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Samuel

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  1. OK, time for the beachfront RMC Raptor and GCI twister and Boardwalk Project with an underwater tunnel . I think Wicked Twister's back spike & launch are fun, but the pullouts give me a headache. I'm sure the park notices the low ridership, and with Volcano being removed at KD, I'm not surprised. I'll miss the beachy vibe, fun sunburst colors, and the sand blowing around the queue. The coaster visually framed the Ferris wheel so well that I can't think of a standalone ride that'd be a better fit in that space. I remember an interview with a park exec who talked about wanting to open up views to the beach from inside the park. I think that trees, rides, buildings, etc. actually add character in addition to the beach. I really like that corner of the park, so fingers crossed for good future plans beyond an empty plaza where you can watch fireworks.
  2. I passed on at least two of those S&S slingshot upcharges (VertigGo, Thrill Shot) while they were still operating. Anyone here have the chance to ride one? I'm a sucker for slingshots now, so I regret not trying these at least once -- alarming tower collapse at Cedar Point aside.
  3. It's not one ride, but as someone who nauseates easily, hang-time becoming a praised, deliberate coaster feature stinks for me. I also think it's just less fun than ripping through inversions -- there's a reason people miss the pace of old B&Ms. When lumbering slowly upside-down is the point, I wish the whole idea would stay in the realm of wacky flat rides. Yes, RMC stalls are cool-looking, and at least they're change-ups on otherwise relentless layouts, but your jojo rolls, wing coasters, slow Gerstauler loops -- no thank you.
  4. Crazy! I both love this and don't think that I'd stomach it -- I get dizzy just watching a Time Traveler pov. I'm glad that parks are biting on this design and having Mack develop original layouts, too. Very creative. I'm calling it that Cedar Point is quietly taking notes.
  5. Awesome report, it makes me want to go right back. I also missed out on Maverick (and a bunch other stuff on a HalloWeekends Friday), but these pics remind me of what a great time I had anyway. Love that Corkscrew simple triangle graphic!
  6. Iron Dragon has Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth presented by Snickers written all over it. Kidding aside, I've had a good time at Six Flags parks lately, but under no circumstances do I want Cedar Point or Knott's in particular to be touched by anyone. And in my books, Peanuts > Bugs.
  7. A Copperhead Strike-like coaster with airtime and a few inversions would look good there down the road. Well that's one less iconic "clackety-clack" Arrow in existence, but I admit that my rides on Vortex were brutal. Once in a while I can find a seat that's not so bad on those old Arrows, but I had no such luck with Vortex. Some of these bigger parks have been doing a purge and/or retool of their lineups in recent years, and I don't altogether mind it. It's sad to see classic-ish coasters go, but if the goal is for riders to have fun while these coasters cost money and cause pain, I'm not against replacing them.
  8. I don't know, I think Steel Vengeance is the most beautiful-looking coaster I've ever seen -- especially at night. I understand where you're coming from with the B&Ms looking good, though. I'm sure Orion will look great. I didn't ride Steel Vengeance opening year because of its one-train ops, and then it was removed from Fast Lane Plus for a time, and finally because the weather forecast was awful over three straight weekends near the end of the season and I ended up not going. Sometimes it's a lot of little things that aren't the fault of a ride's visual presentation.
  9. Having seen POVs, I braced myself a little bit in anticipation of those moments, but to my surprise they barely registered with my body. The elements might feel different when sitting on the ends of the train, but my middle-ish rides were extremely smooth and jolt-free. The trains also contoured my shoulders pretty well, so I didn't get a whole lot of laterals. Everything was just comfortable. Who knows, perhaps after being the wrong size for lots of Arrow loopers growing up, I'm finally just the right size for a coaster seat. In contrast, while I still love Raptor, that snap into the brakes is certainly what I'd call a jolt.
