Password121

Knowing Six Flags, they'll market it as a coaster. Since you know Six Flags so well, what non-coasters have been marketed as coasters at SFGAdv? Uh he's actually right though...Six Flags America is promoting it as their 10th roller coaster, looks like SFGAdv will do the same. SFA currently has 9 coasters, and Gadv has 12. If both are promoting them as coasters, why would Gadv call it their 12th? Either they can't count (likely) or are seriously removing a coaster for this pile of junk.

Am I mistaken or doesn't Gadv already have 12 coasters? 5 B&M's, 2 Intamins, 2 indoor, RMT, BBLTT, and a kiddie coaster? Also, my thoughts- first off, this is sad and pathetic for a flagship park in the chain to be an afterthought, and we all know it. Secondly, why does the same rise new for 2015 at SFA seat 24 over Gadv's 20?

Hello everybody! There has been a LOT going on since the last update, so today I will recap the latest happenings at Virginia's own Frontier Forest. Let's get started, shall we? Attendance picked back up in '83, rising back to nearly 900,000. Surely this is a good sign for the outlook of the park. Frontier Forest filed for permits to break the 100 foot height restriction on the 12th of May in 1982. The park received the permits just a short wait later, on the 27th of May, 1982. These permits are vital in the expansion of the park, and they were put to great use. NEW in 1983 was Sky High, an Intamin-built gyro observation tower, standing 200 feet tall providing the very best views and memories Frontier Forest has to offer. Sky High becomes the tallest attraction in park history, towering stories over Catapult. Speaking of Catapult, it seems management has decided to keep the shuttle coaster around for at least one more season. Despite it being relatively new and ground breaking, Catapult just has not pulled the numbers management was hoping for. Perhaps it has to do with its remote location. It is far from the park entrance and is not currently near any other major attractions. If Catapult's numbers don't improve very quickly, I don't see the park wasting any more time trying to maintain an expensive ride that does not appeal to many of the park's visitors. This it is and nothing more. In other news, many park guests reported seeing large shipping containers near the park entrance. The last major coaster added was Catapult in 1980, and before that, Forest Flyer in 1978. A construction fence was also built on either side of Enterprise. This wooden fence was obviously built to obstruct guests' view of presumably construction in the near future. The fence really does make it difficult, many coaster enthusiasts become frustrated when they cannot observe what is behind the fence. Perhaps it shall be lifted- nevermore! Comments/criticism/SPECULATION welcomed and encouraged! NEW for 1983 is Sky High Sky High queue closeup and location Built in 1978, Forest Flyer, despite beginning to show some aging in its wood, remains the most popular attraction in the park These return bunny hops are something special! Construction fence. The banner on the left says, "Nevermore?" The banner on the right says "X/VII/XLIX," which means 10/7/49. Anyone know what this might mean? I'm stumped Overview of the brand new skyline of Frontier Forest in 1983. Much more to come very soon...

September 29, 1982, "We are currently investigating options concerning the future of Catapult, the 'shuttle loop' launched roller coaster that debuted in 1980. More information will be released when it becomes available." ~Management, Frontier Forest

Every B&M coaster has four seats per car, whether it is staggered (Intimidator style) or traditional (Nitro style).

Password, what are you looking forward too? According to their hash tag, I wonder if they are going to squeeze it in the Mardi Gras section. There's very little space left,...for any kind of coaster anyway. I'm looking more forward to going this weekend now. I'm going to do some snooping Ideally would like a Skycreamer. I'm not saying if it were to be one of those rides I would lose hope, but the teaser doesn't make any sense for those particular rides, which is what would make me lose hope in their common sense, among other things.

^If it ends up being one of those two, I will have lost all hope in this park's common sense.

Umm... many people consider I-305 to be one of the most intense coasters in the world. Comparing the two is all your opinion. But... please learn some grammar. Please.

I find that teaser interesting. I thought 2015 would bring a Skyscreamer after recently removing the height restriction, but that image doesn't seem to point towards "tall swing ride" to me. Unless it is a fire themed skyscreamer.

I am sure the lift hill will be very fast for a chain, and keep in mind, at 95 mph with low to the ground elements, the course won't take as long as most 200 ft B&M hypers with a MCBR, I would assume. I wouldn't worry about the capacity too much.

BREAKING NEWS: It has been discovered that Frontier Forest filed for permits to surpass the 100 foot height restriction. The permit was filed on May 12th, 1982. This is all the information we have at this point. More to come as the information becomes available.

