The end of the Season Thread

Overall Thoughts on the 2004 Amusement Park Season-

I think that quality has started making a comeback.

Favorite new/new to you coaster, park or attraction?

My favorite new ride was Thunderhead at Dollywood.

Whats the biggest suprise you received from the Amusment Industry this year?

I guess SFGAdv.'s announcement. The Cedar Fair buyout of Worlds of Adventure was pretty surprising too.

What are you most looking forward to next year?

I think the Italian Job ride at Kings Island looks interesting, and I'm also excited about whatever Busch Gardens Williamsburg is building.

Disappointments:

Removal of Carolina Sternwheeler at Carowinds, Removal of Dollywood log flume, Steam Locomotives at SFOG being converted to diesel.

*** Edited 11/23/2004 12:55:28 AM UTC by Dukeis#1***

Overall thoughts of 2004:

I wish i could go back and start over, it was awesome!

Favorite new coaster: stormrunner hersheypark

Favorite new to me coaster: Nitro Six Flags Great Adventure

Biggest suprise for me: probably cf buying geauga lake, i didn't see it coming at all.

What are you looking most forward to in 2005

NO MORE SCHOOl , SENIORS RULE! seriously i am probably looking forward to my senior prom trip to Cedar Point overnight. I have been there so many times before, but it should be awesome with all of my friends in a hotel.

I am also looking forward to gl new water park, whatever cedar point is planning, and the italian job stunt track. Hopefully i will get a ride on Sheikra at BGT when my baseball team is down there for spring break, we shall see

Dissapointments of 2004: Only getting to Cedar Point three times, not getting to visit Geuga lake even though it is 25 minutes from my house. Other than that it was an excellent year.

This year is my best ever. Never been on so many parks and so many 'new to me' coasters. And I broke the century mark with Coney Island's Cyclone.

Industry Shockers: CF acquiring GL, Kingda Ka

Best New Coaster: Storm Runner

Best 'new to me' coasters: S:ROS (SFNE) and X(Steel); Boulder Dash and Phoenix (Wood)

Best 'new to me' park: Hersheypark

Biggest Disappointment: 7 Coasters in 12+ hrs on SFMM (and that's including 4 using fast pass)

And like most enthusiasts here in the Northeast, I can't wait for Kingda Ka. The dream will soon become reality.

But what are your over all thoughts on this season? Favorite new/new to you coaster, park or attraction?

My favorite new coaster (and biggest surprise) this year was Tsunami....hands down! And of course Thunderhead.

Favorite "new to me" coasters were S:ROS at Darien Lake/Tennesse Tornado at Dollywood. My favorite "new to me" park was......Dollywood and SFOG.

Whats the biggest suprise you received from the Amusment Industry this year?

I never received anything! Should I check with my local post office? ;-)

What are you most looking forward to next year?

Kingda Ka mostly, along with Hades, Silver Bullet, Hydra.........all of them! Bring it on!

-Tina

*** Edited 11/23/2004 12:32:01 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Kingda Kagasms, Tina? ;)

But what are your over all thoughts on this season? Kinda disappointing - with the new house I didn't have many chance to go out to parks :(

Favorite new/new to you coaster, park or attraction? Dollywood & Thunderhead! Amazing...both of them. Heck, my wife who is NOT a coaster nut LOVED Thunderhead!

Whats the biggest suprise you received from the Amusment Industry this year? CF buying GL

What are you most looking forward to next year? ACE CoasterCon at SFGAM/Dells

Favorite New this year coaster: Thunderhead...Hands down (ok...Up)

Best Park experiences this year: Dollywood - great customer service - second only to Holiday World which I did not have time to get to this summer. :(

But what are your over all thoughts on this season? Went by really fast, but my best season yet.

Favorite new/new to you coaster, park or attraction? Dollywood & Thunderhead! So much different than The Beast and Cedar Point.

Whats the biggest suprise you received from the Amusment Industry this year? FLYERS TAKEN AWAY.

