Coastin through the Ohio Region 2017

Nice report! It makes me even more excited to finally get back to the park this July. I can't wait for Mystic Timbers, as well as the two B&Ms, Beast, FIrehawk, Bat, Delirium, Drop Tower, and all of their other awesome rides.

I'm back!!!!!!! with a fresh new TR from CP! Boy the day could not have been anymore perfect! 67 degrees and a slight breeze made for no long lines and a ride on every coaster!!!

 

My thoughts on some coasters since I've last rode them:

-Dragster, Maverick and Millie are still fun and great rides in the front! (no bugs where killed by me which is surprising)

-Rougarou is an underrated ride imo

-Magnum continues to kill thighs but still gives a great ride and really does not show its age

-Valravn is still a one trick pony but I will try to ride it every time i'm up at the park.

 

Just to show how good of a day it was, by 1:30 we had rode Millie, Maverick, Dragster, Magnum and Gemini all in the front row as well as getting rides on Woodstock Express (new credit), Pipe Scream (new credit as well) and Corckscrew. I would like to point out that Firecracker at HW was my first Calypso but i LOVE Tiki Twirl better.

 

On a side note, despite two train ops on some of the major casters, I would like to say that Chickie Pete's is a fun place to eat and the food is great! I was thinking it would have like the Reds Hall Of Fame type of vibe but i was pleasantly surprised, and the Chicken Tenders where nice and delicious!

 

Mean Streak (or whatever you wanna all it according to some people on Youtube that check out my videos) continues to grow and it was the first time I've seen it since Chill Out. Boy oh boy if this doesn't become the best ride at CP idk what else is!

 

Enjoy the pictures and videos!

Decided to check out battery park for the first time

Something is happening over there...................

well hello there!

Fly birdie fly!

a tangle of track

LOVE this ride!

#Theyrecoming

with two inversions done i believe they have a couple more to do..................................................... jk

Surprisngly enough i got two new credits, woodstock express and pip scream!

**Wheels brought to you by Arrow**

One day i'll get out on this beach to get some better pictures. Maybe when i come back up in October

They need to change the sign to GATESLEEPER

and thus there was two train ops..............

RMC

MORE RMC!

EVEN MORE RMC!!!

Ledgers placed inside of the structure look to be for another Inversion

Twistyyyyyyyyy

Airtime anyone?

track sitting out by the traintracks

Never went through the Dino's but i wanted some good shots of Millie so why not

personally liked this Dino's better than KI's, more sounds and better movements

#moneyshot

Am i still in an amusement park?

yup! dive dive dive!

That does it from Cedar Point! I have Kentucky Kingdom coming up on June 21st, and then Carowinds/Kings Dominion/Dorney Park!

Nice pics -- brings back some great memories from a week ago for me

 

Glad Thurs had such light crowds for you. Surprised you didn't stick around for Coastermania! on Friday, as that also had pretty light crowds -- and we got evening ERT on Wilderness Run. . the hardest credit to get at CP for an adult

 

 

(and no, I don't care if they count it as a coaster - even on the Coastermania! shirts (really), Pipe Scream is *not* a coaster, and I did not ride it).

Sorry...I don't want to dampen a really good report...but pip scream? A cred!!!! What!

 

Anyway, your list, your rules!

Recently I visited Kentucky Kingdom for Koaster Kids Day! It was a great event and we got some nice ERT on Storm Chaser in the morning and Lightning Run in the evening both for about an hour! Also at lunch Ed Hart came out and spoke to the group and was kind enough to answer some questions. Here are some of the answers:

- A Question was asked about the future 2018/2019 announcements and he said that they are still looking at when they have the best customers/out of state visitors etc. in the park. when that time is, they could announce what they are doing (which honestly is like last of June to early July or late July)

-Mr. Hart had stated that T3 is about to run with two trains, they are working on getting both trains up and running, and are slated to begin two train operations this weekend!

 

I would like to say that Storm Chaser is really broken in this year! I don;t remember it being so intense and hurtful (in a fun and enjoyable way) last year! as far as Thunder Run is concerned, I thought the ride was running better last year than it was this year, but maybe that's just me.

 

Anyways here's a couple video's and some pictures for you! This weekend I will be visiting Carowinds and Kings Dominion for the first time so stay tuned for vlogs, footage and pictures on CoasterMatt Productions socials! (follow on twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube!)

