Kemah Boardwalk and Bullet Discussion Thread

[ErinBrookeTX]

I am sure I will see you all down there...it has now turned into a family event...I think my little neice might come also. Needsless to say I will probably be down there closer to 4 once we get everyone together!

[Fisherman]

We'll be there too...not sure when though.

 

See ya!

 

-Derek

[fmulder21]

Damn went and spent 2 hours out there! Just cycling the trains, Some with employees some empty.

[jmccalip]

Be sure and take some videos. Still another 20 days for me.

[guppyman]

It's finally open this evening, and it's a blast!

Heading back down there after a brief trip home...

[guppyman]

Oops... rained out...

 

I got 2 rides in - Hopefully many more tomorrow morning. I think I like it.

[jmccalip]

Review? Airtime? How's the first drop compared to the cyclone(sorry, I don't ride much).

[guppyman]

I am not a coaster expert like so many on here, but here's my opinion...

 

The Cyclone bored me. It was long straight stretches of hills and a bit of getting tossed around.

 

This is nothing like it besides the 'made of wood' part.

 

From the first drop on something is happening. On the second ride I still couldn't figure out where I was on the track at any given time... It's quite a rough ride in the back (the only place I rode)... I think I spent more time pressed up against the lap bar than on my seat.

 

It is now my favorite roller coaster (this might ave something to do with distance from my house, but... That's ok)

 

The first drop is great, and there are quite a few others where I felt I was gonna get launched... I just wish the rain had held off and I could have tried the front a few times....

[Fisherman]

We just got back home too. We rode 4 times...tried the front car, middle twice, and very back seat. I must say that I liked the back seat best. Airtime on all the bigger drops in the back seat. The 2nd big drop...the one after the high turn up front is my favorite...it reminds me a LOT of the drop off the midcourse break on Texas Giant...except Bullet is much smoother. The whole thing is a bit rougher than I hoped it would be but not near as rough as Texas Giant or Rattler. My buddy Greg and I actually felt like the back seat was smoother than the front...call us weird. It certainly feels faster in the back though. Interestingly, the cars have stadium seating...I've never seen that on PTC trains before. The cars are very comfortable with very thick padding. The exit path is cool because from there you can really take in all the structure up around you. It is a BEAUTIFUL ride. The views of the Bay from the top are amazing. We ate at Saltgrass next door afterwards and sat by the windows facing the ride. I was surprised that you couldn't hear the ride at all from inside the restaurant. I was also surprised at how much the structure sways on the back Bay turn...WOW! This ride is very fun...and extremely fast. It is probably my #2 woodie now...behind Thunderhead...but I haven't been on too many woodies to compare.

 

-Derek

[fmulder21]

We just got back home too. We rode 4 times...tried the front car, middle twice, and very back seat. I must say that I liked the back seat best. Airtime on all the bigger drops in the back seat. The 2nd big drop...the one after the high turn up front is my favorite...it reminds me a LOT of the drop off the midcourse break on Texas Giant...except Bullet is much smoother. The whole thing is a bit rougher than I hoped it would be but not near as rough as Texas Giant or Rattler. My buddy Greg and I actually felt like the back seat was smoother than the front...call us weird. It certainly feels faster in the back though. Interestingly, the cars have stadium seating...I've never seen that on PTC trains before. The cars are very comfortable with very thick padding. The exit path is cool because from there you can really take in all the structure up around you. It is a BEAUTIFUL ride. The views of the Bay from the top are amazing. We ate at Saltgrass next door afterwards and sat by the windows facing the ride. I was surprised that you couldn't hear the ride at all from inside the restaurant. I was also surprised at how much the structure sways on the back Bay turn...WOW! This ride is very fun...and extremely fast. It is probably my #2 woodie now...behind Thunderhead...but I haven't been on too many woodies to compare.

 

-Derek

Wow good review, I hope they open it at 11 tommorow, I'll be there in the morn. How were the lines? My cousin went and said it was closed although there was no rain around 9oclock? Jason, You were owed the first ride...Did you enjoy it?!

[RussellHammondnholt]

One word: AWESOME!

 

I LOVE THIS RIDE!

 

I couldn't make it down there until late but I managed to get three rides in, once in the front car, and two rides in the very back car. Then around 9pm or so.... came the lightning. Yep, a thunderstorm. So the ride was shut down until it passed. I waited around to see if the storm would pass but it just keept thundering with light rain so I left. Darn lighnting!

