Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

TR- New York/Canada


Recommended Posts

Last Friday, my family and I embarked on our major vacation for the year. While we were planning, it was going to be solely a college trip to visit both Cornell and RPI since I am very interested in engineering; however, it then turned into a major trip for us.

 

Day 1- Catamount Adventure Park

Our trip began with a three hour drive to this newly constructed ropes course nestled deep within the Berkshires. Located on the New York/Massachusetts border, my family and I hoped that this course would be just as entertaining as the Adirondak Extreme Course we did last summer in Lake George.

 

After donning our climbing gear, we saw a rather brief demonstration that seemed rushed. Fortunately, the equipment was almost identical to that of Lake George's course so the poor demonstration didn't hurt me too much. However, those who are coming here for their first ropes course could have a few troubles initially due to this.

 

Following the demonstration was a long, arduous walk up a very well shaded hill to reach the course. Upon seeing the course, I was amazed by the tangled mess of obstacles suspended high above my head.

 

There are 5 levels (yellow, green, blue, black diamond, double black diamond). Each level gets progressively harder. Instead of starting with the yellow courses, I decided to begin with one of the green courses because Catamount only allows individuals three hours and I had hoped to get an opportunity to do the Double Black Diamond (Commando) course.

 

The green course was fairly easy as it contained several tightropes, climbs, logs, etc. However, it was the blue course where the difficulty level really ramped up. Not only were the ropes and bridges looser (therefore causing them to sway more), but the types of bridges were far more difficult. One such obstacle consisted of four swinging logs with pegs. While the obstacle didn't appear overly difficult, it required a lot of upper body strength for me to go from log to log since they always seemed to sway out of reach with each leap I made.

 

After a quick water break (water was complimentary and very cold ), I decided to try the black course. While I made it about 75% of the way through, I was unable to complete the course entirely because I completely drained myself on a very high rope ladder. Along each of the courses are several escape routes for individuals to escape on. Sadly, I had to use the escape zipline to get down. Wanting to continue to our first hotel, my family decided to move onwards after my sister finished the black course.

 

Overall, I personally enjoyed the Adirondak Extreme Course I did last year more. First, that course allowed me to take as much time as I wanted to in order to complete all courses. Meanwhile at Catamount, I felt rushed to complete as many courses as possible in a three hour window. Unfortunately, rushing caused me to not enjoy the course as much and probably contributed to me fatiguing a lot more quickly than I did last year. Second, the guides seemed much more attentive and able to help patrons at the other course. At Catamount, it seemed difficult for guides to reach several of the platforms quickly to offer assistance and when they did provide assistance, several of the guides seemed annoyed.

 

If you are in the area, I'd give Catamount a try, but I wouldn't go out of the way for it, especially since it is rather pricey and the one in Lake George is three hours away and a more enjoyable experience.

Edited by Canobie Coaster
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 4
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Day 2- Seabreeze

 

After waking up fairly early, we left to make it to Seabreeze for park opening on a beautiful Saturday. Now I'm not going to lie, but I was a bit apprehensive to visit on a Saturday, as I am with any park, due to possible crowds. However, Seabreeze was not overly crowded and turned out to be one of the best days of the trip for me! Not only that, but it became one of my favorite amusement parks anywhere thanks to its great selection of rides and incredible atmosphere!

 

Entering through the water park entrance, we decided to skip the water park for now and immediately head for the rides section. Here, I learned that Seabreeze opens the park in two phases as half of the rides open at 11:00, while the other half of the rides open at noon. This was not a problem at all since there were plenty of options to ride until everything opened.

 

First I began my day with Seabreeze's Bobsleds. Once a junior wooden coaster, it was converted to a unique steel coaster that seemed like a Galaxi/Wild Mouse hybrid. Ultimately, this turned out to be one of my longest waits of the day- 15 minutes. Understandably though, this was due to the ride's low capacity. However, once I boarded the small, comfortable cars, I embarked on a very unique journey teeming of sudden plunges and quick turns. I especially loved the helix at the end since it really caught me by surprise. Overall, the Bobsleds are a perfect fit for Seabreeze and an excellent family coaster. 6 out of 10

 

Immediately after, I was hoping to ride the park's Mauer Sohne spinning coaster, Whirlwind; however, it wasn't going to open until noon. Instead, I rode the park's newest ride, Revolution 360. A Zamperla Disko, it was a walk-on. Never before had I been on a Disko so I was pretty intrigued by the restraints. Ultimately though, they were a bit painful on my man region if you know what I mean. Moving past that, the ride was very cool. The spinning was quite disorienting and forceful and the park gave a really long cycle. Overall, the Revolution 360 was a really unique flat. 8 out of 10

 

Still needing to pass time before Whirlwind opened, I decided to board the park's drop tower, the Spring, which was a walk-on. A Moser Rides tower, the Spring lacked height but still gave an enjoyable ride. Each of the bounces gave a nice stomach-dropping sensation and a brief pop of air. My only complaint would be how short the cycle was as the car only ascended the tower in full three times, a number far less than the other family sized drop towers I've been on. After my ride, I hopped back on for two more since it still had no line. 7 out of 10

