Running_Buddy

/\ Weekday should be fine. Renegade usually will get the longest wait in the park, so if you get there at park open, head all the way to the back of the park to Renegade. Most people start at the front of the park so you can usually get a few rides on Renegade in before a line forms. Mark

*Grabs popcorn* I really hope CP doesn't officially announce the RMC project for as long as possible, cause this thread has fallen apart and is highly entertaining. Also, Robb, loved the mic drop on Trump. Mark

I'm just planning to return as a Scare Actor in the Fall. Hellside Farm for best maze, baby! Mark

Valleyfair for Passholder Preview night. We will be making a mad dash like everyone else to North Star! Mark

2017 is an off year for me, unfortunately. I'll mostly stay within MN and hit Valleyfair, Nickelodeon Universe, and the MN State Fair. We may venture down to SF Great America or Adventure Land for one small mini-trip. Our big trips are planned for 2018. Mark

Valleyfair is my home park and I always head to Renegade. Even on busy days you can get a handful of rides in with little to no wait before the GP gets all the way to the back of the park. It's also always my last coaster when I visit. Once it's had a full day of running it gets pretty intense. Mark

Definitely Ghost Town Village in Maggie Valley, NC. You had to take a ski lift to get up to the park in the mountains. The views looked to be spectacular and they had a bizarre Hopkins coaster built on the edge of the mountain. The park has been bouncing back and forth between SBNO and Open up til 2015, so maybe there's a chance it'll reopen down the road. Mark

Valleyfair! 1) Renegade 2) Steel Venom 3) Excalibur 4) Wild Thing 5) High Roller 6) Corkscrew 7) Mad Mouse

Great write up! Was there Saturday as well. Wish I had splurged for the Skeleton Keys. May have to go back one more time to get those experiences.

Just got home from Valleyscare. Here's a quick rundown of the 5 mazes at Valleyfair this year. Berzerkers: New for 2016. This was laughably bad and overly theatrical. You are sent into 4 rooms with a large group and told a silly story about a Viking's clan. No scares to be found, silly acting, and cheesy animations. I like that Valleyfair tried to do something different with this attraction, but it just doesn't work. Unless you can wait less than 10-15 minutes, I'd AVOID! 1/5 Mr. Cleaver's Bloodshed: Amazing! Very intense sequences and great scare actors. Lots of blood-soaked rooms and bodies piled up everywhere. Walking over a clear coffin with a body in it was visually unnerving and cool. Definitely the best maze at Valleyfair! 5/5 The Chateau: Artistically, this was a very nice maze. They really went all out to create a nice atmosphere. The actors were not really scary, but I think the theme doesn't really lend itself to good scares. Still, a very pretty maze to walk through. 4/5 Zombie High: Excellent theme here! They really captured the look of a dilapidated high school that's been overrun by the undead. There were some really great jump scares and a few very claustrophobic rooms to navigate. Second best maze! 4/5 Humane Habitat: First of the two outdoor mazes. This one was really lacking in a solid theme. They utilized the old picnic buildings to create this maze. The issue is you go into one building, see a few things, then walk outside to the next building. These pathways between the buildings really take you out of the moments. They also clearly needed more actors working this maze. It was OK. 2/5 Hellside Farm: A great concept with some unnerving passage ways and lighting. The issue is they really need more actors in this maze. Most of this maze has very narrow pathways, and could be very effective if this get more actors to work it. It has lots of potential and will hopefully be up to par as they hire more people to work in October. The biggest downside to this outdoor maze is you can hear the sounds of the rides nearby so are never fully entrenched in the theme and mood. 3/5

/\ Oh, Chris Hanson. Love. We're going to KI Friday and Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Got Fast Lane Plus for Saturday just to be safe. Two questions for KI experts: Is there early entry for Season Pass holders? If not, what's the best plan of attack when the gates open on Friday? Is there early entry to the water park for Season Pass holders? Thanks a bunch! Mark

We're going next week Monday-Wednesday. Glad to hear we picked the slow time. My partner has never been to CP so we went ahead and splurged for Fast Lane Plus. I really want to make sure he has the best possible first experience and that he gets as many rides in as possible. We'll definitely be riding Valravn, Millennium Force and Maverick over and over again. Quick question. We are driving to Cedar Point Sunday and will be arriving around 7-8pm to check into Breakers. Is there a certain cut off time to get into the park? I know they close at 10pm this Sunday and would love to get a couple night rides in after our grueling 11 hour drive! Mark

Going to CP late August. My partner is going for his first time. Glad he gets to experience the roughness that is Mean Streak at least once. Based on the message and video it looks like it's going away for good. If it's getting torn down mid-September is there really any way for them to have a new attraction up and running in that spot by the 2017 season? I think next year will be an off year for coasters and we'll see something major go in there for 2018 if it is in fact being torn down.

In terms of getting to CP from Minnesota, a day drive plus some rides is doable but long. Back in 2007 we left at 6am from Edina, MN and drove mostly straight through. We got to CP with enough time to check into Breakers and get into the park for 2 rides on Millennium Force. I wouldn't recommend this type of extreme trip unless you have a couple days to spend at CP to recover!

Good call on the Excalibur crew, guys. I believe the guy's name is Samuel who works at Excalibur. He's quite the character! Are we the last Cedar Fair park with a Rip Tide in "operation"? I have a bad feeling it's going away, but maybe that means a new flat ride next year on top of the water park rumors.

Glad some other people have noticed the very slow operations of Renegade. We've been to VF 5 times already this year and every time the Renegade crew is the slowest. However I will say most of the Renegade crew is very upbeat and energetic and obviously having fun. Just wish that could translate into a little faster turnout time. The best crew by far is for Wild Thing. They were flying last Saturday and hardly ever stacked the trains.

Been to VF 4 times this year so far, and Rip Tide was closed all 4 times. Really hoping it stays in the park as it's a great ride once it's up and running. Perhaps relocate it right by Soak City for increased traffic? And speaking of Soak City, if the Excalibur removal and parking lot turn out to be true, is it likely that Thunder Canyon will become part of Soak City? I could certainly see that increasing the traffic to the ride if everyone in bathing suits could ride it without having to leave the water park section. Mark

I won't be. The only way I could justify a season pass for next year is if I plan a road trip to CP and KI and get a platinum one. But for VF! alone I won't be renewing next year. Mark

Back seat of Cyclops, Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells. The drop off the side of the hill. There's good reason people under 18 can't sit in the back!

I would go with Wild Rails being replaced with Wild Mouse at Valleyfair!. The Wild Rails layout was so much more intense, and not as painful! Mark

SUUUUURRRRRRRGE! So glad the Coke Company is bringing it back!

1982. There are two coasters I've heard good things about that opened that year and are still in operation: Grizzly, King's Dominion. I'm sure it was a much more awesome ride when all the trees still surrounded it. Looping Star, Nagashima Spa Land. It's a Schwartzkopf, it's gotta be good! Mark

Steel Phantom at Kennywood. We went in 1996 and that ride ruined me. The head banging during the curve at the bottom of the ravine was the worst I've ever experienced. Thank God they gave that ride a makeover! Mark

Of the coasters I've ridden, it would have to be Shockwave at SFoT. So many G's in the front seat! Visually, Moonsault Scrambler's inversion was gorgeous! Mark

Well it looks like we have a change of plans and are going the Valleyscare on Saturday, October 4th. I'm guessing a Fright Lane pass would be a good idea for us that day! Mark