GayCoasterGuy

I can understand reasons for closing parks, but things have really changed over the years. I am clearly out of touch with park operation. When I worked on the Cedar Point Blue Streak in 92/93, we would go down to one train in the rain. We had to, with those skid brakes. The rule was - the ride stays open until the train shoots the station. We stayed up with one train until the train would shoot past unload, then we would go down. Those were great times! I can see how that would never fly these days. When the park rained and rides went down, some of us were sent home, but many of us would do stuff like wax trains, clean under rides, etc. I don't ever remember the park closing early back then. It seems Cedar Fair is quite the opposite these days. But I would still be surprised to see CP close early due to rain. Especially if the storm cleared and there were still people in the park.

Exactly. From what my friend told me after he called, the guest relations employee was very "no...oh no.. we WILL be open until 9pm." He even went on to tell him that if it rained, most rides would close except the indoor coaster, games, etc., but the park would NOT close early. If someone's posts or trip report annoy or bother you, why not just ignore them? Either way, I still love my home park and still consider it to be the shining star in the chain. I will most likely go next week. If they shut down early, I will probably be on here moaning about it. But I will also brag about how great the Whizzer is... and how rough but awesome and geeky the Demon is. How underrated the American Eagle is, and how we have one of the best overall collection of rides in the country.

What rides are NOT open during PPP?

I apologize - I was thinking *more* of the station attendants assigning seats and having empty seats go out. However, I've seen flash pass employees assigning seats on Demon and Whizzer. Of course GP will hold up lines, they are clueless. It's the job of the employees to get people going. The operations seem to change year by year, and many times within a season. It's not the norm, but it seems like "whatever the employee feels like doing that day" sometimes, or how they perceive what they have been told to do by any number of supervisors. It's all over the board. Some employees say NO double rides, some say "Sure!" Some say they were told NO by some supervisors and YES by others. I had one ride op on Raging Bull tell me "if you would have asked me, I would have let you" as he got the lap bars unlocked to get me out of the front seat. I apologized to him and was very nice about it, but I thought to myself - really? If I would have asked? Watch Viper on a busy day. Depending on who is working at the station entrance - if anyone - you will entirely empty seats go out. The object of having that attendant there is to help. Help fill trains, help get people moving through - and to keep the station from getting too packed. The key word is help. You can only do so much leaning against a wall with your arms crossed, though. Waiting until all but the front and back stalls are completely empty and the next train is ready to stop, THEN starting to usher in folks... I've been baffled by stuff I've seen. It's not always easy to fill all seats, but there is the opposite end of the spectrum, too. Many employees simply aren't trained to be efficient and fill seats/pair up folks/make sure groups/families get to ride in the same train, etc. It's a lost art. A whole empty seat on Whizzer on a busy day is a sad sight. I've seen them multiple times while waiting in line for a single ride. It doesn't matter to the park from a short-term point of view. There is no immediate return on investment for an extra employee to make sure trains get filled most of the time and out on time. There is more sense to simply promote and offer a way to pay to cut, which is the focus. These are just my objective observations after having worked in parks/rides myself. I still love Great America, the rides we have, etc. There are also *plenty* of excellent employees that work there. But with my history, it's easy to see how much room for improvement there is - in terms of efficiency. I'm grateful to have worked in parks and on some great coasters, but it's a curse at the same time.

Hey PA regulars, I'm planning a short PA trip for October with a friend who hasn't been to Knoebel's or Hersheypark. I've been to Knoebels twice (1997 and 2011) and Hersheypark 3 times (1996, 2006 and 2011). Loved both parks, and really psyched about this trip. I've asked around about Phoenix Phall Phunfest, but haven't gotten a concrete answer to my main concern: would it be better to go during regular operation or during PPP for a person who has never been there? PPP - what rides are open? How long are the lines? I went to Knoebel's last August and had a great time. Twister and Phoenix had one train on early with 20 minute waits, maximum. They soon added 2nd trains making the lines 5 minutes or less(!!!) for the rest of the day. That was ideal operations - is it always like that? We did Hersheypark after Knoebel's. We went the night before for the "preview" the park offers. As always, the park and coasters were great, but the park was PACKED that night and the entire next day. So this took away a bit from the fun. Long lines for food, coasters, everything. I would much rather wait than go back on a day that crowded, as much as a I love Hersheypark. I've heard people swear to never go back to PPP due to the crowds; and people swear they'll never miss a PPP because it's so great. I'm confused.

