SFOG1991

^Honestly I never thought Intimidator was that great to begin with. It rides so mediocrely compared to other B&M hypers. The first drop might be one of the best on any B&M hyper though. After that, it's Intrimidator with minimal airtime followed by a mid course brake run that might as well end the ride. Still a quality coaster that is a definite crowd pleaser, I just think it was really easy to outshine!

This is pretty impressive! Great job.

I work on Friday's but I would consider heading over in the afternoon at least! Exploring the park with someone who has never visited before is always fun and provides an interesting perspective. It sounds like a few of us are interested, so hopefully if you are alone, someone will meet up with you!

^You made a really good point about Ninja, considering it is on his list of rides he is most looking forward to. If my memory serves correctly, Ninja has been down for at least the first month (and for as long as the entire spring season leading up to Memorial Day) last year and the year before. Maybe even the year before that. Ninja was one train operation last season (at least near the end of the season) so that is either a bad sign, or a good sign that one of the trains will be completely ready to go opening day. The second train was not on the transfer track, so clearly it is having some kind of work done, being stored long term to eventually replace the current train, or already being broken down for parts for the existing train. Keep in mind these trains are from the late Great American Scream Machine at SFGAdv, so they have been around a long time. I hope Ninja is open for you. I know everyone hates it, but I think it is an incredible unique layout, with the unique butterfly loop, and in the magic seat it isn't rough in my opinion.

^Oh I have more random tips! Let's seeee.. on Batman, you can enter through the exit gift shop. Once you go into the gift shop and out the back where the exit ramp comes down to the gift shop, there is a sidewalk that brings you into the queue without walking through the Gotham City Park section of the queue. Doesn't do much good for your first ride, but if you want to go again, that cut through will save you a lot of time. Also, the back 2 rows are reserved for Flash Pass. If you go back there after your first ride, chances are they won't be full unless you go on a day where Flash Pass is busy. Same with GASM. There are 2 rows that are blocked off for Flash Pass only and you can often grab a second ride. Just be very aware of Flash Pass users. If people abuse re-riding without being courteous, the park may change their policy. I'm sure you are fine but some of the "GP" can be so clueless about this. On Ninja, if you ride once and want to go again, but every row has people waiting, you can go out the exit and where it loops around back past the station, there is a way to enter the station area again (It is where flash pass is supposed to enter). That can save you a long walk around, just don't rush through right in front of people who walked the actual queue line. Also, if you want to ride the first row, pay attention to where the air gates are. The first row is crammed awkwardly and people often think the second row is the first. I would suggest riding in the front seat of the last car though. Much smoother ride. Goliath also has a nice cut through right at the bottom of the exit ramp, but you have to climb under the queue railing so it's more of a "breaking the rules" kind of thing but people frequently do it and if no one is coming through the queue I have nothing against doing it to avoid going all the way around, through the photo place, gift shop, lockers, etc. Goliath, Scorcher, and Cyclone have mandatory lockers. Just an FYI. Don't miss out on checking out the park's carousel. It is 108 years old and from the famous Riverview Park in Chicago. It is in beautiful shape in a beautiful setting. The carousel itself even has some nipple action on the hand carved carriages.

I like the Intamin coasters in the park plenty. STR though? Awful. How do you build a log flume that can't float in the 21st century when randoms were able to figure it out in the 1920s? "Randoms" You know its true. Lake Winnie's log flume predates penicillin. It ain't rocket science. LOL! This is so true. Honestly, Winnie's boat chute is a great ride. Cedar Point should just hand build one and put all the money they save towards finding a way to add airtime to Millennium Force.

That sounds like a great trip. If you want it to be extremely relaxed, that is probably the way to do it. However, I think 4 days at Hershey may end up being too much. It's a great park and there is a lot to do but I feel like 2 days is the usual, 3 is probably good for a family that wants to experience everything. In terms of rides only, I've done the entire park in 1 day, but wishing I had a second day. 4 days is fine and it is a great park to be at so I wouldn't complain being there for 4 days, but if you have small children, Dutch Wonderland is a great nearby option, or if they are interested in riding more coasters, Dorney isn't too far away and is a great 1 day park. It just depends on what you are looking for in a trip. 2 days at Knoebels should be plenty of time. That is enough time to enjoy everything and do your favorite things again. It is the kind of park you won't want to leave though! Just some thoughts. Your trip sounds wonderful regardless!

The park actually handles line cutting very well if you choose to pursue action. Actually, any time I have ever had an issue, supervisors are very good at what they do. It is the guests and general employees that can be bad. Overall, you shouldn't have any issues that are much different from Great Adventure. Very similar crowds. Face the operator booth on Acrophobia if you can. When you get to the top you will have a great view of Atlanta and all of the park and Goliath. It rotates, but this way you stop at the top facing this way and it gives you a lot of time to take it all in. Also, in the queue, there are 2 air gates entering the ride. Everyone crowds the one on the right as it is closer to the direction they came from. Go to the left gate. It opens too and you'll be on while everyone else is pushing through the other gate haha. Completely random tips but work is slow today..

The Eagle of today is NOT the same Eagle as in '76. The Eagle got neutered by adding the banking on the turns, removing the double-down after the swoop turnaround, and reducing the trains from 5 cars to 4. John Allen's original design has been badly modified...GASM at SFOG is closer to what the Eagle was back in '76 than the Eagle of today. Also, whoever decided that the lift chain should slow down BEFORE the train crests the lift hill should be hung from the top of the lift. It greatly reduces the speed through the first turn and nearly stalls the train before the drop. Just my .02 worth. YOMV. It's sad that this is happening to so many classics. I am so glad GASM is still almost entirely in its original form, with buzz bars and everything. It makes me so sad when a classic woodie looses its buzz bars. The PTC ratchet bars are so confining, tight, and that weird lump they have to fit inside the train is annoying. Screamin' Eagle is still a great coaster though.

