MindbenderManiac

So I bought the all season drink paper cup plan at Valleyfair thinking it was good at all Cedar Fair parks. The pass was not honored anywhere at Carowinds and when I went to guest relations they told me to call ValleyFair. ValleyFair told me it was only valid at the park you bought it at. I thought the whole point of this paper cup pass was that it was good at all CF parks. Anybody else have this problem?

One thing I am curious about. Here lately when LRod has a launch failure they evacuate the train manually at the bottom of the hill and walk everybody back to the station - even when they are just operating 1 train. The ride does have the capability to back up the train to either the station, or to re-launch - we've seen this happen in technical rehearsal. When our train "rolled back" last week, it took the staff about 45 minutes to get us off the ride as they were having difficulty with the manual releases and seeing in the dark. Seems like it would have been easier to just back the train into to the station.

Went to the park last night, and checked out what everyone is talking about with Cyclone. First off the ride seems to be running excellent! Better than it has in a while. The magic seat for me is row 11. Indeed there are green dots on every footer. There are also things spray painted on the ground, #'s and X's. Personally I would hate to see anything happen to Cyclone as I'm a huge fan. A complete teardown would be devastating! I could deal with all this a little better if it was an RMC conversion.

We went to the park Wednesday. LRod was running one train, and had a 75 minute wait most of the day. No downtime until around 915pm when the train we were on had a "roll back." The ride then closed for the night. Sounded like they were doing a lot of work to the other train below the station. The train was also loaded with water dummies.

So does anyone know if RMC is still onsite? Looking at that uptime app someone created, lrod had like 2 really good days. It's had a delayed opening the past few days, and suffered about 3 hours of downtime today. I noticed on Dollywoods website that the LRod operational note has been removed. Hoping RMC is still there doing some tweaking and adjusting.

Looks like Drop Line is also listed on the app as "CD" today. Hope it isn't down for a long time also.

I am on the bandwagon believing the main problem with this ride are indeed the trains, and their inability to trigger the sensor system. Sure there are failed launches, but my inclination is something on the train or some sensor issue causes the launch to shut down. I really feel that if they were to modify this ride we would see different trains before we saw the launch modified or torn out. I would also be interested to see this apparent "roll back" everyone talks about. I've only seen the coaster stop at the launch, or go through the little pre launch it does and roll back like 10 feet to the bottom of the hill. I have not however ever seen it get a majority of the way up the hill and stop. Any videos of this would be greatly appreciated!

If the launch created by Velocity was the issue delaying projected opening, why did RMC remove the trains from the track last March? If the launch was the issue delaying opening, then why were the air gates not even installed when ACEers toured the ride in early May last year. We will never know the reason. I guess it's none of our business anyway. I hate it for the park. This has been a huge headache for them! The ride was supposed to be the crown jewel of the park, and it's limped along. We don't even get music in the que, or the peeling out sound effects that was intended to theme the ride.

I rode it around 115, and again around 230. Left the park around 245 today. My opinion on LRod.. the whole project was rushed. I'm sure the park pressured RMC to have things done for opening day which didn't happen. RMC had too many irons in the fire last year. We are now seeing the results.

I stopped by the park today briefly on the way to Coasterstock at Kings Island. Got my first ride on Drop Line e... The drop isn't very intense but the views are spectacular. As far as Lightning Rod - I got two rides on it today. It was down when I arrived and went down while I was in line. I believe Dollywood is really trying hard to keep this ride operational, and it seems to be struggling big time right now with it's reliability. They are putting so much time and labor into it. I noticed on the app around 6 LRod was listed as "CD." It was 1 train ops today. I also noticed the water dummies we're out too.

Not listed as down yet. Then they're not updating. I'm in the station. It's down. Then you might as well just get out of line, pack up and head home!! No but seriously - its not uncommon for L-rod to go down after the first full train goes out for the morning. It's like the ride works great with empty trains, but once there is weight in the train, it slides through the ending brakes without the system resetting (see my post a couple pages back). Glad you got to ride it though. It really is an amazing coaster. I have no doubt that Dollywood will one day get this thing near 100%. Remember technically its only been open 1 year and though the park is working hard to get it to 100%, its not there yet, and many of us are impatient! I have rode it 25 times now, but that has not come without a great deal of patience on my part - waiting through breakdowns, getting to the park right at opening, staying till close etc. As far as breakfast is concerned Aunt Granny's no longer offers the breakfast buffet. However Front Porch offers breakfast and its amazing!!! They make popcorn grits with grains from the grist mill - delicious. Not sure if its only open when the park opens at 9AM or if its open everyday.

