Your coaster 2005 season highlights

[Erik Johnson]

I figured since the year is about over, why not start a new thread featuring everyone's highlights of the year. The only request I have is to post the first coaster and the last coaster you rode of the year. (dates if you can as well). Also post a few of your favorite pictures as well.

 

First Coaster of 2005: Space Mountain: Walt Disney World, (Jan. 15, 2005--Which marked the exact day of Space Mountain's 30th birthday)

 

Last Coaster of 2005: Rock n Rollercoaster: Disney/MGM (Dec. 17, 2005)

 

My highlight of the year was when Leanne and I went to the Magic Kingdom with the TPR gang to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Leanne and I have quite a few travel plans for 2006, I hope they work out.

We got to ride SheiKra a bunch of times this year.

TPR gets to meet Figment.

TPR gets to ride Tower of Terror.

My favorite picture of the year, TPR hits MNNSHP.

[MSLSM]

So many memories:

 

2005:

first hyper

first invert

first flyer

first arrow looper

first launched coaster

first coaster with 90* drop

first coaster fith 90*+ turn

joined first coaster site

 

first coaster-Raging Bull: June 3

last coaster-Rajin Cajun

[momo1tx]

What a great year...

 

First Coaster: Sidewinder (Ahhh! Boomerang!)

Last Coaster: S:ROS @ SFA

 

I finally rode Volcano this year, after wanting to so badly

I rode my first of the infamous boomerangs (which wasn't that bad)

Rode a rocket coaster

And so much more...

 

Top Moment:

Riding S:ROS with no lines while every ride in the waterpark had a long line

[mcjaco]

WOW, I was married on Space Mountain's 30th birthday! My wife will be sooo thrilled with this information.....I see many future anniversary trips! :mrgreen:

 

Sadly, I went to one park on one day this year. October 14th SFGam, first ride, Superman. Last ride, Whizzer......

[TheStig]

Oh geeze where to start:

 

I got to watch a coaster (SheiKra) be constructed over time in person

I went to coaster con and got 30 some odd credits (SFGAm, MO, TFAP, PKI, LAMA)

I rode my first B&M hyper (Raging Bull)

I rode my first invertigo (face off)

I rode Hades!

I got to CP at the end of the season and rode my first giant frisbee (delerium was closed at PKI)

I met a bunch of cool people from TPR (Im in the whit shirt in the picture of figment)

I rode the Whizzer!!!!

 

I can think of more, but not right now

[YoshiFan]

First coaster, Flitzer at Playland (Ocean City, NJ), April 2005

Last coaster (unless I got to Disney at the end of this week), Sooperdooperlooper at Hersheypark, October 30th, 2005

 

Highlights:

Going on my first invert, hyper, floorless, going on a coaster with an inversion other than a loop, and also my first time on a B&M coaster, first boomerang, first time going on a coaster in it's opening year (Hydra).

[Rider117]

First Coaster: Robin side of Chiller at GADV

Last Coaster: Bubbles the Coaster at Storybook Land

 

Highlights: So many to choose from, easily my best coaster year ever!

[USRoadTripper]

First coaster was Thunderhead on May 26th

Last coaster was Montu on December 7th

Coaster highlight was definitely Top Thrill Dragster! I was absolutely terrified while in line and on the launch, but once it took off, it was nothing less than spectacular! It was my first and only thus far Intamin rocket, and it's perched right up there at #1!

I'd say my entire two days at Cedar Point was the highlight of the season. Man I had a *fantastic* coastering season this year, and I only hope that next year proves to be just as good or better!

 

-Julie

[the sound]

First coaster this year is probably Scenic Railway at Luna Park Melbourne (Ace classic!)

 

last coaster i think was Dragon Kahn at Port Aventura.

 

a great year for me, as i turned 13 and started using forums!!!

[Meteornotes]

First coaster of the year: Silver Bullet, KBF, February

Last coaster of the year: Space Mountain, WDW, October

 

Highlights:

 

Visiting LA for the first time in five years

Visiting the Dells

Going to seven different parks in one day

Finally getting to Halloween Horror Nights (which more than lived up to the hype)

Getting to WDW and IOA/USF twice this year (Mummy rules!)

