Associated parks:
None
I rolled out the house a little late and had the speed to get down there in time for the 10am walkback. The first thing I notice is that the parking lot is absoulutely BARREN (guess the cold temps scared people away :)) As usual things did not start right on time (figures, guess they were working on CP time...). Now the walkback was supposed to be a choice of either Volcano: The Blast Coaster or Hypersonic: Xtreme Launch Coaster. However, again per usual, H:XLC was having 'warmup problems' and wouldnt open *right* away. The park rep (didnt catch his name) stated that they were going to be working towards 3 train ops for next season. Also, the other rep, Mike from advertising, said a few words about their upcoming "wild mouse on steriods", Ricochet.
In due time we were walked back to our ride of choice. I chose V:TBC. Actually, it's the only reason I went to the park at all. You see, on my first few visits (opening day, the next weekend) my company (including the veritible GregLeg :)) all suggested riding in/near the back. On my subsequent visits, I avoided the ride completely (I just didnt like it, and the lines were too long). I figured this was my only chance to ride the front so I took it. After waiting for the park to "officially" open, I was strapped solo in the front seat of:
Volcano: The Blast Coaster (Intamin launched invert)
Now, recall that it was quite nippy; so bad that I had on a skull cap. Well as we went through the first launch, I felt my hat being ripped from my head, so I just took it off and held it. V:TBC is *quite* an experience in the front seat. I think the only other ride that I've been on where the front is so drastically different from the rest of the train is Millennium Force. I was immediately glad I made the trip.
From here, I took a series of quick lefts and found myself on the 'reborn' coaster of the park:
Flight Of Fear (Premier launched looper)
Now, I hadnt been to PKD in about 2 months (even though I'm a passholder) but with JJ right @ SFA 20min away, I didnt think FoF was worth traving the extra hour for. However, on Saturday, FoF felt really good and sealed itself as my favorite ride in the park (too bad they wont turn off the midcourse brake :(). I was able to get three quick rides here.
It was now about 11am. Vacoasterfreak mentioned that he might be at the park around 11am so I wandered to the front to take a peek for him. We hadnt set up a definite meeting time as I was not planning on staying long. You see there were three potentially GREAT college football games being played (Fl v. Ga, Md v. Fla St, Ok v. Neb) so I wanted to get back home to catch them. However, since the park was so empty, I decided to linger a little longer.
I mosied over to the opposite side of the park and grabbed a quick ride on 7th Portal. It's still a good ride, yet I'm not completely sure I get the entire plot (even after multiple rides).
I took a peek in on the H:XLC line (which was now up and running), but it looked longer than I wanted to wait, so I passed. Instead I grabbed a quick ride on:
Hurler (Summers & Dinn triple out and back woodie)
It's amazing to me that Thunder Run @ SFKK is such a wonderful ride and that Hurler is such a piece of crap. I sat in seat 1.2 and camped there for two consecutive rides (even though only one train was running). The curves were as rough as all get out and after the 1st two bunny hills, there was no airtime to speak of. Not to mention it was cold. However, it's hard to pass up a re-ride when available ;).
Upon exiting Hurler, I found myself face to face with the Ricochet construction site. Now, I'm *not at all* a fan of wild mice, but Ricochet looks like it will be a little better than your average mouse with the "big" first drop. Also, the way the supports look, it seems like the hairpin turns will be taken at greater speed and have a *slightly* different pattern. We shall see. In any case, I suppose Paramount as a company should be commended for putting in "kid-friendly" coasters.
I moved right next door to get a quick ride on:
Rebel Yell - Forwards (John Allen? Out and Back)
I sat in the favored "Schmeck seat" of 1.3. All I can say it it was the worst ride of the season. The ride was so rough that may back actually caught a 'stinger'. I was so happy to get off that I didnt even bother with riding it backwards.
I crossed back by H:XLC to grab another woodie ride on
Grizzly (Summers & Dinn Twister?)
Again, another walk on. I grabbed a random seat in the back. The ride was wilder, yet much more enjoyable than either of the other two woodies. I guess being a twister fan, it's not suprising that I like this woodie more than the others.
I took a brief moment to ride the Flying Eagles (Flying Skooters). This was now my 3rd ride on a set of skooters and I honestly dont see the facination with them. Just not my type of ride I guess.
At this time, I joined the line for a coaster that I hadnt ridden since opening day:
Shockwave (TOGO single looping Stand Up)
The line looked short (just out of the starion) but was deceptively long due to the crappy loading procedures and only one train running. Still it could not have taken more than about a half (sorry, I had no watch). Anyway, on opening day, I rode in the front. This day, I rode in the back. One annoying teenage boy hopped in next to me and was talking the whole way (this dude was cracking BAD jokes the whole time in line to his 'friends'..who looked like they wanted him to shut up too). As for the ride itself, the ride jerked in this one spot and my neck hit the restraint hard. To sum up, two rides over the entire season was more than enough.
Well, at this point, since I was already in a touch of pain, I went over to that piece of "sweet Arrow goodness" (only semi-sarcasm)
Anaconda (Arrow mini-megalooper)
Now Anaconda is likely my second least favorite Arrow coaster (I usually love Arrow, but GASM-II sucks) because the 'butterfly' is brutal. Today, Anaconda wasnt too bad so I ended up riding like ten times in a row as there was no line and two trains running. On one of my passes, I saw some people actually riding the shoot-the-chutes ride! It must be great to be young and insane!
