notice.

My best advice is to follow the coasterbill plan he laid out a few pages back- use the new Boardwalk to be at the Resort Gate (near the waterpark) BEFORE 9:00 am. Get through metal detection and then be ready to move quickly once the park opens for early entry at 9. Running helps, but considering this is Ohio we're talking about, many who started out sprinting were almost dead about 2 minutes in. I was in the park at 9:05, moved at a brisk pace and still had an hour wait. Aside from 2 issues with the train getting stuck on the brake run, the crew was doing a good job of getting the trains out quickly. Have fun and enjoy Steel Vengeance. It truly is insane!

Just got back from a quick “pop in” to ride Steel Vengeance this morning. Followed coasterbill’s advice about using the boardwalk (which was a fantastic addition that many folks probably won’t even know about this season) to access the resort gate. His advice is spot on. When I got there, it was 8:55 and they only had one metal detector lane open. Thankfully, the line moved quickly and I was inside the park at 9:05. Arrived at Steel Vengenace at 9:10 by “walking briskly” and the line was already stated as being an hour. 65 minutes later due to two minor brake run issues, I was on. I have NO idea what the hell happened aside from me holding on for fear of being thrown from the train. The ride is so smooth, but it feels like it wants to eject you from your seat on every hill. Since this was my first RMC, I didn’t know what to expect. What I got was an unbelievably wild, extreme airtime-filled ride that I can’t wait to ride again. Unfortunately, the wait had grown to 3 hours when I exited (the sign goes up to 4 hours...) The only other ride I rode was the Sky Ride from the Corkscrew end of the midway to the front of the park as these old legs had gotten pretty tired from moving so quickly to get to Steel Vengeance. And, Sky Ride has been a favorite of mine since I have been visiting the Point (1976 was my first visit I can remember). Here’s hoping the park and RMC can get the kinks ironed out of SV as the park has a binaries hit on their hands.

^ Thank you so much for sharing that video. I learned a lot about a park I have been visiting for over 20 years, especially hearing a reason as to why the park doesn't remain open after Labor Day. I always thought it had something to do with the campground next door raising a stink, so it's interesting to hear that it was simply a staffing issue. It was also fun to hear Mr. Gorman (Steve) mention that the Ravine Flyer II had over 300,000 riders last year. Makes me wonder what the park's total attendance was. I would not be surprised if it was over 500,000 as the waterpark expansion has really done well for Waldameer. I am definitely a shill for Waldameer, so for anyone that has plans of travelling through the area and has not yet been to the park, I can't recommend the place enough.

This, 1000x. If you have never been to Niagara Falls, this is an absolute must see and will be much more memorable than anything at Darien Lake. I'd recommend the White Water Walk (a brief tour on a boardwalk alongside Class 6 rapids- it's much more incredible than it sounds) and a visit to the Butterfly Conservatory (if you don't mind thousands of brightly-colored bugs flying around and landing on you) while you're there also. But if Darien Lake sounds more appealing, by all means, go and enjoy it. It is a decent park with a few unique rides outside of the coaster selection (Corn Popper, Sleighride, the only Heinz-Fahtz Enterprise and Twist rides in North America, etc). Whatever you end up doing, have fun!

^ From my experience the past 10 years or so, the earlier you go for HalloWeekend Fridays, the less crowded it is as there are often high school football games and other activities going on in the area. However, last season it did seem busier than usual. Your main waits will be the usual suspects- Maverick (30 minutes or so), Millennium Force (20 minutes or so), and as of last season, Valravn, which seemed to be in the 45-60 minute range. With Steel Vengeance opening this year, that could all change. I always get a FastLane Plus when I visit. As I have become older and more bitter, even those wait times are too much for me.

Haven't seen an old-school Cobra in years. Doubt I'd be able to handle one at this age! Wisdom Rides makes a "modern day" version called Viper. The differences are the OTSR's, both wheels load and unload at the same time, and that it's a piece of garbage from Wisdom. http://www.wisdomrides.com/viewnew/3

Someone mentioned that Jimmy Neutron actually was the Tampico Tumbler from Knott's. For some reason I seem to recall both operating at the same time when the MOA first opened... I don't mean to doubt anyone (honest- you guys know way more than I would!), but I thought that they both operated during the same time frame for a few years. And as also mentioned, the only ones out there are portables on the European fair circuit. One of the Hexentanz models has been outfitted with a snazzy LED light show and looks like it is fresh off the Zierer manufacturing floor. Loved this ride when I visited Knott's back in 1988. It was so bizarre to be spinning backwards while the ride base travelled forwards, and the airtime was crazy. When I rode it in 2010, well, coming off queasy would be an understatement!

^ I think California's Great America has one also (or perhaps it's an Intamin?), but theirs doesn't seem to run quite as fast as Kennywood's. As far as I know, those are the only 2 remaining in the US. There are some traveling versions in Europe too, several of which are in better shape than Kennywood's! As much as I complain about how Parques Reunidos/Palace Entertainment has done some questionable things during their ownership run, I give them all the credit in the world for maintaining this incredible ride. Can't wait to get out there this summer and give it a spin!

I can guarantee that the GP will absolutely LOVE a B&M Dive Machine if that is indeed what the park is adding. They are fun, smooth, and are a fantastic "spectator ride". If they do name the ride 'Ziz' however, Cedar Fair will have outdone themselves in the stupid name category that includes the likes of Rougarou, Valravn and the gone-but-not-forgotten Beaver Land Mine Ride. I also like that Wonderland will be able to boast that they have the only dive coaster in all of Canada, buddy... as is of course tradition.

Conneaut is definitely worth a look if you have the time. Yes, it's decrepit and scary in places (i.e.- just look at the lift hill of Blue Streak), but last year the crowds were much larger than the usual 7 people in the park at any given time and it was much less depressing to visit. As others have said, be sure to try the dark ride (credit? ) and Tumble Bug. The Train and Flyers are also worth a spin. And as much as I enjoy coasterbill's comments on here, I will disagree with him on the use of the 407 ETR in Toronto. Living in Cleveland, I have made several trips to Toronto over the past few years and have used the ETR every time. Yes, the price is exorbitant (a round trip I made last year from QEW to Whitby cost me $94 CDN), but since I usually travel solo, I can't make use of the QEW's HOV lanes legally, so I often end up sitting in traffic between Hamilton and downtown. Using the 407 as sort of a "FastLane", I bypass all of that and speed right on up to Vaughan with minimal hassle. But hey, that's just me... the same guy that spent $50 on a NEXUS card to use as a "FastLane" at the border. Can you tell I'm impatient?

^ The above is an SR2 simulator from a company named Doron Precision Systems (I believe). It was your basic mall simulator ride with a variety of films running. My lone experience with one was at the now-defunct Maple Leaf Village in Niagara Falls, Canada. They had a film of The Beast playing. I remember being relatively underwhelmed!

^ Wow. 5 of the parks major coasters, 5 flat rides and an upcharge attraction are open. I understand staffing and refurbishments are issues with year-round operation, but why announce and commit to it if most of your major rides are going to be closed? Couldn't they rotate which rides are taken out of service? Just my 2 cents.