PeoplemoverMatt

Twisted Colossus will eventually very rarely run with more than two trains, no matter if there's dual loading stations or what. It'll be an extremely rare sight to ever see two trains go up/down the lift hill together, high-five together, fly over each other, etc. Sure it's not what we'd like to see, but in all likelihood it's going to happen. Will it kill the ride? No. People will still come to ride it because it will be an AWESOME ride regardless. So the sooner people accept this, the sooner we can stop analyzing some concept art video as if it were the be all, end all authority on exactly what will happen, down to the last nanosecond, on Twisted Colossus.

OMG WHO THE $@ CARES ABOUT DISPATCHES AND TIMING?!?!!!?!?! Okay, let's assume the dispatches are not timed perfectly and the trains don't go up the lift hill together perfectly, or through the high-five perfectly, or soar over each other perfectly. Is the Earth going to start rotating backwards? Are galaxies going to explode? Will the space-time continuum be ripped to shreds? No. What will happen is that a train will go down the first drop on its own, through the high-five like it was an overbank (the wrong way on the left side), and do a zero-G roll and a bunny hill. It will be a fantastic ride, and it will keep the park relevant. Of course we would love it if things were timed perfectly and the ride happened just like that concept art video, but we know that isn't going to be the case. And if it's not, so what? Is it worth 20 pages of ceaseless whining? No. Will it be a great ride regardless of if 2, maybe 3 trains at most are running and there isn't dueling anything? Yes. So let's be happy about that, and let's be happy that this amazing coaster is even being built, for one, and being built so close that we have relatively easy access to it. However it's going to be run, it's going to be a terrific ride that we will all have a great time riding. It will be leaps and bounds better than what just closed recently. I haven't been this excited to go ride something at SFMM in years, and I'm betting I'm not alone in that feeling. That's what's most important here, right? By the way, has anyone interviewed one of those dopey "Save Colossus" protestors about this? I'd love to see/hear/read their Grumpy Cat-style reaction to this announcement.

I think it takes moving away from this state (or at least spending a bunch of time out of it) to realize how hollow that particular pursuit is. There are days when I'm totally convinced that I am the only one around here who is actually happy about Colossus' closing so a bigger, badder, better, "put the park on the map again" ride can be built in its place. A lot of people are not unlike those bizarre "SAVE COLOSSUS" protestors who live in a complete fantasy world where Colossus runs in 2014 and beyond exactly like it did in 1978. They might be slightly less militant about it, but still all they can think about is how tragic it is that Colossus is dying and need to have RAGE that it's being closed. Never mind what now has the chance to be built in its place. RAGE RAGE RAGE because closing! Ughh! And these same people, I'm sure, will refuse to ever ride whatever crazy fun new ride shows up one day in Colossus' place right? ... ... ... ...right?

XTREME GIGA BOBSLED COLOSSUS X3!!!

One of those Skybridges that SeaWorld San Diego has leading to its Shamu Stadium would have some amazing views of the new area if they survive the construction for this.

Robb, can you check to see if you have one order from me for the Knott's day, or two? There should be two, but PayPal messed up after the payment went through and I'm not sure if I was able to click return to merchant as is needed. Thanks

I still don't get what exactly they're trying to save it from. Save it from improvement? From running like it should? From not looking like an utter disgrace with one side totally rotted out and unuseable? From that ridiculous flattened out camelback ever being restored? Are they trying to save us all from having a huge, brand new, top of the line, insane-looking, very attractive-looking insane RMC coaster similar to SFGAm's Goliath, or Iron Rattler or New Texas Giant? A spectacular ride that would impress today's audiences in much the same fashion as the original Colossus impressed audiences of the 1970s? Is that what they are here to prevent? That's what it looks like to me.

Xtreme Colossus is apparently a possibility.

The best option to accomplish what? The gargantuan loss of public awareness of orcas and by extension marine life in the ocean as well? Videos on the internet can never and will never replace the experience of seeing these creatures live and close up. No whale watching trip will ever be able to duplicate that experience. If orcas were not visible at SeaWorld, it would make for a huge loss in public education, connection, and awareness of marine life. How many marine biologists are there today who would instead have gone into other professions had they not had childhood experiences at SeaWorld? How many marine animals have been rescued and nurtured back to health by adults who chose that profession or hobby because of having been able to see and make contact with marine life instead of just looking at pictures or YouTube videos? The gains that are made by SeaWorld and the orcas in their shows go far beyond the shows themselves, but all some people see are walls and fences. Moreover your comparison crashes against the rocky shores of reality. Most of the orcas at SeaWorld did not come from the ocean, but were born and bred at SeaWorld. They live far less dangerous and much healthier lives than they ever could in the wild. It's not perfect, but it isn't like living in a bathtub all your life at all. But if you insist on making that comparison, remember than while you might go insane in that mansion, you'd also die if you were unexpectedly forced out of it one day. While you might not be a big fan of captivity, I'm sure you're much less of a fan of the idea of killing these orcas by setting them "free" in the wild. Activists should be praising SeaWorld for all the good they have done for marine life in their history. They really have no idea how much they are cutting off their nose to spite their face by attacking Sea World, to say nothing of the outright lies and deceit that the propaganda piece "Blackfish" is overflowing with.

That's what zombie movies are good for.

On a Tuesday...when their coasters haven't run at full capacity in many years. Sounds legit!

