thrillseeker4552

That makes sense, given the recent issue... I do hope they sort the trains out and get them running. I’m not a huge fan of the cramped Premier Sky Rocket trains, especially with comfort collars, but anything is better than those terrible shoulder pad restraints on the old trains. These new trains also have an addition 2 seats per train, slightly increasing the capacity (not that capacity matters much for a ride like this, but nice nonetheless).

That reminds me of when SoCal got dumped with snow on New Year's Eve 2014. Not so much the coastal areas or Orange County, but the inland empire and higher parts of LA got several inches that hung around for several days. Highly unusual but super cool when it happens.

The seatbelt reaches from the left side of the train to the right side (or it may be right to left, I forget). It is similar to a car seatbelt, where it is always retracting. So once it's clicked in, the belt remains taut and cannot be released. There is no way to tighten the belt against the rider like a typical roller coaster seatbelt. It is impossible for the rider to unlock the seatbelt mid-ride, whether purposefully or accidentally. To be honest, the ride feels quite safe. I rode it when I was younger with my dad, and have ridden it as an adult with my younger sister, and it feels very safe. The train is quite cramped and has little room to move around anyway. You really don't even need the seatbelt to be honest (hypothetically). Obviously the seatbelt must be locked and secure for the ride to dispatch. The ride has been operating safely for 45 years. Yeah, it's a bit sketchy when compared to modern coaster design, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Here is a link to a photo of the train from RCDB. It is not super clear, but it gives you a general idea. https://rcdb.com/198.htm#p=6642

The height requirement for Jet Star II is 50". However, all riders (kids or adults, doesn't matter) must ride in pairs. Nobody may sit alone in a seat. The seat belt connects across the front of the two riders. It is away from the body, unless you have two large adults, then it may touch the front rider. This is why two riders is required for the ride - if somebody rode alone, there would be a lot of extra room to slide around. I suggest taking a look at some offride photos or videos of the ride to get a better idea of the train setup. There is no restraint that tightly hugs any riders. The front rider protects the back rider, and the seatbelt protects the front rider. With that being said, the ride is almost entirely positive-Gs and laterals, so there is no risk of "airtime" with a minimal restraint. It's a quite intense and whippy ride. If you're riding with your young son, the most secure restraint will honestly be your arms/hands, if you feel the seatbelt up front is not enough. However I definitely recommend you both hold onto the sides of the cars for control. You may do it instinctively! Oh, and no, you cannot unlock the seatbelt during the ride. It is also worth noting that Jet Star II was closed for all of 2020, since it is impossible to social distance on the trains, and strangers/single riders often ride together on the ride. With COVID going the way it is, it could very well remained closed for 2021 as well.

While it may not be catered for us enthusiasts, this will be a nice addition for them. The water park is their bread and butter, and it is good that they are capitalizing on that as much as possible. The new roller coaster will come someday - when it makes sense for them financially.

The trains will be the most interesting part of this coaster for me. We know the technology exists to build enormous steel structures. The real question is how the trains and wheels will be designed to accommodate these insane statistics. Maybe tires? lol

Great news that they may go year-round (to some extent). I love the trend of expanding operating calendars over the last 5+ years. I did find it odd that BGW is the only major SeaWorld property that doesn't operate year-round, but I never questioned it since they are located quite a bit farther north than the other 4 parks. If they really do this, Kings Dominion better step up their game fast.

Did you end up visiting? I am curious to hear about your experience with crowds. I plan on visiting the Friday of MLK weekend. Since it is an indoor park, I am a bit more concerned with COVID than usual, particularly if it is crowded. It has been several years since I have visited.

Even just 2 weeks later, these plans have already changed. With COVID going the way it is, and my graduation/job schedule in the spring, a road trip like that may not be feasible. So as of now, the only things that are 99% certain are Lagoon visits throughout the year (already have my 2021 pass) and a Silverwood visit in the summer. If California parks open, those are a possibility too.

That trackwork is nice to see. I haven't ridden Racer since 2017, but it was not smooth by any stretch of the imagination. I am glad to see them committed to keeping it running well.

