Rain? Silverwood? No problem. (Looonngg)
Associated parks:
None
Wednesday morning driving north on US95 in the driving rain has me a bit depressed. After flying up from SoCal for coaster 100 and beyond (ignore the count, can't add Great America's Tidal Wave, Kings Island's Screamin' Demon or Knott's Corkscrew) I fear the rain may defeat the purpose of the trip as the brochure says some rides may not be operating due to inclement weather. As the park comes into view I see they are testing Griz...Timber Terror in the rain and my spirits are lifted since where I'm from a little sprinkle and the local operators shut down their CCI toy. I guess in the Northwest they don't consider a little rain 'inclement.'
After purchasing my ticket and waiting for the gates to open the rain decides to stop for a while. Walking back towards 'Coaster Alley' I see Tremors go by twice with the same two people alone in the back seat. They are leaving as I enter the station and I replace them in the back seat and am off. Good ride, but not earth shaking. As I return to the station there is no one waiting and the crew allows me to take the front seat without exiting and running all the way around unlike other places. Front seat is better except for the first hill. I'll be back it's off to Gri...Timber Terror.
Same deal here, nobody here. Back seat first ride, front next, no leaving the station. Timber Terror is a better front seat ride just like Phoenix and almost as good, could use a double down but has a helix instead. After another ride on Tremors with a few more riders this time and it's warming up, it is only 11:30 (park opened at 11:00, have to leave at three to catch my flight) so it's time to look around.
The park is about the size of Lake Compounce or feels that way to me. They do have tons of undeveloped land from what I've read. It's a friendly place with a great staff.
The Krazy Kars are a blast. Gasoline powered bumper cars you drive like a tank. Two sticks, right drive and left drive, push both forward, go forward, pull both back, backup, combinations for turning or spinning. The arena is a bit tight but the cars would be dangerous with more room to generate more speed. I didn't hit the bumper cars at Knoebels while there so these are the best for me to date.
The train ride is a pleasant stroll off into the woods surrounding the park and airstrip and has some good photo ops as well. About halfway through is an amusing comic intermission. The engine has been around since 1914.
Back at the park I take a couple more spins on each woodie, more passengers, bearings warming up, more speed, yummy. A spin on the Corkscrew, pretty good since it is over twenty-five years old and relocated from Knott's. The river raft (whatever it's called) was my only mistake, not a bad ride but I now have wet jeans. Might as well hit the log flume, so-so, no themeing, all at ground level till the end lift and splash down. Next was the Bumper Boats, three minutes playing with a motor powered inner-tube. Quite fun, but the longest wait of the day, three cycles say ten minutes.
Then the rain returns, but the woodies keep on running. Talk about speed and pain. Tremors is a very different ride covering and closing your eyes avoiding the pin prick raindrops at speed. Timber Terror is just as painful and fun in the rain also.
I walk around debating something to eat and the rain stops. Instead of eating I see my time is nearing the end so it's back to say goodbye to Tremors and Timber Terror. After my last ride, Tremors, I purchase a T-shirt at the shop Tremors rips through at the bottom of the first hill.
All my time there, even though they only have one train operation rides were walk on with one or two train wait front/rear. I guess the rain was a good thing.
If you can find a way, head north coaster junkies, and don't worry about the rain.
After purchasing my ticket and waiting for the gates to open the rain decides to stop for a while. Walking back towards 'Coaster Alley' I see Tremors go by twice with the same two people alone in the back seat. They are leaving as I enter the station and I replace them in the back seat and am off. Good ride, but not earth shaking. As I return to the station there is no one waiting and the crew allows me to take the front seat without exiting and running all the way around unlike other places. Front seat is better except for the first hill. I'll be back it's off to Gri...Timber Terror.
Same deal here, nobody here. Back seat first ride, front next, no leaving the station. Timber Terror is a better front seat ride just like Phoenix and almost as good, could use a double down but has a helix instead. After another ride on Tremors with a few more riders this time and it's warming up, it is only 11:30 (park opened at 11:00, have to leave at three to catch my flight) so it's time to look around.
The park is about the size of Lake Compounce or feels that way to me. They do have tons of undeveloped land from what I've read. It's a friendly place with a great staff.
The Krazy Kars are a blast. Gasoline powered bumper cars you drive like a tank. Two sticks, right drive and left drive, push both forward, go forward, pull both back, backup, combinations for turning or spinning. The arena is a bit tight but the cars would be dangerous with more room to generate more speed. I didn't hit the bumper cars at Knoebels while there so these are the best for me to date.
The train ride is a pleasant stroll off into the woods surrounding the park and airstrip and has some good photo ops as well. About halfway through is an amusing comic intermission. The engine has been around since 1914.
Back at the park I take a couple more spins on each woodie, more passengers, bearings warming up, more speed, yummy. A spin on the Corkscrew, pretty good since it is over twenty-five years old and relocated from Knott's. The river raft (whatever it's called) was my only mistake, not a bad ride but I now have wet jeans. Might as well hit the log flume, so-so, no themeing, all at ground level till the end lift and splash down. Next was the Bumper Boats, three minutes playing with a motor powered inner-tube. Quite fun, but the longest wait of the day, three cycles say ten minutes.
Then the rain returns, but the woodies keep on running. Talk about speed and pain. Tremors is a very different ride covering and closing your eyes avoiding the pin prick raindrops at speed. Timber Terror is just as painful and fun in the rain also.
I walk around debating something to eat and the rain stops. Instead of eating I see my time is nearing the end so it's back to say goodbye to Tremors and Timber Terror. After my last ride, Tremors, I purchase a T-shirt at the shop Tremors rips through at the bottom of the first hill.
All my time there, even though they only have one train operation rides were walk on with one or two train wait front/rear. I guess the rain was a good thing.
If you can find a way, head north coaster junkies, and don't worry about the rain.
You must be logged in to post