Here are my thoughts: First off, I thought GateKeeper was a beautiful coaster, but holy sh*t, THAT is an entrance statement. The color scheme combined with how sharp that lift looks, that is incredible. As for similarities to Intimidator, yeah, they're similar in some ways, but are *technically* B&M hypers, but the focus is different enough to warrant having both. It's not gonna make a difference to anyone that the coaster types are the same among two of the park's top coasters. Also, I agree; FINALLY something taller and faster than MF at a Cedar Fair park (outside of Dragster ). I love MF- it's my umber three overall coaster, but Kinzel isn't running things anymore, and this is a good decision, IMO. As for the "cookie cutter B&M" complaint, it seems to me that B&'M developed a formula for their hypers and have now developed a formula for their gigas. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. Most B&M hypers are very popular rides and are generally popular among the GP and enthusiasts, so why change it? The same goes for Fury 325/Leviathan- this ride seems like a new and improved Leviathan that is even more stunning and many of the complaints were taken care of (brake run, lack of airtime, length). Considering the plot they chose for the ride, what more is there you can do for a nearly linear layout out and back Giga coaster? Seriously I'm wondering. The over banked airtime hills look very interesting and the dive under the bridge is AWESOME. What more do you want from this layout? They don't have the space to do a completely twister layout like I:305. They had a long, narrow plot for this and IMO they used it to its full potential. This makes Carowinds one of the parks I want to visit most, and while you cannot determine how it rides until it is built, the layout looks like it could be one if the best coasters in the world. We'll see.

Hello everyone, today we will recap all the happenings at Frontier Forest in 1982. To start off, NEW for 1982 is Frontier Explorers- a children's area with two rides- Crazy Cars, a bumper cars attraction (relocated, originally opened with the park in 1975), and Bumper Boats, a children's style water boat ride. This new area was very popular among families with young kids, and it was certainly a welcomed addition to Frontier Forest. Crazy Cars' former spot across from Antique Cars sits vacant. However, 1982 was not a good year for Frontier Forest. The operating season was filled with constant breakdowns and miscellaneous issues that put a damper on the season, and it showed. For the first time in Frontier Forest's history, attendance decreased compared to the previous season, drawing just over 800,000 visitors. One place to find answers is Catapult- the Schwarzkopf shuttle loop. Ridership has been decreasing since its debut in 1980, perhaps it does not appeal to the majority of the park's visitors, which are families. It is a shame, Catapult is a fantastic and thrilling ride. Many park visitors, particularly roller coaster enthusiasts, have reported hearing rumors about a future roller coaster, whether it be for 1983 or beyond that. The rumors concern a unique style of ride that does not run on traditional roller coaster rails. Other, yet less prominent rumors, concern a multiple looping roller coaster. This seems less likely to me, as Catapult seems to have been a failure and I can't imagine a more extreme roller coaster would appeal to visitors. On to the pictures, and please, leave some feedback. It's the only way I know what you're thinking and your comments/criticism is appreciated! Signing off until next year, Password121 Here we come, 1982! NEW for 1982 is Frontier Explorers, a children's area featuring two exciting rides just for kids Forest Flyer has solidified its standing as not only a fan favorite drawing some of the longest lines in the park, but as one of the best wooden coasters in the country Catapult rarely has any sort of legitimate queue, often sending out the train with empty seats Management recognizes that Catapult is not as successful as they had hoped The Mine Train often holds a very short wait, but it has a very high throughput and is a great starter roller coaster for young kids Final look at Frontier Forest in 1982 Additional shot of expansion Additional shot of expansion

I've never ridden it, but my advice would be a front row night ride! Can't go wrong with that!

Thanks for the response highridin. You know, having a season pass, bringing a coke can didn't even occur to me! I'll probably do just that- use the half price deal and a coke can for the other ticket. I'll definitely look at JJ. I was there last week and there was no work going on at all. I really hope they bring the launch to full speed, but this is Six Flags, and they're not gonna spend money if it doesn't make them money, so I'm cautiously optimistic. Thanks again.

A good start so far... Definitely intrigued to see how this park progresses. It is VERY small right now. I'd also recommend limiting your flower use a little bit- it looks good, but it's hard to keep watering them as the park grows. Love when people play RCT2. Keep it up!

