Darien Laker

My first visit to Hersheypark was very magical. It was 1997, and the only park I had been to before this was Marine Land (and Darien when I was a baby, but I don't remember that). I remember being so amazed by the way the park was all themed to chocolate. I remember standing next to the height marker thing and falling into the "Twizzlers" category, meaning I was good to go on whatever I wanted basically. The way the park was set up, so peaceful, and the extra things like showing the chocolate factory, made it so perfect for a family. This was back when Sidewinder was the most intense ride at the park, and Wildcat was brand-new.

Great Pics. Blackpool looks like it would be an interesting park to visit. Hopefully someday I can get over there. Those hills on the Big One are really shallow. Do you get air-time on them? I can't imagine any kind of floater air, those hills all come to a distinct point at the top, unlike most hyper's hills.

^Oh it's everyone. Every single time i've ridden Viper, everyone on the train screams as loud as they can in that tunnel! Even if it's a dead day and there's only 8 people on the train, they just scream louder. And yes, it does echo

It looks like GASM is running three trains. I doubt that ever happens anymore. Those are all great pictures. The Chiller looks like it would have been very painful with the OTSR's. Too bad some of these Arrow loopers can't get the new lapbars.

I really like all of those pics, especially the one of Goliath. I wish Six Flags didn't re-use that name like 3 other times, because that should be the only Goliath.

SFGam's Raging Bull's tunnel is incredible. I was just a little kid then, and I was afraid to put my hands up, I really thought they would get chopped off. SFDL's Viper also has a sweet tunnel. Most of the helix is in this suprise tunnel at the end of the ride. It's not a suprise anymore, but still just a classic element for that ride.

I agree, getting SFMM up to these new standards is also going to be tricky. This may have to be the exception to their "family" park rule. 17 coasters is 17 coasters. I'm thinking you might see some of the coasters removed and the number trimmed down. No telling really at this point.

Vortex looks like it would be great. It looks like SFDL's Viper on steroids. I've heard Top Gun is one of the better suspended coasters, too. The Beast also seems like it would be completely awesome. The older rides at this park seem so nostalgic.

These are what all Arrow and Vekoma looping coasters should get. They improve the ride by about 500%. http://rcdb.com/ig431.htm?picture=4 Notice how bubbily the cars are compared to the pointy Arrow trains found on most Arrow loopers. These bubbily trains are a lot more comfortable, with much more padding on the seats and the backs of the seats. Also, the restraints themselves have a lot more padding on them. I've been on some older Arrow loopers and Vekoma Boomerangs, and the trains are my only problem with most of them. (Not SFGam's Shockwave, that one had quite a few problems!)

Seeing as how the old "drug addiction" method of attendance maintainance failed miserably as far as cash goes, it makes sense that Shapiro is willing to try out so many new ideas. I really hope he succeeds, because it's not like he's compltely against adding rollercoasters, he just thinks it should be done a bit less compulsively.

I don't think SFA will be sold really, though we'll have to wait and see. SFA seems like a great park lost in Six Flags hell. The rides are great, don't get me wrong, but it's got to be least family-oriented park I have ever been to. SFA is going to take some major work to bring it up to Shapiro's standards. I've only been there once, and I hope it's not always as crappy as it was then. There was lots of garbage everywhere, especially in some of the queues. Even my Mom kept complaining about how rude the ride-ops were, and my little sister kept pointing out how filthy it was. Also, not too many family-oriented attractions are present. Assuming it stays in the chain, Shapiro really has some switching around to do. It really made me appreciate having SFDL as my homepark. It may not have a flyer....or a launched....or a GCI....or even a good woodie at all for that matter....but it's clean, the ride-ops are at least polite while goofing around, and just has an atmosphere that still manages to bring families in.

I'd say the Arrow launched loop coasters are out-dated, with only a few of them left in the world. The Schwartzkopf ones are another story, however.

As long as there's no one else in line for your row at SFDL, they really don't care. I've done Viper and Boomerang numerous times without getting off. Sometimes there will be someone in line for the row you are in, but the ops will just make you move to another seat so the other person can have the seat they waited for (front and back seats, usually).

I ended the 2005 season with a nice ride on Viper at SFDL. It's tame, but it's also the second best coaster in the park and with reasonable lines. I'll probably start out the '06 season with it too. I wish S:ROS could move lines the way Viper does, but if that ever happened I don't even think i'd even bother riding anything else....I'd just keep getting back in line for Superman all day long....

I really don't like the typical Six Flags SLC colors with the pinkish track and teal supports. It looks kind of pukish.

I get scared usually when i've never ridden a certain type of coaster before and it's my first ride. MGM's Rockin' Roller Coaster had me more scared than any ride in my life the first time I rode it.

I love both of Viper @ SFDL's color schemes. It used to be all black, now it's green and black. Both schemes match the name perfectly, IMO. Also, Iron Wolf has a perfect color scheme for that name, though I hardly remember the ride at all (I rode it seven years ago).