jtizzle Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 What up, JT here. This is my first Photo TR and what better way is there to start than with one of my home parks... Elitch Gardens: Gay Day 2008 The day was awesome and the weather was very nice since there was overcast to cover up the heat of the sun. I went with my friend Adam, my boyfriend was absent from the trip due to being out of town, but we saw some people we knew and were able to "guy watch". Oh yeah, the gays had taken over the park today for Pride 2008. So there was a very "family" friendly vibe all day. Elitch's seems to be doing good now that the evil flags have been taken down. The new management hasn't changed much but the operations seemed to be friendlier (big kudos). It was nice to see that a sense of the parks roots and history were coming back after so many years of being one of Six Flags' red headed step-kids. The Flying Coaster is no more, well it's still there but closed down and fenced off. I was very happy about this being that I always hated that thing. The new Ghost Blasters dark ride has got a long way to go until opening, but it seems like it will be a nice addition (I only have one pic of construction, sorry). Anyhoo onto my photos... they are in order of how I took them. Some of my night shots are kinda blah because of my unsteady hand.[/code] This is the main street shop area after the entry pavillion. I think it kinda sets the mood of the Elitch experience. Big Wheel with original floral clock (now working). I miss the old park because it had many childhood memories for me. Photos that bring back warm memories of the old park will be noted with...!nostalgia! Mind Eraser going through the heart/pretzel whatever. This also shows the new location of the Sling Shot. Sidewinder. I really think this ride is quite fun for being simple. We rode later in the day though...!nostalgia! This is the picture of the original Mister Twister, in the queue for Twister II, at the old Elitch's. I kick myself for being too scared to ride it when it was open...!nostalgia! Twister II station dispatching a train. This was the first ride of the day for Adam and I. We started at the back of the park and worked our way forward. This is my favorite cause it's the most original of the park's coasters. It was running nicely today. Splash! Shipwreck falls was very fun to watch earlier in the day when it was warmer with all the hotties going shirtless. And these were guys you want to see shirtless. mmmmhhhmmm The Tilt-A-Whirl was re-themed back into a Tilt-A-Whirl this year instead of cow randomness and was moved near Shipwreck Falls and Twister II...!nostalgia! First off...!nostalgia!... the Rainbow always brings back childhood memories of the old park. Glad to see it back this year. Secondly... you'd expect the line to be huge on gay day for this... but it wasn't. Long line for this loud Vekoma copy, but like a lot of others say, "it looks so good." Mind Eraser train... best queue experience ever...story few pics below. Why change the name to Dragonwing, it makes no sense? Looks like a spider web though... cue No Doubt song. Only construction photo of Ghost Blasters. Looked like they have a ways to go. So the best ride line ever was for the Mind Eraser. Music was blasting in the queue and when the Perculator (I think thats the name of the song if you know what I'm talking about) came on most of the line was dancing to it... it was gay day so what do you expect. Pic is from the queue into the front of the station...note the hotties. It was gay day...! Boomerang. It made a boom and it rang. This is me on the right not looking my best and my friend Adam (yes he killed his hair and yes he thinks it looks good blonde) on the left. Were on the Troika. On the Troika...!nostalgia! very relaxing ride. A show we watched with different performers. Don't remember much besides hot guys (big bulges) and a hoola hooper. While waiting in line for Sidewinder, I took some nice pics around the park. That is the Mind Eraser and a bit more of the park from under the station. Sidewinder shuns The Flying Coaster. Lovely shot of Twister II. Nice tree coverage. Boomerang, Tower of Doom, Shipwreck Falls from the stairs of Sidewinder. Disaster Canyon from Sidewinder stairs. Didn't ride, gross water. Sidewinder station; train returning... the ops here were fun! Kept joking with the riders. Waiting to load. I peeked under Chaos' kilt. The H had blinked off in time for me to take this picture since none of the kidos at the park knew how to pronounce it. The Spider and Sidewinder (love) in an effort of artistic value... looks fine by me. The Flying Coaster (closed, hahaha) behind the Carnaval de Fuego set. That piece of junk isn't even on the park map anymore. Carnaval de Fuego set in the Elitch Arena. Cool show, sexy fire throwers/ spinners (Guys and girls) and like the title says... there was lots of fire. AHH! Madonna at the Pespi Center November 11th. Yes I'm going! Vekoma at night looks even worse. But Sling Shot looks sexy with them legs up in the air. Tea Cups. No spin-n-puke for me though. Blurry...but pretty. The Trocadero Theater (to the left)...!nostalgia! This is my effort at an "artistic shot". Looks fine by me. It was gay day! They were selling rainbow stuff in a lot of places. These guys were... well being homos! Sign on main street wall. Didn't know what it was looking at though?!?! This is a sign above one of the shops in the main street area. I just liked how it looked...!nostalgia! The very lovely horses and chariot on the very