ajfelice

The more I read into this new addition, the more I'm excited. Knoebels is the king of small park quirkiness, and we should never expect them to do the expected such as relocating an older ride or rebuilding what was once an extinct coaster. How cool is it that we can ride awesome traditional rides with some modern thrills mixed in as well? This place is literally my home park away from home. You just can't help but smile when at Knoebels!

^^I am at a loss for words on that post. Getting us back on track... I had a lady and her daughter walk up to me while operating our kiddie coaster, Ravine Flyer 3, and ask "This ain't one of them rides that goes through loops?" Putting things in perspective, you literally walk under this tiny layout to make it to me operating the coaster. Photo courtesy of karenandjay.com

I was about to say, since when is something like this a big deal? The going policy for Six Flags and a plethora of other parks and companies has been that you can only get 99 cent refills (or whatever they charge) on current season cups. I know fountain pop is absolutely dirt cheap, but from seeing how mass amounts of guests suck down what seems to be three or more a day, it makes business sense to restrict 99 cent refills to the season the cup was purchased. If you think the price is too high, just think of it as parks doing their part to restrict overconsumption of unhealthy beverages and obesity (sarcasm alert).

Why would a Pretzel Loop not count as an inversion? Yeah you are right. Just an unsure brain-fart moment on my part.

If pretzel loops count, they have my vote. If not, nothing beats a really good zero-g roll. I really couldn't tell you what makes them so great except for the fact they just feel good. My favorite zero-g roll actually comes on a somewhat mediocre coaster overall for me, Kennywood's Sky Rocket.

PTC trains on the Gravity Group coasters articulate. The difference is that PTC trains articulate on the front axle of each car only. The newer articulating PTC trains, while not as perfect as some other newer designs, are much less abusive to the track than the trailer cars of the past. Also, for comparison's sake, Millennium Flyers are very close to PTCs in terms of weight.

(Superman:) Ride of Steel does have some giant helices, so I understand your criticism on that. However, look to Darien Lake's Ride of Steel for a good explanation why there is a lengthy straight section. That straight section is right over a pond, so you do get a neat feeling of increased speed and a cool breeze as you pass closely over the water. In terms of the clone at SFA, yes that straight section is pretty pointless as the setting is a plain grassy field. Everyone has their opinion, but I'm just offering some context of probably why the straight section is there instead of just blindly criticizing Six Flags which is, in many cases, the cool thing to do around here.

Working maintenance for any park on any ride is an ongoing cycle of rebuild, disassemble, and rebuild again. Flat rides and roller coasters are not set a set it and forget it kind of deal. Maintenance workers are well aware of this cycle, and understand what it takes to keep rides running safely. I'm sure with a coaster as expansive as The Voyage that carpenters and maintenance staff are more than occupied working on different areas of the coaster that need attention, and I'm sure they almost all enjoy what they do. There is about a five year window most new wooden coasters have after construction, outside that window regular re-tracking and adjustments become much more common as the years progress. Simply put, wood coaster track work is a fact of life.

What I have noticed through reading official ride manuals from the manufacturers of old rides from the 1950s until new ones just installed in 2013, is that the older you go the more the minimum height requirement varies for the same ride in different parks. The reason being this is that for many older rides there is no manufacturer minimum or any suggestion at all. In other words, the decision on minimum height for many old rides is up to the park, state inspectors, and insurance companies. It's not until the past 25 years or so of rides that the manufacturers had more strict requirements in the books that parks were required to follow by law. Branching out from what I have read, I base my argument that many of the older rides and coasters from the 60s and 70s were in many cases set independently so there is more variance across the industry. Some crazy high restrictions I have seen are 48" for a mine train at CP (yes, I talked about this earlier today), and 60" for Darien Lake's UFO. Both of those seemed way off for their respective ride categories across the industry. I initially dropped my jaw when Waldameer announced a 52" minimum requirement for our new Music Express, until I realized that the manufacturer requirement by the book for that ride program is in fact 52". Since we intended to operate it as an extreme thrill, and it did very well with that for its opening year, we are keeping that ride program for the time being.

Darien Lake Discussion Thread has not only hit rock bottom, but it is digging down into the depths of that fiery place that bad people go to when they die. Personally, this was a great move on Darien Lake's part. Families will love this new show that you can't find in other parks. Heck, I might even give it a shot and I never go to park shows. Even better, they are drawing attention to a part of the park we all thought was forgotten. With HFE at the helm, Darien Lake finally seems to be "getting it." Hopefully the weather holds and Darien Lake has a great 2014 season. P.S. Totally called it that Darien Lake plans on two train operations on the applicable coasters this year. You never underestimate an excellent guest service company like HFE.