I cracked the 400 coaster barrier, for a total of 402.

 

Oh, and that whole trip to Europe thing...

 

Seriously, three weeks in Europe with four other cool people = best trip ever. So many great rides (Expedition GeForce, Goliath, Balder, Katun, Starflyer), so many great parks (Europa Park, Liseberg, Walibi World, Tivoli, DLP), so many cool people (too many to name, though Soren and his brother rock), so many trips to McDonald's (OK, perhaps that wasn't the best part) and of course, seeing Robb get smacked by a giant inflated broccoli. It was hot as hell at some points, and sometimes exhausting, but I'd do the whole thing over again in a second.

 

Mary and I look forward to a bunch of trips next year, including her first trip ever to WDW...

 

dt

[pianojohn]

First Coaster: Space Mountain WDW on my 40th Birthday! Jan 14th

Last Coaster: Loch Ness Monster BGW October 23rd (unless I can hit a Disney park during Christmas week....arrgghhh!)

 

UPDATED!! Just rode Mummy at USF December 27th...woo hoo! The crowds were insane, but with single rider line, I got on in 10 minutes. Also did Doom 2X (also single rider). And off to Cypress Gardens tomorrow! Wish me luck!

 

Other 2005 highlights:

 

NEW parks!!

Dollywood (which I loved),

Holiday World (ditto),

Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (which I went to for the credits and will probably never go back),

Lake Winnie (where I was accosted by an over zealous security guard aka Rent-a-Cop about taking pictures of.....COASTERS!)

 

Favorite new rides:

Sheikra (love love LOVE it!)

Thunderhead (can't wait to go back this summer)

Hades (although it was the ONLY coaster operating the day I went)

Kingda Ka (not really impressed with it, but more impressed with the fact that a) I got to ride it in its inaugural season and b) I only waited about 10 minutes after doing the sprint of death at the opening of the park!)

Italian Job: Stunt Track. 2nd half is much better than the first, but the ride has such horrible capacity issues. Don't know if it will be any better at PKD in 2006.

 

 

But the biggest coaster related highlight: FINALLY meeting Tommy and James in person and being immortalized in their BGW segment.

 

Here's to more fun in 2006!!

[Canobie Fan]

Ummm I started my coaster year going on MrSix at SFNE (#189) and rode up to Thriller at Land of Make Believe (#300)

and umm I saw 15 coasters that were closed/I wasnt able to ride.

[Nrthwnd]

To make it short and sweet...

 

My 'highlight' of the 2005 coaster year?

 

Easy. And truthfully.

 

Joining up with TPR and meeting all of youse guys and gurls.

 

Then

 

[Andrew643]

My Highlight

 

 

May 21, 2005

 

Front Row on Kingda Ka on opening day. I will never forget that moment.

[Scaparri]

First coaster: Chang at SFKK (April 17th)

Last Coaster: Greezed Lightnin' at SFKK (October 28th)

 

32 new credits

6 new parks

 

Highlights:

-July Coaster Trip that consisted of Mt. Olympus, Timber Falls, SFGAm, and Indiana Beach. Hades, Cyclops, Avalanche, and Cornball are all awesome woodies. The Mt. Olympus Robocoaster was definately a highlight.

 

-SFOT

 

-Worked at Cedar Point. I'll never do it again, but it was an incredible experience. If it doesn't fit, FORCE it!

 

-Italian Job. Most people don't care for it, but I thought it was a blast. A lot more 'fun' than most rides at PKI.

 

-Beech Bend tour and announcement

 

Can't wait for 2006. It's going to be a great year. Lots and lots of new coasters and parks. Plus Voyage and Kentucky Rumbler not terribly far away.

The Kentucky Rumbler tour with Jeff Pike of GCI. That day was a lot of fun. Thanks again to the Alveys and the Discovery Channel people for that opportunity.

Best miniature golf place ever!

Pay the extra $2 for the extreme version. It is well worth it.

The money shot.

Hangin' from MF while doing low zones on my last day of work.

[downunder]

First Coaster: Wild Mouse - Luna Park (Sydney) 1 Aug

First Real Coaster: Top Thrill Dragster - Cedar Point 28 Aug

Last Coaster: Lethal Weapon - Warner Bros Movie World (Aust) 18 Dec

 

Highlights:

Falling in love with Superman Ride of Steel at SFNE all over again.

