mordecai-75

Tennessee Tornado, also my first "big coaster"! I've ridden quite a few others since, and i find them surprisingly enjoyable. I feel a little cheated when a park dosen't have an Arrow "something", just my opinion.

^&^^ Thanks gentleman, i will most certainly hit it up!

I'm scheduled to be in the area for about a week next year, I'm going to visit Knoebel's for sure. Is Dorney worth visiting while I'm there? Please no, you should go to Hershey or SFGAdv business. I'm asking specificly about Dorney!

^ Parasailing it is then, thanks Robb.

So, next year i'm taking a vacation to Hilton Head Island, SC. I've searched and searched for something with a coaster in day trip range, I can't find anything. Wild Adventures and the Myrtle Beach stuff are just to far away to be considered a day trip on this vacation. I assumed that if anyone would know of a place in closer proximity, it would be Robb, so that's why i'm asking you? (i looked for a thread to ask something this specific and didn't come across one, so if this is the wrong place i'm sorry. "but What the Hell right?") Even if it's just a place with a kiddie coaster, it could provide us with some fun.

Afterburn- back row night ride.

Have signed, hope all goes well with this one. ( The potential of one in Nashville is highly more exciting ) Just my place on the map talking.

One time I saw a Arrow corkscrew. My physics book from high school didn't do bad, actually. Translation! ???

This is truly a tragic event, the story upset me in way's that i felt deep in my gut throughout the day that i haven't felt in a long time. I send my most heartfelt condolences to that boy and his family. That being said, from all the information we have here, it was the complete and total fault of the boy. NEVER STAND UP ON RIDES, especially don't stand up on rides that boldly say DO NOT STAND UP! They usually put in the whole, NOT FOLLOWING THESE RULES MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! on multiple posting's as well. A 12yo should be able to read. (if not, that fall's down to poor parenting, NOT THE PARK!)

I know it's been said over and over, but thank you guys for all your effort put in to cover this. It has been tremendously entertaining.

Dollywood-Thunderhead, I have a feeling that will soon change.

Can't really say why, just don't like it! Save that business for dark rides. Nay!

^^^^^, A B&M wing can be converted 50", Herschend has done it already.

Something with a launch would fit nicely.

Lake Winnie, they have Cannon Ball- a sweet old PTC woodie, and The Boat Chute- built in 1926, it is the most terrifying thing i have ever ridden. ( look it up! )

I guess it might be considered more of a kiddie coaster, but i think Woodstock Express at Carowinds is a fun ride. I personally would choose it over Hurler. ( and just to chime in, Firechaser doesn't have a painful thing about it ).

exactly. I still think you should spend no more than 2 days at Kentucky Kingdom. We were done with the park after 3ish hours, and if we would've done the water park it still would've been a day trip. I mean, it's your call, and I kind of get the "getting to really know the park" thing, but I still would highly recommend doing both HW and KK. If you can't afford 2 days at KK and a few at HW, just do 1 day at Kentucky Kingdom and get HW's 2 day pass (I'm pretty sure that's a real thing...), which shouldn't be that much more than the price of 5 days at KK. Just do the coasters and whatever you want at KK and do a few of their water park's stand-out attractions, which won't even take up a full day (especially on a weekday) and then hop on over to HW and do their coasters and flat rides one day and their world-class water park the next. Like I said though, it's your trip, do whatever you really want to do. I just wanted to tell you how I'd do a trip like yours. The main reason I'm trying to steer you away from 5 days at KK is that (IMO) it really isn't that great of a park. Lightning Run and FearFall were great, and Storm Chaser looks great too, but I cannot fathom doing 5 days there. It still feels very much like a SF park, from the landscaping to the employees to the crowds to the layout, I could go on. Maybe it's improved since my last visit, but I had a friend visit this year and she wasn't a fan of the place either. However, if you are really stuck on have a relaxing, one-park, week-long trip, I'd do a week at Holiday World in 2016. Yes, Storm Chaser looks great, but Holiday World is a much more matured park, KK still is working on getting its kinks. Do a week long trip to KK in a couple of years when they've gotten some more rides and have cleaned up the place more. I don't know, it's your choice, and you seem to have a different idea of what an ideal theme park trip would be like, and I totally respect that. I just want to make sure you have the best trip possible, even if it is a week at Kentucky Kingdom. thanks for the advice, it really is appreciated. But honestly, doesn't anyone remember being a kid? Going to a county fair or such? You got all excited because you could ride the gravitron over and over. My vacation is based around doing that with an opening year inverting RMC. From the way you all challenge my way of thinking, i may end up being the guy who holds the record for most rides on Storm Chaser in it's opening year, (and i give the back side of a rat's butthole about that) just gonna go, relax , treat it like a beach. (you get there, that's your destination, nothings gonna change while your there. So own the experience)

