bill_s
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Posts posted by bill_s
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Social distancing without enforcement/grouping depends on crowds. 1000 person limit BGW was very nice with little enforcement, maybe partially due to being mostly BGW-going adults not just the packing; good w/ current rule. At Great Adventure I was passed in line by a couple of kids due to not walking fast and tight enough before even getting to the temperature check tent. SFA was 2nd best due to crowd control measures and moderate crowds. KD was safe but annoying.
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6 hours ago, jedimaster1227 said:
I can bet you that 95% of the guests that ride this coaster will have no idea that the trains were replaced
Several comments here imply that no one here realizes the trains were already replaced by Premier in 2006 either. As to improvement, lapbars would help, even with comfort collars, but I wouldn't expect any other difference.
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Big Bad Wolf was a true example. Having the big lift halfway through the ride will really do it.
Wild One is good fun on the "out" but tries to hurt you good on the "back".
Runaway Mine Train at Gr Adv, due to a lackluster first half.
Other coasters try hard to have their second half keep up, but coasters go downhill.
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I get a survey only when I go to GrAdv, asking how was my visit to SFA on that date!
That said, I think SF is great chain, and went up a couple notches this year. Also their move in recent years towards surviving and not taking a lot of risks is vindicated.
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Ideal: Virginia parks proceed to kick ass and I feel no need to travel.
Optimistic: Lightning Rod and Steel Curtain, both first park visits.
Realistic: Pantheon, LR, November Days again at GrAdv.
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I think that once anyone who wants it can get a vaccine, that might be sufficient. That may mean a need to repeat vaccinations later though, since it will still be "around".
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As SFA was my home park for a while this year, I actually learned to ride Firebird and like it a lot. Didn't at first. Just rode it today, still decent. You can actually get a little hangtime in the loop in rows 4 and 5 -- not 6. Don't recall that on Bizarro. Ride left or center. There's still a bad headbang spot in the corkscrew, or if in the front, continuing some past it. Force your head hard against the seat for that and the hate goes away. I don't have the "be tall" option so can't vouch for it.
Good visit today, rode almost twice as much in half the time, on more coasters, as KD last Sunday. I combined the trip, still, this year has been hard on my car.
They're running every row on Roar now, maybe they took the queue barriers from Superman. Got to ride front, which is the most tolerable, and the rear car non-wheel seat which has been blocked this year.
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The one time I rode the GNE during the day, I found it sluggish and the roughness more noticeable. At night it was bonkers and, at the time, I didn't consider it rough for doing what it was doing and its speed. It always seemed faster than Mind Eraser at night maybe due to something with the temps, humidity and sea salt. Near misses were plenty visible and the feeling of coming to the top of the lift over the beach was unmatchable. However this was at least 20 years ago, when I was younger and more GP, B&Ms weren't everywhere, and they had just painted the ride orange after its original pink, still with the original trains and restraints.
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KIngs Dominion FoF runs 2 trains. The brake was intended to allow 3, but after they figured out that doesn't really work, later models didn't have it. However I think the brake is necessary for the coaster to run as originally designed, with the first half total insanity, a slowdown at the top accompanied by space sounds and atmosphere, the curves later not too intense, and a bit of hang in the final corkscrew. I used to far prefer it over JJinx, but have noticed while Jinx has a weaker launch, you do come out of your seat some going in and out of inversions, so while the end is still too fast, the slower first half has something going for it. Subjectively though, I find more variation in my impressions of either than the rides themselves are different.
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20 hours ago, BotanicalStig said:
This is an interesting topic. I don't have the answer, but -2 seems awfully painfull and I really don't know if that could be true.
I'd also like to know what counts as floater VS ejecter. I would say 0-1g would be floater and anything stronger than 0g is ejecter. But I really don't know. We could really use design specs from B&M, rmc and intamin, maybe their engineers are browsing TPR
There's a lot of air that's called ejector but is more like floater with bumps. You get launched fast out the seat and may hit the restraint hard but probably wouldn't come out of the car, just bounce around painfully. This is certainly impressive but not at the same level as maintaining a sustained negative G. Such elements have shorter bursts of airtime due to eating vertical momentum faster than gravity, or require higher positive G's to impart the necessary upwards momentum. The wheel and restraint systems must be able to handle all of this.
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There are people that have reported here using Apple watches to measure G's and about -2.1 G on Skyrush has been measured. I think restraint discomfort on that ride is more a factor of needing perfect restraints than the restraints are particularly bad.
A big advantage of ejector airtime with sustained negative G's is every row can have airtime, even if varies by row it's there. Getting perfect floater on every row is impossible on long trains. So while it doesn't seem desirable to push the envelope any further, ejector (or "lifter" may be more specific) air will become more common.
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That makes one less old coaster to RMC ...
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1 hour ago, coasterbill said:
It’s what now?
I don't understand what was unclear about either statement.
RMC could retrack every pothole with Topper and should due to warranty. But they can't Ibox every pothole only.
Topper track is currently called wood. That has it's own appeal, a matter of expectations and records, beyond how it may or may not ride.
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Coaster should still be on 5 year warranty. However, while RMC might have to do necessary retrack, Dollywood wants to avoid the problem soon recurring. That's probably kind of simple to calculate the extra cost of, except it can't switch between track types constantly, so who pays for the I-box bits between the parts that would be retracked?
The idea of Topper being able to be called wood is seductive. Maybe RMC originally hoped to move up gradually, but then I-Box took off.
Looking again at the cross sections, Topper is hybrid track. The use of a single steel box for both top and upstops emphasizes the steel. However it would relatively flexible without the wood, plus surely sounds a lot different. I-Box is wood-styled steel track, or flat running surfaced steel track, for hybrid or steel coasters.