Today we look back at the 1981 season at Frontier Forest. With growing competition in the Mid-Atlantic region, Frontier Forest is looking to stay on top by adding exciting attractions that appeals to the entire family. Catapult fit that bill in 1980, and that is exactly what The Viking, and Intamin swinging ship, did just one year later in 1981. The Viking is a thrilling flat ride that appeals to the entire family. The Viking is located behind the Log Flume across from the Haunted Mansion. Also in 1981, the main entrance plaza was overhauled with the addition of shops, restroom and park facilities, and stores to ensure guests have access to everything they need for a great day at the park. Attendance did not noticeably shift, but guest spending is up 4% over 1980. We look forward to 1982 with the recent spotting of a large construction zone. Catapult was just added last year- could another coaster be on the way? On to the sights and sounds of the 1981 season at Frontier Forest, and as always, comments/feedback/suggestions are appreciated! Newly renovated entrance plaza Full view The Mine Train is not as popular as it once was The buzz after the addition of Catapult has died down NEW for 1981 is The Viking The Haunted Mansion retains a very long wait- what a popular ride! Construction zone spotted. A very curious size- much larger than The Vikings' was, but smaller than the coasters have been... A final overview in 1981. We look forward to next year and hopefully many more to come!

Themed dark ride a la Six Flags Over Texas?

Quick question- I will be going to SFA this Wednesday (8/20) with two cousins. I have a gold season pass and have two discounts- half price ticket and $20 off the regular price of $60. Online there is a deal for tickets for $40, but the processing fee seems to not make it worth buying online. Is there any reason I should buy online instead of using the SP discounts? Can I only use one discount at a time? Thanks.

No, first off, Six Flags goes to the manufacturer and asks for work to be done, not the other way around. Secondly, Six Flags would not install a Giga coaster, and if they were, there is a VERY high chance we would have known about it for some time.

Today we recap the 1980 operating season at Frontier Forest. NEW for 1980 was Catapult, a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop roller coaster. Deemed a "launched" roller coaster, passengers are accelerated out of the station using flywheel technology to traverse a vertical loop that sends riders completely upside down! The train then flies nearly vertical up a spike of track, towering over the former tallest attraction in the park, Forest Flyer. The train then loses momentum only to complete the course in reverse, rocketing through the loop backwards, then through the station and up a reverse spike. Catapult is Frontier Forest's third roller coaster, first looping coaster, as well as the tallest and fastest ride in the park. Catapult is aimed towards only the bravest riders who seek a big thrill, and it has done just that. Catapult opened to great reviews and guests often say they would like more looping roller coasters in the future. 1980 marked the second phase in a three year project to revitalize the park and its offerings, this year capping off the main midway expansions as well as general park improvements. Management has stated that 1981 will bring efforts to the main entrance to make the park more inviting to all guests as they enter the park. Attendance jumped over 1979, but only slightly. Just over 910,000 visitors passed through the entrance gates in 1980, which was slightly lower than expected. "Frontier Forest is a family oriented park, and while Catapult was a unique, cutting-edge addition, it is not what guests should expect to see year after year," said management. At Frontier Lake, capital investments went towards the waterpark, and the results are exciting for Frontier Forest's sister theme and water park complex. On to the sights and sounds of the 1980 season at Frontier Forest... and as always, feedback is appreciated! NEW for 1980 is Catapult, a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop that sends riders towering over the trees The main entrance plaza which will be revamped in 1981 Although the Mine Train has been overshadowed by newer attractions, it is still a family favorite which consistently has short lines with a high capacity Forest Flyer remains a favorite among park guests, with many saying it is their favorite roller coaster at Frontier Forest Main entrance plaza and Sky Ride station The Sky Ride is one of the most popular attractions in the park- maybe management will take notice and purchase more rides providing a similar experience? Catapult as it traverses the forwards facing spike A construction zone was spotted in the fall near the Log Flume- a less developed section of the park Final overview of the park in 1980

I don't mean to be rude, and I'm not pointing out any one person in specific, but I think we all need to accept the reality that SFGadv is not getting a coaster in 2015. And that is not a bad thing. SFGadv has made some very valuable non-coaster addition since Green Lantern in 2011, and I think one more year of that will be great for the park. If you want another so badly, go to SFNE next year or get excited for 2016.

My guess is California Colossus.

This is news? It'd be more shocking if it was running. Jk... But not really.

