Favorite Summers/Dinn Coaster Poll

[djw44]

What is your favorite Summers/Dinn coaster poll (Past or Present)?

 

I really enjoyed Hercules, the ride was great just for the pre-lift, drop and turn over the lake, the rest not so much. I really liked that ride.

[ernierocker]

It would of been better to have worded this "What was the least painful Summers/Dinn Coaster Poll".

[djw44]

Like em or hate em, there has to be a favorite of the pack.

 

http://articles.mcall.com/1989-04-20/features/2694252_1_coaster-world-records-record-drop "Negative G's scare the rider too much"

 

Steel coasters "are a lot like eight-track tape players," Geisler says. In a few years something more exciting or effective comes along, making what it replaced obsolete. But wooden coasters have a lasting charm that many in his organization enjoy, Geisler says.

[cal1br3tto]

I've only ridden Timber Wolf and Mean Streak. I should just quit while I'm ahead...although I guess I can't really say I'm "ahead" in this case.

 

Timber Wolf still had some good airtime as of 2010, and the layout is interesting. However, it's incredibly rough and has an exceptionally painful first drop. But with its remaining intensity, I have to consider myself a casual fan anyway.

 

I can assure you I am not a fan of Mean Streak, but I didn't really "mind" it, and that means I like it more than many (most?) other people! I really like the layout, and going through it slowly wasn't the end of the world as it meant more time to enjoy the views. Plus, I followed the ride op's advice to lean forward throughout the entire ride, so it didn't hurt me. I wouldn't particularly care to ride it again, but I enjoyed it a bit for what it is.

[funkeymon]

I chose Georgia Cyclone mainly because the back seat has some of the best and most intense airtime I've ever experienced. And I personally think that the ride isn't really that rough, but really jerky. But the airtime in the back...

[RoCo]

The best rides I ever had on any of these that I've ridden was just about an even split between OTG and Geo.Cyclone. At their peaks, both were spectacular.

 

And I did think Herc's first drop and the lake turn were breathtaking.

 

But I sure do have some unpleasant memories of some of the others... Timberwolf said bad things about my mom, beat me up, and stole my lunch money.

[cal1br3tto]

Update time!

 

1. Timber Wolf: I still remember a good ride experience managing to rise up through the roughness and deterioration.

 

2. Mean Streak: BORING. That is all.

 

3. Georgia Cyclone: There is no excuse for this. Almost as rough as the Coney Island Cyclone, but lacking the intensity or amount of airtime that would've redeemed it as it does for said New York sibling. I did ride in both the back row and the "magic" PTC seat, but it was brutal either way. In short, it's one of the few woodies I find are not worth the pain!

[Ed Farmer]

Georgia Cyclone is actually my favorite take on that particular layout- original included. It has shown it's age a bit, but the segment that was re-tracked is very promising for whenever they get around to doing the rest. Also have had some pretty good rides on Wonderland's Wilde Beaste. Can't say the same for Wonderland's other wooden coaster (also a Summers ride).

[cfc]

I kind of like Timber Wolf at Worlds of Fun. It seemed to have a lot of potential to be better and wasn't all that rough.

[Wes]

They are all horrible.

[A.J.]

Does Phoenix count?

 

http://rcdb.com/143.htm

 

Knoebels moved the ride to Elysburg between January and June of 1985 and rebuilt the ride with Charlie Dinn's assistance.

[Aceattack52]

They are all horrible.

I certainly agree with this-I haven't met a Summers-Dinn coaster I've liked.

[johnychen]

I actually liked the Georgia Cyclone since it reminded me so much of the old Texas cyclone.

[JJLehto]

Only ridden Hercules, Mean Streak and Raging Wolf Bobs.

 

I honestly can't recall RWB at all. Which in itself says something, rare a coaster leaves absolutely no memory on me.

I used to like Mean Streak but the re-track killed it.

 

This sounds insane but it was always a kind of slow/not that great coaster but the shaking gave it some excitement at least. Now its just well, slow and not that great Don't get me wrong, it wasn't anything special to begin with and only 1 out of every 3 rides was any good, but it's a total snoozefest now.

