Calling America!
-Alan
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Top 5 coasters in no particular order: Nitro, S:ROS (SFA), Medusa (East), Talon, Batwing
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Joe Barnett
Forum Moderator/Editorial Writer
www.pkiunlimited.com
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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It was like that when I got here."
"faster, cheaper, and more often" that's somebody's new sig -UpsideDawnGrrrl
However we have done all of the SF parks, Paramount Parks, Hershey,CF parks Kenneywood etc etc - we need to hit the smaller parks and get our coaster counts up.
I will be approaching 400 soon along with my friend - its thanx to the USA that we can do this. We have very limited resources here in the UK - but do harbour some terrific coasters - which I am sure some of you guys have ridden.
I am keen on Martins Fantasy Island - thanx for that.
What about any more of the smaller parks?
Keep em coming guys and gals these are helping a great deal along with all of the advice!
:-)
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Dont dream it, ride it!!
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Coaster Grotto - Save your Top 20 Coasters and Track Record Online!
http://coasterbuzz.com/forum.aspx?mode=thread&TopicID=28404
They also have a website if your interested. http://www.williamsgrovepark.com/
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Emerging from the ashes of Eric 013...
ukcoasterlad4 said:
we need to hit the smaller parks and get our coaster counts up.
One of the loveliest small parks is Lake Compounce in Connecticut. You should consider going there if it's not too far out of your way. Boulder Dash is an awesome woodie - speed, speed, speed (ride it at night through the woods in the dark too), and Wildcat is fun and very old (1927). The rest of the park is thoroughly enjoyable, well run, and relaxing.
From what I have read you are using Toronto as your airport, is that for arrival as well as departure?
Paramount Canada's Wonderland you specifically mentioned - It is a corporate chain park, lots of coaster variety, but I am hard pressed to name something there that really makes a statement. I've been there and enjoyed it, I think the theming is done pretty well, and its easily a whole day park.
I'd then assume you would be approaching the USA via the Queen Elizabeth Way, which routes you past Niagara Falls.
In Niagara Falls you can stop at Marieneland, which is a very spread out park that has a fairly unique Arrow multi-looper, then hop over the the USA side, and stop off at Martin's Fantasy Island on Grand Island.
Martins Fatnasy Island offers a CCI woodie called "Silver Comet" that has a classic looking station. You could probably combine Marineland and Martin's in the same day.
From there, just slightly out of your way is Six Flags Darien Lake, another corporate park, the wood there (Predator) is not all that great, but they do have the first Intamin Megacoaster. (Superman). Not an essential stop, thought I would mention it.
Then as you approach Ohio to go to Cedar Point, you will come real close to Waldameer (traditional park, small woodie "Comet", classic dark ride and walk through), and Conneaut Lake (traditional park, full size wood coaster (Blue Streak), that as of late last year received its original (read fixed lapbar) trains. Lots of older classic rides.
(Waldammer and Conneaut could combine to make a day)
Then you would go on to Cedar Point, and enjoy Coastermania and 16 coasters, with lots of highlights.
Then the leg through PA:
You may or may not wish to stop off at Six Flags Worlds of Adventure on your way to PA (its on the way if you go my way). This WAS a traditional park that has been corrporatized. Large coaster selection, three woodies, a Vekoma Flying Dutchman, and quite possible one of the largest parks you can go to,
Then if you take the PA61 shortcut, you can cut down to Pittsburgh and hit Kennywood. If you have not done Kennywood and profess a love of woodies, you must make a stop. As "America's Finest Traditional Amusement Park", and a National Historic Landmark, there is a lot to see and do in this traditional. 3 CLASSIC wood coasters, including a Mobius Racer. (think Grand National), our last remaining Noah's Ark, and a lot of other last-of-their-kind attracitons, but don't fear they also have modern stuff as well, such as a freefall, Phantom's Revenge hypercoaster and Exterminator (A Crazy Mouse / dark ride hybrid)
From Kennywood you could stop off at Idlewild, they do have an old wood coaster there and lots of relaxed pace kiddie attractions.
From there things start to get more difficult. You see there is a real nice side trip one can make up to Alttona to go to Lakemont to ride "America's (World's ) Oldest Surviving Rollercoaster" (Leap the Dips), and hey they have a nice full size coaster to go with it.
Back to the PA Turnpike, you would next come to Harrisburg, where one can spend an hour or so at Williams's Grove for a very, uhm, unique wooden coaster experience, a walk through fun house (Rare here in the states in that it still has moving floors, trick stairs, rolling barrels, etc), a classic dark ride, and stuff you just won't see anywhere else. However the major draw in Harrisburg is Hersheypark.
Yes, Hersheypark is a corporate park, but don't let that scare you. They have 3 great woodies, (including two GCI's), and a whole well rounded mix of other coasters. Best deal here, arive after 7pm the night before you wish to visit, go ahead and buy a ticket for full price, and they will give you both a parking pass and admission ticket for the next day free. One can get a lot out of those 3 free hours.
