edboxer

Front seat on Phoenix at Knoebels dares you to keep your butt in the seat. You'll lose. Long gone, but the Wildcat at Idora Park had thigh bruising airtime in the back seat.

Age - 52. First kiddie coaster - Little Dipper - Conneaut Lake Park (1960) First tubular steel coaster - Mine Ride -CP (1970) First wood coaster - Big Dipper - Geauga Lake Park (1968) First steel coaster - Corkscrew - CP (1976)

The swinging cars on Deno's Wonder Wheel - Coney Island - scare the crap out of me. 1. the thing is a bazillion years old 2. it looks like all the track that the swinging cars ride on is bent, and that they could easily fall off the track 3. it hasn't been painted, or greased, in a couple of decades 4. the cars feel like your in a caged dumpster, and the elevated seats keep your feet off the floor. 4. the ride ops look like recent prison escapees

I'd have to say there isn't much that can beat the simplicity of the Coney Island Cyclone with the moon over the ocean.

Hmmm...coolest looking Woodie - I'd have to go with Boulderdash - it is so cool suddenly seeing the trains fly up and down the mountain between the trees and then disappear into the woods again. Steel - Dueling Dragons - from the view in the park or the cue - its incredible.

Hey, you spend your time to run this free site. No apologies are necessary.

What coaster do you want to experience for the first time again. I know when I ride a coaster the first time, the experience is heightened. And I never get the initial experience again. It could still be a great coaster, but that virgin rush is missing. So, what coaster do you wish you could experience again for the first time? I've ridden hundreds, but the one I wish I could get that virgin rush from again is TTD. Its cool, its great, but the first time on TTD blew my mind.

Overrated IMHO: Nitro - its ok, but there are lots better. SROS SFDL and SFA - nice drop and then its nothing more than a spin a puke. Magnum XL200 - Should be renamed Magnum XL S&M - its painful. I wish they would get new trains and retrack the return so it isn't a thigh bruiser. Most overrated wood: Kennywood Thunderbolt - enjoyable only if you like riding down a flight of stairs in a pedal car. Most overrated steel: Kennywood Phantoms Revenge - nice drop, but after that it just finds it way back into the station. Now a bunch of you have stated the CI Cyclone is overrated. I would ask 1 question, have you ever ridden in the next to the last seat? The most intense drop on any coaster I've ever ridden. The only coaster that yanks my stomach into my throat.

Coney Island Astroland - its doesn't get much smaller. 2 blocks + The Cyclone

TR - Busch Gardens Williamsburg Saturday, April 15th. We paid our $10.00 parking fee and followed the flag guys to a parking lot. We passed 6 lots that were totally full and it looked like we were being directed to a lot about a mile from the entrance. We got a view of the thousands of cars and decided to wait until Sunday. We left without even parking. Sunday, April 16th. What a difference a day makes. There was a very light crowd. It was also free to all military. Very nice gesture. We arrived about 10:30. It was my first trip to BGW. Very nice park, although IMHO, its doesn't rank as the world's most beautiful (I think IOA should get that title). Apollo's Chariot, 20 minute wait for front row. A great hyper. Excellent anticipation after the chain before the first drop. Some great airtime. Loved the return trips twisted airtime. Its now my #6. Big Bad Wolf, 15 minute wait for front row. Cool swoop through the village. Excellent drop over the lake, but was disappointed that after the drop it just rises to the final break. But an excellent ride overall. Alpengeist, 40 minute wait for second row. Love all the theming, nice Immelman over the shed. Was slightly disappointed at how much it slowed down going over the snow drift sections. But a cool ride. Loch Ness Monster, 10 minute wait for the second row. Was surprised at how low to the surrounding hills the loops were. Painfully short OTSR. Loved the spiral tunnel. Again, surprised that after the second loop you hit the brake. The train. This for me was the single most disappointing thing in the park. You cannot see much of the park at all from the train, and the never ending ad was out of synch with our location at any given time. It was an annoying 20 minute ride. We left about 3:30, over all spending 5 hours in the park touring, etc. Had a good time. And an infinitely better experience than we had in BG Tampa a few years ago. We had some dinner and I returned to the park solo at 6:45 (they were closing at 8). I headed from Apollo's Chariot. I got a ride in the front seat and a ride in the back seat (with some military guys I met in line who were a scream, literally) by 7:30. They would scream like little girls from the moment the train left the station until the restraints were released. It was hysterical. I got another front row ride by 8:50. I was seated next to a girl (maybe mid-20s) who appeared scared to death. When the train dropped over the first hill she grabbed my wrist and didn't let go until we hit the break. When we got back in the station, the only lines were for the front and back row, so if there was an empty row, you could move to it and stay on. I got 3 rides second row without moving the restraint. The wrist grabber moved to the second row as well. Very cool policy.

