ajfelice

TPR doesn't suffer from "clicks" amongst its members like other coaster forum sites (not to use names). People respect opinions for the most part, and egos are kept to a minimum. We keep our maturity level in check, but still have a bunch of fun and laughs along the way. Also, the icing on the cake for TPR being my new favorite site is how much fun TPR has during events. You guys were hands down the most fun group we hosted at Waldameer, and I wish TPR can come to any park I might work at in the future every season. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed the privilege to stay late and operate for TPR, I can't wait until the day I can afford to participate in one of the tours.

It's hard to isolate the absolute worst coaster I have ridden, but the most painful moment I have experienced in the past couple years was going into the helix on KD's Shockwave. That was a nasty blow to the head/jaw. The final bunny hops didn't help either. Surprisingly enough, CW's Skyrider was actually a decent ride in 2012, and there was no hint of such a jolt when we banked into the helix. The worst coaster of the 2012 season was Green Lantern at SFGAdv. This ride makes Mantis seem flawless.

Pleasant Surprise: Predator at Darien Lake. A trimless ride after a rainstorm features ejector air, and pain can't be associated with the ride experience. Unpleasant Surprise: Nitro was extremely lackluster for a hypercoaster. I don't know it if was because it was on the cooler side in the 60s early in the season or not, but every seat that I heard of in recommendations on coaster sites just didn't have that elite coaster experience I was expecting. Nitro is good, but nowhere near great.

The queue line itself is very short for a coaster of that size in a park that size, so a picture with it overflowing is deceiving to what the actual popularity and wait times are. True, the capacity of this ride doesn't warrant an extremely long queue, but the queue is still very short. As you can see, the fences are not for temporary overflow, they are built for a common occurence. Vortex is aging, and while many may still enjoy it (including myself), it would come as no surprise if/when they annouce its retirement.

My first Boomerang was "Boomerang: Coast to Coaster" at Darien Lake. I thought it was a pretty neat and unique coaster at the time until I learned how common these are. They still are fun for me to a degree. I see Boomerangs as more of a thrill ride than a coaster. I get that feeling in my stomach after riding a spinning flat ride. I find them fairly intense and very disorienting due to the vertical loop backwards and the initial drop. Boomerangs to me are not good candidates for re-rides because one ride makes me feel queasy, not in "pain." Actually, they are on the edge of being downright sickening. Even though I don't them painful in terms of headbanging, I really appreciated the openness of the new Vekoma trains on Hershey's Sidewinder. I enjoy Boomerangs for a nice change of pace ride once during a visit, but they are simply that. Keeping the GP in mind, these are nice gimmick coasters; "loop-de-loops" and "OMG Backwards!!!"

Leap the Dips. That ride is seriously fun. The best "laugh" coaster!

I love the idea, but not to be a negative nancy.... Hopefully, the Timberliner conversion goes smoothly unlike The Voyage. Both of these coasters are extreme in terms of layout elements and wear and tear. From a source who is best friends with Holiday World ownership, the issue with these trains is durability. The Voyage is tearing them apart because of their lighter construction. I like to assume Gravity Group has done some more homework, but the results haven't been proven yet. Timberliners are inversion capable, PTCs are not (as far as I know), so if the conversion runs into trouble Mt. Olympus could be dealing with some serious downtime. Holiday World is lucky they can easily use PTCs while the Timberliners are being adjusted. Best of Luck on this awesome idea that may prove that Topper Track isn't required for "successful" inversions. (SoB was not successful IMO) I'm not completely sure if the entire loop on SoB was steel, or just the support structure was steel with wood track attached.

I'm excited for my first visit to Holiday World. Also, I wish Gold Striker was close to me because I think it's next year's sleeper hit.

