SFOGdude25

Dang those are some big ride vehicles!

This layout's got some mad flow. I'm excited for this one!

^Actually it's likely that the track will be bolted straight to the footers there since it's so low to the ground already. EDIT: Beat me!

Great shots as always! Your eye for framing is amazing!

Didn't expect anyone to come back to this thread! Long story short, I was ultimately unsatisfied with the accuracy of my layouts, especially Voyage. My building technique has gotten MUCH better since I started this project, so I decided to start over. I built another, much more accurate Voyage track that doesn't have any supports yet, and I've restarted Raven and Legend too, but neither track is anywhere close to being done. I kinda wanted to wait to see what layout changes would come to Legend first, so now that I know, I think I may get back to work on this. Problem is, my motivation has been shot recently, and I haven't done anything in NL2 in a few weeks. I'm hoping I can find my spark again soon!

I'm not seeing anyone talk about this. Cedar Point seems to be following in the footsteps of BGW's Griffon backstage tour by offering their own, and that's a VERY cool thing, considering you'll get to climb to the top of Valravn's lift hill! That opens up a whole new opportunity for amazing views and photos! This might be one of the most exciting announcements for this season! I've heard rumors that the tour will actually be very interactive. After guests watch them transfer trains on not only will everyone get to climb the lift, but one lucky guest will be able to carry the "Closed Due to High Winds" sign to the front of the queue and deliver the bad news to everyone queued up waiting for the ride to open.

I'm not seeing anyone talk about this. Cedar Point seems to be following in the footsteps of BGW's Griffon backstage tour by offering their own, and that's a VERY cool thing, considering you'll get to climb to the top of Valravn's lift hill! That opens up a whole new opportunity for amazing views and photos! This might be one of the most exciting announcements for this season!

Well played, Cedar Point...

I still don't think Hulk 2.0 is getting trains with the vest harnesses, because that would require mods to the layout since the reach envelope is wider with those seats. Since the layout isn't changing at all, and the tunnel doesn't look like its being modified, I think we could rule out trains with vest harnesses, unless the park inspected the reach envelope on every inch of track and decided it was ok to get wider trains. We won't know until the new trains come.

Hopefully Dollywood in late March or early April.

I totally called this move a while ago!!! Really ever since the accident, I had a feeling this ride's life would be short-lived. I'm happy they're doing this, because that flume was a dud from the beginning. I'm excited for that spot's potential future expansion.

Theme Park Tourist just posted a new retrospective article on the defunct Tomb Raider: The Ride attraction a few days ago. It's very in-depth and nostalgic. Well worth a read, so I thought I'd post it here. Tomb Raider: Why One of the World's Best Theme Park Rides is Rotting in Plain Sight I really hope Kings Island does something with that show building in the next 5 years, whether it be they put a dark ride in there or tear it down completely. Putting a haunt attraction in there and calling it a day is not enough when the space is that huge.

What travesty!! Vegas is such a clean, civilized place!!! But seriously though. This is hilarious.

Best wood coaster layouts: The Voyage: I once saw someone say in an article "It's an out & back that rides like a twister." I couldn't agree more. No other wood coaster I've seen packs so much variety, action, and intensity into one ride, and no other wood coaster I've ridden carries its speed so well until the very end thanks to its downhill terrain in the last half. The pacing is insane from start to finish, and not one moment of the ride feels awkward or out of place. Honestly, the amount of airtime thrown in is just a bonus to me. It's the sheer pacing, intensity, and length of the ride that make it my favorite wood coaster to this day. The Beast: There is literally no other wood coaster in the world like it. It's so radically different from all the others in that it completely relies on its raw speed and terrain-hugging turns and straightaways to give its thrill, and the finale, with its slow climb up the second lift hill, long shallow ramp that gradually increases in speed and banking, and lateral slamming double helix, is the most well-designed finale to a roller coaster I can think of. It's quite a theatrical ride when you think about it! And I think it's that theatricality that makes it a favorite for so many people. Best steel coaster layouts: Millennium Force: After thinking a long time about this, I've decided that MF is the most beautiful looking steel coaster ever created. With its monolithic lift hill, gigantic airtime hills, and symmetrical overbanked turns, you just can't help but stare at it in awe. Also, while the pacing of the ride isn't the quickest in the world, it's SO good at keeping its speed through the entire ride. It doesn't ever feel slow, and that speed feeling is magnified by the openness of the trains. It's probably the most comfortably thrilling roller coaster in the world if that makes sense. Mind Bender (SFOG): A classic in every sense of the word. Mind Bender is probably the most FUN looping coaster ever with its perfectly placed circular loops, positive g crushing inclined helix, and surprise airtime moments, it always gets me laughing by the end. Kumba: It's layout sequence has been repeated a ton, but this one still feels original and exciting if only for one reason: lightning-fast pacing! Kumba goes through its inversions much faster than several newer B&M loopers, and it still rides (relatively) smooth to this day. A perfect representation of B&M at their peak. Honorable Mentions: Coney Island Cyclone Batman: The Ride (B&M) The Raven Raptor Montu Flight of Fear Lightning Racer Great American Scream Machine (SFOG) Incredible Hulk Dueling Dragons Thunderhead Just to name a few LOL. There's a lot of layouts I like. Edit: Good lord I'm such a nerd. I love it.

