My Intimidator Experience

I'm not doing a Trip Report here, but I just wanted to share my thoughts on I-305 after my initial rides this weekend. I took 13 over two days...most in the back half, a few mid-train, five or six in the VERY back, and one front. There's been a lot of great things written here and elsewhere about this ride, and I wondered if it could possibly live up to the plaudits it's received. I shouldn't have wondered.

This is a fantastic ride. I think the illusion of higher speed is more prevalent than on MF, but I imagine that's because the layout is so much more compact. To me, it's those quick transitions that take this ride from "great" to "OMG!"

I experienced none of the greying out sensation discussed on other threads, and had no problem with the restraints. The ride was shut down once as I was the next person to board the front seat. They replaced one of the tires the train rolls over on the pre-station final brake. So that wait ended up almost an hour, but I never waited more than a half-hour otherwise. I'm a wood guy, and often prefer the back seat on those. My front seat ride on I-305 was the single best ride I've ever taken on a steelie.

Is it better than MF? No. Is MF better than I-305? No. MF is a graceful swan. I-305 is a vicious hawk. Yep, they're both birds. But FEATHERS (the drop and speed) is all they have in common. There's room at the zoo that is my #1 steel spot for both of them.

I just hope KD establishes some consistency in how the lines are handled. On my first ride, the entry attendant let me into the single rider line. when I got to the front the attendant there says, "You know this line is closed, right?" I said, "No, and I don't think your colleague Kyle does either, because he opened the gate for me." She let me on. Other times, the regular line was used for front seat waiters and the single line for all others. I heard at another time, they were alternating twos from the single rider and regular lines. At the times they were assigning seats, at least they were consistent with not allowing people to the front unless it matched their position in line.