brianwolters

Here is the Video of the news report: http://www.todaysthv.com/video/default.aspx?storyid=86328&cat=2&aid=84916

How are the other PARC parks? Are they just as ignored?

It looks like Magic Springs and PARC Managements lack of fixing their rides in the off season is starting to make news! http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=86328&catid=2 Today's THV has received several e-mails from viewers complaining about many of the rides at Magic Springs not working. The park opened for the season in April. Theme park official Dana Whisenhunt says this weekend nine of their rides were closed including the Twister and the X-Coaster. Whisenhunt says many of the rides require parts that have to come from Europe and that it is a six to eight week process. She adds that the rainy weather that we had back in April also has delayed work on the rides. Economic costs have also been an issue. Last year, Magic Springs and Crystal Falls were sold to Parc Management. THV's Ashley Blackstone will have more from park officials and when they hope to have the rides back up in running. The story is coming up tonight on "Today's THV at 5:00 and 6:00" and on todaysthv.com.

Here's an update from Screamscape: Over the past week I’ve received several alarming reports from Magic Springs that have given me cause to issue this warning… if your planning a trip to the park you really might want to wait until later in the season. The basic gist is that the popular Arkansas Twister wooden coaster and many other park rides are still not open for the season. The Arkansas Twister itself was also closed early last fall due to some kind of problem (rumored to be train related) so they’ve had plenty of time to have it fixed by now, but apparently didn’t send it out to have the work done until just before the start of the season. The scary thing is that apparently the park doesn’t think it will be open for awhile because they’ve removed it from their list of “Thrill Rides” on their website. Other complaints we’ve received include: both kiddie pools being closed, tube rentals are now $6, no more free soda or sunscreen, several other waterslides are currently closed along with Dr. Deans, Wild Thing, X Coaster, the Swings, Log Ride and a few other kiddie rides. Twist and Shout, which was rumored to be leaving last fall is also still at the park, but it too is closed. It seems that many of these same rides were also broken and closed at the end of the park season last fall as you can see in our reports below. It’s as if they did nothing at all to rehab the park over the off-season, other than install an army of coke machines. The other rather odd thing is that if you try to e-mail the park at all to their posted information address (info@magicsprings.com) your e-mail will bounce back because that e-mail address is now invalid. So… you’ve got time to remove a coaster from the website, but you can’t keep something as basic as a valid e-mail address? Between this and all the ride downtime, it sounds like a lot of scary things are going on there since ever since PARC Management took over last year. Definitely not a good track record for the first year under their watch, so I’d delay any possible visit until later in the season, and perhaps avoid purchasing any season passes at this point.

Hello Magic Springs Fans. I am getting some disturbing news out of Magic Springs and it was never like this before they went to PARC. I have a contact within the park and I asked about the Twister and their response was pretty generic citing the rains and costs as being major factors in why the Twister and other rides are not operating yet. But the park has been open weekends since April and they had all off-season to work out kinks. So I emailed them via the website...the email address is now bad. So, I called as an "average Joe", stating I wanted to buy a season pass but was worried about the Twister being closed. I asked if it would open...the girl paused and said IT SHOULD but she didn't sound forthcoming and was almost afraid to say IT SHOULD. It was said with major doubt in her voice. This does not bode well for the park and a classic coaster like the Arkansas Twister. Sounds like PARC doesn't care...any thought or news on this situation? Any other PARC managed parks see this kind of stuff? Thanks!

This is no more than, if you will, a second generation boomerang. They should have made this the extended version. But I will say, it has some great restraints!

The horrible G's is why I can ride Titan at SFoT. Does the front car help on that? I go beyond a greyout on Titan.

I agree on Texas Tornado...that first loop comes out weird and the second one looked like someone messed up on the physics and they had to modify it to make it continue.

Does anyone know why the Arkansas Twister is Standing But Not Operating this season? It hasn't ran all year and the park isn't giving out much info. Thanks!

Even though I wont ride it anymore, the last time I rode Titan, I took a deep breath and held it during the 2 helix elements and I made it through OK.

I am with you there...as mentioned, my favorite, #1 coaster right now is Powder Keg at SDC. Great launch, awesome airtime, has that runaway train feel to it...and I don't black out! I don't need the fastest, tallest, most loops or G's...I want an overall good experience and that's Powder Keg right now.

I honestly won't ride Titan again because of the back outs...

I've been riding coasters since I was 10. I am 38 now and in good shape. However, I find that I really can't handle G-Forces. The worst coaster for me is Titan in Texas. I pretty much completely backout on the two helix elements. And I was surprised to find out that on my second ride of the day on Wildfire at Silver Dollar City, I had a strong greyout before the second loop. About that time, I just wanted off. For the next 15-20 minutes, I had a killer headache from my forehead to the front top of my head. What is the main reason for these moments increasing? Old age...ha! I can ride Powder Keg all day long but anything with loops or strong g-forces, maybe one ride a visit and that's it.

Yeah, the Twister is a nice and somewhat smooth woodie...the first drop to the turn around is very fast. I believe they build the X-Coaster like it is to have a boomerang type coaster in the park...which is kind of is like one. I just saw their Season Pass prices for next year $79.99...shame...and they aren't getting a new coaster.

The Best Coaster would be Arkansas Twister, their only woodie...front seat gives a smooth ride and there is some air on the hops back. The SLC they have isn't as bad as some, but again, front seat is the best. Big Bad John is a nice, classic arrow mine train...don't expect much and you should like it. X-Coaster is unique as it is like a next generation boomerang. You go straight up, into an inversion, slowly mind you, then twist, pick up speed, down, through the station, up the lift, backwards to just into the twist, back through the station again and stop straight up on the breakrun to be brought slowly back down. They also have a mouse and a kiddie coaster...new coaster reported to be going in in 08 or 09. Saturday's are horrible, as far as large crowds...it is concert day and the waterpark is very full...rides have long lines, especially one train coasters like Arkansas Twister and X-Coaster.

The key word is "largest thrill ride" in state history. Thrill doesn't mean coaster...Wicked would be a perfect fit but I bet it is a Giant Frisbee or Swing.

The owner is quoted saying the 2008 ride will be the largest thill ride in Arkansas...considering they spent part of that 10 million in 2007, it can't be no mroe than a Giant Firsbee...thoughts?

X-Coaster is more like a next-gen Boomerang...not much to it but it has some thrills and the seats are pretty cool. Just ask the people who got stuck upside down.

Magic Springs is becoming a respectable mid-sized park. It is clean, has decent rides, great water pakr and good concert selection. They are set to announce their 2008 ride, which they say will be the largest thrill ride in Arkansas' history. So, I don't expect much more than a Giant Frisbee, but that would add to the flat ride collection. I bet they get a new coaster or an X-Coaster extension in 2009.

The Gauntlet at Magic Springs isn't too bad, but it is one of the newer ones in the US.

It was great to see a shot of the Chevy Show in the background of the Jet Scream.

Ditto...I can't even ride Titan anymore...interesting in that a helix is about the only thing I can't handle on a coaster.

Well, I've not been on it yet but I can tell you that the helix elements on TITAN do me in. I simply can't handle them. I go totally black, UNLESS, I hold my breath through them. Even then, it isn't much fun to endure.

I wonder if it happened on or after the helix. Is it intense? I know the two on Titan in Texas are.

From the Parks I've Been To: Most Thrilling: Six Flags Great America Well Balanced: Magic Springs Best Overall Theme Park: Silver Dollar City