Vortex was an ejoyable ride after I grew up enough that my head cleared the OTSR. What keeps it memorable in my book is that it has a spectacular first drop by Arrow standards. Another nice thing about the first drop is the fact it the layout doesn't go right into inversions; there is a nice, swooping turn after climbing the second hill. The loops are always fun, the corkscrews have good hangtime, the batwing has a neat location, and the helix finale is a little more intense than it looks. The elements may be cookie-cutter, but Vortex got it right. HOWEVER, with all that nice stuff I said, you would think I would campaign against removal, I'm not. Vortex is aging and probably getting costly, the ride very good but not amazing, and there isn't a really iconic steel coaster in the park besides Diamondback. The land Vortex occupies has some very unique opportunities as well. There is huge potential for the predicted replacement. I see opportunity as not only an inverted coaster, but maybe a Maverick/Fahrenheit-esque sit-down. Also, a twisted prefab, Rocky Mtn., Gravity Group, or Great Coasters International woodie would be an awesome neighbor for The Beast next door. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I would like to see a modern wooden coaster in that location if Vortex were to retire.

PTC trains disengaging from the lift hill. Particularly on Ravine Flyer II (being able to stand pretty close and being there everyday makes it stick out). I love hearing the anti-rollbacks going from steady and consistent to increasingly faster and louder. Some other favorite sounds: Arrow Lifts Phantom's Revenge's second drop listening from the station B&M Roar when they don't dull it down too much Older wooden coasters hitting anti-rollbacks throughout the course Son of Beast's lift hill was epic

Canada's Wonderland. How could I overlook this park for so many years when it's barely over 3hrs from Erie, Pa. Leviathan lit the fire under my butt to get there, but the entire park experience was excellent. This park has a perfect mix of atmosphere and rides. Hell, they even proved how a TOGO stand-up can be enjoyable. There will be many return visits in the future. Additionally, can't forget first coaster rides of the season. Took two solo backseat rides on Ravine Flyer II during preseason testing. Finally had the coaster that started it all, all to myself. (I became an enthusiast when they started seriously talking about this coaster in 1999)

Leviathan was everything I expected it to be. It wasn't a chart topper, but it was one of the very best. Skyrush is the overrated addition of 2012. Actually, it shouldn't be overrated because it's layout and setting are spectacular. However, Skyrush inflicted so much pain on the thighs, that it can't be considered a great coaster. For the first time, I didn't enjoy airtime. It's slightly above average because of the first drop and the sensation of being ejected on a couple of the turns. However, Skyrush will not be great or elite as it was intended to do until it fixes the issues with the restraints.

Great Bear at Hersheypark in 2002. Granted my very limited experience with coasters at the time and the night setting, it was a crazy intense ride. When I finally got back in 2012, Great Bear still didn't disappoint even with Ratpor and Batman clone experiences since 2002. Great Bear may not be the most intense or longest out there, but it's above average and serves its purpose well. Mantis was the sophomore slump of the B&Ms for me. Although, B&M stand-ups are pure bliss compared to TOGO's Shockwave and almost every SLC.

I don't like bashing things like this, but I was not alone in my opinion of how poor this event was. I gave it two second chances after a great experience in 2010. I am an extremely easy scare, but they couldn't scare me or the two girls in the group. It's not that I have become immune, they simply didn't try. Blue Streak is great, but I wish another park had it. Despite the excessive smoking, I was not pleased with their boarding rules. I get it they were very busy and they want to fill all seats and have no single riders. They said to us that our group would be split. I said, "ok no problem." Somehow it ended up that I was the cut in the group to the point I was seated next to a single rider, they told me I had to go, "fine ok I am not peoplephobic." Sure enough, the next ride had my friend who I thought I was sitting with sitting alone, and there was another rider alone. For $hits and giggles I watched another train go out after with a couple single riders. Weird how I got picked out. I never questioned or confronted on any these issues with the ride ops, as I am not a confrontational person unless I'm in danger or my job dictates it. I wrote to them about the smoking and the lack of effort in the haunts, and I got a response saying they can't please everyone and I just happened to be one of them by luck of the draw. I was not looking for a refund, and I understand not everyone can be pleased, but they responded very unprofessionally with a lame excuse. I will probably patronize Blue Streak in the future out of love for the ride itself, but Ghost Lake has lost my business if they keep up with status quo.