Great pictures, thanks! Every time I see a PA trip report I can't help but wish I lived closer! If things go well, I'll be back to coaster country in October. It's great when kids want to go on coasters, isn't it!? I have 3 little cousins and they have ridden a couple coasters at our home park, six flags Great America, but only the middle one shows mild signs of coaster geekness. Always hoping! He just wants to ride Demon Demon Demon... not tall enough for the 48" rides yet. He's already well trained in asking single riders if he can ride with them to get double, triple, etc, rides. I wonder how Knoebel's has a lower height requirement for those PTC coaster trains... People in PA seem to be much more comfortable with rides and rules on rides than the average American; it's almost a cultural thing there.

In my best Anton coaster geek move, I still have to ask - did you enjoy Shockwave?

The rain was on and off (at Six Flags Great America) when we were there starting at 5pm. It was a very light rain. Paying customers were riding rides and having a great time and the early close was a big disappointment to many of the people we came into contact with. But it still really stinks. Especially after having being told specifically the park would stay open until 9pm an hour before the early closing was announced. No.

This will be great. Now I really REALLY need to get down to Mexico ASAP. IIRC, Anton Schwarzkopf's son Weiland refurbished the ride. Hopefully he hasn't outfitted the trains with his "new" OTSRs. Lap bars I'm sure are more than adequate. Can anyone give a detailed review of this year? I've heard it's good, aggressive. But you know, us coaster geeks (especially us Anton fanboys) wanna know more!

The park closed 3 hours earlier last night. Was supposed to be 9pm, but they closed at 6pm. We found this out as we came into the park at 5pm. There was a light rain on and off after 4pm; the storms cleared. My friend spent 20 minutes on hold to be told by a Guest Relations representative that the park would "stay open until 9pm, rain or not." My friend Rob said the rep *insisted* they would NOT close prior to 9pm. So we drove up... blah blah blah. Got home to find out they retro-edited the online park hours and changed the closing time to 6pm for yesterday. They did that a few weeks ago, too. I mean, I can see closing an hour early, but 3 hours? They say "because of the rain" but what they really mean is "there aren't enough non-season pass holders in the park and we can't make any money." It's an integrity thing, it's getting old. "They're just season pass holders - we already have their money...." I don't like the way things are going. Like many regulars, I would rather pay $200 for a season pass and have a better run park. There were still full trains going out on Raging Bull and Demon(!). Whizzer, Little Dipper, Ragin Cajun and other rides were closed. However, the flash pass employees were still standing there, with nothing to do - not a soul in the queue. They say "they're employed by Flash Pass, not Six Flags" ... Yet, they sometimes try to assign seats; hold up the queue and let empty seats go when the lines ARE long. It's all a mess. Money first, who cares about service. As much as I brag about and love my home park and coasters, this sort of thing gets old. I still love Great America, but sometimes I really wish Holiday World and Knoebel's were closer. The level of pure stupidity that six flags incorporates is sometimes hard to handle. And this is probably the best run park in the chain...

All I can think of is the "Undertoad" episode from the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy: http://www.mojvideo.com/video-billy-and-mandy-waking-nightmare-beware-of-the-undertoad-3/9a2dfc6c27f0e9e233e9 This will be a whole lotta fun, especially on the pier! Can't wait to get back there.

I remember the lift on the SFOT Mine Ride had a musical sound to it. Aren't the anti-rollbacks all different size or something? It kinda like playing a Fisher Price xylophone during a tripolar moment.

Reading through all these posts, my mind is flooded with all the great sounds of coasters. Another one for me that is very distinct is the Demon (at six flags Great America) when the train RRRRIIIIIIPPPPS over that little drop at the top of the lift. You can usually hear it across the park (if you are a total geek like me and know it well.) Ahhh! I gotta good one! The sound of a woodie when all the upstops "cling" underneath the track! Someone mentioned Revolutions brakes. Yes! And Mind Bender and Whizzer... whenever I ride Whizzer (cuz I'm usually near the back) I now usually remember to cover my ears just as the back end passes the end of that brake. It's so freakin loud. But I love it. With my hands over my ears of course. (As much as I love it, I do look forward to the day when all those classic Antons get magnetic brakes like sooperdooperLooper. They are better all-around for the ride, and on the riders.) Another good one - the sound of the Blue Streak trains coming into the brake run when I worked at CP... the skid brakes were so quiet. I remember after working an occasional couple hours at any other ride, I would want to kiss the station ground when I got back to my beloved Blue Streak. It was so much quieter. Except for our never ending spiels (which were done ALL-LIVE every minute of the day) and the buzzer when the train went down the fourth hill (letting you know you best get the other train out or suffer the wrath of a shutdown!) Man I really loved that ride back then. I'll never get over what they did...