^ I truly don't feel Wild Eagle was "plopped" most of the ride is hidden. In my opinion it is highly themed, sometimes there has to be a little give and take with the skyline of a park in order to put in a new revenue earning ride. Lightning Rod will be much more visible from the old school parts of Dollywood than Wild Eagle, yet i'm pretty certain i've seen compliments about Lightning Rod from you guys. That stuff is what brings in the money! I've conversed with elderly visitors many times at Dollywood who are just staring in a daze watching Wild Eagle drop. The feedback is always positive, to the extent of one old gentleman saying to me " i'm gonna have to get off my blood pressure medicine so i can ride it". A coaster like that is in it's own way an extra show guests attend on their visit. That makes money, if the park doesn't make money, the park doesn't exist. Silver Dollar City, put in something over 200ft, i might drive further on vacation then what i normally do to ride it.

^^^ Not defensive. However, i fiind it odd that a coaster fan wouldn't want a new coaster. To each their own though.

I will be glad to see you at Beech Bend next year! My advice is just do not come on a Saturday they get kinda crazy especially the line for the wild mouse and do not cut yourself short on time plan on spending at least a full day. Plus if you have never rode it, the Kentucky Rumbler is AWESOME!!! Also Air Race, Vortex, SeaDragon, and hopefully some new surprises for next year! Thank you, i've watched a walkthrough of the park and it looks to a great little place. Rumbler is the whole reason i'm stopping by, it'll be my second GCI, can't wait! We will definitely make a full day of it though.

exactly.

A 5 day trip to Kentucky Kingdom? Even with Storm Chaser and Lightning Run, and the waterpark if you're into that, KK is a 2 day park at the most. Just go weekdays in June, if that doesn't work, weekends in early June shouldn't be miserable. Oh, and stop by Holiday World while you're at it. i'm just the kind of person who enjoys a long term experience at a good park ( get to know the nooks and crannies of the coasters ) in my opinion, that's impossible to do in a 2 day trip. You gotta be there long enough to let the excitement settle, then feel like you live there as if it was your home park. That's when you can truly take in the full aspect of a coaster. I feel that when you hit that relaxed state on a coaster you have achieved the best experience your gonna get. I recently took a 5 day trip to Carowinds, by the end of the trip, i equate riding Fury to sitting in my chair at home watching one of my favorite movies. "pleasure at it's finest". And yes i would love to do Holiday World in the same trip, but time off work and budget don't alot for it. It'll be it's own trip sometime though.

I have 100% confirmed that Kentucky Kingdom will be my theme park vacation next year (with a swing by of Beech Bend ), can some of you regulars give me an idea of when to plan for minimal crowds? It will be a 4 or 5 day trip.

Dollywood has an eagle sanctuary, Wild Eagle is extremely themed in every way, shape and form of it's existence. I was giving prop's to SDC, all the while, just simply giving an opinionated respose to a kid who asked a simple question. Isn't that what this forum is supposed to be about? (opinion's) You sir are bias, If i'm wrong, may the moderator's shun me.

^ I think it's highly possible. Dollywood put in Wild Eagle, and it is amazingly themed. These two parks do a great job at trying keep an equal "must visit status", however i'm not aware of Branson's height restriction laws.