First of all, I'm in ACE but was not registered for SpringCon so I didn't get in on the Wildfire ERT or other goodies. I'll just review what the park was like with all of those ACErs in it. :)
I didn't get there until almost 1:00, so that left me just over 5 hours until close (yeah, SDC's hours kinda suck right now) and as a result I didn't do a great variety of stuff. There was a surprising amount of ACErs everywhere I went. I really didn't expect this conference to be a huge draw because of the lack of premier parks, but judging from the SDC crowd it was. But on to the reviews.
WILDFIRE:
Still as great as the last time I went. Even with ACE folks, the lines were very short most of the day. For the last couple of hours every row but the front and back was a walk-on or one-train wait. The same crew was operating it and they have obviously gotten better since opening weekend. But I still hate the policy of not being to step across the ride to set your stuff down.
The ride itself was considerably rougher than last time. Not like an Arrow megalooper, but I noticed some bouncing and shaking coming out of the first half-loop and on the camera stretch -- it was very windy and that could have caused it. It's probably just me, but I think it was going faster too. In the back I was getting "pulled" hard out of the loops, and any seat gave some amazing airtime through the last dive loop. I didn't notice that on opening weekend. Maybe they had it running faster for ACE day...would a park do that?
THUNDERATION:
Not much to say except that it's the best mine train around. Why did they put the biggest, fastest, best drop at the end of the ride...?
WORLD-FEST:
I wanted to see a few World-Fest shows but I lost track of time riding Wildfire. The only one I saw was a Trinidad & Tobago musical team and they were great. Too bad it ends this weekend.
Overall, a great day at the park -- good weather and short lines. I got about 20 Wildfire rides and I could have at least doubled that had I showed up at opening.
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PLEASE READ: This post wasn't meant to offend or anger anyone; I apologize in advance if it does. So please don't post a reply just to rant about it. :)
*** This post was edited by StandUpFan on 5/6/2001. ***
Glad you enjoyed your day, and good TR. What policy are you talking about on Wildfire? They weren't letting people walk across to set things in the shelving units? The day I was there, I bought an on-ride photo, and they let me go across to set it down on one of the shelves. Maybe I've just read this wrong, but I'm kind of baffled.
I've actually heard a couple of other people say that they thought Wildfire was "rough," but again, I had no trouble on my day. I'm not sure how you could make a coaster smoother than B&M does. I don't think their sit-downs are as smooth as their inverteds, but I've never received a rough ride and sometimes think that they are almost too smooth.
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Mamba--One of the Tallest, Longest, Fastest Roller Coasters in the World
Adam Rentchler
Thanx Rentch. The policy I'm referring to involves the exact thing you're talking about -- I think. For almost all of the times I was in the station the op would say that nobody was allowed to touch the the concrete on the other side and that the ride ops would put stuff over there for you. It sounded really dumb and they weren't like that on opening weekend. I'm assuming someone tried to slip back on after getting off and that made them anal about it or something.
I've never thought any B&M was too rough or even uncomfortable. But the Wildfire wasn't as smooth as other B&M's or other times I've ridden it, and it seemed faster than before judging from the G's. Hence the comment about ACE day.
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PLEASE READ: This post wasn't meant to offend or anger anyone; I apologize in advance if it does. So please don't post a reply just to rant about it. :)
Does Wildfire have inbetween the legs seatbelts?
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Coastercameron
Mommy, Chang Made Me Sick!!!
Wildfire does indeed have the seat belts to connect to the restraints. In addition, it also has the reclined and elevated seats that are found on the beemer hypers as well, I believe. They're designed so your feet don't touch the ground--think of it as a hybrid between Kumba seats and B&M hyper seats.
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Mamba--One of the Tallest, Longest, Fastest Roller Coasters in the World
Adam Rentchler
I looked for ya StandUpFan and Lothar but missed you:(
The vast majority of the Spring Con attendees had never been to SDC but seemed to really enjoy the park especially the food. Fire in the Hole must have made an impression because the whole rest of the Con ACErs would yell "fire in the hole" on the first drop during the ERTs.
Got to see the gentleman attempting to break the endurance record up at SFStL and the Eagle is "flying" very fast and fun:)
*** This post was edited by Jimbo on 5/7/2001. ***
I guess I'll have to wear a shirt that says I'm a CoasterBuzz member! I was there and didn't meet the first person from CB. I didn't exactly introduce myself as "Hi! I'm from Starkville, MS and I'm member of CoasterBuzz!" Now that I think about it, that might have worked. :) To answer you comment about Wildfire running faster for ACE events, I don't think that was the case. Anybody else in ACE can agree or disagree with me here. For some events, they do this for us and some don't. I think it was as the day went on it got warmer and faster. For the morning ERT in was really slow compared to that night. (Whoooo. Wildfire was hauling some major butt that night!)
I do know that for Rip Roarin' Rampage last year at Visionland, they greased the wheels just for us before night fell which resulted in a totally wild out of control ride. But most B&M's I've ridden have a tendency to get faster as the day progresses.
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What is life without ups and downs!?!?
Guess we need to buy and start wearing CB shirts:)
I plan on it (as soon as we can buy them)!
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What is life without ups and downs!?!?
