Missed Opportunities

[grsupercity]

When I went to Six Flags over Texas last Feb I rode all the operating coasters excluding Mr Freeze since the long was crazy and I was running out of time. I had rode the one in St Louis but I am still saddened that I missed that one. Sadly my list of closed coasters that resulted in missed credits is very high 

Closed coasters at parks I visited are High Roller and Excalibur at VF, Superman at SFGAM, Sky Rocket and lil phantom at Kennywood, Shamu Express at Sea World Orlando, Sidewinder and Half pipe at Elitch Gardens, Dragon and Kiddie Coaster at Lakeside, Lost Coaster at Indiana Beach, Carolina Gold Rusher at Carowinds, Flying Ace Aerial Chase at Kings Island, Joker and Judge Roy Scream at SFOT, Dragon at Adventureland. Mystery Mine Dollywood. I am sure there are more but sadly lots of missed credits for me

I was also supposed to go to Kings Island on Vortex's closing day but a flight issue resulted in missing that one as well

[swfan1988]

1 hour ago, Mike240SX said:

If it makes you feel better, the same model still operates at Keansburg Amusement Park in NJ, Jolly Roger at the Pier in Ocean City MD, and CJ Barrymore's Family Entertainment Center in Clinton, Michigan.

Thank you for the info, It does make me feel better...except I don't think I have a high desire to travel across country for a Pinfari Zyklon...especially when there's a shiny new RMC within 6 hours...

[Samuel]

I passed on at least two of those S&S slingshot upcharges (VertigGo, Thrill Shot) while they were still operating. Anyone here have the chance to ride one? I'm a sucker for slingshots now, so I regret not trying these at least once -- alarming tower collapse at Cedar Point aside.

 

[Jaykethekid]

1 hour ago, Samuel said:

I passed on at least two of those S&S slingshot upcharges (VertigGo, Thrill Shot) while they were still operating. Anyone here have the chance to ride one? I'm a sucker for slingshots now, so I regret not trying these at least once -- alarming tower collapse at Cedar Point aside.

 

I got to experience erUPtion at Frontier City while it was operating. I got many rides on it thanks to the park not running it as an upcharge attraction. Even without the seat rotation gimmick functioning, it was a very exciting ride. The sensation was comparable to their tower rides, just... sketchier and more intense. Aside from the shoulder restraints coming down super hard when the ride launched, it was overall an excellent ride.

[CenturyFlyer]

I saw the Caterpillar at Idlewild but never rode it - still need to get to Canobie.

I spent a half-day at Epcot in 2014 and didn't ride Universe of Energy.

My first visit to Kings Dominion was a couple of days after Shockwave closed, which I would've liked to have ridden just to say I'd been on a Togo stand-up.

These are weird ones but they mean something to me!

[AmyUD06]

3 hours ago, swfan1988 said:

Thank you for the info, It does make me feel better...except I don't think I have a high desire to travel across country for a Pinfari Zyklon...especially when there's a shiny new RMC within 6 hours...

Oh, I wasn't suggesting that they were worth any sort of trip...just if you happen to be in the area LOL.

[Hilltopper39]

Biggest missed opportunity I've had was riding Antarctica, Empire of the Penguin at SeaWorld opening year. Missed an opportunity to have a couple of hours of my day to spend somewhere else in the park, hours I'll never get back.

[wiyoh1984]

I regret not going to visit Astroworld while I still had the chance after my last visit in 2001.  As a Louisiana native, I never went to Jazzland/Six Flags New Orleans when it was around. I kind of wish I would have.  

[Invertalon]

Off the top of my head I can think of:

1.) Skipping Batman and Robin: The Chiller at SFGAdv and Mr. Freeze at SFoT. Both skipped due to long lines and such. Was in line for both and bailed. Mr. Freeze is not a big deal as I can still ride it somewhere, but missed out on B&R. Always a small regret I left the line that day. 

2.) Wish I took another ride on Black Mamba at Phantasialand (front, ideally). Only rode it once while there and was a touch underwhelmed, but I think front would have made a huge difference. Given B&M inverts are my jam, wish I got another ride or two on it while there. Taron was just so good though... Priorities...!

 

[mary.pesik]

It's actually a good thing I missed out on Shellraiser, because it gave my brother a stomachache with its shaking track.

Anyway, I missed out on Batman TDK on my 2019 SFNE trip because I was being a bit of a pussy then and didn't ride anything except for Thunderbolt, Catwoman's Whip, and GCGEFAA.

[Ed Farmer]

Nothing too big comes to mind.

I passed up a chance to ride the Dragons again after it was announced they were coming down in favor of a day at SeaWorld. I had previously ridden when they dueled, so maybe it was better that I skipped them and preserved the memory. 

 

[YoshiFan]

Skipping both SFGAM and SFOG when I visited Chicago in 2002 and Atlanta in 2003. I had a horrible opinion of Six Flags parks at the time because of how poorly Great Adventure was run (thankfully it's much better now) and wasn't an enthusiast so I would have skipped most of the larger coasters there even if I had gone but looking back it still would have been nice to add some more credits to my count.