There seems to be a couple of reasons why LRod shuts down that I have noticed recently. When they make people step back inside the gates after they have loaded into the train, its because something didn't trip when the second train hit the brake run. This prevents dispatch of the train in the station. You can hear the brakes reset, and see a fin lower at the bottom of the launch hill once the train passes a certain block on the brake run. Sometimes this doesn't happen causing temporary shutdown. This happened to us the other day, while on the brake run we saw everyone in the station getting from the train back into the line. Once maintenance got to the ride we heard the snapping/resetting of the brakes followed by the dispatch of the train in the station. Saturday it had a couple launch failures as a result of the second train not coming into the station. If you notice when the train in the station is dispatched, before it launches the other train has already made it most of the way into the station. If that 2nd train does not advance - the other train does not launch. I am by no way an engineer or know exactly what is going on with the ride, I merely only posting this for good fun and speculation, but these are the main reasons for temporary shutdowns that I've noticed recently.

Yes - seems like lots of maintence headaches yesterday. There was a point were like 5 or 6 rides were listed as "TC". FCE went down around 2 and never reopened. MM around 4 or 5 and never reopened. LR did very well all day besides having several minor "hiccups" after 5. But the ride would be up and running again within 30 minutes. We actually got on the very front row of the first train on L-Rod @ 9a, and the very back row of the last train of the night at 8:30pm. I don't think I have ever been able to claim first train of the day and last train of the day on the same ride ever! As far as seating preferences, now that I have two LRod front seat rides under my belt, while anywhere in the train is fun, I really prefer it in the back. TT is best in the back, but you do get great hangtime towards the front in the first loop. Some days I like TH towards the front, some days towards the back. My favorite WE seat is right side (elevator side) row 7, outside edge.

The ride renames came sometime in the mid to late 90's (95 or 96?) When Premier Parks (pre Six Flags) was trying to give Darien Lake more of a theme I believe. Yes "Silver Bullet" was formerly named "Spinning Wheel", "Corn Popper" had been renamed "Rodeo Roundup" but that changed back, and the former "Raging Seas" was originally named "Sea Storm." I want to say the old "Crazy Quilt" was renamed before it was removed but I can't remember what they renamed it to. Lasso was moved into the Crazy Quilt's spot in 1999 when the park becamed Six Flags Darien Lake. Darien is my former home park and I haven't been since 2006. Will be heading back to Buffalo next weekend to visit family, so I'm finally going to head to the park again on opening day. Looking forward to seeing all the changes. I hear the park is finally somewhat moving forward!

Just an FYI, went to the park today and it seems they have scrapped the Timesaver wristband for a lanyard with a punchcard. You can get the 10 (8 regulars and 2 premiums) rides for $35, like the bracelet had, or an unlimited ride card for $45. The park was extremely crowded today and many people had these timesavers obviously slowing down regular lines immensly. Drop Line looks great! The pond is filled and they've added some theming to the pond. I know that the ride is supposed to open May 5, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a soft opening in the middle of the week.

And food wise I personally love Quaker Steak and lube in Pigeon Forge at the corner of the parkway and Collier... I'm originally from Buffalo, NY and their Buffalo wings are top notch... Good burgers too. Smoky Mountain Trout House in Gatlinburg and Applewood Farmhouse in Pigeon Forge are also some of my faves.

Drop line was doing a lot of testing this morning and we watched several cycles of it. It rotates around the tower several times while ascending. Once it gets to the top of the tower it stops climbing, and makes one full rotation. Then it climbs just a few feet more and abruptly drops. Can't wait to ride Dollywoods unique to the States drop tower!!!

Just checked the app and saw the wait times. If anyone is at the park today and they hear that Dollywood is extending park hours until 9 (which they sometimes do with high crowds) post on this board so I can find out. We are heading up to Gatlinburg tonight and weren't planning on stopping at the park today. However if there is a chance we could catch some night rides we may change our plans a bit . Regardless we will be there again tomorrow!!