Side trip Time: Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster - CCI's first coaster. So its a junior, but it is their first. Has some unqiue stufff to see. Could be skipped if need be as its small, out of the way, not much stuff, and expensive admission. If you go check out the Dutch Wonder House (Haunted Swing)
From Harrisburg, go towards Allentown and not Philladelphia. No classic park minded, wood coaster fan should miss Knoebels Amusement Resort. Yes its hard to find, yes its in the middle on NOWHERE, yes it has two fantastic coasters, and a wide collection of classic rides. Including what have been commonly reffered to as America's best Flying Skooters, and our Best Bumper Cars.
From Knoebels one could stop at Dorney Park (chain park, if ytou buy a CP season pass, it would be free), has two coasters of varying quality, as well as a great Morgran and a few neat things to see.
From Dorney one could cross into Jersey and stop by Six Flags Great Adventure, (big corporate park, hardly any wood, no wood worth mentioning, but it is a huge park with a good collection of steel coasters (including a B&M Flyer).
From SFGadv, travel on down the Jersey Shore, to Morey's for their Great White, not my favorite CCI but its a solid ride. Its a real neat set of three amusemnt piers, plus some boardwalk attractions.
(Amusement piers dot the Jersey shore, Moreys is far and away the best, there are some interesting things though in Ocean City, Keansburg, and Pt. Pleasent).
Then of you need to get back to Toronto to fly out, it sounds like the New York Thruway to me. Take an hour or so to stop at Coney Island and ride the "World Famous" Cyclone and Deno's Wonder Wheel, a side trip could take you to Rye Playland, which has a Prior and Church coaster, and is also a historic landmark. Head on up the Thruway, if need e there is a side trip up to Lake George for The Great Escape and ride the famous Comet.
Further along the Thruway you pass by Seabreeze which is a classic park, that has a 1920's wooden coaster, and a real funky homebrew bobsled coaster.
Continue along the Thruway and you will come back to Buffalo (you could hit Darien Lake now if you missed it earlier)
Just some ideas!
(And yes I have been to MOST of the parks I just mentioned)
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
David I think u have just planned our holiday for us! Fantastic mate - thanks very much for that. I am sure we will do most of those parks mentioned. It is great for us Brits to drive in ur great counrty due to u having such enormous roads.
It is easy to get around and very easy to combine more than one park each day. I will look into all of your sugestions David and give them some real hard studying.
Thanks a lot fella!
Have a 'phoenix' of a season mate!
uKcoasterlad
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Dont dream it, ride it!!
Now the Coasterville Surgeon General must warn you that an 18 day coaster trip can be hazardous to your health, specifically in terms of getting the required amounts of sleep.
I know myself, that 5 straight days of parks is pushing it, and 6 is a Bad Idea (TM). I have never even tried seven. You may want to plan in some non-agressive cultural/historical sites to visit, just to givre your system time to recover.
As I mentioned I have visited almost all those parks, but I did it in 4 seperate vacations.
Note on DelGrossos: You can absolutely blend it with Lakemont into one afternoon, and still get to Herhsyepark in time for 'sneak preview'. It's worth the trip, if only for lunch. Free parking, free admission and rides are 50 cents to $1.00 each with a real inexpensive ride-all-day plan.
Be sure to have your lunch at DelGrossos, and whatever you order, get a side of potato salad. I'm telling you this is a free admission park, and the locals form a queue at "Murph's Diner" before the park even opens for the day.
The itinerary I gave follows more or less the US Interstate system.
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
I forgot to mention Martin's Fantasy Island is right of the highway on Grand Island NY. It is a great spot to hit for a few hours to ride Silver Comet (awesome little CCI) as well as a Wildcat.
*** This post was edited by coastinguy 2/13/2003 12:03:44 AM ***
You sure are making things a lot more easier for us two Brits to plan
We need to get this trip just right and this time one of my highlights will be to ride the Phoenix Again at Knowbels. I am a pure Airtime freak and to experience airtime of such 'delight' is fantastic.
At no point do u feel unsafe - the airtime on this terrific woody is unreal. Over here when the Grand National has a wet track it can match the Phoenix for the best airtime ride.
If u guys havent been over here to ride our Moebious Coaster u should!
Cheers fellas!
Ukcoasterlad
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Dont dream it, ride it!!
Dave's suggested tour is ambitious, but quite feasible. Whatever you decide on, I hope you have a great trip!
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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"Friendship -- more lasting than love, more legal than stalking."
I can't belive I almost forgot my very first coaster :P
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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone
Sure gonna make it one trip to remember and who knows may get to meet up with some of you American folks over there
Keep the ideas coming in if you have any more for us - we havent finalised the plans just yet!
:-)
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Dont dream it, ride it!!
It's a short ride but it has an amazing personality. Front seat shouldn't even have a seat. You never spend any time sitting on it!
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- John
Dag, yo
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