Batman - the Dark Knight review (photos soon)

Ok, here is one of, if not the first batman - the Dark Knight review on the internet.

Ok, today I drove past Six Flags New England at about 9:30 and didn't stop because it was too early to get down there for media day, and man, Batman the Dark Knight was just sitting there taunting me. My dad and I drove back and got out of our car at aroun 9:50, we were right next to Batman - the Dark Knight and Superman's overbanked turn. Then, we stood there and talked to some people for a while, and then they dispatched the first test train of the day. Man, the lift is QUIET! No ratcheting at all. WE watched it slowly make it's way over the top of the loop and through the rest of the course. It was very quiet, not the normal extremely load B&M roar, a slight disappointment, but at least it won't get annoying. This happened 3 times until finally we were allowed in and escorted to BDK. The station looks very nice, and so does the entrance plaza. There's a huge Batman logo painted in the front on the ground. WE made our way through a special queue line, I think the Lo-Q line, but it's not the exit, and then went into the station. AS we got there, management told us 2 more test runs. Well, we watched one anxiously, then the second one they let the fighter pilots on. Finally they let us on, and I got 2nd to last row, right edge seat in the first train we were allowed on. The trains are very cool looking, and they are identical to BKF (I think). Finally we started up the lift hill, which is energy saving and surprisingly steep. The climb seemed long because I wanted to start so bad, but it's really not. Finally you do the little dip and your off. The drop is great, steep, absolutely great in the second row left seat, you get floater and you feel like you'll fall out to the left. In the back, you just get pushed into your seat. The pullout into the vertical loop caught me by surprise, it pulled some considerable Gs in the back row. As you go over the top of the loop, your butt leaves the seat for some quick floater air and then down into the dive loop, which, like all other dive loops, is fun. The pullout to the dive loop offers some nice head choppers and then you're into the turnaround. It's fun, not intense, but it preps you for the zero-g roll. Just before the roll there is a trim, which probably only took about 1 mph off, max, and then you start to twist in the zero-g roll. Man, this roll is great. It provides some awesome airtime and the airtime lasts a while. Make sure you ride middle and both sides of the train, the roll is different in every seat. Then into the ground scraping turn, which offers some ok Gs, and is awesome in the right side of the train because you're so close to the ground. After you nearly hit the ground your up and floating out of your seat at the top of the first corkscrew. Next the train quickly goes left around the turnaround, then quickly back right. The second corkscrew is very whippy, and has constant G forces, though not excessivly strong, they are ok. The top of the cork has a little head bang, but it get less as the day went on, so by the time you all ride, it may be gone. Finally, you turn left and into the brakes. On the left edge seat, the finally pullout into the brakes offers a little bit of airtime. And that's the ride, an excellently paced ride, if I might say.

The elements hit you fast, and you don't have much time to think. Overall, it's a fantastic coaster, and took my number 2 spot, and is easily better than Medusa. The only bad things were the station was very narrow, which will cause many problems (not even four people could stand in the corrals), and the only covered queue part that you are guarenteed to be under is the station. The other portions are very small, only to protect people from flying objects. Although, by Saturday, there may be some more covering over the major cutback section.

Media Day was AWESOME, I got in 35 rides in only 5 hours, some kids had in 60 by the time I left. I didn't get to ride front row, the camera was there, but the back is way better than second row. I will post pictures probably tonight or tommorow. I have 13 that I am getting developed definitely, and I need to waste 5 on the roll right now, so that will total 33 pictures of it. I also have some ride footage, but it's normal video camera, if anybody knows how I can get it on my comp, please tell me. I will post links for pictures as soon as I can.

Have fun on it!

For anyone that was there, or saw it on the news, did you see a kid in a blue ACE shirt? If so, that was me!

Also, if you ride it and don't get airtime in some places or headbanging like I did, it's because it was still breaking in, we could feel the difference throughout the day.

GREAT job with this event Six Flags New England

For photos, go to here and click on B-tDK

*** This post was edited by coaster_fanatic_kid on 4/19/2002. ***