 

Almost noon, I decided to ride the park's classic PTC Crazy Daisy, the Crazy Cups. A walk-on, this model unfortunately had no shade or tarp covering it so the ride was quite hot as it just baked in the sun. Moving past that, the Crazy Cups just seemed weaker than the other models I've been on at Story Land, Canobie Lake Park, and Knoebels. Still, there was some decent spinning and it was an enjoyable ride to hit until Whirlwind opened. 5 out of 10

 

Finally, it was time to hit Whirlwind. After watching it test for 5-10 minutes, I boarded the fourth train of the day and was very impressed by this compact coaster. First, the restraints were both secure and comfortable- a major plus for any ride. Second, while the ascent was very quick, the views of the Lake were fantastic! Third, the ride is simply a rush! Despite its size, the first drop packs a mean punch, especially when traveling down it backwards, as the drop is very steep. Following a large hill, the ride begins spinning non-stop and the ride becomes a very disorienting joyride packed with sudden drops, twists, and helixes. Most importantly, even with the abrupt and sudden drops and transitions the ride manages to be glass-smooth. Following my first ride, I got three more rides in a row with a 5-10 minute wait as Seabreeze really loads these cars quickly to keep the line moving. This is a real winner for the park and turned out to be my favorite attraction there! 9 out of 10

 

Next, it was time to hit the park's himalaya, the Music Express. Sitting in the spot of the park's old Gyrosphere ride, the Music Express turned out to be a 5 minute wait. Once boarding, I was blown away by this himalaya and it turned out to be my favorite himalaya ride. First, the Music Express was a really odd himalaya as it went backwards. Now going backwards alone is unfortunately a rarity nowadays, but what really makes this himalaya unique is how it begins by going backwards. Going backwards, the ride gains some nice speed which produces some strong laterals. Then, the rides slows down and begins traveling forwards, and sure enough it begins traveling just as quickly as it did backwards. Soon the ride began to slow down; however, then the ride completely caught me off-guard and kicked it into high gear. With the blink of an eye it reached its max speed which created some intense laterals and even generated some pops of air going over the tops of the hills on this himalaya. Never did I imagine that a himalaya could surpass Canobie's now defunct Matterhorn as that thing was one of the most intense flats around. While this trails the Matterhorn just slightly in the thrills department, it crushes it in the cycle department. 10 out of 10

 

Now it was time to make the trek across the park to hit the park's classic wooden coaster, the Jack Rabbit. Opened in 1920, this classic Miller coaster is ultimately the park's most iconic attraction and the most popular attraction amongst locals. Housed in a beautiful classic station, the Jack Rabbit was a real treat to watch as it still employs skid breaks. After a one train wait, I boarded this classic coaster in the front seat and was treated to one heck of a fun ride. Going up the lift hill, the anticipation built as the ride's layout is shielded from view from the rest of the park. Once cresting the lift, I was treated to a delightful out-and-back coaster. While not overly thrilling, the ride was very smooth and had several nice moments of floater air scattered about. But the highlight of the coaster for me was the ride's amazing tunnel, as I was totally caught off-guard by the surprise drop hidden within. Afterwards, I decided to give the coaster another whirl, this time in the back seat. Again, I got another solid ride. While it trailed Whirlwind for my favorite ride in the park, the Jack Rabbit was still a very solid ride despite its age.7 out of 10

 

Now it was time to hit the park's Tilt-a-Whirl. A walk-on, Seabreeze's Tilt-a-Whirl had some solid spinning, but the headrest on this one seemed harder than those found on other models. The others I've been on usually have a soft cushion while this one had a harder material that wasn't the most comfortable for my head when the centripetal forces forced my head back against it. Still, the ride's solid spinning and long cycle made it a decent version of this timeless classic. 6 out of 10

 

After the Tilt-a-Whirl, I decided to hit the park's Flying Scooters flat ride. Sporting a pastel green and yellow paint job, it was a walk-on. My ride was delayed a bit though as a young boy slipped underneath his tub while boarding and his mesh shirt got caught on a wire underneath the tub. Immediately, the ride op called for help and began calming the boy down as he was panicking quite a bit. After about 5 minutes, they were able to get him out from underneath the tub and the park was very apologetic to the kid. A+ for Seabreeze as that is how a park should treat their guests in a situation like that. Onto the ride itself. Unfortunately, it was just okay. While the tubs did move, the ride never reached all that fast of a top speed and it seemed to have a shorter cycle than several of the park's other flats. 5 out of 10

 

Then I decided to hit the park's only inverting ride, the Screamin' Eagle. A Zamperla Hawk, I love how Seabreeze gives guests the option to wait for an end seat or just get on. Instead of waiting 2-3 cycles for an end seat, I decided to just hop on immediately in one of the ride's other seats. After a quick check, the ride began rocking back and forth and soon enough it began fully inverting. Compared to other models I've been on, this one seemed to provide more hang-time and was had stronger Gs on the downswings. As a result, I really enjoyed the Screamin' Eagle, especially since it had a rather long cycle for this type of ride. 9 out of 10

 

Since everyone in my family was hungry by this point, we decided to grab lunch at the park's Fresh Cut Fries stand across from the Log Flume. I got chicken and fries for ~$8-9 and was impressed. Not only were the chicken tenders quite tasty, but the fries were some of the best I've had anywhere.

