rcdude

^Perilous Plunge and the Log Ride are both must rides whenever I go to Knott's (unless PP is only using one boat). Bigfoot Rapids is fun too, but I won't wait more than a half-hour to ride it at any time. Fortunately, it usually has less than a fifteen minute wait outside of the peak of the summer season.

^Yeah, SFMM does have a ton of room for variation. The only other rides at Cedar Point I've ever heard people say are in their top three are Raptor and Magnum, and that is a very small minority of people.

Based on my experiences with both Six Flags Magic Mountain and Cedar Point, I would say that individually Cedar Point's top three coasters (Maverick, TTD and MF) are better than Magic Mountain's top three (Tatsu, X2, Goliath/Terminator). However, as a set Magic Mountain's coasters function better. They have more variety and cover a wider range of types and ride experiences than Cedar Point's collection. In fact, I think if Six Flags Discovery Kingdom got a mega coaster they could probably rival Cedar Point in terms of ride experience variety. Cedar Point is an overall better park than Six Flags Magic Mountain, but it loses in the average coaster quality department. Also, Cedar Point's worst coaster (Disaster Transport) is worse than any coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

I would take any of the following: 1. A Maverick-style launched coaster, but a bit larger and slightly more intense. 2. An Intamin Accelerator coaster similar to Top Thrill Dragster but taller than Kingda Ka (and with only lapbars). 3. A complete circuit launched coaster of any type (you can see what I think the park needs by now, right?) If none of these would work, I would say they should either get an Intamin pre-fab woodie or a spinning coaster with a custom layout. Whatever the park gets next will be fine, but I hope they don't just clone a ride from somewhere else.

^If you go to the park on a weekday between November and February that isn't near a holiday most lines at Disneyland are a half-hour or less. I've had several visits in early December where almost everything was a walk-on and even the rides with a long line were only 20-25 minutes. Speaking of Disneyland and solo rides, I actually went once during the previously mentioned period and was the only person on Snow White's Scary Adventure. They literally had to cycle cars empty just so I could get off.

I wouldn't want to spend a whole day at a park by myself, but I don't mind wandering off on my own for an hour or two. In fact, I don't think I've gone to Disneyland with just friends and not been on my own for at least an hour because many of them are not interested in the non-thrill rides.

17/20 but I cheated on two of the questions. Considering about half the flat rides I've been on leave me dizzy I don't usually ride them all that often and am surprised that I got this many right since I don't usually pay much attention to facts about non-coaster rides.

Never liked Maliboomer much anyway. It was always my least favorite S&S tower, mostly due to the scream shields. I don't know how much it would cost, but maybe Magic Mountain could buy Maliboomer, keep one tower in its current form, turn one into a Turbo Drop and turn the third into a Combo Tower. Then they would almost be getting three new rides (according to the general public, although it would really be one ride with three options), especially if they named each tower differently. Of course, any Intamin drop tower beats an S&S, but if they need something cheap I'm sure this would be better than no tower.

Freestyle Music Park seems like it was doomed from the start. There were just too many factors against it for the park to have a remote chance of succeeding. I really hope that a couple other parks can benefit from its closure and get an attraction they really need for a really cheap price. Like so many other failures, this park was a good idea with poor execution.

Most of the movies I've thought would be good rides have become a ride or will have a ride based on them opening in the near future. However, I've thought of a few that I'd still like to see: 1. Some type of James Bond roller coaster. I could see this going two was. Most likely, it would probably be some type of high speed coaster with plenty of twists and turns (a Maverick style ride would probably be perfect). However, it could also be something really simple, which wouldn't be nearly as good as its own attraction (for example, how about an SLC called "[insert Villian Here]'s Torture Device" or something along those lines). 2. Some type of Lord of the Rings attraction. Maybe it would use a ride concept similar to the new Harry Potter ride and recreate the journey of the one ring or something. 3. Something related to the Matrix, but I don't know what would be best. A number of things would work here fairly well. Also, I could probably think of a number of rides/attractions based on stories I've written, but since nobody else has read them I don't think the ride concepts would make much sense.

