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"Well, it's better than sitting in an airport for five hours"
The problem: I'm a coaster enthusiast with five hours to kill. The solution: A quick stop past Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. With help from the people at Coasterbuzz, I was able to determine that the local city bus service runs a bus that goes almost directly from the airport to Six Flags, on a n hourly basis, and for only 75 cents each way. Sold. I arrived at SFKK at about 11:10, and using a presale ticket I had purchased at work for $19.99, I passed through the metal detector and entered the park.
I first looked at the Hellavator queue and it looked a bit crowded, but I thought "It’s near the front gate". I walked past the Breakdance which already had a bit of a line, then finally arrived at RoadRunner Express. 20 minutes later I was boarding a mine car. I noticed the sign about Wile. E. Coyotes Safe Moving Service" was gone, but I also noted that while SFKK has ride signs with much less legalese than most parks, they have added a clause relating to chewing gum and candy.
I sat in the back seat of a wild mouse car, lowered the lapbar as low as it could go, and was soon headed up the lift. SFKK runs the ride brakeless through the top deck of switchbacks, where it offers pretty strong laterals. The brakes hit right before and during the dips in the lower section. All in all its not a bad mouse, and runs a lot better than Cedar Fair runs their Maurer Shoene mice.
From Roadrunner Express, I nearly walked right past the rather nondescript walkway back to Greezed Lightning. Its not a fancy queue entrance, just a walkway to the ride and a walkway from the ride with a small fence in between. Obviously the park has learned nothing from Twisted Twins. Greezed Lightning was a near walk on and I took my first ride near the rear of the train. Climbed in lowered the lap bar to a reasonable level. Soon the horn sounded and we were off. A quick spin through the loop, up the spike, back through the loop, back through the station, up the reverse spike, then a real strange spot of airtime as the train starts freefalling back down the reverse spike. Well Done Anton! Greezed Lightnin is a quick fun ride. A great ride in fact, and I took about 4 more rides before deciding I may was well see the rest of the park. I do think I like the rear of the train better though.
I started to walk across the darn bridge, but remembered I promised to check something for Rideman. Therefore I dutifully waited one cycle to ride the Rainbow. I noted the Rainbow has added seatbelts, a real home brew looking job. I also noted the Rainbow was running like you would expect a Rainbow to, which is an improvement over last year at about this time.
I then crossed the Darn Bridge. The Bridge is this totally obnoxious bridge required for crossing over the major fairgrounds access road that passes right through the park. I past by the Ferris Wheel, and made my way to Chang.
Chang had about a 45 minute wait. I decided to wait it out. Single train of course, Worse yet the trains were going out with lots of empty positions, on several rides. The operators here simply do not care about capacity. After an interminable wait behind two high school girls whose ambition in life must be to be like Heidi and Jenna from Survivor 6. (You know dressing and acting like they are truly hot stuff, whining about minute things) Anyway after three eternities, I was up to the station platform. I determined that it would only be one train longer wait to ride in the front row. I opted for the upgrade.
Chang is running fast, smooth, and intense. In short it’s a wonderful B&M. Best of all my legs did not hurt like they usually do on this ride. Only one real minor trim brake that did not do a thing to slow the train down. I then exited Chang and noted the exit has been re-touted through a gift shop.
I next walked over to Chaos but though the line too long, I looked over at T^2. Only one train on, and a line that I knew from last year would be about a half hour or more. I passed up on T^2. Why wait to ride this piece of crap when I can walk over and ride some woodies. I took the ridiculous walk from T^2, past a closed Blizzard River, and noted the old short walkway to Thunder Run is still sealed off. It’s a truly BS move to get people to have to walk past the Dragster and several game and retail joints that were closed today. I soon found myself at Twisted Twins. I was more than delighted to see BOTH tracks running.
I first rode in the pink train, in the back seat. I had forgotten how much air this ride delivered, and it wasn't running rough at all. Don't get me wrong I was thankful for the side grab handles in the Gerstlauer train, but it was not a bad ride at all. Twisted Twins was a walk on as usual, so I went back around and rode the Teal train. The teal side has a couple nice airtime pops of its own. But if you want airtime, you really need to go to Thunder Run.
I made my way to Thunder Run past more closed retail. On my way to Thunder Run I saw where they are either installing or dismantling a shooting gallery in the games area across from Flying Dutchman. I waited about 25 minutes for Thunder Run, and scored a seat in 1.2. Fasten seatbelt, lower lap bar to click three even, and off we go. The lift approach squeals like Rolling Thunder, but that seems to stop after you crest the lift. High speed high bank turnaround, followed by three awesome airtime hills, followed by the forgettable rest of the ride into the station. It’s a great first half of a coaster.
I exited Thunder Run, and walked to Quake. I was not the least bit surprised to find Quake closed for the day. Six Flags really needs to get rid of this lawn ornament. I spotted a Beirgarten next to Quake, obtained an ice cold beer, and crossed the darn bridge.
A check of the watch revealed I had less than half an hour before I had to leave to go back to the airport. The lines for Himalayah and Thrill Park Theater were way too long I didn't even see any sign that would say what film the Ijerks screen was showing.
I also noted the Hellavtor line was too long, so I walked down and took one last ride on Greezed Lightning. I finished my beer as I entered the queue, the line started on the stairs. A couple cycles I was in a middle of the train seat. Still a great ride. I then exited Greezed Lightning, took a look in the Exclusively Flags gift shop. Six Flags gift shops have gotten very homogenious lately. Seen one, you have seen them all. The old Kentucky Kingdom had a better gift shop in this same space. Outside Exclusively Flags is a souvenir stand that I will only mention because they had several flags displayed incorrectly. I'm sure someone at Six Flags can afford a flag etiquette guidebook.
Speaking of flags, I looked at the six flagpoles right inside the main gate. They are, from left to right as you enter the gate: State of Indiana, State of Kentucky, United States of America, United Kingdom, State of Kentucky, State of Indiana. Just some useless trivia for you. I then turned around received a hand stamp and exited the park.
One last piece of humor - the bus stop is located almost directly across from the toll booth for the SFKK parking lot. So is a billboard. Both sides of the billboard directly across from the SFKK entrance were showing Holiday World advertisements.
And I get to go back to Kentucky Kingdom on my way to SRM!
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David Bowers
Mayor, Coasterville
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