Fresh Blood at La Ronde (Vampire preview day)

Arrived at 4 pm and was happy to see Vampire running. So I go through backstage zones, up into the park. First impression: Nice surprise! SF installed a Spring Shot near Orbite!

I check around the scenery and landscaping. I dont care the station is the same design as in the US, its beautiful!!!! The entrance gate has a nice Vampire logo and I noticed how far from the station the entrance is... After a long and windy walk (thank god I didn't have to snake my way through those 2 huge switchbacks area!), I climb the stairs into the station. Its average for size, but riders enters in the middle, so no problems with that. I immediately enters and take my first ride in the back row, middle seat on the right....

The lift is SILENT. Yes, eerily silent. We pull out the drop, pulling good G's at the bottom. We enter the good loop (some G's but not too much...), then we head over the fun part: the Zero G Roll. Its absolutly whippy! In the left seat in the back, your legs gets snapped on the side, insane!! Then the second loop (better than the first for me), then we can catch our breath as we cruise through those sharp turns... then its into the once again snappy flat spin! What a difference from those Vekoma ones....

Then, its out of control to the end. That turn between the flat spins is where those 4 G's come out... major time! Its into the trench, up into the flat spin, come out in another trench... then back to the station. The end brakes and transfer track is covered entirely (and there seems to be black lights in the tunnel, nice!).

From my opinion, this blows the SLC's apart, even the "smooth" one I did in Belgium.

Is it my number one? Yes, without a doubt, not even Tonnerre de Zeus can touch that zero G roll in the back and the mad ending.

I've never ridden an SLC, but yup, Batman: The Ride and it's clones even beat Montu, which many people consider the best single B&M inverted in the world. You Quebecois have a real treat getting that ride. Enjoy it, if maintained well, it will be just as smooth in 10 years!

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When did American Eagle get more airtime than Viper?

I was there for the press conferance at 10:30. The only highlight of that was the new TV ad featuring Sugar Ray and "The Vampire" which was (I belive) Batman at SFGA. (oh... and the free Vampire umbrella.) Then we hit the ride. I got 7 laps in. 2 in front and 5 in back. I enjoy the g's and the non-stop action. I liked it at SFGAd and SFMM and I like it here too. Look for the story tomorrow in The Gazette.

Then we looked around the park. The Monster and Cobra were testing. There is another bungie ride going in near the flying carpet. On the park map they call it EuroBungy. I also checked out the diving show tank. Not something I could do! The village enterance looks good but needs a lot of work before Saturday. They did have about 50 people laying brick though. New paint everywhere but not on certain flat rides. Boomerang and Super Manege look great. Can't wait to hit the Monster on Saturday.