[coasterphotos]

Those of you that left when they closed it because of rain missed out on some crazy insane rides! I don't know how to describe them other than "wow". They reopened the ride around 10:30 for the few of us that were still left. They ran 5 cycles (2 of which were in a pretty heavy rain and the rest with light sprinkles). On those first couple during the rain the train was going so fast when it hit the brakes that it went through the magnetic brakes and was stopped by the fin brake.

 

 

 

fmulder21...there were no lines. By the time a lot of people started to realize the ride was open, they had to close it. Longest I waited to ride was one cycle (and that was because I wanted a specific seat).

They closed all the rides around 8pm due to lightning...not rain. The rides can run in the rain but if there is lightning in the area they shut them down. I imagine tomorrow will have longer lines as word gets out.

[GuruGuys]

Wow. This ride gets better and better the more you ride it. Everyone please hold your first judgments until you ride it about 5 times! Its like great music vs pop crap, it might not be catchy at first like pop, but when you hear it a few times it is kick ass awesome!

 

The rain rides were awesome, makes the entire end of the ride totally different!

 

Texcoaster was creating a graph of all the seats he has ridden in and making notes. There is one particular seat, row 5 right side, that did something to me in the first drop that no other seat has done to me. It took me totally by surprise since I had ridden the coaster at least 12 times by that point. I'm sure Texcoaster will post more about that!

 

Hope to see everyone out there tomorrow. I doubt the ride lines will be too long even on labor day weekend, but we'll see.

 

Thanks to all the Kemah staff who have treated us so well in the past few weeks and the bonus ride time tonight was just unreal! You guys are running a top notch operation and it shows!

 

-GG

[RussellHammondnholt]

Yea one of the best parts was the fact that there was no line! I walked right on! I'm still trying to take it all in.

 

I've been making trips down there for quit a while now and have be lucky enough to witness the construction firsthand. I watched them put up framing, track, landscaping and even this morning I watched as they made the final preparations. So after months of watching wood go up and listening to hammers and saws work the moment finally arrived. I found myself making another trip down to Kemah. Only this time.... it was to ride it!

 

I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve all day today. The coaster and que line had seemed like wrapped presents under the Christmas tree just sitting there for weeks, months waiting to be unwrapped. So when I finally steeped into the que line and made my way up to the loading station, that I had witnessed being erected from a far for so long, it was kind of surreal.

 

Then that magical moment finally happened.... I boarded the front car and prepared to ride the Bullet. And boy did the paper come flying off this present... It was nothing short of magic.

[SKCfan]

Thanks for the info about how it rides!

 

I can hardly wait. I just hope it doesn't experience any "technical difficulties" before I can ride it.

 

What was the longest you had to wait in line? Also, how long does a "circuit" take including loading/riding/unloading?

 

THE BIG QUESTION IS THIS: Will they let you reride without having to go to the start of the queue if there aren't enough people in line to fill all vacant seats? I sure hope not. I hate that at Six Flags! I just don't get why they are such a pain about it.

[coasterphotos]

There was no line tonight. The thunderstorm came before there could be a line. If you wanted a specific seat (front or back) it was 1 or 2 train wait.

 

The ride ops did pretty good for only being trained earlier in the day. The ride takes about 1:45, they were probably taking 2:00 to 2:15 to unload and load a train. So there was some time sitting on the brakes, but certainly not unbearable.

 

The reride policy is that if you have a wristband you can ride 3 times if no one is waiting for your seat before they make you walk around.

[SKCfan]

The reride policy is that if you have a wristband you can ride 3 times if no one is waiting for your seat before they make you walk around.

How can they possibly keep track of a ton of different people and know who's ridden how many times?

 

What if someone is waiting for your seat but others are empty? Can you go for them instead?

 

Thanks for the info so far.

[GuruGuys]

The reride policy is that if you have a wristband you can ride 3 times if no one is waiting for your seat before they make you walk around.

How can they possibly keep track of a ton of different people and know who's ridden how many times?

 

What if someone is waiting for your seat but others are empty? Can you go for them instead?

 

Thanks for the info so far.