1. If it is anything like when I went on a weekday in late August, nothing had that long of a wait except for Top Thrill Dragster, which took two hours (mainly due to four rollbacks and a temporary closure to transfer a fifth train onto the track), although I can't speak for Maverick and Millennium Force since we only did those during early entry. If I remember right, Magnum and Mantis were both around 45 minutes, Wicked Twister and Gemini were about a half hour, Disaster Transport, Raptor, and Wildcat were 15-20 minutes, and everything else was around a three train wait (except Blue Streak and Corkscrew were walk-ons). We managed to do every coaster and a number of non-coaster rides in one day, so you should probably be able to hit every ride in the park with a number of re-rides in three days. 2. When we went, we entered at the Magnum entrance and went directly to Maverick, then went to Millennium Force. Maverick took about five minutes and Millennium Force took around twenty so I would say this is a pretty good strategy. 3. Can't help much here. We just got Subway for lunch and went to the TGI Friday's at Castaway Bay for dinner since we were staying at that hotel.

Sierra Sidewinder during WCB nighttime ERT. One of the most insane rides I've had on it due to perfect weight distribution.

I've got a few: -Bazooka Bowls at Wild Rivers because the bowl section is very uncomfortable on your back. Oddly, I haven't experienced this sensation on any other bowl slide I've been on (and I have been on a couple other body bowls). -Serengetti Surf Hill, also at Wild Rivers. This is one of those head-first mat racer slides, but the mats aren't very good and often stick to the slide, causing you to go down without one. In additon, the ride has a very bad transition at the bottom of the last drop. -One more from Wild Rivers, the Bombay Blasters. Inside the tube, there is a bump that causes you to get sudden mandatory air. Unfortunately, this is right into a curve and I have hit the side wall directly several times. Not very fun. -Drop Out at Raging Waters because it scratches your back and gives you a wedgie. -Tidal Wave Tower at Knott's Soak City Palm Springs for the same reasons as Drop Out (both are identical rides). However, the absolute worst waterslide I have been on was the Cliffhanger at Waterworld California. Not only did that ride scratch my back more than any other ride I've been on, but the whole tower felt unsafe. The platform swayed with the wind and shook every time somebody went on any of the six slides (two on top, four on a lower deck where the shaking wasn't as obvious). I seriously thought that thing would topple over if enough people were on one side at the top. I was crazy enough to ride twice, and that is one of the few waterslides I will never ride again.

I totally remember that game. It was the first roller coaster game I can remember playing. I had a lot of fun removing the upstops and using the controls to try to keep the car from flying off the track. Next time I go over to my grandparents' house, I'm going to see if I can find the floppy disk for the game. I think it is still sitting around somewhere.

If this is indeed true, Knott's obviously tried pretty hard to make sure WCB attendees could get all the credits they wanted. This just makes them even more awesome.

The only difference between a 200 foot coaster and a 300 foot coaster is the length of time it takes to go down the first hill. After the first drop, there is no noticable difference.

I would go but I have finals the week after and don't want to be too tired. If I didn't have a Monday final I'd be on that bus.

Option A: Get a Gold or Platinum Flash Pass. You will likely be able to get on most major attractions. As EBL said, you likely will not get to the park until around 4 or so. Option B: Go to Tatsu, Terminator, Riddler's Revenge, and Goliath. If you still have time left, go in reverse stopping at Scream, Superman, and Deja Vu. Whatever you do, make sure you are in line for X2 before they close it (I don't know if they still do it, but it used to close early on weekends). Regardless, it is very difficult to get on a decent amount of rides at SFMM on a Saturday, even in a full day, unless you buy some type of Flash Pass. I was just there for West Coast Bash and was unable to get on everything even with ERT, although that was because Deja Vu was broken for both ERT sessions and I chose not to wait an hour and a half for Goliath during the day then didn't want to leave Terminator at night. If you do visit the park, I wish you good luck. If not, try again at some point in the future. Even a weekday in the summer is typically less crowded than the average Saturday, and if you have a full day and even the regular Flash Pass it is difficult to not get on everything.

I'd never been to WCB before this year so I wasn't sure how it would be. Despite being tired and getting over a cold most of the weekend, West Coast Bash was AMAZING! Everyone involved in the planning of the event did an excellent job and I definitely look forward to attending again next year. Now for the list of things I liked: 1. Both presentations were very well done. The Q&A sessions were great, and although I am not a huge haunt fan the presentation for the maze was interesting. 2. ERT...wow! SFMM went above and beyond with their ERT sessions, especially the night one. Terminator with altered audio was awesome, and racing Colossus was excellent. Other than Deja Vu being down for both ERT sessions, they were flawless. Knott's was pretty good as well, but Unlike SFMM you could do all that during the day, although you may have to wait a while (Sierra Sidewinder looked like a 45 minute wait when we went for the group photo, but I rode it 4 times in fifteen minutes during ERT). 3. Lunch at Knott's was very good and the games they did were interesting. I totally think Dan should have participated in the water balloon challenge 4. The backstage tours were interesting. I liked the X2 wheel shop and transfer track area tour at SFMM, and Knott's Calico Mine Ride and Roundhouse tours were great. I only wish that the Mine Ride tour could have been one tour visiting both areas as opposed to two separate tours. 5. All the little bonuses that the parks included, such as photos and a T-shirt, were good. Unfortunately, I didn't make use of all of them. A few things I didn't like so much or that could probably be changed to make the event better: 1. Terminator had a mandatory preshow during morning ERT. Luckily, they were allowing people to re-ride in an empty row but I feel that during ERT the preshow should be optional (maybe play it but allow people to walk through if they don't want to watch). 2. There was no milk or water at breakfast at SFMM. Maybe they could have cups or bottles of water next year. 3. Revolution still had over the shoulder restrants. (Just kidding, I thought that joke was great). Once again, Robb, Elissa, Chris, and both parks did a great job with the events. If Bay Area Bash is half as good, it will be an awesome event. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend that one. Can't wait for WCB 2011.

Two questions: 1. If I want to upgrade my ticket to a season pass, what exactly do I need to do? Do I just go to the season pass processing center and present a ticket stub and $30 or do I have to do something else? 2. For the Calico Mine Ride tour, is there a separate sign-up table or will you be assigned a tour when you pick up your packet?

Option A (better for Spring Break): Run to X2, then get a flashpass and go on the older coasters while the flashpass queues for the newer ones. If you got a gold flashpass and want to pay extra for X2, you need not run there. Option B: RUN to Terminator, then Deja Vu if it is open. Head back up to Tatsu and ride if the line is still under a half hour (approximately one switchback per train running). Next, climb up the hill and ride Ninja, followed by Superman. Go down the back and head around the park clockwise, hitting (in order) Gold Rusher, Riddler's Revenge, Batman The Ride, Colossus, Scream, Goliath, Canyon Blaster, Revolution, Viper, X2. If anything has a longer line than you wish to wait, you can try again later but you may not have time to return to the ride. I used this option Memorial Day weekend 2008 but with X2, Deja Vu first and Tatsu last and got to everything except Gold Rusher and Canyon Blaster (no Terminator) but was unable to do any non-coaster rides. However, I recommend X2 late because it doesn't always open with the park. Option C: Split your visit over two days. This may or may not be possible depending on your schedule but you would definitely be able to do everything (coaster and non-coaster). If you only care about coasters the above options are better.

First Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain First Coaster: X2, Tatsu, or Terminator Salvation: The Ride First Credit: Mr. Six's Dance Coaster First New Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Looks like Boomerang will be closed for ERT as well: http://www.knotts.com/public/visit/schedule/index.cfm Honestly, I think the morning at Knott's will be more about the extras than about the ERT. I mean, how many times can you ride Montezooma's Revenge and Supreme Scream in two hours without getting bored? I rarely, if ever, ride either of those more than twice in an entire operating day. Whether Xcelerator opens or not, I'm looking forward to the Calico Mine Ride tour and the S&S presentation more than anything else at Knott's. If Xcelerator opens, great. If not, there are plenty of other things to do and we still get night ERT on Silver Bullet and Ghostrider.

For steel coasters, Intamin is my favorite followed by B&M. For wood coasters, CCI and GCI both have some pretty good designs, so I can't really pick a favorite. However, I have yet to ride a Gravity Group or an Intamin woodie.

I'm glad Avatar didn't win best picture because even though the movie has some of the best visuals I've seen it is really just an okay movie. The story is too cliched and political and I didn't really think most of the acting was all that great. I just wish more people would look at an entire movie versus one specific element. Visuals are fine, but if you don't have a good story, the whole thing becomes boring and pointless. As for The Hurt Lock-er, I haven't actually seen it yet but will be watching it tomorrow in my history of film class. My teacher has said a number of times that it is one of the best movies she's ever seen, so I'm looking forward to watching it. I doubt it deserved six awards, but at least it didn't win as many as Slumdog Millionaire last year (no way that thing deserved all the awards it got).