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rcdude

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Everything posted by rcdude

  1. Given how early this is being manufactured, I think there's a really good chance it is destined overseas (more likely Asia than Europe). However, if it is bound for the US, I'm willing to bet it will be going to a Cedar Fair or Six Flags park. For Six Flags, the two most likely parks would be Six Flags Over Texas or Six Flags St. Louis. Both of these parks only have one B&M currently (a Batman), and both haven't got a new coaster since 2008. SFOT would probably be the more likely of the two to recieve it simply because SFStL is relatively close to SFGAm and they are rumored to be creating a DC Universe (which this coaster could easily fit into, Green Lantern or otherwise), but I could definitely see it showing up at either park. The only other somewhat likely park in the Six Flags chain would be SFGAdv, and that would only be as a replacement ride if they do plan to remove Bizarro (which would likely be relocated to SFStL). For Cedar Fair, Cedar Point is definitely the most likely possibility. They are in need of a new coaster, and there are strong rumors their next project will be a B&M. A wing coaster would fit nicely into the park, as they don't have anything quite like it yet. My second guess for Cedar Fair is Knott's, simply because they are rumored to be getting a new coaster for next year and I honestly think the park is a little on the small side for a Giga (I could see a B&M mega, however). A wing coaster would fit in nicely as a replacement for Perilous Plunge, as it would probably be about the same height and the footprint would be similar (the coaster could be extended onto the arcade building if necessary). If it is Cedar Fair and neither of these two parks, I'd guess either Worlds of Fun or Kings Island since both are somewhat distant from the current wing coaster installations and neither have a similar type of coaster, plus it's been a few years since either one got a new coaster (although Kings Island can be ruled out if reopening Son of Beast in the next couple years is a realistic possibility). I could be wrong, but I don't think a smaller park like CGA or Valleyfair would be as likely to recieve this kind of investment, and CGA is ruled out due to the new GCI. In all honesty, it is way too early to tell and this is all guesswork at this point. If the track is still there in October, I think it's safe to say it is going to a US park but until it shows up in a parking lot we'll have no idea which one.
  2. ^That map doesn't show it very well. Basically, when you are walking toward Revolution (you have already passed Orient Express and the Grand Carousel, and took a right at the fork), just before you reach the entrance (the ramp next to a drinking fountain), there will be a sign for the Flash Pass entrance on the right. Walk up this path (which goes under Revolution's brake run), and you will be at the exit to Revolution. From here, there is a set of stairs. Climb those stairs, turn right, and follow the walkway to Rapids Camp Crossing. If you are going to Tatsu first (recommended), this is about 15% quicker than walking toward Panda Express and climbing those steps (and much faster than going all the way by Viper). The map makes it look shorter than it actually is, but you will still beat everyone who is bypassing Tatsu and heading for X2 by a minute or two (which is all that really matters). When you visit the park, after you get off Tatsu, go clockwise, riding anything of high priority (probably Apocalypse and Riddler's Revenge) and skipping anything else (unless it is a walk-on). Whatever you do, try to get to Green Lantern: First Flight within an hour or so of when the park opens. Depending on how fast you move, you could end up avoiding any long lines except for X2. One additional note: If for whatever reason Tatsu has a significant line (more than a single section of the switchbacks if two trains are running), you are better off skipping it and coming back later so you will still get on more rides with a shorter wait (the additional time you'll spend waiting for Tatsu is less than you'd spend combined for everything else). Finally, if you don't care about riding Ninja, there is no reason to go to the top of Saumrai Summit since Superman will be closed.
  3. I saw two movies this past weekend, one in the theater on Friday and one at home today (should be obvious which is which). The Hunger Games: I wanted to like this movie, but the camerawork just killed it. It was just so shaky that it looked like the film was done by amateurs. I'm not opposed to camera shake when it makes sense, but this film just really overdid it and it ruined parts of the movie completely. In fact, it was so bad my mom almost had to leave the theater due to motion sickness (for reference, she had no problem with The Bourne Ultimatum). Other than that it was okay. I'm not a huge fan of teenages being forced to kill each other, but it was a decent story. The actors could have been cast better, but oh well. I'd probably give it a C+ (B if it was watchable, but the camera caused that level of demotion). I haven't read the book, and I'll probably wait for DVD on the sequels, but it was decently entertaining and probably better than anything else currently playing. Real Steel-I wasn't initially interested in this, but since it got good ratings I figured it was worth seeing. It was entertaining, but I do think it is a bit overrated. Still, not a bad movie, although it does seem very similar to Rocky (especially the second half). Plus, I am a fan of Hugh Jackman. B-
  4. Okay, any hope I had of Mad T Party being decent just went away. I'll be sure to give that one a miss. As for Cars Land, it looks like a great addition and the thing that will complete DCA. I don't know that it would be worth traveling to California to visit it (especially for those that have been to WDW and ridden Test Track), but it might make DCA worth more than the half-day it currently deserves. Radiator Springs Racers looks like it could be DCA's best ride (except for California Screamin'), the Flying Tires look interesting, and the third ride (Junkyard Jamboree) looks like something I'll do once and not bother with again, but the whole area just seems well done and possibility the best themed area of DCA.
