Associated parks:
None
The day dawned bright unlike the previous day traffic was fairly light on the trek down 95 from Wilmington and we arrived to the park rather early so we killed some time at Target.
We got to the park before opening and it was pretty empty. While standing in line we were approached by a man In skin tight shorts, a kids size Deja Vu shirt and high top work boots. He proceeded to say how great everything was and followed us around a bit. You'll find out a bit more about him later. The park was clean, but rather spartan. I have definitely saw worse but this was only it's second day of the season .
Anyway we entered the park and stood at the bridge waiting to enter the park. Roar, Wild One and Superman stood ahead mocking me. At the specified time everyone began to run to the right. Tim and I leisurely made our way to Jokers Jinx and were the first people in the station and took a front seat ride. Wow how different this thing is then FOF. Premier rides are really top notch and I woudl love to see more of them around. What a great ride.
We walked down towards Superman and noticed Penguins Blizzard River on the right. The multi colored tube looked intriguing but the layout really seems to lack IMO. Anyway in front of me stood 210 feet of Intamin goodness.
We got in line for the front seat of Superman and as our train left the station we noticed the same odd fellow we met at the park entrance blowing a whistle and waving at us standing in line for the front. Tim and i both looked at each other and let out a laugh. Oh Boy.
Anyway up the lift we went silently and quickly. When we dropped I was amazed. Air, air on a first drop in the front seat. Amazing. Just as I had time to think about the air i was slammed into my seat as the G's took over on the bottom of the drop. The curve was amazing and you felt as if you were flying as you skimmed just inches from the ground. Just as you have time to think about this you are thrown in the air for the seond time. The second hill is very reminiscent of Millie's magnum hill in air but seems to be just a bit more extreme. This is just a taste of whats to come. You level out for a bit and then hop up, complete with air into the first helix. Faster and faster you fly around and then level out for the the ball buster. You hit the third hill and think this is pretty good air and then are thrown so hard into your retraint it's not even funny. Never have a lot anythign could have Magnum air, but this is better then Magnum air. Just as you are thrown up you are piledrived back into your seat. A Steel Legend as Tim says. it's not over yet. You zoom around another 360 degree helix, this time upward and fly dip down into the entrance of the Corkscrew Hill which again gives you pile driver air. Two more hills follow and even with the heavy trim they are amazing. You fly into the stations brakes and teh train stops in a distance shorter then the train.
HOLY COW! The thing simply amazed me, it surpassed all my expectations and then some. I had expected it to feel like there was a lot of wasted track but I simply loved the helices and flat portions of track. I had to ride again. this time in the back.
On the way up the hill Tim and I looked and saw "Whistle Boy" in the front seat, waving his hands with Princess Di waves and blowing his whistle all the way up the lift. Our laughter at this point was uncontrolable. We crested the lift and we greated with yank air more intense then any on Millie. I was simply speechless. The ride was relentless no matter where you sat. Unbelievable.
We proceeded over to Batwing. Can't say I enjoyed the experience. I will say it's Vekoma at their best, but just like X-Flight, the best isn't all that great. The layout is great but the trains are pitiful. You are thrown too and fro, you feel as if your vest will pop open at any moment, and the inlines are just well not good. The only saving graces are the Flip at the top and the helix. Give me S:UF any day of the week. Credit.
We went back towards the front of the park at this time and Stopped to hit up Wild One on the way. What a great old woodie. One of the top 3 out and backs I have rode. Lateral air just takes the cake for me and that helix is very extreme. Even with a trim brake. leaving the area we noticed Two Faces train was missing as was a section of track to pull the cars off. A credit forlorn.
Onto Toon Town and time for me to be a credit whore. But alas I was not around to ride Great Chase.......for the time being.
We headed towards Roar and took a front seat ride. The ops were nazi's. Stapling us to death and then demanding we remove our glasses. Sorry but if they don't come off on Batwing they are not going to come off. Anyway a good fast furious ride, but it's still a GCI. Oh well, time for a backseat ride. HOLY COW what a difference crazy air on a GCI, I never would have thought. A great ride and easily up there in the woodie department. Not my style but a great ride.
I stopped at the arcade to play some DDR, 3rd mix. I had never played 3rd Mix before. It was a pretty nice machine
Time for another credit and thats abotu all it was. Mind Eraser front seat. I make no gruffs abotu SLC's terrifying me, they hurt, they slam your bodies in uncomfortable ways, and the great layout cannot make up for it's shortcomings. Normally headbanging doesn't bother me. I am a sucker for arrow loopers after all. Mind Eraser however was a POS. For starters the op was slamming on the restarints so hard that I am still not sure if I will father any children. But thats not the least of the problem's. In typical SLC fashion the thing throws you forward and does so right in your crotch. Pain. Then throw in a heaping helping of headbanging, a bleeding ear and some generous rattling and you have an awful ride. No wonder it's sponsored by Corn Nut's whose slogan is incidently Hold Onto your ears.
