Offseason Visit to MIA - There's a crane by WW!!
Associated parks:
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Okay...so it's not as good as the infamous "ITS ORANGE!" title from last year, but it'll due.
All of last week I was waiting impatiently for decent weather to go take some photos at MIA for you guys. Well, I basically gave up hope on every having good weather, and went out to take a few shots of the park and see what's going on. The photos came out pretty dark, but you all know as much as I do I'll be out there a lot more to snag some better ones.
Okay, so the new toll road is complete with the little booths for the attendants to sit in. Closing day it was all paved and blocked off, but JJ and I took a drive through there anyway...I mean, it was closing day! Anyway, this was the first time I've driven through there since then (I usually just do the short cut through the lot) but this time I wanted to grab some photos. I obviously didn't realize then how close this new road really is to Timbers. It moderately bothers me, but it definitely has some pros. Traffic always lined up before the park opened and clogged up the main road, I'm confident that this new system will aid that problem. Also when entering the lot now you drive with Timbers on your right, and a nice pool of water on the left...I was really digging that. Not to mention whenver I ride I try and spot my friends cars entering the lot so I know when to go meet them..that will be a thousand times easier . Also, it has the potential to be a new picture spot. Okay, so enough on the new road.
Recently there was a thread on here about work being done on both ST and WW. Well, it's definitely happenning. There's work trailors by both of the rides, and a pretty good sized crane sitting by Wildcat. New boards on Timbers are evident everywhere. Particulary lots on the run going out to the turnaround. It looks a lot better, and I really think it will improve some of the roughness we had this year.
Wildcat, on the other hand, is getting more than supports. Barely noticeable from the parking lot, the second hill has totally new track. As of right now, that's all there is...but I'm sure we can expect more work...especially towards the end of the ride.
Other little things throughout the park include winterization of...well, everything! Everything is super bear..more so than the last few years. Buildings are boarded up and pieces to rides are stored somewhere else than the surrounding midways. Other than that, I didn't spot any "new" parts to anything .
Okay, so that's the little update for now. You can check out the dreary photos here . You can bet I'll be back with more as soon as there's more to report. Only 23 weeks, 5 days, 20 hours, 33 minutes and 25 seconds until Opening!!
[edit]: had to fix that darn link!
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Kara (car-uh)
1024 Laps
621 in '02
52 visits to 4 CF parks in '02 with a season pass, free. Knowing I saved $1603, priceless.
*** This post was edited by ST chick on 12/7/2002. ***
Oh great Kara. When the boys living in So. Cali and Florida see those pics, they are going to rub it in even more. ;)
The offseason does stink. Thanks for the pics.
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2 superheroes in Gurnee next season? Oh the humanity. :)
Yay! Our off-season reports! It's not as exciting as "Corkscrew is ORANGE" no, but hey, WILDCAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!! ;)
Any activity in the waterpark? I'd figure they might update that since there's been no expansion in there (major) since 1998.
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Chitown said:
Oh great Kara. When the boys living in So. Cali and Florida see those pics, they are going to rub it in even more.
The offseason does stink. Thanks for the pics.
What Offseason?
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Joey Ciborek, Florida Coaster Club, Member
"WE RIDE ALL YEAR!!!" www.FloridaCoasterClub.com , www.CoasterJoe.com
"It's like an addiction" Me, The Discovery Channel, Ultimate Guide: Roller Coasters 5/27/02
As for the crane, that should be expected. I rode ST on a day where they had a crane doing work that morning. They just swung it out of the way and opened the ride around noon. Last year WW got a ton of work on the low, dogleg stretch. It would stabd to reason that the hills would get it this year, although they have been overhauled in the last couple of years.
Makes me wonder why the Cedar Fair cheifs don't migrate down to Knotts in the winter. They'd have 70 degree weather and an open park.
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Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill.
Wolf said:
I worry a touch about driving inside those runoff ponds. They do get quite high from time to time, and I've driven through the lakes they leave in the pakring lot when *they* need to runoff.As for the crane, that should be expected. I rode ST on a day where they had a crane doing work that morning. They just swung it out of the way and opened the ride around noon. Last year WW got a ton of work on the low, dogleg stretch. It would stabd to reason that the hills would get it this year, although they have been overhauled in the last couple of years.
Hey Wolf, I think I remember that day when they did the work on ST... when was it?
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I may have a TR about it... can't find it. Sometime in late May or early June of 1999. Neither the Big Dipper nor the Mad Mouse had opened yet.
Kara,
Shivering Timbers is definitely on my list of coasters to ride before I die. I got cold viewing your photos.Brrrrrr!I feel the same way about the Vancouver PNE Coaster as you you do ST.I hope you get an opportunity to ride the PNE coaster some day.If you click on my info,you will see me standing next to my two "babies",my wife and the Coaster.Nasai and I went to the PNE for his first time there this last April,and the Coaster blew him away!I did ride the "mini ST",better know as Timber Terror at Silverwood back in June.It took away my CCI virginity.Are you interested in joining us at the Puyallup Fair Coaster Thrill ride next August?
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Lets' save the Vancouver PNE Coaster before its'too late!
*** This post was edited by Ronald S. Anderson on 12/12/2002. ***
Wolf said:
Umm... cripes. June of 1999, I think. I know they also had a power outage that morning, when a construction crew clipped a line. It was just after they got tornadoed and had to move the gates and such.I may have a TR about it... can't find it. Sometime in late May or early June of 1999. Neither the Big Dipper nor the Mad Mouse had opened yet.
YES!!!! THAT WAS IT!!!! I REMEMBER THEN!!!! Thanks Wolf!
Hey, any updates, MiTrooper1 talked about a larger train, any news on that?????
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Millennium Timbers - 310 foot tall wooden GG comming to the Michigan's Adventure nearest to you
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WARNING:
You are no longer who you were and tomorrow is now yesterday. In the event of an emergency, do not become alarmed. Move Quickly to the nearest exit.
ST has a lot of new lumber on it. Most of the downhill sections have a new square or two; the roundabout section has several longer sections. Finally, all of the wood trackbase (not the lattice) on the helix has been replaced (very fresh looking... probably last month or two).
As ST_Chick said, WW looks like it had new trackbase on the far hill. Couldn't see well enough to tell anything else.
Trapeze, T-bolt, Ferris Wheel have cars attached, look ready to go. Carousal looked ready. Mouse had two trains on track, bad grease spill under the top of the lift-chain (not sure if from last year or from initial runs this year). Blvd was half loaded. Looked like ropes were on Ripcord.
No trains on Zach's, Big Dipper. Couldn't see Corkscrew, WW, or ST. No parts in parking lot to speak of.
In general, the park looked pretty good. New landscaping around the Mouse queue. Looked like the Blvd is seeded, not completely grown in yet. New road enterance looked pretty nice; parking lot attendents will have it easy with air conditioned huts =). There was a small construction trailer between Log Flume and WW, but didn't see anything new around there. Might be for the boardwork?
17 1/2 days to go, and everything looks on schedule.
*** This post was edited by Strijder 5/7/2003 12:00:17 AM ***
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