I recently went to Jazzland and found the MegaZeph to be quite a ride....I am partial to wooden coasters, and the correspondent is correct in that speed is sustained all the way through to the very end (the final braking is quite sudden).
Steel coasters are OK, but nothing compares to all of the sensory experiences of the wooden coaster. A simple bar across the lap is far better than all that equipment over your shoulders.
Even though the MegaZeph is a not quite a full woodie (wooden trackbed, but steel structure), you will understand the necessity in New Orleans' humid, termite happy geography.
I really hadn't ridden a woodie since the original Zephyr at Pontchartrain Beach in New orleans (park closed in 1983), so it brought back quite a few memories. The original Zephyr was not the most thrilling coaster, but the dark tunnel it went through before the lift hill always heightened the sense of anticipation (as well as being a favorite of couples!). The original loading facility was truly an art deco gem, and was removed/remodeling in the 70s.
Pontchartrain Beach was always a local/regional park, small with short lines. Jazzland is the 2000 version of the local/regional park. The whole park is built on a platform over a swamp, so the development costs were rather large, so the success of the park will depend on better attendance. If it survives 5 years, it should be OK.
Alfa Parks (a Greek company) has purchased Jazzland from Ogden, and the local paper had an article about 2 weeks ago that announced that Jazzland will add a new suspended coaster from Vekoma in 2001.
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Pontchartrain Beach Nut