 

Obviously if too many people abuse it they will eliminate it, so don't abuse it and call out others who are trying to. Self enforcement is the key here, although they do have enough ride operators to keep an eye on things and many of the riders have 1 ticket not a pass.

 

Yes you can go get into another empty seat that nobody is waiting in line for but you must give up your seat to anyone who is waiting in line.

 

-GG

[GuruGuys]

 

So there was some time sitting on the brakes, but certainly not unbearable.

 

Yeah, I'd say right now about 3 minutes to get a train out. Thats still 480 people an hour and they are rated to do 800 an hour when they are up to speed. I know this Coaster is going to be popular but aside from holidays I don't see Kemah having too many people in line!

[SKCfan]

Is that 3X reride policy good for only wristbands? Single tickets must rewalk the queue?

 

Just need to ask. I'm trying to decide if I'll get the wristband or not. It all kinda depends on just how bad the line is. I love Pharaoh's Fury. That'll pay for part of the wristband in a couple of rides anyway.

[RussellHammondnholt]

Is that 3X reride policy good for only wristbands? Single tickets must rewalk the queue?

 

Just need to ask. I'm trying to decide if I'll get the wristband or not. It all kinda depends on just how bad the line is. I love Pharaoh's Fury. That'll pay for part of the wristband in a couple of rides anyway.

Ummmm... if its a single ticket then its a single ticket. No scamming more rides. The wristband deal is a different story. It is an all day unlimited rides pass. I had one tonight. I sat back down in my seat this evening for my fourth ride since nobody was in my seats line. But then they closed the ride due to lightning so we had to exit.

[SKCfan]

Obviously if too many people abuse it they will eliminate it, so don't abuse it and call out others who are trying to. Self enforcement is the key here, although they do have enough ride operators to keep an eye on things and many of the riders have 1 ticket not a pass.

 

Yes you can go get into another empty seat that nobody is waiting in line for but you must give up your seat to anyone who is waiting in line.

 

-GG

That's precisely what I was wondering. Just how would they keep track of all those people...

 

I guess I'm just so used to LOOONNNGGG lines @ Six Flags that I won't know how to feel.

 

The reason I asked about rerides is because that queue(from what I've seen) seems really long. I hated that excessive queue for B:TE @ SFAW. Is this queue as long as I've perceived it in pictures?

[GuruGuys]

Is that 3X reride policy good for only wristbands? Single tickets must rewalk the queue? Just need to ask. I'm trying to decide if I'll get the wristband or not. It all kinda depends on just how bad the line is.

 

Not sure. I'll have to ask. But if you are buying 3 rides you may as well buy a wristband for the cost of about 1 ride more. And if the lines are bad it won't be an issue anyway so really, if you go during dead times, get a band and ride all you want. If you buy 2-3 tickets walking around won't matter too much. If you are riding all day, it would get very tiring.

 

I love Pharaoh's Fury. That'll pay for part of the wristband in a couple of rides anyway.

 

I was surprised by how fun that little "Boardwalk Bouncer" was. I kept laughing like a little kid on it. They ran it while it was raining so we were able to reride it over and over. The other rides were shut down.

 

-GG

[RussellHammondnholt]

Obviously if too many people abuse it they will eliminate it, so don't abuse it and call out others who are trying to. Self enforcement is the key here, although they do have enough ride operators to keep an eye on things and many of the riders have 1 ticket not a pass.

 

Yes you can go get into another empty seat that nobody is waiting in line for but you must give up your seat to anyone who is waiting in line.

 

-GG

That's precisely what I was wondering. Just how would they keep track of all those people...

 

I guess I'm just so used to LOOONNNGGG lines @ Six Flags that I won't know how to feel.

 

The reason I asked about rerides is because that queue(from what I've seen) seems really long. I hated that excessive queue for B:TE @ SFAW. Is this queue as long as I've perceived it in pictures?

Yes the line que is long. However only part of it was open tonight. And it was short. If the crowds get to big then they will open up the longer part to handle the crowds. Tonight, we just walked right on. I only had to wait on maybe two trains for the front car. I could have walked right on one of the middle cars.

[coasterphotos]

The queue is pretty long, yes. As is the exit.

 

I imagine lines in the summer will be long...holiday or not. I waited 20 minutes to buy a ticket earlier this year on a non holiday, non event day just to get photos of construction from the sky tower.