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Look at all these Koaster Kids that are ready to BE BRAVE AND RIDE ON!

It's hard to choose between L-Run and Storm chaser for best coaster at KK

Th man, the myth, the legend. the HART of KK, Ed Hart!

Even got a picture with him! Thank you Mr.Hart!

#FerrisWheelViews

the tracked section was alright but the ride was ok.

first time riding this and it was fun!

So we found out that the greezed lightnin' cars where actually being sent to Knott's for part's!

I really like this pic honestly.

this one as well!

Inversion!

I really enjoyed the super loop!!!!!!!

A great fun ride and an okay ride. you tell me which is which.

Another decent shot.

"hang-n-bang"

Twsity!

Painful!

Rough!

"thank god that;s over"

I HATE SLC'S

dive! dive! dive!

A nice drive-by picture to end the TR. Please remember to stay tuned for Carowinds and Kings Dominion!

I'm back! Recently I went on a 'Great Eastern Road trip" visiting Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Kennywood and Cedar Point. 3 of these park's where my first time visiting and Kennywood/Cedar Point was actually last minute plans!

 

So to start off the first park of the trip was Carowinds. we where there Saturday evening and 3/4 of the day on Sunday. Here's the ride card for those two days:

-Fury (x6)

-Afterburn (x2)

-every other coaster (x1)

- Woodstock Gliders(x2)

Overall I thought the park was nice but honestly, as a ride op from KI, watching operations down here, I now know why Kings Island is voted the best throughout the chain for safety & efficiency. Yes Fury dispatches are amazing, but when they send a train when an operator yell's to hold o fix a situation and the train starts moving and THAT ASSOCIATE IS ALMOST ONTO THE TRAIN...................wow...................... Meanwhile I would like to say that the Smoked Chicken Wing's from Harmony Hall are AMAZING!!!!! My thoughts on the coasters:

 

-Fury 325: What is there to say! This ride was my first B&M Giga, and I love it! Almost felt like a B&M and an Intamin combined for some of it.

-Intimidator: Surprisngly I got some airtime and It's not as good as Diamondback but it's up there with it (keep in mind I've only rode 2 B&M Hyper's now)

-Afterburn: Well here's my favorite Invert now! really smooth and intense! That last corkscrew really catches you by surrprise!

-Ricochet: Wild Mouse's are fun! Sadly KD's s better but it was fun!!!!

-Hurler:.......................Why are there trim brakes on the bottom of the drop................i could've took a NAP on this ride.

-Carolina Goldrusher: interesting

-Carolina Cyclone: not the worst Arrow looper i've rode but it's better than Corckscrew and Anaconda!

-Nighthawk: I'm used to the vekoma dutchman's and I aactualy liked this and thouught it was fun but those Corckscrew's really out some good forces on ya

-Flying Ace and Woodstock Express: Meh, rode for the credit

-Vortex:...................... #bringinthefloorlesstrains

-Flying Cobra's: my first standard boomerang and it was fun but a little rough here and there.

 

 

Finally I would like to say it was bittersweet to ride the Gliders again as I have not rode them since they left KI. This set was my first time snapping on a set of gliders and I loved it!!!!!

 

Anyway's check out the video and pictures!

 

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Great first ride of the trip!

Meh.........

another meh,,,,,,,,,,,,

GLIDERS! SNAPPING! FUN!

#lrootnof325 (last ride of the night on Firy 325)

little better than firehawk but it's still a vekoma.................

More snapping!

Such a great ride!

That last corckscrew though.

Weeeeeee!

Corcky mate

Not a bad photo

trim brakes............it just had to be trim brakes

#Bringinthefloorlesstrains

Dive! Dive! Dive!

#standinguptoadecentride

dutchman's anyone?

Not a bad hyper honestly

More afterburn!

Heading back!

twisty!

Bye bye carowinds! but not goodbye to Fury though!

Kings Dominion is up next so stay tuned!

Our next stop on "The Great Eastern Roadtrip" was to Kings Dominion. I knew that it was a little similar to Kings Island. Overall I was impressed at how well the park was put together. One question though is how do you have a Nascar driver and a stunt coaster in a jungle................... My thought's on the coasters (in order thatwe rode them):

 

-Dominator: Easily my favorite floorless coaster now and about my 5th favorite B&M! The pacing was great and it felt pretty smooth

-I305: Oh buddy. My first grey out and such a FUN ride! not the best giga I've rode but better than Millie! Deeply impressed!

