anonymouscactus Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Went to the park yesterday / memorial day, for the first time in several years (though I did get a season pass)... I got there at opening, and literally everything I did below was a walk-on, except for the giant wheel which had a ~5 minute line. As it has been mentioned before literally EVERY coaster has 1 train, and did not have any on the transfers / etc. Some observations and comments: Predator: Skipped. I'll save it for another day. Didn't feel like getting jarred around. Ride of Steel: My first notice was just TONS of garbage everywhere, along the queue line walk to the station, and a ridiculous amount between the lift track and the station (restricted area). Absolutely disgusting. The second thing I noticed was one of the kicker wheels in the station (the ones that advance the train) was completely ripped to shreds. A lot of them looked bad and ready to be ripped soon, but this was completely shredded... apparently they thought it was OK to run the ride anyway. Anyway, onto the ride itself, it rode great, I took a ride in the back seat, not as much shaking as I remember previously, and the ride was a lot of fun. Still dislike the shin guards especially that I'm taller, but obviously something that has to be dealt with. Boomerang: I have never seen a cable lift on a boomerang go so slow. Much smoother ride than I was anticipating, I actually enjoyed it. Motocoaster: Nothing worthwhile of mention Twister: I thought for sure there was NO WAY a weight limit of UNDER 200 lb's was put on this ride, but sure enough, there was. I didn't ride it. Not because I would have felt unsafe, I have fit on the ride before, but I just had no interest as it wasn't doing the flips that it used to do "back in the day". Viper: Love the train design, not sure when it got changed but I haven't seen a wrap like that before on an arrow looper. Cool snake design. Rode nicely as well. Grizzly Run: Fun ride! All the waterfalls were on and got completely soaked. The canons that the employees use to spray were on as well, and it gave a good scare to my girlfriend! lol Mind Eraser: Not too bad. The ending was a little head-bangy as per every SLC, but the ride itself was actually quite smooth. Log Flume: Nothing to mention... fun! Shipwreck Falls: Nothing to mention. Corn Popper: Nothing to mention Giant wheel: Very short cycle. General comments: A lot of the rides looked really nice. Silver Bullet looks like it had a fresh paint job, Giant Wheel, as well as some other rides. Some look old and worn, like Ride of Steel, but the park did look nice paint-wise. No closed rides that I can think of other than Ranger. Was actually shocked. Rolling Thunder looked like a lot of fun, way better than ranger (which was closed, BTW). I am going to save it for another day I didn't want to risk getting sick on it. Brain Drain, did not ride yet. Saving the waterpark for another day. Overall I was actually kind of impressed in the sense that I didn't have to wait in any lines and was out in 2 hours (how do people stay at the hotel and enjoy multiple days here? I will never know.) Didn't leave disappointed. While I had short lines, as I was leaving the park at 1:00p cars were backed up on the road, and the brain drain line looked to go almost all the way down the stairs. Didn't really catch any of the other lines as the day went on. Thought it was odd they closed at 8pm on Memorial Day (no laser show on Memorial day!?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk610 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 If all the coasters are walk-ons, why would they need to put a second train on? I hate that we complain about one train operation, but the coasters are walk-ons. If there is an hour wait and its one train that is very different. The real test will come in the middle of July and August when things get busy, then we will see how the coasters are operating. I am sad to hear of an unclean park. To me that was one of the best things HFE did was to make the park very presentable with fresh paint and general cleanliness. Hopefully this gets rectified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymouscactus Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I didn't think they needed the second train when I was there, just an observation. Of course I went on everything early so I have no idea how lines picked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Two train ops are never a problem early in the season, but once the summer comes, they definitely are needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterHo Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I was in the park on Sunday. I also purchased season passes. I have to agree on the amount of garbage/trash around Ride of Steel. It was sad. RoS is in desperate need of a paint job, and has been for a few years. It gave a hell of a ride though! We actually waited about 45 minutes in line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParcMan Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The last time I went to Darien Lake (Fright Fest 2013) I went on a Friday evening. My friends and I were among the first in the park after opening and as usual went to RoS first. The first thing we noticed was that the trash cans in the station were literally jam-packed full of garbage! I wondered how this could be since the park hadn't been open since the previous weekend! It was quite disgusting. Then with only a 4 train wait it took nearly 25 minutes to get on RoS. The ops were very slow and what made it worse was the fact that there was a supervisor on the load side actually checking restraints, she was the slowest of them all and didn't seem motivated or motivational to the rest of the crew. For a ride that is 2.5 minutes long that's more time spent sitting in station than out on the run! That's nuts! I used to operate RoS back in the parks Six Flags days, we as minimally paid staff never thought about going slow. Not only does that waste time but it makes the day go by so much slower. Staying busy and keeping the pace up was fun and made work bearable. It was honestly the slow days that I hated as an employee. That experience on RoS in 2013 made me and my friends enthusiasm for the park severely diminished for the rest of that night. None of us have been back since and we don't really feel the need to go back. Which is a shame because I used to love that park. I grew up there, I worked there for 5 years, now I don't care if I ever go back there. So long story short, they need 2 trains on RoS or at least some motivated employees. I can understand 1 train ops on the other coasters but RoS definitely needs 2 trains. But I wish the park nothing but the best. I would love to see it flourish and prosper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tackleberry Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Went today, park seemed clean and in good shape. All the paint looked fresh on the buildings. Didnt go down by ROS. The view from the Giant Wheel showed that the Cuda Falls splash pool was removed and filled in but Floodgate Falls remains a mosquito breeding ground. We were next in line for the Corn Popper when the ride op advised he had a brake problem and the ride would be shut down. It did take forever for it to come to a stop after the ride cycle. I saw them testing it after but didnt notice if it re-opened. My only peeve was that Haymaker took 10 minutes to load, only to ride for about 45 seconds because the ride op was the slowest ride op in the history of ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SbSteveZ Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 ^^ Did it look much different from these? (Taken July 2014) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I wish there was a way that Darien Lake can fix up the old Floodgate Falls slide to make operational once again. It has bee sitting dormant since 2008 rotting away to an algae infested weed garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I wish there was a way that Darien Lake can fix up the old Floodgate Falls slide to make operational once again. It has bee sitting dormant since 2008 rotting away to an algae infested weed garden. Why waste that golden expansion space to restore a ride that was a mechanical nightmare and can cause health problems to guests? One reason for the Splashtown expansion was to build a new river ride that would be consistently functional, which they accomplished. The space will be used for a much needed larger expansion, which may come in the form of a new coaster. The land itself is about 2.89 acres, maybe more if they expand a little into the parking lot. In comparison, Kentucky Kingdom's Lightning Run doesn't even take up 2 acres, and it is an amazing ride. So, a new plaza or area could be created and possibly more than one attraction could be built. The land still hasn't been touched at all, besides a small project done by maintenance a couple of weeks ago. They were digging into the hill to get to an old water line that needed repairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Is this mean that Cuda Falls is going to return when they're done fixing the water line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Rex Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Mind Eraser needs new paint too. I see rust on the support beams. I was in the park on Sunday. I also purchased season passes. I have to agree on the amount of garbage/trash around Ride of Steel. It was sad. RoS is in desperate need of a paint job, and has been for a few years. It gave a hell of a ride though! We actually waited about 45 minutes in line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Is this mean that Cuda Falls is going to return when they're done fixing the water line? No, Cuda Falls will never return. The water line was a public works project, and not for the slide complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougMJr Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Mind Eraser needs new paint too. I see rust on the support beams. I was in the park on Sunday. I also purchased season passes. I have to agree on the amount of garbage/trash around Ride of Steel. It was sad. RoS is in desperate need of a paint job, and has been for a few years. It gave a hell of a ride though! We actually waited about 45 minutes in line. Mind Erasers supports are currently being painted on non-operating days, and should be completely painted by the time we reach daily operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Mind Erasers supports are currently being painted on non-operating days, and should be completely painted by the time we reach daily operation. I thought a few of them looked shinier than the rest my last visit. Do you know if the track is going to be painted too? Most people overlook paint. It has a lot more to do mechanically speaking than just cosmetics. The paint protects the steel from rust and corrosion, and helps the coaster last longer. RoS is faded too, but the paint hasn't started to peel yet like on ME, and the steel is at least protected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 ^^What about the track for Mind Eraser, are they going to be repainted a well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zspaw Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Awesome that ride needed a fresh coat of paint desperately, as far as I know that was the original paint job from 1997 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk610 Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 That paint on ME looks great and was definitely needed. As others stated, I hope they do paint the track as well. ME is one of the first things you see at the park, and should always look tip top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tackleberry Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Is this mean that Cuda Falls is going to return when they're done fixing the water line? LOL, they wouldnt have taken it down in the first place if it was just a water line issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk610 Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 ^Exactly. A water line is a quick and relatively cheap fix. I am pretty sure cuda falls had mechanical issues, which are not cheap fixes. Plus, didnt they ship the parts off to somewhere else? I say lets use those 2+ acres to do something awesome with! I would love a clone of Batman the dark knight at SFNE in that space, and maybe a flat ride to go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarienLaker Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 ^Exactly. A water line is a quick and relatively cheap fix. I am pretty sure cuda falls had mechanical issues, which are not cheap fixes. Plus, didnt they ship the parts off to somewhere else? I don't know if Darien Lake had shipped the parts for 'Cuda Falls elsewhere or put them in storage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Rex Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Thumbs up for the progress Doug. I also noticed that Giants Wheel's spokes were repainted.. Great Job Mind Eraser needs new paint too. I see rust on the support beams. I was in the park on Sunday. I also purchased season passes. I have to agree on the amount of garbage/trash around Ride of Steel. It was sad. RoS is in desperate need of a paint job, and has been for a few years. It gave a hell of a ride though! We actually waited about 45 minutes in line. Mind Erasers supports are currently being painted on non-operating days, and should be completely painted by the time we reach daily operation. [attachment=0]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1433453746.299360.jpg[/attachment][attachment=1]ImageUploadedByTapatalk1433453769.852683.jpg[/attachment] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Rex Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Where the barracuda bay used to be would make an excellent place for a new coaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Shane Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Looks like a local investment in Denver group just purchased Elitch Gardens from CNL. Apparently Premier will stay on to manage the park... Why does this belong in a Darien Lake discussion forum, you ask? Well, so much for the theory of Herschend leaving Darien Lake because they wanted to ONLY purchase DL while CNL wanted to sell their whole portfolio as a group. BTW long time reader, first time posting. Love the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matman-TheRide Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I recently heard that Elitch Gardens was sold by CNL, but to another investment company. It seems that the predictions made earlier by that one guy on this forum (I forgot who he exactly was) about CNL selling off the majority of their amusement properties may be true. I will admit that if Darien Lake is next, I certainly hope it is not sold to another investment group like what happened at Elitch Gardens. I personally wish that either Premier fully takes over the park or another operator buys the entire property. On a side note, I am very glad to see that Mind Eraser is being repainted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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