Has anyone ever come back from a coaster hiatus and thought "OMG this is going to be more exciting than it used to be since it has been so long" then you go down the first drop and realize it's exactly the same as it always was? You can only pop your coaster cherry once I guess.

Beginning of November through early March, although most off seasons I end up going to a park somewhere. Now that SFOG is open from March through January, I don't have to wait as long.

You can, just make sure the glass is properly tinted.

This one time, on Sky Buckets at Six Flags..... I did not participate in deviant behaviors and was not arrested.

If there is a chance of rain in the forecast, it seems like an ideal day to go, but that isn't always the case. They often run just 1 train on most coasters when there are scattered storms forecast. I spoke to the ride operations director about this so unless something has changed expect 1 train operations on most coasters if it's an on and off rainy day. If it is very rainy, this can work in your favor since most of the coasters will run in the rain. If it is just a slight chance, the lines will be awful and slow moving.

^Georgia Scorcher usually lets you choose any row since you enter into the station queue. Sometimes it is blocked off for just back row though. The only row it is normally hard to get to is front row since that queue railing extends out before the station. MARTA will take you longer than an hour to get to the park probably. You have to transfer at 5 Points which should be quick, but can take up to 15 minutes. Once you get to the west end of the line, the transfer over to the bus and the bus ride will take some time. It may be do-able in an hour but it is a lot more effort than an Uber and Uber will take less than half the time I imagine, unless there is lingering rush hour traffic. I am not sure how bad traffic gets there but when I commute downtown from the north end of the city, there is still bad traffic until 10:30am or so. Oh, and I am the same with Flash Pass. I get it at pretty much any park I travel to because the investment getting to the park is worth budgeting a Flash Pass into. It can take you from riding 3 rides on a busy day, to riding 30, easily. Platinum is somewhere in the $90-$110 range and usually comes with a reride wristband (which people will verbally and possibly physically assault you for using. It has happened to me, no joke). The crowd at SFOG used to be very teen/thug type but is much better now. Many more families visit now it seems. It's a decent crowd. People will likely cut you in line too. I usually just don't let them or report them if they force themselves past me, but sometimes it's just exhausting and unsafe to deal with them. Just a heads up. The crowd is MUCH better than a few years back but with Spring Break you will get that kind of drama and nonsense from younger people possibly.

That would take the fun out of it.

The original was custom designed with a purpose and uses the terrain well. I always thought it was an odd coaster to clone throughout the chain since it really isn't designed to be a standard model.

You will need Uber to get to the park quickly honestly. The MARTA option gets the job done but will take a long time. You will like Scorcher. I would suggest waiting for front row. Smoother, you can see ahead of you, and you are thrown into the elements well. Back row has a few good airtime moments, especially after the corkscrew. You are right about Superman. I was shocked by the difference when I went to Great Adventure. The way it was designed into the hill at SFOG is what makes the ride worthwhile after the pretzel loop. Also, Mind Bender is much better (imo) than SooperDooperLooper and Shockwave if you have been on either of those.

Spring Break is often a total mob and you will probably want Flash Pass. If you can arrive before opening to get your pass, that is best as the lines for Flash Pass get bad. If you do arrive before opening (and especially if you don't get Flash Pass), try to arrive 45 minutes prior. Usually (especially on busy days) the front of the park opens a half hour early. You can usually ride Georgia Cyclone and Georgia Scorcher with no line. Ride Georgia Cyclone first. After riding them, wait for the rope drop by Scorcher. You will want to go straight to DDD as the line will build up to 2 hour wait within an hour or 2 of opening and will stay like that all day. If you want, ride Goliath next, but usually the line does fizzle out later in the day and the line moves very quickly. I would really suggest you go to Batman and Mind Bender next, as Mind Bender may still be on 1 train ops, and Batman gets a long line. After those, head straight for Superman where the line hopefully will still be very short. Ninja never has a line except when there is 1 train ops, and the line gets VERY long. If you do get Flash Pass, you can ride things in whatever order you want really, and if you go to the back of the park right at opening you can easily marathon Great American Scream Machine for a half hour either in the same seat or by simply changing to open seats. Acrophobia can get a long slow line but it is a very unique drop tower. Monster Mansion is also a unique must ride.

As if a Chance Toboggan isn't frightening enough as a truck mounted coaster (The one at Lakemont Park was awesome though). This just looks wrong and potentially very unsafe. At the very least, extremely discomforting. So who wants to go get this credit?!

It is probably my favorite inverting B&M! I probably like it more than Kumba. The zero-g roll in the back row is insane!

September. . . I recently rode Manhattan express last week and would take it over ninja any day. That's so weird because I honestly have no problem with it at all. My head stays completely above the restraints so maybe that helps. I honestly don't find it rough, but I used to a few years ago. They should look into vest restraints to save the ride.

I would say do Knoebels and Hershey. They are both MUST DO parks if at all possible. As someone who did an entire tour of every park (that has at least one coaster) in PA, it's hard for me to not just say "do them all!" ...best trip I've ever taken.

I completely agree with this. It has nearly the perfect layout for a looper and the butterfly loop is so disorienting. I would love to see more of those on coasters. I honestly don't find Ninja rough at all anymore and think it is extremely underrated. It isn't smooth, but it doesn't really hurt with the Arrow trains in my opinion. When did you last ride it?

How steep is the second drop? It looks so shallow, even for a B&M dive coaster, but I assume that is the standard degree drop that Griffin and Sheikra uses...