DILinator

I love the Busch Gardens parks, and have almost nothing bad to say about either of them! However, I will confess, BGT is one of the few parks that's given me trouble getting around - even with a park map...

Okay! Time for my Trip Report, and State of the MiA address, from my first visit to the park since Grand Rapids was the new thing! After Thunderhawk was added, after years of clamoring for a "new" coaster, I was pretty offended (ok, I know that's lame, but that was a long time ago, so cut me some slack!) at what I perceived as a slight of MiA, and decided not to return to the park until they added a new major coaster. Well, in that game of chicken, I lost, as I decided I was ready to return, and show this park, which was a staple of my own childhood, to my kids! First off, the players... I have an 11 year old son, Ian, who can ride everything, and just went to CP and did it all (Except TTD - that was still too scary for him) earlier this year. He is an avid RCT player, and has really gotten into coasters over the past few years, like his proud papa! My daughter, is 8, and already it is apparent she is nowhere near the "scaredy-cat" my oldest son was, when he was younger. She'd ride any coaster on the planet already (I even convinced her to ride Falcon's Fury when we go to Busch Gardens Florida in a couple years... for $10!), and while she isn't quite tall enough to do so yet (only 50" currently), she'll be ready when her height catches up! My final child (for coaster riding purposes - I have a 1 year old who isn't quite ready yet!) is almost 7, and he is barely 48" in shoes, so he just made it onto the bigger coasters at MiA. He is more like his sister, than his older brother, and is ready to take on pretty much any coaster, right now! Okay, so we headed off to the park this past Tuesday, hoping that going in the middle of the week would offset some of the crowds typically seen during the Summer months. Well, it may have done that, since I'm not sure what the weekend crowds there are like these days, but it was still VERY busy by my standards (I typically avoid amusement parks in the Summer months, preferring either May or September visits), and that was a little disappointing. We got to the park early, and were parked right up front. We got into the park quickly, but as we were there around 10:40, the rides hadn't opened yet, and we got stopped by the Lakeside Flyers. People started to pile up, and my hopes of getting a quick ride on Shivering Timbers started to dissipate... When they finally let us go, me, and my three oldest kids (the ones I mentioned above) walked quickly back to Timbers, being careful not to go too fast and get yelled at for running. We made good time, and if we had wanted to be on the first train, we could have, as long as it wasn't the very front, or back. That's not what we were gunning for, however, and my oldest two kids got in the front line, and my younger son got in line for the second row with me. We were still set to ride the third train of the day, however, so that wasn't too bad! The first train went up the hill, and... e-stopped... The ride ops were laughing, and shaking their heads, and we had to wait until a couple of other guys (one of them a mechanic) came into the station. The train started moving up the hill again shortly after that, and it completed its circuit just fine! They ran a few trains through after that, and then resumed operations. It was a little bit of a delay, but not too bad, and before we knew it, we were on the train! For perspective, the tallest wooden coaster my daughter had been on before ST was White Lightning at Fun Spot, and she loved it! Rode it 10 times, arms in the air! My younger son had never been on a coaster bigger than The Dragon, at Legoland Florida. So this was a BIG step-up for him! But he handled it with no terror at all - leading up to it, that is... Riding with him that first ride was hilarious, as he seemed legitimately terrified screaming down that first hill, and growing in panic each subsequent hill after that! I was a little worried, that he would change his mind, and decide this coaster-riding wasn't for him. However, after we got off, terrified as he may have been (check out the on-ride photo below, to get an idea!), he was ready to ride it again! That's my boy! My daughter also was blown away by the ride (again, check out the on-ride photo!), but she was super excited getting off, and champing at the bit to get back on! That's my girl! My oldest, Ian, loved the coaster, and immediately placed it among the best he'd ever ridden! That's my boy, once again! The kids first ride on Shivering Timbers... Priceless! We utilized the Parent Swap service all day, which was really nice! I was that jerk-off parent who when I got the re-ride, took advantage of the choice to always get the front seat! Sorry, people waiting all that time for the front! (Not that sorry, though, because you didn't have to watch