coasterbadboy

Looking at the high-res version, it's actually The Flying Unicorn that is vaguely represented. On the far right of the high-res is the current castle queue (with some additional tents) for Dragons. Based on this layout, that puts Hogwarts castle in the large area between Jurassic and The Flying Unicorn. (See Page 1 of this thread; it looks like the castle is gonna go right where Robb put his big question mark.)

I'm sorry, but it is SOOOO not a fair unless they have the Zipper. I heart Zipper! Some very nice photos! Especially the one of the ferris wheel.

Two other quick things now that I'm thinking about it... Since the cars are round, there are huge gaps between the trains where you could fall into the track below. The cars weren't spinning too much yet, but if they really start to spin, Knotts is going to have some very dizzy people unsure of their footing. A little worried, I am... Second, when the train comes to a stop, it stops a few feet ahead of the air gates. So when the air gates are open, the gates point at the middle of the train (not good when the cars are round), making the third row look like it's supposed to load into the forward-facing fourth (and last) car rather than both sides of the third car. Weird and confusing. All of these problems (and the ones from above) really are design flaws (in my opinion). Short of closing it and redoing parts of it (which isn't going to happen), I think Knotts needs to create new procedures for loading and unloading this new coaster to ensure guest safety, especially kids. (Oh no, I sound like that chick from The Simpsons: "THINK OF THE CHILDREN! )

Rode Sidewinder on Monday. Here's a little Ride Report for ya'll. Queue: Waited an hour. With a one-train operation, the line moved very slowly. Not that I hold this against anyone in particular. It's a new ride with a new crew on Memorial Day weekend. So, what can you expect? The queue had some nice theming (miner's equipment, country-esque lighting fixtures, raw lumber queue rails). There are two concrete footers without anything on them yet, but wires have sprouted from them. I'm guessing they'll install video monitors so that you can see how the on-board cameras work (and try to sell you on the idea). However, it needs more shade! Desperately! Loading/unloading: Sometimes the dispatch times were good and sometimes bad. Again, to be expected on its third day with a very rushed opening/training timeframe. Two problems in the station. The biggest problem in the loading station was the actual design of the trains and lapbars. A small boy, who just made the minimum height requirement, got into the train with his dad. Dad helped him secure his belt. Once all the belts are secured, the ops call for the locking of the lapbars. They lock, and then the ops push all of them down. (Think Excelerator.) Anyway, one of the ops, who shall remain nameless, wasn't even watching what she was doing. She was just pushing down the lapbars while talking to the the op opposite her. Well, the little boy had his hand on the outside of the lapbar. She pushed it down and wedged his hand between the bar and the fiberglass body. She didn't even notice until people started pointing out the problem. She tried to release the bar manually (there's a pull tab that releases them), but it wasn't working. By this time the whole crew was trying to help. They finally called for the booth operator to release the bars. With a little finesse, the bar released and the little guy was free. He didn't seem to be injured, but he was definitely shaken up. The second problem was the booth operator. We will call her Miss Thing. She was so busy listening to the guy responsible for entertaining the crowd with statistics and jokes (we'll call him Lame Joke Dude) that she wasn't even paying attention to the loading and unloading. There are times when the train was ready for dispatch, but Miss Thing was in La-La-Land listening to Lame Joke Dude. Miss Thing didn't even realize what was happening with the little boy, even though every op in the station was surrounding one train. The Ride: Fun. Twirly. Once you come off the lift and your vehicle starts spinning, there's a real sense of surprise. While standing in line, you forget that if the track is curved and train is facing the ground during a turn that you'll be facing the ground. It's a weird and exhilarating experience. Reminds me a little of X at Magic Mountain in the fact that you become so disoriented that you don't even know what's happening. The helix rocked! We were through the whole thing! Wicked! The S-curse from the helix was very, very cool. A fun ride. My advice to Knotts: Institute new loading procedures. First, make it a policy that Lame Joke Dude (or Dudette) should not 'perform' during loading and unloading. Loading a train is a serious business, in my opnion, and shouldn't be taken lightly. These people are responsible for keeping guests safe. As adults, we can take care of ourselves, but kids cannot. No more joking. Jokes and dialogue should only be used when the train is moving through the course. Second, after the belts are checked, then Lame Joke Dude should call for 'hands up.' Everyone in the train should raise their hands in the air and the ops then come by and push down the lapbars. This would keep small children from having body parts lodged between the bar and the car. A bad design, IMO. Anyway. Fun ride. Nice queue. A good addition.