Hey Robb, I sent you a PM regarding an issue I had placing orders for WCB tickets. Just want to make sure everything's ok!

It wouldn't be the first time I've heard SFMM and its location not considered to be in Southern California. Sadly a lot of geographically-challenged people think SoCal ends north of the valley.

The loading house for that major coaster at my local park. It's by far the worst, especially because I had to wait in it. Ugh.

It's going to be roast your tail off hot this weekend here. Make sure to stay well hydrated, but conserve water because there is a drought.

Sign the petition to keep Colossus running terribly! The Signal So these people want to "keep Colossus running in the state it was first made" apparently not knowing that it has been heavily modified since it first opened because it was literally tearing itself apart. They also claim to want to keep Colossus running in its current state. I can't help but wonder if they mean its current state of disrepair, current state of looking badly, rotted, under-maintained, etc. Is that they state they mean? Then, I have to conclude none of these people have ever heard of Rocky Mountain Construction, or what RMC has done for other large classic woodies like Texas Giant or Rattler because I really can't believe they'd actively choose the rotten, rundown, old & busted Colossus over those. But, the SFMM spokeswoman did say “We’re thrilled that so many people are as passionate about Colossus as we are at Six Flags Magic Mountain. We think they’ll love what we have planned for the future.” which indicates there IS a future for either the ride, the ride's plot, or both. What does it mean? Who knows. For now, let's all get on board with the Keep Colossus Running Terribly! campaign.

Not a real great comparison to this situation since the plethora of trees around Ninja does create the potential for a branch or even an entire tree making contact with the track at any time, including between ride cycles. Yes, BGT did do their job there, but if not for the storm, that would have been a guest that was brushed by the tree who may or may not have reported it. Then who knows what may have happened afterwards. This looks like one of those freak things that is sort of amazing that it never happened before in Ninja's 20+ year history. It would be a gross overreaction to implement some sort of regulation that required protection of the ride envelope from the surrounding trees. As was mentioned earlier, plenty of rides go 'through the trees' without any problem at all.

Thanks for the report Robb! Will absolutely check this out next time I go. Hopefully the line is less than 450 minutes by then!

^ In January/February, the park is barely open for 15 hours per week. Do you really think that's enough time to make or break the tree maintenance and other things that do go on during the week while the park is closed?

I read all these posts about day planning and I can't help but wonder when MyMagic+ and MagicBands will come to DLR. If you've never used them before, you have no idea how incredibly easier they make even a one day trip. No rushing around the park getting FP's, no need to get there at the crack of dawn to get that elusive FP that's gone in the first hour, you wake up and walk in knowing at least your top 3 must do's are locked in. Then at the park there's no fumbling around trying to get everyone's admission ticket multiple times for the admission gates or the FP machines. Everything is read right off the MagicBand. This needs to come to DLR ASAP!!!

Did the train derail and then hit a tree, or did it derail because it hit a tree? So far I've been unable to tell. If a tree somehow slumped against the track, that would be a huge problem for the guide wheels and the chassis. But if the chassis broke, the train wouldn't have to wander very far in order to hit a tree. So far it's all sounding like it derailed because of a fallen/slumped tree but can't really get anything definitive. Don't expect the news coverage to provide much. The "COASTERS ARE ALL DEATH TRAPS!!!" machine is on its way if it hasn't already begun.

Looks amazing! Can't wait to eventually see it!

We know it is not a C-ticket if the old Snow White dark ride is there, and this is most certainly a step up from that. From what I saw when I was there during Cast previews, it did not look on the grand scale of Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, or other top tier rides. It looks like a very solid, very well done ride, but not quite on *that* level. I'd put it as a solid D-ticket. Once the newness wears off, I think it will fit comfortably in that position in most people's minds, much like Mermaid has by now. Now that everything is finally open, we can take a step back and measure just how much New Fantasyland has added to Magic Kingdom. Unlike what some hysterical people would have you believe, New Fantasyland turned out to be much more than a bunch of meet n' greets. From Storybook Circus to the Tangled bathrooms and everything in between looks really, really good. Mermaid, Mine Train, Dueling Dumbos, and even the repackaged BarnStormer are all solid attractions in their own right. What can you say about Be Our Guest restaurant other than just how amazing it is visually? Every person I've shown it to here in CA, theme park people or not, are just blown away by how it looks. The food itself is great as well. I can't recall anyplace outside of Tokyo that I've had a better quick service lunch in. Even the Casey Jr. fountain turned out much better than I figured it would, and kids seem to have a ton of fun in it as a wait-free respite from the brutal Florida humidity. So you have all that, and I haven't even mentioned the meet n' greet spaces. This is hardly *just* meet n' greets. For their target audience, I'm sure the new opportunities to meet various Princesses add even more to the experience New Fantasyland has brought to Magic Kingdom. Admittedly, I had fun being a suit of armor in the Enchanted Tales with Belle. So this is a VERY solid area, certainly in the running for strongest theme in the park. I look forward to having a great time in "New" Fantasyland for years to come.

Maybe it's just me, but I seem to see the Disney/Universal parks of Orlando and elsewhere doing just fine without the big crazy-looking flat rides. Maybe the lack of big flats makes them "non-complete" parks, but seeing as they are the most attended of any theme parks in the world, I somehow doubt the executives who run them are concerned at all.

Closed and entrance was construction walled off as of this past Monday.