The Paramount Takeover

---

GregLeg said:
Touchdown, the follow-up question to your Villain comment is when did you last ride that one? The ride was amazing when it first opened, but it went downhill quickly under Six Flags.

---

Last time I rode it was the year that Hurricane Mountain debuted (which I believe was the last year it was a SF park,) I still loved it but it was rougher. I, however, have a large tolerance for roughness on a woodie so long as it has ejector air (check,) the ride has good pacing and makes me feel like we are out of control (check,) and isnt so rough that I feel sore after riding it (check.) The only wooden coasters I have ridden that I thought was too rough was SOB (legs turned a lovely shade of blue after that ride) and the Rattler (every bump on that infernal helix caused a seering pain to travel up my spine.) I would compare the Villian‘s current roughness with the HP Wildcat, there each quite rough at the moment and I know people who dont like them because of it, but I still love them because of their pacing.

---

I'm not sure where this rumor started. I was at PKI on Saturday and hoped that they had smoothed SOB out, but it was just as painful as ever, and a much worse ride than Mean Streak which I had just ridden two days before.

---

I've read trip reports over at PKICentral, and a few have said it is better while a couple have said it's the same. Guess I'll have to judge for myself.

The Villain has gotten rougher, but I don't see that as a negative for a woodie. When Steel coasters go bad, they hurt more, IMO.
At least Cedar Fair hasn't trimmed the tar out of it yet.

CF seems to be doing a decent job with Timbers, and as Rideman said a page back, Mean Streak is running better than it has in years, surprisingly enough. MS still isn't what it was when it opened, but my rides on opening weekend and yesterday were more like the "old" MS, even with some trimming on the first hill.

Personally, losing SOB wouldn't bother me. I've given that coaster a chance every year for the past 3 and have always come off disappointed. But I certainly hope any changes to The Beast are for the better.

Like others, and after having watched Cedar Fair work slowly to bring other parks into the fold, I believe CF will take this acquisition slowly and not over extend themselves like SF did.

Ahh so PKD is still within the top three parks in the chain with the highest attendance which isn't half bad so that does put the park up there in the ranks.