What are you most looking forward to next year? Italian Job.

Favorite New this year coaster: Thunderhead.

Best Park experiences this year: All the Flyerfest events at PKI and Beastbuzz was pretty good this year.

With Cypress fixin' to open, my season's not over yet...:)

Fav "new to me" goodies: Dollywood/SFoT/SFFT for parks (Lake Winnie honourable mention), Tsunami tied with Thunderhead for wooden ride, SFoT Shockwave for new steel coaster, RotM for *attraction*.

Surprises: GL acquistion of course, PKI Flyers leaving, and the *explosion* of heavily-themed coasters!

Looking forward to: Hades (with an *ass-terisk*), Kingda Ka, Avalanche (thanks to the hype, LOL), then IJ:ST, SBullet and finally Hydra.

Least surprising moment: Clint raving about Gemini! :)

Most fun....hanging wit' my peeps at SFoG/DW in the Spring, in Tejas in the early summer, in the Ozarks for Pres Con, in Indiana in the late summer, and Phinally, PPP in the Phall...I love you all, and you know who you are! :)

Best new to me flat this year: Thrillshot, or whatever they called it at FC...

And, lest I forget to mention it.....get your lily-white coaster-lovin' butts to Schlitterbahn...best.park.EVER! note: This directive also applies to our *less-than-fair-skinned* friends as well, and you also know who you are, LM(LW)AO...

I'm sure I'll think of more as time progresses...but that's why this thread will keep coming to the top of the page...;)

New Parks this Year:

-Conneaut Lake, Sylvan Beach, Seabreeze, Martin's Fantasy Island.

Highlights of the Season:

-being the first guest on Howler (new for '04) at Idlewild for the season

-Walk-thru of Laffland at Sylvan Beach

-Major updates and interviews for my site, Idlewild Moments

Best/Worse of the Season:

-Best new coaster (for me): Whirlwind at Seabreeze

-Worst new coaster (for me): Silver Comet at Martin's Fantasy Island

-Best new park (for me): Seabreeze

-Worse new park (for me): Martin's Fantasy Island

Other Stuff:

-Seabreeze has to have the most beautiful carousel, ever. It looks brand-new, in perfect condition with great murals and horses. Conneaut's could be second.

-Excited that Idlewild is adding 'Paul Bunyen's Loggin' Toboggan' log flume for 2005.

-New parks I am for sure going to in 2005: Knoebels, Waldameer, William's Grove.

-Hopeful parks for 2005: SFGadv, Dutch Wonderland, Bushkill

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Mamoosh said:
Kingda Kagasms, Tina?

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Damn right! ;-)

"Dragstergasms" are getting old. ;-)

The events this year have been amazing, just like Bill mentioned.....from Spring Fling at SFOG to PPP.....AWESOME year hanging with some GREAT peeps! I am not sure which event stood out the most, probably PPP or Coasterstorm (DW) but they were ALL amazing.

Spring Fling, Coasterstorm, Beastbuzz, KennyKon, Preservation Con, Lost Coaster, Coastermania and PPP were just awesome events, and every little road trip in between. :-D

Miracle Strip gets a VERY honorable mention. :-D

I have visited a LOT of parks I have never seen before, from Canada's Wonderland to Magic Springs to Lakemont to Darien Lake to Lake Winnie and back. It's been an AWESOME year, and it's still not quite over. ;-)

-Tina

*** Edited 11/23/2004 11:07:26 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

Thanks to lack of money, being busy at work and at home, and other hobbies getting in the way, 2004 was my slowest year EVER for coaster riding.

I went to one new-to-me park (SFNO) and rode five new-to-me coasters (Canyon Blaster and four at SFNO), with MegaZeph being the obvious best. My only other park visit aside from SFNO was one trip to Cedar Point

On a sad note, this is the first year since 1989 that I have not visited PKI. It's especially sad because due to my position in the media, I get free entry on any day but Saturday once a year, so I kinda wasted that. I also went to no media events this year for the first time in four years.

