Derek's Year in Review

[DerekRx]

2005 wasn't a big travel abroad year for me, nor was it the highest credit year, but it was an all around excellent year as far as coasters go. With vacation days not as excessive as in previous years thanks to no longer being a student, I was forced to make a lot of weekend trips.

 

My year started off on January 1 in Orlando, visiting WDW with my then girlfriend. First ride of the year was on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. In March I headed out to California to meet up with Robb, Elissa, Dan, and Joey, where I finally rode Bad Mummy along with Silver Bullet, some Disneyland stuff, and 2 visits to SFMM, where we were among the first to discover Tatsu planning. Several hundred dollars worth of Marie Calendar's pies later, I had enough funds again to start the official coaster season with a driving weekend trip to Carowinds, then 2 weeks later at Knoebels for opening day.

 

Starting in May, I would go straight thru until July 9th weekend visiting at least 1 park a week. From the disappointment that was Hydra, a weekend visit to Dollywood, Wildwood, a failed attempt at Kingda Ka, New Hampshire, Florida, as well as finally getting to Idlewild, Williams Grove, and Del Grossos, it was a busy couple of weeks. Over July 4th I would finally get to a park I had always wanted to visit, Silver Dollar City.

 

After taking a weekend off and realizing how boring doing nothing could be, I was back on the circuit, with visits to Hersheypark, Dorney, Seaside, and finally getting launched on Kingda Ka. Then it was off to Wisconsin to meet up with TPR and go to Hades, followed by the next week heading up to Maine for Funtown Fest. Just when you thought I couldn't get any more random, it was off to Michigan's Adventure the following week. (Being 25 and finally able to rent a car without paying dumb fees is great!)

 

Taking a breather over Labor Day, the following weekend was off to Clementon, then back to SFGAd for more Ka. Then I was down to Busch Gardens Williamsburg with Coaster Team for some Great Wolf Lodge as well. Afterwards was another weekend at SFGAd, then a very wet PPP, followed by Dorney, a weekend of hurricane dodging in Orlando, and then Halloween at Dorney. Taking a couple of weeks off because everything was finally closed, I ended my season with a weekend at the newest Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos, then flying out to LA and hitting Vegas (finally!) and then more Disneyland for its 50th, before buying a house and moving in.

 

Statistically, this year I:

 

Had 91 park visits to 58 different parks, 26 of them being new to me. The park I visited the most was Dorney Park with 7 visits.

My coaster count at the beginning of the year was 445, and as of right now, its 516. I visited 8 new for 2005 coasters, rode 71 new to me coasters, 57 of which were steel, and 14 were wood. My steel count is 402, and my wood count is 114. Not too shabby for only having 10 days vacation.

 

Next year looks to be about the same as of now, but with more emphasis on overseas trips, one of them being the TPR UK trip, the other a visit to Oktoberfest. Other definites are WDW, HW, BB, as well as all the local good stuff. Though I may end up at some other places as well.

[SharkTums]

Wow, that's pretty impressive!

 

Glad to have been a part of some of it! (Especially the pie!)

[Scaparri]

Wow! That's an incredible year! 91 park visits including 58 different parks is just mindblowing to me. What are you in Derek? Pharmacy? Maybe I need to reconsider my major. I'm not sure what is more impressive, the fact that you hit a park 91 times or the fact that you hit a park 91 times with only 10 days of vacation time!

[ParkTrips]

I visited about half as many new parks as you (about 15) yet picked up more credits than you (about 80)... how the hell does that happen?

 

You must have been whoring it up at all of the Jeepers'

 

- Joe, who had a crazy year as well but not 91 parks crazy!

[viking86]

And I thought my season was fantastic with 8 new parks and 32 new coasters

[Hattuchili]

Derek, it looks like you had a good year 2005. I am really jealous.

 

--Sören

[CoasterCrazy]

It sounds like you had a awesome coaster season!

 

I visited 11 new parks and I rode almost 100 new coasters! I'm also going to BGT, Cypress Gardens and IOA/USF in less than 2 weeks! This will be the best coaster season that I have ever had!