  5. I'm slightly surprised Six Flags actually decided to do this, but I'm sure it will be popular. Other than the endpoints, I doubt the ride experience will change much, but a backwards launch and looking down on the spike will be quite interesting with only lapbars. I guess Premier's lapbars are large enough that they don't need shoulder harnesses for this one. I thought Mr. Freeze was pretty good when I rode it last summer, so I wonder how my opinion will change (if at all) after experiencing the Reverse Blast version (at some unspecified date in the future).
  6. The one time I visited Kings Dominion (ECB 2010), Avalanche started out with one train and added a second one later in the day. In fact, Dominator, Backlot Stunt Coaster, and Flight of Fear were the only coasters that started with two trains (Volcano, The Blast Coaster and Intimidator 305 added second trains later as well). Perhaps that was due to the forcast of rain that day.
  7. The only one of these three that I somewhat like is Aqua Racer, and Dragster H2O is the worst of them. I'm not that great with names either (I'd probably call this Speed Spiral or something similar), but there has to be someone in management that has a better idea than these three.
  8. I was a bit surprised when Cedar Fair announced every park would be getting Fast Lane since a few of them (including CGA) don't seem like they need it. However, I guess on the rare crowded day it could be worthwhile. Both times I've visited the park (both July weekdays) the longest line outside of the waterpark was about 15 minutes. I'm glad to see that the pass will include the non-coaster rides that actually had a significant wait on my visit (namely Barney Oldfield, Logger's Run, and the Skyride), and I could see Flight Deck and Psycho Mouse as benefitting from it (every other coaster that they currently have was a walk-on on both visits). Why they are using it for shows, however, is beyond me.
  9. I will be here as part of the LeviaTHON trip. To avoid skewing the results, I didn't vote since I'm not purchasing a separate ticket, but I'm definitely looking forward to this event. ERT on the two coasters at Canada's Wonderland I most want to ride. Can't wait!
  10. The park could always go with the smallest model on that page. It is only 60 feet tall, which I believe is the height of Hurricane. My guess is that the park may remove/relocate the kiddie rides next to Hurricane to clear up more space. If they are going for a family friendly coaster, it will probably be a spinner of some sort or a wild mouse. If they are going for more of a thrill ride, however, I'd wager that it will be either an El Loco or a Eurofighter.
  11. Since the ride is in the testing phase, I'm sure they will be trying several configurations of trim brake application. However, regardless of what the final configuration is, this looks like it will be an excellent ride and I can't wait to ride it in July. It will be fun to ride this and Behemoth back-to-back and decide how similar or different they actually are.
  12. 15/20. Didn't miss a single one for a US park but either guessed wrong or didn't pay enough attention on a few international parks.
  13. Given the size of this ride, I'm guessing that once steel starts going up it will take only 2-3 weeks to fully erect. Add another month for testing, and assuming there are no major delays this could definitely be open by Memorial Day weekend. It may be 150 ft tall, but there is only 863 ft of track and that is what matters. Green Lantern: First Flight had about the same amount of track (825 ft), and I think that went up in less than three weeks. It only was delayed so much since they didn't begin vertical construction until late April/early May. For now, I'm betting Superman will be open by Memorial Day. If there isn't a piece of steel in place, or at least track on site, three weeks from now, then it would probably be safe to say this will be a June/July opening.
  14. Like others have said, Volcano is a very good, very unique ride that is definitely a must ride at the park. In my opinion, it is the second best coaster there, and I actually preferred it to Intimidator 305 (note: I only rode I305 with the trim brake). Also, you definitely want to ride early. When I visited, I did a quick run on I305 before going to Volcano, and by the time I got there the line was already 20 minutes. By the time I got off, it was over a half hour, and this was a day where almost everything was in the 15-20 minute range (only other ride I waited more than 20 minutes for was Avalanche). I don't know the exact numbers, but I'm guessing Volcano with two trains has about the same capacity as I305 or Dominator with one train.