Here is my very informal TR for Cedar Point, August 10-12, 2014. Sorry, no pictures, but if you care to read, please do! First off, I want to thank everyone who gave me any advice to tackle Cedar Point. The Marina entrance and Maverick followed by MF for early entry is probably the best advice I could have gotten. On to the TR! My first ever trip to Cedar Point was last summer, Saturday, July 5th, 2013. One of the busiest days in peak season. With a regular Fast Lane in hand, I had a great trip, and I was fortunate enough to make it back this summer, with a little more time to really enjoy the park. Originally I wasn't sure if I would make it in time for a starlight Sunday night, August 10th. Fortunately, we checked into Breakers Express around 5:30 pm and got in the park just before 6. First thoughts- wow. Driving over the causeway is something special. First ride of the evening was Raptor. Waited about 45 minutes for front row. Very forceful, my thoughts on all coasters are below. After a great ride on Raptor, we headed to GateKeeper. Also about 45 minutes. I enjoyed this a lot more than I remembered form last year. By this time it was around 8 pm, so we decided to head towards the headliners for some night rides. I had ridden Kingda Ka just one week ago, so I wanted to compare it to Dragster, which was listed and said to be about a one hour wait. I figured, "why not?" Big mistake. Through breakdowns and low capacity along with outrageous amounts of FL+ users, we got off the ride around 9:58. From there, we hauled off to Millennium Force for a night ride. Waited about 45 mins. for the very last row, last train of the night on MF. Train was half-full, including a few employees. What an incredible night ride. Thoughts are below. Day two, I had originally planned on splurging for Fast Lane Plus (something I never do), but the weather did not look good. It was a good decision to hold off- rain was on and off the entire day. I was able to get rides on MF and Maverick in the morning, as well as a Front row ride on Maverick midday thanks to GateKeeper Plinko line skippies. Rode everything I wanted to, including Magnum in the "magic seat" in the rain (row 3). Magnum was running 1 train, and many of the other coasters were not running all their trains. Ended the night with two back row rides on MF, which was even better than the night before. Stayed at the park from Early Entry to close, in total 13 hours. A first for me. Tuesday was the last day, and we had to head out around 2 pm to drive back home to Virginia (6 hours from CP). Started the day at 9 am with two rides on Maverick. As it was the previous day, Maverick was OMFG insane. I then went to MF for a 25 minute wait. Once we got off at 10, we headed to Dragster, just as we had Monday to find it closed for rain. Tuesday was a different issue, though. The line stretched from the entrance past the station, awaiting Dragster to open. Waited until around 10:30 when a man behind us asked the ops what the plan was. They replied, "Mechanical issues." The man asked if they had any intention to announce whether or not the ride is expected to open at all, to which the op said, "No, we don't." I was able to finish off the day second row on Dragster using another Line Skippie from Plinko after waiting by the exit for around 45 mins while they tried to get a train out of the launch position. We departed later than we had hoped, but still managed a final ride on Dragster after a 25 minute wait for MF. The following are my thoughts on the coasters I rode, along with my ride count, in no particular order. Raptor (3-4x): Very forceful and a great location in the park. This invert really delivers and has that great old school B&M feel. The front row was a great ride. Still very smooth very a 20 year old coaster. My favorite invert, granted I've only ridden Batman at SFGadv and Alpengeist. The last turn into the brakes is too sharp- can this be re-profiled? Score: 8/10 GateKeeper (5-7x): I really don't understand all the whining about this coaster. I rode in the back row on both wings, the front on the left wing, plus a few rides towards the middle. The immelmann is pretty forceful, and the keyholes are a very cool visual feature. It does lose some speed by the end of the course, but in the afternoon with full trains, it was really moving through the dive loop turnaround. On top of this, GateKeeper is a truly stunning coaster with a location that can't be beat. I don't care what you say- this is a win for Cedar Point. Score: 8/10 Top Thrill Dragster (3-4x): I have riddden Ka quite a few times, so I knew what to expect. I think this coaster is a little bit smoother (Ka isn't as bad as people make it out to be) and I really like the lap bar only and the theming. Yeah, it's a one trick pony, but it's a pretty frickin' awesome trick. However, never in my entire life have I seen a coaster break down so often. The rain policy for Dragster (most rides at CP, for that matter) is insane. If there is a drop of rain falling at all, Dragster goes down. One time it went down in anticipation of rain. Not only this, but it takes FOREVER to get back up running after a breakdown. I don't know if this is an isolated incident, but Cedar Point NEEDS to get ride under control. Maybe the station music "Ready to Go" is because we were all getting impatient with the ride. Outside of this, the launch is insane and the view beats almost anything, including Kingda Ka. Score: 7/10 Magnum XL-200 (2x): I came in with moderate expectations. On Monday I waited about 20 mins in the rain running 1 train for the "magic seat," row 