 

I hope I will be able to top this season by riding over a 100 new coasters next season! It shouldn't be very hard for me to accomplish since I'm going on the TPR UK Trip!

[DerekRx]

Yeah I think I've drained as much out of the "big" parks as I could. I believe the only major parks I've yet to hit in the US are in NoCal, and then Canada's Wonderland. I think the most credits I got out of 1 park this year was 6 from Michigan's Adventure. Every other park I visited this year had like 2-5 coasters.

 

Looking back at previous years, this is my whoring rundown:

1984-1

1988-1

1991-3

1992-1

1994-1

1995-1

1996-12

1997-8

1998-14

1999-108

2000-59

2001-48

2002-121

2003-62

2004-5

2005-71

 

2002 was the year of the Europe trip, 1999 was the year I really got into it and hit all sorts of parks on the east coast as well as Texas and Florida.

[Guest]

I went to CP, GL, Kennywood a few times, Lakemont, Knoebel's, Stricker's, and Wonderpark.

 

CP- Great park major disappointment for me. No Intamins. They suck ass. I absolutely fell in love with Maggie and Raptor. The shot up on PT was amazing air. And the best was MaXaiR. Omg what a gasm!

 

Geauga Lake- Best time ever at that park. Except with the incident with X-Flight. and well that other person. Not mentioning names. The Dom was ruling all and that perfect back seat ride on Villain was just heaven on earth. The SLC still sucks. Intamins suck! Mr Hyde's actually ran this time! X-Flight was kicking some major ass this year too!

 

Kennywood- I can never get enough of this park. It's my home park and it can only get better with age. The back seat rides on T-Bolt, Jack Rabbit, PR and Racer were all spectacular! Aero is running top notch and I can't wait for the screamin swing. Pittfall YUMMMM!

 

Stricker's Grove/Wonderpark- Mattie's first credits!!! I was so proud as all of us were. That was really the best CnA gathering, and I couldn't have asked for more. Perfect weather and people and rides. Flyers are the BOMB and Tornado ejector air! Heaven! Wonderpark awesome arcade, I beat Tina's ass hardcore!

 

PPP weekend- The craziest weekend, and the best as far as I am concerned. 3 parks in 2 days and a tour of GCII. Who could ask for more? Orgasmic Phoenix rides. Twister was a surprise for me, Flyers on CRACK MODE! Never have I been more scared in my life. The food, and just the amazing time with a lot of good new and old friends. And being soaking wet and waking up looking like a poodle... Good times. Getting nailed at GCII was fun! Lakemont was a great little park. Too bad the flats were dismantled. And we didn't get the ride on Tobaggon. But, still great fun. PFN was a ton of fun, got a triple ride on PR in the back seat. GASMMMMM!!! PR is the man! T-Bolt was great, mooshing was had. Jack Rabbit was craziness. And Exterminator, I have had so many good rides on it this year. Getting pinned to the seat and spinning like crazy is just amazing! I don't think I could have had a better year.

 

Mine isn't over yet. I am still hoping to hit up BGT for my yummy SheiKra ride. More credits I need! WooT! What a great year, and I really want to thank everyone for making it that way! CnA rocks out!

 

Whew that was long, but sure as hell fun to write!

[CoasterFanatic]

Pretty good year for me two with a couple new parks and a handful of new credits.

 

February

Dorney - Hydra Tour

 

March

Disneyland - New Credit (Big Thunder)

California Adventure - New Park and Credits (Mullholland and Screamin)

Belmont - New Park and Credit (Giant Dipper)

Sea World San Diego - New Park and Credit (Atlantis)

SFMM - New Credit (Superman)

 

April

Kings Island

Knoebels

 

May

Busch Williamsburg

Kings Dominion

Cedar Point

Busch Tampa - New Credit (SheiKra)

Epcot - TPR Meet

 

June

Dorney Park - New Credits (Dragon and Hydra)

Williams Grove - New Park and Credits (Cyclone and Wildcat)

Geauga Lake - Waterpark only

 

July

Myrtle Beach Pavillion - New Credits (Hurricane, Mouse, and Little Eagle)

Family Kingdom - New Park and Credit (Swamp Fox)

