wro73

REVOLUTION... Revolution... anyone anyone anyone, Shapiro? I know it's MY problem, but I tend to listen to the corporate park people with a large brick of salt, and always ready to pounce. Took me a few to decompress, but Mr. Mark seems to be on things in a good way. I am impressed! Now, lets get rid of Flash pass and all of that other greedy "look I have more money than you do" crap. Can't wait to get back to the Mountain. Geez, it's been 9 years!

Safety is always #1... but INTEGRITY (see Holidayworld, Busch parks, Indiana Beach, Kennywood, Kiddieland (IL), etc...) I mean, I know it is a big business, but come on. The now very popular "come to our park for 1/2 off and bring your friend for free" crap has got to stop. And of course the continued 'separation of classes' thanks to FAST PASS... Just plain wrong the way those parks are being run. It's not that easy, I know that much. But I would sure set those goals. FAST PASS would be gone so fast if I was in control. Either that, OR FAST PASS would be like $300 and 75% of that would go to charity. See, a good cause, and you wouldn't get many fast pass buyers.... Lower pop prices (GOAL: pop 'included with admission') Stop giving away passes and tickets NOW!!! If it's a 'family park' then get rid of cheap, boring, not even funny crap like shirts that say "I'm HUGE in Japan" and the like. GOAL: take care of woodies so people will at LEAST not get hurt on them (Georgia Cyclone, Texas Giant, etc.) *GEEZ... American Eagle is a PRINCE compared to those... (well, the steel track helps!)* Teach employees the importance of kindness, forgiveness, etc., and to BE FASTER! Holidayworld and Dollywood have the best ride ops... Oh yeah, and the Germany fairs Oh yeah, we need DONKEYS. (Gee, I'm new here, have no idea what all this Donkey stuff is, and really hate myself for trying to fit in. But if it entertains one soul, it's worth it...)

Thanks Shane! They all have their great points! I really like the SFOG brochure with Mindbender on it. And of course, KD. I remember going there in, I think 84 and 85. We always went to DC to visit my mom when she was there for work (govnmt worker) in the summer. I was still too much a chicken to ride Rebel and Grizzly in '84, but did my first woodie there, Scooby Doo. I also, of course, loved King Kobra. My aunt Janice threw a fit cuz we rented a car and drove there, and I wouldn't ride the big woodies. I think we ended up leaving early, and I didn't get my extra rides on Kobra. I think growing up at Great America since 1980; then '81 the American Eagle carried such a legacy and reputation of terror (didn't ride it until '85) that that's what made me afraid of the woodies at Kings Dominion. At the time, Rebel Yell basically looked like a slightly smaller Eagle to me. I surely remember the Apple Turnover, Flying Dutchman shoes and the Galaxy coaster as well. The place was a dream. I finally rode Grizzly and Rebel the next summer, and loved them. And that's the last time I was there! Summer '85! I remember the signs for the new stand up coaster coming in '86! I've got some great old brochures, postcards/pics and promo material from parks (as well as Arrow) that I'd like to get up sometime. My scanner is broke, and I'm pretty lazy! I've also got some great promo folders from Cedar Point from like 85-87 I believe; beautiful shiny colorful folder chock full of pics, etc. I'm not the biggest CP fan that I once was... I'd much rather talk and brag about places like Indiana Beach, Holidayworld, Hershey and Kennywood. CP has really sold out over the years, and just simply isn't much fun anymore (as well as SF).

Amazing pics and a great review to boot! I gotta stick up a *little* for double loop. Other than the obvious that you noted, I seem to remember a big 'thump' of airtime in the front of the train (in the hollowed out Arrow 'nose') when cresting the hill after the first drop (the 'thump' being your feet hitting the roof of that Arrow 'nose') and a similar event after the 2nd loop. Man you really hit dead on with the Big Dipper. I had a very rough ride in the back seat in '88 (like grinding) but other than that, BD always delivered a super classic what-a-coaster-should-be ride! I am still floored how CF is treating this ride and GLake as a whole. It's always been a no-brainer that the park couldn't possibly do well for any amount of time after SF came in, shoved a bunch of big coasters miscellaneously around in a small park. Oh yeah, and I'm still pissed what CP did to the Blue Streak for '94 and ESPECIALLY '95. That was my ride. I hope that's ok to say around here, I get shunned or shussed and made fun of at another certain popular coaster forum that I no longer support (and have deleted my membership there as well). As far as RWBobs goes... well, I'm from Chicago as well. My mom and uncle, my Grandpa, all told me how wild and all that the Bobs was. Other than a footprint that is somewhat reminiscent of the Bobs, RWB was pretty much NOT much. I rode the heck outta the thing when it opened in '88 and then it was fast and fun. The 2nd drop had violent lateral-airtime, as did the following speed bump. But the rest of the ride, although rather smooth and fast, really did nothing. One thing that supposedly was a 'feature' was that front curve (left of the lift) was banked insane, like 70 degrees or something. And it was later de-banked to like 30 or 40 degrees (maybe no longer going fast enough to make a high bank?) I think I rode it once or twice in the early 90's; it was pretty bumpy and pretty much nothing to ride again. And why would they paint it white? It looked great natural, with the green and red station (and a big rock with a wolf w/glowing eyes on top of it!). Big Dipper though, CF will feel the Karma.... It actually is MORE than just ' bizness, money, reality' and "thats life." That's a bunch of crap...

Heck yeah! The Shockwave has had a couple pretty, uhh... not very pleasing color schemes. Personally, I don't like the current one (bright blue, bright green, yellow stairs(?????), white n grey trains with a brown or blue stripe???). From what I can tell from pics (including my own from 1990-1995), here are the color schemes (please correct me if I'm wrong or missing one or more!): All white with blue trains Dark blue supports with silver track (this was nice....) Beige supports, white track and pepto-bismal pink loop interiors (UUUCK!!!) and now the Bright blue n green..... That ride is great, and easily still one of the top 10 steel coasters anywhere ... I just wish it could look good for more than a couple years. I think a Vortex like navy supports and either yellow or orange track would look good. The train on Greezed Lightnin' (Tidal wave/viper) at Kentucky Kingdom has a similar dark brown/reddish stripe as the Shockwave. Does this color even belong on a coaster? Either way, both rides rule the parks that they are at (ok ok.. i haven't been to SFOT since I interned there in '95, but I've been on exact duplicates or similar rides as everything they have; and unfortunately I know the Giant is a mess now - it was actually still pretty good in '95, and of course KILLER in '90)