Appollo's Chariot - 4 times without getting off - on Easter Sunday!!!

Well back in my college days (music school - voice major), a bunch of us would ride coasters singing the "Ride of the Walkures". Somehow it jsut felt right. But got a ton of laughs and looks. We would also do this on the old water ride in Frontier town at CP - the one with the double down drop. Always cracked up the ride ops watching the flume.

Hmmm what's the possibility of them moving Geuaga's flying coaster to CP??

My worst trip - SF Worlds of Adventure (aka Geauga Lake) June 2003. (FYI, I grew up in the area and the Big Dipper was my first Roller Coaster) It was hot and humid and SF had ripped out all of the drinking fountains. The 2 restrooms I used were disgustingly filthy and stank. The park was not crowded, but rollercoaster lines were 1+ hours, even on the Big Dipper. In 4 hours, we rode the flying coaster and the Big Dipper and then we left. What a difference CF made, in June of 2005, we rode every coaster in 4 hours.

Trip Report - SFGADV - April 2nd 10:00-5:00 (free tickets, yeah) Arrived just after the running of the rope. Windy, Sunny. Headed right for Batman the Ride (I was with a friend who wanted to ride that first.... Pretty much a walk on that early. Nice ride, prefer Talon. After Batman, Nitro. It was my first ride on Nitro and I was expecting to be impressed from all the reviews. Rode in the first row. It was cool. Love the dives. Very little air. Skull Mountain. My friend hadn't been to SFGADV in 20 years. He had no idea what to expect on SM. I forewarned him anything with the initials SM was gonna hurt. Not as rough as usual. Next was the mine ride, fun, ok. Medusa, he'd never been on a floorless. Medusa delivered in the first half and jerked through the last half. Still a great ride. 11:20 So far SFGADV was much improved. When we got off Medusa, we saw they were finally doing some test runs of Kingda Ka, so we headed to the line. Was in line at 11:30, the end of the long walk right before the switchbacks, supposedly the 1 hour marker. It finally started running at 12:30. Only two trains on one side of the station, 3 minutes between launches. At 2:00 we finally got our ride. Its cool, but I actually prefer Dragster. Several reasons, Dragster's theming and count down is a great tension builder. Ka just launches. Dragster's entire run is on the midway. Ka is back in the woods, you can't see it from the park, which is very poor planning on SF's part. Ka's over the shoulder harness sucks. And for what reason??? I have a long back, and it was crushing my shoulders. Which really sucks in the front row. We got off Ka and got some hideously overpriced bad food. My pulled pork sandwich, two spoons of beans and slaw and a cup of water - $12.90. Superman Flight had been running when we first arrived, but hadn't run since. B&R Chiller was running only the Robin side, Screeching Thunder was not running, a flat ride was still unassembled. Skyride didn't run till after 1:00. Its was looking more and more like SF the usual (which is why Dorney is my home park). Went for a second Medusa ride. 30 minute line. Checked out El Toro. El Toro's first drop is just sick. The park says it'll open in June?? Whole sections of support have yet to be built. I didn't see any track laid. hmmmm... We saw a test run on Superman Flight so headed over. When we got there, people we exiting the queue in a steady stream. We went over and rode GASM. Ouch, Ouch Ouch Ouch. Rough ride and another short OTSR. Flight was now running, we got in line. An hour later (after standing in the unprotected queue), I looked at the OTSR and said no, my shoulders were hurting. My friend rode. Liked it. I've ridden Geauga Lake's version. This seemed to be slower. Went for another ride on Nitro (30 minute wait). What a difference the afternoon made. It was flying with great floating air all over the place. Now I can understand some of the hype. We were leaving the park, when the park parade (vehicles, looneytoons, comicstrip) was going by, and at the end of the parade - The US Coast Guard Recruiting Team??? I was ROFL, it was so right on so many levels; looneytoons and the military. As we drove out of the parking lot, we saw that Kingda Ka was down again, the queue looked empty... So overall, better than my previous experiences at SFGADV. Yes, 12 rides in 7 hours wasn't too bad. But, all over the park the guests are wished a happy 45th Anniversary - got kind of annoying... And more than one staff was heard saying its all about the kids, the adults are here to make sure the kids have a good time. That got really annoying. Would I got back, not anytime soon.