Myrtle Grand Prix - New Park and Credit (Crazy Mouse)

Waldameer Park

 

August

Kennywood

Cedar Point

Carowinds - New Credits (Borg and Taxi Jam)

 

September

Hersheypark

Great Adventure - New Credit (Kingda Ka)

Sesame Place - New Park and Credit (Vapor Trail)

Delgrossos - New Park and Credits (Worm and Crazy Mouse)

 

October

Knoebels

Kennywood

Kings Dominion

Six Flags America - New Park and Credits (All of them)

 

December

IOA

Universal Florida - New Credits (Woody and Mummy)

Sea World Florida

Magic Kingdom

[Erik Johnson]

Well since I really started getting into coasters this year (thanks to my good wife Leanne) my credits went from about 6 to 46 so far. Yeah, most of them from Florida parks.

 

New parks I visted this year:

Islands of Adventure (though about 10 times in six months )

Cypress Gardens (got all except the small kiddie credit)

Paramount's Carowinds (no taxi credit, but all the rest)

Six Flags over Georgia (did not get Deja-Vu or Mindbender yet)

Animal Kingdom (got em both...or one?)

 

Other parks I visited:

Universal Studios Orlando (though I got the 2 credits there this year)

Magic Kingdom (already had all the credits)

Epcot

MGM (got the RnRC credit)

Busch Gardens Tampa (I did have the Scorpion credit...but none of the rest until this year)

 

So I am happy, we are planning on hitting the Dania Beach Hurricane in a few weeks, but that will not be until early next year.

[Chris Benvenuto]

I went to CP, GL, Kennywood a few times, Lakemont, Knoebel's, Stricker's, and Wonderpark.

 

CP- Great park major disappointment for me. No Intamins. They suck ass. I absolutely fell in love with Maggie and Raptor. The shot up on PT was amazing air. And the best was MaXaiR. Omg what a gasm!

 

Geauga Lake- Best time ever at that park. Except with the incident with X-Flight. and well that other person. Not mentioning names. The Dom was ruling all and that perfect back seat ride on Villain was just heaven on earth. The SLC still sucks. Intamins suck! Mr Hyde's actually ran this time! X-Flight was kicking some major ass this year too!

 

Kennywood- I can never get enough of this park. It's my home park and it can only get better with age. The back seat rides on T-Bolt, Jack Rabbit, PR and Racer were all spectacular! Aero is running top notch and I can't wait for the screamin swing. Pittfall YUMMMM!

 

Stricker's Grove/Wonderpark- Mattie's first credits!!! I was so proud as all of us were. That was really the best CnA gathering, and I couldn't have asked for more. Perfect weather and people and rides. Flyers are the BOMB and Tornado ejector air! Heaven! Wonderpark awesome arcade, I beat Tina's ass hardcore!

 

PPP weekend- The craziest weekend, and the best as far as I am concerned. 3 parks in 2 days and a tour of GCII. Who could ask for more? Orgasmic Phoenix rides. Twister was a surprise for me, Flyers on CRACK MODE! Never have I been more scared in my life. The food, and just the amazing time with a lot of good new and old friends. And being soaking wet and waking up looking like a poodle... Good times. Getting nailed at GCII was fun! Lakemont was a great little park. Too bad the flats were dismantled. And we didn't get the ride on Tobaggon. But, still great fun. PFN was a ton of fun, got a triple ride on PR in the back seat. GASMMMMM!!! PR is the man! T-Bolt was great, mooshing was had. Jack Rabbit was craziness. And Exterminator, I have had so many good rides on it this year. Getting pinned to the seat and spinning like crazy is just amazing! I don't think I could have had a better year.

 

Mine isn't over yet. I am still hoping to hit up BGT for my yummy SheiKra ride. More credits I need! WooT! What a great year, and I really want to thank everyone for making it that way! CnA rocks out!

 

Whew that was long, but sure as hell fun to write!

 

WTF? CP has 3 Intamins, WT, MF and TTD!

[Jeezus Juice]

Ok, I know you've all been waiting to hear from me! I give to you;

 

Don's 2005 Coaster Retrospecticus

 

Jan/Feb: I know we went to the SoCal parks a bunch of times.

