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We arrived at the park at about 4:30 which is later than I have ever come to the park (the joy of your first season pass.) Josh advised me that we better get Deja Vu out of the way while we still have the opportunity to.
We got the line and noticed that it was out of the que but the main square in the que was empty, he estimated an hour to an hour and a half which I thought was reasonable. The sign in the front said 2 and a half hours and that blows me away (maybe they factor in the wait during the breakdown ) We were about 10 minutes in when we suffered through our first delay, a person well I guess you could say he lost his lunch and you can picture the rest. That wait was a reasonable 5 minutes.
Another 15 minutes in Josh decides to be funny and says wow, no breakdowns yet at that point the train was returning to the station from the cobra roll and what do you know, the train does not catch and it falls into the necessary brakes in the beginning of the cobra roll. It was pretty hilarious at first that Josh had jinxed the ride but that set us back another half hour luckily several people bailed from line, their loss!
Back up and running with one test run and another 35 minutes of waiting and we were on the station platform. I decided that I had waited this long, I need to go all the way for the front wing seat which has so many raving. The only downside to this decision was yet another 25-30 minutes of waiting leaving the wait time at just about 2 hours, not horrible considering the sign at the beginning of the que. The load times varied but were never less than 2 or 3 minutes and could exceed 5 minutes. Needless to say the ride was spectacular and that first drop was one of those moments on a coaster that you'll never forget. So how does it compare in terms of what the park has to offer? It easily earns an 8.5/10 great ride doesnt' get much better than this worth the wait the first time but I don't know how many times more I would ride it.
Next up my new favorite drop in the park (yes still even after Deja Vu's wicked vertical phenomenon) Demon. Back seat had to wait for one train, I was worried about lines after Deja Vu. Dang second time in the best seat dang, I don't think that drop will ever get old. The rest of the ride is still good but the tunnel is the highlight after the drop, this ride is truly a wonder in intensity. 8.5/10 while Deja Vu was more intense, the rides are equally great as their drops are both breathtaking and the rest of the rides are well so so.
Raging Bull, I rode this one last month in the back seat for the first time and was blown away, I was expecting the same ride on the same yellow train. Unfortunately the ride was running just terrible, I literally got no air after the midcourse brake drop and next to none after the trim which took more speed than last month. At least the line was not long, it was past the fast lane entrance and we waited for one train. I was supposed to take a ride with Jack (the lead ride operator) but felt that it would not be fair since we had 2 people behind us so I said hi on the way out and met him very briefly since he was working. What really put a smile on my face for this ride was definately how SFGAm was still running 3 trains with the pitiful wait. I have yet to see a single train operation at SFGAm other than (obviously) V2 and Deja Vu and of course Spacely's Sprocket Rockets. Compared to last month's ride 6/10 very disapointing ride it really was running terrible, I hope this is not the case for the rest of the year.
Once again another coaster that I conquered (sp?) the back seat for the first time, VIPER! Walked literally right into the station and waited 4 trains for the back seat and as much as I loved it last month it was 10X better today. I've never experienced such intense laterals in my life. And the airtime was simply amazing, the harnesses are SOOOO high up I felt uncomfortable when I left the station but it made up with one hell of an out of control ride! Excellent job, I know that IB and HW are going to be awesome next week but I don't know how a coaster can get better than Viper was running today. I give it a 9.9/10 because a 10/10 is perfect and there will never be the "perfect" coaster.
Next up Eagle, I had ridden it backwards last month and was very disappointed, I am one of the few along with Josh who prefer the forward ride. Again we had to wait for the back and the wait was a whopping 2 trains. I asked the ride operator if she could race them and she agreed so I took my first "race" on Eagle. We were to say the least cocky about how we were going to win and we let the blue side know it. We got to the climb and the blue was going faster which made our hopes dwindle, but it isn't over till it's over and we passed them up in that insane helix. In the final turn they were not to be seen but when we turned around we saw that their train had stalled on the blasted brakes immediately before the spiraling drop! It was absolutely hilarious! The first drop was as intense as ever and with the bonus entertainment this ride easily deserves the 9/10 that it got today.
Continuing around the loop we got to the coaster that started it all, Iron Wolf. Needless to say Josh was not looking forward to this ride because he doesn't know how to ride it. I was very disappointed with my last ride on it and needed to make up for it. We took the 2nd row not wanting to wait the extra 5 minutes for the front and waited 2 trains for our ride. The ride was much better than last month and I am convinced that it has THE best corkscrew ever, it's so intense and the flatspin whips you around like you could not imagine. 7/10 great ride still rough but it's getting old, you got to expect it.
Vertical Velocity once my favorite coaster was not as intense as I remembered. Frustrated, I tried sitting in the back seat instead of the front in hopes of a better ride. The launch was typical, not twist, back more speed not expecting much when suddenly we start going up and it was the most intense g's I think I have ever felt (well that were still comfortable) went back down great foot choppers, back up, frustrated for a little more twist but got enough, back down more spectacular g's before hitting the brake which I think is still awesome and really does add to the ride, back down through the station up into the twist, very little twist and finally into the station. Compared to last month 8.5/10, awesome best sensation of positive g's in the park, or was it?
Batman the ride, quite possibly (I am convinced) THE best invert, the first and the best. Literally no wait, we ran up the stairs into the 7th row of the departing train. Just what I expected, an intesne ride that never lets up. Those loops are so intense and we got a mist from the water below which added more to the ride and once again the stunning B&M corkscrews, simply the best! 9/10
I had them all under my belt with in 4 hours except for two, I didn't have time to go back to the Whizzer so I took a joy ride on one of my favorites, Shockwave. Once again, Josh was apprehensive but he still wasn't going to pass it up. We took the last car with our two train wait and set off. Shockwave became the mistake of the day. I loved this ride, I am so frustrated right now. It was so intense through those loops which I like but you could feel variation in g's during the loops and my blood was all draining weird. I didn't think it was possible but the remaining headache (I rode it 2 1/2 hours ago) proves it right. Hopefully it was just a bad ride but it was the worst I've ever had on it. I was SO disappointed. 3/10
All in all the 4 hours we spent there were very productive and I was surprised that we got them all in (except for the Whizzer, I feel bad about that too I don't know how many more rides I can get on that classic.) And Deja Vu was spectacular so in the end this trip was 9/10 with a cool riding partner and non-stop action, it was a great day!
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Tuesday's Gone With The Wind.
Elijah Rock.
Is it written in the stars?
La Vie Boheme!!!
lol Josh I thought you were my riding partner, you traitor. J/k. I think Josh is bad luck or something, When I was in line for V2 with him he says "Wow usually this ride breaks down when im in line" Next thing you know its broken down. Glad you guys had a good time, good TR
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Deja Vu Count = 10
CoasterWorld
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Tuesday's Gone With The Wind.
Elijah Rock.
Is it written in the stars?
La Vie Boheme!!!
*** This post was edited by DVGHJF02 on 6/21/2002. ***
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Deja Vu Count = 10
CoasterWorld
Sounds like you had a lot of fun overall and I'm really looking forward to the Eagle this year since there have been a ton of positive reviews for the backwards side and it sounds like a whole new ride!
Great TR and thanks for sharing your trip with us!
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Tuesday's Gone With The Wind.
Elijah Rock.
Is it written in the stars?
La Vie Boheme!!!
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