Well - just got back from vacation and even though it wasn't littered with too many trips to amusement parks, I was able to finally hit my first ever Six Flags park and get a couple of return visits to D-land.
First stop - Nevada. Only rode one coaster while in Nevada. Next year will make an attempt to hit the other biggies (Manhattan, S:TR, Big Shot).
Coaster - Desperado (5 out of 10).
We rolled into Primm around 8:30PM and got on around 9PM for a nighttime ride. Pulling out of the station into the 100 degree heat was a real treat after being in the air conditioning for a half hour. :) Anyway, halfway up the hill some 10yr old kid in front of me decides he's going to spit into the wind and peppers my face with saliva. I let loose with an extended stream of profanity - needless to say, I could see the fear in his eyes. (I doubt he'll ever do it again). Great first drop, good solid pull out. First turn reminded me a bit of a poor man's MF first turn, very rough - but not bad. The rest of the way, with the exception of a couple of good airtime pops was flat out painful (we sat somewhere in the middle of the train). I don't mind a bit of jarring but I found myself bracing for the next impact, which doesn't constitute fun for me. I don't think I'll ride again - not a bad ride, but nothing sensational either.
Next stop - Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Not wanting to psyche myself out of having a good time (since I'm a biased CP'er), I went with people who knew their way around the park and had enjoyed it for many years. The following is as unbiased as I get. :)
High Points
1) Terrain. Absolutely loved how the park blended in with the side of the mountain. Especially liked looking down on Batman, Riddlers, etc. near S:TE. Plenty of shade available to beat the heat as well.
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Colossus (6 out of 10)
Again, really liked the slow cresting of the first hill - adds something to the coaster experience. Great first drop and not a bad ride at all - nothing really stood out as extraordinary, just a solid racer. Lost a lot of speed toward the end. :(
Gold Rusher (7 out of 10)
To each his own I say - I loved how this one blended in with the terrain, and it had Cedar Creek Mine Ride flavor with more surprise turns and jolts. I can imagine that after 10 or so rides it could get boring, but from a first ride standpoint I thought it was an exceptional mine train.
Batman: The Ride (7 out of 10)
Having been spoiled by Raptor for years, the mere size of this one had me skeptical as we walked up the path. Not very big, but it really packs a wallop. A bit short - and enjoying an inversion is one thing, but this one whips you through them. One thing that I really liked was the pacing - it was consistent.
Riddler's Revenge (9 out of 10).
