Hilltopper39

I may have overlooked this detail, but where is this ride going to be located at in the park? Anyways this looks like a great addition, i'm glad more Eurofighters are coming to the US, and Im glad SFOG is getting a new coaster, probably will jusify a trip there for me next season.

Glad I'm not the only one who loves Storm Runner, I thought it was one of the best steel coasters around, and very under rated in my opinion. You never see that thing in anyones top 10 but it deserves to be there if you ask me.

Does any one in the TPR world know of any good websites or stores that sell amusement park or roller coasters photos/art work. I'm looking for some decorations for my office and house of either vintage wooden coasters, vintage amusement parks, or really good photographs of current parks and coasters that would make decent decorations. DO any parks have online stores that sell prints of their rides? Any good sites that have Disney concept art for sell? Thanks for any suggestions, and moderators I apologize if this is the incorrect forum, feel free to move the topic wherever it belongs. Thanks

Thats very true, and I know my opinion of Afterburn is in the minority. I think Afterburn is just Montu without the ending. Afterburn to me just feels too short. I always rank Raptor and Batmans high because I like the Zero-G roll as the second inversion instead of the 3rd, also I like Raptors's first drop better than any other inverted first drop. Afterburn is probably still better than about 80% of coasters in the world but on my steel list its not quite in the top 10 or 20.

I just returned from a trip to Carowinds on Saturday and just wanted to share a few thoughts. First off Intimidator was great, better than Diamondback for me but not as good as Goliath (@SFOG) or Apollos Chariot. I will say though these B&M hyper coasters are getting less and less interesting every time I ride one. Yes they are all great rides but it seems like the last 3 Ive been on are so similar that I cant really get excited about any future installations. They're not clones but they all might as well be. But all in all still a great ride and a great addition to the park. Afterburn: Another good but not great kinda coaster for me. I don't really see where everyone gets off ranking this thing so high amongst inverts. It a good ride, but not nearly as good as some inverted coasters to me. Not as good as Montu, not as good as Raptor, not as good as the Batman Clones, not as good as Dueling Dragons Dragons. Better than all SLC's and better than 80% of all other coasters in the world probably but not quite a top 10 or 20 ride for me. So screw you Bert the Conqueror and Cedar Point lady from that episode. Thunder Road: Probably the surprise of the trip to me, that thing was running great, just an all around fun coaster. Smooth, great airtime, great pacing, and running great. Hurler: The exact opposite, in terrible shape, rough as hell, and no airtime. I mean I don't mind a rough coaster as long as it still does something, has a little air or is fast. Son of Beast was rough as hell but still had a fast out of control feeling to it, hurler just rough and slow. We spent a few hours at the water park as well. Just an average water park nothing special, could really use a few more slides and some shade. Overall the park was clean, staff was friendly, good mix of rides. I feel like this place could really use another major coaster like a GCI twister or some type of launched ride, and a couple more slides at the water park. i mean they have a good collection of smaller rides and coasters but only 2 major coasters in my opinion (Intimidator and Afterburn). I can imagine this place on a hot and crowded summer day just not being that much fun. With minimal crowds we were pretty much done with the place after 4.5 hours. But enough of my bitching, had a great time, very nice park with some nice rides, could use another major attraction, but all in all a good day.

For me this is easily the most anticipated ride of 2011, looks absolutely insane, lets just hope it turns out to be really good.

Would GCI get involves with a relocation? I mean I'm sure they more than capable to do a relocation but they seem to have enough on their plate new installations wise every year that it might not be a project they would agree to do even though it is relocating their own ride. I don't know, just a thought

I'm glad to see kings Island FINALLY put something on the old Flight Commander site (which is where the pictures make it look like this thing is going). That site has been empty for what seems like forever now. I hope these Windseekers are as much fun as the Star Flyers although i have a weird feeling they wont be. I mean part of the thrill for me of the star flyer is the terrifying nature of the restraints and the endless series of tiny tiny tiny chain links that your hanging from hundreds of feet in the air. These windseekers have fairly beefy restraints and legitimate looking pivot arms that may or may not give the 'terrifyingly insecure' feeling that the star flyer gives, and that make the Star Flyer so much fun. Also the ride program shown in the video of these windseekers just shows the vehicle rising to the top, rotating, then decending with no vertical movement on the tower during the ride cycle. my favorite part of the Star flyer sequence is the vehicles actually rise and fall a little bit which creates a pretty cool negative g like sensation. Anyways, I hope these Windseekers are a hit, but I think they look the Vekomas of the high altitude circular chair swing flat rides. Stay Flyers are B&M, Windseekers are Vekoma, at least until I actually take a ride and change my opinion.

