Darien Lake 9-7-09

Outside of the fact that i just read on here about a dead body being found in one of the lakes/ponds at the park, to which i had no idea happened. My mom and I decided to head out to Darien Lake.

I had gone to Darien Lake about three years ago under the Six Flags regime. I actually liked it for a day that had rides down and not much else that peaked my interest. So I decide to go back just to see what had changed with Parc running it and get a few credits I had missed on my previous trip.

First off the park actually in my opinion has one of the nicer entrances from the parking lot. The park itself to me is one of those places where you have some nice views and the lakes/ponds really add to the beauty of some of the areas. The part past Boomerang and going up to the OCC Motocoaster really is probably one of the nicer areas of a park I have been to, the restaurant and the everything really capture the forest setting i think they set out for. However cross the covered bridge by OCC Motocoaster and forget about it, it just seems lacking anything.

One thing i also did notice more this time is how space out attractions are in this park, and where they put some of them just doesnt make sense. The main area with the emporium shop and fountain as the centerpiece really gets lost in the shuffle with the Silver Bullet and the Paratrooper type ride just thrown in the middle there.

Anyhow the rides were all operating. The big surprise to me was most of the coasters that could run two trains were, even though predator and Viper never really needed them. They ran them through the cycle and let one train come in before dispatch as well. But all in all i give them a thumbs up in operations.

Ok on to ride of steel, i have rode this before and knew what to expect, for the most part. However, the ride has one wicked hill which is the third one, that you get floater air coming over, and them bam you are slammed by positive g's on the bottom. That made the ride for me, the drop on it is mehhh, it seems to just never really do much, but it went over pretty fast in the back, so that might have been it. Also they were back to two trains for anyone who was actually wondering.

Then it was on to the Predator. I missed out on this last time i visited because of them performing maintenance on it. Well, it surely looked like fun from off the ride, but the first half in the middle of the train, was pretty bad. The train when in valleys off the hills really takes it hard, and the train just shakes like crazy. The turn was fine, and the return run was rather smooth, but very boring to say the least.

I wont bore you with the other rides, besides the Motocoaster. Looking at it didn't seem to interesting, but the launch i thought was pretty intense. Either for the lack of track it takes before its ascent to the top of the structure or the fact that i might have been leaning a bit, but i liked it actually. A far better ride than the layout would suggest.

A few minor problems. Ahh my mom and I had a run in with a line jumper. She cut us in the line for Ride of Steel. She mentioned something about being rude, which was kind of ironic, because a girl behind us was staring her down after she cut us in line. So she turned back around, and then told this girl, "DO YOU HAVE A STARING PROBLEM!" Then again she mentioned something about being rude, and my mom who was already bothered by this stepped up and told her it was rude that she cut all the people in line. Then she went off on my mom, so i told her that it was ignorant of her to cut in line whether her not her brother was ahead of us in line. I told her that it was in the park's guide that if i so wanted i could have her removed from the line, just being on the cordial side, not losing my cool. She in her typical teenage angst told me, "FINE go ahead get someone." Anyhow to make a long story short she also said we should act like adults, which was laughable.

Lastly I have to mention this because this was the only time i have ever seen this. I was putting my moms bag on the side of Mind Eraser, and as i was putting it down, there was a finished can of Coors Light sitting on the platform, how no one noticed it and threw it away was beyond me. I laughed actually at that, because it looked like someone was having a good time there.

Anyhow, the park for me fails to disappoint me. Maybe its because in ways it does remind me of Geauga Lake, but it really actually improved over the last time of being there. Sure its not a perfect park, but it does things well for a decently sized park.

Last thing, what are they doing with the old Batman Standup from Astroworld that is just sitting there across the street. I figure that since PARC bought the park they would have bought the coaster too. If that is the case then why haven't they installed it yet? My other thought was does Six Flags still own the coaster and just wants nothing to do with it. Anyhow its just sitting there rusting away and looks pretty bad.