A lot of rides were down this morning... There were some severe storms last night here in Chattanooga, were there storms up that way too? Was wondering if that could be the reason why all of the coasters were closed this morning around 10:30.

Indeed, Sunday around 530 they reopened LR with 2 trains. They dispatched about 3 trains with people, the third of which we were on, and the ride went down for the day after that. They seem to still be tinkering around with things to get the ride fully reliable. You could hear them drilling and working on the other train below the loading dock frequently on Sunday. On another note there seems to be a cooling system now at the bottom of the launch I never noticed before. You can notice a mist at the bottom of the launch now.

What about the revamped Baskstage? Did you check it out? How'd it look? My crew has always preferred Aunt Grannie's too. After 4 years and over a dozen visits we still haven't made it to Ham & Beans. The revamped Backstage, aka Front Porch Cafe is excellent. I absolutely love the new restaurant! It has a fresh, clean atmosphere, and the food is delicious! They have some of the same meal options as backstage did with some new ones as well. I had the country fried steak and my partner had the meatloaf stacker. Both were delicious. I also had a cup of chili which was great. I highly recommend the new place if you want a nice, quiet place to sit down, relax, and enjoy some southern comfort food. Some thoughts on my first visit to the park yesterday: Love the new themeing and all the work/signage/path widening/new rides and all the work that has went into Timber Canyon. It looks great. The new turf that sits where Sideshow Spin was is great and well utilized. People were actually lying on the turf and sleeping when we walked by. Personally I like the new Timesaver system. Technically the only rides that you really ever need a timesaver for are Lightning Rod, FCE, MM, and SMRR. Waits generally on other rides are minimal. You get 2 X's and 8 Butterflies, X's can be used on everything including LR and DL, butterflies can be used on everything else except for DL and LR- so 2 rides on LR or DL (when open) or 1 ride on each, and 8 on the other rides of your choice that actually has a line. They now are able to staff a grouper at FCE and TT in areas of the station that became quite crowded. This prevents station overcrowding. The Lo Q system with the Q-bot at DW while reasonably priced was rarely needed, and underutilized. I believe lo-q charges so much of their sales - this new system gives Dollywood more revenue. This new system still allows you to reserve shows which is very needed especially during the Christmas season. When you reserved a show with the old qbot, if you decided to skip the show you could not make reservations for other rides until after the show. So you would have to go to the timesaver station to remove the show before you could make another reservation. This system given you more flexibility. Unfortunately LR was having a rough day on Sunday - up and down all day- Attempts at adding a 2nd train were exercises in futility, so it mainly ran 1 train all day. The ride finally closed for the day around 6. Though we did manage 3 rides on it. I'm happy it was open - I will surely take all the issues as I completely love this ride - by far my favorite wood coaster. We saw Slask and Mother Africa, loved both shows. The Festival of Nations is my favorite Dollywood fest. All in all a great first day of the 2017 season!!!

Drop line and Whistle Punk Chaser look great!! It is confirmed right that Sideshow Spin is no more right? And for those Lightning Rod riders today - have the trunks returned to the back of the trains? Any rows closed off? I will be at the park Sunday! Looking forward to seeing all the changes!

So coaster crew has an event at the park on opening day. They have been waiting for confirmation from the park for their ERT ride. They announced yesterday Lightning Rod will be their ERT ride, so things are looking positive that the ride will be ready for opening weekend, fingers crossed!! Hopefully the restraints on it are not tighter this year - it says guests approaching 200 pounds and/or taller than 6 ft 4 in may have difficulty fitting. I'm 6ft 4in and 275 and just barely fit last year. On another note I noticed that most of the coasters are subject to closure in inclement weather including extreme hot temperatures... I wonder how hot it needs to get before the coasters close?

Yes... Mindbender did get up and running today around 3-330 and she was running beautifully as always. I did notice that Mindbender kept stalling before it went into the station this morning. They would get it out of that position and then it would stall again with the back few cars outside of the station. Maintence was quite busy getting it going this morning, and finally they did. Where Mindbender kept stalling Happy 50th SFOG

^^^We are going to do a couple laps on cyclone and head out probably around 615. All the coasters finally opened around 330 (except Blue Hawk and Joker Funhouse Coaster) and COLD temps made for light crowds... All in all it was a great day (besides getting stuck @ the top of Acro, AND on Superman for 20 mins on the only train that went out on it all day)!