coasterdude5

Jurassic War - Update Quick update tonight. Video editing and sound mixing is in progress. I cannot wait to share this with you all! To tide you over... Stay tuned for more!

Jurassic War - Update Filming has officially begun for the Jurassic War video! The video should be released within the next two weeks. A large portion of the Jurassic War course keeps riders low to the ground, weaving in and out of a twisted mess of steel supports and lush vegetation. The overbank turns provides somewhat of a reprieve from the twists, turns and "headchoppers" of the raptor pit. Stay tuned for more previews! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Thank you! Haha, thank you! I take full advantage of the elements the RCT3 developers gifted us with...however unrealistic they may be! - - - - - - Jurassic War - Update A few finishing touches here and there are all that remain before video production on Jurassic War begins! The entrance plaza now has a spacious restroom facility, lockers and more. Here you can see one of the four "cages" that trains pass through. Haven't we learned that Velociraptors aren't meant to be captured? Landscaping work continues, but everything is coming together quite nicely. Stay tuned for more updates! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Thank you! Maybe Universal will see this... (wishful thinking) - - - - - Jurassic War - Update Work continues on this twisted mess of steel known as Jurassic War! The entrance area is beginning to take shape. Yes, two animatronic Velociraptors will greet riders as they enter the queue. The pre-lift section including the first inversion is coming together nicely. As many as three trains will be able to on the main track at once (with another in the loading station). Stay tuned for more updates! Keep the feedback coming. I greatly appreciate it (and use it). Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Thank you! The timing took a good bit of work but I think it will pay off. Thank you, I really appreciate that! That's funny you mention that. I didn't set out to create a B&M Smiler, but when I finished it, that's exactly what I thought of! Thank you! I'm working as quickly as I can so I can begin work on the video. I'm very excited! - - - - - Jurassic War - Update Work on Jurassic War's load and unload stations has begun. There are still a few finishing touches left to be completed. Stay tuned for more coming soon! In the meantime, follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

War is coming. Coming soon to a Universal theme park near you, Jurassic War is an ultra-compact B&M floorless coaster. JURASSIC WAR STATS LENGTH: 3,996 feet / 1,218 m HEIGHT: 80 feet / 24 m DROP: 110 feet / 33.5 m SPEED: 58 mph / 93 km/h INVERSIONS: 10 TRAINS: 4, 20-seat trains (5 rows of riders seated 4 abreast) Isla Nublar and the Jurassic World theme park have been largely abandoned following the events of Jurassic World. However, a secret government agency has returned to the island to begin weaponizing the dinosaurs that roam the island, specifically the Velociraptors. Riders are dropped into the "raptor pit" jungle as they duel other trains throughout the twisted, nearly 4,000-foot course. The coaster contains two major "firsts" for manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard. It's the first B&M coaster to feature 10 inversions, and the first B&M coaster to feature a mid-course launch. This overview shows a large amount of the course. A pre-lift inversion is hidden, however. While Jurassic War stands only 80 feet tall, the first drop plunges 110 feet into the "raptor pit." The coaster duels with itself throughout the ride. The trains will dispatch at set intervals to allow for multiple close encounters. There is still much work left to do before a video is ready. Stay tuned. More previews are coming soon! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Arrive at the park at least 30 minutes before the posted opening time, and "walk quickly" to Goliath as soon as possible. I'm not sure what its second season will be like, but people were lined up from the queue entrance all the way to the go kart track just about every day of the week.

Thanks, DBru! I appreciate the kind words. And it's always nice to see a familiar username from the "good ole days." I sure do miss Hershey Hawaii from time to time.

Viriginia Vortex - Video Now Available! The moment you've all been waiting for...the Virginia Vortex video is now online! Watch it below: VIRGINIA VORTEX STATS HEIGHT: 117 feet SPEED: 65 mph LENGTH: 3,836 feet INVERSIONS: 7 DURATION: 2 minutes TRAINS: 2, 24-seat trains MANUFACTURER: Arrow Dynamics Enjoy new images of the coaster below: It's all downhill from here. See more photos of Virginia Vortex on my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter and visit my YouTube channel for more of my work. Thank you for your support of this project!

