hendrixmarshalljames

Short list of the notable new ones...I was surprised at just how freeking good Fury and Intimidator were. My kids want to move to Charlotte tomorrow. Add those two to the rumoured Mack Launcher...I'm actually thinking about it, lol. Oh yeah...Afterburn was pleasant surprise,too. The little "hop" near the end reminded me of Fire Dragon. RIP Valravn Steel Vengeance Thunderbird Fury Intimidator Lightning Rod Wild Eagle Outlaw Run Powder Keg Time Traveller

Seems that Exclusive Fight Time in Gurnee is gaining traction.

I got a few good pics the day I was there...Great ride you folks have!

Honestly - we bailed on holiwood nights after being held prisoner (well after the posted time) when the lightning (About 40 miles away) rolled in. Out of 4 rides, 2 of which are barely over a minute or just under, 1 is unridable, and the other is just so - overrated. We drove 9 hours to go to Carowinds, sacrificed our second day passes and overpriced lodging to do it. So worth it. We ain't going back for a long time.

Just got back from a monster coaster trip...We usually go mid to late season and I have to say the beginning of a season ROCKS.

I've found a nifty tool... https://public.tableau.com/views/CedarPointInteractiveCrowdCalendar/CPCrowdPredictor?:embed=y&:display_count=ye&:showVizHome=no Just input the Forecast, Temp that's expected, the date you plan on going...shows estimated crowd and estimated wait times at different times of the day. But when I get there, I usually just look at the parking lot and go from there. And yes, I wasn't kidding on the earlier post...I ditch everything so I'm not weighed down for the first 6 hours or so. Early entry with PP, (Don't be weighed down) I usually go to the Resort entrance and beeline to Steel Vengeance. First time for this one, so I'm guessing after the first ride the park will be open anyways. But it maybe worth getting there earlier and seeing if the marina entrance has less people. Remember, the Coaster Freaks will be gearing up for Coastermania next week. There might be a lot of people at the Resort Entrance because they know its a shorter sprint...I mean walk. Safety first! A couple of other tidbits - Sometimes a traffic pointer wants to know why I'm headed to the backside, I tell 'em I have reservations at Lighthouse Point for that night and want to minimize my down time for checking in later in the day. It's always worked for me, but I've only been asked twice out of maybe 40 visits. And most times I do have reservations anyways. I've heard they maybe a little more strict this year, but the worst thing that can happen is to find a good spot and walk the distance. Using the Resort Shuttle phone works, too. (For folks who may have a tough time with the walk). Day trips I always recommend the RNR HOF, and hit up a B Spot on your way back to Sandusky.

I get all of the hubbub about wait times, etc. But, when it's time to ride I personally have zero time for phones, apps, and glasses; I even ditch my wallet so I can walk faster. 2 more weeks and I'll be Screaming for Steel Vengeance...

Our plan for monstrous lines are use our platinum perks, be there on weekdays, and fl+. I'm thinking Coastermania will allow the enthusiast community to get a good number of laps in, either way. All the folks I talk to in North Dakota, 1 in 5 have heard of Cedar Point, and think Wild Thing at Valley Fair is the best thing ever. Haven't talked to anybody yet who's heard about Steel Vengeance, and I've been chatting it up since Fall of 2016. The folks at work think I'm crazy. If there was a GP heat map - North Dakota would be very warm. Anyone else notice on the videos how convincing the head/arm choppers are? Even seasoned riders withdraw their limbs a bit.

I think it's decided then. We have a hotel booked for Monday night at Mason, as long as we get there by midnight or so. Thanks for your help!

So the plan is take our time and do CW Sunday afternoon and Monday until about 2 pm, then onwards...

Minot, ND - US Highway 2/41 (State Highway 28?) to St. Sault Marie to Highway 69 (Sudbury area) South to CW. CW to Niagara, Waldameer, then onto KI for 2 days, then onto Coastermania/Holiwood nights, Dollywood, SDC, and then home and back to the grind. We don't get to see or interact with trees that much in ND, so the more the merrier.