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2 hours ago, qpb2004 said:
The thing is, my work knew I was planning on going, and if I went I would have to stay home for 2 weeks under their guidelines as well. Didn’t seem worth the risk.
It's a good event but a long trip and you have good parks in PA if they stay open. However, actual social distancing is better at BGW !
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The same thing happened 2 years ago, at least for the 2nd Nov. weekend. Had country bands though.
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If the question is purely academic, Europe and Japan are possible contenders. But if you're looking at making a trip in real life, certainly you will be able to do more here in the USA if that's what you're coming from (If you want to leave the whole US for later, obviously go somewhere else).
Fuji-Q has some of the most unique coasters, but a short list. Cedar Point has a wonderfully rich and large collection, and more truly great. It also has the crowds to match. Or, Holiday World has more great wood coasters than probably anywhere else. So many parks offer unique experiences. Right now I want to ride Intimidator 305 and TTimbers more than anything else.
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Did anyone else get a SF Membership email offering to pause their membership until "the park re-opens in the spring"? Not sure if it's a blanket email for all the closed parks (which I know are mostly seasonal) or a true indication that SFMM will be closed for several months more.
I got it and I'm a SFA passholder and it's OPEN. Don't ask me why.
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Riddler was 20 years old when it got the new trains, ME is now 25 years old. The GNE got new trains back in 2008 and that was $1.2M. It's also the park's top, signature attraction, in a wonderful location unsuitable for replacing it with something else. I think there's a limit to how old these can get before the cost of new trains/restraints is excessive.
Surprisingly, I think ME may run a little better now with the train shortened by one row.
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Rode Wildcat in back, always enjoyed that coaster and I still don't understand what the bitching is all about. Sure it's aggressive and throws you around, but not to the point where it becomes uncomfortable. It's the way a wooden coaster should be.
Finally someone else says it. Was running best of my 3 trips in 9 years. And no I don't think they'll ever RMC it.
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I agree also this place is amazing. However most of the flats look too intense/dizzying for me so it wouldn't keep me occupied real long. That was fine for swinging by at night on my way home from GrAdv but also there is a beach and lots else to do around there. I came into town around 8:30 and was actually chilly at first with my sunburn. Parking at a meter with some time left on it was $2.50 (card). I got the 50 tickets for $38 which got me 2 rides on the 2 larger coasters, Whirlwind and the Fun House. Lines for the big coasters were a bit long at what was probably the peak of the whole day, but got better by 10:00.
Gale Force is one of the most insane coasters I've ridden. I don't think it technically has any inversions. It concentrates on the beyond vertical into ejector air twists like the the beginning of a Skyrocket 2 in front row, except more intense and in several variations. The back row was borderline painful but just right as my last ride. The vest restraints are essential and look just like the 4D's but although the car looks awkward from the ground you feel like in a sports car sitting almost on the floor. The launches are interesting, the first 2 are very measured but the 3rd is full out to send you over, and then coming back through another of those sends you around again.
Wild Waves answers if you took the kiddy coaster track and took it to its limits. The cars are roomy though, 6 riders total per train. I hear front row is good, back row was, but middle was merely OK. It alternates with Gale Force as it wraps around it, you hear Gale launch as soon as you hit the brake run.
A negative compared to Morey's is I wan't really aware of being next to ocean while riding, with being behind a building and the boardwalk, a large illumination differential, plus the large elements on Gale all turning you around, in contrast to the GNE facing all its inversions oceanwards.
The Fun House was repetitive, but interesting, all about trying to make you fall down with the railings the only thing preventing skinned knees.
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^^-- as does Great Adventure. And don't throw away your reservation, if printed, if you want to leave the parking lot.
The end of hand stamps, perhaps the only COVID-related change I'd like to see permanent -- though slightly odd now, as I'd think they'd want to count how many leave and aren't coming back..
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I was there yesterday (Monday) and almost everyone wore masks in some way, although 5% improperly early in the day up to 20% by the end, and only improving very slightly in tight spaces. As to actual distancing, there was almost none.
If you arrive early, the entry sets the tone for the day. They have set up a gigantic queue maze to get into the temperature screening but if there is any distancing it is hard to tell as everyone is walking back and forth by each other over and over. If you slow down, some kids will probably pass you.
At Batman, the grouper was waiting until the row gates opened to let groups into the enclosed row queue room without waiting in there, but the stairway became one of the most claustrophobic spaces I've witnessed. Etc.
They have some inside places to get food but you have to go outside to eat it.
I made a mistake to not decide to get minimal Flash pass at first sign of issues. By later on it didn't seem that worth it, although probably because I don't know how much it helps. I was unwilling to wait long enough ride Ka after not proceeding to it before seeing it run. Instead I got the perhaps the best ride I've had this year, on Nitro, including the slight miracle of a single reride back row before the crowd hit. I had the luck to be next for front row on Toro and the luck for it then to go down. After that it was OK but didn't thin out at all going towards the early 7 PM closing.
Unlike my less crowded November trips, more animals were on display and Congo Rapids was open. Amazing but you will get wet from the waist down at least. Use lockers or plastic bags for stuff.
2 Batman
2 Nitro
2 Toro
2 Bizarro
1 Joker
2 Zum
1 Skyway
1 Congo Rapids
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1 OCNJ later
1 3:30 AM home
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SFA has become my temporary (hopefully) home park and it's a good park. Too bad about missing Wild One, I'm on the fence if it or Superman is the best ride there (after Renegade Rapids ).
Can't agree about Joker's Jinx vs. the far superior Flight of Fear though.
Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread
in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Posted
^^-- make it go first, decide when to open it later?