a frisky 1 year old for the duration of the time you were in line!) After that first Timbers ride, my wife went through the exit with Ian, and enjoyed her first ride in years! And when I say years, she literally hasn't ridden a coaster in... I don't even know how long! Having kids, being pregnant, and dealing with some other issues has presented her from truly enjoying coasters for a while now, so it was great to see her out, and riding the rollies again! She was my ride partner for most of my early coaster enthusiast days, when I really piled up the counts, so it was great to see her edging back in the game! She's going with me to SFGAm in less than two weeks for my Birthday trip out there, and the kids are staying home. So that will be a nice opportunity for us to get to ride together again, finally! I went on Timbers a second time after that, and this time waited almost half an hour. Like I said, it was pretty crowded... Not crowded like I've heard some talk about (2 hour waits), but not what I was expecting for a weekday. However, I am spoiled, going on weekdays in May usually when I go to parks, so I guess I shouldn't have been all that surprised, really... I was just really hoping to walk on or station wait all day, and except for Thunderhawk, that wasn't the case... So, on my second ST ride I grabbed the very back seat with my daughter, to see how that would treat me. Well, it was rougher than my first ride, but had more airtime, which was great! Oddly, I starting feeling like maybe I have been overrating this ride, having it as high as #7 overall in my coaster ranks... I was definitely considering moving it down at this time, but would give it more rides, and more thought. Next up was Wolverine Wildcat. My wife went through the line with the kids, and I stayed off with my 1 year old. That was an adventure, keeping him happy the whole time. The wait for that ended up being the worst of the day - a solid hour! Needless to say, I was a bit of a grumpy pants after they finally got off the ride. However, a front row ride on WW, and a much better experience on the ride than I remember from previous visits, and I was feeling better about the day again! I was still not too happy with how crowded it was, but maybe things would get better in that regard... Turns out they did, and in a hurry! My oldest son and I grabbed the train over to Thunderhawk, and my wife was going to meet us with everybody else after walking around. None of my other kids are tall enough to ride T-Hawk yet, and we couldn't take the stroller on the train. So Ian and I got in line... for the front row, since there was no line for any other row! Given how crowded the front of the park was, I was pretty surprised to find the park's "marquee" coaster, pictured on all of its advertisements, a ghost town. It was a nice blessing, because frankly, that coaster isn't worth waiting for at all, in my book! I will say that I actually enjoyed my first ride, in the front seat. I told my son how to ride it with your head forward, going with the elements, and we came off ready to ride again, since there was no wait. I should have just walked away with my pleasant memory of the coaster, because we rode third row that second time, and I got off in pain... I rode it exactly the same way as the first time, but it was much rougher just two rows back! Not cool, Thunderhawk, not cool! Just when I was ready to forgive you for the bad rides (and stealing my cell phone) back in your Mind Eraser days... Even my son thought it was noticeably worse that second time, and came away unimpressed with the coaster on the whole. But he liked you more than Big Dipper, Thunderhawk, so you've got that going for you! I was impressed with the Thunderhawk station! It's definitely better than when it was Mind Eraser at Geagua Lake, and this view of Shivering Timbers loping through the trees was awesome! I will also admit, in spite of despising all of the ketchup and mustard colored coasters in Cedar Fair's lineup (they must have gotten a crazy good special on red and yellow paint back in the early 2000's!), Thunderhawk IS a photogenic coaster, especially when looking across the pond! This is taken from the line queue, when I stopped briefly to snap it before getting on my fateful second ride... Looking across the lake/pond... So, we hobbled (well, I hobbled at least) away from there, looking for my wife, who had apparently gotten waylaid with the kids back at the Lakeside Gliders. Understandable. But, by the time I got there (after briefly wandering down into the Lakeside Beer Garden to check it out!), they were back at Thunderhawk. So back we went! At this time, we decided we'd better get into Wildwater Adventure, since the afternoon was getting on! I'm not going to blow by blow the waterpark, so here are my thoughts about it... It's always been the better of the two parks, and that is even more clearly the case with all of the fabulous additions they've made in