-FOF: I'll just say that KI's is better IMO

-Anaconda: Not a bad coaster! It wasnt as good as Tennessee Tornado or Vortex but I thought it was a lot better than Corckscrew.

-Backlot: Same thing can be said about Backlot as I said for FOF, KI's is better. Not only did the show not have fire but the helicopter didnt have blades and It didnt feel like it should.

-Rebel Yell: Red side killed us but Blue side felt a little better! retracked section felt nice but after that It surely felt like an aged wooden roller coaster lol.

-Ricochet: What a fun wild mouse! I've only rode the models at Carowinds, Dominion and some spinning ones at MOA and AK and by far, this one is by far my favorite!

-Grizzly: Reminded me of a smaller version of Beast and it was fun but there was one airtime hill that caught us off guard!

-Woodstock Express: typical kiddie coaster and it was fun!

 

Non coaster thoughts:

-Delirium was fun but not as fun as KI's or Kennywood's Black Widow.

-Crypt: WHY OH WHY DID KI GET RID OF THEIR TOP SPIN. THAT WAS FUN!!!!!!

-Flying Eagles: Why oh why can we not snap on any set of gliders outside of Carowinds.............

 

All in all it was a great and fun day at the park! As always I'll shut up now and enjoy the video's and pictures!

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So beautiful!

I'm going to be completely honest, these fountains are a lot better than KI's

"There goes the floor, your out the door"

"Gentlemen, START YOUR ENGINES!"

Such a FUN ride!

Ki's is better.........

KI's is better

FIDGET SPINNER!

"Bad Apple" I love the sound of the name honestly.

Such a fun ride Ricochet is, ignore what's going on behind it........

Oh this? that's Really More Coming!

Zoom in for you?

Roar!!!

Another fun ride!!

Fun to watch a guy cut a small section of the track off. Little be known, after we left the site they placed more track in place.....

Weeeeee!

A Ferris wheel look at the Hurler site.

Why oh why did KI get rid of the Crypt it was an amazing ride!!

Flyby!

twisting curving goodness!

back for more B&M Goodness!

So long! Off to Kennywood!

Hurler:.......................Why are there trim brakes on the bottom of the drop................i could've took a NAP on this ride.

 

Thank you for this information. I was about to make another effort to find this out, when I've asked before it was ignored. Plus, I don't really trust anyone who doesn't mention it or claims it's not braked, I even saw a claim they took the brake off the KD one as well as lots of reviews/complaints with no mention of the brake.... although to answer your question, maybe the brake is working to the extent you didn't say it was rough as well as boring (by the end though, the KD one was rougher with the brake than it ever was without it).

 

I thought it would have been kind of neat to go ride an original Hurler in good shape and Lightning Rod in one trip this year, before RMC Hurler comes next year, but now that one tiny thing drops off my motivations.

Nice report(s). I'll be visiting both Carowinds and Kings Dominion for the first time in about three weeks, so it's nice reading your report and your thoughts on the rides. I'm beyond excited for Fury 325 and Intimidator 305.

Onto Kennywood! First off I just wann say that this a really fun park and a historic park. You have three of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world (and some of the smoothest in all honesty) and some of the modern steel coasters that give good/great rides! All in all it was a great fun filled day with minimum waits on most of the coasters and flat rides! Here's my thoughts on the coasters:

-Sky Rocket: my first non Premier Backlot clone/ FOF clone and what a fun ride! The back row really gives a better ride than the front seat and the hangtime on the first drop really is a doozy.

-Exterminator: Most likely my favorite spinning wild mouse! Loved the theming and the whole ride!

-Phantom's Revenge: This was amazing. nice and smooth, lots of airtime and all out fun! Didn't feel like this has aged badly, it was as smooth as butter!

-Thunderbolt: Loved that there was no seat divider and you moved freely with the turns! Fun Fun Fun!

-Racer: Loved the classic feel and that you have to ride 2 times in order to get the full experience!

-Jackrabbit: HOLY MOTHER OF AIRTIME! (that's all i have to say as i loved it)

 

Other rides:

-Log Jammer: loved the little airtime hill before the big drop and FINALLY GOT TO RIDE A LOG FLUME THAT FLOATS! (we're on a log flume, we're on a log flume)

-Black Widow:; Sucha fun ride that IMO is better than Delirium at KI and KD.

