Old, Gone Rides You'd Like To Ride - One Last Time

[DarienLaker]

Rode:

.Chaos (Opryland)

.'Cuda Falls (Darien Lake)

.Pitt Fall (Kennywood)

 

What I would have liked to ride:

.Original Steel Phantom with loops (Kennywood)

.Nightmare at Phantom Cave (Darien Lake)

.Original Bat roller coaster (Kings Island)

.Zonga (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)

.Floodgate Falls (Darien Lake)

.Cascade Canyon (Darien Lake)

.Son of Beast (Kings Island)

.Drachen Fire (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)

.Big Bad Wolf (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)

.White Water Landing (Cedar Point)

.Rainbow Mountain (Darien Lake)

[DrachenfireOP]

Ones I would like another ride on:

 

BBW (I have literally thousands of rides on this, and even worked on it, it was my first coaster, and I miss it greatly)

Drachenfire (I'm one of the rare people out there with over 100 rides on it, but I never minded the headaches and the line was always short!)

GASM

Steel Phantom

Jester at SFNO (This was the first steel coaster I rode that had backwards trains, rode it about 3 months before Katrina).

 

Ones I never rode but wish I did:

 

Son of Beast (I know you all hate it, but it was SBNO by the time I got out there)

Shockwave (Same story. I actually LIKE old rough arrows, I mean BGW was my home park growing up so I learned to ride coasters on 3 arrows in the 90s!)

Iron Wolf (I know people didn't like it, but it was a historic ride and it's weird to me to think there's a B&M I will never get a chance to ride).

Batman and Robin: The Chiller

 

Also I wish I could ride LNM one last time when the trains could go through the loops at the same time. I understand why they changed it, but I miss that! It was a real blast if you were lucky enough to be on a train when that magic timing happened.

[rcjp]

Drachenfire (I'm one of the rare people out there with over 100 rides on it, but I never minded the headaches and the line was always short!)

Although arrow coasters don't generally appeal to me that much and even though this was a rough ride I think it is one of the now defunct coasters that I would like to have been able to try the most.

[Rotura Violenta]

I know I'm in the minority, but I loved Flashback at SFMM. Such a weird, intense, adorable adventure.

I loved it as well and never understood the animosity toward it. There was some head-banging involved, but no worse than what you get on Viper, Revolution, X2 etc. today. Totally unique concept and execution, and I recall reading somewhere that these designs were intended to work as enclosed coasters as well. I could see how that might be accomplished.

 

The problem that I had with it was that goofy old Intamin car design in which vision was obscured from almost every seat—including the front.

[DrachenfireOP]

Although arrow coasters don't generally appeal to me that much and even though this was a rough ride I think it is one of the now defunct coasters that I would like to have been able to try the most.

 

I understand why! As you can see by my name, I hold this ride pretty near and dear to my heart.

It's probably one of the highest on the list for more coaster enthusiasts than any other coaster, and probably always will be because:

 

1) It looked really cool, so anyone who sees it wants to ride it.

 

2) The layout was unique, and two of the elements still have never found their way onto another coaster since. (Well, ok technically the cut back has, but not quite the same way Drachenfire did it).

 

3) It only operated for 6 1/2 seasons.

 

4) After it shut down, it stood for 4 seasons, and was readily visible and aesthetically maintained throughout that period, so people saw it and it still looked amazing.

 

I was crushed with the series of events which followed its demise. My last ride on it was about a week before it shut down. I road it in the back, and was going to ride again in the front but it broke down. I went back to the park 2 weeks later and it was closed. When you asked about it, they said it had a major issue and might be down for a while. The next visit I went back the week after that, they said there was a possibility it would be down for the rest of the season, but hopefully not. Then only a few days later when I went back, they said it was going to be modified and wouldn't open until the next year (1999), but by that point they had also announced Apollo's Chariot officially so there was that to be excited about.