 

Hercules was fun. Yeah yeah it was rough but cmon its wood! Granted it was up there on the roughness scale, probably more than most but whadya want? It was fast, wild, pretty fun.

Do I miss it though? Nah

[ajfelice]

It's ok to love Predator!

 

I understand I'm in the minority, but I can't understand the sheer level of hate for Darien Lake's Predator. Especially since the installation of former Voyage Trains. In September 2012, the place was empty so I took the time to find the "bad" Predator a lot of people loathe. I couldn't find it in the front, back, middle, almost front, almost back, wheel seat, etc. Predator follows a very simple yet effective traditional layout that is above average in airtime with some forceful moments sprinkled in. By wooden coaster standards, is it El Toro smooth? Heck no. Is it violent like the former SoB, or former Myrtle Beach's Hurricane, or Hurler at KD? Far from it. Do the trains shuffle? Nah. Are there a few shakes? Of course. But, doesn't almost any traditional (no Topper or Prefab) woodie have some shaking? Yes. There is no defensive riding on this coaster.

Edited March 15, 2013 by ajfelice

[JJLehto]

Yeah not to be this guy...but a lot of woodie hate in general I think is just being kinda soft.

OK wrong word, but ya know what I mean. If its not smooth then it's a spine smasher and it kills you, but really most woodies just shake. What's wrong with that? Only a few actually beat me up, Hurler and Villian being two obvious ones.

Guess it's just how you are, I like a little bit of roughing up! I admit I loved Hercules and Wildcat which may push the standard limits of rough

 

Good point about the traditional layout. We have El Toro's and crazy GCI's that maybe make a "classic" is kinda lame but I find Blue Streak at CP loads of fun!

[GayCoasterGuy]

I'll never forget my first ride on Timberwolf. It was the night before the ACE event (can't remember which one) a couple weeks after the ride open. My aunt and I got in the back seat at night - buzz bar, seat belt, no headrests, no brakes... the whole site had the smell of freshly cut wood. The ride blew us away. It was the single best coaster I have ever been on (even today). It was fast as heck, smooth and every hill had near stand-up airtime. The curve inside the first curve had the train's left side upstops clicking up. It was out of control. By 1995 it was watered down and was really in bad shape (re-profile, brakes, bumpy) by 1998. Texas Giant and Georgia Cyclone were right behind Timberwolf in ranking; they were both wilder - but were born with ratchet bars and headrests, so Timberwolf had the edge at #1. I'm glad Rocky Mountain has come into play... I haven't ridden the New Texas Giant or GA Cyclone with the topper track - but I've heard great things. Here's a picture of each of those coasters when they first opened:

 

 

 

 

There are plenty of reports about how Dinn/Summers built their woodies cheaply, and most of them fell out of the limelight within 3 or so years. Brakes were added, they all were re-profiled, etc. Ga Cyclone knocked you senseless in a few spots. Texas Giant did the same - especially on the "Dinn Curve" going into the oval helix. I remember knocking heads with a friend in that spot - but it wasn't painful, it happened so fast it was like the 3 stooges. When I worked on TG in 1995, it was still a dynamite ride, but much of the edge was gone and it was starting to get rough. When I returned to ride Ga Cyclone in 1994, same thing - good ride, but bite was gone, drops 1 and 6 had been re-profiled, brakes were tight and the ride was showing serious signs of wear. Good memories though! I missed the decade earlier round of kick butt woodies in their prime (Texas Cyclone, Colossus, Riverside Cyclone) but I'm very lucky to have rode these when they were brand new! Wish I could go back in time... who doesn't!?

[Aceattack52]

I actually liked the Georgia Cyclone since it reminded me so much of the old Texas cyclone.

Did you ride it before or after it was retracked? The layout is just fine, but it just seems like it's deteriorating faster than other wooden coasters of its age. I agree that it's possible Six Flags isn't taking the best of care of it, but could there also be something in the construction of it? I.E. some members cause the load not to be evenly distributed and therefore wears down the structure more? That would certainly be Summers-Dinn's fault. I'm just throwing out ideas here.

