Ok, don't ask me how this was the first time I had gotten to the park for the first time this year, but it was. Good news is that I think I finally convinced my mom to buy a season pass, because she didn't really the park was only a little less than an hour and a half away! Also, before I start I believe that I saw Chip in the restroom. Now I really didn't look too much because it WAS the restroom, but from a quick glance he looked like the person in all of the pics I have seen of him, and he had that little over the shoulder pack think on. Anyways, on to the TR:
We parked on the life side and walked across the boardwalk over the Rides side. The pirate ship looks really good, and the scrambler look ok too. And we can kill the rumor of Intamin track being in the Casino clearing, there was none there.
When we got across the boardwalk we headed towards the front of the park to meet the rest of our group who parked on the Rides side. After meeting them we headed to Superman. It was a complete walk on, so for the first time we got the very back seat. I must say that on the vertical spike when the put the brake on this really adds to the ride.
After this we headed over to X-Flight, because that was the obvious choice. The line was almost the entire way back to the beginning of the X-Flight area (I really don't know what to call it. It is like it's own little area). The guy that was kicking smokers out of the line came by and said it would be two and a half hours. I thought what the heck, we came here to ride this so we might as well wait! Well as time passed, we hardly moved it all and it was about 90 degrees out. And they were running one train! How you can run one train with close to a three hour wait is beyond me, but they did it. They ran one train until we were halfway through the tent thing, and after they did the line took off and we were in the station in no time. A little note about where the station split occurs though: they need a sign or something to tell people they can go to the left too! Almost everyone headed to the right and we went left and walked right up into the station. While in the station a lady passed out and had to be removed from the train by paramedics, so that took another ten minutes. Finally we got on in the second car, and I must say that this is by far the best ride in the park. I think that it even surpasses Millennium Force! The feeling you get when you first flip over is insane, and a coaster has never gotten me disoriented before this one. After the loop you go through those two barrel rolls and I was lost after that. It was sweet. Well worth the two and a half hour wait, even though it didn't have to be that long.
We got a hot dog and a lemonade and chilled out and ate for about 10 minutes. The heat was unbearable all day. I should have probably went on Grizzly River Run during the day, but before we ended up back over towards that side of the park it was starting to get cool. Anyways, after lunch we hopped on the Big Dipper. I forgot how great of a ride this is! Two train op all day which was a plus. The airtime on this is incredible, and should not be missed!
After BD we (my freind and I) decided to split from the rest of the group because they were holding us back. We headed over to Villain and got a quick ride in on the black train, only a 10-15 minute wait. Great ride as always, although it was running a little rougher than than last year.
Batman was next, and although the line was all the way out by the gift shop, it went pretty fast because of three train op. Not that the crew was doing anything to help though, because some MAJOR stacking was going on. About half the time all three trains were off the circuit. One in the station, one on the blocks, and one behind that grey shed thing. I understand that with three train op you will have a little stacking, but this was unbelievable! Oh well, at least the wait was still only about a half an hour. We waited for the front b/c I had never ridden a floorless in the front, and I gotta say you must ride this in the front! Some of the foot choppers are incredible! The ride was smooth and great, just like I remembered it.
We hit the Texas Twister real quick and luck have it right when we get on they changed the program to a more intense one. The cycles before us flipped twice, we flipped 7 times in a row! Oh well though, still a great ride just don't hit it after eating. After the Twister we headed back over to the Life side and watched the stunt show. One word: WEAK! The acting was pretty bad and the stunts sucked. This needs some work guys. Since we were over here we saw the Pirates movie, and it was great. I jumped out of my seat when the bees came and your seat vibrated! A great show, another attraction that shouldn't be missed.
We headed over to Mission: Bermuda Triangle after that and got in line but after a while we found out the wait was 2 hours, so we passed . We headed back over to the Rides side for 4 last coasters. The first being Raging Wolf Bobs, and I say avoid this thing at all costs. I understand woodies are a little rough, but this was unbearable! People were actually using Fastlane although it was only a 5 minute wait, I guess they were really in a hurry.
Another ride on Batman, Superman, and X-Flight followed. The wait for X-Flight was still about 2 hours even with two train op this time. The smoking under the tent has got to be stopped though. It was unbearable. We got the front car this time, but didn't notice much of a difference. It was still as great as it was the first ride.
Overall I had a great day, but the park was really crowded. The bathrooms were very clean and the pathways were too, so I don't know where all of the SFWoA bashers get that from. Towards the end of the day the garbage cans were pretty full, but I can live with that. I hope to go back during Fright Fest, but I don't know if that will happen. If not, see you next year SFWoA!
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The Pens will win the Stanley Cup in 2002!
Im glad you liked sfwoa it is not a bad park.
