Greezed Lightnin' at Kentucky Kingdom being removed.

This sucks, but I am not surprised as I heard the coaster was in horrible shape. I will miss this ride. Only one operational Shuttle Looper in the U.S. left.

Kentucky Kingdom FB page.

I didn't know this ride used to be the Tidal Wave at SFGA. This reduces my Coaster Tally by one, down to 477.

Bummer. Greezed Lightnin' was the best thing at that park.

Wow, I didn't realize that Monty was the last one in the US. I LOVE that flywheel launch.

We should be getting one back into the fold, though...Cliff's. Hmmm, weird, I don't see it listed on RCDB right now...would almost swear I saw it listed as opening in 2014.

And remember, several of those older shuttle loops are still running....KW's Carowinds', Kings Dominion's still operate in other countries. Walibi Belgium just invested heavily in rehabbing their Turbine enclosed shuttle. Hershey bought beautiful new trains for SDL as well.

Hopefully the useful parts and pieces of TidalViperWave will be saved for those still standing that may need "donor organs."

edit: Totally agree on how fantastic the Knott's ride is...back seat, back spike.

Honest question, why don't the impulse rides get the same love? Is it another issue of scarcity and nostalgia?

Honest answer #1: I'm a pretty big fan of the Impulses. I think my posts historically indicate a real fondness for the breed. Better than flyers, stand-ups, and the vast majority of mine rides. I'd put them just a notch below most B&M hypers, and two small notches below "average B&M invert."

Honest answer #2: Nostalgia for "rides we rode as kids and newbies" is undeniably a factor. The fact that Schwarzkopfs have been gradually going away (mostly to Mexico and S. America, some to the recyclers) does make them more precious.

Honest answer #3 (prob told this before): My first inversion on a coaster was with my dad at King's Dominion, on King Kobra. In hindsight, he shouldn't have forced me to ride...I was really scared. Set my coastering career back for 20 years or so. But it weighs heavily in favor of the more nostalgic ride.

But I do love the Impulses (esp. GAm's, which just seems faster). Not a huge fan of the holding brakes...

I love impulse coasters.

I like the shuttle loops because they're quick and fun. I think the mechanical launch is a distinct feeling and different from the LIM launch. I do also like the shuttle loops out of nostalgia, though. The same way as people like old cars when today's are so much better in most ways.

Impulses I'm fine with, but not excited about.

The impulse at SFDK, however, is so good. I know it was built like that because of a mistake, but why they didn't build more like it afterward is beyond me.

I was floored by my first Wicked Twister ride back in 2002, thinking it was so much fun. Oddly, today it's low on the ride priority list. I still almost always ride it each trip, because it has little to no wait.

Thinking about why my interest has dropped, I'd say it's because it tends to make me feel a little sick these days. Still, when I ride it early in the morning, especially in the front seat, I always end up thinking "Man, this is a really great ride. Why doesn't it have an hour wait like all the other Intamin's in the park?"

I thought that GateKeeper would finally bring the riders to WT that it deserves, but it didn't seem to make a difference. I don't really get why the ride isn't more popular with enthusiasts. Maybe no one can fit? ;-) Anyway, it's the most underrated coaster at CP and an excellent value for the wait.

I've never ridden one of the Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loops, but I'd agree that scarcity and nostalgia are probably making them a bit more special. If every park had one, and they were still being built, I'd imagine enthusiasts would think of them as painless Vekoma Boomerangs.

Jeff said:

Honest question, why don't the impulse rides get the same love? Is it another issue of scarcity and nostalgia?

Wicked Twister is in the top three of coasters at Cedar Point for me. Extremely comfortable and extremely fun!

I had one of my most fun rides in my life on Wicked Twister. It was raining cats and dogs, and my buddy and I were riding in the front seat. Going up the forward twisted spike was hilarious, because the rain was being directed into the center of the twist, and a waterfall of water was pouring directly onto our faces. It is probably my most memorable ride on a coaster ever.

I've ridden SFDK's about 200 times, but I think the fact that it does the same thing 3 times in a row decreases the reridability.

I only rode it once, so I'm still impressed. :)