mightypotato

I was line for Behemoth at CW today and overheard the following little gem about the MCBR. Guy 1: What's that big long thing for? Guy 2: It slows the train down, I guess. Guy 1: Why would they want that? Guy 2: Its so the train doesn't break off the track and fall into the lake. Guy 1: Oh...makes sense.

I haven't ridden Diamondback yet, but I know Nitro's are fairly forceful. As are Behemoth's. Its not so much of a jerky stop as it is a quick deceleration. Kind of catches you off guard.

My favourite picture...the guy in the front row makes it for me.

I went to go see Suidakra and Alestorm in Toronto last Monday. Both are heavy metal bands, and Alestorm sings about pirates. Pirate. Heavy. Metal. Awesome.

The only reason I'm probably heading to Darien Lake this year is to get the MotoCoaster credit. Ride of Steel is still a great ride, but really...that's all they've got going for them. Its not exactly at the top of my list of parks to visit this year.

Oh, everything's stolen nowadays. In fact, the fax machine is nothing but a waffle iron with a phone attached!

Definitely Maverick. That 95 degree drop is freaking insane. Second to that would be Griffon, mainly due to the holding brake just before the drop while sitting in the front row.

All last season, I never had to wait longer than 1.5 hours for Behemoth. The crew there was exceptional at pumping through the people with a three train operation. In my last visit, I actually waited longer for Flight Deck (SLC) than I did Behemoth. My advice for tackling the park is for Behemoth, Backlot Stunt Coaster, Skyrider and The Fly to be your top priorities. Behemoth because its far and away the best CW has to offer, and the others because they either have crazy low capacity or have crazy long dispatch times.

I tend to go off my last ride experience. For example, Apollo's Chariot used to be lower down on my list until 2007 when I rode it again for the first time in years. The ride it gave me then blew me away and propelled up my list. The only downside is if I've only been on a ride once and had either a great or horrible experience, that's where I place it on my list. Mean Streak is a good example of that. The first time I rode it in 2003, I had a great ride and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, naturally it took up a high spot on my very small list of woodies. But...riding it again this year dropped it to just above Wild Beast and Predator...but only barely.

...wow That looked really, really, REALLY good. I wish I lived out that way/had the money to travel.

I plan on heading out to Dorney/SFGAdv next year on a road trip. Because really...I just want to ride El Toro.

Entered my ballots for both steel and wood. Although, my wood ballot only had 6 coasters on it. I need to ride more woodies...or at least decent ones. Blue Streak @ CP was my highest ranked woodie. Sad, ain't it? #1 steel was Millennium Force (shut up, I still love it)

Exactly. My parents were in Myrtle Beach this summer and wanted to check out Hard Rock Park while in town. They were shocked as to how poor the location of the park was. That, and the price didn't exactly sit well with them either. In the end, they didn't even go to the park...probably proof of what everyone has been saying.

Is anyone actually surprised by this? Every trip report I saw this year made me think that this was going to be an inevitability. I'm just sad that a B&M multilooper is going to go to waste.

The Erie County Fair used to have a Sky Wheel every year when I was a kid. My dad would drag me on it, and I was absolutely terrified. I eventually started liking it...but then it disappeared and never came back. I miss it so.

Me neither. But, I tend to disregard the roller coaster rankings in the Golden Ticket Awards and wait for Mitch's poll. That's really the only reliable ranking system out there. Well, it was until TPR broke it last year after riding Eagle Fortress.

As usual, I'd like to declare shenanigans on the Golden Ticket Awards. Wake me up when they stop kissing all of Ohio and Schlitterban's butts.

The expressions you caught on Predator are simply priceless. Nicely done.

Wild Beast should get no love. EVER.

I think the more impressive thing is that Elissa is a cheat code in RCT2. I wish I were a cheat code in any game.....that I didn't make myself.

Two things: 1. This coaster looks pretty intense, and therefore awesome. Gerstlauer is really starting to impress me with their designs. 2. Plopsaland is probably the funniest name for a park I've ever heard of.

They look great, and I'm always a fan of 4-across seating, yay boosted capacity. However, the one thing that really bugs me about these designs is the OTSR's on the mega coaster train. WTF is up with that?

I actually really liked the way the trains are on Behemoth. They give a better feeling of freedom and mobility while riding. In the outer seats, it actually feels like you're riding by yourself instead of with three other people in the car.

Up here in the Great White North, its usually Canada vs. USSR. That is, when you can find one of these gems.

I love Skyrider at PCW, despite it being a nut-squashing, headbanging TOGO standup.