palmerleeberry

From Coaster Cow in a recent post - If they do that, then I'll bring the hot dogs and s'mores!!! I better go; I'm getting hungry!

Queing Lines are very important to any amusement park although we don't think much about them. If the parks didn't have them, then there will be so much chaos and congestion with all the riders standing outside that ride blocking anyone and everyone trying to walk pass by. Having queing lines keep the ongoing riders in order and not blocking the main pathways. But there are some rides in certain park that I felt has "over did it" when it came to setting up the queing line for a particular ride. They can be long straight aways forcing you to walk a long distance before setting foot inside the ride station, or a set of adjustable lines ( in which I call blocks ) that hardly ever get used. Take Kings Dominion ( my home park ) for example. In order to board The Hurler, you must walk a long straight away in order to get to the station. I have counted how many paces it takes and I've come to 254 steps! For the blocks category, I must mention The Crypt ride. That ride has two sets of blocks that I don't think has ever been used. But an arguement can be made: when these rides first opened up, you needed those extra queing lines because it's a new ride and a new ride will attract a ton of riders during its first year of operation. Plus what about on certain days when the park is filled to near capacity and you have tons of riders lining up: you'll be so glad to have those extra lines to open up. So to all you riders and amusement park flyers out there - what are your thoughts about this topic? Which rides in certain parks you feel has too much queing line, or you could turn it around and list the rides at certain parks that don't have enough queing lines?

One year, at Kings Dominion, I was next in line to ride one of the enclosed tube rides ( I cannot remember which one it was ) when a man went before I did. Now, inside those enclose tubes, anything you scream out will echo back up to the entrance point. The way this man talked before boarding the slide may me think that he had a bass voice, but when he began screaming, he went high soprano! "That's what I call 'another satisfied customer'!" 35 YEARS OF GOING TO kINGS dOMINION - AND COUNTING!!!

^ While we're on the subject about the restraints on Superman, Methinks the park should tear out those old restraints and put in the type of restraints that can be found on King's Dominion's Intimidator 305, and if they should ever do that, I'll shall be one happy rider. "What else you want: a blizzard where I am? Methinks that would be much easier than what you want Six Flags America to do with Superman, but that's just my opinion." As for the new coat of paint and new color scheme, that ride surely does look like a Batman ride ( I mean, Batman's costume is black with some yellow - purple is more Joker's color). "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride!!!"

"Holy Moly!!! When I saw that first roller coaster at first glance, it look like some riders were being flung off the train. Then after a few more seconds, I realized that those weren't riders, but decorations." I don't think I ever saw any other coaster that featured those sort of decoration, but it did remind me of the Pirate Ride at Kennywood that featured a pirate hanging on some rope as part of the scenery. "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride"

^I must agree with that statement; there are several new rides added to Kings Dominion that even I ( a six-foot tall, 250 pound rider) can get on and ride. Although my two favorite flat rides in Kings Dominion are the Scrambler and the Triple Spin, I might want to add a third one that is called Snoopy's Moon Buggies ( I must confess; that is a fun, little ride!). As for the Shockwave, the restraints on that coaster must have been inspired by a Medievel Torture Device. I was able to ride it, but dog-gone-it if those tight restraints try to crush my chest. I think I'll stick to the other coasters, like the Rebel Yell, the Grizzly, The Avalanche, and Intimidator 305. One more note about the Avalanche and the text shall be bold, in caps, and in silver: THE AVALANCHE IS 25 YEARS OLD! I STILL LOVE THIS COASTER!! RIDE ON!!! The Fast Lane is good to get on the Volcano, Dodge 'Em, Avalanche, and the Windseeker ( When Oh when will that Windseeker seek wind/ It's been grounded for too long for me . . .), but it sure wasn't needed to ride the Wave Swinger on Saturday. While I rode the Wave Swinger, I noticed that the paint was beginning to peel, causing me to wonder if this old ride is on its final season. The park has a total of four swinging rides - if they could ever get Windseeker running again ( If only that Windseeker could be flying once more/ a happier rider I'll be!), so I wonder if the park will decide to take out Wave Swinger and put in another flat ride that can fit perfectly in that spot? Again, this is just speculation on my part. Those photos of the overview of Kings Dominion are beautiful, proving once again what amazing sights await for those that ride the elevator up the Eiffle Tower so they can view Kings Dominion below them. "35 YEARS OF VISITING kINGS dOMINION - AND GROWING!!!