Me, too! What an awesome, awesome trip report. Favorite pic (or saddest, depending on how you look at it): Picture of Horizons postcard covering Mission: Space. A thing of beauty.

Thanks for all the info! Definitely will stop by this weekend to either ride (if open) or just stare

Geez! Those people have the pedigree of plastic flamingos. (Someone must have taped it. Think it'll end up youtube? )

^ Mine does! Don't know what's wrong with yours.

Truer words were never spoken. One year there's a chain jerk and one year there's not? Hmmm...extra lifthill lube perhaps? Lifthill Lube. There's gotta be a market for that somewhere.

That was funny right there. Thanks for the pics...all three million of them.

Baby prairie dog! CUTEST THING EVAR! Does it get a TPR stamp of approval? Thanks for the pics. It's a park I'd love to get to someday.

Is this thing supposed to have a vertical transfer track/station? This picture from Westcoaster leads me to believe so. Maybe it was announced and I missed it. Anyone know the details?

^Thanks for the great info! You rock! I think ginzo was confusing Dubai with his

Anyone notice that in the bigger, more detailed model for Universal that the coaster train has lights running along the side? Maybe they'll get the same vehicles as Hollywood Dream: The Ride!

Wow! It's one small part of a bigger complex of parks! Neato! Thanks for the pics.

Thanks for the bigger images! Now that I can see it a little better, it does sorta look like the same layout as Hulk (with the cobra over the water), but that model is a disaster when it comes to coaster accuracy! (Not that I'm complaining--more coasters in the world is a good thing!)

If it is an Intamin Accelerator, what 'Universal' theme might it get?

Screamscape has a link to small photos of the model. From the looks of it, they may be putting in an Intamin Accelerator. Looks like a coaster train going over a top hat. But then again, it's just a model (and the pictures are small. Universal has seemed to favor B&M with their coaster installations. Guess time will tell... EDIT: Added link.

Went to Knott's at lunch today. All the track has been installed! (Don't know if the actual track in the station is in, but the main coaster is done.) It's WAY curvy! I like. (Sorry, no pics.)

That's really cool! Thanks for being so involved with the fanatics...uh...fans, I mean. Is the money going to charity? Or towards your next coaster? If it's for charity, I gave at the office. If it's for a new coaster, I'm SOOOOO bidding!

I spent my teen years at Great America and my adult years at Knott's Berry Farm. I'm going to have to go with Knott's winning--if I had to choose to visit one over the other. I enjoy the Old West theming/Mine Train/Log ride as well as their new coasters (but not Ghostrider--I'd rather go on the Grizzly, believe it or not. Oh yeah, and I like Silver Bullet more than Top Gun, but I'm not all that into super intense rides. I like mine a little more floaty.) But the ultimate decider is Great America's removal of The Whizzer. From that point on, the park was dead to me.

Some very cool shots! Thanks for the photos. What a surprise to find the park operating so well that you decided to stay (and probably spend a little more cash). Hmmm...that makes for a good business model, don't you think? Good operations + More time in the park = More profit. Well, now, that's just crazy talk.

This is the best news to come out of Epcot since Norway. And when was that 1988? Sounds like they are staying true to the message on Epcot's dedication plaque rather than introducing another character overlay. I'm seriously shocked about this. I fully expected to see them add Aladdin's Genie to every scene in various disguises narrating the history of communication. "Oh look," the Genie might say, "the cavemen are painting on the walls. Stay in the lines! Stay in the lines!"

Same thing happens at DCA's High School Musical. Also, there was some streamers at the finale of the Princess/Prince show in the Fantasyland theater at DL. No confetti at the Jedi Training Academy. Good call on that one. Seeing Darth Vader in a light dusting of confetti would be like seeing Santa Claus in drag.

Thanks for all the great photos! I seriously love this park. It's the perfect park for the WHOLE family (besides DL, of course). There's literally something for everyone to do, no matter what your age. Plenty of thrills but also plenty of opportunity to do things together. I wish more parks had the same feel as this one. I'd never take my mom or my four-year-old niece to Magic Mountain. But I certainly would take SFDK. Thanks again.