TR: PCW June 3rd 2005

TR: PCW June 3rd 2005

Well, setting a new record for the most amounts of times I’ve been to wonderland this year is starting to get better and better as it goes on. Up to 4 times already and still haven’t ridden Wild Beast or Dragon Fyre but don’t worry, I will get to those in time.

Italian Job: Stunt Track 9.5/10

So, once arriving to the park at 6pm after a nice long day at work we headed straight for IJ to get us off to a good start. Approx 60min wait for the back 3.1. Upon boarding our train came alive with energy. We had a great bunch of riders, so great in fact that the ride up (who was great all day long and night too) made us have a “loudest train of the day” contest. We all screamed, hollered, etc till our throats were sore and let me tell you, it didn’t stop at all through the whole ride. The more I ride this the more I realize just how great the helix is. Launched seemed a bit quicker too for some reason but maybe it was just all the energy going around. Once we get back into the brakes we can hear the ride up saying “here comes the loudest train of the day” and we were all still keeping up the noise. I don’t know if it was the energy or what, but so far this was the best ride I’ve had on IJ all year, till later on that night but we’ll get to that later.

Great Canadian Minebuster 8/10

We headed to an almost walk on for Minebuster (1.3). I am starting to get used to the new element on the turn around and it doesn’t seem to bother me as much as the change kind of adds to it a bit. Great ride, but I don’t know, the helix is starting to lose its impact a bit for me.

Skyrider 6.5/10

Now let me get this out in the open right away, and I apologize in advance PCW_Skyrider, but I am not a fan of this ride. I don’t know if there was ever a time when I was. Seeing as the line was a walk on, we decided on giving it another try. I can’t remember what seat we were in, I believe it was first row of the second last car, but it doesn’t really make a difference. The ride was smoother then I remember, either that or I was actually standing in the proper riding way, who knows, but I didn’t get bumped around AS much. I did hurt my neck a bit during the helix down but not that bad. Overall, it was one of the better rides I’ve had on it. Remember, I haven’t been on this ride in about 3 years so it was a pleasant surprise but would not go out of my way for it.

Spongebob Squarepants 3-D 7/10

My friend is not a fan of the motion rides, but I convince him that this is one of the better ones PCW has had. Lot a long wait as there was really no one riding. We were in the front row on the far side but that was okay. I do like this ride a lot, smooth, motion suits the movie and is synced well so nausea for my friend was not a concern on this ride. Only complaint on this movie is that there it’s a bit, less action oriented then Days of Thunder or 007 was. Still a fun ride however.

White Water Canyon 6.5/10

We were in the area and I figured that I’d ride, however my friend did not want to which was fine. Walking through the line, I realize just how beautiful that part of the park is, although I did wonder if another water ride could be fit into there at all. That’s something PCW could use is another water ride but not in a big rush to get one of those. Anyways, no line, pure walk on as expected. After leaving the station and traveling up to the first turn there’s a geyser that the tower op controls, he was like “Guy in the blue shirt, you’re getting wet”. He fired the geyser and got a couple drops on me so I am like “you need to aim better” and he replied, “don’t worry, the waterfall will get you”. Not let me say, I have had good luck avoiding the waterfall for most my rides so I was not too concerned with his prediction. Well, I think I should’ve taken it more seriously because as predicted, WHAM, waterfall on my head. Luckily the weather was not all that bad last night so it was ok. Fun ride, and still love it, just wish it had some more water elements in it to guarantee getting wet on a hot day like a waterfall that NO ONE can avoid.

The Fly 5/10

I don’t know what it was but this ride was just lackluster for some reason. I honestly came of the ride with a “ya, so” kind of feeling. Oh well, can’t win them all right?