OK back to the car to drop off the DV, only still shots for the rest of the day. Checked my voice mail to find that Corey had left me a message wanting to meet up sometime. Unfortunately it was after he was already in the park and he didnt have his phone with him.
We headed back into the park to the totally devoid of trees area known as Gotham City and Tim took a spin on Joker's Jinx while I photographed the ride. While taking a pictures I noticed a pungent aroma which has to be one of two things. Burning Leave or Marijuana. No trees so no leaves, I turn and see a guy walking down the midway next to Joker smoking a Blunt in broad daylight. Wow just wow.
Anyway onto Superman for some more flight and we find Corey and Kip waiting for the front seat. WE ride and then meet up with them and proceed to trake some back seat rides. It is then that Corey shows us just how inept the ops are by leaving the station with his lapbar insanely high. I can now see how the guy flew out at Darien Lake. Lets just say Corey got some major air. I tried the same thing slater and I will just say I never thought it was possible to have standing air on an Intamin. Never have I been so sure I was going to die either ;) Just kidding, I had a lot of room but there was no way I coudl have came out.
At about this time we strolled over to Frontiertown. Corey and I played some DDR while Kip and Tim took another ride on Mind Eraser. I guess they are just glutton's. After DDRing we headed to the saloon for a cold one. Tasted great on a hot day.
On our way back to the center of the park we saw an obscenely obese man, walking an invisible dog, eating a pickle on a stick, and barking wildly at all passers by. Kids were crying for there Mommies and the guy was obviously not all there. Wow.
We headed back to Toon Town and I finally got a ride on a frog hopper HAHA What great fun. Another op was on great chase and I did get my credit :) Whose the credit Whore now?
We went and played in the ball area diving down the slides and such, what a great time. the operations were so lax here I was in awe.
We spent the rest of the evening riding Superman. I finally broke down and said it after a backseat ride, Corey even has it on Camera. Magnum what? Sorry Maggie but I still love you.
Anyway a great second day of the trip and some very impressive coasters. other then a few minor gruffs I had no problems with the park but I normally dont go looking for trouble.
Time to hit I-95 and a head towards New Kent and Tim's house. Tomorrow is BGW.
Check out the East Coast Invasion Pictures
------------------
Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
It's all the same.
------------------
Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
*** This post was edited by MagnumForce 4/19/2003 11:43:58 PM ***
I did see someone over at Mind Eraser wearing a DV shiret & cap so perhaps it might've been the same guy, I saw him right after they had to E-stop the ride because someone's lap belt wasn't fastened.
Now for some reason I found Roar to be unforgivingly rough in the back seat,I think I'll stick exclusively to the front seat from now on.
What was the deal with the neo facsist ops anyway?
------------------
Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
As far as the op's that day I don't know what you 're complaining about because most of them were at least making an effort to do their jobs quickly & effeciently,I just hope they can get Two face back up & running ASAP.
I was really impressed with the rest of the crews.
I found it odd how the big coasters were all running 1 train yet the woodies were running 2.
------------------
Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
MagnumForce said:
We headed towards Roar and took a front seat ride. The ops were nazi's. Stapling us to death and then demanding we remove our glasses.It is then that Corey shows us just how inept the ops are by leaving the station with his lapbar insanely high.
And see, the behavoir described in the 2nd statement is what precipitates the response of the 1st statement. I really hate to hear so-called 'enthusiasts' trying to "prove" how some ops dont "know how to do their jobs". Really, that's just being a butt-nugget for no real reason. In my heart of hearts, I believe you all are better than that. Very disappointing.
lata, jeremy
------------------
American troops "have started to commit suicide under the walls of Baghdad. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly." Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf
Perhaps some happy medium was needed.
------------------
Ah what the hell.....Magnum What?
S:ROS blew me away
MagnumForce said:
It wasn't rough. Violent yes but in a good way. I think the one train was running a bit rougher then the other as well.What was the deal with the neo facsist ops anyway?
I rode Roar yesterday and found the Aqua/Blue/Green train runs better than the black one on the track.
And for those of you that are testing the ride ops at amusement parks, I say more power to you. At least when you fall out of the train I willn't have to hear you complain about how hard they are pushing the lap bars down on you.
Tim....who says that the ride ops at SFA need a little negative reinforcement now and then, lol :)
------------------
Parking-$7
Admission to BGW-$35.99
Lunch at Trapper's Smokehouse-$13
graduating Anheiseur-Busch Beer School with 3 of your greatest coaster buddies-PRICELESS:)
Brent, Corey, Kip...you guys rock :) SRM 2003...w00t!!
You must be logged in to post