OT: Amusement Park Discussion

[dragonoffrost]

Ok here's some fun videos as were are seeing the first footage of new rides....

TOP THRILL 2 at Cedar Point (sorry for the park rep being a little squeally)




and

Dorney Park IRON MENACE!

 

[Cody Webster]

Ok here's some fun videos as were are seeing the first footage of new rides....

TOP THRILL 2 at Cedar Point (sorry for the park rep being a little squeally)




and

Dorney Park IRON MENACE!

I watched the Iron Menace video first and I thought that was a really cool coaster, then I watched the TT2 one and that one looks incredible

 

[dragonoffrost]

I watched the Iron Menace video first and I thought that was a really cool coaster, then I watched the TT2 one and that one looks incredible

Menace will be perfect for Dorney.

TT2 is what Cedar Point is all about... push the limits

 

[Adam Warlock]

Menace will be perfect for Dorney.

TT2 is what Cedar Point is all about... push the limits

Makes me wonder if Kingda Ka could be given similar treatment now that CF/SF have merged.

That ride could definitely use a make over and im sure Gadv would love to lose the headache of the hydraulic launch.

Only thing that sucks about KK is the over the should restraints...which i believe are required by NJ law. TTD was always a superior ride IMO largely bc the lapbar and less bulky trains just make for a much more pleasant experience.

 

[dragonoffrost]

Makes me wonder if Kingda Ka could be given similar treatment now that CF/SF have merged.

That ride could definitely use a make over and im sure Gadv would love to lose the headache of the hydraulic launch.

Only thing that sucks about KK is the over the should restraints...which i believe are required by NJ law. TTD was always a superior ride IMO largely bc the lapbar and less bulky trains just make for a much more pleasant experience.

I doubt they will do the conversion. Word is that cost as much as the original build of Top Thrill Dragster. It was also only done because of the serious injury caused by the ride. KK has a different train design and I know they did a thorough check on the trains after the accident at CP.

Yes the hydraulic launch on the that model is a nightmare. It seems the only park that runs theirs consistently in the states is Hershey. I'm not sure about those outside the US.

I would think that they might look at going to the second gen restraints on Maverick at CP. Those are great and really made Maverick climb my favorite rides list. And yes the shoulder restraints are NJ mandated KK was designed for a slightly modified TTD train but when the state said no go they did the newer train.

Six Flags has sunk some serious money into Great Aventure this season from what I heard (all of the next is from second hand). The new coaster and the log flume work isn't done yet. But there was a ton of cosmetic stuff done so far for the 50th year. Toro is running smoother but not original smoothness but more work is planned next off season. Pathways have been added/modified. One from El Toro to KK which was desperately needed.

But the biggest shock from the video I saw was KK launching while Zoomanjaro cycled that was supposed to be a serious NO. But to see the KA train dropping beside a dropping Zoomanjaro was cool again. I got to ride Zoomanjaro in it's first year and have that happen and it was wild to drop alongside the coaster train.

 

[dragonoffrost]

So Cedar Fair sent out a questionaire to some season pass members about possible additions in the future to the parks of the chain looking for feedback of what would be looked forward to.

Options looked like versions of







and a 300 foot tall drop coaster like Iron Menace.... WHAT THE HELL that drop will be insane.


I think the first coaster is really what I want to see somewhere in the chain as there is only one other in the US and it's in Branson, Missouri. The others are all within a day drive for me except the drop coaster which would break probably a few world records for the style. Height and speed are guaranteed but I bet they'd go for a few more.

 

[dragonoffrost]

Here is the latest Epic Universe teaser....

Super Nintendo World


And this park is still about a year from opening... WOW

 

[Cody Webster]

Here is the latest Epic Universe teaser....

Super Nintendo World


And this park is still about a year from opening... WOW

Take my money now

 

[dragonoffrost]

Well Top Thrill 2 has hit the normal we pushed the limits and need to make adjustments. Lots of rumors flying but I won't add them as anyone who knows what is being adjusted better not be talking.

 

[dragonoffrost]

So Saturday started the the season of riding for me. I drove up to Dorney expecting a crowd I made sure to get there 30 minutes before park opening when the parking lot normally opens. Driving down the entrance road and seeing Iron Menace is a great way to get pumped up for the day if you ride coasters as much as I do. The turn into the parking lot is right at the tilted loop of the ride and it is a thing of beauty. With my all parks pass I got into the parking lot easily and parked in a short walk from the gate which would help later in the day.

Security was doing a good job checking as you went through a metal detector and only if it went off or you had a bag did you need to hit the second security check. Either my phone or my keyfob for my car set it off so I had to do the second check without those in my pockets and was cleared quickly. Then as you were standing at the admission gates they had a few k9 staff active sniffing around.

Knowing the parks are cash free I like to take cash and go to the Kiosk and get a prepaid card that is useable outside the park (it's same system that the Wells Fargo Center has). This was the next order of business and very simple to do.

Having been a pass holder for a long time I use the app to do most things in the park because I have the season meal plan and drink pass upgrades to make my visits easier (so I thought, LOL). Well the fun started as I entered the park. They scanned the code and the system beeped and showed valid pass but wouldn't confirm. The gate attendant tried 3 times and finally let me in. I thought it went through finally so didn't think much and started to make my way to the next order of business which was to get my Fast Lane wristband which I preordered as I expected the park to be busy and was thinking I'd do the full day so after the water park closed it would definitely be needed based on the crowd at the gates. So I try to look it up in the app which I saw it there when I ordered it but it app wouldn't load the page for it at the park. After a few attempts on cell service and park WiFi I just loaded the email and got the code from there. This should have been my clue to stop with the app for the day as I had the hard card pass also with me. But nope I'm a tech user so I didn't give up yet.