recent years! It's a VERY nice waterpark! I didn't even have time to do half of the slides there, since it was so crowded, and we still had a lot of ground in the dry park to cover. I hit my old favorite, the Mine Shaft, and me and the two oldest loved it. It's just as great as I remember it being! I also was impressed with the wave pool, at least compared to the most recent one I had been in, at Kalahari. It had actual huge waves at the center of the pool, and they were mildly frightening! Good stuff! I rode the left slide of the Snake Pit, which I guess isn't the best one, but the best one, the center one, stopped working right before I got up to it... Bummer! The left one was still fast, and fun, and if the lines weren't so long, I would have tried to ride at least one other tube. The highlight of the waterpark for me, however, was Funnel of Fear! It was there last time I went, but the line was too long, so I didn't ride it then. I was resolved that I would not pass it up again this time, no matter what! The line WAS indeed still really long, but we waited it out anyway, in what ended up being the second longest wait (to Wolverine Wildcat) of the day. Now, I have never ridden a Proslide Tornado before, so I didn't really know what to expect. Let me just say: it was a blast! Between seeing my daughter, directly opposite me at the top of the tube when we hit that drop, and her expression as we plunged straight down, and me actually getting airtime when I went up the back end with my hands in the air, it was one of my best experiences of the day! When we were doing our "3 Favorite Rides" at the end of the day (my almost 7 year old son's idea!), both my daughter and I had that in our top 3 - for me it was second only to Timbers! (FWIW, everybody chose ST as their favorite... Surprise, surprise!) So, getting back to Funnel of Fear, it gets a big thumbs up from me, and I will definitely be sure never to pass on riding one of those slides again in the future, no matter the line! The toddler play area was fabulous as well, and my 1 year old really enjoyed himself there, while we were doing FoF. Couple that with the stellar Beach Party kids area (which I actually wanted to play on, it looked so cool!), and Wildwater Adventure is a fantastic kids' water park, in addition to an adult one (I see you lurking over there Surfside Beer Garden!) Two thumbs up to the water park, even though it's ALWAYS too crowded for my taste, and I just fried like a lobster while there due to all the sun that day! I really wanted to ride Grand Rapids, because I remembered being very surprised, and impressed with it when I rode it last time. I specifically went, prepared to go out and ride it with my flip flops, and swimgear on, since I HATE getting wet in my clothes. We decided we'd better get out there and do it, as we were about done with the water park, and it was almost time to have dinner. We were planning on having dinner at the Backyard BBQ, but it was closing shortly. After going up to Grand Rapids, we saw the line was a bit long, and didn't know if we could make it off in enough time to still get into the Backyard BBQ. So we went back, and checked out the BBQ. Now, I understand you're going to get gouged a bit at an amusement park when it comes to food. I get that. I also get that all you can eat potentially makes inflated costs a better deal. However, while I'm willing to pay $16 for my wife and I, I am not willing to pay that for my 11 and 8 year old! When we saw that they would not be included in the kids price, and the total for our whole family would be $72 (and that's assuming they didn't charge my 1 year old the $8 kids price), we decided to save our money, and just get some snack type food at the park instead, and get something else after leaving the park. I went to get Boardwalk Fries, because it was nearby, everybody was very hungry at this point, and I've liked them in the past. Well, these were terrible, and they didn't even have any condiments (they'd run out) or vinegar, or cheese (they'd run out). So, the kids ate them all anyway, but my wife and I passed... No need to eat carbs if they're terrible tasting... So, that was kind of a waste, and a bit of a let down. I ended up getting two kinds of Dippin' Dots (the worker there says we're definitely getting the next Cedar Fair B&M Giga, BTW!), and the kids AND my wife and I excitedly ate that! Nothing like a wholesome dinner of Dippin' Dots! After all of that, we were pretty much dried off, and decided to punt on Grand Rapids, rather than get wet again. So, that was a bit of a bummer, as I did want to ride it again. Oh well... At this point, we headed back up towards the front of the park, and I got a picture of the family in front of the water and coasters, as is required of anybody attending MiA! Like I said, I'm not a great photographer, though the shade that kept them from squinting, also kept me from getting a better picture... So, it is what it