  10. I was also at the park yesterday evening, which included my first Steel Vengeance rides! Some quick hits: Steel Vengeance: Relentless, imposing, so smooth, and such a wild, fun blur of an experience. The airtime over the first two big hills (the top hat and outer-banked hill) felt like pure flying through the air and had me laughing hysterically. The airtime is bananas. There's so much happening so rapidly that it's difficult to recall individual moments. The first drop, which would be the signature of most rides, is just one part of a larger ensemble that defies clear recall. The whole coaster seems like it's in fast-forward, giving you no time to think about each element as you shred through it. Contrary to some reviews, I never felt tossed around whatsoever -- in fact, I was mesmerized by how aggressive and graceful this ride is. And what a beautiful structure lit up at night! That's one aspect of Mean Streak that I'm glad was preserved. My only caveat is one that I anticipated heading in: Steel Vengeance is like a huge slice of great cheesecake, where every bite is rich, creamy, and simply perfect, but when taken as a whole, I'm stuffed and can't devour another big piece right away. I was a little bit dizzy and tired after two rides, but they were phenomenal. I view this as a special attraction that I'll do just once or twice a visit, but I'm satisfied with that. A+. Magnum: Still bumpy fun. I've had better and worse rides on it, but the airtime was all there, the first drop is still good, the setting remains one of my favorites, plus bonus tunnel effects! Valravn: My first ride in the middle of the middle row was butter-smooth and fun as always. I love both dive drops. This coaster just puts a big smile on my face. However, later I rode in the far-left seat of the third row and I was startled by how rough it was. I don't know if it's just one unlucky ride or whatever, but it's the first bad ride I've had on it. I can forgive it and enjoy it again, I'm sure. Millennium Force: My first ride before sunset was merely fine, but I came back later for extraordinary night rides that hauled. Iconic drop, great speed, and good airtime. It's hard to describe the hands-up fun that everyone has together which makes this such a memorable coaster in a way that can't be quantified by counting airtime moments or anything like that. To me, Steel Vengeance is a great dessert and Millennium Force is a great entree. I think they complement each other in the lineup, and I'm glad that both are at Cedar Point. -- And that was it because while the park was pretty busy, my one issue was that too many rides were down. I knew going in that Dragster and others would be out, but Maverick and Raptor were surprise closures, leaving big gaps in the park where there just wasn't much for people to ride. The night was essentially a pick of Steel Vengeance, Millennium Force, Valravn, Magnum, or Gatekeeper. That's still a headlining list, but the closures and lack of depth were noticeable when set against packed midways with crowds looking for more to do. -- I didn't go through any of the haunts with only a handful of hours to work with, but those lines looked long all night. -- I didn't see any of the Peanuts characters or funny monsters walking around or in parades. While not scary, I like them and think they add charm to HalloWeekends. Does anyone know if they still roam during the day on Sat/Sun? Yesterday just seemed like a darker and more straightforward PG-13 event.
  11. Yes. Yep, plenty of people still prefer MF, and I'm sure Maverick and even Magnum have their fans. "Does the most stuff" doesn't automatically mean the consensus best, but Steel Vengeance deserves to be up there and it is. The ones that get me are the ho-hum B&Ms that float strangely up the rankings, even beyond the really good B&Ms.
  12. I had a good time at the park this past week (my first visit in several years), and here are some of my quick thoughts & a few pics: -- Ride of Steel remains one of my favorite coasters. I thought it was underrated when I rode it years ago and still feel the same. Even with the long straightaway and helix-heavy layout, I'm just laughing and enjoying the whole ride through. I had more pure fun on this than on other noteworthy coasters like Fury and Phantom's Revenge, and that's high praise for Ride of Steel rather than a knock on those also-great rides. The front seat is particularly excellent. Awesome airtime, speed, and first drop, just the right amount of intensity, and a better location over water than SFA's version. Worth a visit on its own! -- Predator was not good, although other riders seemed to be smiling and having jostling fun. I appreciated the smooth turnaround with new wood, but most of the drops were of the familiar Dinn variety -- it's like shuffling down a rockslide and praying that each pullout doesn't jackhammer too badly. I've been on worse and there was some airtime, but it's not far from that "just thankful to survive" category. It is a good-looking coaster near the water, though. I'd love to see an RMC treatment on the scale of Twisted Cyclone someday. -- Tantrum was new to me. While it's very smooth, I was thoroughly nauseated! I had the big barf face from RCT, which surprised me because I'm still OK with other moderate loopers like Sky Rocket. To be fair to Tantrum, my nausea tolerance has been rapidly receding. I've cut out spinning and most flat rides, and sometimes inversions now get to me, too. The drop's exciting, and the ride's a