Well somehow I ended up going to Darien Lake on Friday, but it was all for the better.
First of all, let me say that this was by far the hottest day I have had all summer, MUCH hotter then PA has been lately, but on to more important things.
I'll use the Griswold scale here, (-3 to +5, 0 being merely OK)
Overall park experience: +2
This is one of the more friendly SF parks I've been to, second only to Marine World in Vallejo. The Beaver Cafe was a major plus. Affordable pricing, good food, and top notch service was welcome for an air-conditioned break. Certain ride ops are obviously non-enthusiasts, (will my bladder ever heal?) but overall they were easy to get along with, and some were talkative.
The lakes, which the park is placed over and around, add immensely to the park atmosphere. They are clean, have wildlife, and the gardens placed on and around them are a nice touch..
Now to the rides, and their quality in order of when I rode them..
We arrived there early the night before, and I was able to sneak in some rides of the "lesser" coasters, so bear with me...
Viper- 2 laps: +1
Not much to be enthusiastic about, but the placement is very nice, and the line goes right through some nicely asthetic elements. The trains are extremely uncomfortable, much like the Double Loop trains at SFO, but the ride was fairly smooth, and had some comfortable air on the slow double corkscrew (although nothing like the RED viper at SFMM). Helix at end was nice, but the tunnel was almost ruined by some piped-in screaming (ugh). Otherwise, fairly enjoyable.
Mind Eraser- 1 lap: 0
Yuk, another Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster. My fourth on record, SFDL must be actually maintaning this one, as it was the only merely ok SLC I've been on. One train operation is not the answer here, as it was the longest wait the whole trip at 45 minutes. The ride is nicely placed entirely above glis攀渀椀渀最 眀愀琀攀爀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀爀攀 椀猀 猀漀洀攀 渀椀挀攀 洀椀猀琀 戀攀氀漀眀Ⰰ 愀氀琀栀漀甀最栀 礀漀甀爀 氀攀最猀 愀爀攀 愀氀氀 琀栀愀琀 攀渀樀漀礀 椀琀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䈀漀漀洀攀爀愀渀最ⴀ 氀愀瀀㨀 ⴀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䄀洀 䤀 洀椀猀猀椀渀最 猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最㼀 吀栀攀猀攀 愀爀攀渀琀 昀甀渀 愀琀 愀氀氀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀氀猀漀 戀攀椀渀最 洀礀 昀漀甀爀琀栀Ⰰ 䤀✀洀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 猀琀愀爀琀椀渀最 琀漀 眀漀渀搀攀爀 眀栀礀 琀栀攀猀攀 愀爀攀 瀀甀琀 椀渀 䄀一夀 瀀愀爀欀猀 愀琀 愀氀氀⸀ 伀栀 眀攀氀氀Ⰰ 爀攀搀攀攀洀椀渀最 瀀漀椀渀琀猀 椀渀挀氀甀搀攀搀 琀栀攀 戀漀漀洀攀爀愀渀最 猀攀挀琀椀漀渀 漀瘀攀爀 洀漀爀攀 眀愀琀攀爀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 琀爀愀椀渀猀 愀爀攀 瀀愀椀渀琀攀搀 渀椀挀攀氀礀⸀⸀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀倀爀攀搀愀琀漀爀ⴀ ㈀ 氀愀瀀猀㨀 ⬀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䤀 眀愀猀 爀攀氀甀挀琀愀渀琀 琀漀 最攀琀 漀渀 琀栀椀猀 漀渀攀Ⰰ 愀猀 䤀 眀愀猀 琀栀攀 匀䘀䴀䴀 倀猀礀挀氀漀渀攀Ⰰ 戀攀挀愀甀猀攀 䤀✀瘀攀 栀攀愀爀搀 渀漀琀栀椀渀最 戀甀琀 戀愀搀 琀栀椀渀最猀⸀ 䄀氀猀漀 氀椀欀攀 倀猀礀挀氀漀渀攀Ⰰ 倀爀攀搀愀琀漀爀 爀攀洀椀渀搀攀搀 洀攀 琀栀愀琀 䤀✀洀 渀漀琀 攀瘀攀爀礀戀漀搀礀 攀氀猀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 