mark549

Vortex could use recycling at a scrap yard. I've now been on all 7 B&M stand ups, it's by far the worst, although iron wolf / apocalypse is almost as bad. Riddler's is sometimes very good (and sometimes not). Georgia scorcher, their last, is excellent. Vortex's corkscrew is my least favorite part of the ride, it always feels like they got the math wrong. My niece had her first ride on it earlier this spring. I warned her it wasn't a good ride, but we tried all the coasters (she loved Flight Deck). Her response at the end of Vortex: "ouch"

Is there any actual evidence that Roar is being considered for a RMC upgrade? I'd certainly be in favor of it, although I agree that SFDK needs a mid level coaster to balance Medusa, V2 and Superman for kids not ready for the bigger rides. If RMC'ed, Roar would be the shortest of their rides in terms of height (unless the lift were made steeper) and the first conversion of a coaster built by a company still in business.

Stupidity is a renewable resource, unfortunately.

Could also be Le Monstre in Montreal. But my totally uninformed guess is Iron Boss, it seems to "fit" the RMC style the most. I don't see SFDK getting another coaster for some time.

There are lots of parking lot solar power systems. The fairgrounds in Sacramento, CA has one. It keeps the cars cool on hot days. I've used solar PV most of my adult life. A giant clearcut for solar panels is ridiculous. I'd like to see Six Flags (and Cedar Fair) install on the roofs of their buildings and to cover queues, but that would take more careful planning and installation than just mowing down forest. One nice aspect for a Six Flags solar array is the time of year when the panels are not productive the park is closed and their electric use is smaller. PS: Disney is adding a solar array, too http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-solar-20150527-story.html Duke Energy building solar facility at Disney World ... The solar farm will occupy about 20 acres near World Drive and Epcot Center Drive. Construction is expected to begin mid-summer and the facility should be in service by year's end. The power plant's 48,000 solar panels will be arranged in the shape of — what else? — a Mickey Mouse head.

Beast at night is nice but it still doesn't have any airtime. I liked Diamondback at night much more. Their drop tower and Delirium may be clones, but they're very, very good clones. Delirium is better than most coasters. Kings Island definitely has a much better coaster line up than Carowinds, but I haven't been to Carowinds for a few years (so I haven't been on Fury). I did like Afterburn more than Banshee, and Intimidator 232 is my least favorite of the six B&M hypers in the US - it's fun but could have been better.

duplicate - delete

My favorite is watching people text while bicycling and skateboarding. Good candidate for a Darwin Award.

Number one! A small question: have you been on other RMCs or the best Intamins to make this comparison? I am looking forward to see if I like TC more than El Toro.

Nice to hear that it's even better (or at least equal) in its second half (unlike Riddler, Goliath, Apocalypse and Scream, to name a few). The timing issues would be a challenge for any park. Last month, in a visit to Great America, they had five minute dispatches for Grizzly. (Not something I wanted to ride, but my niece and nephew wanted to, and it's a decent kiddie coaster.) At least variable speed on the green lift makes it possible to line up the dueling if the train isn't in the station too long. I bet the TC line will be well over an hour, possibly multiple hours, this weekend, even if their dispatches are as fast as possible and everything is functioning perfectly. I hope SFMM is prepared for the crowd they're going to have.

I'm expecting more along the lines of best coaster in California... We will see soon! I'm hoping it will be on the best on the planet, it certainly will be one of the most unique. Perhaps "Top Ten" lists could be divided into RMC coasters and non-RMC coasters ... A question for the SFMM regulars: does anyone have a good guess how crowded the gold and season pass previews might be? It's tempting to travel south for this and not wait until West Coast Bash.

Nice video update. Look forward to riding Thunderbird. Voyage is my favorite "terrain" coaster and favorite "forest coaster." A technical question: the new video shows boards in the middle of the track, running parallel to the rails. This looks new from last year and definitely new from a few years ago. Is this to strengthen the track, make it easier for maintenance workers to stand in between the rails to check them, both, neither?

each side has 9, not counting little bumps before first lift Blue: first drop bunny hop big hill top (before high five) drop after high five bunny hop big hill under stall double up double up outward bank Green: first drop bunny hop big hill double down double down small hill after stall double up double up hill into brakes edit: I'm hoping the high five and the zero G also have some weird air time, too.