 

Hot outside, I decided to hit the park's Log Flume immediately after. A 15-20 minute wait, I boarded this Hopkins flume with rather low expectations, and boy did it blow me away! While the layout was fairly simple, I just loved how it navigated around the perimeter of a pond teeming with geese. Additionally, the ride had a cool tunnel as well. Then it was time for the final plunge. Little did I know until later that day that Seabreeze's Log Flume has the steepest drop of any log flume in the US. Well, needless to say that the plunge was fantastic. Not only was the drop fairly tall, but it also had a scary moment of air-time that I have never experienced on any flume outside of the Orlando flumes. Following the breath-taking plunge is a soaking splash that left me really wet, but not completely soaked. 10 out of 10

 

Already wet, I decided to then hit the park's water park, Raging Rivers. After changing into my bathing suit in the park's very clean changing rooms, I immediately decided to hit the park's Helix bowl slide. Arguably the water park's most popular attraction, I had to wait about 20-25 minutes for it, and it was definitely worth it. While the drop didn't appear all that steep (and in all honesty it wasn't), the drop was still quite thrilling. Why? Well, the tube built up some considerable speed by the time it reaches the bottom of the drop and immediately after the drop is a really abrupt and powerful turn into the bowl that really blew me away. Mega Wedgie at The Great Escape didn't have this turn (it had a steeper drop instead). Needless to say, this was a really fun water slide, but unfortunately the line grew even longer while I was riding so I couldn't hit it again. 8 out of 10

 

Now it was time to ride the park's two other tube slides, Riptide Run and Vortex. Each slide was a 10 minute wait. Unfortunately neither slide was particularly thrilling. Riptide Run was the better of the two in my opinion since it seemed to reach a higher top speed. Meanwhile, while Vortex was completely enclosed, it just seemed really tame. Riptide Run- 5 out of 10, Vortex- 3 out of 10

 

Next, I decided to hit the park's two traditional body slides, the Bermuda Triangle. Each slide was a 10 minute wait and I was solidly impressed by this slide. Not only was the slide quite comfortable, but it also was fairly zippy and thrilling. Overall, the Bermuda Triangle was one of the stronger body slides I've been on at any water park, but I thought the ones at Lake Compounce and Banana Village beat it. 7 out of 10

 

Finally it was time to hit the water park's most thrilling slide, the Banzai Pipeline. One of those freefall speed slides, the Banzai Pipeline is a completely enclosed version. After a 10 minute wait, I was at the top of the tower. Just before my ride, there was a father and daughter at the top of the slide. Unfortunately, the girl was pretty worried about riding so she wanted her father to ride first. Assuring her that the ride is "no problem" he eagerly went down the slide. However, once he began his plunge he exclaimed "holy (expletive)" and screamed like crazy! Well, it at least made my wait shorter since the girl decided to avoid riding after her father's "courageous" display. As for my ride, I definitely enjoyed it. The drop was quite sudden (it had one of those little pre-drop sections) and was a quick rush. Most importantly, this one wasn't rough on the back like some other ones such as Typhoon Lagoon's Humunga Kowabunga. 9 out of 10

 

After drying off and changing back into my regular clothes, I decided to give the Screamin' Eagle another ride. A one cycle wait this time, I again opted to just get on. Again I was treated to another great ride; however, this time I had three screaming teenage girls across from me. While they were definitely an ear-sore, they weren't able to ruin my enjoyment one bit.

 

Next, I decided to ride the Jack Rabbit two more times. My first wait was 10 minutes for the front seat and my second wait was 5 minutes for the back seat. Again, the Jack Rabbit gave another enjoyable ride. It is simply a blast from beginning to end. I wasn't expecting too much from this woodie since I hadn't heard much about it (other than its age) prior to my visit so it was a fun surprise.

 

Then I walked right onto the park's classic Carousel. Well, it was definitely a true gem as the Carousel is simply beautiful and the park definitely has a right to be proud about it. Sporting many intricately crafted houses and a classic band organ, this carousel is also housed in a gorgeous pavilion. And not only is it a beauty, but it rides well too since the park gave an incredibly long cycle. 10 out of 10

 

Immediately after, I decided to reride the Spring once, Music Express once, Bobsleds once, and Revolution 360 once. Bobsleds turned out to be a 10 minute wait this time and again was just an enjoyable coaster suitable for all ages. Additionally, Revolution 360 wasn't quite as fun the second time around as the back restraint really forced me forwards, which caused a rather painful ride for me. Still, it is a very solid flat ride well worth riding it you are a fan of spinning rides.

 

Next, I rerode Whirlwind four more times. Each time I had a 5-10 minute wait. During one of my waits, two girls tried to cut the entire line because they had "friends" at the front of the line that they wanted to ride with. Too bad for them that these friends were invisible and that the park caught them because they were not allowed to ride. Great job again Seabreeze for stopping line jumping! I really wish that more parks had these Mauer Sohne spinning coasters because they cram a ton of thrills into a really small footprint.