I'm sorry to be so bias, but my vote is on - - - [DRUM ROLL PLEASE] KINGS DOMINION And if it isn't popular with having some one-of-kind coasters, one of two giga coasters in the USA, four swing rides ( Windseeker, Flying Ace, Wave Swinger, and Charlie Brown's Windup), and the best atmosphere you'll ever find in a park, then somebody better make sure that it is! "35 YEARS OF VISITING kINGS dOMINION. . . AND GROWING!!!"

If the designers and engineers can dream it, then it can become a reality. 'NUFF SAID

"Palmerleeberry, did you forget that Cedar Point already have a mine train ride or have you become a bubblehead!!! Me so embarrassed. Okay, I shall refute my previous post and just state that Fast Lane should go to Kings Dominion, and then go to my bed and weep bitterly to my pillow and wonder how I could have done a stupid blunder like that until I feel better.

All I can say that with the new addition of Gatekeeper that it should reduce the time I have to wait to ride the other coasters in Cedar Point because everybody is going to be in line to ride Gatekeeper ( Of course, that is the theory, but I do remember when Top Thrill Dragster opened up I thought the line to the Millennium Force would lighten up, but it didn't). I rode X-flight in Six Flags Great America and thought the ride was exciting and real smooth, so I'm sure that Gatekeeper will top that ( it already tops X-flight by have two keyhole inversions) and keep Cedar Point as America's Roller Coast!!! RIDE ON!!!

Oh Boy, I get to first again - someone pass around the champagne!!! After seeing this picture, I decided to go to http://www.rcdb.com and check out what the site has about this coaster and all I can say is "Whoa Mama!" That has to be the coolest-looking coaster I have ever seen in a long while and I bet it'll be a thrill to ride ( if only I can make it Denmark ). So I might never get to ride a coaster like this, but I do know of other coasters (located in the USA ) that has the long train and even longer tracks: Pepsi Streak in Mall America, Jaguar in Knotts Berry Farm, and Catwoman Whips in Six Flags New England. Does anyone know any more coasters like that? "Remember, before you go have a long day of riding rides it is essential to get a good night's sleep first!"

Good Question: When will the evolution of the rollercoasters end? My Answer: When these designers and engineers stop dreaming up new concepts. It's interesting to note that back in the early days, there was only one type of roller coaster - A sitdown woodie that had dips and was an out-and-back. Today, we got so many different types of coasters and many ways a rider would ride that coaster it'll make your head spin. And there are two new concepts this season: a B&M Wing coaster ( such as Six Flags Great America's X-Flight and Cedar Point's Gatekeeper ) and an I-beam woodie ( such as Silver Dollar City's Outlaw Run and Six Flags Fiesta Texas Iron Rattler ) - these concepts weren't even thought up until a few years ago. And the Full Throt-tle Coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain ( which we like to call the YOLO coaster ) has an interesting concept that has never been thought up or even imagined before: a backwards launch in the middle of the ride. I bet that riders and amusement park flyers back in the sixties couldn't imagine that there will coasters in the future that will have loops in them, or have coasters would be launched instead of a lift hill, or even have a coaster with the first drop at 300 feet. So I cannot imagine what will the roller coasters designers and engineers come up with next, but I do hope that they do not stop dreaming, because once the dreaming stops, then the ever-evolving roller coasters would too stop, and that would be so sad. NOTE: I finally found out that YOLO stands for You Only Live Once. They were selling T-shirts like that at Kings Dominion. With that knowledge in hand, I'll be able to sleep better at night.