Does anyone know where to get info about the RIP tours at? I cant seem to find it on the HHN webpage anywhere

The event looks awesome as always and I cant wait! I personally like the custom created houses better than the movie themed ones (although the general public may not) so this event should be great. Anyone know if Rockit is going to be open during Horror Nights this year? Or what other attractions will be for that matter? Really excited the Brian Brushwood Show is back this year, his show was a lot of fun 2 years ago and I think a second show really adds a lot to the event.

excuse me, Paramount opened both flight of fears at two parks which are now Cedar Fair in the same year

I think this looks like a great addition to all 4 parks, but I'm kinda curious why Cedar Fair decided to install all 4 of these things in the same year at 4 different parks without there being a single other ride like this anywhere in the world. To my knowledge there aren't any other Mondial style Windseeker rides out there and spending 5 million a ride for 4 rides in one year is a bit quick. I mean what if the ride turns out to not be a hit with the general public? Or turns out to have some operational issues? It seems like usually a park chain will install one ride of a new style for a year before franchising it at every park in the chain (like with batman and superman). But then again cedar fair also opened both Flight of Fears in the same year, and six flags 2 Tony Hawks in the same year.

Nice report, I've always wanted to visit that water park and think it looks great

I love HalloScreams,call me crazy but I think I have a better time every year at Hall-O_Screams than I do at Horror Nights. The houses aren't as good but are plenty fun and just as if not more scary. The environment in the park at night is great and Sheikra and Kumba night rides are incredible. Cant wait for the event this year! If Hall-O-Screams had a Bill and Ted type show that was good the event would be complete. Then again is Horror Nights had Sheikra and KUmba it would be pretty incredible too.

Silverwood to me is one of the most elusive park in the country, Im dying to go there but its location is such that I probably never will. It not really close to anything, and getting there would almost take a dedicated trip, oh well those wooden coasters look amazing.

That place looks awesome, I see water parks like this and it really makes me wonder why Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon consistently get rated in the top 5 waterparks every year and these places get no mention. That park looks way better, so does Noah's Ark, and White Water Atlanta, and Wet N Wild.

That a wicked little layout, kind of looks like Cornball express meets avalanche, meets Superstition Mountain. Should be a fun ride. I'm a huge fan of the shorter trains on full sized rides, it makes the speeds feel much faster than they actually are (has something to do with moment of inertia I think, probably wasn't paying much attention that class in dynamics). I've always thought it would be totally awesome if someone would be a wild mouse style coaster with four person cars (maybe a gerstaluer bobsled) that had a 150 to 200 foot drop. Imagine riding in a Mack wild mouse train down Expedition Ge Forces first drop, it would be nuts. Anyways, back on topic, I'm glad to see Gravity group building another ride, and this things looks like a lot of fun

yeah Disney has them for sale in EPCOT with the various different countries and say EPCOT world showcase. I know France has them ad I think Italy and Germany as well but not sure about eh others.

Great Trip report Adam, like Guy said very detailed and unbiased. Its fun to read a report on Disney from a real Disney fan wit such interesting details that I wouldn't ever notice. Just curious, what was your opinion of World of Color? Ive read a lot of mixed reviews from loved it, hated it, not that impressed, not as good as fantasmic or Illuminatinos. So what did you think.

yeah the Disney prices are defiantly designed such that they want the guests to spend multiple consecutive days on property and spend money at the parks and hotels and restaurants and everywhere else, that's why the tickets are so much cheaper if you but multiple consecutive days. I know when I was working at the parks I had a lot of family and friends who were in Orlando for other things besides a Disney vacation (conventions, sports events, passing through to or from a cruise, coming over for a day during spring break or a beach vacation etc.) and going to the Disney parks for just a single day or two days was completely out of the question because it was so expensive. They would always end up getting a 2 day universal ticket for the around same cost as a single day Disney ticket even though Universal wasn't their first choice of parks. Again I just feel bad for people who are in Orlando or Central Florida and impulsively decide to stop in and spend a day at Disney without any knowledge of the ticketing situation. They pay their 15 dollars to park, ride the monorail into the Magic Kingdom and get the gates to find out a single day ticket is $83.

Interesting commentary on this subject posted over at Screamscape thats worth a read.I didn't realize that in 2002-2003 the price of a single day admission ticket was only $50. so a $32 dollar increase over the last 7-8 years. I wonder where admission prices will be in 2020? http://screamscape.com/html/screamscape_news.htm

Raptor Dragons Batman Montu Alpengeist I love the zero G roll as the second element like on Raptor, dragons and Batman. It feels like thedive loop always takes away too much speed on Montu and Alengeist. I also think Raptor has a really underrated first drop, that banked straight first drop is one of my favorites on any coaster

yeah Universal did raise their prices before Harry Potter opened up, but they also had Harry Potter opeing up in the coming months to justify that raise.

I understand the ticket increases, its a business and they're trying to make money and people still come. But in my opinion they've steadily been raising prices, almost 10 dollars over the past 3 years now, but it been almost 3 years since a major new attraction was added. Don't you usually have to justify an increase with a significant addition? I thinks it funny how the tickets prices in Orlando do one thing and the prices at every other park in the country are doing the opposite. I remember in 2000 after Son of Beast opened at Kings island's, the one day admission at the gate was around if not over $50, and now over the past 10 years its dropped to where a single day admission is around $35 if not lower. As far as I know its the same case for Six Flags, Cedar Point, etc. But everything in Orlando just gets more and more expensive every year.

Silver Dollar City to me has always looked like one of the coolest parks in the world and I'm dying to go to it, but its also one of those parks you almost have to dedicate a trip to to get there. Its not really on the way to or from anywhere and Branson isn't exactly high on my list of vacation destinations. It kind of like the Silverwood of the midwest One of these days Ill get out there