 

Then, I needed to try the park's Bumper Cars. After a one-cycle wait, I hopped on and was treated to one of the best sets of Bumper Cars anywhere. The cars were both very fast and easy to steer. Because of this and the multitude of cars that the park had active, my ride was pure chaos teeming with strong collisions. Additionally, the park ran a very long cycle that only enhanced an already great ride. Unfortunately, I only gave the Bumper Cars one ride, but needless to say I was impressed. 9 out of 10

 

Afterwards, I walked onto the park's Chance Yo-Yo. Sadly, this version doesn't bob up and down like some of the other versions I've been on, but the park compensates for that by offering a longer cycle. While not an overly thrilling attraction, it provided a great breeze on a hot day. 6 out of 10

 

Before leaving, I hopped aboard the park's Log Flume for three more rides since it was a walk-on. Because of the amazing final drop and the ride's relaxing setting, Seabreeze's Log Flume is my favorite flume outside of Orlando after the stellar one located at Knoebels.

 

Overall, Seabreeze was an amazing park that I definitely recommend to anyone in the area. While it isn't as large as Darien Lake or Canada's Wonderland, it just has an amazing atmosphere and is really well cared for. Seabreeze reminded me so much of Canobie Lake Park and Rye Playland in terms of its atmosphere and ride offerings.

 

My next stop was Darien Lake and I hope to post that when I get a chance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 3- Darien Lake

 

Darien Lake turned out to be a 20 minute drive from our hotel for the day. Even with this, we unfortunately failed to get to the park promptly at opening. Turns out we were about 20 minutes late. Oh well. Instead of just opting for regular parking for $8, we decided to pay an extra $4 for preferred parking, which is a great deal. Instead of parking towards the end of the lot in a field, we were extremely close to the main entrance. I highly recommend preferred parking for anyone going to Darien Lake. My only issue with it was how it was fairly disorganized. Still, for $4 extra, we got a major benefit in my opinion. Afterwards, we entered the once Six Flags property.

 

Instead of heading right towards Ride of Steel or SplashTown like many others were doing, we decided to hit the park counterclockwise. As a result the first ride of the day for me was Shipwreck Falls, a Hopkins shoot the chutes. A 5 minute wait, I was fortunate enough to get on that quickly since this is the first shoot the chutes ride I've seen other than SFNE's Shipwreck Falls to run only one boat. As a result, I could see this getting quite a sizeable line come the afternoon when the sun is really out. While I boarded the boat, I was wondering why their were seatbelts since none of the others that I've been on have had them. Well, after a quick ascent and a speedy turn, I found out why. Unlike many of the other shoot the chutes I've been on, this one had a decent moment of air-time going down the plunge. Following that was a major splash that completely soaked everyone on board from head to toe. Such a short, but very sweet ride which turned out to be one of the best shoot the chutes I've been on. 9 out of 10

 

Already wet, I decided I should hit the park's log flume, Thunder Rapids, since it was right next to Shipwreck Falls. A walk-on, I boarded the log and was immediately dispatched. While I had never really heard much about Darien's flume, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did it sport a really strong layout that even included a well-executed tunnel, but it also had two very good and tall drops. Shockingly, I actually enjoyed the first and smaller drop better as it was a good deal steeper. As a bonus, the flume got me even wetter than I already was. Overall, Thunder Rapids was definitely one of the better flumes I've been on, but I personally liked the one at Seabreeze better. 9 out of 10

 

After two consecutive water rides, I decided it was now time for the first roller coaster of the day, the Mind Eraser. Identical to the one at Six Flags New England, this Vekoma SLC had a really cool setting over a lake. Well, after a two train wait, I boarded the front row, which is my favorite row on the version at Six Flags New England. Unfortunately, Darien's Mind Eraser was worse. How much worse? Even while riding in the Vekoma-brace position (leaning my head to one side of the restraint), the ride still bashed my head around a lot. One ride was definitely enough for me. 2 out of 10

 

Wanting to give my head a brief rest, I decided to give the park's Sleighride a shot. A flying bobs type attraction, it was a walk-on. I really liked the look of the cars on this one as they really did look like sleighs thanks to a little additional theming on each car. Honestly, I can't remember if the ride ran backwards or not, but I do remember that the ride, while moderately enjoyable, never attained all that great of a top speed. In fact, it was one of the slower himalayas I've been on. It did have above-average swinging though to make up for it. Overall, it was an average flat that was a nice change of pace. One more thing, does anyone know which company manufactured this version since it didn't look like the Chance Thunder Bolts/Flying Bobs I've been on at other parks and at carnivals? 5 out of 10

 