^ Thanks, AUWent! It's great to be back. Viriginia Vortex - Update Great news! The Virginia Vortex video will debut on Wednesday, Dec. 31 (New Year's Eve)! We're nearing the end of the road for updates. It seems like just yesterday the first piece of steel was set in place. But now, the coaster is quite the twisted mess of steel. The first drop threads itself through the giant vertical loop. The queue will become even more quaint once these young trees fill in. The final plunge... Stay tuned for the video release on Wednesday! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Viriginia Vortex - Update While I continue to work on the Virginia Vortex POV video, here are some additional shots to hold you over: Seen above, one of the two Virginia Vortex observation decks gives onlookers a spectacular view of the coaster. A Virginia Vortex train enters the smaller of the coaster's two vertical loops. Virginia Vortex ride area. It looks like a few park guests decided to literally smell the roses. SECURITY! Stay tuned -- the video is coming soon! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Viriginia Vortex - NOW OPEN! Merry Christmas! What better e-gift to receive than photos of Virginia Vortex operating with riders? I'm pleased with how the overall Virginia Vortex ride area has turned out. The "upper half" of the ride. This Verbolten-esque bridge was added at the last minute. Immediately after exiting the bridge, riders swoop down the hillside toward the lake. Virginia Vortex trivia time: is this the first or second lift hill? This is the point of no return before the vertical plunge underground. Care for an overbanked turn? The train will give the best view of the "lakeside" portion of the coaster. I'm now working on filming and editing the video. Stay tuned for more updates in the meantime! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Is anybody here? Viriginia Vortex - Construction Update Merry Christmas Eve! I have an early Christmas present for you in the form of several new Virginia Vortex construction shots: Welcome back to Virginia Vortex! The big loop is one of only two Arrow "giant loops;" the other being Tennessee Tornado's. The final climb leads to the... ...vertical dive underground. Down by the lake are three of the coaster's seven inversions. The coaster's corkscrew finish should be thrilling to say the least. Hopefully the ride ops will be able to dispatch the trains so they meet here as intended. Stay tuned for more! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Viriginia Vortex - Construction Update Hello again! I have a few new images of progress to share with you. I would like to have this finished (with a video) before the end of the year, but I'm not 100% sure that is possible at this point. We'll see! The queue area is coming along nicely. The entrance structure is in place but still needs a lot of work. But this gives you an idea. The newly planted foliage will add a nice barrier between the midway and those waiting to conquer the Vortex. Guests enter the Virginia Vortex ride area underneath the train station, which is nearing completion. Stay tuned for more construction shots! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Viriginia Vortex - Construction Update Welcome back! Progress at this point is rather slow since I'm focusing on landscaping, fine-tuning supports, etc. But I wanted to share some more screens. Enjoy: There is still much to do to complete the area surrounding Vortex. The first drop plunges through the village's bell tower. The scenic train ride that surrounds the coaster's layout will offer some great vantage points of the sprawling layout. The Vortex takes full advantage of the hilly terrain. Much of the middle section of the coaster takes place in and around this small lake. A train ascends the coaster's first lift hill. Can you spot the big drop? Work continues on this mess of wood and steel where the coaster's two trains meet. Stay tuned. More updates are coming soon! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

