Obscurity Tour 2005---Part #4---Visionland (Birmingham, AL)

On Friday July 1st I made my way to Visionland. As was par for the course, it was another hot and muggy affair. Much like Magic Springs and Crystal Falls two days before, the vast majority of the crowd made its way to the water park. Unlike Magic Springs and Crystal Falls…Visionland has a Rampage… :-)

1. Rampage (my 350th coaster if I've maintained the CB track record correctly)---I’ve nothing but praise for this wooden piece of joy. It has airtime, laterals, positives, and anything else that makes me like a coaster. The ride ops were fast and offered re-rides whenever others were not available to fill a train. I was able to get the first 8-10 rides of the day in every major part of the train and am convinced there is not a bad seat on the thing. There is not a bad part of track that I recall either. It even has an insane right drop and curve back to the station AFTER the final brake run.

Those who are familiar with my opinions know I do not really rank coasters. Last year I broke tradition and reported that Avalanche was my number uno and there were another 15-20 that complete my top 10! :-) Well Rampage is in the group that could make my top 10 on any given day. This list includes the usuals…Raven, Phoenix, Legend, etc…! If you have not been on the Rampage, then I suggest you get to Alabama and “just do it!” This ride alone makes any park. And in my ever so humble opinion, Rampage is Visionland.

2. Zoomerang---It is a Vekoma Boomerang…what do you want me to say? Thank got it was not an SLC!

3. Marvel Mania---I was still embarrassed from my kiddie coaster exploits at Magic Springs two days earlier…so I never rode it! Maybe my coaster credit addiction is waning…NAHHH! :-)

I completed my Visionland trip with a ride on their river raft ride, which had a ridiculously long path of access, and a spin on the new long flume. Both water rides were average. Come to think of it, the river raft ride may be slightly above average.

Visionland is another one of those newer parks that has all the pretty painted colors on the rides and buildings, as well as, freshly trimmed landscaping. In many ways it feels as generic as Magic Springs. It could use a dark ride and quite a few more flats to lessen the “empty” feeling you get walking from ride to ride. But Visionland has Rampage, which more than trumps any flaws an over-critical enthusiast may find! I loved this ride so much that I dare not criticize the park.

After Visionland I went to the airport to pick up my wife and son. It would be quite a few more days until I got to another park in Myrtle Beach. In the meanwhile there was sun and relaxation at Jekyll Island and Hilton Head! I’ll tell you about Pavilion in part #5!

*** Edited 7/27/2005 10:55:21 PM UTC by Jeffrey R Smith***

Glad to hear that you liked Rampage and that it gave you awesome rides right out of the gate. It's one of my faves, and like you said, has everything that a good coaster should. Try and make it down for some night rides sometime. If you can believe it, the rides takes things to any even higher level then.

Rampage really is THAT good...and night rides take it to a whole 'nother level!

I visited the park in 2002 and noticed that it needed a few more rides... many sections felt very vacant and lonely. But you're right- when you have Rampage, who cares?

I agree with what everyone has said. Having visited the park in 1999 and 2005, VL isn't much to speak of, but Rampage is outstanding, easily in my top wood (along with Phoenix, the GE Comet, KW's Thunderbolt, and BPB's Grand National). I really should get to Rip Roarin' Rampage someday.