NTA_Shawn

2003 we were at SFNO and riding the Zydeco Scream (Vekoma Boomerang). Had rode it numerous times and never had any issues. This time we decided to ride in the last seat. Made the outing trip just fine including the back jarring 2nd chain catch which was nothing unusual. The return trip was fun until we came through the station wide open and the station brakes never activated. We made it a good ways up the first hill, dropped back into the station at a good rate of speed. Fast enough the brakes couldn't stop us in the station. We ended up going partially through the cobra roll and then headed back to the station (so we thought). The brakes ended up being shut and we didn't make it into the station. The first car or two made it, but us being in the last car, we were in the drop-out of the cobra roll in a uncomfortable inclined (almost vertical) position. That would have been fine and dandy, but they couldn't figure out how to unlock the station brakes. It took quite a while to get maintenance out there while we were baking in the New Orleans July humid heat with our bodies pressed up against the shoulder harnesses. That was the worst 35 minutes I have ever spent on a coaster or even waiting in line for one. But we did get free dinner that day!

Cannon Ball at Lake Winnepesaukah Not a great picture of the coaster, but I took it myself. Didn't venture into the waterpark area, or I would have gotten a better picture.

1960: Cannon Ball @ Lake Winnepesaukah 1970: Mind Bender @SFOG 1980: Orient Express @ WOF 1990: Montu @ Busch Gardens Tampa 2000: Mystery Mine @ Dollywood 2010: Loco Loco @ Dixie Landin' - Which was originally built in 2006 at another park, but relocated in 2010. Sad to say that's the "newest" coaster I have ridden; I need to get out more!

I can see it now "Own a piece of history: Charred Colossus Wood $35".

I prefer the older drop towers like the ones that was at SFOG. Just the mechanics of how it operated amazed me.

Cannon Ball at Lake Winnepesaukah. Nothing like a classic out and back woodie.

I'd like to see my home park (SFNO) actually open back up. It won't happen for at least another year or two though. Until then, my home park is Blue Bayou/Dixie Landin. I'd like to see that park open up a small wooden coaster similar to "Wooden Warrior" at Quassy. But I don't see that happening anytime soon as they jut spent a load of cash on a 4lane "looping" water slide. They have been trying to acquire more land to expand the park, but I think the locals are opposing it for some stupid reason or another. Maybe a small wood out and back around the edges of the waterpark back parking lot is a good idea. It doesn't have to be tall, fast, or do heartline rolls; just a fun wood coaster.

I watched half of the video and shut it off. Looks like total crap if you ask me! I have every RCT game on my PC and to this date RCT2 is my favorite. The 3rd was a little too "cartoony" for my likings. I think I play RTC2 once a week for about 4 or 5 hours. Maybe one day I will buy one of those other roller coaster design games...

Call me old school, but I like the Andy Griffith show. I have every season on DVD and just finished watching every episode on 35 dvds (again) from start to finish. The simpler times seem more fun to me with less worries. I guess that's why I like an old school out and back wooden coaster so much.

I have been a member here for a few years just lurking, reading and googly eyeing the pictures. I figured I would step out of the shadows and give my 2cents here and there now. I live in south MS and my home park is theoretically Dixie Landin/Blue Bayou or SFNO(Jazzland in 2015). My favorite park is a toss up between Dollywood or BGT. Favorite Steel coaster is probably Montu and wooden is a toss-up between Rattler SFFT (before they killed the first drop) or Thunderhead @DW. I haven't been to too many parks recently with the birth of my daughter in 2011. But she is getting to the stage where she likes the rides and am looking forward to visiting some smaller family parks this summer/fall.

Seems like a lot of people voting for the Top Scan, I have only seen this ride once and only two of the three arms were operating right, so I decided not to give it a go. My votes go to: Energy Storm Twin Flip Top Star Tour was a beast in itself just looking at it. Better than the Move Its I have rode. Although a Move It 32 is no slouch! Fly O Plane - if caught in the wrong place at the wrong time! Something so simple can be a head rush. Freak Out - Not too extreme, but it seemed to go higher and faster then the Afterburner. Power Surge - Only if the main arm is rotating. I have seen fairs not rotating the arm and the ride is "ho-hum" Those are rides I have actually ridden. Looking on youtube, there are many rides in the UK that are more extreme looking, but looks can be deceiving at times.

This is my home park and would love to see it open back up. What people didn't realize is there is a lot of room for them to expand the park for a concert venue, hotel, water park etc... I think the park is on like 80 or so acres and have 150 or so acres empty or available for expansion. The Mega Zeph is a steel structure and its galvanized, so it shouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. The wood track could use some smoothing out on the back run of it as it gave you a jolt more than air time. In some places on the train it actually hurt to ride. I believe they did some work on it in the past, but it wasn't enough. The Jester needs to stay as it was fun to ride a coaster in reverse. The Wild Mouse needs to be ditched and replaced with a more thrilling flat ride. The area where Batman was would make a good location for a larger inverted coaster. Being close to the parking lot entrance, a large eye catching coaster is needed. The dark rides they have planned sound quite interesting as well. But, they will need better shade options than what SF had to offer. The July & August heat was almost unbearable, so a longer flume ride with another splash down would be more appreciated. The spinning pendulum ride should be replaced with an inverted type where your feet hang. Considering its location on the lake shore would make for a more thrilling ride. More kiddie rides will be needed as well. Ones with high capacity to keep the lines moving. Another thing they are going to have to deal with is overall park security. I have heard rumors of people getting mugged in the park and parking lot. I went to Jazzland and SFNO numerous times and the only time I heard of anything bad happening was when the power went out in the park. I was there that night and was not a fun situation to be in. But the area the park is in is not the best of locations so a strong park security and a no tolerance on "riff raff" will have to be enforced with an iron fist.

I do hope they reopen the dry park side soon. The park is not my home park, but its not too far of a trip to make. I rode Rampage a dozen or so times in 2008 and it was a great ride. The Zoomerang was way out of the way, up a hill and almost a pain to get to. Removing it left a good location for another larger coaster. Or possibly clearing the hill and making way for flat rides; kinda like Six Flags in San Antonio. OR using the hillside would make for an interesting terrain coaster location. Yes, the park did not have enough shade and there was not a whole lot to do as a few flat rides were SBNO. With some TLC and well thought out expansion(s), this would make for a nice family park. I have never been to HW, but if they could get it similar to Lake Winnie in Rossvile, GA that would make for a nice family amusement/waterpark. I like the smaller parks (like Lake Winnie) due to they are usually not too crowded and there are more things to do for my toddler daughter.