The removal of the speakers should help make it ride faster, too, from an aero dynamic perspective. Those speaker headrests looked like they caused a TON of extra drag, slowing the train down a little. The removal of the speakers should also mean the removal of the speaker box and the return of an extra row of seats.

Ok, crazy idea, but what if Universal took Dueling Dragons and relocated it to a potential future park built on the land they just bought? It'd be one way of giving the Wizarding World some more room for future attractions, yet the ride would still be owned and operated by them. Far fetched and a waste of money? Most likely. It depends on if they still want it that badly. I'm just thinking out loud here since I have heard the rumor of Dragon's removal a couple of times.

Didn't expect this at all, but the bottom of the first drop is being completely rebuilt from the ground up. GCI is really making their mark aren't they? Not that I'm complaining.

Same technique I've perfected growing up with Georgia Cyclone. The "non-axle seat rule" applies to Mean Streak too. I've done the first row of the last car a few times, and it's about the same as the front seat albeit a tiny bit rougher. So yeah, count me in the "Mean Streak's not that bad" group. Best time to ride it is at night when flood lights light the whole structure from underneath. Visually one of the coolest experiences in the park believe it or not.

Dang that is one STEEP maneuver there. Ever since this coaster was announced, I've been really optimistic that it will be one of the best B&M hypers out there simply because it seems to have a bit more "spunk and personality" in its layout than other hypers like Diamondback or Intimidator. Things like the short flat section at the bottom of the first drop, the speed hill before the MCBR, and the twisty finale should give the ride a better sense of variety and faster pacing. I'm looking forward to trying this one out!

I've seen and heard so many people refer to Racer at KI as "The Racers". I wish it didn't bother me as much as it does...

New for 2017: Drachen Fire 2.0, built by B&M as originally intended.

Amazing photos man! Thanks for sharing! There's something just so beautiful about a closed roller coaster covered in snow. I think it's the stillness of winter juxtaposed with the dynamic structure of the ride. I still have yet to ride this thing. I love Voyage, so I have a feeling I would love this ride too. If only it wasn't so far from me!

Wow I'm actually kinda surprised they took that building down. It seemed like one of those parts of the park that would never be touched. Not a huge deal. Part of me wants to see the antique cars return over there where White Water Canyon's queue is. It's a really pretty area that feels more like a walking trail state park than a theme park. Not sure how likely that would be though.

Wow! A new double down on Legend!! And in a good spot too. The spot being renovated was the big dead spot on the whole layout. Should be a fun addition! Whoever it was that said "Getting Closer Interested" meant GCI, you nailed it haha. This is exciting! It'll be Holiday World's first venture with GCI! After thinking about it, the new tunnel's location makes a lot of sense, because it's going under Frightful Falls. Anyone who's ridden Legend may remember that water trickled down onto the track and occasionally riders would get splashed with water. Some water would also collect on the track and be soaked up by the wood. I can see why that would create some problems, so the tunnel should have some good functional use too helping the water run off to the side.

Ride SlingShot first thing in the morning and the price is just $5 a person. In my opinion it's one of the more fun flats in the park extra price aside, but I wouldn't do it if it's more than $10. Xtreme SkyFlyer also has $5 deals if you catch them at the right time. If you're not a fan of heights at all, you may find it to be terrifying being lifted up, but that moment when you pull the ripcord is one of the most thrilling exciting moments of any attraction in the park. It's probably the closest thing to flying you'll ever experience.