Shockwave Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Thanks for this TR! Shame you missed out on Ratanga Junction and a couple of the credits, but still you got to ride Anaconda which just looks and sounds awesome! I'm sure I'll get to South Africa some day. maybe I'll time my trip to coincide with the 2010 World Cup. Now that's not a bad idea. And talking of good ideas, I'll buy a Scotland shirt well in advance, because I don't think England will qualify to the next one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Divv3k Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Well you never know because it was announced today that Scotland are sixteenth in the world! How the hell do Fifa come up with these rankings? Scotland haven't qualified for a mjor tournament in ten years! But yeah on topic I imagine South Africa would be looking pretty cool come 2010 when the eyes of the world are on them - not that it doesn't look pretty cool already of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jynx242 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Hey - thanks for the Pictures. Those parks are beautiful! Since it will be a LONG while until I get to make it to that side of the world - I'll live vicariously through you. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrich Posted March 15, 2007 Author Share Posted March 15, 2007 Thanks for all your comments Guys. It was a shame about Ratanga, especially being right next to the park and not going in. Id have liked to have seen Gold Reef Busier too, I didn't actually ride that much due to the wait times, especially Anaconda. 15-25 minutes was the average for 10 riders to appear. I did manage 4 rides in a row when the large group of 20 ish in the park came over for a ride. It was either ride or take photo's, so I decided on the former! The only downside not shown in the pics was that they don't disguise construction very well, and some areas of the park were being worked on (or were obviously half completed), whilst I was there. Seems odd when the finished article is so nice. Living in Europe (and travelling to the US) I have been lucky to have ridden a fair number of Schwartzkopf shuttle loops, so missing out on it wasn't really a disappointment. It has been closed for months too, and was all ready to reopen - its just things happen very slowly out in Africa. Deadlines there are generally "when its done" - hence why the ToT reopening has slipped so much! Anyway, there are a number of flights from Cape Town to Joburg, so anyone in Cape Town can get to the park relatively easily. It cost me £55 for the return flight with Kulula (SA Budget airline owned by British Airways), £25 each way in a Taxi and £8 to get into the park and buy a ride wristband. Well worth taking a day out for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECZenith Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Absolutely beautoful photos, lots of keepers! I like the new paint on Anaconda, although I'm not sure how new it actually is. Last time I saw it, it was an awful pink... Never new ToT was being upgraded, I love the new trains! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coasterboy2 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 If I ever go on a Honymoon (probably), I think I'll go to South Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayjay719 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Awesome photo trip report! Gold Reef City looks like a good park, even thought it was empty. I like empty parks, but not THAT empty. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbellybuys Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I miss White Lightning. I am glad to see it is still looking good after all these years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogmom Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Thanks for the great TR. Looks like a beautiful park. Anaconda looks truly awesome- you got some great shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Well you never know because it was announced today that Scotland are sixteenth in the world! How the hell do Fifa come up with these rankings? Scotland haven't qualified for a mjor tournament in ten years! I know how crazy is that??!! Anyway.... The park looks awesome!! I soooooooooo wanna go on tower of terror. Im thinking of doing some volunteering in South Africa next Summer, so maybe I'll get the chance to go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boy_who_luvs_coasters Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Dude, good job. All the pics look good. And sorry you missed out on ToT. Next Time maybe?... -Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissorkill2night Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Very nice pictures.what kind of cameria do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrise_87 Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 I went to gold reef city on valentines day of 2007 when i was on holiday and i also missed out on TOT and golden loop but anaconda was amazing and im sure there was half the amount of people there on my visit than yours, i mean a ride op pretty much walked round with my girlfriend and i and just ran the rides we wanted to go on if we could get anough people to ride. But the parks theming is beautiful and it is quite a small park but the railway was open on my visit and also the powered mine which has a surprising amount of negatives. Great trip report south africa is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrich Posted March 16, 2007 Author Share Posted March 16, 2007 Very nice pictures.what kind of cameria do you use? I've got a Nikon D70 and only had my Nikkor 18-200 VR lens with me for the trip. It was a very bright day, so not ideal conditions really. The biggest challenge was catching rides when they ran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janster Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Wow, I always wondered what that park must look like. It looks OK. Nice pictures. Negative q-ing times. The ride has to wait for riders in stead of the other way around. Cool that you sacrificed a ride on Anaconda to make that picture. I guess I won't be going to South Africa soon, but if I'm around, I will visit Gold Reef City. That ToT looks so scary. I guess that's one of those "WTF OMG I'm gonna die today" kinda rides. Is there anyone who rode it in the good old days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krouvi Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Great pics. "Gold Reef City" looks like an rct3 park. And its a nice park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgwfreak Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Awe. I miss White Lightnin' (what it was called when it was at Carowinds). Does it break down alot there too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Volcano Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 Great Photos coasterrich! Those were fun to look at, allitle something different. Gold Reeft City looks like a cool park, it also looks nicely themed and pretty. -Justin (I wish I could ride Anaconda...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Wow, I had never seen pics of this place before (besides Anaconda and Golden Loop), it looks very nice. The landscaping and theming look great, and it looks very clean as well. I'd love to check it out some time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbellybuys Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Yes, it was called that at Carowinds. It was actually called White Lightnin. That coaster holds a lot of memories for me. It was torn down to expand the water park. It used to sit in front of the wave pool but was torn down not to long after those people were shot at the wave pool. I can't remember what year that was but it was not long after the shooting. It had nothing to do with the shooting but it was around the same time if memory serves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arneil_SFMM Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 lol its funny how B&M and Giovanola have the same track style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimster Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Gold Reef City looks like a nice little park. I'd love to visit someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disneyfan1313 Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Thanks for the great TR!!! It is awesome seeing reports of parks this rare. If you have any other photos of the rest of the park please feel free to post them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekRx Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Those are some really beautiful pictures of some really hard to reach parks. If ever I get to South Africa, I so hope all the coasters are operating, though from the looks of it Anaconda is worth the price alone. Thank you for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterrich Posted March 19, 2007 Author Share Posted March 19, 2007 Thanks for the great TR!!! It is awesome seeing reports of parks this rare. If you have any other photos of the rest of the park please feel free to post them! Thanks, I have no other pictures worth posting though, as I captured most of the park with those posted. The Children's area (next to ToT) was closed off completely for a refurbishment and that, other than the powered mine train, was really the only thing I didn't capture. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts