Short visit to KBF: Hangtime 5/24/18

I had a few hours to kill in Southern California yesterday for work so I thought it would be a good idea to go check out KBF's new ride, Hangtime. Having taken a real SoCal coaster trip just 2 months ago, we had got to spend plenty of time looking at it, but not riding, obviously.

When I reached the park, I immediately regretted my decision, as the gate was SWARMED with school kids and the lot was full of busses. "But it's a Thursday, and it's cloudy and misty" I thought, but oh well, not backing down now, I had already frittered the money away on a rental car.

LIne was pretty long and didn't move too fast due to 16 pax trains. Ended up being 1:10. And the line jumping was out of control.

I only got 1 ride, and decided to do the back seat. From watching the ride, the back appears to get some serious air over the drop, and I was right. Would have liked to try the front, but wasn't about to wait in that line again.

The "Hangtime" on the drop is fun. And you're there for what seems like a lot of time too. After being held still, you creep forward slowly, never knowing when you'll be released. It's more fun than a B+M Dive because the entire train gets to hang, not just the front row. Like I said, in the back, the drop provides a nice sudden pop of air. The first element, the pretzel looking thing, is a lot of fun. The rest of the elements, while not new, are still fun and the overall layout is great. The little airtime hill after the 2nd turnaround and before the Cobra Roll is quite powerful as well.

All in all it's a great layout in a compact space that really delivers. All the people on it while I was waiting in line seemed to love it, as there was a lot of applause, and a general air of excitement all around the ride. But it still has that Eurofighter feel, which is to say, not as perfectly engineered and smooth as a giant B+M.

After that, I rode Xcellerator, which I hadn't been on in a very long time, as it was closed during our March trip as well. Xcel was only running 1 train, the other was in tiny pieces off to the side, completely torn apart. Despite the 1 train ops and the crowds, my wait was less than 30 minutes.

After that, however, I decided I was done with the park for the day. I'd had all I could stand in that 2 hours. The crowds were just too much and I wasn't in the mood. I decided instead to head to Bolsa Chica Nature preserve for a little quite hike.

I did have the Fried Chicken Dinner on my way out though. It was just OK. Potatoes and gravy were excellent (I am a coastertool after all) but the chicken could have been seasoned better. Or at all really, it was kinda plain.

Overall, Hangtime is a lot of fun. Not sure I'd wait that long again, but since KBF's Fastlane lets you enter at the station, I'd never do a "real" visit without it, it's totally worth it.

Oh... and Ghostrider was closed for the day.

Quit frittering.

I fritta whut I waaant!

Just out of curiosity, what kind of rides are worth an 70min wait to you?

It's a tough call. It depends on many things. In the TR above, I was talking mostly about my specific experience with Hangtime that day. My wait experience was not pleasant because I was surrounded by noisy kids, line jumpers, and the line moved slowly despite a 3 train op. I was not expecting the crowds that day either due to it being a weekday and less than perfect weather. I was even entertaining myself by listening to music with earbuds and playing Pokemon Go, but the overall experience was just frustrating. If I had been with my son, or a friend, it would have been better.

In contrast, I stopped by CP for a few hours 3 days ago on my way to work and waited 90 min for SV. I was again by myself, listening to music, but SV's problems are well known, so I knew what I was getting into. Also the people in line weren't noisy kids, and there was no line jumping. And as much as I absolutely adore SV, I would not have got back in line again even if I had the time. (that was my 3rd ride in as many visits)

Having just visited KBF 2 months earlier with a friend and Fastlane, I did not really feel the need to wait in long lines with loud kids and line jumpers. That's why I decided to leave early. You could say I just wasn't in the mood.

i305freak said:

Just out of curiosity, what kind of rides are worth an 70min wait to you?

None of them. Not a single one.

Tommy sums it up perfectly for me. I do a lot of solo park visits and they often, depending on park/crowd/weather conditions, turn into a “well, it seemed like a good idea at the time” kind of thing.
I went to CP a couple of Monday’s ago hoping to snag an early-entry ride on SV, and the minute I walked through the gate was greeted by a torrential downpour. While many visitors seemed content to deal with it I noped right outta there. I drove to Port Clinton, got some lunch, hung out a bit then followed clearing weather back to the park. There was still no SV for me, it was down, so I toured the park. Most rides were a station wait, and I took a few, but the ennui had set in. I left early and headed back to Columbus.
Maybe it’s Home Park Syndrome, and I’m sure I have plenty of distant friends who would love a day like that at Cedar Point. But the older I get the less I feel like waiting and the more inclined I am to fritter away the money I don’t have on pay-to-cut. I guess it’s all relative- had I been at Knott’s I might’ve toughed out a 75 minute wait for that new credit. But at a near-by that I visit all the time? No.