edboxer

Just another example of the poor sportsmanship of the Patriots. They didn't win it all, so they don't want to go the to Pro-Bowl and hear about it. Taking their example from their coach who walked off the field with 1 second left on the clock. One of the most unprofessional things I have ever seen in professional sports. Beliscmuck should be fired.

I'd suggest the MicroTel. Nice cheap suites 5 minutes from Universal.

Not sure you really need more than one day at Dorney. During the week you can hit all the coasters in less than 2 hours. There are several motels directly across the street from Dorney. That said, check out the Microtel near the airport - great value, very clean, only 15 minutes from Dorney. But at Dorney, do not miss the log flume - its one of the best anywhere, its built on the side of a hill - imagine Boulder Dash as a log flume. SFGAdv is in the middle of nowhere. I'd suggest checking the motels at Turnpike exits 8 or 10. They are only 20 minutes away.

Thanks for all the responses so far. Greatly appreciated! To answer a few questions - I'm the kind that will go from one coaster to the next until I've ridden them all, and then decide which one(s) I want to ride again. I won't do Waterparks on this trip, and I usually don't ride much of anything except coasters, unless something strikes my fancy. I am aware of Indiana Beach, but as I will have limited time, I chose the southern route as I can hit at least three parks in a somewhat circular route from Indy. And the last time I was at Kings Island, 1980. I have never been to Holiday World. The stop at SFKK is simply because its conveniently located between KI and HW.

No, its more of an incomplete piece of crap. Seriously, I was only there once, but it was better the most SF parks. At least al the rides were running when I was there. But the only ride worth a return trip is S:ROS. I've had much more fun at Martin's Fantasy Island.

I'll be going to Indianapolis in August for Drum Corps International World Championships. I am thinking of flying to Indy a few days early and driving to Holiday World, SF Kentucky Kingdom and Kings Island. I already know that these are several hours drive apart. How much time should I plan at each park? Any thoughts on good motels/hotels near these parks? Any other parks I should hit?

1000+ Cedar Fair trashcans at the former Paramount Parks.

Idora Park. I'd kill to get a few more rides on the Jack Rabbit and Wildcat. Knoebels - can never get enough of Phoenix. For me, the Phoenix defines fun. CP - for MF, Blue Streak, TTD and the speedy station oeprations. Holiday World, cause I've never been there but will be going there in August 2008.

Depends on the woman...... (sorry, couldn't resist)

NOT THE WORLD's TALLEST: 252 tree in Australia http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/forests/tasmania/styx/christmas/

Excellent Point - Its not a bad coaster, its just not a great coaster. The Jo-Jo roll is cool, but the rest of the ride just lacks power. It just all feels too safe. And I'll take Dorney's efficiency over Great Adventure's one train operation, hideously long lines any day. As to Steel Force, yeah its not ejector air (no Magnum thigh bruises), but I rode with a couple of SF GADV season pass holders who afterward said they preferred Steel Force over Nitro because of the continuous floating airtime. They had not been to Dorney before and were impressed that Dorney was running multiple trains with so few people in the park.

Excellent Point - Its not a bad coaster, its just not a great coaster. The Jo-Jo roll is cool, but the rest of the ride just lacks power. It just all feels too safe. And I'll take Dorney's efficiency over Great Adventure's one train operation, hideously long lines any day. As to Steel Force, yeah its not ejector air (no Magnum thigh bruises), but I rode with a couple of SF GADV season pass holders who afterward said they preferred Steel Force over Nitro because of the continuous floating airtime. They had not been to Dorney before and were impressed that Dorney was running multiple trains with so few people in the park.