I anticipate next year being better. I know I'll get at least Italian Job, and my brother and I are already talking about hitting Indiana Beach, which (I think) would FINALLY put me over 100 coasters ridden.

This coaster season was kind of a dead one for me. I did not get out to the parks that much do to wedding planning, working, shopping, and living a chaotic life. My sister just had twins and I babysat and helped her out a lot. My brother just got married and I helped plan the wedding. My youngest brother just turned sixteen and got a new car. I just finished my semester @ Ohio State.(only two more years). My boyfriend got a $15,000 bonus and we went on vacation to paris for two weeks and now Im getting ready to host my very first thanksgiving at my brand new house.(My very own home lol)..So I'm a busy bee!

My favorite new park that I had the pleasure to visit was Dollywood, which is a top notch park and is numer 8 on my list. The atomasphere and all around positive energy in the place was enough for me to go back.(Two thumbs way up!) Best new coaster for me was ThunderHead. It is by far the best wooden coaster next to Villain. My favorite attraction this year was Mission Space at Epcot. It was a very unique ride experience. the parks I went to this year were, SFGAM, SFA, SFNO, GL,CP,DW,KW, PKI, Disney world, Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom, and BGW.

The biggest suprise this year was Kingda Ka! I never thought in my wildest dreams that TTD's record would be broken this fast and that SFI would be the one to break it.

Another was the Buy out of SFWOA to CP. I think I passed out in the study. That was very shocking news.

Next year of course Im looking forward to kingda Ka, but I am also looking forward to Hydra and Silver Bullet. I love B&M and I can't wait to ride these bad boys.(that didn't sound right...lol)

Hopefully next year will be good to me and I'll get more free time.

Happy Thansgiving to everyone!

i had a pretty good season, although not nearly as busy as past years...but here goes...

best new steel of 05.....Storm Runner

best new wood of 05....Tsunami

best new park.....Lake Compounce

i cant really think of any more categories...hmm, i did ride my 200th coaster this year, Tsunami...which rocked!!:) it is my new #1 coaster. i also finally rode Dragster; enjoyed it, but it got old fast. and came to realize that i do indeed love my homepark, PKD....its just got a charm to it:)

2005 is gonna rock...hopefully going to LA for spring break....SFMM, Disney, Universal (maybe), Knotts, and maybe somethin else in there. and another trip coming together in august with a buddy of mine is SFGam, Mt Olympus and the rest of the Dells, and...dont laugh....Silverwood, lol. hey....with Southwest Airlines, anything is possible;) i read that they fly into Spokane WA, which is supposed only a half hour from Silverwood....so we shall see.

and let me just say....i really miss Stark Raven Mad:(

Tim

LoL, Bill. I'm glad I went to CP underestimating Gemini like I did. That made a great ride all that much better!

Oh, and Bob, since when did you associate moi with Troll Posting?;)

Most of my 2004 plans were realized, with a few exceptions.

I have a ton of crazy plans for 2005. All I need to do now is fine tune them down and get another job to help pay for them. ;-)

-Tina

Actually, so far, all of my 04 plans have transpired with the exceptions of PPP and a jaunt to Kennywood. Sure, I didn't get to go to Best Buzz, but I did get to do PKI (though I missed the funnel slide:(). But it was a good year.

Now I can't wait till December 11th, Tina:).

Me neither! I REALLY miss Thunderhead. :-D

-Tina

Thoughts- Besides getting to my homeparks a couple of times, I only visited one other park this season. Thankfully it was a great park in a fantastic country (Mirabilandia in Italy).

Favorite new/new to you coaster- Katun was awesome of course, but I enjoyed Halfpipe at SFEG as well.

Biggest surprise- Easily Geagua Lake. Elitch’s getting a new ride was also a pleasent surpise.

Most looking forward to- I really have no idea what’s up for next year for me.