ytterbiumanalyst

Glad you enjoyed Ninja, you may be one of the very few who do. Sorry Springsteen treated you like a rider on a downbound train. Pretty much all your other opinions are spot on how I feel. Glad you had a good time at the park. Freeze, Batman and Thunder are all fantastic coasters, and it's hard not to have a good time here.

I haven't heard about a 2001 tunnel renovation. I thought it had a re-purposed Jim Owens tunnel until 2005-ish when they replaced it with the current boring empty concrete tunnel due to structural issues. It's a shame they didn't use more of the old Jim Owen's flume. I think it's kind of funny how much of it is still just out there in the woods with in-tact theming and all. Without the old tunnel, it's a much more "blah" ride than any ride at SDC should be. I may be misremembering then. I thought the new blah tunnel was built at the same time as Wildfire. The old Jim Owens tunnel was awesome. That ride was so much better before Wildfire.

Sweet! GREAT move going through the cave. If there's anything I preach around here, that's it. Dollywood's food is more southern, but that's because it's in the South. The Ozarks is a weird mashup of Western, Southern, and Midwestern, and I think SDC's food really reflects that well. Looking forward to the next update!

Frontier City is much more compact, but yes, that's a decent comparison. David, can't wait to see the SDC pictures!

^ The original Jim Owens' Float Trip was designed and built in house, but Arrow was contracted to build the American Plunge sections in 1982. Finally, another contractor, and I'm not sure who, was brought in to build the tunnel in the 2001 renovation accompanying Wildfire. So what we have now is a beautiful hybrid.

^^ SDC's pizza is baked in wood fired ovens, so some charring on the bottom is perfectly normal. If it was completely burnt, though, you should have brought that up with staff. SDC takes pride in their food and probably would have replaced it. You don't want to conplain just to get something for free, certainly, but if it was legitimately poorer quality than standard, or not what you ordered, then that is something you don't have to accept.

Awesome photos as usual! Glad you got on Lightning Rod--still not an easy thing to do!

Good to know It reopened. I was worried there for a bit after reading of the closure in the Ohio State Fair thread. I love these rides, very much looking forward to riding the one widely considered the best.

Best thing I've read all day. I get what you're saying too. Dollywood is so similar in some respects, and so different in others, that it kind of messed with my mind. Like I was in a place that I subconsciously felt I should already be familiar with.

Great pictures from Frontier City! The park has been making some significant improvements in the post-Six Flags era. That log flume is awesome, and there are so many good flats. It's one of the best small parks. All the coasters run a single train, but they have some of the best single train operations I've ever seen. The one train gets unloaded and loaded so quickly. And bonus points for seeing Charlie Daniels!

Ha! Nice. But really, yes. I love drop towers, and that Demon Drop is such a special ride that you really can't find anywhere these days, unless you go to Japan. I never rode it when it was at Cedar Point, so I really want to get to it before it's gone. I guess what I'm saying is that Demon Drop is on the bucket list, and Dorney is where it happens to be.

Dude I am so excited for you on this trip!! Thanks! Yeah, this is going to be awesome.