is... Next up, my wife took the younger two to ride the small rides in the kiddie area, and I took the older two to ride Corkscrew. Or I should say, they rode Corkscrew while I watched. I've ridden that thing enough already, I had no interest in giving it another spin. Besides, I noticed that you could get some potentially good pictures of people riding it, and wanted to try just that. Well, I whiffed on getting a good picture the first time, but it turns out the kids loved the coaster! Who knew? They were eager to ride again, and since I didn't get my picture I wanted yet, I was eager to oblige! I told them to get the front row this time, and they did. I was able to get a couple of nice (for me at least) snaps of them on the coaster, in action, which are below. In the end, I think Corkscrew ended up being the #2 favorite ride of the day for both kids! So that kind of takes my ranking of it as the second worst coaster I've ever ridden and shoves it in my face! Swooping into the first corkscrew, kids in the front row! Aaaand the money shot! Kids are completely upside-down! It may not seem like much to you, but taking a shot like this is a big deal to me! lol We then went to the kiddie area, watched my younger son finish up on the motorbikes, and then went to Zach's Zoomer. I remembered liking this small coaster quite a bit last time I went to MiA. This time around, it didn't strike me as being great, but it wasn't bad either. I actually moved Wolverine Wildcat up over it, but I'll keep it above Thunderhawk, Corkscrew, Mad Mouse, and Big Dipper! My wife and kids rode it first, and then I used the Parent Swap to snag another front-row ride (avoiding all eye contact with the lady waiting for the front with her little kid, who had to explain the Fast Pass concept to him - even though that's not what we were, that's what she thought.) Definitely an enjoyable little kiddie coaster, and a credit to the park that they have it! Next up, was one of my favorite parts of the day! While my wife took the kids to Big Dipper, which I already knew I was going to have no part of (after the belt came flying off riding it last time I was here), I took the baby, and we went to chill at the Lakeside Beer Garden! I love that addition to the park! Even though their beer selection isn't huge, it was nice, and I got a Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy. Now, fellow beer snobs like me are probably like "Well, that's lame!", but let me tell you: on a hot day, a cool, refreshing Summer Shandy really hits the spot, and did it ever! I also snagged a Bratwurst with their combo deal, and even though it was advertised as $14, I only got charged $10! I even asked the worker if that was right, and he said yes. Woo hoo! After my terrible experience with bloated food cost (and terrible food) earlier, this was a welcome change! The brat was great, and really hit the spot after eating only some Dippin' Dots all day, and my 1 year old enjoyed the chips that came with the combo as well! The worker there was really cool, and friendly, and we chatted a bit. All in all, that was definitely one of the highlights of my day! My beer, and brat, with a coaster in the background! It doesn't get much better than this, my friends! After my wife met up with me at the Beer Garden (rocking a HUGE bag of Kettle Corn - another great deal), we picked the rest of the kids up from the Lakeside Gliders (my oldest getting to ride for the first time), and headed down towards Mad Mouse. Looking back, I wish I would have hit up the Gliders right then as well, but time was running out on our day, and we wanted to get plenty of Timbers riding in the last hour of the day. We looked through some of the shops on our way to Mad Mouse, and I bought an Oreo Churro, because I'd seen them, thought they looked interesting, and the price wasn't very high. I thought it was terrible! But at least it wasn't terrible AND expensive, like the fries, so there's the silver lining. After meandering through the General Store, where everything was 25% off, and finding a shirt I liked, we went over to Mad Mouse. The line was bizonk! I asked the kids if they really wanted to ride another wild mouse coaster (they've already ridden a couple of others), and they said no, so we headed past it, and towards the diminishing collection of flats. I miss the Falling Star some, but I really miss Chaos... Man, that part of the park needs something new BADLY! Stick a couple of flats in there (or somehow shoehorn a Disc-O in there), and it would look dramatically better. Maybe they'll get some of the "classic" flats that Cedar Fair is checking out? I'd love to see a Bayern Kurve and an old school "Whip" flat back there! At any rate, my wife wanted to ride the Thunderbolt, so I stayed off with the baby while she rode it with the kids. I always enjoy that ride too... at our local fair (right next to the Larsen Loop "coaster" - sorry, I couldn't resist!) It's not what I come to an amusement