DILinator

^ Can't wait to ride it in November!

^YEah, I don't go THAT far either! Those two flats are amazing, and frankly, better than at least half the coasters at CP! But I'd probably put Cedar Downs 3rd behind those, I'd think, unless I'm forgetting something else (well, I mean, if you count Pipe Scream as a flat and not a coaster, then... )

Cedar Downs IS fantastic! Definitely one of my top non-coaster "things to do" at Cedar Point! Glad to see so many others giving it the appreciation it deserves, too!

See, to me, KD's Grizzly, minus the tunnel and setting, would be a pretty forgettable coaster. That's a big part of what I really liked about it. Must be why I don't remember riding Wild Beast...

I like Blue Streak more than TTD, or Magnum! Yeah, that's right! Come FIGHT ME enthusiasts!!! I will say though, it sounds like something is wrong with BS this year... I didn't ride it when I went earlier this year, so I haven't been able to experience said roughness for myself, but I'm wondering if it does indeed need some retracking, or a tuneup of sorts. It normally gives such awesome rides, especially in the front!

Thanks for the heads up on the Flume guys! I will plan accordingly! If I still have my sandals, maybe I'll just wear those that day, and solve the socks issue altogether. Sorry I'll miss being able to hang out with you Boldikus, but unfortunately, the weekends are when I'm traveling to, and from NJ, and during the week is when I'll be there. Some other time though! If you (and Bill) make another Virginia run next year, I too am planning one next year, and maybe we can sync up our trips!

^Thanks! It seems like Monday's special of half-off credits would be my best bet, assuming that they don't count Monday the 3rd of July as a "Holiday". Either that, or Thursday the 6th's Midnight Madness would give me tons of Hydrus rides, many at night, for potentially even less cost. That may actually be better than the Monday option!

Well, I'll be going to Morey's in a few weeks, and I pretty much loathe SLC's, so if I give it a favorable review, you will KNOW that is saying something good about it! Backtracking to talking about the Flume... Should I expect to get really wet on it? I too do not like Soaked Sock Syndrome, so I will either have to plan accordingly, or skip it. And Boldikus, you were saying getting free to go down the shore mid-week is probably a no-go for you, right?

I'm going to be to be in Seaside Heights in a few weeks, and will be checking out Hydrus for sure! How much does it cost per ride, and are there any discounts for multiple rides, or all day wristbands, etc...? Thanks!

I've been to CW twice, and granted, it's been a handful of years now, since the last time was before they put in Leviathan. However, I found their woodies to be utterly unmemorable, other than a slight recollection of Minebuster being a bit rough. I have zero memory of the other one, even though I know I would have ridden it for the credit (heck, I rode stinking SkyRider for the credit!) An RMC'd version of one of them would be a great addition to your park! Don't think I'm hating on CW though, as I quite liked the park for many other things! Behemoth is my favorite Hyper coaster, Vortex is pretty sweet, and the flat collection is awesome! I'm definitely going to be back once I get a Passport, one of these days!

Diamondback is still definitely my #1 coaster at KI, without a doubt! The airtime, especially in the very back, is certifiably nuts, and I love the setting! The big question for me right now, is whether Mystic Timbers has beaten out Banshee for the #2 spot! It's close, and it may be there. I think a few more rides at a later date may be needed just to seal the deal - especially some more night rides!

I would suspect that: a) They will RMC it eventually, probably their next coaster "addition" after they turn Vortex Floorless, and b) it may be similar, but I don't think it will be an exact copy, but will be a unique design specific for Carowinds.

^I can't believe they haven't had a lawsuit or injury from it being operated normally! I enjoyed it though, and I'll definitely take my kids through, when I take them to Kennywood in a year or two!

So, on a different topic... I was talking to my son about Noah's Ark at Kennywood, and what a crazy (and seemingly dangerous at times) fun house type attraction it was to go through, which prompted him to look up YouTube videos on it. However, after watching the first one he found, it clearly wasn't the Noah's Ark I remembered, and I discovered that they updated it going into the 2016 season. So I had him watch a video from 9 years ago, which more closely resembled the Ark I recalled. However, I do not remember the Freight Elevator beginning, or the ending with the water that went along with that. My memory was just walking into Noah's Ark, and then walking out, no elaborate theme at the beginning or end. I went to Kennywood last in 2011. Was there some intermediate stage of the Ark where it no longer had the Elevator theme going, and you just entered the attraction directly, before the remodel after 2015? Or is my memory truly deserting me in my rapidly advancing age?

