Batman: The Ride vs. Talon (lines)

Let me start off by saying that this is not a "Which coaster is better" topic.

I'm simply trying to get an answer to something that boggles my mind.

Everytime I go to GADV, btr's line is huge, at least 2 hours, all the time. People seem to flock to it. (even on less crowded weekdays)

However, on crowded weekends, Talon seems to only have a 5-10 minute wait, or even walk on. At most, i've only waited 45 minutes for Talon. BTR's shortest wait time is probably 45 minutes.

So, what gives?

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http://www.onridecentral.com

I don't know. Maybe people are scared to go on Nitro so they go on that? SFgadv is usually more crowded than Dorney so it will probably have longer lines. ALso I have never seen B:TR's line loinger than 1 hour.

Well its not because the crews on talon are better I gurantee you that.

In Fact Talon and B:TR at GADV had two of the most awful crews I have ever watched. They could have gotten the same throughput running only one train instead of 2.

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Coming in 2003-The Spawn Of Magnum!
Ode to the offseason:
Offseason Offseason what shall I do? Who cares the sun is still shining the sky is still blue! GET A LIFE!

Both times I was at Dorney, Talon had decent crews. Then again, all the times I've been at SFGAdv. recently, B:TR has been a walk-on. I just think SFGAdv. gets more people than Dorney.

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You must be this dumb to ride Viper. -SFGAdv.

Do they still do the laser show at Dorney? I've never seen a park clear out for such a show as I did in August '01. We went to SFGAdv that morning and spent an hour in line for each of the three B&M's, then went to Dorney. Lines were tolerable, but in that last hour we walked on Talon twice as everyone crowded to the show midway.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Sillynonsense.com
"Climbing as we fall, we dare to hold on to our fate, and steal away our destiny to catch ourselves with quiet grace" - The Stairs, INXS

its most likely the location. Everyone in the tri-state area goes to SFGADV, i dont think a majority of them know Talon exists. Everytime im at SFGADV, B:TR queue is loaded and i often skip it cause i just dont feel like waitng and hour -atleast- for the ride.

When i went to Dorney Talons queue was empty all day long. The crew was alright, they were running 2 trains and there was often some long loading times, but they might have just been waiting for people to get on the ride. I just think, like i said before, people dont know to much about Dorney, i seems to be all SF.

No laser shows this year, Jeff.

I think it has to do with the general area of both parks. SFGAdv draws much larger crowds than Dorney. The longest Talon wait I found this season was about 15 minutes (saturday in June). My one trip to SFGAdv saw all the coaster lines sitting at around a hour. Heck, I've even had rides on Talon where it was just me and 1 or 2 other riders on the whole train. You got to love the Dorney crowds (or lack of).

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www.coasterimage.com
Dorney Park visits in 2002: 19

*** This post was edited by Lord Gonchar on 11/17/2002. ***

When we've been to SFGrtAdv the line for BTR has been no longer than 30 minutes - the longest wait we ever encountered there was always for Nitro.
The longest wait we've ever encountered for Talon is maybe 45 minutes at CoasterMadness thanks to waiting on them to put the 2nd train on during AM ERT-duh!! On normal days pretty substantial walk ons. Talon power riding has gotten us 29 rides in 2 hours. Have to agree with MagnumForce here - Talon's crews are the WORST I have EVER seen. How can you stack TWO trains CONSISTANTLY?? It is obvious "interval" has NO meaning at Dorney Park!! One of the funniest lines anyone ever said to me there was at CM when 2HOSTYL said "Why don't you show them how to run this thing Jo?" :)
The lines at both these parks may be a direct reflection of what the parks are. People view SFGrtAdv as an amusement park persay, where to me Dorney seems more of a local hang out (for lack of better words)

Jo
2000/2002 Raptor Crew
Lifetime Raptor Flights: 708 :)

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It's all about getting around the barrels or over the fences, right leads, no faults, fastest time and still looking pretty when done. What's so hard about that? :)

I noticed the fact that they stacked every time too, and I wonder if they can send the train without stacking. I have no idea where their interval is but if someone who either frequents Dorney or works there knows I'd be interested.

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Fav Steel: Millenium Force Fav Wood: Viper

Jeff, the lazer show was replaced with Meteror (Zamperla Hawk 48). I bet the neighbors who had them put sand in the rails of Talon (even though it's right next to a busy four lane road), probably were'nt happy with the nightly fireworks show that concluded the lazer show..
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Dude, you're getting an Intamin!

*** This post was edited by Intamin Fan on 11/17/2002. ***

Although, the Lazer Show was replaced THIS year, it doesn't mean it won't come back next year. I think it was the third or fourth week of August, but I remember going on Hercules and I looked behind White Water Landing and the steel framework was still there.

