RaptorBoyASU

Love the new dates, they'll probably align with when I'm in Cali for work too!

#1. Hurakan Condor - stand up floorless side - I have always had a mild drop tower phobia, and this escalated it to the next level. #2. X - It is so different an experience than any other coaster, and going up that first drop backwards was terrifying. I can't express how tight my grip was as the seats rotated on that first drop the first time (and even still) #3. Lex Luthor - See drop phobia mentioned above, add even more height, and the fact the towers sway so much when Superman launches. YIKES! #4. Skyrush - outside "wing" seat back row - Ok, everyone talked about how extreme the air was, but I wasn't expecting the pitch forward the outside seats give. I really did think I was going to be ejected. #5. Haunted Mansion @ Knoebel's. I think I may have actually shit myself from the horn the first time.

I'm sorry Raptor, you're no longer the most beautiful part of the front of the park.

Much cooler addition than DCA got with Little Mermaid. Love the building and queue! Those apple drinks are AMAZING!

Yah, never got a response here, nor did Maurizio. Oh well!

It was interesting - I was strolling around the park around 5PM-ish and saw them transfer the purple train on, but Twister didn't open until a while after 6PM with the blue train just sitting on the first lift. Even after it opened, they were cycling the purple train empty for a while. I was so confused for a minute, but I guess it really is more blue than green, and more burgundy than red.......Interesting how color perceptions differ under those yellow station lights.

Had an amazing PPP, but we decided already that we will do the afternoon ride session on Sunday next year instead. The park was PACKED on Saturday afternoon, yet dead on Sunday when we went back to get our Haunted Mansion ride we missed on Sat night. However, once PPP actually started on Saturday, the crowds were smaller than in years past, and much smaller than the afternoon crowds. I got 3 Phoenix rides in the last 12 minutes the park was open. Phoenix was like a bat out of hell this year. More airtime than I've ever had on it before. Thank god they redid that first drop....goodbye pothole. I have bruises on my thighs today from the evening rides. Twister was running great in the green train, but no so good in the red train. I probably had my best Twister ride ever in the front seat of the green train about 9pm. INSANE! I never knew there was that much air time on twister. Flyers ran great all day, we missed the op that was stopping the ride due to too much snapping. They were running them so fast that I didn't even try to snap, and ended up getting both bottom and top snaps. The weather looked like it was going to be not so great on the drive up Friday, but by the time the rides started on Saturday, it was a beautiful (though chilly day). And best of all, I got my tubs of Pumpkin Rice Pudding (and Banana Cream), my jar of Sassafras Apple Butter, and my jug of fresh pressed cider.

I've been going to PPP since 2006 (with a few years that I missed). From what I've noticed, the crowd is becoming less and less enthusiASSt. Probably because it's not really a quiet event anymore. The covered bridge festival crowd keeps the park quite busy. You know how the enthusiASSes are. If they're not being coddled by management, they quit participating. There are still a few around, but far less than there was the first 2 years I went.

Hmmm, I can actually make KD, CP, and SFA. I haven't done one of these since I worked at CP.

Great report so far. So far I still have no desire to go to China. I'm hoping that you can change my mind in this report at some point.

I would disagree with physics, as a college major, it's going to be far into the theoretical. Mech or electrical engineering degree would definitely be of value, but even then it might be overkill. If you're looking to be a mechanic, becoming a certified electrician, learning mechanical maintenance, and getting some sort of certification in Allen Bradley Ladder Logic or other PLC system would seem to be what you really need. A trade school or community college probably has everything you need, you just need to find the right one. The big parks will also do internships in maintenance with their current maintenance guys as mentors. I know for sure that Cedar Point had quite a few maintenance apprentices when I was there.

^Which are exactly the reasons I have always skipped it. I really have no desire to have monkey-related damage to my car.

Do me a favor and don't ride Skyrush in a wing seat then. I can only imagine how "unsafe" you'll claim it to be. You should have ridden Blue Streak with the buzz bars, now that was exciting.

So far this year.... 1. Six Flags Magic Mountain 2. Six Flags America 3. Six Flags Great Adventure 4. Canobie Lake 5. Cedar Point

Most of the pictures I took are already in this thread, but I thought I'd add a few more. All in all, a fantastic event from start to finish. I ended up doing 9 laps on Magnum, around 46 laps on Gemini, 2 laps on Dragster, and a lap each on Snake River Falls and Shoot the Chutes (had to cool off mid-afternoon, it was a scorcher). Everyone involved was having a blast at CP, including the Gemini crew. I think everyone I talked to from the Team TPR crew had a great time. I will definitely be doing this event again next year! All the riders at CP, who collectively raised more than $25,000 Myself with the 1st place gift bag. I will be raffling off the contents soon!

Wow, just wow. I just logged in here at my parents house and was blown away. I didn't expect anything close to those donations. It really amazes me how much TPR has rallied around this fundraising effort. I'll be raffling off the prize on Tuesday when I get back. Thanks again everyone!

Cedar point team just bumped out of first too.

$20 more to Joey! THANKS TEAM TPR. I'm now in the top 3 and Team TPR is #1 at Cedar Point. Keep an eye on them tonight and tomorrow though, it's a very narrow lead.

Only $61 more to put me in 3rd!!!! Which would also push Team TPR into first place!

I just matched it, now who else will do the same!

I'm also less than $400 from being #3 at Cedar Point. Help push me into the top 3 and I'll raffle off the gift basket to one of my TPR donors!

^Thanks to you and all the awesome TPR donors! Thanks to Moose Jon, Wes, Jenntendo, and Chuck for that surge tonight!

Woot! And here I thought I had a ridiculous goal at first! I still have some money to donate to other Team TPR members. I'm going to make the rounds on Thursday and see who needs the help to reach a milestone!

Hmmm, thinking about doing a cruise from Baltimore to Bermuda on RCL's Enchantment of the Seas. Now after reading this thread, I'm wondering if that's a good idea. Wondering what the clientele will be like.

Ok, we're now up to $24546.49, less than $500 to go..... Make sure everyone puts another reminder out there. I have received another $175 since yesterday's "final push" email.