Hello again, RCT3 friends. It's been too long, hasn't it? Between work, school, life and a dead laptop, I haven’t had much time for RCT3. But after building a (so far) functioning and more powerful desktop computer, I’m back in business. And I’m very excited to share with you progress on a track I began working on my laptop before it bit the bullet. Virginia Vortex. That tornado didn’t stop spinning when it struck East Tennessee. In fact, it picked up speed, grew larger and started barreling toward Virginia. It picked up everything in its path – trees, cows, horses, mansions – and it even twisted up another ore just like it did at Dollywood. This is my dream sequel to Tennessee Tornado. I imagine Arrow Dynamics may have created another one of their “new” custom loopers had they not succumbed to bankruptcy. This is what I think it might have looked like. A fella can dream, can’t he? Enjoy the screens below, and rest assured that the coaster is not complete, and these screens are only meant to give you a glimpse of what’s to come. So batten down the hatches – there’s a twister churning right for you! Virginia Vortex is a terrain coaster through and through. From the coaster's entrance, it doesn't look all that imposing. All the fun takes place below ground. Note: there's still a good bit of work left to do here. The two six-car trains will sync so that they meet here as shown in the shot above. The coaster's entrance plaza and ride area will feature two viewing platforms. You can see one of those platforms in the upper right-hand corner. One of those platforms will offer a spectacular view of the lower half of the coaster, which features three of Virginia Vortex's seven inversions. Virginia Vortex's hillside layout requires two lift hills... ...the second of which leads to a vertical plunge underground. This should be a popular spot for family photos. Stay tuned. More updates are coming soon! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for additional previews. And be on the lookout for the coaster’s video on my YouTube channel.

I'm planning on visiting the park on Saturday, October 18. Do any of you guys know what to expect in regards to line lengths for the rides? I typically visit the park in September and the lines aren't usually that bad. Is a Flash Pass in order?

For instance, just a few days ago, a woman with her two children got to the Viper station (after a 45-minute wait) only to find out that her youngest wasn't tall enough to ride. The op was very apologetic, and even arranged for the three to head to Whizzer to ride without waiting. This arrangement was made quietly near the station exit. I just happened to be standing within earshot. Perhaps that happened as a result of what happened a week or two ago. Maybe the ride op was just being overly considerate - she certainly didn't have to do that by any means, and the mother didn't seem to be demanding anything. It was simply an act of kindness. But as with anything, your results may vary.

Working in Gurnee this summer, I've visited the park easily 50 times and have neither experienced nor have I witnessed any outrageously poor customer service exchanges. If anything, I've seen more guests with poor people skills. Customer service goes both ways. But I could list several instances of employees going above and beyond to assist guests. The park is nowhere near perfect. But I don't think these few unfortunate -- and inexcusable -- isolated incidents represent an average day at SFGAm. Or maybe I'm just lucky. A few weeks ago, some moron riding in the front row had his phone out for the entire duration of the ride...not subtly in the slightest. I was impressed to see a supervisor in the station waiting for him to address the amateur videographer's lapse in judgment.

^ I'm always surprised by Demon's full-ish queue as well, especially since people are so adamant that the coaster is unpopular and that the park will remove it "next year."

I think your best bet would be to take the Metra to Waukegan and then take the Pace Bus to SFGAm. I've never used the Pace Bus, so I can't speak from personal experience on that, but the Metra system is very nice.

I have to say, while slow ride ops are certainly at fault in some regards, you have to keep in mind the idiot park guests who can also slow things down considerably. More times than not this season (I've been to the park weekly at least), a delay is caused by a guest who is (a) not paying any attention to what's going on around them/moving slow, (b) is not following posted guidelines/not listening to operator instructions, © has a loose article on the ride with them, (d) is arguing over something irrelevant, (e) too large/short to ride, etc. Some of those you could blame Six Flags for not having practices in place to help prevent those issues. But you have to admit that stupid people are somewhat to blame. I'm sure other parks have them as well. Maybe more of them visit Six Flags. I've seen many.

Good point. Six Flags would never build a coaster similar to another that's just down the road.

I am 100% impressed with Thunderbird. Everything about it screams Holiday World, even though it's packed full of "firsts" for the park. It will certainly make me plan a trip to the park next year. I love B&M's wing coaster model, and I can only imagine how great one will be launched.

The Twilight Zone: Hospital Thirteen - Epilogue Update Happy Halloween! Celebrate the holiday by watching the latest episode of The Twilight Zone: Hospital Thirteen! Watch it below: Hospital Thirteen to Fall Next Year Thank you again for your support of the film. Like me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to get early previews of my next project: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CD5productions Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CD5productions