Associated parks:
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I got to the park at around 1:45, the lot was more crowded with cars than I was expecting, but only a few (12 or so) busses. Overall it wasn't that crowded.
I went to the Dark Knight first expecting it to be very crowded. 4 switchbacks were filled. It was an 18 minute wait to get into the pre-show room and another around another 12 minutes for the pre-show and the line after that so the total wait was around 30 minutes. I figured the line wasn't going to get any shorter especially with it still early in the season so I waited. One annoying thing about the line is the way Flashpass merges. It's bad enough they get to be first in the pre-show room but if they are loading the room and Flashpass users come up at that time after the other Flashpass people are already in the pre-show, they stop the line to let them in which is really noticeable. That happened to the group right behind me where they had to wait for Flashpass users before they could enter the pre-show building.
While in line, the reception to the ride was horrible. I saw quite a few people walking out giving a thumbs down to the people in line and others shouted saying it wasn't worth the line. Even with low expectations, I was kind of let down by the ride. I'm sure it's already been said but the ride is difficult to follow, it moves too fast to see everything and the part of the ride with all the hills only has some truck with a guy on it (you only see it for a few seconds before they turn the lights off from it). I thought it was barely worth the 30 minute wait, and that was only because it was my first ride. When exiting the building, someone in front of me said to the people in line "I'm begging you guys to get out of line, it's horrible."
I have never seen so many people disapointed with a coaster before. That might be because there were very few families at the park today and it was almost all teenagers and college aged people in the park.
Batman The Ride had a 5 minute wait, 2 trains. Nitro was running 3 trains, only a station wait. They were very fast, barely stacking at all.
Skull Mountain was a 5 second wait (got into the station right when a train was coming in), 2 trains running. They had the lights on the skull and the pumpkin. I never saw the pumpkin before since it's usually dark in that area.
I went to Buccaneer next. I haven't been on it in over 10 years. Very short cycle and they were only loading the left side of the ship I saw Blackbeard's was loading so I figured without even a 10 second wait, why not?
Great American Scream Machine was running 2 trains, but by the time I got there, they were taking off a train. Not that it mattered as the 1 train wasn't even going out full. There was a group of idiots in the station bouncing basketballs off the wall in the station. One of them didn't catch the basketball and it went through the gates, and through the track and under the track in the station. I thought they weren't going to get it back (and it served them right if they didn't) but since the mechanic was there to take the train off the track, he got it for them.
Superman was a 20 minute wait, 2 trains running but very slow dispatches today. Still, 20 minutes for Superman isn't that bad considering how popular it is.
Kingda Ka was a little past the 60 minute sign. With only 2 trains running, I figured it had to be at least 30 minutes. I skipped it today and went to Rolling Thunder. Only the left side was running with just the blue train. 2 train wait, not that rough at all.
Medusa was also running 2 trains, 1 train wait for the back. Runaway Mine train also had 2 trains, walk on of course.
I went back to check the Dark Knight's line as it was 5:40 at this point and the park closed at 6:00. There were about 30 people waiting to get into the pre-show. 2 minute wait to get into the room, they weren't running the pre-show so it was about a 10 minute wait from the part of the line after that. I didn't care about the pre-show as I already saw it but some people asked to see it so they waited and the op ran it for them after everyone who didn't want to see it went through the line. The 2nd time on the ride was better, maybe because I didn't wait as long but I didn't feel as disappointed as I did earlier. It's still not something I'd wait more than 20 minutes for (I know that won't be possible in a few weeks) but it was fun. Overall I give it a 7 out of 10.
It was 5:52 and they closed the line off except no one was in line up to the pre-show room. People asked why it was closed, and security said it was because the park closed in less than 10 minutes. That was kind of annoying. I understand closing the line early if there is a line, but when it is a walk on, they could have left the line open until 6 like at the other coasters. I went back to Nitro and got on the last train of the day.
I also noticed the loose article policy was again not consistent. At Nitro, they said you had to sit on hats or flip flops and nothing could be left in the station and the op said that was the policy at all the coasters. At Medusa, they were allowing people to leave flip flops and sneakers on the side.
Overall it was a great trip for 4 1/4 hours with mostly short lines and I'm glad I got to ride the Dark Knight without waiting in a 1 or 2 hour line.
Ride Count:
Dark Knight, 2x
Nitro, 3x
Batman The Ride, 1x
GASM, 2x
Buccaneer, 1x
BBLTT, 1x
Runaway Mine Train, 2x
Medusa, 1x
Superman, 1x
Rolling Thunder Left, 1x
Skull Mountain, 1x
What I am hoping is that I might start getting off some more time from work now (I have been working almost 7 days a week since September), I'll have more energy and get back to playing DDR again like I used to which I think will help me lose more weight.
YoshiFan said:. One annoying thing about the line is the way Flashpass merges. It's bad enough they get to be first in the pre-show room but if they are loading the room and Flashpass users come up at that time after the other Flashpass people are already in the pre-show, they stop the line to let them in which is really noticeable. That happened to the group right behind me where they had to wait for Flashpass users before they could enter the pre-show building.The same thing was happening earlier in the year when I went to that crazy Fly Me To The Moon 3D show. The attendant was allowing people into the pre-show and the second a FP user walked up she cut off the line, allowed them to step over a chain (yes, odd) and scanned them.
Why not let at least two or three groups wait 30 seconds or a minute?
I'm so envious you got to go to SFGAd. I haven't been there since high school. The Viper was brand new for crying out loud. :P What would you say the best coaster there is?
bunky666 said:
Storm Runner at Hersheypark is an Intamin coaster (I think), and I barely fit into those seats...or actually, I fit into the seats and the lapbar doesn't fit tight like the sample seat says it should. I'm a fluffy girl, but I don't even weigh 200 pounds. I haven't been on Voodoo YET, but I sympathize because I fear I won't fit into the seats and will be deprived of a great ride experience from Intamin.I'm so envious you got to go to SFGAd. I haven't been there since high school. The Viper was brand new for crying out loud. :P What would you say the best coaster there is?[/quote]
Its subjective depends what you like...
1. El Toro if you like airtime, intensity, speed this packs punch and boy is that punch and never lets up. It stands on the former Viper's spot but when your done you'll ask yourself... "Viper who?"
2.Kingda Ka's ride time is short but gets to the point from launch to brake run has speed a very strong launch and of course height.
3.Nitro is graceful, fast, long, fun, family friendly hyper, starting from the 1:09 lift to the break run its a adrenaline pumper.
My choice is 1 thats more my thing.
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