An absolute gem. I'm not much for stand-ups but this one has me thinking twice. Huge drop and terrific first four loops - second half full of surprises, even an airtime pop and great length. I've never been a big fan of Mantis, even though Mantis shares many of Riddlers elements. Riddlers elements combined make a near perfect ride and were by far the best of the day, leaving me wanting more.
Psyclone (not ridden)
Due to the overwhelming lack of interest of those in my group, we didn't ride and no explantion was given. Anyone help?
Ninja (6 out of 10)
Expecting a scene from I漀渀 䐀爀愀最漀渀Ⰰ 眀攀 栀漀瀀瀀攀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 戀愀挀欀 猀攀愀琀 昀漀爀 栀漀瀀攀昀甀氀氀礀 琀栀攀 戀攀猀琀 猀眀椀渀最椀渀最 洀漀琀椀漀渀⸀ 吀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 爀攀洀椀渀搀攀搀 洀攀 愀 氀漀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 猀攀挀漀渀搀 栀愀氀昀 漀昀 䤀爀漀渀 䐀爀愀最漀渀㬀 琀栀攀爀攀 眀愀猀 最漀漀搀 猀椀搀攀 琀漀 猀椀搀攀 洀漀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 椀琀 昀椀琀 椀渀 渀椀挀攀氀礀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀 琀攀爀爀愀椀渀⸀ 䌀氀漀猀椀渀最 漀甀琀 愀 爀椀搀攀 眀椀琀栀 愀 氀椀昀琀 栀椀氀氀 椀猀 欀椀渀搀 漀昀 愀 戀甀洀洀攀爀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 琀栀椀猀 眀愀猀 搀攀昀椀渀椀琀攀氀礀 愀 戀攀琀琀攀爀 爀椀搀攀 琀栀愀渀 椀琀猀 䌀倀 挀漀甀渀琀攀爀瀀愀爀琀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀匀甀瀀攀爀洀愀渀㨀 吀䔀 ⠀㘀 漀甀琀 漀昀 ⤀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀一漀琀 洀甀挀栀 琀漀 琀栀椀猀 䤀 最甀攀猀猀 ⴀ 搀愀洀渀 昀愀猀琀 琀栀漀甀最栀⸀ 吀栀攀 氀椀渀攀 琀漀漀欀 愀眀栀椀氀攀Ⰰ 漀渀氀礀 漀渀攀 挀愀爀 眀愀猀 爀甀渀渀椀渀最 愀渀搀 椀琀 眀愀猀 漀渀氀礀 最漀椀渀最 ㈀⼀㌀ 甀瀀 琀栀攀 琀漀眀攀爀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀刀攀瘀漀氀甀琀椀漀渀 ⠀㜀 漀甀琀 漀昀 ⤀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䜀爀攀愀琀 漀氀搀 挀漀愀猀琀攀爀 ⴀ 䤀 琀栀漀甀最栀琀 琀栀攀 氀愀瀀戀愀爀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 漀瘀攀爀ⴀ琀栀攀 猀栀漀甀氀搀攀爀 眀愀猀 愀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 洀甀挀栀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 䤀✀洀 猀甀爀攀 琀栀攀爀攀 眀愀猀 愀 爀攀愀猀漀渀 昀漀爀 椀琀⸀ 䜀爀攀愀琀 昀甀渀 爀愀挀椀渀最 琀栀爀漀甀最栀 琀栀攀 琀爀攀攀猀 愀渀搀 椀渀琀漀 琀栀攀 瘀愀氀氀攀礀猀⸀ 吀栀攀 猀攀琀甀瀀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 氀漀漀瀀 爀攀洀椀渀搀猀 洀攀 漀昀 樀甀猀琀 栀漀眀 昀愀爀 爀漀氀氀攀爀 挀漀愀猀琀攀爀猀 栀愀瘀攀 挀漀洀攀⸀ 䤀琀 栀愀搀 愀 最爀攀愀琀 爀攀琀爀漀 昀攀攀氀 ⴀ 椀琀 昀攀氀琀 氀椀欀攀 愀 ㈀㔀礀爀 漀氀搀 挀漀愀猀琀攀爀Ⰰ 愀 戀椀琀 爀漀甀最栀 ⴀ 戀甀琀 渀漀眀栀攀爀攀 渀攀愀爀 愀猀 爀漀甀最栀 愀猀⸀⸀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀嘀椀瀀攀爀 ⠀㔀 漀甀琀 漀昀 ⤀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀倀攀爀栀愀瀀猀 䤀✀瘀攀 挀漀洀攀 琀漀 攀砀瀀攀挀琀 琀漀漀 洀甀挀栀 昀爀漀洀 䄀爀爀漀眀 眀椀琀栀 䴀愀最渀甀洀 椀渀 洀礀 栀漀洀攀 瀀愀爀欀⸀ 匀甀爀攀 䴀愀最渀甀洀 椀猀 最攀琀琀椀渀最 爀漀甀最栀攀爀 攀瘀攀爀礀 礀攀愀爀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 愀昀琀攀爀 愀 䐀攀猀瀀攀爀愀搀漀 琀栀爀愀猀栀椀渀最 愀渀搀 愀 嘀椀瀀攀爀 洀愀甀氀椀渀最 䤀✀洀 戀攀最椀渀渀椀渀最 琀漀 栀愀瘀攀 搀漀甀戀琀猀⸀ 䄀渀漀琀栀攀爀 瀀愀椀渀昀甀氀 䄀爀爀漀眀 攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀 ⴀ 最爀攀愀琀 搀爀漀瀀Ⰰ 愀昀琀攀爀 琀栀愀琀 愀氀氀 戀攀琀猀 愀爀攀 漀昀昀⸀ 䴀甀挀栀 氀椀欀攀 䐀攀猀瀀攀爀愀搀漀Ⰰ 䤀 昀漀甀渀搀 洀礀猀攀氀昀 戀爀愀挀椀渀最 昀漀爀 椀洀瀀愀挀琀猀 愀渀搀 渀漀琀 攀渀樀漀礀椀渀最 洀礀猀攀氀昀⸀ 䴀礀 挀漀氀氀愀爀戀漀渀攀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 琀漀漀欀 愀 戀攀愀琀椀渀最 ⴀ 渀攀攀搀氀攀猀猀 琀漀 猀愀礀Ⰰ 琀栀漀猀攀 琀栀愀琀 攀渀樀漀礀 戀攀椀渀最 琀栀爀愀猀栀攀搀 漀渀 愀 挀漀愀猀琀攀爀 愀爀攀 洀漀爀攀 琀栀愀渀 眀攀氀挀漀洀攀 琀漀 洀礀 猀攀愀琀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀伀瘀攀爀愀氀氀 ⴀ 圀攀 栀愀搀 愀 氀漀琀 漀昀 昀甀渀 