Still very wet, I decided to complete the trifecta of water rides at Darien Lake by hitting their river rapids ride, Grizzly Run. Despite it being very hot out, Grizzly Run thankfully didn't have a line yet. Ultimately, I ended up waiting 5 minutes for this Intamin version. During my short wait, anticipation built up since the ride's entire layout is hidden from view. Once dispatched, I was treated to an incredibly fun and soaking experience. Scattered throughout the ride's stellar layout were an arsenal of splashing rapids, surprising geysers, and soaking waterfalls. Everyone in my raft came off drenched thanks to the waterfalls since there is one in particular that can't be avoided at all. Not only is the ride incredibly soaking, but it is quite long as well. While I still like the versions at Islands of Adventure and Story Land better, Grizzly Run is one of the best river rapids I've been on. 9 out of 10

 

After changing into dry clothes, I decided to hit the park's Ranger flat. A rare Huss flat, the Ranger was a walk-on. As a bonus, I was able to get an end! Once restrained by the very tight and secure restraint, the ride began. While the ride itself never really traveled all that fast, it allowed for some incredible hang-time to be experienced going over the top. I'm so very thankful for the head-pads above my head since they made the ride much more enjoyable. I could only imagine if there was a hard surface since my head would have hit it several times during the ride. Not only was the attraction quite thrilling, but it had a fairly long cycle as well. While I do like the versions that are outside of cages better, Ranger is still a very strong flat ride. 8 out of 10

 

Now it was time to hit the park's Arrow coaster, the Viper. Towering above the entire area, the Viper looks great in its sleek, black paint job. While finding the entrance took a little bit , I finally found it and Viper was a walk-on. For my first ride, I decided to grab the back since the front would have required me to wait an extra 2 cycles. Props to Viper's crew as they really loaded and dispatched these trains incredibly fast. In fact, it would have to be one of the most efficient crews I have seen at any park. As for the ride itself, it really shocked me how good it was as this Arrow isn't plagued by the typical Arrow venom (headbanging from rough transitions). The first drop provided some major ejector air and the following vertical loop provided some strong positive Gs. Following that was the ride's batwing. As the train approached this unique element, I was bracing myself for the worst, but to my amazement, it wasn't rough at all. In fact, it was incredibly intense as the back of the train was really whipped through the element. So far so good, so how were the corkscrews? Again, both corkscrews were actually smooth and following them was a really cool and dark underground tunnel that finished off one heck of a great looper. Immediately after my first ride, I hopped right back in line for another ride, this time in the front seat, and I received yet another great ride. 8 out of 10

 

Following Viper, I decided to try the park's Scrambler. A walk-on, this Eli Bridge scrambler was run quite fast and as a result I was treated to some great laterals. Not only was the ride really fast, but it was run for a decent amount of time as well. While scramblers lack the height and thrills of newer, modern-day marvels, I still find scramblers to be one of my favorite flats around. 7 out of 10

 

As I walked by the Fascination Pavilion, I decided to stop by and play a couple of games since I have never played this interesting looking game before. Like everyone on the East Coast Trip a couple of years found out, Fascination is an incredibly fun and addictive game. Ultimately, I played 5 rounds and won my final round. Instead of redeeming my tickets then and there, I decided to save them just in case I came back later in the day. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to get back, but the experience is what matters in my book.

 

Next, I decided to hit the park's UFO flat. A weird looking varient of the round-up ride, the UFO was a walk-on. After boarding one of the ride's intimidating looking cages, the ride began and I was blown away by the ride's sheer power. I assume it would be because of how large the diameter of the ride is, but the Gs seemed to be stronger than those I've ever experienced on any other round-up. Additionally, once the ride went vertical the ride became even more disorienting and thrilling. While the cycle wasn't overly long, the ride definitely crammed in plenty of thrills. 9 out of 10

 

As crowds seemed to be picking up, I wanted to get back to the OCC Motocoaster since I've heard that it isn't quite the fastest loader out there. On the way, I decided to ride Twister, the park's Huss Top Spin. Honestly, I wasn't expecting too much thanks to the terrible version at Six Flags New England, and as a result I was pleasantly surprised. Now I knew that these rides are very intense. It is just a matter of how crazy the ride's program is. Fortunately, Darien had a really good program as it had 6-7 inversions if I remember correctly. And as a bonus since no one was in line once our ride ended, they gave us a second cycle. Too bad Six Flags New England's Twister doesn't have a cycle like this! 9 out of 10

 

Now it was time to hit the park's Motocoaster. Unfortunately, the ride was having braking issues so it was down at the moment. Since the ride was testing, I figured it would open soon, so I joined in the short line hoping it would reopen quick. After about 10 minutes of testing, the Motocoaster reopened and I was on the third train riding in the back row. First off, I found that the restraints were not as uncomfortable as the ones on Seabreeze's Disko. After leaving the station, the train stopped momentarily. Then, the countdown began and then the launch occurred. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from such a small coaster, but that launch was surprisingly powerful. Following that were a series of twists and turns that had some brief pops of airtime going into them. While the ride was incredibly smooth and enjoyable, I just wish the layout wasn't quite as repetative. After my first ride, I hopped right back in line for a second ride and got the back row yet again. While the ride isn't overly big, it is just a really fun little coaster. 7 out of 10

 

Hungry, we decided to stop for lunch at the Beaver Brothers restaurant nearby. I really liked the restaurant's interior with the abundance of beaver figures hanging on the ceiling. Air-conditioned, the restaurant had really quick service and the prices weren't overly terrible for a theme park. I ordered simply pasta with sauce because several other parks don't offer it. The pasta was decent, but nothing special.

