ricklap77
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Everything posted by ricklap77
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Well we pretty much all saw it coming. The owner is a real estate developer from the area and had not been to the park in like 25 years. He bought that place for the land so he could develop it, build condos. I really hope it stays as an amusement park but I am being realistic. I'm glad I went in 2017 and got several rides on Blue Streak. What a fantastic coaster! The feel of the coaster and the park is like no other!
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Canada's Wonderland Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to BDG's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
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Canada's Wonderland Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to BDG's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
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Canada's Wonderland 2023 New Coaster?
ricklap77 replied to ricklap77's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
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Fantasy Island and Empire Adventures Inc.
ricklap77 replied to ricklap77's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
I wonder what new coaster the park will get!? There is a good chance it will be the shuttle coaster from Mexico. -
Indiana Beach (IB) Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to robbalvey's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
It will probably need quite a bit of testing once it is all assembled. The coaster needs some tlc and I would imagine after what happened in Mexico, testing might take some time. -
La Ronde Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to Skyscraper's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Le Monstre is smoother sitting in the back. You can totally feel the difference in smoothness where it has been retracked. The first drop has topper track and is very smooth! I think topper track all over on both sides would make it perfectly smooth. I still like walking to the station in the queue and being surrounded by the massive structure (especially track1) or when riding it and seeing timber everywhere. Night rides in the dark on this coaster are the best! I've always enjoyed Bill Cobb designed coasters! They look different and are beautiful IMO and have different and weird elements! -
La Ronde Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to Skyscraper's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Just went to La Ronde yesterday for the first time in 2 years and have to admit it was a great experience! With spots reserved online ahead of time we got there at 10am and the park was pretty empty! We got to go on so many rides many times and even if more people came in later in the afternoon it was still not really crowded, just very enjoyable. Throughout the day most rides including coasters you could just get on and not wait at all! Rarely seen that there! Le Monstre was open (both tracks!!!) even though it said it was closed on the website and at the entrance. So it was a bonus! We tried both tracks. A lot of new track work was performed since the pandemic and it ran pretty smooth, especially in the back. The chain lift is fast compared to before and the PTC trains start faster on top so it seems to help them navigate through the course. IMO it doesn't need an RMC treatment! RMC could come just in and build a coaster from scratch! -
Fantasy Island and Empire Adventures Inc.
ricklap77 replied to ricklap77's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Awesome news!!! -
Structural engineers will be on site this Fall to assess the Blue Streak. I don't understand why not sooner. The way things are going over there at CLP are very questionnable as to what they really want to do with their Blue Streak coaster. They are taking down pretty much every old building or ride that requires repairs. The Tilt A Whirl is being scrapped instead of being refurbished, just like the Tumble Bug ride. Now everybody knows Blue Streak probably needs major structural repairs. The conclusion of the assessment will probably be that it needs a lot of work and money put into it. Looking at the way the new owner acts makes me believe they will just end up taking it down. Might be just me but the park was bought at a good price and the owner just wants to run it as a simple amusement park and is not too worried about the history of the park and its rides.
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With the IBox being popular now I think there will be a lot more coasters with this type of track. The general public sees them as smooth wooden coasters although they are "steel" compared to the traditional ones with wood track and in the near future parks will have to maintain their wooden coasters very well in order for the general public to appreciate them over the IBox coasters.
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La Ronde Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to Skyscraper's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Yes I think it's a matter of time. It would fix the coaster for good and give them a NEW COASTER! And Six Flags NEEDS to bring in cash into the park and bring it back to its glory days like in the 80's. A lot of things are not right about that park! But with the money being lost in the pandemic, I don't have much optimism about SF pouring money into the park. -
La Ronde Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to Skyscraper's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
The park is opening today and again this season just like last season, Le Monstre is closed for the season! Sad news. The park doesn't have many rides now. SuperManege was scrapped in 2019, Cobra a few years ago, and the new old coaster from SFMM is not up yet and might never be! It's always been an overcrowded park and now with less rides! Anyway I don't know what to think about Le Monstre. I doubt they will take it down as it is a staple at La Ronde and a real eye catcher for drivers on the bridge but they do spend a lot of time and money maintaining it. It seems it is the case for many big woodies from the 80's. With the Morgan trains it tracked very well and was enjoyable to ride but when they switched to the PTC trains they started to have a lot of tracking and structural problems. I hope they take care of it and bring it back to life soon. RMC drafts were done a few years ago to have it transformed but apparently RMC could not work in Canada for some reason!?! -
Canada's Wonderland Discussion Thread
ricklap77 replied to BDG's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
Let's hope it reopens soon. They were closed all last season. Marineland same thing. -
It seems this might be the future of "wooden" coasters! Old or new from the ground up! If it is smooth and low maintenance, the parks will absolutely want this instead of a traditional wood track. I agree that Ibox track is more to make an old coaster a totally new different coaster and that RetraK is simply to improve an old rough coaster while bringing down maintenance costs. But again I could easily see brand new coasters with the Retrak technology!
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I think the TRex is still possible. They just need one buyer. It might just be me but with all the effects the pandemic has had and still has, combined with the price of steel increasing, I think the main focus is probably concentrating on smaller coasters and coaster refurbishments forthem to be profitable and stay alive. All parks have lost a lot of money lately and things might not be exactly like they were used to. So I think RMC has a lot and the right products to offer. And they are extremely talented at doing what they do!
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Fantasy Island and Empire Adventures Inc.
ricklap77 replied to ricklap77's topic in Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, & Donkeys!
That would be great if he can lease and run the park! Let's hope it works. I have a good feeling about it.