Ozark Wildcat & Kentucky Rumbler

Just wondering how these two coasters were running by the end of last season?

I will be partaking in these this june and was just wondering if they are holding up well.

Thanks

Kev

I rode Wildcat last July. While it's showing a few signs of age (not quite as smooth as it used to be) it's still great!

I rode Rumbler back in December...YAY Holiday Lights Spectacular (or something like that). It was running really well despite it being a chilly night. We did not have a full train on either of my two rides, so it was a tad slower, but overall the ride experience was still as great as when it first opened.

If I recall both coasters have MF trains, so even with aging they would still hold up as a great ride. I personally would like to get to ride Kentucky Rumbler as we are moving south this year.

Thanks for the replies....

WOF Guy- How is TimberWolf these days? I rode it in 1990 and it was awesome back then. I have heard mix reviews since then. I will be riding that in June as well. So is holding up and fun or is it painful and headache inducing like some are saying.

Out of curiosity, are you doing the Euro Coaster Club trip?

Timber Wolf was probably at it's worst about 4 years ago and it's been improving every year since. If I remember correctly this current offseason's investment will be Timber Wolf's largest since CF bought the park.

Last year was pretty good.

As for Wildcat I haven't noticed a decline in ride quality at all.

---

cubkev said:
Thanks for the replies....

WOF Guy- How is TimberWolf these days? I rode it in 1990 and it was awesome back then. I have heard mix reviews since then. I will be riding that in June as well. So is holding up and fun or is it painful and headache inducing like some are saying.

---

Timberwolf is still one of the top 3 or 4 coasters I have ever been on - when it first opened. It was fast as lightning (only a slight breather at the top of the helix) and had incredible 'real airtime' (NO ratchet bars at the time - no headrests either) on every single hill. The first drop in the back was crazy...

I have a World's of Fun produced videotape from when the ride first opened and there were a bunch of coaster geeks on it. I want to post it sometime, but don't have the know how yet...

I rode it again in '95 then '98; by '98 it was a totally different ride. Ratchet bars, high backs, brakes - and parts of the profile had been redone.

It really reminded me of comparing a brakeless ride on the Beast at night with a morning ride on the Beast as is. (I mean, not ride comparison wise, just same-ride-difference wise)

if the MF Equipt coasters all hold up like Lightning Racer and Thunderhead, It should be running fine. I don't think either one of them have had much track work at all since being built.

Chuck, going back to Hershey this year and rode Thunderhead in November and I didn't see any new track anywhere.

^IMO...there is one MF-trained GCII on the continent that is in poor condition. All the rest seem to be aging exceptionally well. As for whether that's design or maintenance (or both), I'll leave that for others to debate.

^^CComet - YouTube pretty much handles it all FOR you - even *I* was able to post some vids...

---

cubkev said:

How is TimberWolf these days?

---

I rode it this past season and it was doing pretty good. It was kind of bumpy in spots and the train seemed to "pinball" from side to side in certain areas, but I rode multiple times without headache or injury. There were a few good pops of airtime, but overall it wasn't as intense as it looked. Still, it has a great track layout. And when you consider that it's pushing 20 years old, it's still definitely in the game. If CF is giving it some more rehab this off season, then I bet the ride will get even better. Hopefully, they'll do some cosmetic work too. There were some repaired sections that looked "frankensteined" in. A good ride though.

Rode Wildcat last July and thought it was running great. I have no idea whether it's better, worse, or the same as the past, but I thought it was smooth and fun (for a GCI anyway :-P).

At Fall Family Fun Days at Celebration City, OzCat was running like it had square wheels. I had never had a bad ride on it before, but it sure wasn't running as well as it had been back in July. However it is nowhere near the "rough" level by any means, just not as silky smooth as I was used to it being.

Gee Bill, what rolleR cOaster Around here could you possibly be refeRring to? We know it's not the one at SFA. ;)

Nice to hear praise for my Timber Wolf.

With proper track/train maintenance, the PTC trains provide a more INTENSE ride. However...if *ultimate smoothness* is your thing, then the MFlyer trains are best.

Matt, you and I are NOT those people. :)

I'd still like to check out the HP Wildcat just to have a valid before/after comparison. I might even stop asking for new trains on Gwazi... ;)

*** Edited 3/6/2008 11:49:17 PM UTC by rollergator***

I rode Rumbler sometime in August, and I thought it was a great, smooth ride. The only down side was the incredible stench of cat pee that went up my nose as soon as the train left the station. And I'm not kidding. They must have the feral cats living up under there, or something, 'cause it was like tears to the eyes!

Kentucky Rumbler is still running like new!

Be careful what you wish for, Bill. ;)

I haven't been on Roar West in about a year, but I didn't think it was doing too bad in '06.

^It was kinda boring in '07. I actually enjoyed the B&M more. Roar East was running great though!