 

Following lunch, I decided to hit the park's Boomerang. While boomerangs aren't my favorite type of coaster, I have always liked their appearance. This one was no different as it had just received a new coat of paint it seems. The ride just looked so fresh and it had a great setting along the lake. A 15 minute wait, I got the second-row from the back. As usual, my favorite part of the ride was the first drop. As for the rest of the ride, it was just the typical boomerang. There was a little headbanging during the cobra roll, but nothing unbearable. Still, it was an average coaster at best. 5 out of 10

 

I had gone long enough. It was time to ride the park's signature attraction, the Ride of Steel. Located in Steel City, the once Superman: Ride of Steel looked so much like the one at Six Flags New England until it received the Bizarro transformation. As I entered the queue, I encountered my longest wait of the day. A 45 minute wait, the Ride of Steel's queue gave some really unique views of the ride. Unfortunately, the main culprit for my wait is how the park had one-train operations on their signature attraction. I mean, the ops were really quick loading and unloading the trains, but having only one train on a major attraction like this is really frustrating to watch. Eventually I boarded the second row (I didn't want to wait an extra half hour to an hour for the front row) and we were off. The lift hill provided some incredible views of the park. Soon enough though, the ride itself began with an incrediblely steep and thrilling first drop. After Apollo's Chariot this was the best first drop I had experienced on a steel coaster to date. Following the drop was a really intense turn followed by a sensational parabolic hill that gave some incredible ejector air. Then came an intense straightaway where I was really able to appreciate the ride's speed and following that was a powerful downward helix. I thought that Bizarro's helix was powerful, but this one was even stronger. Immediately after the helix is an even better straightaway and that is followed by another tall hill that provides the strongest moment of air-time during the ride as I was completely ejected from my seat for a good 2-3 seconds. Wow! Following that was a forceful upward helix that was almost as good as the first helix. Without letting up, then came a well-executed S-hill that provided some incredible ejector air and laterals. Then like all hyper coasters, the Ride of Steel finishes up with a couple more bunny hills that provide even more great air. Overall, I like SFNE's Bizarro just slightly more, but it is really close as Darien's Ride of Steel simply is a relentless ride from start to finish packed with powerful airtime and Gs. Immediately after, I got back in line and waited 45 minutes for the backseat. Again I was treated to another fantastic ride. Personally, I enjoyed the back seat more thanks to the major ejector air that can be experienced going down the first drop. Needless to say, Ride of Steel was my favorite ride in the entire park and immediately made my personal top 5. 10 out of 10

 

Now it was time to experience the park's much maligned wooden coaster, the Predator. One thing is for sure though, the ride itself sure is a sight to behold. I just love the ride's setting and it certainly is one of the nicest looking wooden coasters I've seen. Unfortunately, the ride doesn't ride quite as well as it looks like many of you know. After a 15 minute wait caused by one-train operations, I boarded the second row. As expected, the Predator was incredibly bumpy and jerky throughout. While there were a couple decent moments of air scattered throughout, they were ruined by the perpetual bumpiness that simply did not stop. Predator has such a strong layout and I can see one heck of a great coaster waiting to come out, but unfortunately the ride is just too darn rough right now and it was one of the most unpleasant experiences I've had on a wooden coaster. I definitely didn't want a reride on this rough coaster. 2 out of 10

 

After the beating I took on the park's wooden coaster, I decided to hit the park's Raging Seas flat. A unique looking flat, it was a one cycle wait. Once I boarded, I was treated to a really cool ride that was unlike any other himalaya I've been on. Unlike other himalayas, the cars on this one randomly would change directions at various points during the ride. As a result, this was a fairly disorienting ride. Unfortunately though, the cycle wasn't overly long. Still, this was simply a really fun flat well worth experiencing since I don't think there are many models like this out there. 7 out of 10

 

Next, I wanted to give the park's mammoth Ferris Wheel a shot. Like the Motocoaster, it was temporarily down, but since it was testing I waited about 10 minutes and sure enough it reopened. As expected, the wheel gave sensational views of the entire park and area. Plus, the cycle was fairly long for a Ferris Wheel. For sure, Darien's Giant Wheel was one of the best Ferris Wheels I've been on anywhere. 9 out of 10

 

With SplashTown closing in an hour, I decided to change back into my bathing suit and hit a couple of the park's water slides. Immediately, I went towards the park's new Swirl City complex. Wanting to try the Mister Twister slide, I grabbed a green tube and waited 15 minutes for this really unique water slide. A Proslide Topsy Turvy, Mister Twister has three mini-funnels scattered throughout its course. While the funnels are really cool and thrilling, the slide never gets all that fast due to several bumps scattered throughout slowing the tube down to a dead crawl before entering the funnels. I mean, I know why the bumps are there, but still they did dampen the experience a bit since there was so much potential there. Still, Mister Twister was one of the better water slides I've been on. 8 out of 10

 