Italian Job: Stunt Track 10/10

As stated earlier, I had one of the best rides on this when I first arrived, however nothing was like the ride we had at night. Wait was about 45 minutes to the station. Crowd was great and watching this thing at night is just beautiful from the police lights, the billboards, and of course the fire, wow. I do wish however the headlights were working but that’s okay. So, we get closer to the station and the same ride op from earlier was telling jokes, picking on a set of twins and everything. Well not picking on them but just saying how amazed he was to see identical twins. So, the twins were about 3 trains in front of us and the ride up goes “Launching the twins in 3-2-1” and off they went, a total distance of 5-10ft and blam. I guess someone forgot to take the parking brake off ;) Ride up then goes “Maybe not’ in regards to the twins. All through the downtime he kept asking if “his twins were okay” and the ride ops kept going up to them and everything, as well as the rest of the passengers. I tell you, I have never seen a team of ride ops more professional and sincere in their job than I have last night.

Maintenance crews came, pushed the train back into the station, unloaded and then ran 3 test cycles and about 10-15minutes later the ride was back up and launching. We board on 1.1 to experience the best ride I’ve ever had on IJ. Speed, g’s, airtime and let me tell you how amazing the helicopter scene and tunnel are at night. WOW, it just is amazing. After leaving the ride it was now 10:30, park closed at 10 and from the look of the line IJ would be running till about 11pm which is so great that they didn’t turn most the line away.

Overall 9.5/10

All in all this was the best time I’ve had at PCW this year. Next trip will maybe be on a day off I have to take from work so I am looking forward to seeing it during a weekday when not too many people are there.

Random notes and quotes

“Is that real fire?” (in regards to IJ)
”I am gonna pop you like a pimple”
“Jiggleypuffs” (don’t ask)

The Orbiter had a crane around it all day long and in the evening crews were working on it and I heard a lot of pieces dropping or being bumped around. Not too sure was going on with it, but I think the inevitable will be coming sooner then later. It might just be moved in the park elsewhere, but I think it’s on it’s last legs. We will all miss it if indeed it vanishes, but remember, with a death there must be a life of some sort.

Ride ops: From the Italian Job to even listening to the ride op on Sledgehammer, the ride ops this year seem to be actually into their jobs, and it just adds so much more to the ride experience and keeping you entertained which is the whole point of going to PCW. My hats off to all those hard working ride ops that actually crack a joke and smile, and a big boo to the ones that don’t seem to care if you are having fun or not.

I hate to sound like a dick but how many coasters have you been on? giving IJST a 10 out of 10!!. Also giving mine buster an 8. more like .8 Since they did the re-tracking like 4 years ago it's horrible. I't was good before, but now its a waste.

I will agree with you though. I love the fact that PCW closes their lines at 10, and run the rides till the lines are empty. Unlike any Six Flags park that closes the lines early so that the employees can get out on time, which is very annoying.

No, it's understandable to ask me that. I haven't been on as many as some enthusiasts out there, but I have had my visits to a couple Six Flags as well as Cedar Point about 3 years back. Ya, I am not a vet of all the coasters out there, but to be honest, that doesn't mean I can't give it a 10 out of 10.

To me at least, a roller coaster is about fun first and formost. Going on a ride and smiling all the way through makes me enjoy a ride. As I said in the report, I went on Fly and felt nothing, I honestly didn't have one emotion on my face except for pain during the whiplash like effect on the brakes. IJ however entertains me. Just because it's not the tallest, fastest smoothest or most air time/g filled ride doesnt mean it doesn't deserve a 10.

I would also give S:ROS at SF:DL either 9.5 or 10 just for pure speed, and I am sure people would disagree with that as well. It's like the expression goes, to each their own right?

I find, even though short, IJ packs a lot of excitment in there, and to me, that particular time I rode it, it was a pure 10. I've ridden it a few other times and would rate those times as no less then 7, just because to me, during the day with no effects going at all except the helicopter blades, I just didn't find the ride that great. At night though, with the effects that were on last night, I loved it.

As for minebuster, ya, i agree it's gone downhill over the last few years since the Splash Works takeover. It's lost a lot of its historical high points and great rides, however, last night, I just seemed to enjoy the ride more then the last time I rode it. A coaster never rides the same way twice. I've ridden Minebuster on days where I'd give it an 5 out of 10 so by no means am I biased or what not.

I appreciate your comments though as I love debating and discussing coasters with people, hence my posts on all these great boards.

And ya, closing the lines at 10 is great for the park. Shows a great attitude towards the crowds.

- Josh