SfNE and Funtown USA

Went to pick my brother up from The Naval Air Station in Maine so i decided with my mom to make a few stops as well to parks.

On Friday of last week forgive me of dates but whatever day it was we made a quick stop at Funtown USA in Saco, Maine.

Walking in to this place reminded me of Conneaut Lake not big but it has some nice charm. Decided to hit the woodie Excalibur first since we seen it from the parking lot. A CCI design which at first looks alot like the raven from the outset with the hill having a bit of a top to it that is straight. It has a layout built for air and some decent laterals, more hills than curves. Really nice solid ride to be honest, and would have fit with the holiday world coasters, but it was a real treat to say the least.

The Galaxi they have there has seen better days, that thing looks terrible, but it rides decent enough, nothing special.

We hit some flats and checked out some of the stores they have there. It is kinda high priced with seperate prices for the water park and amusement park. Although it is nice, i would recommend seeing that is like 35 dollars to find a cheaper way in seeing as they really dont have all that much.

Saturday night we left and went over to Massachusetts for six flags. Stayed over night in a red roof in just outside on the border with connecticut.

Six Flags

Ok i was still skeptical of the six flags bashing that seems to go on and had a wierd feeling that it would be bad. We waited outside of the main area with the shops and such as the Looney Tunes Characters kicked off the opening with a song and dance number, which was nice, because the crowd was really into it. Then most people started running straight toward the Justice League area, which were then stopped again as the justice league characters escorted us to the Superman Ride of Steel.

We had to wait about ten minutes to get on the third train of the day once the ride opened. Sat middle row for our first flight with the old supes himself. Anyhow this thing does use its speed well and the course is decent in the first have with the hills and overbanks, customary to most hyper coasters, or as intamin calls it a megacoaster. Then it confuses me why they have the two helixes in the middle of all the twisted track there, but i digress its a different layout, but the dive through the tunnel is just about as good as it gets, and the finishing camelbacks are about the second thing as good as it gets. I still feel this rides layout is what bummed it for me, maybe im just used alot of hills on hypers as maybe Magnum, Steel Force, and somewhat PR give to as compared to the helixes in the middle. I thought it was a very good ride as far as airtime goes and very good laterals, but the trains are just absolutely terrible with room and those horrible restrainsts locking in your lower leg. 9/10

We then moved on to Batman, which was just something that a B&M has never been to me, and it was just rattling like crazy and pretty rough to say the least. 6/10

Then back across the way as mind eraser was down all day, so no credit, but i have rode ones with similar layouts. We hit Pandemonium which was sporting a solid line already, but it didnt disappoint, as spinning wild mouses are really up there in my book as a gentler but fun, out of control experience. 8/10

Then came what i was kinda curious to ride, Catapult/SWAT whatever you wanna call it. Its restraints are a bit tight, but you cant blame em, great ride, but the cycle is short, only because it would take a strong line if it ever had a long one.

Then the Psyclone which sported one train which baffles me, but i guess they make do with it, but it was a very painful ride as the seatbelt would kill during pops of air. 6/10

Then we hit thunderbolt which sported a huge line, with once again one train on track and it seems its all they carry on the woodies there to be honest cause i didnt see other ones. This was a pleasant surprise in a nice figure 8 design, with some good drops and such, much better than the Cyclone. 8/10

Then we went back to Supes again for another go and it got stuck on the lift halfway up and it took about a half hour to get em going with no employees checking on the riders, which makes me question the ops in this case. But we got a back seat ride and it hummed better than the first. 10/10

The Six Flags brand left me wondering a few things after we left after the final supes ride of the day. The employees are generally enthusiastic and were good with us guests, but i got to still give the superman crew a thumbs down to emergency response. That is not the way to handle a situation. Anyhow all in all not a bad park outside of lower capacity op on the wooden coasters without a second train, but if there is a reason i would kinda have to know cause i dont want to shoot em in the foot. But the scream tower was only running two with huges lines, but it could have been a breakdown too so i cant go that route either. The park really has the thrills, the mix of family fun and the interaction with characters, so if it is a keeper which it seems to be for six flags Shapiro has pegger a good one for a good time.

I hope you got to ride Astrophere at Funtown, it's really 'far out' (hehehe).

Cyclone and Thunderbolt both run one train due to accidents in the past. I believe Thunderbolt still has skid brakes, so don't look for a second train on there anytime soon. With Cyclone, I think it's a case of paranoia. Interestingly enough, SFNE has crashed at least half of their coasters.

Scream is an interesting ride. If I'm remembering correctly, it never runs more than two towers because one of them is just a Turbo Drop and the other two are combo towers. Technically they could run all three in any configuration they wanted, but the queue isn't set up for that.

-Nate

I :)

Unfortunately Pt i never did make the Astrosphere, because we had dinner plans for the night and had to head back although i wasnt even sure what was in the tent there. I was thinking gravitron or something, but wasnt very sure. Anyhow that place was a pleasant surprise. RG Yeah that ride is a hidden gem among coasters, rode it twice and really thought it was good until the bumpiness that preceeded the brake run but it was the end, in my opinion that one really seems to be a coaster that could have been at other places, but it really is a great coaster.