ytterbiumanalyst

^That's excellent news actually. RV parks are pretty easy to turn a profit. No breakfast, maid service, or other expenses like hotels usually have. Just minimal reservations, custodial, and security staff. An RV park in that location could do quite well even without a theme park, so that should get some cash rolling in--and cash flow produces investors!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl7f6T4L2IA

Worst first drop I've been on was Rattler's. That kink in the middle of it was just horrible. That ride just overall sucked. Glad it's gone.

I've waited an hour and a half twice. Once for Outlaw Run's opening weekend, and another for Justice League. Both these times there were multiple breakdowns. Both times it was absolutely worth it.

I haven't been on El Toro yet (or anything on the East Coast for that matter), but I will say of the Midwest woodies, Goliath has the best first drop. It's huge and goes into a tunnel, and as steep and smooth as they come. Outlaw Run's is almost as good, being only 3 feet shorter and 2 degrees less steep. The experience is almost the same, but the tunnel really makes it for Goliath. You feel like you're being flung straight into the earth. I also really like Boss's double-down first drop. The first part is so long, but then instead of coming back up, it drops again, this time through the support structure. Awesome.

^Pretty sure you're joking, but SFSTL will never buy another standup. Once was more than enough for them.

Maybe the VR shows you what the ride would be if RMC redid it! Hmm--they could show you VR of a good coaster while you're stuck riding a crappy one. The possibilities are endless!

Maybe the VR shows you what the ride would be if RMC redid it!

^ Not at all! Fall is a great time to visit. Ride whatever you want, whenever you want. Water rides will be shut down unless it's unseasonably warm, but everything else will be running. When there are music festivals, a lot of people are there just for the music, so lines tend to be very short, 15 minutes or less. Longest line in the fall is always Powder Keg, so you'll want to do that first, but it's still 20-30 minutes usually. Have a great time!

Regardless, that whole Ninja to Tsunami Soaker area needs to pick a theme! I agree, except I think the whole park needs to take a year off from dropping millions into a new attraction and spend that on theming improvements throughout. I'd be happier with better theming than I would be with anything short of a new large-scale coaster at this point. I could not agree more with this.

The thing is, though, that roller coasters are dangerous. So are cars, guns, lawn mowers, and tablesaws. You can lose a limb or your life to any of these objects. But with all these things, the dangers are known, and there are safety devices and operating rules that make them safe. You don't just stroll up casually to heavy machinery. Roller coasters are just really big machines, and should be approached cautiously like all other machines. That's why we have safety checks, restraints, and fences to keep idiots from attempting to retrieve their phones. Really, this is just a trust issue. People who are irrationally afraid of roller coasters just don't have faith in the engineers and operators. Sometimes that fear is certainly justified--there are coaster manufacturers who don't use the best methods, and there are parks who don't maintain them properly. Same with cars; there have been models with sticky gas pedals and exploding gas tanks. And there are well designed cars with exhaust pipes that rust out and fall off because the owner didn't maintain them. In general, though, I'll trust an automobile engineer way more than I trust a driver, and I'll trust a roller coaster designer way more than I'll trust a park guest who's afraid of it.

Only if it has a tunnel or a splashdown. If it doesn't have one of those, it's garbage.

Sunday is absolutely a better day! Saturday is Mercy Heath Systems Co-Worker Appreciation day, which is a special event with ERT for those who work for the hospital. It's one of the largest employers in Springfield, so stay away Saturday (we'll be there on that day, though, as my wife works for them and we get to enjoy the ERT!). So go Sunday, absolutely. Generally, lines are short for everything from here through the end of the operating year. Don't worry about it and enjoy your day! BTW, the water rides are open through October, but they open at 11:30. Lost River of the Ozarks, an Intamin rapids ride, is the best of the three. Also, take time for the cave tour; it's really a highlight of the park.

You know, that's true, except of course for the ones they built at Cedar Point and Valleyfair last year.

Hmm, sorry about that. I've been on Patriot too, and I had fun, despite that's it's not the biggest, fastest, loopiest, estiest coaster EVAR. Roller coasters are fun. But I guess I'm just weird.

Very well said. My girls, ages 3 and 7, have seen your Frozen video several times in rapt attention. They're eager for anything Frozen they can get right now. I've heard my son (5) sing "Let it go" occasionally too, and I'll admit I really like the chanting song in the beginning of the movie. So Disney's partially "pushing" the movie, yes--if you have a product you know can sell, you get it out there--but they're also responding to the demand too. I wouldn't be surprised to see a sequel within the next few years.

Awesome, thanks for sharing! I am marking that on my calendar now. Dogpatch is only about an hour and a half from me.

Don't forget Powder Keg in 2004. That wasn't just a renovation but a totally new coaster. And Voyage was built in 2006. So 9 years for each park.

^ Best compliment I've gotten in a while.