TR – Dorney Park 10/21/07 I decided to hit Dorney one more time before they closed for the season. Beautiful weather for October – mid-70s and sunny. I arrived at 11:45am – 15 minutes before opening and parked in the first space next to handicap parking. There couldn’t have been 100 people there at noon. Once in the park, even though everything was a walk-on, they were running two trains on Talon, Steel Force and Hydra. Ride Count: 8 rides on Talon, 6 front row, 2 back row, including two where I was the only person in the front row! I love this inverted, it just doesn't let up until it hits the break. It was running fast, and with light trains, a little rough in the back. 6 rides on Steel Force – 5 first car second row, 1 last car second row. Great g's in the spiral and nice airtime, especially on the run after the mid-course brake. 2 rides on Hydra – front row. This is such a disappointing coaster. Nice string of 5 inversions in a row, but just not that exciting. 1 ride on Lazer – this is such a cool coaster. One of the very few rides that actually makes me dizzy. Halloweekends – I did Screamworks, which was pretty lame. I didn’t bother with Dr. Doom. Since it was broad daylight, Fright Zone wasn't in action. VooDoo update: They have cleared the site for VooDoo, but I didn't see any footers (at least not when I looked while on the lift hill for Steel Force). But there is track back by the final break run of Steel Force. Actually, this is going to be a great site for Voodoo, right against the fence by the entry to the parking lot. So it will be seen when driving in the park. The down side, its in a treeless zone so my scalp will fry! Having sated my quest for g's and airtime, I left around 2:30 – 17 rides and Screamworks wasn’t bad at all. Until next season…..

Can you say Phoenix!

A couple that I like (that would never get used): For a multi-inversion coaster - Vomit Comet For an airtime coaster - The Butt Banger For an stand-up - Crotch Rider Some that could be used: For a woodie - The Loose Bolt For a floorless - Hover For a flyer - Soar For a hyper - G's Whiz

I've ridden MF, TTD, Shreika, Nitro, Medusa, etc. The only coaster that gets my gut is the last car of the Coney Island Cyclone on the first drop.

Wow, go away for the weekend ..... My perspective on this. I grew up in the Youngstown/Warren, OH area. Every summer, company picnics would be held at Geauga Lake, Conneaut Lake Park or Idora Park. All three were relative small parks (about 30 rides). We lost Idora to fire, we lost Conneaut to bankruptcy, now we're losing Geauga to economics. So the three parks that I grew up at are now gone. Geauga Lake Park, even after it introduced the Double Loop and then the Corkscrew in the 70s, was just another small park. Even those rides didn't bring large crowds. Geauga Lake, Idora and Conneaut were primarily local parks kept alive by company picnics. These parks were basically empty unless there was a company picnic. They were never destined to make a fortune. Back in the 60-80s, NE Ohio was primarily the steel/manufacturing industry - GM, Packard Electric, Van Huffel Steel, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, etc. The steel industries folded in the 70s and the area has never fully recovered from the depression that ensued. Many other entertainment/enjoyment businesses quickly folded one after the other in the late 70s - Kenley Players (summer stock). There was an area of Route 422 in Niles known as "the Strip" - multiple restaurants, bars, etc. Most of that area died in the late 70s. I fled the area in 1982 when unemployment was at 27%. SF's over expansion of GL was idiotic. They only had to look at prior years attendance figures to know that the GL was not going to be a major draw. Even with a bunch of new rides. I went to GL when it was owned by SF. It was a disaster of poor management, hideously long lines, understaffed, dirty, etc. The apex of SF's mismanagement. I went again 2 years ago, the difference was immediate and astounding. Rides running to capacity, clean, etc. Even so, GL could not sustain itself. The Big Dipper was my first adult coaster. And to those of you who say scrap it, I guess you never rode in the front seat for the incredible airtime. I guess you also don't care too much for coaster history. The Big Dipper I will miss. The rest of the generic coasters can go wherever.

IMHO, floorless are great. Stand-up are terrible. Both are gimmicks. I love floorless coasters, you feel less confined even in the non-front row seats. In fact there are a few coasters I would love to see converted to floorless: MF would be incredible. So would TTD or Kingda Ka. I like the feel of my legs being able to dangle freely and not be jambed against the seat back in front of me. Stand-ups on the other hand are pure torture devices for me. The problem: I have short legs and a long torso. I have yet to ride a floorless that had a crotch strap long enough that my privates were not squished. Makes for a very uncomfortable ride. In fact, I can't ride them unless I want to speak soprano for the rest of the day. Both are gimmicks, but I love floorless! CP should convert Mantis into a floorless, that would make that ride so much better.