  15. Ray Cammack Shows (the group that runs the midway at my local fair) went cashless several years ago and with only one exception I have not had any complaints. It sounds similar to Waldameer's system as you get a Fun Card that can be used for rides, games, or concessions. While you can use a credit card at concession stands (they might take cash as well, but I don't remember), rides and games have to be paid for with the cards or wristband (if it is a promotion day). The only issue I've had with it was on a $1 ride day. Since all the scanners automatically convert to the standard vaule at the time of the end of the promotion, and you are scanned just before boarding instead of when entering the line, I ended up waiting fifteen minutes and not being able to ride (missed it by three minutes or so). Waldameer wouldn't have this problem. Honestly, for a pay-per-ride park where everyone will need tickets anyway, this is a great system. Now, if pay-one-price parks started adopting it for games and food, that would be a whole different story.
  16. This one looks pretty good. As XYZ noted, you might consider switching Days 5 and 8, and I'd recommend dropping Pacific Park if you make this change (it's about a half hour from USH and would add another half hour to your drive to San Diego), but other than that it should work. If you do go to DCA of Saturday, definitely get there early if you want to see World of Color as it will sell out (personally I found it very underwhelming but I know others who love it, so I guess it's worth seeing if you haven't seen it before). If you did Revenge of the Mummy in Florida, just be aware that the California version is much shorter and generally considered inferior to its Florida counterpart. As for the Studio Tour, if you want to tour a movie studio I think a couple of others have one (never done any, only heard about them), but if you want to experience THE Universal Studios Backlot Tour (which is now about 65% ride and 35% tour), I guess you need to go to USH. It's up to you what to choose, but USH is about $75 per ticket and you'll need to decide if it is worth that.
  17. I can't help much for Texas, as I've never been there, but here is what I would do for the California part. Day 1-2 are in Texas. Day 3-Fly into Southern California, rent a car, and drive to San Diego if necessary. Day 4-SeaWorld San Diego morning and afternoon, ride Giant Dipper at Belmont Park once or twice, then drive to Anaheim after rush hour (approximately two hour drive) Day 5 (Saturday)-Disneyland Resort Day 6-Universal Studios Hollywood Day 7-Knott's Berry Farm Day 8-Disneyland Resort Day 9 (Wednesday)-Six Flags Magic Mountain Day 10-Fly Home Now for the details. When to visit: Whether you visit in May or June is up to you, and should depend on what attractions you are trying to ride. If you are at all interested in Matterhorn Bobsleds, Cars Land, or Lex Luthor, I would strongly advise waiting until June. If the only new rides you care about are Transformers and/or Manta, May would probably be less crowded. Lex Luthor could be open in May, but if it is a high priority I would pick the later dates just in case. SeaWorld: No matter when you go, you will not need a full day at this park. They only have five or six actual rides (not counting the kids area), and the rest of the attractions are shows or exhibits. Even in the summer, you will easily complete this park by mid-afternoon if you get there early and do the rides before the lines get bad. Also, Belmont Park is only worth visiting if you want to ride Giant Dipper. You'll only need an hour or so for it, and you could easily visit it after you finish SeaWorld. Disney: Visiting on a weekend, or in the summer, you need a MINIMUM of 1 1/2 days even if you are just doing Disneyland Park. I'd personally recommend planning three days for Disney, especially if you are a first timer, but two would probably be sufficient if you only care about the majors and not everything. DCA has enough for at least a half day, although if you've been to WDW its value is somewhat dimished. Look into multi-day tickets to see if you can save money. As far as crowds go, Memorial day weekend would be crowded, and June would be crowded. I don't know which would be worse. While I do not think either will be as bad as July or August, expect to wait in lines and don't expect to do everything in one day, even a 16 hour day. The reason I assigned Disney to Saturday and Tuesday is so that you have one weekday, and because Saturdays are actually less crowded than Sundays due to all the AP holders. However, if it was more convenient, you could shuffle these days around. My plan above assumes you'll be staying in the Anahiem area for several days, so if that is not the case you may need to shuffle it a bit anyway. Knott's Berry Farm: As long as you get here early, you won't have a problem with this place. Even on summer weekends, excessive lines are uncommon. Just make sure you do the lower capacity coasters (Boomerang, Montezooma's Revenge, and Sierra Sidewinder) early and you'll have no problem getting everything done. Universal: Like SeaWorld, this park only has a few rides and the rest is shows. Honestly, unless you have never been to the Florida park or are really interested in Transformers, I would skip it. Save the money so you can spend more time at Disney. If you do go, you will only need about six hours or so as long as you beat the crowds in the morning and don't miss a show due to capacity. You can use the rest of the day to explore Hollywood or do more Disney, but I wouldn't bother going to Pacific Park since it's a bit out of the way and the coaster isn't very good. SFMM: This is the hard one, because I have been on summer weekdays where it was busy and summer weekdays where it wasn't. Are you considering getting a Flash Pass, or is that not on the table? If you aren't considering it, have a good plan of attack and be prepared for possible waits. If you are, check out the crowds first to see if it is necessary, and if you decide it is your day will be a whole lot easier. It's pricey, however, so if you get lucky and the longest lines are under 30-45 minutes I wouldn't spend the money. Airports: John Wayne (SNA) is definitely better than LAX as long as their flights work for you. I haven't used any other airports in this area. Also, you might want to check with the rental car company as some will charge you a large fee if you return it at a different airport from where you picked it up. It may be better to just fly into Orange County/LA and drive down to San Diego. Whatever you end up doing, I'm sure you'll have a good time.