( This is just fancy dreaming; this is just for fun ) If they do decide to auction off those rides and Cedar Fair is the one that bought all the coasters, then here is where I think those coasters should go to ( I'm using the old names here back when it was Hard Rock Park). Led Zeppelin should go to Kings Island and be the worthy replacement to Son of Beast. The Fast Lane should go to either Kings Dominion in the Old Virginia Section or to Cedar Point so their Frontier Section can have a mine train ride. RPM should go to Carowinds. Shake, Rattle, and Roll can go to either Worlds of Fun or Valleyfair, be renamed "Woodstock Express" and be part of their Planet Snoopy area. And Slippery When Wet can go to any of Cedar Fair's water park. Oh well, that was a fancy dream anyway. "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride!!!"

Okay, let's hope that this gets through because when I tried to send this on Monday, the net messed up and send it into untraceable limbo . . . I finally took my friend to Kings Dominion on Saturday where it was sunny and warm unless you rode a fast coaster causing you to freeze your off. We managed to ride all the coasters except Stunt coaster which broke down by the time we were ready to ride it and we wanted to ride BOO BLASTERS but every time we were in line the lousy thing would break down (we were in line twice!!! ). But on the rides we did ride everything went well ( my friend even enjoyed the upcharge attraction Dinosaurs Alive! ). I want to say what a great improvement Kings Dominion did by renovating ole Kidzville and transforming it into PLANET SNOOPY!!! Before the transformation, there were only four attractions in this area that I could ride: Woodstock Express ( aka Scooby Doo and Ghoster Coaster ), Flying Ace ( aka Space Surfer), Treasure Cave, and Boo Blasters. Although Treasure Cave is gone, the ride count moves up as I can add Woodstock Express, Charlie Brown's Wind-up, Snoopy's Junction, Snoopy's Space Buggies, Linus Launcher, Lucy's Tugboat, and Snoopy's Rocket Express. However, I'm still bummed because I cannot ride Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie and must go on Dodge 'Em to get my bumper car fix. One thing I must say about Woodstock Express: what did they do to make that coaster go so fast? I'm not kidding on this one , folks - 35 years of going to Kings Dominion and I never have experienced that coaster going that fast before. I think they may need trim brakes on this one for the little kiddie's behalf. I'll be returning to the park at the end of this month ( for Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular ) or the week after that and try to catch the rides I missed during my visit to mark my 35th year visiting Kings Dominion!!!

"Way to go, kid, for bringing us more and more goodies on the construction of Planet Snoopy !!!" Three Cheers for Chase!!!

One dumb-down I hate on flat rides are the short ride cycles: some rides in some parks are way too short for me to get any type of thrill. I do know for a fact that these rides are controlled by a computer program that runs the ride according to its instructions, but they could surely reprogram those computer to ensure a much longer, more satisfying ride. Of course, that is my opinion. Does anyone feel like I do on certain types of flats? "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride!!!"

^ All right, I get to go first on these pictures!!! The roller skater coaster got to be the coolest-looking kiddie/family coaster with its train designs and there ought to be more coasters like that in the USA parks (Kentucky Kingdom used to have a Roller Skater before Six Flags turned tail and run, so I have no idea if that coaster is still there or if Six Flags took it with them). Any other parks in the USA that has a Roller Skater coaster? "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride!!!"

Boy oh boy oh boy . . . This is getting interesting, so maybe there will be a Kentucky Kingdom in season #2014. Neverless, any plans for me to visit that park ( if it should ever open, that is) will not be realized until a few years later when I decide to drive out west again, and by that time the park might be running well with a few new additions that I hope will blow the minds of all those riders and amusement park flyers out there. Mr. Hart, I've been BURNED ( ) before by promises of reopening defunct parks that fell way short to my satisfacation. Please be THE EXCEPTION!!! ( ) "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride"

I would place my vote for the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood because I love how they were able to build this coaster using mininum wood and taking advantage of the hills and natural terrain. Then I would like to add the Plitzer at Morey's Piers and how they were able to utilize all the dips, curves and turns in the least amount of space possible. It is just a plain shame there aren't more of these type of coasters out there. But as for the most recent and most awesome coaster with a layout that blows your mind class - I would have to say that honor would fall on Shivering Timbers. Just the look of that out and back coaster with a helix at the end just sends chills down your spine, especially when viewed up from above. "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride!!!" THIS IS MY 500th POST; PASS OUT THE CHAMPAGNE!!!