MMM. I know maybe it's the theming! Really!

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See THE ULTIMATE in Orlando TR'S! Right now in the TR fourm!

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Jeff said:

Do they still do the laser show at Dorney? I've never seen a park clear out for such a show as I did in August '01. We went to SFGAdv that morning and spent an hour in line for each of the three B&M's, then went to Dorney. Lines were tolerable, but in that last hour we walked on Talon twice as everyone crowded to the show midway.

I don't know if they still do, Jeff. Even during the daytime in mid-summer the longest I ever had to wait for Talon was 20 minutes. Batman The Ride at Great Adv. ALWAYS has a pretty good line.

Every time I have been to Great Adventure it has always been crowded....every ride, even the flat rides, and it doesn't matter what time of year it is. I don't think it has anything to do with the rides, just the location. I have been there in early April and waited a minimum of an hour for ANY ride.

Great Adventure draws more of the New York, Jersey and Philly crowds, while Dorney is more or less of a local park. At least that is what I have experienced.

Tina

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Feel The Adrenaline....
www.intenserides.com

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*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN on 11/17/2002. ***

Why does Magnum at CP have a 30 minute line when Phantom's Revenge at KW have a 15min line? Hm?

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I prefer the pears in the heavy syrup. They're just good.

different total number of riders...someone with a disability/special access...person who decides that they don't want to ride after they're locked in....slow crew There's a whole bunch of different reasons why the wait could be different between the two rides.

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Fav Steel: Millenium Force Fav Wood: Viper

Magnum at CP almost never has a 30 minute line later in the evening. I used to get off work early and go into the park at like 9:30 and knock out 10 or 12 rides easily before an 11 o'clock closing. As for making the argument that Magnum has a slower crew than Phantom's Revenge - get real! Just the fact that Magnum runs 3 trains and has a shorter interval makes that argument moot. A "bad" crew on Magnum is one that doesn't fill every single train with riders (leaves say 3 empty seats). That ride probably dispatches every 1:15-1:20 more consistently than any other ride in the universe.

But back to the subject at hand - I too have experienced long waits for B:TR at Great Adventure for varying reasons. Several seasons ago, it genuinely was because the line was long. They were running two trains and moving fairly well. But this season when I went, I waited lik e 40 minutes in a line that really wasn't that long because they managed to stack both trains every time. The Talon crew was stacking way too much too on my visit this year, but thankfully the crowds were somewhat light so my wait wasn't more than 15 minutes at any point during the day. Stacking with only two trains should be a really rare event. Hell, Raptor can normally run 3 without stacking!

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-Matt
2001 Magnum Crew

*** This post was edited by MDOmnis on 11/18/2002. ***

Even with the stacking on Talon, it's possible to get a lot of rides on it in a short amount of time. I guess I've never really paid attention to just how much stacking there is because I've seldom had to wait for Talon more than 15 minutes.

I HAVE experienced trips to Dorney where the Talon crew does seem to be "on a roll" and trying to get the trains moving well. Still though, really can't complain at all about Talon.

As far as B:TR, I'd say their crew are WORSE. Every time I've been there they are slow, slow, slow, they stack, stack, stack, and just don't seem motivated to do their jobs. The Talon crew could whoop'em any day.

LuvRaptor: Side question.... what is CoasterMadness? Do they have that every year at Dorney?

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Men are like parking spaces... the good ones are all taken and the rest are handicapped or too far away.
www.TiggerMan.com

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SFgadvMAN said:
"ALso I have never seen B:TR's line loinger than 1 hour."

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Last year during Fright Fest vacoasterfreak and I waited over 2hours for GAdv's B:TR. At that self-same time the line for NITRO, though having a full queue, was only about 45min.

I cannot intelligently comment on Talon as CM this year was *very* sparsely populated so walk-ons were the rule. (and they rule...especially on a ride that rules...TALON)
lata, jeremy
--who really liked Talon and Hercules

I go to Dorney quite frequently and they hardly ever stack Talon. We rode it close to 20 times when we were there in October and I think only one of those times did we stop behind the station. All the other times the other train was already dispatched and we rolled right into the station.

On the other hand, at SFGAd(where I go much more than Dorney), there's only been one time ever where I remember B:TR not stacking and that was when supervisors were running it.

I think the main reason is at Dorney, Talon almost always has 4 people checking the train while at SFGAd, B:TR only has 2.

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Sue Barry
CoasterSue@aol.com

That's why I'll go to Dorney anyday before going to Gr8 Adv. Even on a weekend day at Dorney it is tolerable. I'll only go to Gr8 Adv at the beginning and the end of the season. I'd never go on a weekend. Nitro is my 2nd favorite steel coaster, but I can't tolerate lines as long as they get there.