WestCoasterKing

Was it Sea World SD? I never knew they one. And I've never got to Busch Gardens, but I've seen videos. That's the kind I think I could enjoy because there's more to it than just up and around. I appreciate good theming, sometimes even over a ride itself. Great theming can push a mediocre ride over into enjoyable. I know this isn't the Knott's thread, but I'm going to make an example of Pony Express to make my point. Had they built some rock work and made it seem like you were galloping through some canyons it would push that ride over into awesome, even with it being so short. That's what I'm saying about chute-the-chutes. To me they are the type of attraction that can't stand on their own. But as an element of something larger like Jurrasic Park, they can be great. I think HW missed the boat, so to speak, in doing something more with Pilgrims Plunge. With the elevator lift they could have made it like you be were in a mill of some kind or done something with the slow winding approach to the lift, like an enclosed dark ride. A ride like Perilous Plunge could have been built into a faux volcano on a tropical island. And you're on a boat and have to escape the island or something. I guess my point is theming goes a long way to making a great experience. There's more to a ride than just the ride.

I am looking forward to riding Steel Eel. More and more this ride is growing on me. We're planning a trip to Sea World in this next year for the little one. She just watched both of the Finding Nemo and Dory movies and we went to an Aquarium and she's in love with all the fishes now, so I figure we need to hit Sea World before that wears off. I'm also starting to think I wouldn't mind if Knott's put one of these in someday, seeing just how tight for space they are and they need more quality thrill rides, even if they don't have great capacity. I'm also of the mind that Sea World and Knott's both having one wouldn't hurt either park. They really do have a different clientele base. I would never go to Sea World just to ride the rides. I go to Sea World for the fish and the rides are a bonus to get me in the gate. But Knott's is, well, Knott's. A ride like this might get more people in the gate and would be a quality addition.

I know probably bearing a dead horse here, but any word on Xcelerator? Anything at all? Any rumors of any kind regardless how reliable? I need something! Dippin' Dots guy, where have you been ?!?

Now that actually looks like more fun than a ZacSpin (haven't done FreeSpin yet, but just from the look of them I don't think I'd like it. I don't like flippy rides). But this thing looks fun.

Yeah, it doesn't look real. It doesn't look like it should really exist.

The splash boat ride part is the gimmick to me. I mean if it could somehow be incorporated into the theme of something bigger, like a whitewater rafting ride that make sense. Like you were going over a waterfall in the Seirras or something. But just going up and around and splashing down and maybe getting a little wet? Meh. To each their own I guess. I'll never tell anyone they are wrong or dumb to like something. That would be wrong of me. Just saying it's not my cup of tea and I don't get it. So I don't miss them. Give me a good coaster any day. Heck, give me a bad coaster over a chute-the-chutes. Chute, I'll ride Pony Express again before PP, if it was still around.

I know about Windjammer. What's the other?

^ I never rode Giraffica/Pilgrim's Plunge (why the name change by the way). I've never even been to HW. But I've been on other chute-the-chutes, and I've honestly never been all that impressed with them. To me they've always just seemed like a gimmick. I know I'm probably in the minority, but they are just big boat slides. I've done Perilous Plunge and Tidal Wave and I don't get the draw. At least Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean have substance to them. But most are just up and around a curve and down a drop. I can get better drops on a roller coaster. There are even very few log rides that I can stand, such as Timber Mountain and Splash Mountain, because honestly most have nothing to them. You float down a trough of water and then go hurtling down a drop into a pool of water. Whoopie. So I'm not surprised that Pilgrims Plunge and Perilous Plunge are gone already. They've run their course and novelty wears off. What I am surprised at is that Tidal Wave is still around. I guess my point is that space would be much better served for a future coaster or two.

Giraffica/Pilgrims Plunge seemed like a gimmick whose time was limited. Grsnted I've never rode it. Never even been to HW personally. But I've never been impressed with chute-the-chutes in general. I've done Tidal Wave, Perilous Plunge and they are just tall boat slides. At least Jurrasic Park and Pirates of the Carribean have dark ride elements and other stuff. But just going up and around and back down seems like an experience that gets old quick, regardless the height. I hope HW gets another ground breaking steel giant coaster in the future.