 

Here's some video and pictures, Enjoy!:

Gotta love the Alice Cooper song........ wait wrong thing.

Yes!

A fun little fun house

All Aboard!

Look who CoasterGuy101 is hanging out with!

Airtime!

Wonder who those wheels are made by!

Stay tuned for Cedar Point! The Last park on the trip!

I noticed that Lightning Run is your #1 woodie even though it's a steelie. Should that be Lightning Rod instead?

Speaking on my home park Carowinds, after the GCI reprofiling of Hurler, yes, the reins were removed providing the out of control ride it was to be when it first open but the heavy PTC trains still showed triumphant over the track in causing much stress to the wood so they added them back. I personally think with the reprofikr they should've swapped for the millinium flyers. As for the gliders as you know they were originally at KI and are the old version compared to the new manufacturer who makes them now to not be able to snap.

The last stop on the Great Eastern Road trip................Cedar Point. A Park that originally like Kennywood was not planned and was a last minute decision! Overall the park did not seem busy for a late June Tuesday and mostly everything (minus Dragster for wind) was open!

 

My thoughts (small because I've been to CP before lol):

-Mean Streak was looking amazing! It was nice to be able to get back to the train crossing and get some good shots of the ride.

-Maverick was insane in the back (first time in the back)

-Gatekeeper was a little painful early in the morning, like it just jerked around A LOT

-Iron Dragon VR............I take back everything I said bout VR on a coaster. Now im one for liking to see where im going, but this was really cool. Now if you put this on power tower I will not do it. I still have yet to do power tour to begin with.

 

As always enjoy the video's and the pictures!:

Welcome to Cedar Point!

Where every coaster is very photogenic!

The running of the bulls!

Taking a look at the RMC Streak site

Looks almost the same from last time we visited

Let it be known they placed more track later on that day and we didin't find out about it until AFTER we left.

"Don't go in the shed"

Not gonna lie i love this photo!

Such a fun coaster! Now if only that track was filled with sand.

Another photo i love!

And another one!

first time walking on the beach. Im going to start coming out here more often

First VR coaster.

That's all from CP and the Great Eastern Roadtrip! It was fun and it was exhausting! I'll have a Coney Island and Strickers Grove update coming up soon! (Theres a milestone for me at Coney Island)

Guess who's back, back again! July 4th was a special day for myself! With reaching my 100th coaster and visiting two parks in one day (easy but surprising that I have never been to any of these parks) it was an enjoyable (and safe) July 4th!

 

Onto the first of the two parks visited: Coney Island!

 

Honestly, I never had my hopes up with this park as a real thrilling park but i respect the park because of its history. The Python (a pinfari model) was rough. Honeslty, the flats where better than the coaster................

 

Here's some pictures and videos:

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My 100th coaster!

Yes I shot a POV, No i will not release it as the bottom of the hills destroyed my tripod and shook the phone everywhere.

What a fun "ferris wheel".

Onto Strickers Grove!

 

STRICKERS GROVE! Ah what a wonderful small amusement park out in the middle of corn field Ohio.

 

-Tornado: What a fun ride! The airtime on the double down was AMAZING! Loved that the ride had a buzz bar and not regular PTC individual lap bars.

-Teddy Bear: A fun little Kiddie coaster that reminded me of Woodstock express but just a little smaller.

-Flats: Loved them!

Looks like the park got a new train?

Airtime!

Sadly cannot snap these...........

Airtime!

So Long Strickers Grove! Soon to come is MA!

Michigan's Adventure, what a fun park, but i can easily say I now know what Cedar Fair could do to bring a small park up to a major attraction. First off to start I liked the park, but there where some things that showed me that I don't think they did right, For example, the rides, operations, food service was great! Landscaping in some areas was really surprising as bushes where growing over ride queue walls, some spots of the lake near the shore was quite interesting. Anyways, my reviews on the coasters:

-Thunderhawk: IF THERE IS EVER A GOOD SLC (Yes you heard that right), I have found it. I don't know if this is a newer SLC or what, but I loved Thunderhawk. I kept my head forward out of the restraint and it was an awesome ride! 8/10

