Coaster Craze 2004 (Valleyfair!)

If anyone here does not know, Valleyfair has an enthusiast event called Coaster Craze. Any coaster club member can attend, and if you have a season pass, it is a great deal. They have 2 hours of ERT before open on Steel Venom and Wild Thing, and then for the second hour they open Corkscrew and High Roller. Of course they have the lunch included in the price at 12-1, and then they have another hour of ERT at close from 10-11 on Wild Thing, High Roller, and Steel Venom.

I got there about 1 because I had to work, so I missed the early ERT and lunch. The flyer said the cost with a season pass was $5, but the lady said since I missed lunch, it was free! Pretty good deal if you ask me. She gave my ERT button and a schedule and I went in the park. The place was just packed by VF standards, so I got a few rides in and then left to go see the Bourne Supremacy. Getting back around 8, it was even more packed, but I did not want to leave again so I just waited for rides. They were only running 2 trains on Wild Thing, but they were doing it very well and that line moved pretty quick.

I decided to spend my ERT on Wild Thing because it is the best roller coaster in the park and I was hoping they would run it with light or no breaks. It was running pretty fast and I was getting good air on the outrun. They had the breaks on a bit lighter than average and I was coming off my seat a tad on the last two bunny hills, so I was happy. Then it happened...on the second to last ride (I was in 1.2) they left the breaks completely open. I thought I had experienced a break-free ride once or twice before, but it was nothing like this. Maybe the breaks were just on light, or maybe WT was just running really slow the previous times, but I have never ever gone thru the midcourse with that much speed. Every bunny hill was absolutely amazing. There was super strong ejector air, that was smooth, fast, sustained for as long as possible, and with no pain or discomfort whatsoever. I have said it before and I will say it again, the Morgan trains have the best restraints for experiencing airtime. The lap bars don't hit your lap, but they are still safe, and the seat belts are retractable so they give some and allow you to fly. That was probably the best airtime ride I have ever had on ANY steel coaster. It was certainly better than Mamba and Steel Force (the other Morgans I have been on); it was way better then Raging Bull, Apollo’s Chariot, and Nitro; and it was even better than Superman: Ride of Steel at SFA. I would have to say I liked even better than Magnum which is number 2 on my steel list. I don't know why they don't run it like that all the time, but I will do whatever I can to get to the ERT next year so I have a shot of getting another amazing break-free ride on Wild Thing.

Yep. the brakes were turned off for the last few rides of the night! That ride is DEFINATELY a top 10 ride with no brakes. (Thanks for that experience VF!). What were you wearing? If you were on the OTHER train, I could have not even seen you. It's funny how everyone stayed on the train they were on.

I had on jeans, blue shirt, and I had my button on my watch. I was riding in the front of my train in 1.3 most of the night but moved to 1.2 near the end. We only got 1 totally break-free ride. Some of the others were close, but the second to last run was no breaks at all and that was a HUGE difference. It was like a totally different ride. I would probably live at VF if they always ran it that way.

You were probably on the other train... To be honest, I've gotten to know one of the maint. employees who was in the booth, and he saw me and started pressing buttons in the booth, that was our first brakeless ride. He may have been doing it to our train more often than the other. All I know is that WT is sure a kick in the butt brakeless, especially when I'm used to it with the brakes.

I have got to ride your train next year. :) Do you know why they normally keep them shut?

It depends on the speed of the train. They are dynamic and aim at keeping the train at a set speed when it enters the final brakes.

*EDIT* I misread that... The reason they are shut during normal operation is because, if you noticed on the brakeless ride, the train really slams into the final brakes, and comes to a complete stop for like 10 seconds. They have to keep the speed down so the computer doesn't freak out and do that. That is my understanding of the situation, at least. *** Edited 7/25/2004 4:11:42 AM UTC by CoasterCameron*** *** Edited 7/25/2004 4:12:29 AM UTC by CoasterCameron***