Next, I wanted to try the bowl slide, Cannonball Run. After grabbing a yellow tube, I waited 15 minutes for this slide. Unfortunately though, this was the weakest of the bowl slides I've been on. While still a fun slide that turned out to be my favorite in the water park, Cannonball Run was slightly disappointing. The drop on this one seemed wasn't overly steep just like the one at Seabreeze; however, Darien's lacked the forceful turn following the plunge. As a result, this was just a rather tame bowl slide in my opinion. 6 out of 10

 

To finish up the Swirl City complex, I waited 10 minutes for one of the Turbo Twins. While definitely the worst slides on the Swirl City complex, they are still quite fun as they build up some decent speed towards the end of the slide. 6 out 10

 

Before the water park closed, I wanted to get a ride on the park's Big Kahuna slide. A 20 minute wait, I ended up riding with two other teenage boys. Unfortunately, the Big Kahuna wasn't too great of a slide in my opinion. While there were a couple of waterfalls that soaked everyone in our raft, there ride never really built up too much speed so the turns on this one weren't quite as thrilling as they were on the versions at Six Flags New England and Blizzard Beach. 5 out of 10

 

After drying off, I decided to run back and get another ride on the Ride of Steel. Again I waited 45 minutes for the back seat and received another incredible ride teeming with powerful ejector air and forceful positive Gs.

 

It was almost time to go since we had to drive to Canada, but I still had time to finish up with two flats towards the front of the park- the Silver Bullet and the Haymaker. First off, I boarded the Silver Bullet, the park's enterprise. A one cycle wait, I was treated to a really fun flat. The Gs were really powerful on this version; however, the cycle seemed a tad short. 7 out of 10

 

Finally, I decided to give the park's Paratrooper-style flat a shot, the Haymaker. A one-cycle wait, unfortunately it turned out to be my least favorite ride of the day. While the cycle was of decent length, the ride itself was just really tame and lacked any real forces. Still, it is a great ride for kids and it was just a relaxing way to end the day. 5 out of 10

 

Darien Lake was certainly a really nice park. They have a truly sensational attraction in the Ride of Steel, a pretty intense Arrow in Viper, a cool family coaster in the OCC Motocoaster, a strong lineup of flats, excellent water rides, and a good water park. However, the park does have some pretty terrible coasters in the Mind Eraser and the Predator so be prepared to take a beating if you give those two a ride. Overall, I personally enjoyed Seabreeze more, but that isn't at all an insult since I loved Seabreeze so much.

 

Our next stop was Marineland.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 4- Marineland

 

Have you guys ever seen the commercials where Marineland plays their really catchy tune that always ends in "Everyone Loves Marineland?" Well, I saw several commercials the night before while in my hotel room, so I was really excited for this park despite the less than stellar reviews it has received from members here on this site. Unfortunately, they were right. For me, the theme of the day was Not Everyone Loves Marineland!

 

Once entering the parking lot, we were directed to park extremely far away from the park entrance despite closer spots being available. After a 10 minute walk, we finally reached the main entrance. For $35 (AAA Discount Tickets), we entered the park and grabbed a map.

 

Now, I knew that I would be doing a ton of walking as every single trip report has always mentioned how spread out, large, and empty the park is. Still, I was shocked by the sheer size and emptiness of the park. As employees sped by in golf carts, I was just wishing one of them would pull over and offer us a ride. Unfortunately, none did so, but it was really a pipe dream more than anything.

 

For my first ride, I decided to make the long trek up to the Sky Screamer. Situated on top of a 150ft hill, it took a good 5-10 minutes for me just to reach the base of the tower. Once I reached the top, I was pleased to find that Sky Screamer was a walk-on. In a way I wasn't overly shocked since the park had just opened and very few people were willing to make the trek to the top. Anyway, I was disappointed that the park forbid me from wearing my glasses on since the views at the top were spectacular even without my glasses, which is quite a statement since my vision is pretty poor. As for the ride itself, it is the best S&S Tower I've been on. Not only is the launch incredibly forceful, but the floater air at the top was fantastic. Following that, the ride slowly lifted the car to the top. There, I got some incredible views of both the park and Niagara Falls, especially since this tower kept us at the top longer than any other tower I've been on. Eventually though, the drop came and it was just as good as the drops I've experienced on other S&S towers like Dragon's Descent and SFNE's Scream; however, it was just a bit longer. After my ride, I rerode it 4 more times in a row without a wait as well. For sure, Sky Screamer was the best S&S Tower I've been on simply due to the ride's sheer height and power. However, it was still behind WDW's Tower of Terror for my favorite drop tower (and it would also be passed by Canada's Wonderland's Drop Tower the next day as well). Still, Marineland has a real winner with this S&S Tower. 10 out of 10

 

