Taylor Finn

The caption for the photo from an unofficial Conneaut Lake Twitter account: 'SO excited about Conneaut Lake Park's new attraction: The Haunted Hostile! Definitely a step in the right direction!' As people return from the event I'm sure we will hear all about what this attraction might be. I take it it might be a walk through of sorts, though this picture really doesn't tell us much. Haunted Hostile

If this park continues to be supported, I really have confidence. There are a nice collection of rides. I think some new paint and pavement would bring the place to life. Great to see it so busy for Blue Streak's birthday.

I visited Conneaut yesterday for a quick two hours. The parking arrangement is sort of confusing as it stands now. I did not see any specific signs pointing toward a lot. It would certainly be awesome if one day, they got the main entrance running again. Regardless, upon arriving my friend and I rode Devil's Den, which was a very neat experience honestly. Just a fun time. All the scares were working though it could have used some more noise throughout the ride. We then went to Blue Streak where we got two consecutive rides in the front and then back. The ride was actually fairly smooth and the first two hills provide decent airtime. A very solid woodie, indeed. The ride operator was extremely kind and suggested his favorite rows. Upon exiting Blue Streak, we rode the Tumble Bug which was recently reopened. My home park is Kennywood and this Tumble Bug was flying. I was actually being popped out of my seat. We then went to the Bumper Cars, and although it didn't especially matter for such an empty day, it was disappointing that only five cars were working. We rode the Paratroopers next, because we had walked over that way for the Fliers which were closed for the day, as was the Train. We took two more laps on Blue Streak and headed out. My overall impression was of a park that is trying to get better but needs support. A lot of the employees were painting and working a ride, because of how few people were there. There was a gentlemen blowing leaves off the midway, as well. It looks like they're trying to fix what they can. If some of the rides got new paint jobs and the park got some exposure, I think they could seriously bring in some guests. There were only ten cars by 3:00 PM yesterday when we left. I'm glad I got to go and hope to see reports of the clean up day and what the park looks like after the week of work.

I'm going to stop by Monday July 15th, late after going to Waldameer. I know there is virtually no sample size since they have only been open one Monday thus far, but is there a good chance that will go smoothly if I'm trying to stop by 7, 7:30 for an hour or so? Like have they been pretty good overall of keeping the park open until close at 9 when the weather is nice?

If I get there at 7 and do an all day wristband, I could probably ride most of the adult stuff there, right?

Yeah, my plan was Blue Streak, Devils Den, Flyers, and Train. I'll probably decide then and there on tickets or wrist band. Thanks for the help!

I live in Pittsburgh and was originally planning to do Waldameer and presque isle state park in one day during the week which would obviously be no problem. But I forgot about Conneaut until now. I take it they are only open Friday Saturday Sunday and they only sell ride all day passes? I guess I could try to do the beach until like 11, 11:30, grab lunch and do Waldameer till 6, and then get to Conneaut until close on a Friday. I've already done Waldameer twice but my friend hasn't.

Shame I was there Tuesday, not yesterday. Was it before the park opened that this was all happening?

Whoever can donate the $11 I need to reach my goal, I will donate 11 to your page as well! 15 minutes left!

Thank you guys for your help but I actually meant June 3rd, not Memorial Day by 'next Monday.' Does they change how we should attack things? Will flash pass be necessary then?

I am going to Magic Mountain next Monday. What is the best approach to attacking the park? We are not considering flash pass just to give some additional info. My mom can't really ride anything too too intense. Is there anything at all for her? The shows aren't up and running until the 2nd week of June. Also, best food options for inside the park? Thanks for your help!

I am just going to give Idlewild the benefit of the doubt on Dizzy Lizzy's and assume it was becoming a mechanical nightmare, because it is the classic rides like that, that separate Idlewild from the rest. The caterpillar was awesome. I remember how thrilling a ride it was when I was young. When I went last summer, they weren't using the cover, which I can imagine would make the ride a lot less interesting. I really REALLY hope they are planning on bringing it back in the future.