In a word - OUCH! I have yet to ride a stand-up that didn't cause a jolt of pain below the belt somewhere in the ride.

last year's 6:00 am ERT: MF was maybe 10 minutes TTD 15 minutes for the front seat

Anyone else going to SFGADV on Sunday? Want to meet up?

Just my opinion: Silver Comet, Martin's Fantasy Island - first car. Superman: ROS, SFDL - first car, second row (and there is never a line for it). Boulder Dash, LC - front row for floating, back row for slamming Superman: ROS, SFNE - first car, second row (and there is never a line for it). Superman: ROS, SFA - first car, second row (and there is never a line for it). Roar, SFA - back car has slamming air Hydra - back has nice flotaing down the hills and through the inversions Steel force - first car second row Talon - incredible air in the back row Thunderhawk - very little air, and a nasty final brake. Storm Runner - front row - only the front does it feel like your face is about to get blow off. Great Bear - air, too slow for air. Comet (Hershey) - forget the comet - go on on Lightening racers - nice air in the front and last but not least: The Knoebels' Woodies! Twister - not a lot of air in the front - some slamming air in the back. Phoenix - front car - just try to keep your butt in the seat!

Off the top of my head: Idora Park Wildcat Idora Park Jack Rabbit Geauga Lake Corkscrew Conneaut Lake Park Wildmouse Dorney Park Hercules Knoebels Whirlwind SFGA Viper Cedar Point Jumbo Jet

6 flags is gving away 45,000 tickets for opening weekend: http://www.sixflags45.com/

Best Airtime - Phoenix Most Surprising Airtime - Comet - Waldameer Most Missed Airtime - Jack Rabbit - Idora Park - you got bounced all over that ride.

My home Park: Dorney. I may have to finally break down and give SFGADV another chance. I haven't been there in a few years. But with Superman, Nitro, Kingda Ka and El Toro still not ridden, I may do it. I'll be in Madison, WI in August - definitely going to Mt. Olympus. May do a coaster trip in June - thinking of going to Holiday World and Dollywood. The New Year will tell.

My home park - Dorney - multiple times!! Hades is a blast - 5 inversions in a row! Lake Compounce - Boulderdash didn't seem to have the air it had last year. But I rode it twice in the rain!! Astroland - The Cyclone still has the best first drop, especially in the next to last seat. Nothing else grabs my stomach like it. Then there was the coast trip: Conneaut Lake Park - I grew up at Conneaut, Idora and Geauga Lake - it pains me to see the place such a shambles. But still loved the Blue Streak. Martin's Fantasy Island - in the rain - Silver Comet kicks ass, and bruises ribs.... Waldameer - loved the place. Amazed to get some airtime on the Comet - what a great coaster. Somebody needs to start making them this size again. Its the perfect tweener coaster. Geauga Lake - Big Dipper still has great Air. Dominator is a blast, especially in the last seat. But the finale double corkscrew is painful. 3 days at Cedar Point, including Coastermania, - 18 rides on TTD - 16 in the front seat. I'd still kill for a roolback. The highlight - Coastermania - hundreds of people by the front gate at 5:30am. riding TTD at 6:45am - 6 rides on MF before 8:00am.

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