park for, but it is a really fun ride, I'll admit. Quick note here: the log flume shut down about mid-afternoon for some reason. Not sure what was up, but noticed it wasn't running, and was drained. I had been considering riding it earlier, but it wasn't a big deal to skip. The line is always bonkers for that ride, too! I can't remember a time being at the park IT hasn't had a decent line! With a little less than an hour to go in the day, it was time to marathon Shivering Timbers! On my third ride, I was back in the second row, this time of the blue train. Now, I don't know if I'm going crazy, but compared to my ride in the second row of the green train, this was brutal! I was bouncing and shimmying all over the place during that ride, and my hip started cramping, and my lower back started hurting! Thunderhawk?! Why are you masquerading as my beloved Timbers!?! At this point, I was ready for a break, and was questioning whether I wanted to ride again while my wife took a kid for her parent swap ride (never in the front seat - she's such a better person than I am! ) I was definitely considering moving it down in my rankings at this point, thinking my memory of its greatness in the past was misplaced... But, I had time for one more ride, so I took it. My daughter and I waited for the front, since I realized that I hadn't ridden it up there yet. We went up the first hill, down in a blaze of speed, and then up again, and... Yes!!! Now, that's what I'm talking about! Up and over the next hill, and... Woo, hoo!!! This is the Timbers I know and love! On, and on, it went! Glorious airtime after glorious airtime! This is the #7 coaster in the world that I rave about! Okay, so you get it... It was an amazing, ride! Last ride of the night, and it was truly breathtaking! My faith in Shivering Timbers was restored, and honestly, it was fitting to represent my faith in Michigan's Adventure being restored - or at least coming to a place of peace, and acceptance regarding what it truly is. Nice shot of the sun setting against the photogenic Shivering Timbers, as we prepared to ride it for the final time! My family had a great day, and even though it was not without its downside, I came to a greater appreciation for the park that day! No, it's not a destination park, and it never will be. I always have said it could be, if the right owners (like Holiday World's Koch family) were running it, but it is a LONG way from being that, and so much groundwork was laid all along the way by the Koch's to make Holiday World the place that it is today. Even if a new owner took over MiA tomorrow, the park won't be great, until 10-15 years from now. It's just not going to be that place, that I have envisioned it being in my dreams. But that doesn't mean it can't still be good at what it is: a small, family oriented park, with enough between the two sides of the park to keep everybody busy all day! Does it still need a brand new, major coaster addition? Do humans need air to breathe? Of course it could really benefit from such an addition, as it feels like there isn't enough BIG to do, to spread out crowds on busy days. Plus, it just feels like it's missing something, and I believe that something is another steel coaster. Regardless though, even if they never add that coaster, I will return with my family, and we'll definitely have a good time. I think the biggest area of improvement based on my trip, is improving the quality of the food, and decreasing the cost. I don't feel like you can say you're family friendly, when it costs $72+ to feed a family of six. We ate at a nice Mexican restaurant the following day, and I even splurged on the jumbo margarita, and we still spent $20 less! Also, they need to add a path between the two sides of the park. That situation is ridiculous, and they should be ashamed of themselves for not addressing it yet. And no, that fumigating train ride doesn't hack it as the answer, especially when you can't take strollers on it! On the whole though, I liked a lot of the new little improvements (Beer Gardens, Lakeside Flyers, the pretty Thunderhawk station (just put a new coaster in it is all!), and think the waterpark is still among the best! If over the next five years, they add a new steel coaster, create a full circuit around the park, and get some better food options, I think the park will be an amazing little place, and I won't have much bad to say about it! So that's my TR! Sorry it's so long, but that's just how I write! Feel free to ask any further questions about anything I didn't mention, as maybe I'm forgetting something. I just know I need to get to bed now, and have to draw this to a close! I'll leave you with one last picture: the Shivering Timbers shirt I bought at the General Store (at a 25% discount!). Thanks for reading, and long live Shivering Timbers! I'm not in love with this shirt, but the only other one was orange, which is a color I can't stand! So, Shiver Giver it is!