I also had the opportunity to visit La Ronde in 2006 when I visited Montreal but hearing about how bad the park was and riding past the park on a bus tour where you could look at a lot of the park for a few minutes and seeing no coasters running because dispatches were so slow, I don't regret not visiting.

 

 

[michaellynn4]

I don't have any real "regrets" - any of the coasters I missed out on are technically still open.

I missed riding Wonder Woman at SFFT by a week, but that was just a timing issue with my work trip.

I've missed out on a couple of rides because of a walk of shame. The only two I'm a bit bummed on missing are Colossus at Thorpe Park (only time I'd have been able to experience one of those 10-inversion Intamin models) and V2 at SFDK (because of its uniqueness and the fact that it was actually operating with NO wait during my trip there).

[cfc]

For me, I guess its Eagle Fortress at Everland in South Korea. It was, by all accounts, the best of the Arrow suspended coasters and completely insane.

 

[Garet]

So many years I'd pop up to the station and see this sign was still there and hope...

 

Even though the all Korean sign confirmed it was gone for a 'new attraction' which turned out to be a garden (after a cancelled on-site hotel project). The Small World knock-off had a similar sign of a 'new attraction' and became a garden. My favorite rumor that I hear over the years and pops up now and again on some websites is the pandas are to blame for being too expensive for the lack of new attractions.

[dankeykang]

Dang, just watched the POV and for an Arrow suspended coaster, it looked pretty insane!  Bonus points that its URL number on RCDB is #1337.  Shame that it's been removed.  

[prozach626]

Not hitting Castles and Coasters the few times we were in Phoenix. 

(just kidding...)

[bill_s]

The Rocket at Ocean View Amusement Park. I recall passing it several times (mid-70s) and parents would never stop.

I had chances to ride Hercules at Dorney and Rolling Thunder at GrAdv but for others disinterest. Lesser loss there though.

Steel Vengeance. Not sure when it went down but it was possible for me to ride it, or I could have stayed another day sort of on speculation, which just sounded frustrating (it did reopen sometime the next afternoon). 1000 mile trip with no specific plan to revisit. CP was good and I made a point to just enjoy it but that burns a bit at every mention of the thing.

Disneyland. I was in LA a week on business and just didn't care at the time.

[Jason Maier]

I just regret spending years (late 90's-2016) not going to amusement parks in general

[aueft]

For recent close calls, I am sad that I missed Curse of DarKastle as I went to Busch Gardens Williamsburg the year after it had just closed. I am sort of a sucker for dark rides, and that one looked interesting.

Still liked the park, even if I couldn't get my dark ride fix.

[SLCHeadache]

On 2/25/2021 at 8:55 PM, CenturyFlyer said:

My first visit to Kings Dominion was a couple of days after Shockwave closed, which I would've liked to have ridden just to say I'd been on a Togo stand-up.

Kings Dominion is my home park, but I was a non-rider most of my life. Rebel Yell scared me senseless as a kid (though I do remember riding Hurler). Because of this, I missed out on Shockwave and HyperSonic XLC, and I didn't ride anything at BGW when I visited in 1998. Missing out on the Big Bad Wolf is the reason I'm so resentful of Verbolten.

I'm thankful I became an enthusiast in time to ride Volcano.

I almost want to make Italy my first European coaster trip because of the Togo stand-up and the S&S Screaming Squirrel.

[Nrthwnd]

After my first trip to Japan in 1972 (incl. Fuji-Queue Highland + Hanayashiki parks) ..... NOT immediately learning Japanese,

and thus, NOT (probably, I am that sure) getting hired by Disney for their new, first ever, overseas park, in 1983.

I mean, a non-local, Japanese-speaking Cast Member? Would have been golden for them......

...... And I'd want to be hired, as a Jungle Cruise Skipper!

 

Hmmmph.

[mary.pesik]

I missed out on Tidal Force at Hershey - my mom and brothers went on it and asked if I'd like to go, but I didn't, probably because of the height. Tidal Force is 100 ft; I'd been on Batman at SFGAdv before, which is 105 ft. Next time we go, I am going on it. When my debit card from social security comes, I'll use it to buy Disney tickets for me, my brother, and his girlfriend, and on the trip I'll ride Splash Mountain (hopefully) because that's another missed opportunity (I was scared of the drop last time I went.)

[Chiselphane]

I missed out on Disney California Adventure and really regret it.  I had been in San Diego for a work conference and took an extra day to go to Disneyland as it was likely the only time I'd ever be on the West Coast.  I waffled between getting park-to-park or just Disneyland but felt it was safer to go with one.  I did everything I wanted in DL so quickly I easily could have done both parks.  

One little thing that has stuck with me though is just how great Disney customer service can be.  CA has (had, not sure if its still there) a store just for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit merch and he's my favorite character.  It's within sight of the CA gates.  It was about an hour before closing and I was heading to the train station but on the way out I took a chance and asked a cast member "Hi, I don't have a ticket but could I like run over to just that store?"  'Of course sir, come right in.'    Who does that, honestly.   I mean she easily could have seen if I went somewhere else lol the store is something like 20 feet from the gate, but still.

[snoflake15]

Missed Deja Vu at SFMM when I was there both times and also Manta at SeaWorld.