Top parks: 1. Disneyland This is far and away the best theme park I've ever been to. I have never been treated so much like royalty as I have at this park. I didn't deserve any special treatment--I just bought a one-day park hopper with no other extras--but everyone there was totally committed to my having a great time. Pirates of the Caribbean is the best dark ride I've ever been on, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the best mine train, and the whole park just has so much to do. I will be back when Star Wars Land is complete. 2. Dollywood This is the bigger, better Silver Dollar City, with significant improvements over the original. Lots more coasters, same friendly people, great food, second best waterpark I've ever been to, and CINNAMON BREAD! The DreamMore Resort is amazing, especially for the price, and the Smokey Mountains are incredible. 3. Silver Dollar City My local park, the first theme park I ever went to, and one of the best anywhere. So many great memories here, and so many we're still making with our kids. The world's best roller coaster, Outlaw Run, is here, along with the best non-Disney mine train, the most kickass family coaster, and the best floorless B&M that has floors. The food is great, the Christmas festival is spectacular, they have an actual cave that you can tour right underneath the park included with admission, free parking, and CINNAMON BREAD. 4. Holiday World The world's first theme park is also one of the best independent parks anywhere. The absolute best waterpark and Voyage would be enough of a draw, but what I really like is that everything is included. Will Koch used to say that once a guest entered, he never wanted them to take out their wallet again. Like Silver Dollar City, they have free parking, but they also have free sodas, sunscreen, tube rentals, and fudge*. *Free fudge only valid during Holiwood Nights. Worth the event ticket by itself. 5. Knott's Berry Farm The jewel of the Cedar Fair chain, this is also the world's first theme park. Yes, both Holiday World and Knott's claim the title, and I like them both enough that I don't want to choose sides. There are a lot of unique rides here, including a stagecoach ride. Ghost Town is a wonderful place to hang out, while Ghostrider, Xcellerator, amd Silver Bullet are all top notch rides. Montezooma's Revenge is one of a dying breed of Schwarzkopf shuttle loops, the Calico Mine Ride is a Disney-level dark ride, and Timber Mountain Log Ride is the world's best log flume. Add to that great food, the chance to shoot a frickin' laaaaazer beam at a mechanical squid, and BOYSENBERRY EVERYTHING, and you'll have a great time here. BUCKET LIST: Okay, fair warning, this list might just be slightly biased, since I am taking a trip next week to all of these parks. This will be basically what I'm most looking forward to doing. 1. Knoebels This is the reason for my trip. The legendary Phoenix, the unique Flying Turns, pierogis, and skyride up the mountain, all while camping in the Appalachians. 2. Hersheypark Skyrush! Chocolate! Fahrenheit! Chocolate! Storm Runner! Chocolate! Riding three different shot towers for some reason! Also, chocolate! 3. Six Flags Great Adventure The world's tallest roller coaster, and the world's best RMC that isn't an RMC. The last parachute ride, a safari, and Nitro at night. My first attempt at one of those S&S flippy coaster things. Joining the Cult of Skull Mountain. 4. Morey's Piers I've never been to a legitimate beach boardwalk. Looking forward to pizza, beer, Great White, and finding out whether their SLC and Boomerang are actually as good as their reputation. Riding Coasterbill's favourite log flume. 5. Dorney Park Demon Drop, Thunder Creek Mountain, Talon, Hydra, and Chickie's & Pete's.

Sweet! Really looking forward to that next week. More than some of the coasters TBH.

You know, I didn't think Viper was that bad. Not the best coaster there, but still quite fun. I hear the Ninja conversion in Georgia was quite successful. Maybe whatever they did there could improve Viper so that more can enjoy it?

Just popped in here to make sure this didn't go unnoticed:

Not even counting the kiddie rides... SORA JL:BFM Zumanjaro Sky Screamer Houdini Twister El Diablo Saw Mill Log Flume Congo Rapids Dare Devil Dive Slingshot Big Wheel Swashbuckler Buccaneer Great Adv is a very well-rounded park. Please tell me you just forgot about the parachute ride and it's still operating.

Glad you had a great time, and glad you went with the Platinum Pass. Those two things are related. Great America really is one of the better Six Flags parks. It gets a bad reputation because of long lines and poor operations, and while that reputation is fully deserved, it's also totally solved by the Platinum Pass! The lineup of coasters is fantastic; they have something for everyone, and in general they're good coasters. I don't care for Superman or Raging Bull myself, but it seems there are plenty of people who love those, so it may be a personal preference. Don't feel embarrassed by Spacely's; it's actually a very good family coaster. Too bad you missed out on Little Dipper; the ride is good, but the history and importance of that ride to Chicago are what really makes it special. So glad Six Flags stepped in to save it.

Great report from Sea World! I really need to get to this place. Looks like a good mix of rides and shows with something for everyone.

Not in the amusement park, but they do at the golf course just down the road.

Yay Fiesta Texas! This is Six Flags' best park.

Don't think it matters b/c SF business strategy is not based on people who travel 200+ miles to parks, SF is about selling season passes at a low cost to people within 50 miles. max 100, that are unlikely to visit other parks. That's a fair point, but I would argue that Holiday World is actively trying to get people who wouldn't travel to a theme park to do exactly that and travel to Holiday World. Wildebeest and Mammoth are big selling points for HW, and Six Flags having one could counter some of HW's efforts to wedge into the St. Louis market.

Excellent report! I'll be there in a couple of weeks as well, and this is getting me excited! Thanks for all the Skloosh pictures--I love that ride type. Fingers crossed for Over the Top opening before I get there.

A water coaster would be a very smart move now that Holiday World is advertising in St. Louis.