coasterer Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Hello! We spent spring break down at the Gulf Shores in alabama, which just HAPPENS to be about 5 miles away from an operating roller coaster. I noticed TPR didn't have a whole lot of photos of this place, so hopefully this might help. Waterville USA was a really really small park with a solid woodie, some mini golf, go karts, and a slightly larger water park. The amusement park side of it is really less of a park, and more of a small warehouse with a roller coaster sticking off of it. It was $25 to get in, or $5 a ride, and there was really no one there. We just sat on the coaster for a few hours, racking up laps on what was really a beautiful day. The ride itself was nothing great but pretty fun for its size. It had a little airtime and wasn't all that rough. By 3 o clock we needed head back, and ended the day with our 62nd lap. We didn't really have any desire to check out the mini golf or go karts, so I'm not really sure how those were. Thanks for reading! The park entrance. You get a pretty nice view of the ride from the street as you come in. When we first came through here we walked past the actual entrance to the park. The park's that small. first drop The majority of the ride. On one side of the ride is parking lot, on the other is Alabama marsh. Spring Break Oh Ten! The turn around was a little rough, but other than that it was a pretty enjoyable ride. Lift hill One chin for every month of the off season Inside the warehouse thing. There some arcade games, but really, the layout is really ambiguous. We had to ask an employee if we were in the right place to buy tickets. Here's the rest of the waterpark, that wasn't open yet for the season First read of oh ten! Here we go. Most of the time we were the only two on the ride. First drop POV. I did get permission to use a camera on the ride. turn around The 'back' leg That big turn thing right there looks like it could whip you around... but it didn't Obligatory Lift Hill enthusiast shout out wowWOWwow the 'out' leg.. headin up into the turnaround. All in all, the 'out' leg was significantly better than the 'back' leg, but the whole ride was surprisingly enjoyable. Nothing but the classiest in Gulf Shores AL hahahaha.. I think I had farted or something MORE PEOPLE!! Like I said, of all the turn around I've ever been on, this one wasn't the MOST comfortable.. As far as couple pictures go, this isn't really your standard off the shelf shot, is it? The majority of the ride from the other side. There was one ride where the ride op meant to open the gates, but accidentally released the breaks. Whoopsiedoopsies. Anyway, this was the only lap the ride did between opening and 3:15 that we weren't on. It did finally provide an opportunity to get pictures of the ride in action It's a pretty nice lookin ride, really Into the break run That's right. 62 rides Goodbye Cannonball Run. Thanks or reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGuy06 Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 They must REALLY enjoy changing the color scheme of that train. That's at least the 4th different one that I know of. Nice pics though...I really enjoy Gulf Shores and Waterville is a nifty little place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emiroo Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 I'm a moron. I've been to Gulf Shores 3 times in the last 10 years and didn't even know this place exisited. Where is it? We usually hole-up in the condo for the week which is located right by Fort Morgan...hence my stupidity. I've got to start checking the North American Amusement Park Map before I go anywhere anymore. Anyway, nice TR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skycoastin Steve Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Nice trip report. I suspect I'll be making a day trip down there sometime later in April or early May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shavethewhales Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Thanks for posting this, I had not clue this place existed. Always great to find out about another classic woodie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimace Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Woah! Thanks for posting this! I've ended up in the Florida Panhandle the past couple years on spring break and I had no clue this was nearby. I'll have to check it out sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Cow Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Wow! 62 times? Even as a roller coaster enthusiast, that's pretty crazy for a wooden coaster, especially just on a normal day. I'm assuming you were good pals with the operators by the time that day was over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electerik Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 Thanks for posting this! This is one of those "places that got away" for me. I had plans to visit during a cross-country trip, but it was storming when I passed through, so I didn't even try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 With a name like Waterville, I would have thought this place would be a waterpark. Guess not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astro Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 When I was... 4 I think, we came to Gulf Shores to visit some friends. We went to that restaurant that is right next to it. I wanted to ride the coaster SOOOOO bad, but my arents wouldn't go over to buy tickets. Later though, we went to another "amusement park" that had a Sky Coaster, and little mini-swings, and a couple of other things. Do you know what this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterer Posted March 26, 2010 Author Share Posted March 26, 2010 Thanks for the replies! The park was right on the main Gulf Shores Parkway, like a mile or two from the actual shore. You really can't miss it. ^The place you're talking about I think was called the Track Family Recreation Center. It's got go karts, mini golf, a sky coaster, arcade, and bungee jumping. ^^Also, there was quite a large waterpark, it just wasn't open for the season yet. I saw a few good slides, an empty wave pool, and one of those surfing simulation things. It looked pretty decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 This will probably be one of the last woodies I'll ride in the US. I'll ride it, but it's just so out of the way for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBru Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Awesome report! Thanks for sharing. Loved the couple pictures, haha. I had completely forgotten that this place even existed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nln00b Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Wow, I never have heard of this place before. Great TR! That Woodie actually looks fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 I stopped here one time on the way from SFNO to Miracle Strip. Nice to see they've kept the buzz bars! Thanks for the photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disney Freak Andrew Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Is it just me or does that coaster look a lot like the Starliner at Cypress Gardens? After all they do have the same original manufacturer. I just found out that Starliner would be remaining in its place at the gardens and will be incorporated into Legoland! I'm so excited, I love the Starliner. Back on subject, great TR guys, and have a good spring break "oh ten". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjb297 Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Cool pictures. One question- did they make you get off and walk around to the entrance each time to ride? You said one time they forgot to release the gates, so I assume you had to walk around? Must have been alot of walking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj snow Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Is it just me or does that coaster look a lot like the Starliner at Cypress Gardens? After all they do have the same original manufacturer. The coaster at Waterville USA is a CCI ride that was built in 1995, the same year as Raven. That said, it does have some nice classic lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterer Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 The way they had it set up, the ride op would take us around once, and upon returning back to the station, would ask everyone on the ride if they wanted to go again. If yes, he'd take us around for lap 2. When me and my girlfriend were the only ones on it, he wouldn't even stop the train. After two laps he'd make us get out and go around, but it wasn't that much of a walk. Also, he'd hold the train for us, even if there were other people who were in the gates as we were getting off and getting around, so that we never missed a lap. I was kinda hoping after around 20 laps he'd just give up and let us camp, but it was fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holidayworld08 Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 ^Sounds like you may have went to miracle strip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 I've only had one experience with this ride in like 1996 or 1997. My day sounds very similar to yours. No one was there and I was told I could take as many rides as I could handle. I was pretty much "done" at around 40 or so, but I went for 50 laps just to say I did it. The ride was fun and easily re-rideable. Nothing too memorable though, other than the fact that you were able to ride it 50 times in the span of about an hour and a half! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirouettes907 Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 This is one of those places that's easy to forget, but the coaster looks like a fun ride. I actually really like the white and sky blue paint scheme on it--makes it a pretty ride, as well. Thanks for sharing this! ~Megan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 I, like many southerners, have vacationed in Gulf shores several times. I, also like many others, never made it to the park. Weird how it can last so long, yet nobody ever seems to find it busy (not to mention how many big storms it has survived!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsasamccormick Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 The coaster seems so out of date to be built the year the Raven was built and have buzz bars& a control panel that can release the breaks so quick.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa_bear Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 For Astro, The park you are refering to is called The Track http://www.gulfshorestrack.com/ Love the Sky Coaster!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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