LiftThrill

Road Runner Express @ SFFT

KI was already on the list.

Next summer I'm going to be going on a fairly large 10-14 day coastering car trip across the northeastern part of the US. The plan was to head north from San Antonio and hit some number of parks going clockwise around the east coast. This is the general concept/rough draft: SFOT SDC SFStL KI CP SFGAdv (may switch order with PA parks) Knoebels/Hershey/Kennywood (help me decide!!!) Carowinds SFOG I want to cut down the trip so I can have 2-3 days at CP, and I wanted to go to Knoebels and Hershey but also wanted to space the parks out so there wouldn't be too many long parkless stretches, but at the end of the trip that may be nice (?) Are there any parks here worth taking out (I'm thinking SFStL and SFOG, and then 1 or 2 of the PA trio. I probably won't stay at SFOT too long but I want to stop for a few hours because NTaG. That is all that needs to be said). Which parks are worth staying at for 2-3 days (besides CP), which parks should we budget for fastpass, which parks should we hit on weekends as opposed to weekdays (since time is limited), and which parks should we go to or skip that are/aren't on the list? Many things could be subject to change depending on new additions for next year, or course.

If you have the time, you could each invest in a platinum Cedar Fair pass and spend a week in Ohio for both Cedar Point and King's Island.

Link to video please? I need to see this for myself EDIT: I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Ignorance level was way too high not to do anything about it [by the way, ignore my fanboy-ness. I got a little emotional haha ] i.imgur.com/53U0vG8.png

Selfie sticks. I had my first encounter with one on a ride at SFFT yesterday. I saw some guy come out of Iron Rattler's tunnel with one fully extended. Also, people who whine about a ride being down for 10 minutes. It's actually really cool to watch a piece of track, with a train on it, catwalks and all, move over so they can put a train out of use for a day.

It's a good ending though! I'd agree, it just feels out of place. It's also the smoothest part of the ride, which is funny because the corkscrews on Superman were the roughest part of the ride.

http://i.imgur.com/squ6ZM9.png

This is a thread where you can review roller coasters in-depth. Here's one from me: Iron Rattler Review I'm going to categorize this review by categories that I feel impact the ride experience: Setting, Track Layout, and Length. Setting Iron Rattler is set on the quarry cliff that surrounds Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The ride interacts with the quarry wall many times throughout the ride, which makes the visual experience of the ride much more interesting. For example, the first few moments on the lift hill are next to the cliff, and then you get a nice view of the ride's layout (which takes place mostly on the cliff) from the top of the lift hill. The first drop plunges you down right next to the cliff before climbing on top of the cliff again for a few seconds, then plunging off of it again. The longest section of track takes place on top of the cliff, but the part of the ride where the setting impacts the ride the most (in my opinion) is the final drop off of the cliff. Then you head through a tunnel in the cliff and the ride is over. Overall, the main feature of Iron Rattler is it's unique setting on SFFT's quarry cliff, so I feel that impacts the ride experience by a significant amount. Track Layout Iron Rattler is basically a giant figure 8. The track includes a funky, but very steep and exhilarating first drop, tons of airtime hills and overbanked turns with strong negative g's and laterals. The track doesn't waste a single moment to try and throw you out of your seat. The barrel roll is taken very fast and whips you around, providing some of the strongest "throw you out of your seat" feelings of the entire ride. Overall, the track layout is chock-full of intense and fun elements that are taken very quickly and smoothly, save for the second drop off of the cliff leading into the barrel roll. That section of track has a slight rattle to it but is still very smooth in comparison to other rides. Length My main complaint with Iron Rattler is its length. The original Rattler was very long, so you'd think a coaster utilizing its structure would use all of it, but overall the ride does not last very long. Like I said in Track Layout, it's just a giant figure 8. However, the length is still decent as it does not waste a single inch of track, which is a very good thing. The length is what puts Iron Rattler behind it's older brother NTaG for me.

IRat usually has walk-in/10-15 min waits on weekdays, but August may be a little busier. I'd wait until you're there to judge if you need a FP or not and just leave it in the budget. Batman can have around 20 minute waits on average weekdays but it's not something worth riding all that many times. The longest I've waited is for Boomerang, but I've heard it's one of the best Boomerangs. I'd just wing it when it comes to FP. As for Lockhart BBQ, I have been to all three of the famous BBQ joints, and none of them even compare to Cooper's. I found them to be generally bland and not very flavorful, but I'm really spoiled and picky when it comes to barbecue, so do what you wish

-The drops on Shockwave @ SFOT are designed so even though they aren't very steep, they pull into their final angle just when you don't expect it. -The first tunnel on NTaG. -The last drop on Runaway Mine Train @ SFOT

Iron Rattler has a rattly moment? I don't think it was intentional

I forgot to mention the second beyond 90° raven drop on Batman: The Ride at SFFT if you're sitting in the Boardwalk-facing side facing left looking into the station. I call it the dive-bomber drop because you pull this serious g-force which feels weird but awesome.

I've been on the Texas RMCs, and I personally prefer NTaG because it feels smoother, has a more dynamic range of g-forces, and is longer. IRat is still amazing and has a great setting, but it has one rattly moment right before the barrel roll and is over pretty quickly.

Does The Rattler's triple helix come to anyone's mind? I never rode it in the pre-RMC days.

Poltergeist's final corkscrew. It just feels so out of place.

5/10 Snowy owls are cool but I don't like having 3+ numbers.

Here are some of mine: -I really like how old wooden coasters with chipping white paint on the supports look (Judge Roy Scream). -I like how Iron Rattler towers over that entire half of SFFT. -I like how massive Titan looks from the SFOT parking lot. -I like how NTaG manages to look massive, even being near Titan which is around 100 feet taller. -B&M/Giovanola track. -Brand new floorless/inverted trains. -Clamshell restraints. -Old wooden coaster restraints. -Any large helix of death *cough*Titan*cough*

Six Flags Mexico also has no wooden coaster since Medusa got converted. Oh yeah, that place is a thing... right.

Titan @ SFOT

Titan's helix, Shockwave's loops, sideways hangtime on Titan after the MCBR (which I actually like way more than I should)

This would be an amazing addition next year, and could be likely since we're the only Six Flags park with no wooden coaster. Next time I go, I'll snap a pic of the mysterious construction going on behind the boardwalk so we can speculate. Would be possible. Especially after a couple of the boardwalk rides like S.S. Overboard closing. I won't get my hopes up after several straight years of GREAT additions to the park. If they were smart they would build a GCI with topper track and some poly-wheels. That sucker would be smooth and last quite a while. We've gotten major additions every year since 2012, I seriously hope the trend continues. The chances of a Larson Loop are sadly pretty high though.

This would be an amazing addition next year, and could be likely since we're the only Six Flags park with no wooden coaster. Next time I go, I'll snap a pic of the mysterious construction going on behind the boardwalk so we can speculate.

SFFT: Poltergeist is a little rough during the corkscrew and cobra roll. Superman is rough in the back during the corkscrews. SFOT: Judge Roy Scream was rough in a comfortable way (soft seats, minimal jackhammering outside of wheel seats). Runaway Mine Train was super fun, but the turns were incredibly clunky and the lift hills will yank your back out if you don't brace yourself.

OK, but now there are no Intamins. I wish for a half-decent Intamin in Texas.