I assume the chain rides inside that little raised trough, but I don't see where it drops down to return to n.

It will have a surf theme. Aside from the chaser lights, the seat backs are supposed to be surf boards. The queue will be beach themed with water and sand. And the back wall of the Mine Ride will be painted with a mural that will portray a tropical beach scene. Rumor is it will be painted in such a way that it will change with the setting sun.

Are we talking about the drop from over the top of first loop as being the first inversion?

I really can't wait for TRex version. It's just going to be so much more massive looking

By the way. Made my trip to Colorado. Didn't get the job. I also didn't get to Glenwood. Bummer. Winter decided to to show up while I was out there and I just didn't want to mess with driving. Good thing I had flown into Montrose and not Grand Junction. Boy am I glad to be back in the PNW. I'm kind of glad I didn't get the job. I'll take the rain any time over snow and ice. Yeah, I know we get some snow sometimes, but it's not the same. Oh well. Hopefully I'll get to make a trip out this summer. I'm already planning to hit Lagoon. Maybe I'll take an extra day or two and drive on over the Glenwood.

Is that element over the station supposed to be a cutback or an overbanked turn? I know it doesn't matter. I'm just curious.Either way, looks fun. Really excited to see it finished.

ENGLISH PLEASE!

That is way cool. A million. Wow. Not surprised, of course. TPR is amazing. You guys put out the best videos, with the best interactions, from rides all over the world, both popular and obscure. I love that you guys don't just film rides silently like everyone else. I love the jabbering and funny quips and mocking commentary. You guys have fun and aren't afraid to let your inner child out. Seriously, before TPR I was the kind of rider who gritted my teeth and gripped the restraint in silence. Now I put my hands in the air and yell wheee and yippie and I don't give a $#@& if people think I'm a dork or a nerd. Eff them. TPR forever. Bring on the next million!

Oh right. I forgot about that.

Railblazer may very be the first Raptor to open. WW seems to be taking longer.

^^ I still say gotta say that is honestly the weirdest looking corkscrew I've ever seen. I understand it's only a single inversion version, but still, it like looks more like an ovoid loop to me. When I heard that it was going to have a cobra roll and a corkscrew, I got excited, hoping it would be a double corkscrew that hearkened back to, well, Corkscrew, and of course, Boomerang, all in one ride. But back to the corkscrew. It just doesn't look like a corkscrew to me. It looks fun, don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining.

^ Boat ride?

^ I know you're jesting, but I just can't that ever working for an amusement park unless they plan on going back to a pay per ride system. Newer and more popular rides costs say $10 a ride whereas older and less popular rides are maybe only $2-5 a ride. That said I would not put it past SF to try. They'd had worse ideas. I'm actually surprised Disney hasn't gone back down that road.

It was a "speaking of Iron Reef" comment. I think it does address to an extent his comment. Nearly everyone I have spoken to feels pretty much the same way as I do. No, it is not popular. The public for the most seems to dislike it. As for why it still seems to have a line it is partly because every ride is going to have some fans no matter how awful it is (Pony Express) and the crappy capacity makes those few people back up. Knott's had an opportunity to create a really cool dark ride and they ruined it with screens and goggles.

Speaking of the People Mover. Rocket Rods had the potential to be decent. The problem is that they didn't spend the money to do it right. None of the turns or curves were banked and so the car had to slow to a near stop just to make a direction change. And honestly, it would not have been that difficult at all to add banks to the turns. But all Disney saw was the quick turn around a quick buck. It was that kind of shortsightedness that actually accounted for many of the mistakes of the late 1990's and early 2000's.

I personally wasn't as impressed as I hoped. But it could just be me. For one the 3D made me nauseous. I really just don't think that the 3D adds anything to the experience at all. I liked the interactiveness, but I hated the over reliance on screens. I think they should have made it more like Buzz Lightyear at Disney, with more physical props.