Well, while I'm not sure what the criteria are for CP winning Best Park, for me it wins hands down on ride capacity and efficiency. And that for me, makes it the best park. I don't go to parks for food, shows, or landscaping. I go for rides. And for value of the experience. IMO, the Busch parks are hideously overpriced. Almost twice the price of CP with less than half the number of coasters. Yeah there are parks with some better rides, its just that you spend twice as much time in those parks in line!

It changed from last year, though what does Bakuli have over other Toilet Bowl slides out there? I think we should start the Donkey awards. We should have categories such as these: Best Park Ever Best Coaster Ever Best Death Machine Best Trash Cans (subcategories for Cedar Fair and non Cedar Fair parks) Better-Than-Voyage Award - For some of those great woodies that Amusement Today doesn't even know about Better-Than-Schlitterbahn Award - For the best water park "Taer It Down!1" award for the Worst Ride Ever Most Painful Ride Ever Most Boring Ride Ever Most Overrated Ride Ever Most Underrated Ride Ever Trashiest park Cedar-Fair-Park-With-The-Most-Trashcans award Lamest theming Amazing But I Hate It award WTF? award Love it. I'd have to add a few though: Worst new ride Slowest Lines Rudest ride ops Slowest ride ops Shortest ride cycles for spin and pukes Biggest food ripoff Highest parking price Made-me-want-to-gag show Worst theming Most expensive bottled water Worst smelling park (BGA - Tampa by a landslide) Most overpriced park Highest concrete to grass/plants/trees ratio Now these are some categories that would get the winners to act!

From what I have heard all summer Kingda Ka has had GREAT operations. This includes all four trains running, dispatching one side of the station as soon as the other side is back, and the line keeps moving. Have you ridden Kingda Ka in the front car of the train? It's definitely not rough up there. I was there on Labor Day - KK was launching a train every two minutes. Yes they were running four trains, in fact while two trains from one side would be rolling out, the other two trains were already back and reloaded.

For me, there are three big differences between TTD and King Da Kucky: 1. Theming - the TTD dragster x-mas tree lights and sound effects are great and build trhe anticipation and anxiety. KK - you roll out and sit there and suddenly get launched. 2. Efficiency - TTD launches a train about every 30 seconds. KK - about every two minutes. 3. The restrainsts - TTD - lap only. KK - uncomfortable OTSR.

Yes, there were still some gaps in places. A major gap between the first lift hill and first helix in back of the Flyer.

The Knoebels Phoenix - 78 feet tall with a 72 foot drop - averages right to 75. This is my favorite woodie - its just so much fun. Yeah, Hades is great, and El Toro is pure brawn, but I'll take a night on the Phoenix over any of them.

We went to Knoebels on Saturday, September 1st. Here are a bunch of pics. Some pics of the Flying Turns, the Flyer, etc. And then a bunch of pics that I hope capture what makes Knoebels the incredible park that it is. And last, but certainly not least - the Phoenix at night. With incredible ejector airtime!!! I swear Knoebels has the most beautiful swing anywhere There is something that is just so right about a kid standing on a diving board with the Twister in the background! Speaking of the Twister The train back into the woods, through the Twister, under the water slides! Teacups! I love these teacups! High Speed Thrill Racer speeding into the station! High Speed Thrill Racer The motor boats that run under HSTR Did someone say kiddie rides! Miniature Golf under the pines Trying to grab the gold ring for a free ride! The Grand Carousel The Paratrooper Let's get VERTICAL! Speaking of Flying - nothing better than the Flyer at Knoebels! Flying Turns Station A few pics of the Flying Turns The sign at night. Knoebels is incredible at night. The Knoebels sign in the park The drive in to Koebels. All those trees are a preview of things to come! And if you're hungry, check out these prices at the Alamo!