 

Then the next season, it was all about Apollo, Drachenfire was still closed, and the park basically acted like it didn't exist. It wasn't on the map, when you asked about it people dodged the subject, and it was this year that they switched from live spiels to pre-recorded spiels exclusively (previously they had started adding pre-recorded spiels in the queue lines on some rides, but the ride ops still used mics for the station spiels). The pre-recorded spiel on the train totally ignored Drachenfire, even though you were going right by it. You could still see the trains on the track (thanks to the fact that for some strange reason, many arrow coasters don't quite fit in the maintenance bay and poke out a bit, and the train parked in the station was visible since the station was big and open), and the track was massive and all around you, but the spiel talked about "and on your right, is a red roller coaster called the Big Bad Wolf," which was strange because you couldn't see it, and it was almost like they were trying to force you to not notice what was right in front of you.

 

The worst part though was 2001. They put Drachenfire back on their website, and were cycling trains on opening day. I was SO excited, because the trains had load testers in, so it was clear they were planning to open! ... and then it didn't... and then they tore it down, but left the track in the station and maintenance bay, and you could actually still see the trains on the track and sticking out even though the rest of the ride was gone. I'm not sure how long the trains stayed there, but it was pretty haunting.

 

I wish the problem was in the trains and not the track. It might have stood a chance if the track wasn't causing such tremendous wear on the trains, and if they could have redesigned the trains like (if I understand correctly) was the original plan, it probably would still be there. But, if the rumors are to believed, the sticker price for over haul was 7 figures and I guess the park just didn't see it as worth it when Alpengeist and AC were proving to be so popular, and they already had BBW and Loch Ness (which, like all arrow coasters, are/were very self destructive) to deal with and just didn't want to keep a problem child around, especially one with low ridership and a history for causing hospital visits...

[bigcwd2000]

Starchaser at Kentucky Kingdom since it was the first roller coaster I ever rode. Also I wouldn't mind riding Son of Beast with the loop just to see what it was like.

[OrlandoGuy]

Haven't Ridden:

-Flashback/Z-Force

-The Chiller

-Alien Encounter

-Horizons (this one most of all...even tribute vidoes of this ride are awe-inspiring and nostalgic)

-Adventures Thru Inner Space

 

Have Ridden:

-Jaws

-Kongfrontation

-Back to the Future (my former favorite ride of all time)

 

Im just gonna throw Gwazi out there too because its demise seems eminent at this point, and I dont know when Ill be down to go to Tampa again...but I love this sucker.

[CanobieFan]

Haven't Ridden:

-Flashback/Z-Force

-The Chiller

-Alien Encounter

-Horizons (this one most of all...even tribute vidoes of this ride are awe-inspiring and nostalgic)

-Adventures Thru Inner Space

 

Have Ridden:

-Jaws

-Kongfrontation

-Back to the Future (my former favorite ride of all time)

 

Im just gonna throw Gwazi out there too because its demise seems eminent at this point, and I dont know when Ill be down to go to Tampa again...but I love this sucker.

 

I love this quote, and this definitely shows a ride doesn't have to be glass smooth to be fun.

 

I also would've loved to ride SOB with the loop.

 

Have I mentioned Cyclone...?

[IronWolfman]

Iron Wolf (I know people didn't like it, but it was a historic ride and it's weird to me to think there's a B&M I will never get a chance to ride).

 

I liked the ride, and it still operates at Six Flags America as Apocalypse.

[gecomet92]

I wanna ride the SROS at SFNE during it's inaugural season with the T-bars

[DrachenfireOP]

I liked the ride, and it still operates at Six Flags America as Apocalypse.

 

Woah, how did I miss that? I thought it was just gone! Thanks!

[VinTheAttendant]

Have Ridden:

 

Batman & Robin: The Chiller, Robin side (SFGAdv) - I only ever saw it running twice and only got one ride on it. Packed one hell of a punch, and I hope it eventually finds life again, even if it is far away from the States.

 

Big Bad Wolf (BGW) - This was always a personal favorite of mine, and it still was when I got my last ride one week before its removal was announced. The night rides on it were always unpredictable.

 

Catapult (SFNE) - Yes it was uncomfortable, yes it took forever to load, still really enjoyed this ride.

 

Cyclone (SFNE) - What can I say? First drop in the back row is still one of my favorite moments on any coaster.

