Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom (4/1/06)

I will be getting a six flags season pass for the first time this year and hopefully get to kk for the first time. From what I have read, the main difference between Chang and Mantis is the final loop vs. the figure 8. Could anyone tell me otherwise? I would also be interested in opinions of T2 vs. Thunderhawk (Serial Thriller) at Geauga Lake. any other must do rides for a steel coaster/thrill ride fan?

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coasterb said:
I will be getting a six flags season pass for the first time this year and hopefully get to kk for the first time. From what I have read, the main difference between Chang and Mantis is the final loop vs. the figure 8. Could anyone tell me otherwise? I would also be interested in opinions of T2 vs. Thunderhawk (Serial Thriller) at Geauga Lake. any other must do rides for a steel coaster/thrill ride fan?

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The Mantis is shorter, slower, and not as tall as Chang (even if it IS by small numbers.) I've also heard it has a second set of breaks in a sort of unfortunate place, but I could be wrong. I remember riding the Mantis a couple of years ago, and all I remember from the ride was a whopping headache.

dex, I feel your pain....

I remember someone taking offense at my post about SFMM, thinking I was "hatin' on their park". NOTHING could be further from the truth. I love parks, ALL parks, and I want them to perform to the very highest level - not only for the enjoyment of myself and others, but because I truly honestly really DO believe that that's when the parks will find they're most PROFITABLE.

Works for Disney...ain't that right, jeremy....LOL!

Mantis is completely different from Chang after the brake run, but there are tons of good pictures out there, and it shouldn't be that hard to figure out if you look at some aerials and such.

PS, it is "Mantis" not "The Mantis."

I have ridden Mantis and Chang and I prefer Chang. Mantis had some pretty fierce headbanging when I rode it in 2005. Chang does sometimes as well, but at other times it can still be pretty smooth. And it will look great once the new paint job is done!

Mantis also has that most unfortunate of trim brakes on the very first drop...or at least in 2003 it did. I like Chang better myself. I even prefer it over Georgia Scorcher.

Coasterb...the real jewel of SFKK in my opinion is Thunder Run.

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coasterb said:
I will be getting a six flags season pass for the first time this year and hopefully get to kk for the first time. From what I have read, the main difference between Chang and Mantis is the final loop vs. the figure 8. Could anyone tell me otherwise? I would also be interested in opinions of T2 vs. Thunderhawk (Serial Thriller) at Geauga Lake. any other must do rides for a steel coaster/thrill ride fan?

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Chang and Mantis are pretty similar. Chang has shorter trains I think. They both ride similarly, though Mantis may be more violent. In general, I don't care for B&M standups a lot. The seat things are uncomfortable. I do remember that Mantis definitely has the better station.

As far as T2 vs Thunderhawk, I like them both, but they do ride differently. T2 is one of the fewer SLCs that has a slightly different layout than the current model. T2 shakes more than Thunderhawk, but I surprisingly did like the ride. The slightly different layout (and possibly the shorter trains) provided a different experience. My least fav SLC that I've done is my home one--Mind Eraser at SFA. Thunderhawk is the smoothest that I've done, T2 has is a different experience, and the Nor'easter is built closely around other rides.

Also, Thrillerman1 is correct. The real jewel of SFKK is Thunder Run. I have Hurler back my way at PKD, but Thunder Run is definitely the better ride IMO.

SFKK doesn't really have any stand-out steel coasters, but the ones they have are worth a ride or more. I will say that Twisted Twins weren't much impressive (at least the side I rode). Blizzard River looked like it might be good, but I didn't ride it when I was there.

Also, what's with the ghetto-looking barbed wire at the front of the park? That doesn't seem to leave the best first impression of the park. *** Edited 4/12/2006 9:40:52 PM UTC by rablat5***

Twisted Twins is only good for the first drop in the very back and the side that has the airtime hill after the first drop. That ride can hurt. But for some readson, I like the g. trains...well, until the bottom of the first drop.

looks like thunder run is rated pretty high, higher the hurler. I have been on the hurler, but recall it was kind of jerky. I thought this about all the woodies at pkd, esp. Grizzly, which thankfully was my last ride that day.

^Hurler is a giant piece of firewood that should be removed instead of FOF...then again if they were to remove FOF,along with anaconda but keep the tunnel that's make a nice starting drop for a hyper don't you think?

Both of the Hurlers put the HUR in hurt lol. Thunder Run rocks.