Skycoastin' Steve's 2010 Season Extravaganza!!

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Sure didn't. We got into Ontario a LOT later than anticipated on Thursday night, so we couldn't do Scandia that night. Since I REALLY didn't want to miss Scandia, we changed our Friday plans up a bit to skip Legoland and do Scandia instead. As it turned out, it also provided the opportunity to drive up I-15 in the daytime, which was breathtaking. Legoland will be on the itinerary next time!

[99er]

Steve, glad you got the credits with no hassles. My opinion of the park is starting to go downhill since, in my opinion, it is starting to seem like I was singled out and hassled for no reason. I wonder if the policy they told me they were following even exists.

I wouldn't rule the park out just yet. There could have been a reason for the rule that day. You never know.

[austinlee]

It's possible but I don't have kids and only went there to get the two credits anyway. Whether my treatment was justified or not, I have no plans to go back.

[99er]

Well I wouldn't make a trip specifically for it but if you are in the area, its still worth stopping by. I enjoyed the place very much.

[The Bebes]

Nice WCB TR Steve! There were some seriously kick-ass pix in there!!! And Congrats to Jen on her #100! The Bebe's hit #100 on Ravine Flyer2 last year.

 

I'm glad to see so many people loving on GhostRider after WCB. It was my favorite woodie for a long time and I still love it (albeit a bit rougher than it used to be). Also, I agree that Silver Bullet is way underrated. I think there is a world of difference between the front and back of the train though.

 

I have some advice for your trip to Knoebels later this year:

1. It's much larger than you think it's gonna be.

2. It has more flat rides than any place I've ever been (and some really great nostalgic ones). Don't miss the Flyers, Haunted House, Carousel (brass ring style) and (i can't remember the name of the ride) Orange Roller Ride. Their Wipeout program is great too!

3. BUMPER CARS! OMG! DON'T SKIP THE BUMPER CARS!

4. Sit in the 3RD ROW of Phoenix for the best airtime EVAR! 3rd ROW!!!!

5. Did I mention the BUMPER CARS?!

 

-Mr Bebe

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Thanks for the tips! I'm hoping with my leadfoot syndrome and Knoebel's closing at 10 that night that I'll have a few hours to be able to experience the whole park.

 

-Steve "GhostRider seriously blew me away, and I still don't know what all the fuss is about, it's just a classic CCI!!!" Burant

[Guy T. Koepp]

^I don't mind Ghostrider that much. However, it is a far cry from the amazing coaster that it used to be.

[austinlee]

^^^ I think Silver Bullet is underrated too. My favorite places to ride it are row 1 and row 8. I like the wind you get in the front and being able to watch the track fly by and the extra g-force you feel in the back row. I still love GhostRider too.

[mcjaco]

So you were the couple with all the Florida stuff on!

 

I have to say, I liked Silver Bullet. I wasn't blown away by it, but it was fun. Most likely because when the only invert you ever get tio ride is Batman, anything different is a nice change of pace. Ghostrider, however, was way too rough for me. I could see how itmight have been really good at one time, but it just beat the crap out of me.

[larrygator]

Steve, glad you got the credits with no hassles. My opinion of the park is starting to go downhill since, in my opinion, it is starting to seem like I was singled out and hassled for no reason. I wonder if the policy they told me they were following even exists.

I wouldn't rule the park out just yet. There could have been a reason for the rule that day. You never know.

 

The "adults must be accompanied by a child" was an officially published rule of the park in the past. It is possible that the park rescinded the rule, but it did exist at one time.

[austinlee]

Thanks for the info. If the rule was rescinded it happened very recently since I was there 4 months ago. At the time I went, the rule was not posted on their website. If it would have been posted, I would not have gone.

[99er]

If it was, then it was done quickly because you were there on November 7th and we were there mid November, just after IAAPA.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Looks like I get to add Carowinds' opening day to my list of activities. A friend and I are making a day trip out of it, 11 or 12 hours round trip! Should be at Carowinds early afternoon, so hopefully the lines aren't too bad for Intimidator, but it's all good cause that's the only thing we'll be there for.

[austinlee]

^^ That could back up my idea that I was singled out and hassled. Either that or they changed the policy really fast. Either way, I won't be going back so it's no big deal to me anymore. I got the two credits and was already planning for this to be a one time visit before I even went there.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^That's really weird that they did that. I mean, you were by yourself and they were going to get your money. It's not like you were going to affect their operations negatively by being an adult there. I don't see what the problem was.

[austinlee]

^ My thoughts exactly.

[CoasterGuy06]

It could also be that it is a policy they only enforce at times (like when crowded) or it is one that is no longer enforced and maybe someone forgot to tell that one employee. Because lord knows how many in season changes that have been implemented that later an employee says "nobody told me."

 

And yeah the Carowinds trip is going to be insane....what we fools do for our coasters.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Alright since I'm very tired still from yesterday, this is going to be a bit of an abbreviated TR. My friend Daniel and I (he's coasterguy06 on TPR and a co-worker) left Birmingham around 6 in the morning to head for Charlotte and Intimidator! We ended up getting to the park around 1 and headed straight to that big red thing in the front of the park. We were shocked to see how short the line was (our first wait was only 10 minutes) on opening day, and it stayed that way through closing! Our first ride was in row 7, and we would end up getting 5 total rides throughout the day all the while grabbing every credit but Nighthawk for Daniel, who had never been to Carowinds. All in all, we rode in rows 7, 1, 6, 15, and 8. It was an especially memorable trip for me, as Carowinds was the first park I worked at in 2006, and it was my first visit back to the park since I left at the end of that summer. Afterburn is still a heinously intense ride, and Hurler still beats the crap out of you just like I remember it.

