Better ERT Rides - Why?

I've been a long time coaster freak, but only in the last few months have I started taking it serious. If my wife will give me the money to pay for my CB membership, I am planning on making the Oct. 1 event at HW my first.

I have read on several posts that coaster rides are often better during ERT and events. Why?

Atmosphere, mostly. And shorter lines. Mostly the atmosphere.

Some parks like Holiday World (okay, Holiday World only, really) will go out and regrease the tracks on Raven and Legend before ERT.

*IF* Holiday World did do that [and you might want to check with Paula to verify if that is indeed fact or an urban legend to explain the insane night rides] they're clearly not the only park to do so. Visionland added grease in key spots just before RRR ERT this year.

You beat me to it Moosh about RRR.;) Does it help or not, I don't know? It seems like the night rides I've had at that event before the ERT starts are just as crazy as the ones during it. I'm sure every little bit helps though.:)

As for ERT, different people get different things out of it. I personally like the kick butt rides some coasters deliver during them (especially at night) while my wife on the other hand loves the electric atmosphere ERT can provide, with chanting, hand slapping, talking to other enthusiasts in line, etc.

Plus, in the case of HW, it's hard to come by night rides on Raven and Legend, b/c of their operating schedule (Basically, for most of the Summer you have to go on Saturday for them to be open late enough for night rides), but flying on those bad boys through the dark woods is when the rides really comes alive.

Even as a kid it was obvious that PKD's Grizzly was significantly more fun after dark (an effect largely lost now)

I know that my night rides on Holiday World's coasters destroyed my earlier rides that same day so the night setting probably has a lot to do with it. The ERT rides on Magnum were better this year because the trim was off/less heavy and the return ride was ridiculous.

They opened the brakes on Wild Thing for Coaster Craze last year. It was a totally different ride. The question I seem to struggle with (that many may say is irrelevant) is how do you rank a coaster like that? Do you rank it by how it normally runs or by that one magical night? Wild Thing is a top tier coaster with no brakes at Coaster Craze, but I don't think I should rank it that high when I take a poll.

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Kraven the Raven said:
If my wife will give me the money to pay for my CB membership,

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You just scared the hell out of me. I'm never getting married.

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Mamoosh said:
*IF* Holiday World did do that [and you might want to check with Paula to verify if that is indeed fact or an urban legend to explain the insane night rides]

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No urban legends here.

Rural legends. :)

And yes, it's true ... I don't know how much of a difference it made, but the re-greasing the tracks did take place.

Paula

Just curious, I won't be able to make it, but will it be happening on Oct. 1?;)

I know for me it's the atmosphere. I look so forward to Beastbuzz every year, (esp. ERT), because of the people I'm around. Yea, smaller crowds figure in somewhere, but mainly being with other enthusiasts just really rocks! Being around people who share the same passion as you always brings out the best.

Most of you have been to at least one concert before, and you have a blast seeing your favorite performer. But then you look around at all the other people who share in that with you, and the excitement spreads like a wildfire. That's a comparison of how I think of ERT's.

I was one who got in on the last ride of the night on the Beast, and riding with guys like Gonch made for a great ride. They know how to have fun!

Darkness has something to do with it but I doubt even the wooded setting is that big of effect.

Timbers is basically built on a flat open lot. Normally the coaster is good but at night at Timbersfest that thing becomes a airtime monster.

Legend and Raven just smoke the tracks and well, just being with fellow enthusiast and enjoying the heck out of it is part of it.

Chuck,who says, Ride hard, Ride fun and Ride safely

Night rides + extra care + dark + enthusiasts + atmosphere = :):):)

Mornming ERT is cool and fun, but nighttime ERT sessions are what "coaster enthusiasm" is all about....LOVE them night rides after park closing...:)

edit: Feel the need to add that I have experienced on several occasions LONGER lines during ERT than during normal daily ops....no matter, the rides are MORE than worth it...and the *company*...:) ;)

*** Edited 7/28/2005 3:25:41 AM UTC by rollergator***

A lot of it for me is Atmosphere. I don't know if Ghostrider runs better at nite, I only rode it at nite, so I can't compare. But, I was with a bunch more enthusiasts, lots of whom I actually knew. Silver Bullet was slightly better at nite, thats for sure.

Oh, and I got mooshed (finally!). So that may have added to it. Oh, and 'Pass the Cheetos'(don't ask) was loads of fun too!

You can't beat nightime ERT. The parks are closed, you are with friends, atmosphere, etc., and the parks usually do something extra special (like greasing up the tracks as Paula mentioned).

You get VERY spoiled with ERT.

-Tina

They run slightly better at night, but I think it's mostly better because enthusiasts forget about rating and ranking and analyzing each ride they take and just go ride. I think even if you don't think you're doing it, just by being an enthusiast, every ride you're calculating, rating, comparing your rides to other rides, and with ERT, you're just enjoying the ride. Take that for what it's worth.

I have run into a couple of parks besides holiday world that make sure the woodies are well lubed before ERT. All the other factors mentioned apply, plus the frequent reride factor that gets you riding again before your adreniline/endorphins from the previous ride have dropped fully.

How do they grease the tracks? I remember watching a movie or show on TV where on Thunderbolt the mechanics sit on the train and grease the track as the ride runs. This seems sorta hard, do they just do a walk of thr track and grease as they go?

Plus if you its an ACE event you have all of that extra weight in the trains....

^LMAO Brett and Matt! Isn't that the truth?! :-)

-Tina

Tina, I mini mooshed ya on Thunderbolt, Want another? :)

Oh, thats right, I was on the left side, She mooshed me. Thats even better :)

Chuck, whos looking forward to events again, I've been in a two year absence of any, Not just HW.