SFWoA (Day 1 of 10-day trip)

I doubt these will be long reports; I am a man of few words, as though who have met me can attest. I was simply happy to be visiting all these parks that I had been hearing about for several years:)

SFWoA

X-Flight. A solid B+. One train meant it was the longest wait of the day, just over 30 minutes. The crew was the best in the park that day (Wed, May 28th). Not especially quick, but not slow. The most enthusiastic crew I have ever run into at a 6F park. As for the ride, I like Stealth better. the first drop on Stealth seems more intense. The helix at the end needs to be taken just a bit faster.

S:UE. Also B+. the holding brake wasn't active on the impulse at MW when I rode it (pre-augmentation), so this was my first chance to see what all the fuss was about. Nice:) Short but sweet.

Big Dipper. B-. Thankfully I rode this twice, because my first ride in the back was a let down. I'm a big fan of CTR in WA (still my favoite Miller when this trip is over), and hold all other woodies against it, Miller or otherwise. the back is torture. The front is the opposite, smoother but still rough in a good way. Nice ejector air up front!

Villian: B+ Good airtime in both front and back! A bit too rough here and there, but nothing that impacted overall enjoyment. Definately has the speed thing down pat.....

Batman KF: B- A B&M that is nauseating!?!?! I was shocked, but it is. Big Dipper is less bone rattling than this:(

Serial Thriller: B Comparing it to Kong, it was much less head-banging than I thought, plus the padding seemed thicker than the one at MW. A pleasant surprise, it was actually enjoyable......

Raging Wolf Bobs. C+ started out going "Ouch!!!!!" By the time the ride noticeably smooths out, there are no interesting elements left. Re-track the rest!!!

Double Loop. C unimpressive Arrow looper with unimpressive crew to match. Good for credit-whore stop only.

Road runner express. D (by nature) speaking of "C-W stops".........Good for kids???? I guess???????

Didn't get to Wild life side, so my impressions are strictly limited to Wild ride side. Outside of X-Flight, the crews were serviceable, at best. Not horrible either, but appeared like they would rather be somewhere else. granted there were a few good ones I ran into, but overall, no great shakes. The grounds looked nice, even though the rides appeared to be "plopped" down rather haphazzardly. Restrooms were on the whole disgusting, and stinky.....

Coming soon, PKI, SFKK, HW, IB, MA, KW, and 3 days at the Point!

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Batman nauseating?......Hmmmmm........... bone rattling? Hmmmmmm..BKF is like the smoothest ride at the park and by far the second best in the park (SUF holds #1 in my book)..i just don't get it its usually very smooth..but good TR!

I rode Batman: Knight Flight in the front, in the back, in the middle... EVERYWHERE... not one spot did I find the least bit rough... there were SMALL jerks, but definately nothing bad, and not nearly as bad as a ride on a Mind Eraser/Serial Thriller ride. Awesome air-time in the back after the mid-way breaks, and an overall A+ ride.

Double Loop is going to be one of the smoothest Arrow coasters that you'll ever ride. No elements that will cause you to jerk your head... you go up, down, up, around, loop, loop, helix and it's overwith! It's good for a quick ride, but they aren't the quickest at loading/unloading.

Big Dipper... I was surprised and really disappointed when I rode this in the back. I thought the whole coaster was great no matter where you rode... boy was I wrong. I had to take a few Tylonal XXXX strength's after that! The front is pure bliss with air-time galore to the point where you're standing off the hills!!

Wolf Bobs, you're absolutely right it needs to be re-profiled on the first half... it was too jerky there, and too smooth with no air-time on the 2nd half... well, not too smooth... but no air-time elements. I kinda liked it more last year because the seats were more comfortable!

I was shocked as well! nasai and peabody even told me not to go up front, that it was worse. But I decided to give it a second chance up front. Didn't get any better! But when I rode Medusa at MW, it had just opened, and was smooth as glass, so perhaps that's an unfair litmus test. Maybe all floorless coasters suffer after a few years, but I've never read anything about that. Trust me, next time your there, watch the trains as they head back into the station, and you will see the gaps between the vertical wheels (not geeky enough to know their names) and the track. I think if they were spring loaded (don't appear to be), they would keeep better contact, producing a smoother ride

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I've gotten the Point of life, and can now pass away a happy man!.......

Nasai and I were there that day and I can second the fact that Batman was HORRIBLE. It was so sad :( :(

We rode in the back and it was bumpy as hell. Thought we'd try the front. You would swear you were on Psyclone or something. It was like the wheels hadn't been changed since opening day 2000.

I wonder what the problem is. Walter and Claude would sh*t themselves if they rode it. Then they'd probably go kick someones butt!

Great TR Rob...can't wait to read the rest!

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Sounds like a good trip report. I was just there and rode BKF for an hour until close and wasn't the least bit nauseating. I thought it was very smooth and I love it! Must have been unsmooth last week then, because it was perfect in every seat.

We must have had it on the worst day ever. :( I've ridden it in previous years and loved every second of it. It was just un-ridable that day.

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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

Hey Jeff!, how was SFGA?

P.S. Silly is indeed a good word for TTD, but how about F@#*, because that's all I could mumble for next hour or so;)

I just got back today, and am posting......

So, where's your reports?

JK- It was great meeting you; thanks for letting me hang

Robob

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I've gotten the Point of life, and can now pass away a happy man!.......

Robocoaster, good TR, were you riding in the back or front? The back gives an excellent ride. I actually had a headache after riding in the front seat.

Rob: SFGA was fun, but I had to leave so only got 2 rides (long ride home)

I'm SO glad you got TTD :) We're working on our trip reports.....I have to get up at 4am, so none tonight!
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- "I used to be in the audio/visual club, but I was kicked out because of my views on Vietnam........and I was stealing projectors" - Homer Simpson

It seems to me that BKF is great, until you hit the corkscrews... I vibrate so much that I get a nice headache. It really does feel like the wheels need changed BAD. Maybe I should try the middle someday, as I always sit in the front or the back.

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AIM: Pritti Kittie

Stopher, both actually! I am over-exagerating to a degree, but not much. It's just that next to X-Flight and Big Dipper, it was one I was really excited to ride. I was hoping Peabody and Nasai were off-point, but they were spot on. I expect that kind of roughness from a SLC, not a B&M floorless!

Oh well, I will give it another chance if I return, based on other's responses...

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I've gotten the Point of life, and can now pass away a happy man!.......
*** This post was edited by Robocoaster 6/7/2003 11:37:23 PM ***

Perhaps it was the day, and I was anticipating that ride immensely. It was as bad as they say. EVEN WORSE. It was the worst steel experience on my trip. By far. Maybe they changed the wheels that afternoon? ;)
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Hair Metal? I think not. - Click it, or lose it. ;)

I can't believe no one else just falls in love with Serial Thriller. That coaster impresses me every time I go to SFWOA even with the great steelies like BKF and SUE the park has. Thanks for the report RoBoB. I'll prepare myself for the worst on BKF later this year. That must have been one heck of a bad day for a steel coaster to be like that!

Was that experience really worse than missing Ghoster Coaster at PKI, Rob? ;)

-Danny
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Coaster Insomniacs