  18. I generally agree with the Disney method on this. Rides don't need an age requirement to ride, but should have one to ride alone, especially on rides without restraints. Someone defined as a "responsible person" should also have to be a certain age as well. It's okay for parks to suggest minimum ages, but they shouldn't bar those under them from riding. Maximum age restrictions, on the other hand, might make sense for particularly intense or rough rides. However, whether or not the rider is in good health is more important than how old they are.
  19. Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It is one of my top ten wooden coasters overall.
  20. Okay, I'm now convinced that this is probably the best family coaster anywhere. I definitely need to plan a trip to SeaWorld at some point this summer, both to ride this and because I haven't been since 2006. If I can, I think I'll shoot for June before all the schools get out.
  21. I know people are saying this might be a Premier ride, but I really think it will be either Intamin or Mack. Based on Premier's history, it doesn't seem like they would be one to build a large sprawling coaster like this will likely be. I would also be surprised if it doesn't have some airtime moments in it. After all, there is a really good chance this will be the longest coaster at SFMM, and it would be great if they tried to incorporate as much as possible into the ride. Perhaps we'll get a ride with a launch through the tunnel, a giant loop, a magnetic lift with a vertical/beyond vertical drop, a bunch of airtime hills, a low to the ground twister section, and more all in one ride.
  22. ^^You got me and my family as well in the RRE video. We're in the second train shown. My brother is in car 4, I'm behind him, my sister is behind me, and my dad is behind her. I guess you were among the many TPR members who thought to ride right after lunch. Good videos in general. That Green Lantern one really shows how tame the ride is, as half of the cars didn't even get a single complete flip.
  23. Silver Bullet on the Knott's day of West Coast Bash. It should change within two weeks.
  24. Okay, that's what he was saying. I honestly didn't hear everything, and guessed at it based on what I heard (although I clearly heard him mention the tunnel, terrain hugging on both sides of the hill, 6000 ft (from which I assumed a length record), and linear motors, as well as something height related). Based on Viper's speed and loop height (70 MPH, 144 ft loop), I'm thinking 70-80 mph sounds like about the right speed for this coaster. As long as this ride has some airtime moments in addition to what has already been mentioned, I could see it being the best coaster in California. It certainly sounds like something Intamin would come up with.
  25. I forgot to post this, and make of it what you will, but I've heard the 2013 coaster will not be a height or speed record but a length one. At WCB, Apocalypse broke down on us for about 30 minutes in the morning. While we were waiting, a overheard a mechanic talking with a few people near us, and he said the 2013 coaster would be a magnetic launch coaster that would be the longest steel coaster in North America (aka longer than Millennium Force's 6,595 ft). The ride will launch through the metro tunnel and run around on the backside of the hill before leaping over Superman and continuing on the front. He didn't say anything specific about height other than that it would be tall enough to be seen from the parking lot, but would generally follow the natural terrain. I didn't hear any other specifics. Once again, this is all speculation at this point, but based on what has been going on and the hints that have been dropped it seems to make sense, and I could definitely see the park getting something like this. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing it might be cheaper than a Giga or Accelerator coaster simply due to fewer tall supports.
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