Roller coasters are basically physics, which is primarily math. Example: You know what "Gs" actually mean? That's how many times the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s^2 or 21.94 mph) the coaster will reach. It's NOT the same as velocity. The reason you get airtime is because you're getting the opposite; negative acceleration due to gravity. One of the reasons why Skyrush is so fast despite the drop being smaller than many other hypercoasters is because the cable lift will already yield a higher amount of KE to add on to the existing drop. Conversely, of the reasons why dive coasters are always slower than hypers despite similar drops is because the amount of KE at the top is near zero thanks to the holding break. Please tell me you're not seriously trying to explain to me that roller coasters utilize physics, which is math??? Or questioning whether I know what "Gs" mean??? I'm just saying when I'm tooling around TPR looking for a good time enjoying my coaster hobby, figuring out math problems, no matter how significant or insignificant, is the last thing I'm looking to do!

How DARE you try to bring math into my coaster loving escapism hobby!

Oh, SNAP! It's about to get real!

I like ST anywhere on the ride, but you are right... Front seat IS the "money seat"! It's one of the few coasters I've been on where the airtime is discernibly better in the front seat, than in the back! And yes, back seat IS a bit rougher... I don't mind The Voyage middle or back, so maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment (though, given my feelings about the other woodies in the park, and "rough" woodies in general, I don't think I am). But yes, The Voyage up front is the best! And at night? Both coasters are even better than they are in the daytime! (Add some Founders to the mix, and now you're REALLY talking!) Sadly, unless you are into water parks, or have young kids, this is very true...

Being the tallest, longest and fastest doesn't make rides the best. And your point is...? My opinion of Banshee, Montu, and Alpengeist, is that they are better coasters than the Batmen clones, and that is from their ride experience. That ride experience is regardless of whether they are tallest, longest, or fastest. In my perspective, enthusiasts are the ones who tend to get myopic and equate "intensity = best", which is why coasters like the Batman clones, and Magnum tend to get rated a lot higher by them, than they do by your typical, coaster riding public. Expedition GeForce is actually a good example of a ride that is apparently one of the best (I've never ridden it), though it is not tallest, longest, or fastest. Maverick, which I have ridden, is another great example! But sometimes, a ride like Fury comes along, and just throws its weight around and says "Yeah, I AM the biggest, baddest, and bestest!!!"

Batman, cloned, or uncloned = Least favorite B&M Invert. Not saying it's a bad coaster though... I'd just much rather have a clone of Banshee, Montu, or even Alpengeist! (Speaking of clones, why, in the name of all that's coasterrific, has nobody cloned Expedition GeForce yet?!?!?! Preferably somebody here in the States! Preferably Michigan's Adventure! )

$19 tickets for each park have been secured for me, my three oldest kids, and my dad! Now, I'm ready to have my Mine Blown in November!

The others (with a few Scrooge-like exceptions ) did a great job of trying to answer more tangibly, but I think there's just "something" about the experience that is magical to most people! And when I say "most people", I'm including GP, since really, all of us "Enthusiasts" on here are a very microscopic, and unimportant in the grand scheme of things (to the parks) segment of the coaster-riding public. And I've yet to EVER ride MF with a non-enthusiast, over every year since it's been open, when they didn't love the ride afterward! Heck, just last night, my dad, and three of my kids were all talking in the kitchen about coasters, and it turned to how much they all loved MF. There's just something about the ride that captures the fancies of its riders! Whether it lights the fire of every enthusiast or not (and clearly is does not) is irrelevant... It's fast, fun, and leaves a lasting impression on most of its riders that keeps them coming back for more! And after all these years, and all the other awesome coasters I've ridden, I still find it pretty amazing how much I still enjoy MF! It is truly a timeless coaster masterpiece, as simplistic as it may seem, at first glance...

It was great that when we went recently, my kids took my word on the hang n bang boomerang being terrible, and then weren't interested in Firehawk or Flight of Fear, so we didn't even need to worry about those coasters' lines!

Just so long as it's open by November, I'll be happy!

I suppose I shouldn't say Iron Dragon "isn't very good at all", but objectively, Mine Ride is pretty bad... Sure, as an 8 year old back in the days when Gemini was the "BIG" coaster at CP, CCMR was high thrills. But is hasn't aged well, and my kids in that age range today aren't even into it. Sure we can agree to disagree, but I have no problem saying CCMR isn't a good coaster, and frankly, it should be removed, and that huge plot of land should be used for something better that would actually be enjoyed by a much wider range of people (my personal choice would be a B&M Flyer, but I know that's likely a pipe dream! ) I think Woodstock's Express is a better coaster than CCMR, for example. But again, to each their own, I guess...