Quite honestly, I was worried Pipe Scream was going to be smacked with a 48" height requirement. 42" with a responsible person is pretty fair. Did some quick research and found that 42" is something most kids are hitting as low as four years old, and most of them by five, so that's very family friendly. 36" is downright tiny which makes Lake Erie Eagles extremely family friendly. So far, everything looks great for the new Gemini Midway. I still believe that CP is sitting on potentially a very family friendly ride with Cedar Creek Mine Ride. 48" for a mine train is pretty hefty. I have seen much lower across the industry for mine trains. Imagine if it dropped to a more common 42" and 48" with an adult, or even 44" like Adventure Express at Kings Island used to be? Instead, we have a tame ride asking a minimum height of most adult wooden coasters which is excluding the market that eats those kinds of coasters up. If only there was a way to fix this. I sympathize with the Ride Hosts on CCMR as they probably get berated more than usual on that ride.

I must say that seeing a picture of only the trains, and then seeing a picture of only the track and supports gives an initial impression of a mismatch. Let's wait and see the coaster in person when it's trains are completely assembled to judge whether or not Banshee is visually appealing. I'm always a fan of having a "highlight" in the color schemes of rides and roller coasters as it gives them a nice pop and the appearance of speed. Also, I wouldn't hold my breath on a test run very soon. Maybe if we can get some mild days up in the 40s in the next few weeks or so, like they are calling for, will we finally see some testing. Besides the weather, there is a whole mess of electrical systems and ride system that needs to be finished before we can think of moving trains. They have lots of time, no need to worry about missing deadlines yet.

For me, Kraken was a huge surprise. I expected a very good ride, but not a ride that would outdo Manta (still an amazing ride in its own regard) a few steps away. Each element featured great forces and taken at the perfect pacing. Even better, after a small break in the action on the MCBR Kraken continued on like it never missed a beat. Easily my favorite floorless, and probably in the top five coasters I have ridden with inversions.

My "kind" of coaster has something that makes it stand out in terms of ride experience. So to make a coaster one of my favorites it needs to stand out in one or many of the following: forces/intensity, extreme pacing, extreme/abundant air, and be something that doesn't beat the crap out of you. I do prefer an excellent wooden coaster to a great steel coaster, but in general I'm not very picky as long as I as I get off of it with that "Holy Crap! What just happened?" feeling. Of course we all have those laugh and giggle personal favorite coasters, but the extreme rush I get from the more intense coasters is what keeps me going as an enthusiast.

Not something you buy in a gift shop, but I love my foot pedal from Ravine Flyer II. Unfortunately I acquired it because it came loose during operation and got nicked up pretty badly as it got whipped around through the course. But hey, it's a piece of the coaster that started it all for me. When I say started it all, I mean back in the late 1990s when they started talking about building it.

Add The Legend at Holiday World to my pleasant surprise list. It's not a huge airtime machine, but the laterals and pacing make for a very intense ride. The helix towards the end was absolutely nuts to solidify an amazing ride. In terms of comfort, The Legend is just fine. I couldn't find any shaking, shuffling, or potholes. It does come in third in my personal rankings of HW's coasters, but when that third is out of three top ten woodies for me, that's pretty impressive. I might get some flack for this one, but an unpleasant surprise for me was Geauga Lake's Big Dipper. Perhaps it was in the "dog days" of it's final season? No matter what the circumstances were, it was a brutal ride. I'm pretty resistant to wood coaster roughness, but this one ended up more uncomfortable than pleasant. Maybe I could be telling a different story if I caught this one a few seasons earlier.

Good, I'm not the only one who thought that looked slightly inappropriate.

Let me begin by saying that as in enthusiast it's heartbreaking to see a small park wither away. No one wants to see a one of the few remaining Ed Vettel coasters go away. Even worse, it's a very good classic coaster. Not to forget to mention they have one of only two Tumble Bugs left, a classic Carousel, and the last Pretzel dark ride left. Sad to see a good chunk of history on the brink of death. Putting the nostalgic values aside, Conneaut Lake Park is a business. Yes, it's not your typical amusement park business as it operates as a Trust, but it's a business nonetheless. The fact is, Conneaut Lake Park is failing, and the historic value is not enough to save it. Simply put, there isn't enough cash flow or people riding rides, buying food, playing games, staying in the hotel, or using the campground. Does anyone else find it strange to think if they have been having such good seasons recently that there is no proposed plan to start paying off their debts? Why would the Attorney General's Office be coming after them if they were making sound, formal efforts to repay their debts? It appears to be that The Board of Trustees who leases Conneaut Lake Park is simply not showing the AG any indication that they are going to turn around and start paying back what they owe. As for attendance, there are things to consider about what Conneaut Lake Park has seen in terms of numbers. Pumpkin Fest and Ghost Lake have been bringing in great crowds since before this current Tax Sale issue came about. Even when the amusement park was closed from 2007-2008, those events did extremely well. Putting the focus on Ghost Lake, I thought this event was rolling them in the dough from experience and reports of such huge crowds. Unfortunately I can't find my source with the number, but the cut for that event from the operator, Mid America Events, is ridiculously small. As for the other flashes in the pan with big attendance days in the Summer, the park was offering $5 ride wristbands. In economics, it's called moving along the demand curve, not making an increase or a shift in demand. On a normal priced, decent weather, and standard summer day at Conneaut Lake Park, you really do not find much more than a trickle which is telling of the true popularity of the park. The enthusiast side doesn't want to see this place go down its current path, but my business side can't find true evidence of efforts or resources to pay back this mounting debt.