Front row Top Thrill Dragster and hitting 124 mph.

Front row Millennium Force

Deserted Knott's with all rides running.

[Imhotep]

My highlights:

 

First coaster: Kraken

Last coaster: SheiKra (6 consecutive rides)

 

Took our first big coaster trip this year.

In 7 days we hit BGW, P:KD twice, Hershey Park, Dorney Park and SF:GAdv. On what was supposed to be our "off" day, we decided to visit Manhattan, which was a huge highlight for us!!!

 

Another highlight was finally getting to ride SheiKra, after following the construction since day one.

 

Meeting up with the TPR crew at IOA was fun, R&E were very down to earth. Hopefully you guys will still be up for giving Dyneshia and I the tour of SFMM if we can make it out in 2006!

 

Biggest highlight of them all though, was getting engaged.

[mark9]

It was a decent enough year.

 

First Coaster - Dragons Fury, Cwoa

Last Coaster - Mighty Mini Mega, Southend

 

My best memory was finally after 12 years into coasters riding a wooden coaster... then riding 3 others. Working at Chessington will also stay in my mind for a long time to come.

[Reon]

first and last coaster of the season: VorteX

 

Highlights:

*First rocket (StormRunner), followed almost immediately by Dragster

*Got enough air on Cyclop's first drop to go over the seat divider and land on the other side of the bench, where I spent the rest of my ride.

*Second trip to CP

*Rode Hades, nuff said. Also IJST, which was far worse, but still had it's moments.

*Finally got to IoA after years of waiting (although that trip was technically december of 2004...)

*Doubled my coaster count.

 

Favorite rides of the year:

*Vortex

*Hershey Wildcat

*Hades

*Cyclops

*Stormrunner

*Millenium Force

[America Sings Freak]

Space Mountain reopening! It was so exciting to ride a ride that has been closed for three years!

[DerekRx]

First coaster of the year: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster; Disney-MGM Studios January 2, 2005

Last coaster of the year: Space Mountain- Disneyland November 28, 2005

 

Highlights: Finally getting every credit in PA (except that kiddie coaster in the Poconos)

Finally visiting Michigan's Adventure and Funtown USA

Random weekend trip to SoCal where I spent more money on pie than I did on the rest of the trip put together

Random weekend trip to Central Florida hitting Cypress, Sea World, IOA, Universal AND dinner at Emerils all in the same day

Wisconsin trip

Getting Tom to more parks than just Dorney and Knoebels by making him go to BGW

Dodging hurricanes in Florida in October

 

Most Memorable:

Finally hitting Vegas, with the two people who kept mocking me for never going there!

[ebl]

I'm still alive.

 

Eric

[Eagle Rider]

I made my first trip to Holiday World. It took me a few rides to understand why the Raven was such a hyped coaster, but when I rode in the evening it all made sense. What a great coaster.

 

As the operated said,

 

"It's big, it's bad, it's what you've been cravin'. It's short and sweet; It's the RAVEN.

[momo1tx]

Actually in the last full year, my first park was IOA. I visited it December 29-30, and rode DD: Ice first. Actually, looking back, that trip was probably my biggest highlight.

[N'at Man]

This season I added 101 coasters to my count to bring me up to 733. It was a very good year as far as new coasters and old favorites.

 

The year started off with a traditional trip to BGW/PKD in April. That was followed up with an early trip to Carowinds for the first time in several years. I also did Knoebels opening day. Throughout the season I visited many of the local parks in PA and OH.

 

I was able to ride many new for 2005 coasters including Hydra, Mr. Six's Pandemonium, Hades, Italian Job (PKI), Raging Spirits, Galaxy Express 999 and SheiKra.

 

Japan was the big trip of the year but I also did the ACE Con which I really enjoyed. The Spring Con was fun down at Lake Winnie and Dollywood. The Granite State trip was excellent as was my trip to the NYC area parks including Adventureland for the first time.

 

After my recent trip to Florida I can now say that I finally have ridden every operating wooden coaster in the US after riding Triple Hurricane. I think I'll keep that status after the 2006 season if all goes well.