3. I want to love this ride, but it was just good. Not great. I didn't get any of this famed ejector airtime; none whatsoever on the first airtime hill, and only floater on the next and return bunny hops. You gotta respect this ride for what it is, and I really WANT to love it, but I just didn't think it was all that great. I do enjoy the classic feel of old technology with the track over banked into the turnaround and the oddly shaped bunny hops. Score: 6/10 Wicked Twister (2x): This was my first Intamin Impulse, and I must say, that is a fun ride! I sat towards the back with little wait (~5 mins) both times. Twisting while looking straight down on the beach is quite the experience, and the launches were pretty strong. Too bad more of these weren't built. Score: 7/10 Maverick (4x): I had ridden this one last year, but never in the front. I can see why this has some of the longest waits in the park. First drop is outstanding, one of my top 3 favorite first drops. The low to the ground turns are intense, but not overwhelming, and are taken at the prefect speed. The first airtime hill is some of the strongest ejector airtime I have experienced; I would say it rivals El Toro. The two inversions are swift and intense, a good lead up to the launch. The trains reach 70 mph very quickly and shoot up out of the tunnel in the blink of an eye. Two more VERY tight and intense transitions, especially under the first drop, are a great way to finish off the ride. My only complaints (and these are nitpicking) are the following: -The restraints dig into my thighs a bit too much, although I didn't experience much headbanging at all. -The trims on the hill after the launch kill the pacing just a bit; I would like to see how the finale differs without these. -The s-curve in the former location of the heartline roll seems a bit out of place. The entire ride is action packed without any breaks, and it seems a little out of place. I think a sharp bank to the left to counter the overbank under the drop would go well here. If these minor issues were fixed, Maverick would be my undisputed #1 overall coaster. It is still one of the best coasters in the world, no doubt. Score: 9.5/10 Millennium Force (8-10x): So many enthusiasts love to hate Millennium Force, and after this trip, I really cannot understand why. My rides in the morning were very, very good. It was fast and had some good floater air. However, my 3 night rides were something else. MF was HAULING at night in the warm, humid weather (I sat in row 18 every single ride). This is my favorite lift hill view and might be my favorite first drop of any coaster I've ridden at night. I began to grey out just a bit at the bottom of the drop, and the first overbank was very fast and pretty intense. I felt like I was being pulled along the course riding in the back faster than I should. At night, the first airtime hill delivered VERY strong floater air that was sustained for a solid 3 seconds. I would say the airtime was stronger than Nitro at SFGadv, and I would assume most B&M hypers. The final airtime hill by the station delivered borderline ejector airtime, and the last overbank was a great way to finish off the ride. MF came screaming into the brakes at night. My only complaint is the wide 360 degree turn after the first airtime hill; it seemed to be the only part of the ride I didn't LOVE. Overall, MF at night puts up a solid fight for my #1 steel coaster, and there is something about the theme and nostalgia to the days of the coaster wars that makes me love it even more. This coaster dominates the park and is what made Intamin famous. I would argue that it is the most iconic coaster of the new millennium and may be the best decision Cedar Point has made. Period. Score: 9.25/10 I also got 2 rides on MaXair while other rides closed for rain. This was a pleasant surprise- it was very fast and made some great views. Score: 7/10 I didn't ride Mantis, Blue Streak, Mean Streak, Gemini, Corkscrew, Iron Dragon, Mine Ride, or any of the kiddie credits. I considered riding some of them (Blue Streak), but had ridden most of them last year and I don't count credits. I don't feel that I missed much of anything. Miscellaneous thoughts: I noticed the paint on Mantis while riding MF. I don't mind the current color scheme, but I would like new trains. I hope it doesn't look too much like Raptor. The rain policy is pathetic and made up on the spot. An employee at the GateKeeper merge area told us that GK was currently down because the rain is "just too heavy" at the time. It had stopped raining 15 minutes ago. Raptor and Wicked Twister were both running at that time. Cedar Point needs to get Dragster under control. It is too great an asset to turn into a liability and leave a sour taste in guests' mouths. Most of the staff were very friendly, outside of a few minor incidents. Dispatch intervals, when the rides were operating, were some of the best I've seen, and I thought I heard a staff member call out the number of dispatches to one of the ops on Raptor, which is something you would NEVER hear at a Six Flags park (or most parks, for that matter). Cedar Point is also one of the most well rounded parks in the world, with many flat rides and water rides to round out the collection. I hope to be back at Cedar Point next year or in the near future, and I am very excited for the future of the park. If you have any questions or comments, let me know. Until next time at the "Best Amusement Park in the World," Passwsord121 UPDATED TOP 5 steel coasters: 1) Maverick 2) Millennium Force 3) Intimidator 305 4) Nitro 5) Raptor?