After all those rides, I gabbed a ride on my favorite $#!+$ and giggles coaster:
Avalance (Mack Bobsled)
I still dont know why more Macks didnt come stateside. These are great little rides. The have a nice amount of intensity, but arent really "scary". I just really dig the thing (maybe it's just me).
I went *back* to the back of the park, riding the flying carosuel on the way and since the line looked *reasonable*, I joined the queue for:
HyperSonic: Xtreme Launch Coaster (S&S TA2K)
I saw in the one row I had yet to sit in, row two. Honestly, the ride is the same to me in all seats. There is nothing that compares to the launch or the ejection at the top. Yes, it is only 15seconds; but what a 15seconds!
With that, I attacked the other side of the duel tracked coaster:
Rebel Yell- Backwards (see above)
I sat in the same seat and had a *much* better ride. They really need to do something about that in the offseason ].
I went back to the Congo for one more ride on Volcano. I grabbed a random seat near the back and got a ton of hangtime in the blast out the mountain. I gained a new appreciation for Volcano that day. I can see why so many people like it. I also know that I will never be one of those people. I just dont like the "falling upside down" feeling. Different strokes for different folks.
Since I was right there, I had to have one more alien encounter and snagged a backseat ride on FoF. I had a hunger headache by now so I finally bought the shrimp basket from "Bubba Gump's Shrimp" that I had been thinking about getting all year. It was way too little food for the price they charged but oh well.
I went to the back of the park looking for the scrambler, cause i love scramblers. However, when I got to the location of it, IT WAS GONE!!! The signage was still there, but there were no traces of the ride. I wonder are they removing it in lieu of 'Triple Spin'.
Well at that point, it was almost four o'clock so I decided to jet. I got home in time to see the second half of all the games I wanted to (good games too). Like I said at the beginning, I didnt intend for that to be my last scheduled park visit for 2001, but it was a good ending nevertheless. Who knows? Maybe I'll make it to Vegas or Orlando before New Year's!
lata,
jeremy
-------------
"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01
I'm very dissapointed to read that they've removed yet another flat ride at PKD. Hopefully, it will get relocated. But knowing PKD's history...
Good luck with your schoolwork and I'll talk to you later.
2Hostyl said:
Plus, with the great day I had @ PKD, I felt no desire to taint it with a trip to SFA. Anyhoo...
Wow, the "Hostyl" one making negative comments about a Six Flags park, what's the world coming to...
;) ;) ;) for the humor-impaired...
In due time we were walked back to our ride of choice. I chose V:TBC. Actually, it's the only reason I went to the park at all. You see, on my first few visits (opening day, the next weekend) my company (including the veritible GregLeg :)) all suggested riding in/near the back. On my subsequent visits, I avoided the ride completely (I just didnt like it, and the lines were too long). I figured this was my only chance to ride the front so I took it.
Good call. I DO enjoy the front, but I'm not usually willing to wait the extra cycles for it, so I hop on in the back. When you've got the chance, though...
Hurler (Summers & Dinn triple out and back woodie)
It's amazing to me that Thunder Run @ SFKK is such a wonderful ride and that Hurler is such a piece of crap.
Almost as amazing as the fact that I have such a different opinion of Hurler than most people. :) Maybe I've been lucky and gotten unusually good rides out of it, but I LOVE Hurler. I'll agree that Thunder Run is better, but given a choice of Hurler or, say, Dorney's Hercules, I'll take Hurler all the way...
Overall, it sounds like you had a great time -- amazing what short lines can do. I hope things go at least that well this coming weekend :)
-------------
--Greg
"Beat the rush, sign up for your post-Mean Streak MRI now..."
My page My other page And my coaster page
*** This post was edited by GregLeg on 10/29/2001. ***
Rebel Yell - All I can say it it was the worst ride of the season. The ride was so rough that may back actually caught a 'stinger'. I was so happy to get off that I didnt even bother with riding it backwards.
due to the crappy loading procedures and only one train running.
Anaconda is likely my second least favorite Arrow coaster
I went to the back of the park looking for the scrambler, cause i love scramblers. However, when I got to the location of it, IT WAS GONE!!! The signage was still there, but there were no traces of the ride. I wonder are they removing it in lieu of 'Triple Spin'.
Please explain the first comment? after reviewing your comments.....
SAM doesn't understand
-----------------
Track Record 420 coasters in USA and Canada
I've stated again and again that I prefer the rides @ SFA to the rides @ PKD, with ROAR & S:ROS at the top of the list.
Perhaps 'taint' gave a stronger negative connotation than I truely meant. But I had such a good time @ PKD with the short lines, anything else would have been a downer. BTW: did you even pay attention to the first THREE reasons I gave before that statement?!?
lata,
jeremy
--who notes that PKD at least has a bathroom near its two newest attractions
*** This post was edited by Intamin Fan on 10/29/2001. ***
Anyhoo, Sounds like you had as great of a time as I did. ( I really should start talking to people on walkbacks)
-----------------
id rather be on a coaster.....
You must be logged in to post