Mmmm... so much to pick from. But the one that always makes my mouth water is the sound of an old Anton box beam loop. There's a sound that reminds me of the Doppler effect (but I know it's just the wheels rushing over track connections and the sound traveling through the mostly hallow box beam.) Oh yeah, and the sound of the Whizzer's lift hill It's means "I'm back home and safe!"

Ronnie James Dio will always rock. I really really really always wanted to ask Ron Toomer if he was **aware** of the corkscrew entrances on the most of the rides he ever designed. I know he didn't ride them... but???? I mean??? Couldn't have someone said "splurging on a little more track bending could make this ride ride-able"? It's not ROCKET SCIENCE PS - oh yeah, what's up with "Iron Rattler"??? Are they that unimaginative? I mean - with Iron Shark (which *IS* a cool name) opening this year in the same state.

That video reminded me what the sounds of the Whizzer's lift does for me. Love it I vote for sky skreamer swing thing. Hasn't Six Flags gotten a package deal on those? I haven't ridden any of those, but I rode 2 Wind Seekers and loved them. Of course the Cedar Fair parks giant swings have double the capacity :/

There will always be complaints; we are critics and have opinions. It's nothing very serious here... it's in the name of fun. We take it too seriously - or take others comments too seriously - or both. None of it really matters. We will all be there to ride it first chance we get. The gold in the logo looks great. The colors are the same as Avalanche Bobsleds

It just a *little* funny when people think the new gate area looks plain. I mean, it *is* still a Cedar Fair park. Been to Dorney lately? What if the *LEAK* was on purpose?

I'm very sad to report that Hoosier Hurricane at Indiana Beach has now entered my "just about too rough/poorly maintained to ride" list. It was just fine up until about 2 years ago. New owners. Rumor is that unless something is dangerous, they are not touching it. Shame. It was never a top 5 ride, but it was a staple. One of the best views/routes of any coaster. Simple and fast as lightnin, never ever rough. tsk tsk tsk...

Whizzer landmark coaster plaque, presented by ACE yesterday (hit "view image" and zoom into the text): I can't even describe in words how much I love this coaster. It was running on a dime as always, even better and faster at night. At least one train (that I noticed) has had all it's steel work (hand rails, etc.) completely overhauled (blasted/painted, etc.) and much of it looks like brand new. A friend was commenting on how nicely the seats were cared for, all the upholstery, etc., is in perfect condition. I'm more and more in love with my home park, and so lucky to have this ride there. Now, if I were just closer to Mind Bender...

Good point. But the thing about Kool-aid drinkers is they really don't realize they drank it. That's a wholenother topic In my own right, I guess I'm an Anton Kool-aid drinker, and a Holiday World Kool-aid drinker. But heck, the Kool-aid at HW is free! (I mean "included with price.") I'll admit... I think I may just have been snubbing the Point. I was all about CP when I worked there, and a little after... but the way things are - how CP dominates the media and the moment anyone finds out I'm into coasters I have to hear "OMG - have you ever been to Cedar Point!" I guess it's just my own little annoying resentment. I've been busted. Or busted myself. My emotional reaction to the over-hype that CP gets. I'll admit, as of last summer, it's still the best run of all the big thrill parks. I'm off the Great America now; it's Whizzer's "ACE Landmark presentation" day. I glad GAm is my home park /ducks impending ACE bashing

After re-riding X-Flight again yesterday (front and back, it was a walk-on again) I'm just thinking - if this new CP ride is *really* going to be a wing-rider model, it had best be loaded with lots of cool stuff. I'm thinking trenches, tunnels, lights, fog, fly-throughs, whatever... b/c X-Flight just isn't holding much water - even with the "GP." But at the same time I have to remember that anything CP is very well sucked up by the GP there and the hordes of CP "fanboys." Something in the Kool-Aid I heard. I mean, I just don't get the love for Maverick. It hurts like hell. Would be GREAT with out those stupid shoulder/neck karate-chop noodles. But there you have it. It's at CP so it *MUST* be good. I just wish that would have worked to keep Wildcat (I mean buy a brand new one from Gerstlauer). That was simply the funnest coaster left there... /ducks...

Looks nice! On the short side, but looks to be jam-packed! I'm really looking forward to seeing the trains. *Hopes* for no T-bar. Who likes riding anything with a metal post between their legs? I think Rocky Mountain have tested some boundaries with what they did on the new Texas Giant, and they are going nearly "Full Throttle" with this one - 3 inversions holy cow. I've never been to Silver Dollar City, but thinking a trip next year is a good idea.

I like and can appreciate the hinges at the track-ledger connections in the spirals. Geekily nice.

Never in America? Like this: Or this: Or, even better yet - this: