SFGAm 6/10/02
Associated parks:
None
Got there at around 9:30. First ride was Deja Vu. After waiting about a half hour, I got in the front seat (1A, not 1B.) I hate the ride's station and seating arangement, but the ride is the best thing since sliced bread.
Went on Demon afterwards, which was a walk-on. I didn't want to wait for back seat, so I jumped in one of the multiple empty lines in the station. Front seat is a mediocre ride. No point in riding this anymore anywhere but the back seat. Towards the front it is better than Shockwave, but boring and short with no airtime pop on the 1st drop.
Next was Raging Bull. It wasn't as raging as last time I was there. Gave an ok ride, but maybe the humidity and heat added friction slowing it down. I got airtime, but not nearly as much as last month when it was 45 degrees. If the lurker is reading this: I saw you, but didn't say hi because you looked busy. But just so you know, Deja Vu is better than your ride :)
Skipped Viper, didn't want to stand in a long line in the hot sun, and went to Whizzer. Not a long wait, maybe 10 minutes, and the ride was as fun as ever.
Sky Trek Tower and Space Shuttle America were next, followed by American Eagle. Went blue first, and since red had lots of empty lines, I went on that. The Eagle has been clipped again. Brakes in the helix are on as much as they have been previous years. You now almost come to a complete stop... So only the ride out is thrilling. Back is fun, but slower and not very much airtime.
Iron Wolf was next. I finally tried Jeff's method of riding standups. It was silky smooth except for the corkscrew. One of my favorites in the park, even when I get a rough ride.
On Batman, for the first time ever, I got some headbanging. I don't know why, but I did. It was still smooth for the most part, and very disorienting as always.
Skipped V2, it was broken down. I rode Shockwave once and then went to the magic show. Shockwave was rough, but I was sitting over the wheels, which I don't like to do. That may be why it was rougher than normal. The magic show was stupid, but hey, it was in air conditioning, better than 85 degree high humidity weather outside. It ended in a stupid snow "trick," turn on a snow macine and put it through the air system. At least it got even colder then.
Went to Whirligig next, and saw that people were lining up for V2, and more and more ops and other employees were there. As soon as we got off the swings, we went over and got in line. We were in the station within 5 mintues, and I waited for front. 2 rides away from my turn, it mis-shot the landing spot, shuffled a lot, and stopped a few feet from where it should have been... YAY! 10 minutes later maintence turned on the blowers and moved the train to the correct position. All was well after 1 test run, and I eventually got on with a 10 minute delay.
We also went on White Water Rampage or Raging Rapids, I forget what it's called now (the big yellow raft ride) and Loggers Run. I hardly got wet on the raft ride, but was soaked on Loggers Run.
Funnel cakes I found out are excelent, but don't get a sunday funnel cake. They use some sort of ice cream substitute, which has no taste, is an off tan-white-brown-yellow color, and is ice-crystal-ly. It also melts and is as thick as water, unlike normal ice cream which is a little bit thick when melted.
Went on Viper after having the disgusting ice cream and good funnel cake. Viper is back to it's old self. The last 2 times I was on it, it was not very forceful, slow, and basically almost boring with no sensation of speed. This time it was as good as ever, throwing me out of my seat on every hill. I guess SFGAm can only have 1 good woodie. AE lost it's title to Viper after just one month. They would be equal if AE didn't have the helix brakes on so hard, but Viper, being trimless and forceful again, takes the title as best woodie in the park. Oh, yeah, at this time, it was virtually a walk-on.
Took a 20 minute train ride around the park from Hometown Square, and then got someone an any-day pass. By the time we got back to the truck, it started raining, and within 5 minutes it was pouring. Can't complain about leaving at only 7:30 when it starts pouring.
Crowds were not large, but not small by any means. Later in the day, probaby after 6:30, lines were starting to get short.
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Deja Vu count: 1
Will it go up this year? As long as it doesn't valley before Monday evening!
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X-Flight World's Only flying coaster!
Batwing World's only flying coaster!
S:UF World's only flying coaster! Don't you love SF ?
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"What am I doing?"
"OoooohwhAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Feet flat on on the floor and all the way back. Lean into the harness.
This creates minimal headbanging.
This method is great for a standup like Iron Wolf because of the tight transitions in the track layout.
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""To be the man, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!, You got to beat the man""!!!
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Somthing Wicked This Way Comes...
I have to admit, I was surprisingly disappointed by "the Bull". Oh well, there was PLENTY of other stuff to keep me more than happy....but I consider it the weak sister of the B&M hypers......what is with ALL those brakes.....
AE backwards, Whizzer, DV (yes you heard right), Viper, V2, all excellent rides....shame they've got such a huge coaster looking so nice and running like that....
Weird...
I've actually been getting such good rides on Raging Bull this year that I'm starting to really like it again. Oh well...
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"drop rides, not bombs."
Trbiggar, The 1st or 2nd helix? Because on the 1st, it feels like brakes, but it's just a emergancy thing in case the train doesn't have enough speed to crest the hill it pulls it up and it's always on, a ride-op told me, and the 2nd helix, it pulls you to a stop beacuse it is nescarry because of the extreme roughness in the 2nd helix. After my 15 rides on American Eagle 1 forwards, the others backwards, I would know.
*** This post was edited by Kyle W. 2 on 6/12/2002. ***
*** This post was edited by Kyle W. 2 on 6/12/2002. ***
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Deja Vu in the front seat makes V2 feel like a kiddie ride!
TrBiggar said:
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Went on Viper after having the disgusting ice cream and good funnel cake. Viper is back to it's old self. The last 2 times I was on it, it was not very forceful, slow, and basically almost boring with no sensation of speed. This time it was as good as ever, throwing me out of my seat on every hill. I guess SFGAm can only have 1 good woodie. AE lost it's title to Viper after just one month. They would be equal if AE didn't have the helix brakes on so hard, but Viper, being trimless and forceful again, takes the title as best woodie in the park. Oh, yeah, at this time, it was virtually a walk-on.
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Great TR. Thanks.
Viper has started to run better again. My wife was there opening day and said it was running slow; so, she was very disappointed after waiting the whole off-season. However, when we went a couple weeks later (and ever since) it's been running great.
Thanks again for the TR.
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Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein
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Somthing Wicked This Way Comes...
Yeah I have found they usually do change how much the brakes grab during the day, but I am with Chris its weird you haven't been getting good rides on Bull this year I have found my 36 rides on it this year great.
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Ive gotten great rides on the Blull this, year, great air time in the back and the ride ops havent been forcing down the restraint bars at all. Ive also had great rides on Viper and have really enjoyed backwards on AE, better than i thought it would be.
I do think Shockwave has been rougher this year than in the past .
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