Great start to the report, Adam! Excited to see the rest of this!

Hello, my friend has also signed up on Team TPR! She is extremely excited to be participating in the event and meeting new people at the event! Her fundraising page is https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/RachelTuite/CedarPoint2013 Thank you!

I had been getting a bit anxious about what had been going on in the past few months, great to hear!

Awesome update, Robb! I can't wait to actually see what this place looks through on a straight walk around the whole place. It's going to be a really nice little park, I think. Incredible how much work can be done in such a short amount of time.

^Adam, Im glad to get you started! I threw you 5 bucks! Good luck reaching your goal!

I was at Magic Kingdom with my high school marching band senior year and Pirates of the Carribean had been closed all day until an hour before we had to be out of the park, so my friend and I decided not to go back to the front and be early for Wishes. We got a quick ride in on Haunted Mansion and stepped on Pirates about 20 minutes before we were all to be at the entrance to watch the fireworks. The ride went as normal until right after the drop where we got stuck in a scene with, 'Pirates Life For Me' playing. The ride stayed playing for a while until they turned everything off after attempting to start the ride up again multiple times. We waited some more until ride ops in wetsuits had to push the boats backward and forward to evacuation areas which took forever. They were all very strict about no photos, to avoid 'ruining the magic.' We got off the ride walked backstage and re-entered the park after being given a fast pass for any ride in any park. We ended up being late to the front but it wasn't too too bad, definitely an interesting experience.

I'm definitely not going to deny all that you said because you are right about a lot of what you said. Studying engineering is hard, whether it be mechanical or chemical like I am doing. Whatever the case may be, the simple fact of the matter is this: Arrow was being paid millions of dollars to design these rides. No matter how complicated the calculations may have been, they have a bit more incentive to do the calculation than you might have as a student in mechanical engineering right now. I totally agree in saying that the calculations were difficult, but if they figured out how to do the calculations for a loop at a certain angle (force, speed, friction, etc, etc.), the physics do not change drastically when you change the shape size of the loop; surely, the geometry of the problem and the numbers change; however, the people designing the rides are well-versed in these things. Physics is physics. They were well-versed then just as they are now. The 5-10 main design engineers at Arrow were selected for their job because they were the BEST at what they did in college, I don't exactly know where I'm going with this because I do not have a specific answer for why some of the transitions are awkward and why Arrow consistently used the same/similar inversion sizes. I have no clue, because I don't even know what goes into the design of a roller coaster. I do agree that the main reason roller coaster designs have gotten so ridiculous over the past 15 or so years is because of computers. I just wouldn't call this 'Lazy Engineering' at all on their part. If it took Arrow an additional 1000 hours of highly paid labor (at 75 bucks an hour), to figure out a better design for their inversions, I am sure they would have, regardless of that time. That's hardly pocket change for a company that is marketing their rides for such expensive price tags. Something else was in play here that we don't know about I think.

This is incredible. Thank you for the awesome coverage of this monster. Amazing videos and photos; this ride will tear through those woods at night. Just incredible what they have built.

Hey, I threw you a buck! Awesome idea!

I am sure there are some crazy rumors/myths surrounding the old Action Park. That place was full of ridiculousness, like the employees apparently manipulating the go karts to go 40+ mph, and the looping water slide.

The number one myth I grew up and continue to still believe is that Kennywood turns the majority of the brakes off of Thunderbolt, Jack Rabbit, and Racer at night. I would be very curious to find out if this is something that is true, or if it is just the psychological effect of riding in the dark that gives the allusion of a faster speed.

^Just added 100 more dollars to that total! Also, I don't know who to direct this to, but I registered a few days ago and have not gotten my banner; its no big deal. I just thought I'd throw it out there.

And one, more. Or so I've heard from everyone, anyway.