 

March: Took two weeks off of work and hung out in Vegas, hit up Scandia in Ontario, more of the same SoCal stuff, something called Solace.

 

Apr: SFOG was open daily for a week in Apr so I took the week off and went out to check out the park for my first time. Figured I might as well drive down and hit USO, WDW, Sea World, and Old Town. Went to WA but it was closed due to rain.

 

May: First week we went to Cedar Point because my brother decided to work there. Delierium (I mean maXair) was cool, stopped by Kennywood for opening day. Later in the month we decided to go back to Florida because we got rained out WA, plus SheiKra had finally opened. We also went back to WDW, UFO, BGT, Old Town, and went to Cypress gardens for our first time.

 

June: Finally the coaster season started. We went out to ride Kingda Ka twice and failed both times, Hydra was fun, went to Lake Comp for the first time with a real life Yankee, stopped by SFNE cause it was there (and it rocks) and figured we might as well check out Canobie cause KK was being a douche. Oh, and we went back to Rye Playland to pick up some creds we missed in 04.

 

Since my brother got fired from Cedar Point around this time he joined us in Missouri for some SDC/CC action. We drove right by WOF cause it sucks and went to the Olathe, KS Jeepers instead cause we're straght ballers like that.

 

Later in the month we manage to go to the Marin County Fair, Sonoma Tarintown, and I met up with Wally at PGA. I'm sure we were at SFMW at some point but my brain is trying to block that park out.

 

July: Finally we got to go on an actual coaster trip. We flew out to the UK for Alton, Blackpool and Thorpe and then met up with the ECC for a tour through parks in Hungary, Austria, and Italy. Venice doesent smell and the Alps friggen rock!

 

After the trip we went to Paris, DLP, and Asterix then flew back to the UK for some Chessington before we went home.

 

August: This will be known as the credit whore month. Lets just say we went to about 15 places (I wont even call them 'parks') with no more than 2 coasters a peice, and in many cases only one.

 

We also got to go to Mt. Olympus for some Hades action, SFGAm cause it rules, and Satans Village so I could finally ride that awesome Top Fun looper. Seriously, I'd been wanting to ride it for some time. I actually re-rode it a few times, it was really fun...seriously!

 

Sept: I'm sure we went back to SoCal, but the real treat was finally going to the Puyallup Fair in Washington. That places kicks.

 

Oct: I went to Haunt at Knotts like 5 times. Still haven't been to HHN, maybe next year.

 

Nov: No coasters, but on a trip to Eureka, CA I finally got to ride the Willits skatepark. This for me is what all other parks will be measured by from here on out. Best park ever. Do board slides count as credits?

 

Dec: Other than a ski trip to Tahoe we haven't done much. The month is long though...who knows. I'm totally suffering from park withdrawl...good thing we decided to go to Japan next month (no not with the Alveys). Otherwise it'd be until Feb that we got on a coaster again!

 

I know I have this all documented on a DVD somewhere...hmm...

 

 

-Don "Off season...what's that?!"

[momo1tx]

I really didn't get to do that much this year.

 

April: I went to Hersheypark for the "Springtime in the Park" Event. It was great, was almost no lines and really cheap prices, but Midway America being closed.

 

May: I went to SFA for my birthday, I finally got to ride Batwing and Two-Face, I had a great time.

 

July: I got to make my second visit to BGW, I wanted to ride DarKastle but couldn't due to a limited time there. I went to SFA twice, had decent visits, and finally checked out the waterpark. I went to PKD and finally rode FoF and Volcano, both are great rides.

 

August: I went to Dorney Park, got all of the major coaster in 4 hours, it was pretty crowded though. I went back to SFA in pouring rain, and went to PKD, where I finally rode Rebel Yell Backwards.

 

I didn't get to do that much this year, but then again it was my first full year being really into coasters.