Superman at SFDK has ejector airtime going up and going down, perhaps a little stronger than Xcelerator (and certainly a stranger ride than Xcelerator). Is there another coaster anywhere (not just in California) that has more than 18 airtime moments? If not, that's a record SFMM could promote for Twisted Colossus.

credit #234 - Gold Striker, a few days ago It had better pacing than Apocalypse SFMM but I liked Apocalypse more, especially its first drop. Still like Gravity Group more than GCI and looking forward to Twisted Colossus. Flight Deck is still the best at CA Great America, one of B&M's best.

It's OK, but Tennessee Tornado at Dollywood is probably the smoothest Arrow. Too bad they went bankrupt (thanks, X!) just as they figured out how to make a big loop.

It is a shame that California is not better prepared for this drought. With our planet covered in 2/3 water there is no excuse for this. We should be investing in Desalination Plants not a silly hi-speed train through the Central Valley. Blame environmentalists and the liberals in California for that. They don't want Desalination Plants because they say they're "too loud" or "too ugly" or have dozens of other reasons that are stupid. How is any of that going to matter when we're out of fresh water?! At this point there's no other solution unless we intend on being dependent on other states until we get a couple feet of rain. From what I have read there have been several attempts to put a Desalination Plant in the starting phases near Southern California for years now, but they always get held back, and now even if they started, it might be too late by the time they're done. Gotta say, I'm all for one! Desalinization is very expensive and energy intensive. It will probably work for rich coastal communities (Santa Barbara) but the scale of the drought in California is not possible to meet with desalinization, especially for food growing in the central valley. It's physics, not politics. Sorry. And southern California has been dependent on taking water from other states for many decades and probably will remain so as long as LA has as many people as it does. It wouldn't surprise me to see water rides get restricted or closed this summer, there's very little snowpack this year. I saw Mt Shasta a few days ago and while it had some snow on it you could also see rock near the summit. Shasta Lake was very low at a time of year it should be full. I've enjoyed Magic Mountain most when it's drizzly in the winter, not too cold, not crowded and the air is at its cleanest. Looking forward to Twisted Colossus, it will be my first RMC (excluding topper track on Tremors, and technically RMC also helped build El Toro, my #1 coaster I've ridden). Thanks to everyone taking all of the pictures.

If they really want a scary exhibit in the queue line, they could post updates on the levels of California reservoirs this summer. Cryptozoology can't compare.

I hope they put accelerometers on Tem Pesto. BGW is the only place I've seen them installed on coasters (the three Beemers all have them) and it's amusing to watch during the ride. Tem Pesto's prototype in California has strong airtime going up and coming down the vertical spikes, so this model is likely to have even stronger airtime due to the longer train. Twice the ride of Apollo in half the time.

I have a Cedar Point glasses strap (it says "CP" on it) and it kept my sunglasses secure to my face on Kingda Ka. Not sure I'd want to ride that without some sort of shield for my eyeballs (I have clear glasses, not prescription, for night or sunset riding something super fast).

THREE outside banked hills! Don't forget the low hill after the big overbank.

FrankenCoaster: The Ride

It is slightly more than 90.

I look forward to the debates about whether green side or blue side is better. Green looks like it will be snappier.

Solar powered (partly) Six Flags is long overdue, but I question the design of their system. Cutting a forest for a single large array isn't the way to do this. The fairgrounds in Sacramento, Ca. has a large solar array over part of the parking lot. It serves two functions: it makes electricity and shades the cars, keeping them cooler. I'd love to see at least some of the solar panels used as shades for the queues, at least where that would be appropriate. Rooftop solar is the most efficient for space and transmission of power, although Six Flags probably just wants to put in a large system and not have to do any electrical work in the park itself. A hybrid solar / wind system would probably work best for them, they have some open areas and being close to the ocean they probably get decent wind at times. I've used solar panels (directly) for more than two decades, they provide most of my home power in the summer. El Toro is my favorite coaster I've been on (233 credits is my count, I think).