Nooo!! Say it ain't so! I hate that practice! Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Just tell the grouper you really want the back row and maybe they will let you. So far I've never been assigned. I tell them front/back and they're cool. You shouldn't sweat it. Cool! That's good to hear, as I was sweating it! I never did get a front row ride on Fury in a number of tries, due to those types of policies, so they really annoy me! (Though I got a few back row rides on it, and those kicked all sorts of tail - enough to make it my #1 coaster!)

Nooo!! Say it ain't so! I hate that practice!

So, regarding that awesome photo of the "Twist and Shout" element, it appears that there is some serious elevation change there. However, trying to marry that with the overall layout, I'm wondering if some of that perceived elevation change is actually just the angle of the image. So my question, for the OP, or someone else in the know, is whether there is indeed a dramatic elevation change there, or if it's more of just banking back and forth, at a slight downward angle?

Thanks for all the advice, guys! It seems like even those who recommend front for the first ride, still prefer the back. As much as I'm typically a front-seat kind of guy, it really sounds like the back is the money seat on this coaster! I am definitely leaning towards the back row at this point (especially since I don't want to make PKI Jizzman sad), but I have one last, deciding question... Since I'm going first thing, and plan to ride twice in a row (unless the line is already over half an hour - which it sounds like it could be), which line tends to be longer? Front, or back? I know front usually is the longest, so I'm wondering if logistically it makes the most sense to do that first, since it'll be shorter. Just a thought...

I agree %100! I still think Storm Chaser looks awesome, and it really is a completely different kind of coaster than Lightning Rod!

Some aspects of my attitude about the park changed, which surprised me a little. I was surprised by how much my kids like Corkscrew. I was surprised it was as busy as it was. There were probably a few other things, but for the most part, it was an enjoyable day, and the park is very similar to how I remembered it! One thing that was NOT a surprise, is how much I enjoyed the addition of the Lakeside Beer Garden!

Uh oh Robb! You're dating yourself! Those of us who are "older" have definitely found this to be the case in life!

We want a huge photo trip report Now, I warned you, I'm not much of a picture-taker! But I did get some I'll be posting! It's just slow going while In watching my baby (right now, I'm on my phone, which is why I've been forced to take a break from the TR.) My wife will be back from work before long, and hopefully I'll get free to finish it (I apologize in advance, but I'm a bit long-winded! )

Y'all are crazy! I had a huge, well thought-out, informed, and well-written rebuttal to all the Thunderhawk love here, but I deleted it to avoid starting a major argument. We'll just have to agree to disagree, and I'll just leave it at what I stated above and go back to writing my MiA TR!

About 3 or 4 years ago. Wow! Good stuff! I'm looking forward to riding it even more, now! Perchance, did somebody here (Robb, maybe?) ride it both before, and after the new trains? What is the difference in ride experience, in your opinion?