Well, it was a good thing that I got my final ride on Catapult when I visited the park last year. It is always so sad to see a ride go, but sometimes older ( not to mention the most troublesome) rides must be removed in order to put in newer and more exciting rides. Besides, last time I rode Catapult, that ride took so much out of me I had to take several safety breaks before I was able to go back riding again. So long, Catapult, as you head up to that great boneyard in the sky! "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride!!!"

I placed my vote for Gatekeeper at Cedar Point ( and not because I have a platinum season pass and planning for me and my friend to go there on our vacation this summer), but because I got to ride X-Flight at Six Flags Great America and that coaster was one great ride! However, me and my friend are saving our pennies for a trip to California next year, in which we do plan to visit Magic Mountian for two days ( knowing how crowded that park get, two days may be enough to cover everything) and get our opportunity to ride YOLOcoaster. Mewonders if this coaster will provoke the same reaction years ago when I rode Kingsta Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure and had to stop for a soda and couldn't stop laughing; not to mention willing to spend two and half hours in line later that night to ride Kingsta Ka again? Would any of these coasters be that great for the other parks to either BEAT IT or EAT IT? Kings Dominion - 35 years of visiting that park and still growing!!!

I believe I should not vote on which coaster (Outlaw Run or Iron Rattler) is the best due to the fact that it may be years before I get to ride any of them, and by that time Kings Dominion may decide to get their very own Ironside coaster ( or remake the Grizzler or Hurler, you can never can tell). But methinks that should these two coasters prove themselves as thrilling, exciting, and the next best thing to hit the parks since "wetter is better" water rides, then methinks that all the parks may want one. Kings Dominion - 35 years of visiting that park and growing!!!

From Kings Dominion I miss The Lost World, The Galaxi, and Hypersonic XLC. From Busch Gardens I miss the Big Bad Wolf. From Kennywood I miss Noah's Ark and how it ran during my first visit in 1994. And from Six Flags America I miss how much a great park it use to be. KIngs Dominion - 35 years of visiting that park and growing!!!

Hey Ya!!! Once again I've been catching up on the latest and greatest happenings around my main park of KINGS DOMINION ---ride on!--- and I'm getting more excited each day we approach closer to opening day. Let's see what we got : Planet Snoopy check!!! THE INTIMIDATOR 305 check!!! Brand new shows including "All Wheels Sports" and "On Broadway" check!!! THE DOMINATOR check!!! The Shenadoah Log Company ( hey, it's my favorite log flume ride) check!!! Waterworks check!!! Windseeker ( if they could finally fix the problem so we can all ride like the wind with no fear of a malfunction) check!!! The Scrambler and Triple Play ( my two favorite flat rides) check!!! Cedar Fair Platinum Pass double check!!! All I need now is great, sunny weather on opening day so me and my friend can be !!!

Upon reading the article that was posted on SFFT, I only have one complaint: "Those bubbleheads! How could they have forgotten to mention the Hustler? C'mon, riders and amusement park flyers, that has to be one of the best rides in the park. And no mention of the Log Flume that is themed after a Bugs Bunny cartoon in which he goes on a quest to find the singing sword? How many log flume rides would have a theme like that? How dare they slight those rides?" DISCLAIMER - This is only a joke. I have no problems with their article because they can't list every ride, I mean, if they did we'll be reading all day. This was only a joke. "I'm not perfect; I just love to ride."