boldikus

This coming weekend is the last operating weekend for a bunch of parks, so where is everyone going? I'm hoping to get over for some last rides on El Toro, looking like Sunday if its not super rainy.

^ Hydra needs a launch outta the cobra roll or something LOL. A trim is the last thing that ride needs.

I am not gonna comment on any parks I haven't been to but I'll say while Kennywood is a GREAT park that overall I loved, they could use something modern and really thrilling. Phantom is great but its still the star of the show over there and its almost 30 years old. Sky Rocket is a fun little thing but I don't know it just felt like something was missing, as much as I loved the park. SFA. Don't even buy a new coaster, just RMC Roar and be done with it. Also co-sign on all the Dorney mentions. I really like having Dorney around as an alternative to GreatAdv and overall I really like the park, probably much more than some here, but they are really missing that big great signature ride. Even just an amazing twisty airtime filled GCI or a small Intamin prefab like Balder. Would fit nicely in the Dinos Alive area.

I usually do. But only if they show up on Monday.

I had two decent rides on Thunderhawk this year, but sitting in the front vs the back of the train is like night and day. The airtime is good and its still rough as hell in the front but the back just feels like a car wreck, injuries and all. Also the trims on the bunnyhops might as well stop the train completely.

LOL because you're gonna remember that jacket?

Welcome to the board. 1. Lowest crowds tend to be very early in the season (April/May) but always pay attention to the parks event page on their website. If they have a few groups at the park it can become insanely crowded, even on days early in the season. Like Spring Break. During the summer, mid week is best but again, if there are groups (camp trips etc) you'll be looking at lines. Sat/Sun in the summer can be brutal, especially if weather is nice. SFGAdv typically opens their new attraction Memorial Day weekend. If you are planning your trip around the opening of TM and are booking (hotel, airfare, whatever) in advance I'd plan for after July 4th. Zumanjaro opened July 4th weekend. I would hope TM will be open for Memorial Day since SF has installed this ride before (Batman, SFFT), but you can't use that argument since Lex Luthor is essentially the same thing and it still took GreatAdv until July 4th to get Zum up and running. 2. Kingda Ka is a definite must do for any coaster fan. It's hard for me to say as I'm not a huge fan and have only ridden it like 2-3xs this season, but generally it seems to be reliable. If this is at the top of your list, get there at opening and go right to the ride and wait for it to open if its not already. 3. If you have two days you can probably squeeze everything in that you want to w/o a flash pass but if you only have one day and its reasonably crowded I suggest you splurge on a Gold Pass, but don't bother with Platinum unless you plan to ride and re-ride as much as possible. A gold pass can get the job done, just make sure to reserve your next ride as soon as you are scanned into your current ride. Don't wait until you are finished riding. 4. Depends on what you really want to hit. Superman usually has long lines because of its restraints and usual understaffing of the ride, but if you've never done a B&M flyer I highly recommend it. A lot of folks here won't agree but there is nothing else in the park like that pretzel loop. The rest of the ride sucks, but worth a ride for that element alone. Ka always has a line so another you want to hit right away. With Zumanjaro, the line does move slower, so again, go there first if that's your big "must do". Any other tips? Ride El Toro - 2nd to last row. Best ride in the park hands down. I always tend to go here first since its a little out of the way and doesn't get a line for the first 30-60-90 minutes of the day. And you can re-ride it for a while until the line forms. And you'll probably want to re-ride it. Nitro - back row far right seat. Bizarro - in the front. Green Lantern - unless you really have a thing for having your skull bashed in, skip it. Runaway Mine Train is worth a ride, great fun and a great setting. Ride the Skyway for great views. Macho Nacho is good food. Best of the West has OK food but great views if you get a good seat. We have a pretty good log flume. Zumanjaro very quickly became one of my favorite rides in the park. And don't skip Batman, it's amazing. Oh and I can't forget Skull Mountain - last row. Thanks Yoshi! Was hoping you'd have some insight. Anyone else?

Shift in topic a bit - can any of the locals/regulars comment on their experiences going to the park on the last operating day in the past? I am not going Saturday even tho its Halloween and in years past it seems like its pretty light (which makes sense considering most normal people do trick-or-treat w/ their kids or go to costume/house parties) but being that its on Saturday this year I imagine it might be crowded-to-packed. HOWEVER we are thinking of going up Sunday morning for a few last rides on El Toro (+ the other good rides on that side of the park) since it won't be open after this weekend/for HITP. I'm guessing that if we go before opening and run right back there that as usual we'll be able to have a nice little morning marathon, but how bad is the park usually on days after Halloween? As of now the weather looks ok but was hoping other locals/regulars could offer some insight into crowds on closing day usually? Nice. Did the tower sway/shake at all?

Ive said it before and Ill say it again: Skull Mountain is a Disney ride gone horribly wrong and that's why it's so great. Who cares what the outside looks like. We certainly don't need to entice people inside to ride it. When you are in the park The Mountain will call you to ride and once you have ridden you may or may not become a member of the Cult of Skull. Once you are a member it will always call you to ride. I can hear it calling me right now 50 miles away in South Philly.

Found on the same site you got that SM rendering from.

^^ Never seen it myself but heard about that happening a few times throughout this season from friends/other forums. Only when KK train is empty during testing though. Makes sense. Empty Ka train = no loose articles to fall on to Zum riders. Hopefully ElToroRyan can chime in since I'm pretty sure he said he worked Ka this year. Related, a friend and I got from Toro's queue of them operating simultaneously during filming for the commercial last year (this was before it was open to the public but there were riders/actors on Zum and Ka).

Hey maybe they'll leave the waterfall running until it freezes. Free themeing for HITP Skull Mountain! Just add lights!

Wild One (SFA)

Thanks for sharing. I've decided that when I go back to CP its going to be this time of year.

spinning mice and standups

megalite & screaming swing

^ Roar is pretty rough, its one of my lowest rated woodies and one of my least favorite in that park, which is saying something considering it shares the park with Apocalypse and Mine Eraser. Not to mention there is a 98 year old amazing woodie right next to it. I would absolutely welcome an RMC overhaul for Roar.

Ive only ridden BBLTT once and sat in the back and that crazyass lateral air coming down that tiny little drop is insane. They need to build an enclosure and call it Mini Skull.

Its weird to think of converting someone lol but my bro-in-law for sure. It's more like enlightening. He, like me, always really enjoyed coasters and has a background in engineering, so we sort of bonded over this hobby and as you guys know from my TRs we've done a bunch of different trips/parks together. I only got really heavily into this two years ago and as I've shared knowledge and info about coasters and rides, he seems interested and responds - he knows the difference between companies (he's an Intamin junkie) and can correctly name elements, gets the whole mechanical side of things, etc. He did post on here once, pretty sure he lurks. I have a bunch of other friends who love riding and some who have gone multiple times with me but when I geek out about stuff with them it sorta goes in one ear and out the other. I always think its funny when I get nerdy and people kinda turn their head to the side and say something like "Wow I didn't realize how into this stuff you are."

^^ So does anyone know if that Jim Cramer guy mainlines meth for breakfast?

Looks great.

Flyin Phil took some new (and always awesome) aerial photos of the park during a recent packed Fright Fest weekend, including some shots of the Total Mayhem construction area. Check out his site if you haven't.

So far this year Ive done - Great Adv 6xs - Dorney 2xs, - Moreys 3xs (tho thats usually for the weekend which results in multiple visits throughout)

... you have a little panic attack when you realize El Toro will only operate for 6 more days this season.