Our 7th Annual CP trip started off great with promise of two great days of weather. I thought that a weekend in the middle of July would be super-busy, I was kind of wrong. Saturday was busy, maybe very busy. Sunday seemed light. We started off a little after 11 with MF. After my five rides of it during our two day trip last year, I was waiting to ride it again. The wait was what I expected, about 90 minutes. The wait seemed shorter than last year when it extended out onto the Frontier Trail. We got to the first set of queue rails running parallel to the ramp when the blue train was still sitting on the brake run and a train hadn't gone by in awhile. To make a short story (longer version in a topic on the MF forum) it was down for about 30 minutes. As the first human train went by, the queue erupted in cheering. Only at MF...By the time we got off, we killed two hours in line for MF. I will point out that we were a group behind a group that was cut off. They elected for a back seat ride. So if the front seat queue wouldn't have been there, I would finally get a front ride. Nevertheless, my turn would come at some extra waiting later...
At that point you have to wonder if it is worth it for a 59 second ride (top of lift to brake run) I would say yes. I love MF for its speed and floater air. Everyone has their opinons of great coasters. For me its speed, how well it keeps the speed up, laterals floater and ejector air. The only thing MF lacks is ejector air, which is thankfully fulfilled at the same park by another great ride. MF is not about the big drop. It's just that the drop gets the most attention by the gawking public looking at it from the Trail. MF=speed. The other parts of MF are great compliments to its speed IMO. B&M calls their hypers "speed" coasters. Ride Apollo's Chariot and fly through the turnaround to find out why.
Back on topic, as we walked down the exit ramp my sister told me that "a guy said 'Nice Steel Phantom shirt' over the PA." Wish I would have heard it with my own ears, but I would later find out his name is Ben and I would find later it is CoasterJamin from the GTTP boards (don't know if you are at CB). When we went for the kick-arse night ride, Ben was at the entrance to the load station and he remarked on my shirt again. Then he came over to me in my queue for the seat and asked if I rode Phantom's Revenge yet. (Actually he said "the new one" but he must have known I knew what he was referring to) I replied that I didn't and he said it was wicked. From what I have witnessed and heard, I bet it its. August can't come soon enough. Nice meeting you Ben.
We got a total of five MF rides. Our last ride of the trip was on Sunday. The MF line skipped a whole pen of queue compared to Saturday, so that was cool. The wait for the front looked minimal. Ok, here we go the riders in front of us have just loaded the red train. The yellow train is ours. Couple minutes went by and the train didn't dispatch. The control op was on the phone and looking at the monitors (story also in post over at MF forum) Red train had to unload the ride was shut down for about 40 minutes. After the break down, half of the queue must have left. MF must have known I was there waiting for the front seat...haha lol After 1.7 million rides in 2000 and a good many so far this year, its ok if she breaks down. The front was insane. Of course, I haven't rode 5-1 yet...
Onto the other stuff....Raptor had its usual wait in its so fun queue line ::rolls eyes:: Raptor was the only ride we had yet to experience a near walk on, besides MF of course. The paint job looks great, but I see the seagulls didn't waste time making it white again ;) Just to prove how light Sunday was, Raptor was a virtual walk-on! Yes you heard me! The line went straight to the stairs! I should have taken a picture of the empty queue! How often does this happen? After a rather lackluster 2000, I hoped 'ol Maggie could redeem itself and stay near the top of my top 10 List. Well it did seem better than last year, but after my first ride I got sidetracked and got stapled in! Luckily on my next ride I wasn't stapled and my seatbelt was loose. I was off my seat from the apex of the second hill on!
The thing I like about CP now it offers two ends of the extremes. On one side of the park you have the fairly new, speedy, smooth, and floater air filled MF. On the other side, you have the aging, paint fading, "good rough", very small trains, and ejector air. It's great! Ever since MF opened, the lines for Maggie have been shorter. It still holds its own which is great since an other coaster quivers at MF. Thumbs up to the Magnum crew running like a well oiled machine. Mantis seemed better to me this year. The ride looks nicer running two trains at a consistent interval than stacking them. Props to this years crew as well. Worlds better than crew two years ago.
Other than those, it was a pretty normal CP trip. Great rides, atmosphere, operations, (esp during the MF breakdowns) weather. Can't wait for next year to ride its new ride (I think its inevitable now) as well as return trips on MF (three seasons old next year!)and Magnum too. Right now, my Top 5 Steel hasn't changed that much since this time last year. Except this year I still got Phantoms' Revenge left..
1. Magnum
2. MF
3. Incredible Hulk
4. Raptor
5. Apollo's Chariot
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Beeman65
Assistant Webmaster
Kennywood Park Unlimited
www.kpunlimited.com