漀瀀椀渀椀漀渀猀 琀攀渀搀 琀漀 猀栀椀昀琀 眀椀琀栀 搀椀昀昀攀爀攀渀琀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀℀ 吀栀攀 ㈀渀搀 爀攀琀爀愀挀欀椀渀最 樀漀戀 琀栀椀猀 猀攀愀猀漀渀 倀刀伀䈀䄀䈀䰀夀 栀愀搀 猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最 琀漀 搀漀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀椀猀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 猀琀椀氀氀 䤀 挀愀渀琀 猀攀攀 琀栀椀猀 愀猀 愀 栀漀爀爀椀戀氀礀 爀漀甀最栀 爀椀搀攀 攀瘀攀爀⸀ 䄀渀礀眀愀礀猀Ⰰ 礀漀甀 最攀琀 愀 渀椀挀攀 瘀椀攀眀 漀昀 愀 氀愀欀攀 漀渀 漀渀攀 猀椀搀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀 爀椀搀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 椀琀✀猀 瘀攀爀礀 猀挀攀渀椀挀⸀ 吀栀攀 搀漀眀渀昀愀氀氀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 爀椀搀攀 椀猀 琀栀攀 猀氀椀最栀琀 戀爀愀欀攀猀 愀琀 琀栀攀 琀漀瀀 漀昀 琀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 搀爀漀瀀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 琀栀攀礀 愀爀攀 渀漀琀椀挀攀搀 昀爀漀洀 漀渀氀礀 琀栀攀 昀爀漀渀琀 猀攀愀琀⸀ 吀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 椀猀 洀漀爀攀 猀挀攀渀椀挀 琀栀攀渀 椀渀琀攀渀猀攀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 䤀 琀栀椀渀欀 椀琀✀猀 眀漀爀琀栀 愀 挀漀甀瀀氀攀 漀昀 爀椀搀攀猀Ⰰ 樀甀猀琀 昀漀爀 琀栀愀琀℀ 䄀氀猀漀Ⰰ 琀栀攀爀攀✀猀 愀 昀甀渀渀礀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 搀漀甀戀氀攀 搀椀瀀 眀愀渀渀愀戀攀 愀琀 琀栀攀 攀渀搀 漀昀 琀栀攀 爀椀搀攀Ⰰ 琀栀愀琀 樀甀猀琀 猀攀攀洀猀 琀漀 猀洀愀挀欀 琀栀攀 挀愀爀猀 椀渀琀漀 琀栀攀 琀爀愀挀欀⸀ 匀漀洀攀栀漀眀 琀栀椀猀 挀爀愀挀欀攀搀 洀攀 甀瀀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 琀栀愀琀猀 樀甀猀琀 洀攀 䤀 最甀攀猀猀℀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀吀栀攀 伀刀䤀䜀䤀一䄀䰀 刀椀搀攀 伀昀 匀琀攀攀氀ⴀ 㘀 氀愀瀀猀㨀 ⬀㐀 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀䤀渀琀愀洀椀渀Ⰰ 琀栀愀渀欀 礀漀甀℀ 夀漀甀 栀愀瘀攀 琀甀爀渀攀搀 愀爀漀甀渀搀 洀礀 琀栀漀甀最栀琀猀 琀栀愀琀 戀椀最最攀爀 爀椀搀攀猀 愀爀攀 愀氀洀漀猀琀 愀氀眀愀礀猀 渀漀琀 琀栀愀琀 椀渀琀攀爀攀猀琀椀渀最⸀ 䄀氀琀栀漀甀最栀Ⰰ 氀椀欀攀 洀愀渀礀 爀椀搀攀猀Ⰰ 琀栀椀猀 椀猀 挀攀爀琀愀椀渀氀礀 渀漀琀 愀 瀀攀爀昀攀挀琀 攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀Ⰰ 椀琀 椀猀 挀攀爀琀愀椀渀氀礀 漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀 洀漀爀攀 攀渀樀漀礀愀戀氀攀 琀栀椀渀最猀 琀漀 搀漀 椀渀 氀椀昀攀⸀ 吀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 琀椀洀攀 䤀✀瘀攀 戀漀甀最栀琀 愀渀 漀渀 爀椀搀攀 瀀栀漀琀漀 漀渀 昀漀爀 洀漀爀攀 琀栀攀渀 ㈀ 礀攀愀爀猀 眀愀猀 栀攀爀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 䤀 栀愀搀 琀栀攀 愀搀瘀愀渀琀愀最攀 漀昀 戀漀愀爀搀椀渀最 琀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 眀椀琀栀 一伀 攀砀瀀攀挀琀愀琀椀漀渀猀⸀ 一漀眀 琀栀愀琀 椀猀 樀甀猀琀 愀 昀甀渀渀礀 琀栀椀渀最Ⰰ 愀椀渀琀 椀琀㼀 圀攀氀氀 氀攀琀 洀攀 猀愀礀 琀栀椀猀 椀猀 愀 䐀䔀䘀䤀一䤀吀䔀 挀漀渀琀攀渀搀攀爀 琀漀 䴀椀氀氀攀渀渀椀甀洀 䘀漀爀挀攀 椀渀 洀礀 漀瀀椀渀椀漀渀Ⰰ 猀攀攀椀渀最 愀猀 椀琀✀猀 樀甀猀琀 猀漀 洀甀挀栀 昀甀渀 琀漀 爀椀搀攀 氀愀瀀猀 漀渀⸀ ⠀愀渀搀 瀀漀猀猀椀戀氀礀 戀攀挀愀甀猀攀 椀琀✀猀 倀伀匀匀䤀䈀䰀䔀 琀漀 爀椀搀攀 氀愀瀀猀 漀渀⸀⸀⸀⤀ 㰀戀爀㸀 㰀戀爀㸀吀栀攀 爀椀搀攀 攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀 椀琀猀攀氀昀 椀猀 猀漀 椀渀琀eresting, you quickly find yourself anticipating future parts of the ride, something MF lacks miserably. The first drop is wonderfully over misty wawa, and if your in the front, you'll get nice and cooled off. Nice vibration, too. Thats something steel coasters need more of, smooth vibrations. The first helix seemed quite longer then needed, and although I wasnt expecting a Goliath helix, I didnt even really have trouble keeping my arms up. I'd rather have another hill in place of the LONG straightaway, but you are simply in euphoria when thats through... The 2nd helix is more enjoyable, and provides some nice laterals. More wonderful laterals on the returning camelback, and an opportunity for the camera is provided with 2 wonderful bunny hops.
