robbalvey Posted May 26, 2009 Author Posted May 26, 2009 ^ But with all due respect to both the original designers of that ride and GCI, the only design change that I'm aware of that GCI made was replacing the trick track with the triple up. I'm assuming that all that airtime was there before, you just didn't get it because of the terrible track work that was originally done. GCI comes along and puts good track work on top of a good original design and now you get the ride as it was originally intended to be. I'm not sure you can credit GCI for it being an 'airtime machine', I think you have to give that credit to the original designers. --Robb
downunder Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 I've always seen the GCI's original designs as more twister style wood coasters with some airtime elements but not as a dominant part of the design. I was talking to GCI Joe while going up the lift hill on Kentucky Rumbler about El Toro, and he was said something along the lines - we like do something that does more than just throw you out of your seat.
Goliath513 Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 If you guys like those woodies, you'll love TS:TR! Having ridden all four (El Toro, Boulder Dash, Phoenix, and Terminator), Terminator can't be compared to the other three. If anything, Terminator is like the second half of El Toro, but it is sure no mega airtime machine like the others. Terminator has the "pops" of airtime at various points, but is more of a twister coaster. Like Brent, I also talked with one of the guys at GCI about this and learned it's not their style to design rides for airtime - they prefer the twister style with short bursts of air throughout the layout instead (which is exactly what Terminator is). This is why we will never see a Phoenix style GCI.
Guest Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 ^ But with all due respect to both the original designers of that ride and GCI, the only design change that I'm aware of that GCI made was replacing the trick track with the triple up. I'm assuming that all that airtime was there before, you just didn't get it because of the terrible track work that was originally done. GCI comes along and puts good track work on top of a good original design and now you get the ride as it was originally intended to be. I'm not sure you can credit GCI for it being an 'airtime machine', I think you have to give that credit to the original designers. --Robb That "terrible track work" stayed smooth until 2006, and still had a lot of airtime. It just had (and still does) good days and bad days. I had some rides on it in 2005 that were pretty close to how it is now.
robbalvey Posted June 2, 2009 Author Posted June 2, 2009 ^ I'm not doubting you, I just never saw those rides during those early years. I rode it over multiple visits in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 and always thought it was terribly over-rated. It wasn't until this past year that I saw the OMFG side of Boulder Dash. --Robb
rollin_n_coastin Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 ^lol Well for a roller coaster, it was as close to a religious experience as you could get... They certainly went above and beyond to make sure that the ride stayed open for us that night.
larrygator Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 I'm still convinced the TPR Trip just hit Boulder Dash on a very good day. It is still a tempermental coaster that runs incredible more often than not, but not always, so I personally can't rate it up there with Phoenix or El Toro.
philthephorce Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 Aren't all coasters temperamental? Sure, some are more consistent than others for various reasons, but none are flat out the same exact thing every run of every day. But I'm just glad we did catch Boulder Dash on a GREAT day...Thank you, Jesus!
larrygator Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 Aren't all coasters temperamental? Good point. Of the coasters I have ridden on multiple occasions. Boulder Dash is the MOST tempermental coaster.
philthephorce Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 ^You'll have to try to get there when Jesus (or any other coaster-friendly religious figure) is there. He tends to hang around the luckiest mofo on Planet Earth: Robb Alvey.
Six Flags Enthuseast Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 I met the luckiest mofo on Planet Earth @ Terminator Salvation: The Ride Media Day.
philthephorce Posted June 4, 2009 Posted June 4, 2009 Yeah, I was actually kind of nervous when I met him. There was a 12 year old girl jumping up and down in my head shouting, "Oh my God! It's, like, that guy!" Anyhoo... I forgot how awesome the folks @ Morey's Piers were, which is a hair shy of a sin considering they pretty much opened the piers for us only. They deserve a HUGE THANK YOU!!! Didn't we hit Playland on day 1 as well?
downunder Posted June 4, 2009 Posted June 4, 2009 ^I checked, Wry Gunplayland was on Day 3 on the way back down from SFNE to SFGADv.
dandaman Posted June 4, 2009 Posted June 4, 2009 Yeah, I was actually kind of nervous when I met him. There was a 12 year old girl jumping up and down in my head shouting, "Oh my God! It's, like, that guy!" Just like me at Behemoth Bash...
Six Flags Enthuseast Posted June 5, 2009 Posted June 5, 2009 I just walked up, saw Robb filming and kinda "loudly" said, "Hey! It's Robb Alvey!" He turned, looked in my general direction, and began to film the Terminator video. I'm not kidding, I was 6 feet from the camera that filmed it, being held up by no other than the Alabama twins! Then, Neil Thurman (or was it Tim Burkheart...Burkhurst... WHATEVER!!) was walking around. I said hi to Robb and the Alabama Twins, and headed to Thrill Shot. There, I met Jadagrace (from the Terminator movie) and her family. THEN, at the end of the day, I went over to Revolution and my parents met Elissa while I was riding. Really, too much happened that day.... So, in review (if I may)...... ...."Mr. Cool Kid" himself!..... Alabama Twins!.....
Hang And Bang Posted June 15, 2009 Posted June 15, 2009 Dash was indeed an amazing experience, and Jesus was certainly on our side that night! But no matter how great the direction changes, the triple up, the twisting drop, and the general excitement we all felt that special night was, NOTHING can top the single best first drop of any coaster I've ever ridden, wood or steel. The pictures speak for themselves, and this was when it was running "sluggishly"... That's bliss mixed with a hint of fear you see on those faces! Credit to Hanno for the awesome pics!
topthrill2 Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 in the first picture, the wheel is off the track!!!
philthephorce Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 El Toro was cool, but it wasn't quite what I hoped it would be. Don't take that as something negative, because I did spend ALL of our ERT and some time after it re-riding the damn thing over and over...and I missed getting a head start on the public to get on Kingda Ka because of this. Thank goodness we went back again, because that's when I finally got my Ka credit. Or would that be Ka Kredit? Like Mortal Kombat...okay, I'll stop now...
robbalvey Posted June 26, 2009 Author Posted June 26, 2009 Sorry again for the delay, but we had another TPR trip get in the way. (Hey that rhymed!) Rye Playland now posted: http://www.themeparkreview.com/parks/photo.php?pageid=272&linkid=6208
krazekiddd Posted June 26, 2009 Posted June 26, 2009 I love Rye Stabland!!!!! The park was just odd, but I love odd. I think I spent more time hanging out on the pier tho.
Erik Johnson Posted June 26, 2009 Posted June 26, 2009 That Whip was seriously super insane. Same with the Derby Racer.
rollin_n_coastin Posted June 26, 2009 Posted June 26, 2009 That place was almost surreal and the pier was the perfect complement. Loved the derby and whip! They were seriously turbo charged!
krazekiddd Posted June 26, 2009 Posted June 26, 2009 I forgot about the Whip! Holy crap, Jenn and I were scared out of our minds! I think we were the only ones that had the car that came off the track around the turns.
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