ThanksforRiding

My favorite is the Grand Californian. The wood, stone and darker colors are all beautiful. Plus it lives up to its name and really does feel grand. It's the better Wilderness Lodge in my opinion.

Down Time at Lake Compounce is not only a little funny but also the ride runs just fine most of the time.

All Arrow coasters. Most folks don't seem to care for them but I thought they created some of the best ever like Drachen Fire and Vortex (both of them).

Apocalypse is the best GCI (at least in North America). Thunderhead is great too but Apocalypse gives one wild ride.

Leap the Dips (1902) at Lakemont. Not a bad ride either.

The best Vekoma sit down boomerang out there is Zoomerang at Lake Compounce. It runs smooth, fast and just incredibly well overall.

I don't believe a train can make or break a park but it can certainly add a nice and relaxing dimension to your day. It's a great way to take a break, catch some views, get to another part of the park and possibly see something special that isn't visible from anywhere else in the park. Every park should have some sort of transportation ride and a train is a good way to go.

Woodies tend to be finicky. Some ride better in the back (El Toro, Thunderhead, Apocalypse) and some ride better in the front (Thunderhawk, Thunder Road, Wooden Warrior). If one seat doesn't do it for you then try the other.

Scooby-Doo: Mystery of the Scary Swamp at Six Flags St. Louis was very good at least five years ago. I was so taken I didn't even shoot at the targets.

Alpengeist is still king in my book but Raptor is a close second.

Drachen Fire. It was the best.

Disneyland, DCA, SF Magic Mountain, Legoland, Sea World San Diego, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knotts, Belmont Park, Luna Park, SF Great Adventure, SF New England, Busch Williamsburg, Kings Dominion, SF America, Casino Pier, Quassy, Lake Compounce, Dorney Park.

Favorite bumper cars: anyone where it's a free for all and you can actually bump. Least favorite bumper cars: anyone where you have to go one way and bumping is discouraged.

53 in 2008. We hit a bunch of midwest parks that year.

The Chiller had the best launch I've ever experienced. It was the perfect speed, accelerated intensely yet smoothly and offered some cool elements to ride through.

Disneyland's 50th anniversary fireworks show Remember...Dreams Come True is the best I've seen. That Haunted Mansion part where the fireworks went off behind you blew me away.

After all these years Kumba still delivers. It's fast and forceful and just great.

Griffon is a much better ride. You can really feel the power and intensity of that thing. For whatever reason Sheikra doesn't have any of those characteristics. It's just kind of a bland ride.

A good hard cobra roll (like that on Alpengeist and Raptor) that whip you around very quickly is hard to beat.

Even though Skull Mountain at Six Flags Great Adventure is a really good little family coaster (that first drop is a little crazy in the back) I guess I'll give it to Disney World's Space Mountain.

While Disneyland's food has gotten significantly better over the past decade or so the Sea World Entertainment parks, in particular Busch Williamsburg, still have the best (I'm discounting Epcot because it's in another ballpark).

Six Flags Great Adventure: El Toro. Then probably Nitro.

I don't know. I can't remember what rides I forgot.

Hand down B&M. Intamin has put out some great rides (El Toro, Top Thrill Dragster, Bizarro (SFNE)) but they've also done some shoddy and inconsistent work (Maverick, Skyrush, Green Lantern: First Flight). B&M has had their share of fluffy rides but at least none of them hurt or require track to be replaced shortly after opening (Intimidator 305) or even before opening (Maverick).

Steel: Kingda Ka Wood: El Toro Interesting that they're both in the same park.