Looking great. This is a perfect addition for the park. I am interested to see how this compares with Railblazer/WW. The longer trains and extra speed could mean a crazier ride, but perhaps this will be a case of Goliath at SFGAm where the larger and more drawn-out elements leads to a slightly less insane ride. Regardless, it will be awesome!

Great news. Even if the timing/planned opening is all up in the air, it is nice to have something new to look forward to, other than the park re-opening eventually. This will be a nice addition for them and miles better than Green Lantern (even though I didn't hate GL as much as others).

According to Six Flags Mexico’s Twitter, Superman has given its last rides and will be leaving the park (based on rough translation). They have replied to a few comments under the Tweet saying information will be released on their socials and website soon. This is a shocking move. Superman is their largest, most iconic, and (to some) their best coaster. Wow. EDIT: Turns out today is Mexico’s equivalent of “April Fool’s Day”??? DANG they got me!

GhostRider immediately comes to mind. The second half of that coaster is what makes it so iconic and memorable. It is also why I am 50/50 torn on whether I prefer the front seat or back seat. The first half with the big drops is better in the back. After you dive off the MCBR, the front seat is better for the second half. Also, the Beast at Kings Island. The first half is extremely boring and meandering, whereas that final helix is incredibly forceful and thrilling.

This looks like an excellent (and unexpected) addition. Good for them! I have yet to ride a new-generation Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster, but they seem to be leaps and bounds better than the ones from the early 2000s.

Yeah, I had seen videos on social media of previous test runs, so I knew it wasn’t the first. But I totally see how my wording implied that. It’s still kind of hilarious that this happened on the least stressful part of the ride (outside of the station and brakes).

It is odd that this incident occurred on the lift hill, of all places. Well, I am glad this occurred during preliminary testing before taking any passengers. Who knows what could've happened during the rest of that janky layout if it can't even survive the lift hill.

Yeah, I can't help but wonder why Carowinds closed their event before Christmas! Even if they didn't do daily operations, ending it so early is just strange. Nonetheless, like you said, Afterburn and Copperhead are excellent rides. I loved both of them during my June 2019 visit. And even before 2020, Six Flags has always crushed Cedar Fair in the Holiday/Christmastime department in my opinion (outside of Knott's). That photo of Nitro is just so awesome.

^Oh dang. Thanks for the info! It was originally planned to re-open next week (presumably with the new trains). And yeah, I'm hoping June works out too. I have a feeling most things outside of California will at least be open.

Bummer that they had to cancel the rest of Taste of Merry Farm. I was looking forward to visiting. I am glad Knott's was able to squeeze out some revenue and make the most of their situation this year, though. Many other parks can't say the same. Here's to 2021. Maybe. Who even knows.

Ideal: 1. Multi-park trip on the East Coast in June that would include American Dream, SFGAdv, Dorney, Knoebels, Hershey, Kennywood, Kings Island, and Cedar Point. If the parks are open and travel is possible, this is fairly likely. 2. A few Lagoon trips scattered throughout the year. 3. Silverwood in July or August. 4. Knott's, SFMM, or SWSD, whenever they open. I am honestly not expecting them to open for many more months. Realistic: 1. Big Apple Coaster, Stratosphere Tower, and/or Adventuredome in January. 2. Numbers 2 and 3 from above.

Nice report. I rode Apocalypse in 2016 and thought it was terrible. When I went back to the park in 2019, I was hoping it had improved as Firebird. That was NOT the case. I actually think it's worse! It is easily my least favorite B&M.

Yeah, at this point you can't rely on logic, reason, and science to decide when the CA parks open. That went out the window a while ago. I would not expect the park to open until next spring at the earliest. Probably summer.

^Hahaha, trust me, I'm aware. We already have Six Flags memberships and already plan on visiting SFGAdv if these plans work out. Nick Universe would just be an add-on, not a replacement. If it weren't for Sandy or Shellraiser, I wouldn't even consider. But both of those rides look like coasters I would really enjoy. But who even knows. Maybe 2021 will be even more of a sh*tshow than 2020 and we can't travel anywhere.

Wow, that is outrageous. Our potential travel plans for this summer include flying into Newark. We are considering spending a few hours here if the flight time allows. But for $90... yikes. That backwards launch on Sandy better be worth it.