quick and perfectly smooth blur, but holy guacamole I was close to throwing up. This makes me antsy about riding Steel Curtain soon, but I'll still give it a go. -- I ate at Beaver Brothers Cafe and recommend it. My burger had a small patty, but it tasted flame-broiled and quite good. The restaurant has interesting decor, refreshing AC, beer, a reasonably-priced menu, spaciousness, and the restrooms are low-traffic and clean, making this a solid option when you need a break in the park. -- Ride ops were friendly and generally pleasant, and the park looked colorful & vibrant enough. Most coasters ran one train, which often ballooned station waits to 30 minutes, but I'm not expecting Cedar Point ops and was just glad that everything was open. -- The pellet dispenser for fish and duck feeding gave me ONE pellet per quarter. I apologized to the fish and ducks for the letdown. -- I wasn't sure that I would renew my season pass at the park, but once there I was talking myself into it. I had questions, and while the guy at the season pass center wasn't a jerk, he wasn't helpful and I left without renewing for now. I asked about the membership tiers and his answers were a lot of, "oh, yeah, um, basically like, okay, so it depends, but you're good." Huh? I don't have a season pass for next year and I see there's a sale going on (I'm making it very easy for him). It says here that I'd also get a golden ticket that can be used like a bring a friend on most days next year... "Oh, it's not most days. It's just, like, bring a friend sometimes, that's all." What are the restrictions? "Uh, you don't have to do anything for it, you'll just get it, so you're good." Huh? I ended up educating myself from an info sheet and wall signs in the pass center while the guy sat there. He didn't engage me at all, ask me about what I'm looking for or how often I visit, explain any perks I might enjoy, etc. I knew I wasn't going to be talked into Diamond Elite, but when I walk in willing to give more money to Six Flags then and there, someone with communication skills should be eager to reel me in. I couldn't get clear answers about whether some perks would kick in that same day, on my next visit, or not until next season, and I left confused and without a renewal. -- The star flyer looked good, and I like its location because I've felt that the far bend around the park's central lake looked tacky with go-karts, batting cages, and little else. Those things are alright for arcade/laser tag centers, but the star flyer is a more legit and welcome attraction to that edge of the park. -- I love the slingshot ride, but I didn't feel like forking over the $40 while feeling dizzy post-Tantrum. It's my favorite slingshot model, and I highly recommend it if you're new to the park or slingshot rides. -- I only took a couple of pics, mostly of my favorite nook in the park on the path next to Predator. This path, along with the path at Cedar Point between Magnum and the beach, are two places where I'd set up camp and live if I could: Sun shining around the central little lake (among many small lakes & ponds) throughout the park. Ride of Steel & Predator approaching evening. You don't expect to find such a tranquil spot in the back of the park. My favorite park area. Beautiful and quiet, even with Predator rumbling next door. Add a hammock and I'd stay all summer.
  13. I went to Waldameer last weekend with gorgeous weather, and predictably it was the most crowded I've ever seen the park. I parked so far back that I didn't even know that that part of the parking lot existed. Good for the park, but good lord if you (like me) wanted to go in for an hour and ride three or four rides before heading to Presque Isle. Earlier this summer a TPR member reported that his Ravine Flyer rides were rough and gave him a headache, etc. Some of us rushed to defend to the coaster's greatness, and I agree that it's a fantastic coaster, but I'll say that my latest rides were violent. I've ridden it a ton almost every year, and I don't remember it ever being this wild. It's the end of the season, so I bet that standard maintenance takes some bite out of it (Waldameer keeps it running well), but my two rides the other day were almost too bonkers -- the crazy drop & airtime were amazing-- but it had a few potholes and seemed to be in some kind of angry overdrive. It gave me a solid headache, and though in some ways they were the best rides I've ever had on RFII, the aggression was getting over the line. It's not Dinn-rough where the coaster is clunky and constantly shuffling, but Gravity Group-rough where an excellent coaster develops a 'roid rage temper and tries you throw you off of it. It was nuts, and if the guy who got a headache is reading this, I believe your headache now. Still an A+ ride, and I love to see the park packed and looking like its doing well to close out the year.
  14. 1) Millennium Force 2) Top Thrill Dragster 3) Raptor 4) Maverick 5) Magnum 6) Valravn 7) Wicked Twister 8) Gemini 9) Iron Dragon 10) Rougarou 11) Gatekeeper 12) Blue Streak 13) Cedar Creek Mine Ride 14) Woodstock Express 15) Corkscrew 16) Wilderness Run I'll see about Steel Vengeance soon! I have lots of anticipation for it, and I'll re-edit my post once I ride it. Funny thing is, I might enjoy Maverick the most on a given visit, have a bad-violent ride on Magnum, think that Millennium Force seems a little ho-hum, etc., but over time, this ^ is generally how I regard them.
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