RideWoodenCoasters
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Posts posted by RideWoodenCoasters
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look i know russ mom was single rider and russ dad only manufactured half of russ so hes not NWO so not gonna boycott
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A reminder that trims were always a part of this ride...5 train operation http://schwarzkopf-coaster.net/OKloopingracer-launchingracerGF.htm means that you were not going to scream through the course without trims! The actual point of Revolution was the theatricality of the loop...your views of it, your approach to it, your feeling afterward. It's hard to imagine this if you weren't there 40 years ago, but when you were used to the Mountain Express and Gold Rusher, the openness...the expansiveness of the ride was key. Going through that loop was a one-of-a-kind experience.
Using it for the VR was brilliant...it makes a ride that can't compete on intensity and thrills with the hundreds of coasters it inspired innovative and fun for the customer with no apologies, while funding its preservation for future generations. When you want to reminisce, you ride without the goggles, and experience a simpler time...
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Wind and cold helping to valley a 40% full train?
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The station has kicker tires in the back half, and a flat chain in the front half, though I couldn't see if the chain was moving. Does anyone know why this is-is this short chain mechanically synchronized with the lift hill chain? Only a standard chain on the lift hill, as far as I could see.
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Just returned from a partial day with my daughter at the Mountain...we had a 1PM reservation for The New Revolution. Here's how we had a fantastic partial day on a very busy day at the park.
We arrived at the parking gate at 10:06, were through the gate in 2 minutes (lightning fast scan of card); 10 minutes to reach the front of the second parking section, ran to the waiting bus, off to the front gate. Lots of people at Discover Card early entry, but a supervisor opened the far left gate and invited those with already existing passes in, we were in at 10:28. Ran to Full Throttle, on in 8 minutes (two train ops), awesome as always! Got the diet caffeine free refills in the Freestyle machine (love that), off to Twisted Colossus, no grouper, on in 5 minutes (three trains, no dueling I'm guessing to max capacity, still a great ride!)
Park's getting busy, so decided to take it easy. Walked to Chop Six for the dining pass meals, got there before the 11:30 validity of the pass, hung out a few minutes, ordered and got the food. Quality is good, noodles and rice about the same as Panda Express, portion of the two items (broccoli beef/orange chicken and spicy chicken (mostly veggies)/orange chicken) together about the same as a one item serving at Panda. Still, for dining plan, no complaints.
After lunch walked up the stairs to Ninja, about 25 minute wait for front row, always fun. The vegetation is growing back. Superman line long so rode the Helpful Orient Express down (nice repaint of stations and outside of car, didn't do the floors though) and got to TNR a bit early. Entered just after 1, beautiful landscaping, up to the ride area after about 10 minute wait.
You CAN choose to ride without the goggles, those folks rode in the front and back rows. Goggle cleaning being done right in front of line arriving at station (to demonstrate process, I suppose). Very helpful person to adjust goggles (trickier with a large head ) Proximity sensor on inside turns the screen on if on face or head, single dial on top for general focus, slight blurring at extremes with calibration text for my wider than average eye spacing (but not noticeable in animation). Volume control on right of headset, tap location on right to shoot (during lift only) at targets. One train today, when train dispatched animation plays on headsets in station (!) After a while announcement for folks to take the headsets off while in line to avoid overheating. When boarding ride QR-type code synchronizes and you're in the launch bay, where you can shoot harmlessly at your friendlies. At dispatch VR is in perfect sync with ride motions, and it IS fun! Trains are great, and the loop surprised my daughter...she hasn't ridden it in years since a headbanging festival long ago--my body remembered the long slow descent to the loop from my childhood rides 40 years ago! I had vowed to never reride until the OTSRs were gone.
This was that day, and I'd like to thank everyone who helped make it happen! THREE coasters with inversions with lap bars! It almost brought tears to my eyes...and more and more of the park looks better with each visit. So pick a slow day for your preview and enjoy SFMM!
