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Georgia Scorcher: All of the reviews about this coaster that I have read have been good, so it was time for me to finally see for myself. This was my second B&M stand-up, the first being the Vortex at Carowinds...which I never really cared for. So I rode it, and it gave a good ride. There was just a little head banging, but nothing to make the ride unenjoyable. To me, it was just a taller and longer version of the Vortex. I like the Scorcher better because it has a more interesting layout and the ride lasts longer than 30 seconds. I gave it two rides during my trip...once in the back, and once on the second row. Overall, it's just a decent ride. Not the best and not the worst. I didn't bother riding it Sunday.
Georgia Cyclone: This is another ride that I have heard nothing but good things about. I went straight to the back seat looking for an airtime filled ride like others' TR's state. And I received a very airtime filled ride...along with a headache. That was the most rough and jarring coaster ride that I have ever had in my life. Even the trip from the station to the lift was bad. I gave it a second chance, this time near the front. Still a bit too rough. I gave it yet a third try early Sunday morning. It was at this point that I decided that I had enough of the Cyclone for one weekend. Now don't get me wrong. The ride has some very nice and steep drops and plenty of airtime, but it was just too rough for me to enjoy it, otherwise I would of loved it. I do understand that all wooden coasters are rough to some extent...but some are far more tolerable than others. I just couldn't tolerate the Cyclone this weekend. Maybe it'll be better on my next visit.
Dahlonega Mine Train: I did it once Saturday and twice Sunday morning before it got busy. I love this little mine train ride. I like the twisty turny layout on this mine ride better than the layout of PC's Goldrusher. I think it gives a better ride closer to the front. The tunnel was the hightlight of the ride.
Ninja: The Ninja is still a neck-breaker, just as i remembered it. I rode it near the back and near the front. The front is the better half. This coaster would be top notch IF the transition between the elements wasn't so rough. It picks up some good speed here and there and there are lots of good head chopper effects. The fact is that it is just way rougher than it should be. As far as the appearance goes, it's a neat looking coaster will all of that tangled track and it has a nice setting over the lake. Looks are deceiving though...
Great American Scream Machine: Now we're down to the nitty gritty. The next five coasters were the stand-out coasters of the trip. At first, I wasn't expecting too much from GASM. I was just looking for it to be more like an L-shaped Thunder Road. GASM has more airtime and speed and the overall ride was not too rough. This and Mindbender were the most ridden coasters during my trip. I did a lot of riding on these two on Sunday night once the crowds started dwindling. I rode mostly in the back and one time in the very front seat...which is where i met Coasterbuzzer, MisterX. GASM at night was like a totally different ride. This dude that rode with me that time was like "whoa!" and I was like "damn!". That train was really haulin' it that night. The only thing about that ride that i don't like is the brick wall shed A.K.A brake shed. Other than that, it's top of the line. I especially like the lighting effects on it at night. They actually took the time to put lights on the WHOLE ride and not just half of the lift hill and down the drop then stop... Also the coaster itself is just beautiful with its white paint job. Wish someone would paint Thunder Road.
Superman - Ultimate Flight: It took me a good while to find it Saturday but when I did I said to myself "finally, there it is". They must've just opened when I made it back there because the actual queue line didn't start until the area when the line splits up going to the two stations. I didn't realize how lucky I was until I saw that line later on in the day when the real crowd rolled in. I made my way into the station and was just amazed at how the whole dispatch process takes place. It was fun hearing people's reactions when the trains flipped into flying position. I got in 4 rides during my trip...2 Saturday and 2 Sunday. I rode once near the front and 3 times in the back row. My first ride was in the back because I've read reviews saying that the back was the place to be...and it is. Coming off of the lift and swooping to the right was only the beginning...then came the moment of truth. The pretzel element was every bit as intense as people made it out to be. It is just unreal. Words can't really explain it. It's just something that you have to do at least once. If you have to wait 2 hours...it's worth the wait. Then the rest of the ride is just a fun and smooth glide in the flying position. The movements of the train are just as graceful even through the heartline spin. Passing by other people in line, I can hear several different people talk about how intense the pretzel element is. That is the only real highlight of the ride...other than being in the flight position. The seats were unbelievably comfortable despite how they may look. Oh, and there was one concern about Superman UF that didn't cross my mind until I was between my third and fourth ride. If they ever needed to evacuate people from the lift, how would they do so? There is no platform under you as you go up. Hmm...