[GayCoasterGuy]

^The good thing about the Georgia Cyclone is that it's had Topper Track from Rocky Mountain Construction put on the first couple hills. This (reportedly) makes the ride much smoother. The rumor was they were going to put a little more topper track on each year until it's all topper track. My recent 2 rides on Ga Cyclone (2011 and 2007, one time each) were awful. Slow, bumpy, etc. An all-around mess. The curves were so slow the cars were "falling inward" on the bank.

[historyfreak92]

Well Me, I always miss the Old Texas Giant from 2001 when I went with my grandpa!

[Aceattack52]

^^ I know EXACTLY what you're talking about when you say it was a slow, bumpy and all round mess. They took 30% of the track off and put on the topper track before the start of last season. The parts they put it on is just all right and since they didn't put topper track on more of it, it just stayed an ok ride. Melinda Ashcraft answered someone's question during Deep South Bash last year and she said "there will be more retracking done in this coming off season and the coming years." The Cyclone's trains seem outdated and beaten as well; could that have anything to do with it?

[ViperLover]

It's ok to love Predator!

 

I understand I'm in the minority, but I can't understand the sheer level of hate for Darien Lake's Predator. Especially since the installation of former Voyage Trains. In September 2012, the place was empty so I took the time to find the "bad" Predator a lot of people loathe. I couldn't find it in the front, back, middle, almost front, almost back, wheel seat, etc. Predator follows a very simple yet effective traditional layout that is above average in airtime with some forceful moments sprinkled in. By wooden coaster standards, is it El Toro smooth? Heck no. Is it violent like the former SoB, or former Myrtle Beach's Hurricane, or Hurler at KD? Far from it. Do the trains shuffle? Nah. Are there a few shakes? Of course. But, doesn't almost any traditional (no Topper or Prefab) woodie have some shaking? Yes. There is no defensive riding on this coaster.

 

I agree with you 100%. The Predator is a very good underrated coaster. People are always putting it down, when they probably haven't ridden it since it got the new trains. The ride is a lot less shaky, and still delivers great ejection airtime. Actually, it is one of my top 3 woodies.

[GayCoasterGuy]

The Cyclone's trains seem outdated and beaten as well; could that have anything to do with it?

 

I think so. Those PTC trains with head rests and heavy ratchet bars didn't hold out so well on rides that were built with lighter trains in mind. They started out great, but didn't age well. To put things in perspective, the Blue Streak at Cedar Point ran GREAT from 1964-1994. The headrest/lap bar "gear" was added after that and you end up with a ride that is dynamically different. Some coaster fans will swear otherwise. The ride does run well (considering the chop job on the trains), but it's a very different ride than it was before the "makeover." You can see all the extra wood and steel that had to be added to the structure in the years after the trains were changed.

 

Before (1964-1995):

 

After (note the 2 shorter bents that have been placed between all the original ones):

 

PTC gets bashed because of their trains. Most of those bad reviews are coasters with the newer ratchet bars. They're very heavy and the weight distribution is off. Find some old buzz bar rides and they run great (for the most part).

[XII]

1. Timber Wolf - While I certainly don't think of this as a good ride, I don't think of it as a horrible ride, which is more than I can say for all the other Summers/Dinn Coasters I've been on.

2. Wolverine Wildcat

3. Psyclone

4. Mean Streak

[Philrad71]

Wow...this is quite the list of sucky coasters. I guess I would have to say Mean Streak being the "best" out of some of the worst coasters in the world. The only reason that this would even get my vote is because I rode it the first couple of years when it was actually a fun ride. This coaster has not aged gracefully.

 

I remember riding Raging Wolf Bobs waaaaay back when it was fairly new and it was absolutely horrendous. Not to be outdone, they had to add Villain which was equally horrible in my opinion (even though this was a CCI). If the park were still around, I would take Teh Big Dipper any day!