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Taking a break, I read about Ghostrider’s brakes. While the brakes no doubt helped the track break less, the break in the ride’s pacing broke the flow of the ride (coaster braking always breaks flow for me). Getting a break from riding GR doesn’t break my heart if it means the brakes (except for blocking purposes) will be gone! Break’s over…got to put the brakes on the fun for now!
(credit if I got this right to the Electric Company and Sesame Street, my teachers)
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Preview rides TODAY 3-5! We're excited to ride the Switchback today...if you're anywhere nearby come join us!
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Unfortunately, the new Starliner will not appear until 2017, if ever:
http://www.newsherald.com/article/20150921/NEWS/150929948
The prospective new owners see building an observation wheel as the profitable way forward: “This (observation) wheel is about $7 million, and Starliner is about $4 million,” [the current owner] said. “It just makes sense to do the wheel first. There are so many more people who can ride that than the coaster.”
Although the current owner says the coaster is still 'planned', it's clear this isn't the priority anymore.
I hope the wheel helps make the coaster dream a reality someday...
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You're right, of course...my mistake. I have no knowledge if crews doing one companies' work ever work for the other.
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locked blue tool cabinets that were labeled "GCI".
Ghostrider went down for the refurb just after a GCI tracking crew completed Switchback, FWIW.
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Awesome! Congratulations to the ZDT family for making this happen! My daughter and I will be there Columbus day weekend to ride!
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Ten reasons why hard work, excellent planning, generosity and amazing cooperation between Knott's management & staff, Robb, and Elissa made for an event that exceeded expectations:
1. Event checkin began early with free parking to ensure everyone who wished could do the backstage tours
2. Visit to the Ghostrider turnaround allowed you to talk with the decision maker himself about the coaster
3. Visit under Sierra Sidewinder allowed you to talk with a senior ride mechanic about the ride or any others
4. 2 hours of morning ERT on all ERT-desirable attractions that could be practically operated meant plenty of rides
5. Great buffet AYCE lunch in nice, covered themed pavilion with Knott's famous chicken, boysenberry pie and unlimited drinks including the berry punch
6. Dozens of interesting used ride parts given away to dozens of friendly people (who in turn entertained everyone at lunch)
7. Attractive included t-shirt promoted Knott's cool new ride, at an event that was just $39 for a passholder (!)
8. Ability to ask management any question at all...all of which were read (and many answered!) in a lively, funny Q&A session in A/C, newly reseated theater
9. Cool walkthrough of a Scary Farm maze with the people who created it at timed intervals to minimize waiting around
10. Group picture taken up on the (bouncy!) Stunt Show stage, printed and given to you free
11. Even more ERT on more rides, and a bunch of details that I didn't notice (even though I needed an extra reason to get this far!)
Thanks guys...I appreciate everything you did, and it couldn't have been better!
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As for the covered wagon...
...Yosemite Sam and the tourists from Disneyland!
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I loved this report...shows how great a weekend you can have even when Disney's busy! Your great attitude throughout this TR was a great Christmas gift for me...thanks!
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My 2014 SF cup was refilled dozens of times this year for 1/3 the price they charge for a new drink each time at several parks across the country in the SF chain, I use it at home, and when it finally dies it'll be recycled in our PET recycling pickup here. Knott's has one good at Knott's only. Disneyland/DCA has NO refillable cup whatsoever anymore, to my knowledge.
On this point, anyway, Six Flags wins!
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Great, reasonable plan...you'll have a blast!
And looking on MDE for that day (as I'm sure Robb did) it looks like you should have good luck with reservations for your 3 choices at HS in the afternoon if you do them the night before, as Robb says! Then use the kiosk when you get to MK and see what you can grab for a fourth one there!
Can't wait to hear the report!
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Exactly. We had a tight budget, and we put what we had toward some of the awesome kiosks on the last day of Food and Wine. Otherwise, we gave up sitting down for meals time to do other things, including sit-down shows, by grazing from the backpack. I enjoyed Flame Tree and, particularly, Boma on another, calmer, trip in the past.
There's no doubt that more time and money would a better, more balanced vacation have made.
Or best of all...do what the Gurus did, move to Florida and get an AP!