Deja Vu: It was up and running Saturday and closed for the whole day Sunday. Again, I just happened to be there at the ride before the line got ridiculously long. This is my first invertigo or boomerang type coaster. It's also my first time riding a cobra roll. So for my very first ride, and only ride, i got to sit at the front of the train on one of the outer seats. After the very slow loading process, it was time to be drawn back and up the first spike. I didn't like that hanging face down thing, but once it let go... it was a great rush. I loved it. It took off faster than what I had expected. Fun and Fast. I would've ridden it again if it wasn't for the line. It has a cool color scheme too.
Batman-The Ride: I was looking forward to riding this one again after having ridden Top Gun: The Jet Coaster so many times just for comparison. I rode it once at the front and the rest of the times in the back row. Batman is better than what I remember. It is not as tall as Top Gun, but it gives a wild and intense ride. I guess the compact layout made it feel faster than it actually was. All of the quick turns in rapid succession gave it a good pace. I love the themed station, but hate that god-awful long walk that it takes to get there. Makes me wish that Carowinds would have at least one coaster with a cool themed station. Which reminds me of FOF at PKD, but now I'm getting OT.
Mindbender: Last, but certainly not least, the Mindbender. This is possibly my favorite coaster at the park. Its just so hard to rank what coaster I like better than another when they all are kick-ass rides. This is another ride that I forgot just how good it was. There are some insane G forces to be had on this ride. The G's are so strong in the loops that I canNOT hold my arms up going through them. I don't see how other people manage to do it. There are several highlights on this ride...the two very intense vertical loops, and the third kind of an upside down loop. This is one of those rides that just never lets up. I don't understand how that ride maintains so much speed considering there are two sets of trim brakes that slow it down during its course. This is one of those under-rated coasters that you don't really hear too much about. I love everything about the Mindbender, from the way the trains look to the sound that the trains make when they go through the loops.
I also enjoyed a couple of the park's flat rides which are as follows:
Acrophobia: I was hoping to get some good pics from this ride but the ride op there would not let me take my camera. Anyway, drop rides are the only kind of rides that scare the mess out of me. Every time I get on one, I think "why am I here?" You get a great view of the park then whoosh... How much taller is Acrophobia than Drop Zone?
Freefall: I did this twice in a row and tried to get some good shots of the Mindbender from there. Those were my first two times on it. It scared the mess out of me too.
Wheeler: Fun little enterprise wheel. Did it because the line was somewhat short.
Thunder River: I haven't ridden this type of ride in years. I did Rip Roarin' Rapids as a child. It was fun. Everybody on the boat got their fair share of water. My half of the boat just happened to get caught under the waterfall near the end.
I rode the train too but there's not much to say about that. My overall weekend at Six Flags of course was a great one. I can now say that I have ridden Superman UF and Deja Vu. Both days at the park were packed. The best time to ride would be very early in the morning before the big crowd comes in. All coasters as far as I know were running at least two trains...except Deja Vu. The loading process for most of the rides wasn't too bad. And Mister X, if you are reading this, you are a great ride op. You have a good sense of humor and know how to get the crowd hyped up. And to anyone else who even bothered to read this trip report, and somehow managed to stay awake while doing so, thank you.
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-Hurler Crew 2002-
PCarowinds,
Riders can get evacuated of Superman's lift with the aid of a moving platform that is located at the bottom of the lift. This is very similar to the evacuation platforms found on some of the other B&M rides. Nice TR.
-Sean
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|| Jonathan Hawkins ||
http://www.starcoasters.com
Top Gun: TJC flights - Approx. 232 (46 in 2002)
*** This post was edited by StarCoasters on 4/30/2002. ***
And Jonathan, I too am glad that I got the chance to ride Deja Vu, because everybody says that it is rarely open and that it goes down alot. Guess I got lucky. Kinda like last season at PKD when I got to ride Hypersonic and the ride didn't go down a single time while I was waiting in line for it.
Thank you both for reading my TR.
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-Hurler Crew 2002-
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-Sean Newman
80 coasters and soon to be more Life is a roller coaster Ride It
LOL.
Thanks PCarowinds, it was good to meet you, and I try to keep the crowd entertained. I think that's something that should be improved upon in the park, are speils... they keep guests' minds off the line they're waiting in, and consequently are less likely to get aggravated. I wish more operators would spiel.
And PCarowinds, do you work at PCW? I noticed your sig, I am going to try and make it up there sometime this summer. Again, thanks for the compliments! And sorry about the brakes on GASM, everyone (me too) hates them... but they're automated and I don't have control over them! ;)
PCarowinds,
Acro is 200 ft. tall and Drop Zone is 175ft. tall.
Hey, also, my home park is Carowinds and Im there every weekend, maybe I'll see you sometime, Ill be there this saturday, hopefully Ill see you there!
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800,000 years in 7 seconds: Time Machine the movie or next S&S creation?
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