 

Déjà Vu (SFOG) - Wasn't going to include this one, but since the new trains were added to Goliath, may as well. Plus, it was my first GIB.

 

Great American Scream Machine (SFGAdv) - It hurt, but if I had a chance to ride it just one more time, I'd like to.

 

Jaws (USF) - A very fun attraction with very cool effects, and made more fun with a very good skipper.

 

 

Haven't Ridden:

 

Big Apple (Astroland) - Dude! A Wacky Worm with a turn table!

Seriously though...

Any Coney Island coaster built from late 1800s to 1927

 

Alien Encounter (WDW MK) - When Disney does hardcore, it's the best kind of hardcore.

 

Batman & Robin: The Chiller, Batman side (SFGAdv) - I've still yet to experience an inverted top hat.

 

Crystal Beach Cyclone (Crystal Beach) - One of the most insane looking coasters in history.

 

Drachen Fire (BGW) - I'm an Arrow fan, and I would have wanted to give Mr. Toomer's most ambitious design a try.

 

Eagle Fortress (Everland) - Why? The TPR video!

 

Son of Beast (KI) - I genuinely wanted to give this coaster a try. Brutal or not, people talked about it for a LONG time.

[rcjp]

I know the ride was bad, but I really wish I could have ridden son of beast. The structure alone had to look great and the truth is we haven't seen a taller or faster woodie yet.

[MagnumFreak25]

Big Dipper, Villain, RWB, and Double loop from Geauga Lake.

[gecomet92]

I would like to ride The Chippers Magical Mystery Ride at TGE. Yeah they are using the same dome and the same scrambler but from a video I saw and people I've talked to Blizzard Indoors is a fraction of what it use to be before the scrambler was moved outside. Nothing like a pitch black scrambler ride with strobes!

 

I rode it once when I was about 6 and I don't remember anything from it, I just remember boarding.

[Genx24]

GASM at GAdv. I get to ride its sister in October, but I'd give almost anything to take one last spin on the coaster that pulled Great Adventure back from the brink.

[thrillseeker4552]

Deja Vu at SFMM.

 

I rode it maybe a couple times back before it was removed, but I hardly remember what the ride was like. And I won't exactly make it out to New England soon, being that I'm in SoCal...

[ScreaminNewEngland]

Every Chaos

 

MATTERHORN- Canobie Lake Park (This was the best bobsled ride of them all, If you have never ridden it, I feel bad for you)

 

Nightwing and timewarp SFNE

[Nitro1118]

Chiller at SFGAdv. I was heartbroken when they removed it. Gave the park an amazing top 7 (Toro, KK, Nitro, B:TR, Medusa, and the two sides of Chiller). The coaster lineup just hasn't been the same since for my home park.

 

Speed: The Ride. Packed a huge punch, especially the launch, first turn and loop. Highlight of my 05 Vegas trip.

 

BBW at BGE. The only great suspended coaster I got a chance to ride.

[Midgetman82]

I would like to give Alien ExtraTERRORestrial another go, even though it scared the living daylights out of my as a kid, haha. For a ride I've never been on, though, I wish I could've given Big Bad Wolf at BGW a ride before it bit the dust.

[prozach626]

Mr. Freeze in SFSTL, prior to it being ruined for a marketing ploy.

[StuckInSD]

Oddly enough, I wish I could ride the kiddie coaster that's at Fraiser's Frontier/Marshall Scotty's. It was my first roller coaster ever, and it's still there... sorta. Sadly, the park was caught in a flood, and never reopened. Breaks my heart to pass by the place on the I-8; nothing but a busted kiddie coaster, a dilapidated ferris wheel, and wrecked dodgems.

 

Thank you Shane/Montezooma, for preserving the memory. :')

[MagnumFreak25]

The Three Euclid Beach coasters. Especially the Flying Turns.

[flaffstar99]

Cop Car Chase in Movie Park Never got a chance to ride it..

[cfc]

I would like to give Alien ExtraTERRORestrial another go, even though it scared the living daylights out of my as a kid,

 

That was my favorite attraction at the Magic Kingdom before the coming of Stitch. Oh, well.