I've got a crazy question. I'm interested in the smaller coasters and travelling through Canada for my 2 sons. (22 and 15, funny coaster story on the younger one) Thinking about all of the stuff that goes with being in another Country. Colorful money, cumbersome border crossings, cross-section multi-languages, etc. We're tight on time; but we could swing it...we'd be sacrificing ERT at CP on Sunday night of Memorial Day weekend. My thought is that all the parks are gonna be jam-packed - even with FL+ it'll be a good wait for smaller rides. So why not just do the scenic route over the weekend (Highway 2 from Minot all the way across and down), and get to where we need to be by Monday night. We'd be able to hit up Niagara and Waldameer as well. With that said, all of you Wonderland regulars mind selling me on the 22 hour drive?

Am I mental, or love how technology continues to deliver? After the Platinum Pass schedule was released, I rearranged our Coastermania/Holiwood/SDC trip to drive 1400 miles for one hour for ERT on Steel Vengeance/Maverick for 1 hour.

Me and the kids May 27th... excited national lampoons vacation GIF-original.mp4

I did as well about an hour ago...really looking forward to Voyage "at night" rides, but brake-free? That's just gravy on the bread right there!

I'm thinking that the wait is going to be worth the best 3rd stretch of any ride out there. Any that come to mind really pale in comparison. And speaking of waiting. My son and I have walked by the old MS admiring how much fun it was to look at, but we always brought up giving RMC a blank check to go hog crazy on it. That was back when we first rode El Toro (2009?) I really can't remember. When the first photos came out confirming an RMC crane on-site...Weeeeee! Coaster nerd heaven. Props to Cedar Fair management.

I am really beside myself knowing that I get to ride that thing fairly soon...

Lol on the Rodeway...We stayed at the Rodeway Inn North a few years ago...it was a cheap half-day option until we could get checked in to lighthouse point...and our shoes stuck to the carpet. Made a velcro-type sound when moving around. Needless to say - we go to the Sandusky KOA for those types of situations now. We have to bring our own bedding and stuff, but for 40 dollars or something like that...the wifi was better than anywhere else on our entire trip. None of our appendages stuck to any surfaces, either...

In order, in one trip: SDC HW/SS KI CP Shoulder season visit(s) - so we'll see what's "conveniently" broke down because crowds are thin.

Mine would be similar to the Hard Rock idea, but the only thing I'd really want is a Winged Coaster that uses the ground and landscape. Kinda like Maverick and Cheetah Run does, but longer and more detail. It would also have to have the most incredible dark ride ever conceived, as well as a Flume that people would want to travel all over the world for. Other than that, old-school B&M invert - A la "Alpengeist" or Raptor, 2 woodies similar to American Racer and El Toro - winding in and around each other-impeccably timed and close to water. Give 50 million to RMC and tell em to go crazy. Can't decide on which signature Giga style I would want. I hear good things about Fury, but I305 just plain scares me every time I get on it. Obtain copies of all the flats from Kennywood and Knoebels. Somehow recreate the walk from King's Island "raft" line wherever possible. Go to each major city and find the best food vendors possible, ask em if they want to open a location in the park. Come up with some kind of profit share so that a coke and a Chicago dog isn't 18 dollars. Somehow make a truly great suspended coaster that's not for kids. And speaking of kids, other than the usual Tilt-a-whirl and stuff like that...How hard would it be to make a miniature version of the big signature coasters? Same thing but smaller...Obviously some elements would have to go because gravity wouldn't co operate, but you get the general idea.

I wrote a letter to the Company that owns Elitch's spelling out the benefits of a real signature coaster a few years ago. No reply yet. The comment about folks thinking Mind Eraser is the best ever cracks me up. I have many friends back home that truly believe this. Makes me wanna force 'em to do a few laps on Alpie or Montu to see what they've been missing all this time...well, for inverted coasters anyway.

^^ That's funny right there...something to be said about letting imaginations run wild. I just picked up Planet Coaster a few days ago...Currently working on Maverick, SV, El Toro, and Fury all right next to each other, and running in and through all of them...Head-chopper heaven

I don't know how many times I've walked by MS and thought to myself..."They should let RMC go blank check crazy on that thing" Hooray for Coaster nerds everywhere; CP, and their "Drop the Mic" moment.

Yippeee!

Yesterday, I was gonna say something along the lines that Rob pointed out ...I go in the shoulder seasons quite a bit for lesser crowds. It's been my experience that expecting 4th of July operations the first week of May is unrealistic at best. That's the most polite I can make it.