One day...
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Robb's advice, unsurprisingly, is spot on. I'll add my additional thoughts on things I did recently in a similar situation.
I did this (exchanged old tickets) in November. No FP+ until you exchange the old tickets; I assume you have a Park Hopper day left. Once you do, you can scan your tickets with a smart phone and reserve on the MyDisneyExperience (you can create a MDE account now but won't be able to add your old tickets to it). You almost certainly won't get RnRC, TSMM, or TOT. I'd go to HS an hour before opening, ride RnRC and TOT, forget about TSMM. Give them a break by watching the Stunt and/or Car show, and do anything else of great interest, drive to AK in the afternoon (your $17 parking receipt gets you in the other lots free). Ride Everest single rider, consider Kilimanjaro Safaris (but Robb is right, it'll take an hour, it closes at 4:45). See ITTBAB, possibly do the walk-throughs or see a show. Plan to ride Dinosaur (possibly Everest again) late in their day (probably 6PM close). Drive to Epcot, ride Mission Space: Orange (my favorite ride of all), ride Test Track single rider (plan on 45 minute wait in single rider), forget about Soarin'. Then, either walk around the lagoon, consider 9:30 Illuminations). Crazy: drive to MK, see the illuminated castle/fireworks/electrical parade or alternately ride the rides according to wait times, but remember as pointed out that resort guests (who can ride until 3AM) will make this park even more busy.
FP+ did little for us, because most of what we wanted was unavailable, you can't pick a fourth ride until your third reservation expires or you use it, even then you can't pick a fourth ride in another park (must enter that park and use a kiosk...which had a long line when we tried). FP+ will be useful for a return visit with new tickets (or if you have days left on the ones you have), it's most useful well in advance of your visit, and day guests are last priority to access the reservations. We got on SDMT by being at the park before opening and going straight there; in your case you'll do the same with RnRC (first) and TOT which helpfully are next to one another. I really wanted FP+ to work for us, but in the event I wasted a lot of energy and gained a lot of frustration with the MDE app which would have been better spent enjoying the parks.
Most of all, be sane about this. 8AM-2AM on Disney Parks property is more than most can take. Remember all Disney parks ALLOW food (sandwiches, snacks, etc.) to be brought in and you can bring a backpack on the rides, if you're so inclined use this to your advantage (it saved the two of us around $100 over the two days we did the four parks). They'll inspect your backpack at the entrance of each park, open all zippers and go to the shortest/fastest security line. A cooler in the car with drinks as you drive between parks is also a grand idea.
Since you're reasonable about what constitutes success, you're better off tailoring the rest of it to the needs and endurance of your family.
Have a great time!
(Long time lurker who greatly appreciated Elissa's long-ago detailed posts about Japan...thanks SharkTums!)
Dollywood Discussion Thread
in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Posted
Thank you for posting the patent. (https://www.google.com/patents/US20150091478?cl=en)
Now I understand something I didn't before. Launched coasters have always required a very high amount of power for the launch, which either required a very VERY expensive high-capacity electrical service (which you draw heavily on when you launch), or the use of a large, heavy (and apparently, occasionally dangerous) flywheel to store energy from a lower capacity service.
This newly patented technology uses, for the first time, banks of 'ultra capacitors' to store the energy supplied from a more affordable electrical service and release it during the launch.
This is revolutionary, as it, when perfected, may well enable launched rides to be built in places and for costs that will increase the variety and availability of launched rides, including roller coasters, around the world.
I have a trip to DW (from California) scheduled next month, and of course I was confused about why a launched coaster could be so problematic. Now I see that this innovation goes well beyond wooden coasters, and may enable new types of rides to become a practical reality for parks large and small.
If I miss it, it will be a big disappointment, no doubt. But now I see why Herschend, RMC, and Velocity Magnetics are partnering to do this. If I had to speculate, budgets, infrastructure and/or safety concerns may well mean Lightning Rod would not exist if it could only be built in the conventional way.
If the launch system is currently not the issue, and the restraints are, then at least I still respect the innovation in the launch design.