ytterbiumanalyst

I feel that coasters can be a great addition to a fantastic park, but they cannot make a bad park good. What makes a great park is customer service. As trite as that may seem, a park that is genuinely interested in the happiness of its guests will always deliver, even if a ride is down, even if it's crowded, even in bad weather. I have had a fantastic time at Silver Dollar City without riding any coasters at all--simply because they will do whatever it takes to make your day. Parks are always in it for the money, and you understand that and even support it--but a park that wants you to have a good time is so much easier to give your money than a park that seems all about profit. I will rave about even a small park that is doing its best to please its customers, because I can appreciate how hard they are working to keep their business alive and growing. I try to visit small parks as well as large, as long as they're within driving distance really--not because I just want to get credits (although I do keep a count--I'm kind of a sucker for lists), but because I want to support local parks that are doing their best to entertain their guests. That's the heart of the industry.

my local SF park has clean bathrooms. But they always run their coasters and rides at min staffing. always lots of coaster trains stacking in the station and break area. oh well Break area: Brake area: Know the difference.

Wildfire this past weekend. That's it for us for the year.

Six Flags St. Louis has plenty of space if they put it over by Tidal Wave. But that park needs so many improvements long before they need another coaster.

I either ride coasters with my kids or by myself, depending on how intense the ride is. So the times that I'm by myself I like to talk to the people around me. Sometimes they're really interesting. Earlier this year, I met a guy from Australia while queueing for Outlaw Run. I'm always amazed at how far people will travel to come to Branson. Maybe growing up around here I don't appreciate it for what it is. What I hear from those who are from outside the US is that if you go to New York or LA, you'll see landmarks and such, but coming to Branson, you'll see what America is really like. Granted, this is from the people who chose to go to Branson over what I consider our better cities, but still, it's quite a compliment.

Today the Springfield News-Leader published a story from former mayor Tom Carlson about the origins of Silver Dollar City. No new information here, and the article is definitely one-sided, but if you're not familiar with the story, it's a good read. http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2014/12/06/woman-behind-silver-dollar-city/20021773/

Neither Screaming Eagle nor Boss need RMC. Boss just needs to be re-tracked, and it's fine. The helix was re-tracked before this season, and it was the best part of the ride. It's my understanding that other parts of the ride are being similar refurb work over this off-season. If they keep up the maintenance schedule, Boss will be great for many more years.

Just finished To the Moon, a point-and-click style adventure game made with RPG Maker. It was really fantastic. Though the puzzles were a bit simplistic, they focused on the story, and wow, did the story pack a punch. Without spoiling anything, it's essentially the story of an old man's regrets. Very highly recommended.

Wildcat at Santa's Village Azoosment Park back in July.

^ Voted! The Christmas display is truly incredible, for anyone who hasn't seen it. We'll be down there this weekend.

So a log flume is a water slide? Nice try on the reductio ad absurdum, but they certainly do have things in common. With the slide that is the subject of this thread, I don't see a capsule as being significantly different from a raft like the one on Verruckt, where you are also strapped in. I definitely find this slide interesting--as to whether I would have the guts to go on it, maybe is the best I can say at this point.

By type: First kiddie coaster: Runaway Ore Cart, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Spacely's Sprocket Rockets, Six Flags Great America First big coaster: Thunderation, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City First coaster with inversions: Batman, Six Flags over Mid-America / Favourite: Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City First hyper coaster: Mamba, Worlds of Fun / Favourite: Mamba, Worlds of Fun First inverted coaster: Batman, Six Flags over Mid-America / Favourite: Vertical Velocity, Six Flags Great America First wooden coaster: Screaming Eagle, Six Flags over Mid-America / Favourite: Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City First flying coaster: Superman: Ultimate Flight, Six Flags Great America / Favourite: Superman: Ultimate Flight, Six Flags Great America First wing coaster: X-Flight, Six Flags Great America / Favourite: X-Flight, Six Flags Great America First launch coaster: Mr. Freeze, Six Flags St. Louis / Favourite: Powder Keg, Silver Dollar City First indoor coaster: Fire in the Hole, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Fire in the Hole, Silver Dollar City First floorless coaster: Superman Krypton Coaster, Six Flags Fiesta Texas / Favourite: Superman Krypton Coaster, Six Flags Fiesta Texas By manufacturer: First park-built coaster: FIre in the Hole, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Fire in the Hole, Silver Dollar City First Arrow: Thunderation, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Orient Express, Worlds of Fun First Morgan: Mamba, Worlds of Fun / Favourite: Mamba, Worlds of Fun First B&M: Batman, Six Flags over Mid-America / Favourite: Wildfire, Silver Dollar City First Vekoma: Ninja, Six Flags over Mid-America / Favourite: Spacely's Sprocket Rockets, Six Flags Great America First Premier: Mr. Freeze, Six Flags St. Louis / Favourite: Mr. Freeze, Six Flags St. Louis First Intamin: American Eagle Blue, Six Flags Great America / Favourite: Vertical Velocity, Six Flags Great America First Philadelphia Toboggan: Screaming Eagle, Six Flags over Mid-America / Favourite: Screaming Eagle, Six Flags St. Louis First Dinn: Timberwolf, Worlds of Fun / Favourite: Timberwolf, Worlds of Fun First GCI: Ozark Wildcat, Celebration City / Favourite: Prowler, Worlds of Fun First S&S: Powder Keg, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Powder Keg, Silver Dollar City First Schwarzkopf: Zambezi Zinger, Worlds of Fun / Favourite: Whizzer, Six Flags Great America First Gerstlauer: Spinning Dragons, Worlds of Fun / Favourite: Pandemonium, Six Flags St. Louis First RMC: Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City / Favourite: Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City

^ As long as water is involved, and one slides down it, it is a water slide.

Speaking of Dinosaurs Alive when is the contract over with because I'd rather see something in its space. Im not saying its a bad attraction I just don't think I can go to see Dino's more then one time. As a park enthusiast, rather than a coaster enthusiast, I have to disagree on this. Dinosaurs Alive is an attraction that everyone can enjoy: There's no height limit, it's not thrilling, and it's not even a ride. People with heart and back problems, pregnant women, very small children--everyone can enjoy it. You have to remember that families go to parks, and families often include some people who love coasters and some who would rather do other things. If a park has attractions like Dinosaurs Alive, everyone comes away with an experience they shared together, and that's very powerful for family memories, and very good for business too. Personally, I feel that Dinosaurs Alive has that walk-in-the-park feeling that a lot of parks are missing. A theme park isn't supposed to be a bunch of rides crammed together. It is first and foremost a park, a large recreational area designed for fun and relaxation. I'm glad to see Dinosaurs Alive is sticking around and being improved. Worlds of Fun has turned around completely from the dark days of the 90s and really seems to care about keeping its rides and attractions in very good condition. Great news indeed.

To quote an expert on the subject: "The demise of the vertical loop on a roller coaster has been greatly exaggerated. In fact, it's the only thing that can make a swamp bearable." -- Mark Twain

Honestly, all FITH really needs is a little freshening up and replacing a few animatronics. The ride went through a total refurb in 2007, and that really brought new life into it. Now, American Plunge is what needs an overhaul. So many animatronics are broken if not removed completely. Personally, I didn't like the fact that when they built Wildfire, they just had most of the Plunge go through a long straight concrete tunnel--just dark, nothing to see. There's plenty of land there that could be used for an extended Plunge, and a lot of the old Jim Owen's stuff that is still there but not in use. I'm totally excited by Fireman's Landing (as you can tell by my current avatar), but I would just love it if the next big project were a Plunge refurb or even a totally new flume ride.