lovely original PTC carousel... !nostalgia! The entry pavillion at night. Tried so hard to get a good shot, but this is the best I could do. The Tower leaving the park. Thanks for checking out my first TR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenegadeFan Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Great "Gay" TR! I'm going to Colorado on Thursday, but I don't have the time or money to stop there. I rather spend my money on something else. Elitch doesn't have any unique coasters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtizzle Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 Sorry the pics are backwards. Please forgive me... it's my first TR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenegadeFan Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 ^That's okay. I did it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjaco Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Sorry the pics are backwards. Please forgive me... it's my first TR. It's a typical noobie mistake. Whenever you "preview" your post, it reverses the pics, even though you put them in the order you want them. Upon posting it after review (and not changing anything) they will post in the order you uploaded them in. No worries! I visited Denver a dozen times, and never made it over to EG. Silly me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corkscrew Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I really liked SFEG when I visited it a few years ago (back when it was still Six Flags). Although it was by no means my favorite Six Flags, it was certainly much better than SFFT. Oh, and when did they close Flying Coaster? When I went it had opened recently and seemed to be fairly popular. Painful, but popular. I know it closed last year, but I can't find a specific date. I'm not really sure why they closed it... despite the Volares apparently being painful, people really ate up the flying gimmick and it was one of the more popular rides. The only coasters Elitch Gardens could replace it with would be a Wild Mouse or a compact family coaster. Maybe a dark ride could be in store for the area where flying coaster is. Good job on the trip report... Elitch Gardens seems like a nice park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenegadeFan Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 There isn't a reason, it used to be run by Six Flags! According to RCDB and the Park: The "Flying Coaster" ismoving to a new home and will be closed for the 2008 season. Elitch Gardens is making room for another new and exciting family attraction. Now we wait to see which PARC managed park gets it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBru Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Great TR! So did the Slingshot here come from SFKK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btp1 Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Nice report! The last photos I saw of EG made the park look pretty bad (this was several years ago - back when SF was the manager) but it looks like the new management has cleaned up its act! The park really needs some new original coasters/thrill rides however. Most everything seems to be a copy (except Twister II, of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Some cool pics, especially the spider and sidewinder shot. Disaster Canyon from Sidewinder stairs. Didn't ride, gross water. So it's not just a clever name, eh? Yay for rapids shot anyway, and thank you. You done good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtizzle Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 I definantly agree that Elitch Gardens needs it's own signature ride beside Twister II. It'll draw more crowds. I know it closed last year, but I can't find a specific date. I'm not really sure why they closed it... despite the Volares apparently being painful, people really ate up the flying gimmick and it was one of the more popular rides. The only coasters Elitch Gardens could replace it with would be a Wild Mouse or a compact family coaster. Maybe a dark ride could be in store for the area where flying coaster is. That space could be used for some good use now. It'll be exciting to see what they come up with. But they are already building a dark ride in the Mind Eraser area (see picture). So I think management has good intentions. So it's not just a clever name, eh? Yay for rapids shot anyway, and thank you. You done good! Thanks for the kudos and your welcome for the rapids pics. Next time I go I'll have to take more. If only they'd filter out the water the name wouldn't be so clever... smelled like a cross of powdered donuts and sea weed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christianscoasters Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 This will probably never happen, but when I was at Elitch's last October, me and my dad were saying they should take out flying coaster and put in a signature coaster. I thought that area could be used for a station, and the coaster could go over the parking lot, there are islands there for supports, and also through the park. It won't happen, but it would be nice and it would give the park a good ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I hope Flying Coaster is moved to a scrapyard, because that could easily be one of the worst steel coasters I've been on. Anyways, haven't been over to Elitch's since 2006 and looks like the place hasn't really changed except for the management. Good TR though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts