SFDL 6/29/03 "The Day of the Rap Concert"

Okay, so we left Akron Ohio at 6:30 AM this morning for our 4 and a half hour drive to Darien Lake. It was a nice drive there, but parking was atrocious. Everything is crazy in New York. I guess it's a free for all, and I'm just not used to that sheltered back in Ohio. So, just to put everything out there without offending anything, this park is very urban. Although it sits among cornfields and silos, there is a rough crowd that visits this park, well maybe just today. Part of that could have to do because I saw 50 cent in his stretch hummer (yes the rapper was at the park) and a bunch of other rappers. This is what caused the chaotic day at the park.

Rock the Mic - 6/29
Show time: 6:30PM
Doors: 5:00PM

Performers include:
50 CENT
JAY Z
MISSY ELLIOT
BUSTA RHYMES
FABOLOUS

Can you believe every single person in the Buffalo area was in the park? We got there early for an hour wait for the Superman, but by the end of the day it was about an hour and a half. I'll stop explaining and get to the trip report.

So at 11 we are into the park. We head straight for the Superman Ride of Steel. It looked so intriguing from the road. After waiting almost an hour, I got a ride in the back seat. HOLY CRAP! This ride is amazing. Don't judge a coaster by it's layout. It looked like it might be a bit boring, well it's not. This ride was incredible, with some massive air, headchoppers, fast helices, and crazy drops. The plunge into the mist was one of my favorite parts. I'm surprised we got a ride on it because a train got stuck at the top of the lift hill and there was a loud buzzing sound, then the chain started again. But, I was overly impressed with this coaster and it ties Millennium Force in my book. 2 Train operation - the fastest crew in the park. I would be back.

The next ride we headed for was the Predator. This is a fantastic looking coaster but I had heard a lot of bad about it. I didn't know what to think for myself other than - it's going to hurt. Well, someone told me it was worse than Raging Wolf Bobs and they were completely wrong. I only got one ride on this coaster, but I actually liked the Predator. There is some airtime, a bunch of nice little drops, and I wasn't stapled. The 20 minute wait was worth it, and it also exceeded my expectations.

By now it was almost 12:30, but we got in line for the Boomerang anyways. It's a standard Vekoma boomerang coaster, what else can be said? I like them, but there was a 20 minute wait. So this could only be ridden once in my short day at the park. It seemed smoother than Mind Eraser (SFWoA) for some reason, but I like them both equally. Good ride!

Now it was time for lunch. We ate in the car and a group of guys walked by and pointed at us, made a fist motion and just stared at us. They pointed, laughed and walked away. Well, it was a family in New York enjoying lunch in the car, but these men were very big and scary. This more, proved that there is a rough crowd at SFDL. I'm not one to usually stereotype, but it proved true time and time again. It started to downpour, and lightning, so we were in that car for an hour and half. All the lines emptied. Once it stopped we entered the park again and had to walk around a fight that was broke up. Both guys were wearing 50 cent T-shirts and carrying Nelly pictures. Go figure.

We got a ride on the UFO. It's a cool ride. You stand and it spins around, then it lifts up. Similar to the Witches Wheel type ride, but you are standing. Neat concept, and everyone liked it. There wasn't a wait, but the park didn't clear from the hour T-storm. It just got fuller. By now the overflow parking was full, and there was no where left in the parking lot. Everything was a massive traffic jam with people honking horns. It was a disaster. We headed to the Viper.

I was very impressed with this Arrow coaster. I love them all, and this one was no exception. I got in somewhere in the middle of the train, just because I was so sick of being linejumped and couldn't handle waiting for the back. It's a long story, but somehow a group of about 20 people managed to line jump us, beers in hand, without any of the ops seeing them. I was very surprised with the tunnel on this ride. It was a cool Arrow coaster, no airtime like the Corkscrew at CP but it had a bunch of good inversions. Great ride!

The next stop was at the Mind Eraser. It's just a SLC. Nothing great. The Serial Thriller at SFWoA definitely isn't this rough. My head was banged around like mad. In line, once again we were massively linejumped, but in fear of being seriously hurt, we dind't say anything to the guys. The entire wait we were harassed by men behind us. I'm a 16 year old skinny small kid, what am I going to say to a 20 year old ripped man? Nothing. The ride was terrible. It wasn't worth its hour wait. We were pretty disappointed. But, we rode it. It was about 4, so we went to finish the day off on the Superman.

The line for the Superman was now an hour and half. And, it just kept getting longer when people would cut through the grass with beers in hand and get in line towards the front. People yelled at them, and even the security managed to miss them. I guess I'm just easily agitated, but this bothered others too. The ride broke down twice. They must have been having lift hill problems. We heard the same buzz, and the chain started again. People bailed out of line as the train got stuck again. I don't mind that it broke down at all - I'm just happy I got another ride. I rode in the second seat and it was incredible again. This ride just takes your breath away. It seems faster than 73 mph. Great ride to leave the park on.

All in all it was a good day, despite the rough crowd. I won't blame this on New York, or the area, but rather the rap concert later that night. I know there was a large group of people there to see them all. The park was packed. Can a SFDL local tell me, are waits always like that, and, is the park always that rough? I enjoyed my day and I will be back in two weeks on a Tuesday to start off a 5 day trip hitting SFDL, SFNE and SFGAdv. S:RoS rocked!
*** This post was edited by coasterzak 6/29/2003 10:38:08 PM ***

I agree with most everything you said.

I've never been to DL when theres but line jumpers though. The croud can get a little rough though because everyone in NY goes here.

One question: When I went last week Viper was closed, is it true it has air gates now?

Also, the only breakdown Superman faces often is the chain stopping. Lately its been because the crew has been going so fast and the ride has been running so fast, that although the ride is allowed to be dispatched by the computers, they clear but make it to the top before the othe train is even in the station. They've been having trouble with the sensors compatibility with the lift hill since the thing opened. BUT I've never been there when that things been closed the entire day. That thing was flying last week though and the crew was awesome.

Predator is a great ride but if you sit in the back of the trailered trains it rips your back IN HALF. I still love the ride though because its perfectly fine in the front seat of each car. The airtime is incredible.
*** This post was edited by Ride of Steel 6/29/2003 10:47:54 PM ***

Yes they do have air gates on Viper now, someone commented that they were new. I'm glad to hear that I wasn't some freak of nature upset with a few things at the park. They were very fast with S:RoS so I can see how this happened. It was only down for 15 minutes. I was in the front of Predator, so that may be why I enjoyed the ride.

When I was at SFDL last summer, the crowd scared me, too. But, that's 'cause it was mullet-mania and I don't take to country-folk too well.

The "urban" aspect you speak of was entirely non-existant, and I even went on a weekend.

SFDL was one of the few parks I've ever been to when I felt content with leaving hours before closing on my first visit. SFA was another.

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--Maddie--
What do I Listen-To?

I was there the day of the concert as a matter of fact i was at the concert, and the park.

The ride ops on S:ROS should deserve a award for how fast the trains are dispatched you would need to see to believe!

I would like to to address that SFDL usually not as rough as it was on sunday, but i felt after reading the Tr report that things were a bit "Sterotyped" in terms of the type of concert that was being held. Just because it was a hip-hop concert didn't mean that it was dangerous.

Viper is a amazing Arrow. I have ridden on many arrows (Vortex,GASM,Ninja etc) Viper hands down has to be the smoothest.

Good Tr report despite the "Streotyping".

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Your Park only has 1 good coaster! That's too bad!
*** This post was edited by darienlakefan 7/2/2003 11:04:41 AM ***

Oh yeah? Just wait until you see the crowds when the Ozzfest comes to town... then you're going to see the headbangers... although instead of peeps cutting in line with beers in hand, they're likely to have other er... things in hand that reek the line.

Although... who knows if headbangers are worse than hip-hoppers, but stereo-typing is all true of the concert on hand and the type of crowd.
You really think you're going to have those kinda people at a Garth Brooks concert?

You should have stayed for the laser show, however... if you didn't attend the concert, the laser show is worth the time to stay until 10:10pm.

Damn, I wish I was there that day. I live in New York, but that Six Flags is a long way. I'm only close to Great Adventure. I know that concert was off the chain! I really wanted to go to that concert, but I live too far. I guess I'll have to wait till next year to see 50. Why doesn't great adventure have some performers come there and perform? They'll make more money, just cause 50 or Jay is there.

Oh yeah, good report!

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I'm a G unit mother ****in soldier nicca!
Holla at ya boy!

Sounds like not the best day, but the concert really does sound awesome.

Darienlakefan - how was it?

Coasterzak - Wat did you do when you saw 50, like you talk to him or try to get an autograph or sumtin?

He was driving slowly, and we were kind of scared of the huge crowds behind us, so we got to the car as fast as we could. I'm no fan of his, an autograph wouldn't have meant anything to me. He didn't say anything either.

The concert was pretty good there were little fights here and there but overall great.

Although the whole time i was at the concert I kept staring at the Viper and Superman. I guess i have an addiction...............

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Your Park only has 1 good coaster! That's too bad!