 

Anyway, as far as Intimidator is concerned, it made my top 10 and came in at #9, just behind Apollo and just ahead of Diamondback. I really, really wish this ride had a better/more intense finale than a tame helix and dip into the brakes, because if it did, it would probably have cracked my top 5. The front row ride was especially fun, as it provided a great view of the park and plenty of wind in the face, as well as all that wonderful floating, extended airtime. I gotta say the back row was a religious experience, almost as good as back row on Apollo, but still well short of my favorite back row experiences, MF and El Toro. All 5 rides were very good, the middle seats were just as advertised, not as intense but with INSANE airtime. I really enjoyed the 2nd hill dive and S-curve into the 3rd hill, which had catapult airtime. The unique style of the hammerhead turn crossing over itself was fun, as well.

 

As I said in the official Carowinds thread, MAJOR props to the crew of Intimidator, as they were fun, fast, and professional (just what I love to see in a crew, and what SF parks still severely lack in my opinion). They also didn't unnecessarily staple me to the point where the imprint of my jeans was embedded into the seat, which was huge bonus points!

 

Anywho, total ride count for the trip was 5 on Intimidator, 2 on Afterburn, and 1 on everything else not named Nighthawk (or the kiddie, whatever it's called now).

[Skycoastin Steve]

Here come the pictures, and if you want to see all of them (as well as the rest of the SFOG pics), check out this album on my facebook.

What's that we see off in the distance?

It's Carowinds!

AND INTIMIDATOR!!!!

WEEE!!!!

Monstrous, hellacious, wonderful, spectacular airtime hills. Positive g-forces need not apply.

Fllloooaaaatttttiiiinnnnggggg

The place where it all began for me 4 years ago.

Standing in two states! I don't have boobs, otherwise I may have re-enacted the famous Elissa picture.

I knew we came here for a reason.....

Purty ride.

Not the greatest element, but at least it looks cool.

A little first drop action.

Some more first drop action with some nice foliage in the shot.

Scooby's Fairly Odd Express!

Afterburn: The Jet Coaster

Oh how I LOVE this ride.

And oh how I love my loops.

Yay, we're having so much fun!

At least they kept the jet around.....

The Immelmann, an element named after a fighter pilot on a coaster themed to fighter jets. It works!

Wonderfully intense helix.

Must have more loop!

Immelmann through the branches.

Thunder Road! Was really impressed with the job they've done on the rehab of the turn-around, can't wait to see the finished product.

Nighthawk was only running one train, and usually has a line that's too long when it's running two trains. Therefore, we decided to skip it and get it next weekend.

Oh yay, a boomerang. At least they gave it a decent name instead of ANYTHING having to do with a boomerang.

Yes, Mr. President, voters have spoken and said that they want MORE LOOP!

Forwards or backwards? Hmmmm.....

The new train eliminated head banging, which was nice, but the track still was about as smooth as extra chunky peanut butter.

But the loop looks cool!

Especially upskirt shots of the loop!

I only have 3 Arrow mine train credits left in the U.S.

Dear God, next time I want a picture of a ride sign, move the sun around the other side, mmkay?

Still hate the new colors, but the Cyclone is 30 years old, and that's cause for celebration!

Midway traversing corkscrews are just the cat's meow!

Because they provide for shots like this!

And this!

Some orange track for ya.

And another loop!

Rumor has it the Britney Spears' song "Gimme More" was about her desire to see MORE LOOP!

We now interrupt your normal broadcasting for a moment of silence at Skycoastin' Steve's first theme park job site..............

 

 

 

 

Thank you.

The first coaster I ever operated. They had done a lot of track work, but this thing still beats you up pretty bad. At least it has some nice airtime.

This is so much fun! Yayyy--BUMP BUMP SLAM BUMP RATTLE RATTLE JOLT JOLT SLAM BUMP

The 2nd coaster I ever operated, for about half an hour!

Vortex was about as I remembered it: intense with some rough spots.

LOOP OVERLOAD!!!!!!

Blood rushing to the feet!

Corkscrew/mist fan action.

Ok back to the main attraction for another couple rides.

Heading into the finale.

Even though we didn't ride it, I couldn't miss the opportunity of a cool shot of Nighthawk. On a related note, I REALLY like the new paint job. The green/black paint scheme never did it for me.

Rugrats Flying Runaway Reptar Aerial Chase!

Back to Afterburn for a front row ride.

Negative. Gravity. Forces.

Can you say exxxxtttteeeennnddddeeeeedddd aaaaiiiirrrrrttttiiiiimmmmeeeeee?

How about ffffllllloooooaaaaattttttiiiiiinnnnnnggggg aaaaaiiiirrrrrttttiiiimmmmmeeeeee?

I really like this picture, it's now my desktop background!

Wasn't going for the whole blurry train passing over the 2nd hill effect, but it works! See you on Easter, Carowinds!

[PKI Jizzman]

Great report and photos. Pretty similar reviews all around so far, but mixed reviews on Diamondback vs Intimidator. I can't wait to try out this ride!

[Skycoastin Steve]

^The two are so close it's almost impossible to separate them. While Diamondback has more hills, Intimidator has a little more action. Diamondback also cools off a little too much after the MCBR. Like I said, the two are basically neck and neck, but either way, they're both still VERY high quality coasters.

[Kingsislandfreak]

Nice report! Are you planning to go to KD to ride Intimadator 305? I was really excited about seeing this coaster with riders.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Yep I'll be there Friday for opening day. Should be a completely different ride experience, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!

[Kingsislandfreak]

^Yep I'll be there Friday for opening day. Should be a completely different ride experience, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!

 

Yep ill be there to I really can't wait is there any B&M rattle on this coaster.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^There was a small amount of rattle at the valleys of a couple hills, but nothing bad at all. It would be pretty tough to eliminate all vibration with the speed that these things are going.