The ride ops in the morning were, put simply, the worst bladder crushers I've ever came in contact with. They would actually have someone push it into you, then check it again and, somehow, push it even FARTHER into your gut. Darn Airtime Nazis! The advantage SROS has is that you cant stop the airtime, no matter how motionless you are. The third hill WILL give you the "sensation", which is unachievable on many steel coasters. This is actually a backseat ride, helped by the Tiered Seating. Airtime every hill is even more righteous in the back seat.
One thing, the park and the riders are convinced that there is 5-7 seconds of airtime on the first drop. Now all of you sit there and count 6 seconds, imagining in the meantime you are aloft from your seat. For this to be possible, you would have to have 7 seconds of track in which the trains are NOT experiencing much pressure towards the running wheels. Hmm...
Other then that, congrats to Darien Lake for convincing Premier Parks not to decrease your charm, but rather put in a top 10 ride!!
I MUST GET TO SFNE!!
*** This post was edited by Millennium Force on 9/3/2000. ***
*** This post was edited by Millennium 漀爀挀攀 漀渀 㤀⼀㌀⼀㈀ ⸀ ⨀⨀⨀
From what I've seen and read SFNE's Superman looks better.
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Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it
I love these Intamin hypers, they're just the biggest crowd pleasers since the B&M inverts. If you like this Superman, you'll love the one at SFNE. I'm getting about as tired praising this coaster, as I'm sure people are tired of hearing it. But imagine SFDL's Superman with a steeper drop, three tunnels, no long straight aways, more hills and FAR more airtime, and you have SFNE's version! I like MF, but I'm *FAR* more impressed by Intamin's 200ft coasters. Less hype and more bang IMO.
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The new KING of coasters:
SFNE Superman
Unforgettable!!!
Superman at SFNE is better, but the one at SFDL is still very good. Was on SFDL 8 times on 9/2 and going to SFNE today. Never been on the two back to back days before, will tell more after my visit today.
How are the crowds for SFNE? That's more important then anything in my opinion...
Most of the season from what I can tell, talk and experience, average would be 1-1/2 to 2 hours on the weekend. Unsure about weekdays, some talk as short as 20 to 40 minutes. On 9/3, the red train was down for a while, short lines but long waits. Late in the afternoon, wait was down to about 30 to 40 minutes. Park was short of personnel and closed any rides that weren't drawing a crowd.
Hey, Millennium Force, couldn't find your birthdate on my calendar, so don't count on me for a present this year! Hope you didn't get a bad date for Christmas too!
