Free Chocolate on the Boardwalk 8/24
Associated parks:
None
I like the new traffic layout. Finally they move cars fast into the parking lot. Through the gates and over the hill to the Boardwalk. I instantly saw about 10 things wrong, including a huge crowd. We headed to Lightning Racer. Walk on both sides. I love this ride. 10/10. Extremely smooth.
Then to Wildcat. I love the new trains. Too bad the track is still in need of some work. The bottom line is that the Wildcat is very agressive compared to LR. The brakes are also too tight on the brake run, making an unneeded squealing. 7/10.
Ran into some other park employees I know, and joined them on the Trailblazer. These are Premier-built 2002 trains. I love the new trains, with magnetic braking and great lap bars. This ride had a full station, about a 5 train wait. 8/10. Great family ride.
Then to Storm Runner. This is what happens when Stengel isn't involved. It starts great, and has some incredible aerial-batics, but then you head into the Pioneer, thinking there are drops and high speed turns coming, and you are sitting in the breaks. Its like leaving the Vegas strip, driving to Nye County, and forgetting your wallet in your room. 6/10. Only a 30 minute wait. The do operate the ride very efficient. Revised 6.5/10.
Up the steep hil to the Kissing Tower. Thank God for a/c. It was a hot day. Then to Great Bear. 15 minute wait. 8.5/10. Its a awsome mid-sized B&M. Much better than the Batman rides. Had tacos at the Gormet something where Wok and Roll was. Again, a/c. 7/10.
Off to Reeses Cup Challenge. First, I love peanut butter, but not this ridiculous ride. Wondering why they used frp board in the loading station, which is for bathrooms and kitchens, all the money was clearly invested into the ride system and building.
The storyline is lame, and you shoot 2-D painted targets. Of course I won with 42,000 points, but while the track had many elevation changes, it is not worthy of any wait. Call me spoiled by MIB, but the Den of Lost Theives that was on the Wildwood Boardwalk was much better. Period. 4/10. Think worse than Buzz Lightyear. And where were the singing candy bars?
I then hot a few endangerd rides. The Sidewinder and the classic Arrow trains was a 3 train wait. 7/10. I then did the Pirate, with a 10 minute wait. It was not as free swinging as Kennywood's, but a good classic. 7/10.
Off to the Boardwalk. Was very lucky to get a chair, being there were about 60 chairs, and you need at least 1000 to be serious in this waterpark gig. We have 2 parks, and that is our biggest complaint. Of course, after I changed, I found out the whole joint was closing at 7pm. Sat in the wave pool. I use that term loosely. I could have belly flopped in the cruise ship pool and did better.
And, surprise, like Dorney Park last month, another code brown. Only this was on the sidewalk. That is what you get for booking urban groups. No discipline. It was adult caused.
I had to 'q' up for a tubes, which they did not have enough, and headed to the Whirlwind. It was my first on a slide of this type. 7/10. The steps to the slides need to be wider, and guards need to supervise guests getting tubes. It could get out of hand at any time.
I am also concerned on how they have kids 'q' up for the East Coast structure. Its terrible for kids to wait. And they cleared the line at 7pm. They wasted loads of prime locations entering the complex with downright stupid stands like airbrush and caricatures. Those spots should have been lockers or foodservice, which is all disoragnized.
I love the new Nathans, but it is way too small. The locker rentals are laid out backwards, and changing rooms should be clean, and have showers in every booth. Why didn't they spend a little but more support dollars, know they would have a tight fit, and guest comforts need addressed?
After watching the imitation Flowrider, I did Canyon River Rapids. Very drenching. Too bad they will probably lose this ride too. 9/10. Then to Tidal Force. Yes. 8.5/10.
I headed back to the Kissing Tower for night views, and then to the sooperdooperlooper. It is a great ride for kids not wanting to do Great Bear or Storm Runner yet. The ride was smooth, and very fun in the dark. 8/10.
Skipped Comet, which I love, and to take the gf to Chocolate World. Did the new ride with the singing cows, and spent a lot of money. Even tried the Elvis-endorsed peanut butter and banana cup.
Overall, the Boardwalk has nice atmosphere, scenery, bird noises, and atmosphere. It needs to be removed and placed in the adjacent closed golf course and made into a second gate. The hard park itself was well run, and lines were moving. Overall 8.5/10.
"Off to Reeses Cup Challenge. First, I love peanut butter, but not this ridiculous ride. Wondering why they used frp board in the loading station, which is for bathrooms and kitchens, all the money was clearly invested into the ride system and building."
I was bothered by that too, it looked very cheep and the pictures in the queue were blown up and very pixelated, and most were sadly ripped =/. The ride was fun I was just wondering what happened with the queue lol. The boardwalk does have some nice atmosphere to it, I thought it did a great job with that, but was very crowded, and the "wave pool" wasn't that great and was very small. I hope we don't lose CRR for one though, I have a blast on that ride. The code brown is pretty gross, at first I was jealous when reading the title, now I'm thankful I didn't experience it lol.
Also, another thing I noticed there, they had the VIP service going and I saw many taking advantage of this, BUT, if you were a party waiting for a particular ride, and there were VIP guests that were let on and you had to wait even 3 seconds more, the ride ops came over and gave you coupons for free 16 oz sodas, or maybe it was 20 oz, I thought that was pretty cool. When I went there we had that happen a couple times through the 2 days spent there, and it caused us to wait MAYBE a minute longer each time, yet we got the coupons, I thought that was a great idea and even mentioned that to a ride op.
*** Edited 8/28/2007 7:41:31 AM UTC by P18***
...they had the VIP service going and I saw many taking advantage of this, BUT, if you were a party waiting for a particular ride, and there were VIP guests that were let on and you had to wait even 3 seconds more, the ride ops came over and gave you coupons for free 16 oz sodas, or maybe it was 20 oz, I thought that was pretty cool. When I went there we had that happen a couple times through the 2 days spent there, and it caused us to wait MAYBE a minute longer each time, yet we got the coupons, I thought that was a great idea ...
Did they give them to just the people who got bumped or the entire line? Because technically the entire line gets backed up one ride cycle, not just the people who otherwise would have ridden on that cycle.
If I were two trains away from my ride, I wouldn't be pissed that the VIP people got to ride, I'd be pissed that the people in front of me were getting freebies and I wasn't - even though my wait was extended as well.
(just being a dick...maybe ;) )
Although reports of VIP useage make me smile.
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