VF15

Opening Day next year is Friday, May 13th according to the 2016 announcement page on the park website. 193 days to go.

From Dave Frazier's Twitter, Valleyfair has just started restoring and refurbishing the carousel. I've wanted them to do this for a while, so this is nice to see.

Whatever we get in 2017 depends on whether or not the permit for the new parking lot/Excalibur removal gets approved. If it is approved, I assume we'll only see the new parking lot and employee road along with other general improvements (no new rides) in 2017 (since the parking lot will be expensive). If it isn't approved, maybe they could remove the Panic Falls slides in the waterslide and replace them with something more bearable. Unfortunately, I don't see us getting a new coaster until 2019 at the earliest. Of course, I want one too, but the park seems to be more concerned with other things at the moment. I'm also hoping that Valleyfair makes some good general improvements this offseason since they went fairly cheap on new attraction investments this year.

...and so the off-season has officially begun. It shouldn't be too bad for me since I have several other hobbies I'll be occupied with, but the off-season depression will still be kicking in sooner or later.

Besides my home parks (Valleyfair and Nick Universe), the only other park I know I'm going to for sure is Adventureland (Iowa). I might try to squeeze in a trip to Worlds of Fun or Six Flags Great America somewhere.

Yep, definitely guilty. ...you become excited when you stumble upon music that is theme park-related (happened to me last night, there was a commercial on TV that had the Twisted Colossus animation music).

Flight of Fear - Kings Island

Best endings: Maverick, Banshee, Kraken, The Beast Worst endings: Adventure Express, Revenge of the Mummy (Hollywood), Superman: Ultimate Flight, Wild Thing

Granted, the park will be open but the coasters will still only run from May through October. I wish I didn't have to wake up at 6 am on weekdays.

^ I've never been to CGA, but closing day is usually dead (or close to) at most regional parks. I find it a little odd that this park doesn't stay open year-round (or at least until Christmas) since the park is in a relatively warm climate, not to mention that their biggest competitor (Discovery Kingdom) is open year-round.

We're supposed to have our first snow of the season tonight. There probably won't be much of any accumulation, but it's snow nevertheless.

-Valleyfair: Any decent steel coaster. -Michigan's Adventure: Anything. -Dorney Park: GCI/RMC wooden coaster. -Six Flags America: Anything that isn't a hand-me down. -Great Escape: Anything. -Darien Lake: Anything.

Invertigo at KI. This is the only coaster I've ever ridden that I couldn't find any enjoyable moments whatsoever. Most other coasters I don't like still have a few decent moments, but not this one. I never knew a coaster could have so much headbanging.

-Tornado at Adventureland: This ride doesn't have a bad reputation, but I never hear anyone talk about it (probably because it's at an out-of-the-way park). Has a lot of good floater air for an old-school woodie, decent forces, and it's my favorite coaster in the park (though that might change with the addition of Monster next year). -Firehawk at Kings Island: Not nearly as rough as I thought it would be, has a pretty forceful loop, and it executes the flying sensation very well. My fourth favorite ride in the park behind the big three. -Gemini at Cedar Point: One of the smoother Arrows out that has some nice little airtime pops, plus the racing aspect is nice.

Wild Thing at Valleyfair, about two weeks ago.

Excalibur - Valleyfair

From the park's Facebook page.

From Adventureland's Facebook page, they have started digging footings for Monster. Looking forward too seeing some vertical construction start soon.

Granted, but the layout is just a first drop that goes right into the final brakes. I wish college math wasn't so hard.

American Eagle - Six Flags Great America

This year, I only went to Valleyfair five times and Nickelodeon Universe once since I was busy with life . Hopefully I can go more often next year.

^ Adventureland did just post on their Facebook page that they will be posting some Monster construction photos soon.

Granted, but it will cause a time paradox that destroys the entire universe. I wish for a trip to Florida.

My favorite coaster I've ridden from Arrow is definitely Magnum. I think most Arrow coasters are fun ride rides but nothing spectacular, however, Magnum is the one exception for me. I will admit that the first drop and the hill that follows are a bit underwhelming, but it gets much better after that. The hill after the first hill offers some nice sustained floater air, the turnaround is pretty good, and the return run with all of the ejector air is just awesome. I personally don't find it to be rough or painful as long as you tighten the seatbelt as much as you can.

...any mention of the number "325" makes you think about a certain coaster in the Carolinas.