So, this is what I've been deliberating on... First ride... First ride ever on an RMC... Do I ride it in the very front? Or very back? I'll definitely ride the coaster at least twice, regardless of the lines, to experience both. But which should be my first ride experience? I'm curious what the general thought regarding this is, and whether there is a consensus!

I do always get the feeling just from watching the POV, that it is crazy short. If I have to wait in a ridiculous long line for it, that will become a factor in judging a short ride (which is partly why TTD isn't in my Top 20 coasters). I guess my point is simply that for what it is - it looks REALLY fun, especially since I have no previous RMC experience! Personally, I LOVE when parks twist their coasters all over each other, like some of the delicious pictures you posted! I know SFGAm could have done that with Goliath, but there really isn't much precedent for it there, or really at any other SF park that I can think of. FWIW, even CF doesn't really do that with their coasters too often. I'm not sure what it is about more corporate parks, but they seem to follow a mantra of "A footprint for every coaster, and every coaster in its footprint." So, knowing SF operates with that mentality, I feel like they did they best they could do given their limits (granted, some of them self-imposed) to pack a powerful, fun, and record breaking coaster into that small area. Could they have done better, if they'd have been willing to broaden their horizons, and run it over some other things? Certainly! But like you said, this is Six Flags we're talking about here...

Well CP, you're up! How do you figure to top THAT Dollywood announcement! In all seriousness, I have no doubt they'll put in an awesome coaster, if that is indeed what it is. However, I still think they should have gotten their announcement in before Dollywood, to get a week or two "in the sun" before Dollywood "stole their thunder" (with Lightning! .)

^Hey! I'm still excited about visiting KK for the first time and riding Storm Chaser next year, even after Dollywood's announcement! It's all part of the same family vacation trip, so I'll be getting on some great, new, RMC awesomeness that trip!

You really touched on what definitely "hurt" MiA, and the other smaller CF parks... When CF purchased the much further along, and more potentially lucrative Paramount parks (not to mention taking on that HUGE debt load!), all major additions for the smaller parks quickly became a thing of the past, at least for a while! Hopefully, that changes soon, but honestly, with the return they're getting from places like CW and KD (as well as Carowinds, to a lesser extent), I don't see them switching focus anytime soon, really...

Wow! That's great to hear! Pardon me, however, if I take an "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude regarding it... It's simply been so long waiting for major capital investment (and yes, it's an investment, I get that) at this park, that I've become quite cynical about it... However, all is not negative, and I DO have good things to say about MiA as well, but I'll get into that later - in that mythical TR that is forthcoming!

Believe me: I know this timeline very well, as I was trying to raise a family of five with three little kids during that time, and it was the beginning of the end of our financial stability as a family, that we're just now getting over... I recognize that its addition bolstered attendance through those early years. But it's not still drawing people in like that now. Now, it's a burgeoning economy, and the park's proximity to the prime vacation destination of Lake Michigan that is fueling the crowds. This only seems to reinforce what I (and all of us MiA fans, really) are saying, that a major roller coaster addition to the park could only boost attendance even more! If they saw such a tangible increase out of Thunderhawk, which automatically turned off the healthy contingent of GP that don't like inversions, imagine what they'd see from an Intamin Hyper or Mega-Lite, or a Chance Hyper GTX! So I think we're in agreement on that - even if I cannot in good conscience call Thunderhawk a good roller coaster! (FWIW, I'd agree that it's the best of its kind - but that's not saying much to me...)