-Shivering Timbers: What an awesome woodie! Not #1 but the airtime is phenomenal! Although I will say I was kind of dissapointed when the only smooth ride you can get is in the front seat........Also, I have never heard upstop's rolling as fast as they can when you hit the brake run as I did on this coaster. Truely the airtime is great! 10/10

-Wolverine Wildcat: A good woodie, not to shabby. The double up and double down where the best part's though! 7/10

-Mad Mouse: My first Arrow wild mouse, found it about as good as the ricochet clones, but not as good as Primervial Whirl but still a fun ride! 7/10

-Zachs Zoomer: meh, felt like Woodstock express with an extra bunny hill. 4/10

-Big Dipper: It was ok. 4/10

-Corckscrew: Typical Arrow corckscrew although it was interesting as this was my first ride on a model with no vertical loops. 6/10

 

Enjoy the pics and videos!

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Peace out MIA! Ki and IB reports will be up soon!

Back in September, I decided to visit another park for a first and to rack up some new credits.......This park wound up being..... Indiana Beach!

 

Overall I wans't very "amused" at the park (mainly because I thought everything was somewhat to close together.) but I was pleased with what the park offered ride wise! Unfortunately I did not do the up-charge Haunted House (if i end up going back in the future I will be sure to). My thoughts on the coasters:

-Hoosier Hurricane: A fun woodie with some good airtime moments but a little rough at the base of a couple drops. Could use a slight retrack and possibly some new

trains. 7/10.

-Cornball Express: If i have ever experienced some violent airtime on a coaster, this has it. Not only is it fun but is pretty intense with lateral G's and some good airtime hills! 8.5/10

-Tigg'r: My first ever Schwarzkoph coaster and honestly though it was pretty smooth and intense! 8/10

-Lost Mountain: This was fun for it being a wooden coaster/wild mouse although I was facing backwards on only ride, i though it was a bit to jerky. 7/10

-Steel Hawg: This ride is smooth and fun for it's compact layout and the inline twist really give's some insane hangtime! The one downside for this coaster I feel is the restraints. 9/10

 

Enjoy the pictures/videos from the park!

Yeah, MIA and IB are both pretty good, but could be great with just a few improvements. In MiA's case, they need a few more rides to run consistently. I saw way too many maintenance people running rides. If they had more ride staff, maintenance would be freed up to fix the rest.

 

In IB's case, the biggest need is just cleaning up the place. Love the new signs, and it looks like there's some new paint on some rides too. Not sure if it's actually new, but it does look like it from the photos.

 

Glad you had fun!

I may still give this park another year or two and gauge it's improvements before taking the four hour drive. It looks interesting, though.

I may still give this park another year or two and gauge it's improvements before taking the four hour drive. It looks interesting, though.

In all honesty, I don't plan on going back to the park until they get a new coaster or something that seems amusing for me to go back. I mean don't get me wrong the park has some fun and unique rides but some of the park needs a little more sprucing up.

Thanks for the honest feedback, Matt.

Great report! Glad to see someone else appreciated the ferocity of Cornball Express. Having airtime that strong with buzz bars was amazing.

 

Just curious, how many rides were closed and what was the uptime of the ones that were open? That was my major issue with that park. At closing, 5 of the 6 coasters were down for the day. Cornball was only open for about a half hour total, Steel Hawg stalled on the MCBR and had to be evaced, Lost Coaster went down within an hour of closing, and then Tig'rr wasn't open at all.

Great report! Glad to see someone else appreciated the ferocity of Cornball Express. Having airtime that strong with buzz bars was amazing.

 

Just curious, how many rides were closed and what was the uptime of the ones that were open? That was my major issue with that park. At closing, 5 of the 6 coasters were down for the day. Cornball was only open for about a half hour total, Steel Hawg stalled on the MCBR and had to be evaced, Lost Coaster went down within an hour of closing, and then Tig'rr wasn't open at all.

 

Honestly, the only rides that where closed all day was the kiddie coaster and the magic carpet ride (I think that's what it was) near the front of the park. Every coaster was running the whole time i was there, without the fact that Lost coaster was down for a bit for i dont know what but i still managaed to get the credit, as it closed about a good hour after i rode it, but reopened later.

^ That's good they at least had the coasters up and running. Hoosier Hurricane was a fine coaster, but it was frustrating that it was the only one open at closing.