JonnyRCT3

Wednesday, September 18, 1996 Tom Keystone - regular guest Five weeks ago, the Cobblestone Cafe gave its final order and closed for good. The 21 year old attraction has given me wonderful childhood memories. (taken five weeks ago) The season may be coming to a close this weekend, but construction at Valley Hills is in full swing. The first thing I noticed was the supports, which are unique to hanging-track coasters. The construction site is awfully large, even more so than Black Stallion 's. This thing is going to be MASSIVE! Hopefully this is a B&M inverted coaster; I prefer those over any Vekoma SLC. The old Mountain View sign now sports a new banner, quite odd. What could this mean? Since this was my last visit of the season, I stayed all day. When I exited the park, I noticed this. -Tom Keystone

Thank you! Yes, the contractor is from a coaster company, but you'll find out which one very soon. Cedar Point had Demon drop & Power tower, and now Dorney. Valley Hills has a total of three drop towers now: Towering Inferno, Frog Hopper, and ZER0. Thank you. It would've only taken a little reading to figure that out.

Fixed. Mamba's height doesn't make it any more thrilling, and Patriot is just fun; if it didn't have inversions it'd be a family ride too. That was kinda my point, those are considered "BIG THRILL" coasters to the GP. WOF isn't exactly the place for these types of rides. Not saying it could never happen. It's just that all previous installments (everything there today) make it pretty obvious as to what their target audience is. Tried-and-true is tried-and-true. If WOF is looking for something 'big', my money's on another B&M speed coaster.

Crystal Wing anyone? Some professional theming can transform a rather mediocre ride into something spectacular. Plus, they have unique terrain to work with, so I doubt this standard model would make a good fit.

When you purchase an Intamin prototype, you're faced with issues like these. But they pay-off, at least from the riders perspective, is truly jaw-dropping.

^Safety standards, insurance. Whatever the reason is, they have good reason to install them. Or else they wouldn't have, no one likes wasting money. It's for the better I suppose. There is still going to be that lovely floater air, so...yeah.

They look messy.

See? No big deal then.

Except the fact the B&M has been building this type of ride seat belt free for 15 years and has not had a single incident with them. It's not like it's OTS, just a simple seat belt. Just an extra safety precaution, the ride is still the same. It is not the end of the world. They could be adding trims as well...

This has probably been mentioned numerous times before; D.H. Morgan supports are hideous!

5 minutes added to a 1 hour queue, big deal. It may be slightly inconvenient, but the ride will not be effected, so it's all good. At least we know CF takes safety seriously. I see no need to complain.

^Considering the parks current line-up of attractions. A medium sized family coaster would work just as well. WOF is a mix of a family & mild-thrill park, with Mamba and Patriot in the mix.

Apollo's Chariot?

Shambhala?

This park looks amazing!

An object falling from 42 m, without friction or air resistance, can achieve a maximum speed of 64.96 mph before hitting the ground. source: Physics

GateKeeper is a wonderful roller coaster. It provides and excellent sensation of flight through some awesome aerobatic maneuvers. Whoever is/was expecting the ride of their life needs to reevaluate their status as a coaster enthusiast. That is very GP of you to think so. I rest my case.

Monday, June 3, 1996 Tom Keystone (25) - regular guest It's great to finally be back at the Valley after the long off-season. When I first entered the park, I was asked if I would like to take a survey. The survey had some of weird and off-the-wall questions. Like: "do you like to go to the movies?", and "Do you think you will loose your fingers during a ride?" It was very interesting, but I couldn't be bothered to finish, since I wanted to get some riding in. This years new hotness, ZER0, "The worlds most daring vertical drop ride." as some like to call it. I couldn't be bothered to ride due to the queue reaching past the rides exit (pictured). One of my favorite flat rides ever, Buccaneer. No trip is complete without at least one whirl on this baby. It was only 85°F, but with humidity reaching 33%, I needed a nice cool-down with Wild Waters. The ride isn't nearly as intense as Blackwater Falls, but I find it much more enjoyable due to it's scenic course. I still remember my first ride on Kanawha Railway. It is somewhat mediocre, but its hidden surprises make up for it. The twisted tunnel, and the underground drop are intense, and a bit much for a 'family' oriented coaster. Music Box, infamously known as the "Vomit Box." The ride is surprisingly intense, but I always pass this one up. There is always always someone blowing chunks on, or after this ride. No thank you. Uncle Joe's Churros was a pleasant surprise. These treats are absolutely delicious!! 5 for $4 was the today's special, and it was worth it. The vendor is easily the most popular at the Valley Market, I can see why. I decided to give Dodge 'Em a try since it almost never has a long line. It was rather entertaining, but nothing spectacular. It's your run of the mill bumper cars, but with a horrendous paint job. I think it needs an upgrade, PRONTO! Random fact: Trout Spin turns 19 this year, and also marks its 20th operating season. Trout Spin is the worlds first permanent Enterprise installation ,and the first one ever in the western hemisphere. The ride is still as smooth as I remember it 10 years ago. The humidity did drop a bit, but I still took a ride on Blackwater Falls; taking advantage of the short 15 minute queue. I later regretted it since it took me 25 minutes to dry off. RattleSnake has actually dropped to no.2 on my list. Black Stallion has it beat by miles in the airtime department though. My favorite seat is still in the back. Airtime galore! Another wonderful eatery is the Cobblestone Cafe, complete with a very lovely entrance patio. Cobblestone Cafe has aged some over the years. It's not the once 'cozy' and 'secluded' area it was once known for. Nevertheless, it still has some awesome pizza. Just as I was finishing my pineapple pizza (it truly is delicious) everyone was being cleared from the vicinity for a V.I.P. guest. Apparently, he's from some big-wig ride manufacturer. I don't recall the name though. Hmm... After getting booted from the picnic area, I took a stroll towards the other side of the park. I was able to get this snazzy photo of Blackwater Falls, Parachute Tower, Apple Twists, and Sun Spin. Towering Inferno is still popular, even with the all new ZER0. I don't think this one will be going anywhere for quite some time. A beautiful sunset ended my day at Valley Hills. I never had the chance to ride ZER0, so hopefully next month I will be able to catch a ride. Your #1 Valley Hills fan, Tom Keystone

I'm honestly not sure exactly what it is. But I do remember it being named "Green Tree". I hope that helps. Thank you all for your support & feedback! Every last comment is appreciated and will be taken into consideration. And for one follower in particular, there will be a special treat coming just for you. I will try and post an update on the park soon. It will answer all the lingering questions.

I have yet to ride banshee, but I'm guessing the 2nd loop through the final helix is pretty intense.

Be sure to study suburban landscaping. Good luck to you!

Skip Mantis? How dare you!! ~certified Mantis fan.

I could save a lot more than 15% on stress, by switching to designing the rides. I've actually put together a full years worth of finances for an amusement park. Loans, operating costs, taxes, merchandise, etc. It is truly a lot of work.

Less than 960, that's a given.

^I'm actualy in the process of creating a mid-sized inverted coaster (NL) on that exact spot.