On a day where the park was packed, Thunderhawk's station was a ghost town when I was there the other day... I'm guessing the honeymoon finally wore off! (Or maybe word has finally gotten out to enough people about what a terrible coaster it is... ) Thunderhawk is stated to be one of the best SLC's out there right now. Compared to others, I actually rather enjoy it. In addition, since its opening, the park has consistently brought in crowds that continued to increase annually. They're up to around 750,000-800,000 people per year as of the last time I heard. That's really well for this park considering they were only getting 400,000 when Shivering Timbers opened. Ok, I don't think you're saying this, but please tell me you don't actually think that Thunderhawk is the sole reason for the park's increasing attendance all these years?! Yes, I'm sure it was a draw for a few years, because people around here were starved for a major new addition at the park (much as they are now.) But the increasing attendance in the years since has more to do with a rebounding economy, and more people vacationing on the West side of the state as a result. GP are also naive about things like the coaster being an old one, relocated from another park. Believe me: every non-enthusiast I told about that, was a little disgusted that MiA got "leftovers" as was I. But whatever... Thunderhawk may be ok for some, but long term, something more accommodating to guests who don't like getting banged around (which is most of them - especially among non-enthusiasts!) like a Hyper would be a very wise addition for the park, if they want to hit that higher attendance mark. Imagine what a quality addition like that would do for the park, considering what Thunderhawk did, in spite of all of its deficiencies!

I would LOVE an Intamin Hyper - something like a clone(ish) version of Bizarro (SFNE) would be fabulous! That being said, I don't see it happening next year, and I'm not sure I see it happening ever, unfortunately... I realize that it probably still draws a crowd. What I can't comprehend is ever calling a Vekoma SLC "fun". I know how to "ride them", as you suggested, and while it's better, I still don't care for them. My son and I were moderately pleased with the ride in the front row, riding it defensively as you suggested. However, we rode the second time in the third row, and it was pain, and cursing the ride's existence! Needless to say, my son's introduction to SLC's left him unimpressed... But now I'm getting ahead of myself, and delving in TR stuff!

Will do! I just want a solid stretch of time without distractions to post, so it'll be after all of the "Lightning Rod" euphoria dies down, and my baby I'm keeping an eye on goes to bed! On a day where the park was packed, Thunderhawk's station was a ghost town when I was there the other day... I'm guessing the honeymoon finally wore off! (Or maybe word has finally gotten out to enough people about what a terrible coaster it is... )

Nice photos! Nagashima Spa Land is definitely on my list of places to visit whenever I finally make it over to Japan! I didn't realize that Steel Dragon 2000 had received new trains! When did that happen?! Clearly I've been "out of it" regarding NSL for a while... The new trains look great, however! They need to update the Morgan Hypers here in the States with those as well!

This "perspective" is what I was referring to in my last paragraph. I have it as well, for my "home park". I went to MiA the other day for the first time in 8 or 9 years. And it's closer than every other park I've been to in the interim. So I get where you're coming from. I'm just suggesting that for somebody that doesn't go there regularly, it may not seem as bad, that's all.

It is a great ride and I am sure you will enjoy it. That zero G stall is an amazing element and my favorite part of the ride. This is what I've heard! I haven't ridden any RMC coasters yet, so even if this is the "worst", I imagine it's still better than most non-RMC coasters! A couple of friends went this past weekend, and it became the second favorite wooden coaster of my enthusiast friend (behind Voyage), and favorite wooden coaster of his wife (who hasn't ridden nearly as many coasters!) I'll be going on my birthday, so I'm excited for a "gift" of experiencing the awesomeness of RMC for the first time! This is what I was alluding to above... It was clearly important for SFGAm to install the coaster in that confined footprint left over from Iron Wolf (and not get into putting it over the train or amphitheater, or kiddie area, and all the extra work that would involve), and I think that it looks like they built a pretty amazing coaster, all things considered. Yes, clearly the records were what they were after, as a smaller ride with more punch like Wicked Cyclone was certainly within their grasp with that footprint as well. But given their desire to grab a couple of records, build an awesome coaster, and do it all in a limited footprint, I think SFGAm, and RMC, did quite well! Currently, my favorite GAm ride is Raging Bull, but I suspect Goliath will dethrone it in a couple of weeks... We shall see!