Swede

Hadn't the park themselves made modifications to the restraints and that's what caused the accident?

...that an old Schwarzkopf Looping Star had the train get stuck upside down at the top of the loop for over an hour before the riders could be rescued.

That looks like a great list of parks to get to. Something I think (I hope) I could come up with, if I was doing such a parks trip. Hope it all works out for you. Quoting myself, but thinking ahead, not only do I hope it all works out for you, but you do a TR of your big adventure, too! That would be awesome if you could, as I am really interested in how this kind of tour will turn out. For "Future Reference," heh. Also, just curious, how long are you planning, for this USA tour? It's a 15 day trip. As for a TR it might be hard since I don't have a laptop at the moment, but I'll see if I can borrow one for the trip as I do want to write one. I'm struggling on deciding whether to bring my proper full frame camera or just go with my cellphone though as I don't own a compact.

They have done work on Voyage this year as well.

It's legendary in the enthusiast community. Probably not so anywhere else.

lol >tfw

That sounds like an awesome trip, and very doable over 2 weeks or so. You are spot on the time span. It will be an intense trip but totally worth it. If everything is up and running it's just over 100 coasters with every park and ride being a new one for me. I've only visited the North East of the U.S. before.

I'll be hitting the following parks starting early June during my trip to the U.S. Bay Beach Amusement Park Six Flags Great Am Adventureland Worlds of Fun Silver Dollar City Six Flags St.Louis Holiday World Kentucky Kingdom Kings Island Camden Park Carrowinds Dollywood Lake Winepekausah Six Flags over Georgia When I'm back in Sweden I'll most likely go straight from the airport to Kolmården to try out Wildfire.

Great TR Boldikus. Too bad we didn't get to meet up last year. I'm doing my annual flight over the Atlantic in June and will go on a coaster roadtrip starting up in Chicago and ending down in Atlanta.

Some random person sitting with me on El Toro @ SFGAdv last year explaining the definition of a coaster: Him: Have you tried El Diablo? Me: Yes, but I'm not really in to flatrides. I prefer coasters. Him: It is a coaster. I've been on it several times.

T-Express. It looks like El Toro and Balder had a lovechild. How can you go wrong?

Squeezing into a small kiddycoaster being the whore I am only to realize the operator was a beautif girl my age eyeing me, giggeling and shaking her head. Those things go more than one lap so everytime I passed her I made a forced smile dying a bit inside.

Wildfire at Kolmården in Sweden hands down (but when I ride that thing on the press-day they will be in the air for sure).

Just got back from the park. Namtab was testing with riders. Also the things some has said about the A train on Nitro this year is confirmed. Had a horrible rattle. C was fine though. All rides had stacking of trains and Ka had an afternoon breakdown. Still I had a good day with plenty of rides without a flash pass.

You should try to swing by tomorrow when I'm there! Call in sick.

It shouldn't be too crowded, but schools throughout the region are now out for the year so it really is a crap shoot. If I were you I would just go on Wednesday anyway because even if there is a torrential downpour, everything except KK remains open (unless there is indeed lightning in the area). An added bonus is that even the appearance of rain keeps the majority of potential park-goers at home. Unless you really, really want to get on Ka. Unfortunately Ka is one of the two credits I still need in this park so I really want to ride it. It was closed on my visit last year. I'll check back on the weather later tonight. If there are pockets without rain during Wednesday or Thursday I might reschedule.

Best news I heard in a long time.

Dorney has the worst customer service I have experienced. Called them Saturday as I was about 15 minutes away in a car passing by the area to ask if the rides was operating (it was raining). They told me Hydra was down but everything else was running. When I arrived at the park moments later they had accually closed the whole park earlier that evening.

Going to the park by my self tomorrow so if any member wants to meet up drop me a PM. I was planning on Wednesday or Thursday first but as it looks like there will be raining and possibly thunder both those days I'm not taking any chances with closed rides, and I'm flying back to Europe on Friday. Weather looks good tomorrow but as it's a Tuesday I'm hoping it still won't be too crowded. What do you guys think?

Went on Thunderbolt in Coney the other day. It is just one years old and almost gave me shaken baby syndrom. Crazy.

This is awesome news as I will be in New York riding it next week. Last year I visited it hadn't open yet. I was a little scared riding it after so many said how bad it was, but I was going to ride it once no the less, so hearing from a few different sources that it runs better this year is a relief.

Maybe the train had 32 seats before returning to the station.

My mother-in-law, bless her heart, said "Yikes, did you ride that horrible carousel" after the spouse posted a picture of me on Nitro at SFGAdv going up the lifthill last year.

So, I have to be honest, this seems silly to me. If they have been given the "ok" to open from HSE, doesn't it look WORSE for Alton Towers staying closed? To everyone here I think we know this is not the case, but to the public, it makes it look MORE like maybe there was something seriously wrong at the park and maybe that crazy lady on Sky News had a point? (ugh, I can't believe I just said that!) I don't agree with them staying closed after HSE said they could open. I think that's a dumb move on Merlin's part. I'm with you 100% on that conclusion Robb. We are talking about people who think that there is something seriously wrong and dangerous with a ride that stops in a lifthill when that is the ride working as designed if it "senses something wrong". This might just play into the hands of the scaremongers.

Luna at Coney Island in two weeks. Need me a Thunderbolt cred. even though I hear it's a terrible ride.