攀瘀攀渀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀 栀攀愀琀⸀ 匀䘀䴀䴀 栀愀猀 戀甀椀氀琀 椀琀猀攀氀昀 愀 昀氀攀攀琀 漀昀 眀漀爀氀搀 挀氀愀猀猀 挀漀愀猀琀攀爀猀 愀渀搀 䤀 眀椀氀氀 搀攀昀椀渀椀琀攀氀礀 洀愀欀攀 愀 爀攀琀甀爀渀 琀爀椀瀀 椀渀 琀栀攀 昀甀琀甀爀攀⸀ 吀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 漀瀀攀爀愀琀椀漀渀猀 愀爀攀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 戀愀搀 琀栀漀甀最栀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀伀栀 ⴀ 眀攀 眀攀渀琀 琀漀 䐀椀猀渀攀礀氀愀渀搀 琀漀漀 ⠀愀最愀椀渀⤀⸀⸀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䠀椀最栀 倀漀椀渀琀猀 㰀戀爀㸀⤀ 搀愀爀欀 爀椀搀攀猀 ⴀ 甀渀瀀愀爀愀氀氀攀氀攀搀 㰀戀爀㸀㈀⤀ 昀漀漀搀 ⴀ 洀甀挀栀 戀攀琀琀攀爀 琀栀椀猀 礀攀愀爀 琀栀愀渀 氀愀猀琀 㰀戀爀㸀㌀⤀ 琀栀攀洀椀渀最 ⴀ 礀漀甀 挀愀渀✀琀 搀攀渀礀 洀椀挀欀攀礀 洀漀甀猀攀⸀⸀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䰀漀眀 倀漀椀渀琀猀 㰀戀爀㸀⤀ 挀爀漀眀搀猀 ⴀ 猀栀漀甀氀搀攀爀 琀漀 猀栀漀甀氀搀攀爀 㰀戀爀㸀㈀⤀ 䘀愀猀琀瀀愀猀猀 ⴀ 眀栀愀琀 愀 挀漀爀瀀漀爀愀琀攀 猀挀愀洀 琀栀椀猀 椀猀Ⰰ 最攀琀 礀漀甀爀 ticket at noon to ride between 4:30PM and 5:30PM. In the meantime, visit our shops since you can't get any other Fastpasses...
3) did I mention the crowds?
Anyhow - no debate please on D-land fastpass - save it for a thread in the general forum.
Thanks for listening! :)
You really should have gone on Psyclone. That way you could have said that you have been on a woodie WORSE than Mean Streak.
Also, Manhattan Express, If you thought the 2 Arrow coasters you rode were bad, yowsa!! ME would really give you a pain in the neck.
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Gotta ride 'em all!
I geuss we both had the same thoughts on SFMM. I wish Riddler's Revenge had more publisity. I thought Viper was good and Batman is real cool being the first inverted coaster it is small but VERY loopy. Colousus is werid how that first drop is amazing!!! Too bad Superman the Escape was having a bad day only getting up 2/3 of the hill, it is usually a little higher.
Todd
Riddler's Revenge: THE MOST UNDERRATED RIDE IN THE WORLD!
Oh by the way, did u like the Riddler's Revenge station music??
Riddler Revenge's station music: The most annoying, repetitive, repulsive, scathing music in the world.
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Goliath: The most intense Hyper in the world.
Soggy: You definitely hit it on the head about Manhatten Express. If all Togo coasters are like this then I've ridden my first AND last one.
TOGO = Tried Once Got Off. If you have never heard that one!
Yes, they are all pretty bad. At least their sitdown, looping with horse collar restraints. That is one of the reasons Windjammer is taking a hike. (and rollbacks, and mechanical problems, and poor design and...)
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Gotta ride 'em all!
I dunno, why everybody hates Psyclone. It is a good little ride with a very steep first drop. The speed is maintained throughout the ride, except for the second-to-last turn. I know, I know its bumpy. That's what makes this ride fun. It's my third fave woody behind GhostRider and Roar at SFMW.
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Riddler's Revenge doesn't have that THING anymore! :(