[ParkTrips]

OK guess I'll do the rundown 8)

 

January: Universal Orlando (both parks) - three days

February: Stone Mountain Park - Don would probably count the sky ride as a credit so it counts as a park for me - one day

March: SFOG (five days), Carowinds (one day), Kings Dominion (one day), BG Williamsburg (one day)

April: SFOG (four days)

May: SFOG (one day), Great Adventure (one day), Dorney (one day), Hershey (one day), Knoebels (one day), Conneaut Lake (one day)

June: Martin's (one day), Darien Lake (one day)

July: Canada's Wonderland (one day), Martin's again (one day), Darien Lake again (one day), Lake Compounce (one day), SF New England (one day)

August: MB Pavilion (one day), SFOG (five days)

September: SFOG (three days + Goliath announcement), Lake Winnie (one day)

October: SFOG (two days), BG Tampa (one day)

November: SFOG (one day), Dollywood (one day), Camp Snoopy (one day)

December: Carowinds (one day)

 

My year: the only truly "dry" month was February, and I spent about 50 days in parks this year, almost one per week... awesome 8)

 

.. and as you can see I only do my homepark when its not busy

[Guest]

Chris, I meant I didn't get to ride any of the Intamins. Not that I meant there weren't any.

[Jeezus Juice]

Wait! Stone mountain has a credit?! I thought it was only boring "nature" stuff.

 

I'm so there!

 

-Don

[CoasterCrazy]

^Stone Mountain doesn't have a real credit!

[ParkTrips]

Yea man, Von Roll gondola ride! I'd even count the "down" side as a second credit!!

[CoasterCrazy]

^Thanks for letting me know that it counts as a credit, I can now increase my coaster count by two credits!

[ParkTrips]

It was all a joke, let me quote the Tools page:

 

About the videographer -

Don Garrison, a resident of Northern California, began making coaster videos in 2004. His Theme Park Review Video Contest Entry "Universal Studios Florida" placed in the top 15 and even earned him a "notable."

 

Don enjoys all parks and coasters but it's really the off beat independent parks he enjoys most. Aside from coasters he's primarily a trampoline and fruit punch enthusiast and likes to count any and all rides as coasters, including log flumes, ferris wheels, and most benches (picnic style benches

count as two credits if he rides both sides).

 

BTW the "screw Worlds of Fun, lets go to Jeepers" was awesome!

[larrygator]

News Flash - Park Trips comment on the Stone Mountain Gondola credit was SARCASM

 

I think I visited 15 new parks and picked up 80-90 credits (I'm too lazy to count right now)

New Parks include:

SFStL

Geauga Lake

SFGAm

MiA

Valleyfair

Mt Olympus

Riverview Park

Timber Falls (can I even count this as a park)

Camp Snoopy

Waldameer

Conneuat Lake

Idlewild

DelGrosso's

Lakemont

Clementon

[Jeezus Juice]

BTW the "screw Worlds of Fun, lets go to Jeepers" was awesome!

 

It was getting late, I was hungry, and even though I had a pass $10 for parking for a braked ride on Mamba just didn't sound appealing. To make up for it Monica bought a jaw harp at a cracker barrel that provided much more entertainment than it's $3.95 should have allowed.

 

That and the mini accordion my brother bought at SDC. If I wouldn't've fell into the fountain at CC with my camera there would have been alot more funny stuff on the DVD!

 

-Don

[tngdiablo]

Parks for me this season:

 

Six Flags Great Adventure - 6 times (3 Ka launches) - 1 new credit

Six Flags Over New England - 2 new credits

Six Flags America - 5 new credits

WDW - Magic Kingdom - 1 new credit (Barnstormer)

WDW - MGM Studios - 1 new credit (RnRC)

WDW - Animal Kingdom - 2 new credits (Both Whirls)

WDW - Epcot (no credits)

Busch Gardens Tampa - 6 new credits (No Montu or Gwazi Tiger)

Islands of Adventure - 4 new credits (Including Flying Unicorn)

Universal Studios - 1 new credit (Good Mummy)

Astroland - 1 new credit (Cyclone!)

 

Planning a coaster road trip for next summer. Hope to increase my coaster count by a lot...

[niiicolaaah]

haha... this was my year:

 

SFDL once

PCW once

 

new coaster count: 2. hahahha.