There is one coaster I'm sad about only being able to take two rides on it. That coaster would be Geauga Lake's The Villain. Yes, it was not perfectly smooth, but it was a few touch ups away from being an excellent wooden coaster. Great double out and back layout with great intensity, good pacing, and some good airtime. Overall, The Villain was a great combination of a traditional layout with some modern wood coaster elements for it's time period.

I always thought SFGAm's Shockwave had a layout that appeared like my first Roller Coaster Tycoon major custom coaster at the age of 10. SFGAdv's Great American Scream Machine was comparable.

Recently I posted a Winter Photo Update of Waldameer, but the Ravine Flyer II pictures were during a thaw. Well since I was feeling in need of some exercise, I thought I would trudge through almost two feet deep snow in the midway, almost fall through the transfer track (snow hides some of the gaps), and make my way up for a real frozen and snowy lift walk. A rare frozen shot of this famous lift hill view. After almost slipping through the transfer track section. I honestly had second thoughts. Doesn't appear so here, but I wasn't about to peer over much more as the steepness increases considerably with each step. The thermometer reads, 16 degrees, but Ravine Flyer II still reads, 90 DEGREEEES! Reverse Lift Hill Porn!

My view on E-Stops is that they should be "safely located in a convenient place." Top righthand corner is always a good spot because most of us are right handed, it's and easy motion to make quickly, your body doesn't usually get near it too often in normal operations, and the top corner is an easy place to spot it. I do like how I saw on some control panels that the E-Stop has a small guard that goes across the diameter of the button which limits accidently pressing. I also noticed on my time at Gatekeeper that the E-stop buttons at the back of the station had a metal guard around the perimeter of the button which only allowed the button to be pressed intentionally which I thought was nifty. You might say that limiting the potential for an emergency button to be pressed could be dangerous, but when you take into account the typical amount of fumbling and constant activity that goes on behind a control panel, you need some protection against operators accidents that can put a ride down for a long time. However, I never condone parks who place plastic flip covers over E-stops because that gives an operator the impression you should never press it at all. A park should never punish an employee for hitting an E-stop if they felt that it was their only option in a perceived emergency. If they did make an error and could have performed another function such as ride stop or lift stop, I will go forward and demonstrate the proper action to be taken the next time such a situation occurs. Of course, constant gaps in knowing the right course of action in a situation would not be treated the same way.

I respect everything Arrow has given us. They were one of the innovators of tubular steel track, and a key contributor to the evolution of multi-looping coasters. Heck, they practically dominated the steel looping coaster industry from the late 70s to very early 90s. Poor business decisions aside, Arrow is a huge contributor to what our coasters are today. If a park proved they could create a better ride experience that ultimately improves their bottom line by converting an Arrow coaster to B&M or even rebuilding an old Arrow layout with B&M technology, I'd give them my support as this is not disrespectful to history but a good business decision. However, this is a very unlikely hypothetical scenario. A disrespectful thing to Arrow would be a park removing an older Arrow and making a statement like, "It was a cheap piece of crap from the start" when in fact that coaster was state-of-the-art in the 1980s in which few better options existed. You can argue Anton did a better job designing coasters in the same time period, but the numbers do not lie with multi-loopers in the USA. It can also be argued that Arrow with Magnum helped prove that a non-looping hypercoaster can be a signature ride in a time when looping coasters were the steel coaster of choice. There is no denying that Arrow was a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

Comet at Waldameer Park. Surprisingly, it is oftentimes more challenging to learn this one compared to Steel Dragon or Ravine Flyer II. The confusing part is how the load and unload train positioning buttons and lap bar switches are placed. New operators commonly try to use the unload switches and buttons for the load section, because the loading section of the station is to the left of the control booth and vice versa. As confusing at it initially can be, the designer of the ride system said it was decided to be set up that way because humans read and process left to right. Which means the station process starts by bringing the train into the station then unloading it, then move right to the next task of loading the train with new riders and dispatching it. I do not know which way of thinking is better as either way its been pounded into my head to operate the coaster as it's currently set up to.

1. Rain Rain just puts a damper on everything. Parks seem to be getting more overly sensitive to it, and getting soaked is never fun. Bringing rain gear when rain chances are decent helps, but I have yet to find something comfortable that can prevent wet socks. Sorry, those toed shoes not requiring socks aren't for me. I can handle small showers, but when large parks near my like Cedar Point think a drizzle is a heavy storm, you find yourself bored with hardly any rides available. Lastly, I have a hard time stranding myself in an packed eatery or small gift shop for more than fifteen minutes with a bunch of other gross, wet, smelly people, so getting wet is not something that's easily avoidable. 2. Unexpected Crowds Hasn't happened to me in awhile as I have learned some of the not so obvious factors that can unexpectedly bump attendance higher than average. You have the perfect day at the park planned thinking wait times will never be too excessive, and BAM, the crowds never seem to level out. Even if the park isn't Saturday packed, you find yourself annoyed when expected minimum waits are much longer than anticipated. Line skipping options are always nice, but not when you go into a park expecting to fork over a certain amount of money based on a budget that is also paying for school and such.