I'm glad to see you enjoyed yourself, but my experience the last couple years with this has been pretty bad. My first experience in 2010 was great, they really put on a good event with some very creative stunts. 2011 was disappointing in which little attempt was put into scaring people, and the haunts seemed to be stripped down in terms of detail. 2012 was such a horrible experience that I felt the need to write to them. This year had 8 haunts instead of 9, and there was zero effort put in by the people running the event and by the people supposed to be scaring. For me to go back again there are a few areas of critique: 1. I don't mind the huge crowds/lines, but do not stuff people inside a haunt where no one can move, and absolutely no one is scaring anyone. 2. Try to scare people! Don't just sit there! 3. Check tickets. I could have done this for free since no one checked my ticket after I purchased it. You want to make money right? 4. Very unsafe and unprofessional that Blue Streak operators can't put down the cigarette to operate. Very rude to have the station attendant and lap bar checker blowing smoke at you as you enter the ride and have your lap bar checked. While waiting in line for almost an hour, there wasn't one time when the operators were not smoking. If you need a break for your habit, step off the platform then smoke. (I understand Blue Streak is operated by CLP and not Ghost Lake, but when it's a part of the Ghost Lake haunts, it reflects badly on the Ghost Lake event.) Once again, I'm glad you saw value in this event, but I was thoroughly disappointed because I have seen this event go from awesome to embarrassing in three years. For all of the other TPR members out there, Ghost Lake is not run by CLP directly, so don't expect the majority of the money from this goes to CLP restoration.

I agree with the theming on Bizzaro. I particularly like that misty barrel thing under the interlocking corkscrews. Combine that with a cool zero-g roll, and you have a really awesome ride.

No backseat waiting. I don't mind it when parks hold people back from overcrowding the station, but at least let people wait for the back or front. This is coming from a operator/supervisor myself. We believe in holding riders back to prevent the station from overcrowding but we never assign seats unless it's absolutely necessary.

It will be interesting to see what is happening with those Timberliners. From Holiday World through my manager at my park (HW and Waldameer are buddies), the issues have been centered around durability of the trains. Last time I heard some parts on the trains were basically being shook apart. Timberliners have been a massive success on smaller woodies, but they haven't been able as of yet to perform as well on a large woodie like Voyage. I'm rooting for them though. 2013 I finally get to take on the Voyage.

Predator at Darien Lake. This fall I took a ride during a rainstorm, no trim, and filled with ejector air. No pain either! Even in good weather, Predator runs much better than people give credit to.

There will never be too much airtime as long as I'm never ejected.

Still no word from anyone on CP? After getting a rejection letter twice in the last four months for something I really tried hard to get, I could use something fun like this!

I don't like letter grades, I prefer the 1-10 scale 1. Millenium Force 10/10 2. Magnum XL-200 9/10 3. Maverick 9/10 4. Raptor 9/10 5. Top Thrill Dragster 8/10 (I estimate Gatekeeper will be here) 6. Mantis 7/10 7. Wicked Twister 7/10 8. Blue Streak 7/10 9. Gemini 7/10 10. Mean Streak 7/10 (ran well in fall 2011) 11. Corkscrew 5/10 12. Disaster Transport 5/10 13. Wildcat 5/10 14. Iron dragon 4/10 15. Cedar Creek Mine Ride 3/10 16. Jr. Gemini N/A 17. Woodstock Express N/A With 10 coasters being 7 or higher in my book, I'm lucky to have Cedar Point within 3 hours away.

I believe in a theory that many of these attractions that were built in the amusement park boom of the 1970s until 1990 or so will soon reach the end of their service lives. Things that come to mind include medium-sized flat rides, basic sit-down loopers from arrow and vekoma, and other mid-sized coasters built when many of the larger parks of today were building their foundations. As many flats and coasters start to age, parks can't necessarily only replace them with mega-sized coasters or giant flats. With all that said, I believe there is still a need for suspended coasters. They are unique, not too intense, and they are appealing to families.

I have never had the pleasure (or displeasure) to ride them, but several of the Arrow megaloopers from the late 1980s and early 1990s seemed odd. Soo much open, barren, and wasted space. These seemed to lack any true imagination, just gimmicky inversion machines. Some examples (some defunct) include: Shockwave at Six Flags Great America Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Great Adventure Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain

Blue Streak at CLP earlier tonight during Ghost Lake (the haunts are a ripoff). It's running better than it has in the past in terms of comfort, but I wasn't able to sit in the back "money" seat for the iconic airtime. It was very appropriate of both ride operators to be chain smoking as they were admitting guests and checking lap bars. Not once the entire time I waited were none of the operators smoking. Very professional!