Next, I decided to hit the park's only major coaster, Dragon Mountain. With a layout almost entirely hidden from view, the ride is really a mystery. However, the Arrow roar can be heard and it was just beckoning me to ride this beast. After entering the simply massive dragon cave entrance, I was shocked at just how dark the queue and station were. Even after a couple of rides, my eyes never got adjusted. Anyway, for my first ride I grabbed the front seat since it was only a one cycle wait. Once I boarded, I was pleased at how roomy the front car was since I usually feel a bit cramped on several Arrow coasters. As for the ride itself, it was fun, but nothing exceptional. The first drop was really fun and the following two vertical loops were quite intense. Heck, I even blacked out momentarily. Following that was a quick turn and then came a really enjoyable helix. Unlike the Arrow helix I experienced on Canyon Blaster last year at The Great Escape or the one on the Loch Ness Monster, this one was actually quite smooth. Following that were a couple of rough transitions before we entered an incredibly long and dark tunnel. Midway through this tunnel was a really cool drop that caught me off-guard and following that came the ride's famous bowtie inversion. Somehow, the bowtie inversion was quite smooth and disorienting. Overall, I found Dragon Mountain to be a pretty strong Arrow despite its age. However, there were several dull points and there were a couple of rough transitions. Immediately after, I got three more rides in a row. Two were in the back seat and another was towards the front. While I would have liked to get another ride or two, the headbanging from the transitions finally caught up to me. Still, it was my second favorite ride at the park following the Sky Screamer, but I found Darien's Viper smoother and more thrilling. 7 out of 10

 

Unfortunately, those two rides were the major highlight of my trip to Marineland. From here, my day seemingly rolled downhill.

 

Following Dragon Mountain, I rode the park's Topple Tower twice in a row since it was a walk-on. To date, I hadn't been on a topple tower before and the ride looked really cool so I was eager to try. However, the ride was just decent. I found the spinning to be really disorienting and the dives towards the ground were quite fun even despite the ride's rather slow speed. My only real problem with the ride was the restraints. Obviously an attraction like this needs tight restraints. However, these restraints violated my man region worse than many other restraints I've experienced. For some reason, the restraints on a Huss Top Spin were less painful for that region in my opinion. Still even with the minor pain, I still moderately enjoyed the Topple Tower thanks to its uniqueness. 6 out of 10

 

Next, I was planning to try out the unique Magic flat; however, it was down for the day.

 

Instead, I hopped aboard the park's tea cup attraction, Kandu's Twister. While a very visually appealing ride with the sleek looking killer whale cups, the ride itself was pretty weak in my opinion. The tubs were incredibly difficult to spin and therefore, I didn't get an overly thrilling ride. A long cycle at least somewhat made up for it. 4 out of 10

 

Wanting to ride another fun spinning ride, I went right for the Skyhawk, the park's Huss Condor. Unfortunately, that was down as well for the day.

 

Afterwards, I decided to ride the park's Wave Swinger which was a one-cycle wait. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of the better wave swingers I've been on. While the forces and cycle length on this one were solid, the swing for some reason was bouncing and vibrating a lot during my ride. Maybe it was just my swing, but I didn't care to get a second ride. 4 out of 10

 

By now, it was 95 degrees out and everyone in my family was exhausted. Instead of hitting the rest of the park's flat rides, they insisted that we just go back to the hotel for the night. While normally I would object, they said that we could stay all day at Canada's Wonderland the next day if I did so. So I had two options to weigh- continue the mediocrity of Marineland or head back to the Great Wolf Lodge, hit the water park, and be able to spend a full day at Canada's Wonderland. I think you can guess what I picked.

 

On my way out, I also saw that the park's Flying Dragon flat was closed as well. At least the Hurricane Cove flat was open. Also, I saw that the park looked to be almost done installing their new flat for the year, the Ocean Odyssey. Almost the entire ride's structure and theming was completely set up so I could see it opening within the next week or two. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to hit the park's family/kiddie land and get the Ladybug Coaster.

 

Overall, I was underwhelmed by Marineland. While Sky Screamer and Dragon Mountain were both really fun, the park had almost nothing else to offer in my opinion, especially since three of their nine "major" rides were closed. 1/3 of their major rides! That is simply ridiculous considering the high fee to enter the park in my opinion. Without a doubt, Marineland was the worst of the park's I visited during my vacation. I mean, the potential is there at the park since they have a ton of land and two very good rides already in place; however, they simply need more to do to justify me dishing out the cash to revist the park if I'm ever back in the area again.

 

Later, I'll give a quick review about the best hotel I've ever stayed at, the Great Wolf Lodge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice TR, this very much reminds me of the 2008 TPR Behemoth/Ravine Flyer trip which was oh so amazing

 

I have to say I thought Marineland was a nice park, but not neccessarily a great amusement park. For the touristy, scenic place that Niagara Falls is, it really fits in well. In fact, its kind of a quant, quiet place compared to the loud hustle and bustle of the main Niagara Falls city, which is kind of ironic considering it is partly an amusement park! There's not much to do, and the walks are insanely long but it is a pretty park with lots of animals and stuff for the whole family to do and see. Your post about Marineland reminds me of a ride opp at Canada's Wonderland who stated after a long cycle on the Enterprise "We would like to remind you that Marine Land SUCKS....thanks for coming to Wonderland!" You've got to love a little friendly park competetion.

 

And I have to agree...Ride of Steel is still amazing! Not as good as New Englands, but amazing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/