Wrist band on and out in the midway it was getting close to rope drop and I knew that was going to be a shit show for everyone heading to Iron Menace but that area was the whole reason for my visit so I did as the wristband allows me to and stayed away from the "Running of the Bulls" down the hill. If you've never been to Dorney it sits on a substantial incline and the new area is at the bottom and the admission gates are at the top. So yes as soon as security removed the rope people started to dash down the hill and that again keyed my attention to security as they started to slow the runners down. Very interesting.

Getting to the bottom of the hill and crossing the Zephyr train tracks I come into the first impression of the new themed area. And I must say VERY WELL DONE. The area is a steel yard theme that was supposed to be owned by Hiram S. McTavish. Signage around the area abounds with MT Steel Yard, nice pun. I head right for the main course Iron Menace. The steel yard has been abandoned and Hiram ghost dwells the area as guest who ride Iron Menace find out while awaiting to board. They have a cool audio and light package in the line and station to emphasize the presence of Hiram. The staff was assigning rows and seats filling every seat which will be great for this season as the crowds will be throught the year. First time in I got assigned row 3 which is the back. With 7 seats across it was a quick load and I had to laugh as the audio track starts repeating "GET OUT" and away we go. The ride was well paced and fun, exactly what Dorney needs as it's not a park that draws people for high thrills. Having rode others of this style it did come at the bottom of the style for me but I understand the reason it is built the way it is. I got 7 rides over the course of the day. So it's very re-rideable.

The other ride in the area I was interested to see was the retheme of the Cedar Creek Flyers as MT Buckets, there's that pun again. I got in line one time when there was no line and the ride op challenged me to try to hit the tree beside the ride. It's not doable because they cut the trees to be a certain distance from the ride. But getting to the height is fun and if you time it right the tub will get a good rock at the top and bottom of the swings. Not Knoebels rocking but a decent ones.

After a good hour rotating those rides doing 2 Iron Menace rides to 1 MT Buckets ride, I walked the area checking out the new store and the Sipping Container (yes it's a shipping container converted). At the Sipping Container I grabbed a Funk Brewing Iron Menace Lager. It was a solid American lager.

Next up was Possessed. I love this ride. It may be short but the launches forward and backward have a good punch. Just wish they would return the brakes on the backward spike.

Steel Force was up next and is starting to show it's age. A little rough but still good air moments on the run back to the station.

After this it was time to hit the 100 year old Thunderhawk. Man, Dorney did a great job during the off season rehabbing this classic. They did some track work and the trains had an overhaul. It rides just how a wooden coaster should ride. Enough rattle and speed for the height it has.

After that it was up the hill for Hydra only to find it closed with a train on the lift hill. Oh well I'll revisit it later and head for Talon. Talon was it's normal self and two quick laps full of great G forces reinforced why I like it better than Great Adventure's Batman.

At this time I really started to see something I hadn't in a few years. EVERY coaster had at least one security guard stationed in the line watching for line jumping. If that continues through the season they are going to have some fun conversations at some point about people saying my family is up there and I just went to the bathroom. Can't wait to see what the security response is for it.

It was closing in on 1PM so I figured time for lunch and a soda. I decided since I was close I'd hit the old Chickie and Pete's sports bar near the flume ride that had been converted this year to a park themed eatery. Get out my phone to use my pass and they can process my pizza order but the soda order won't go through as it's saying I didn't check into the park. How am I checked in for the food but not the soda? Oh well I complete the pizza order and get my puck for them to know where I sat and head over to the bar to get a beer since I wanted something to drink with my food but didn't want to pay the soda costs since I have the pass for it. This time I opted for a Funk Citrus IPA which was a run of the mill Citrus IPA. Sitting watching sports on the tv's in the seating area I didn't notice the time I was sitting there until the beer was half gone and my food hadn't arrived yet. Having waited over a half hour for food that normally would take 15 minutes to be brought out I decided to go to the bar and ask for a supervisor. The bartender took my receipt and talked with the supervisor. He returns and tells me it will be out soon. My radar should have went off. When the food came out it was half cooked. Now I'm steaming and guess where I now am headed due to needing to fix the drink issue.

You know it I'm off to guest services. Wow the line inside and outside the park for guest services are about 20 deep each. Not a good sign. Standing in line I come to hear most have the same problem I had with one or the other pass not processing. When I get to the window the lady half heartedly greets me and as I explain my issues including the half cooked pizza she give a small apology saying they are working on the menu as it's new for this season. Then she instructs me to go talk with the gate supervisor to make sure my pass gets checked in for all pass add ons. So I wander over to the gate to talk to the supervisor who sees me and 3 others heading his way and instantly waves us over and scans us at a turnstile making sure it processes correctly this time. Guess he was busy doing that a lot this day.

Since I was at the gate and sweating I decided I'll grab a shirt for this season and head out to my car and swap into it. Coming back in with the same things in my pockets this time I get through the pre screen without issue and get waved right to the gates and back in. Quick walk over to Hyrda seeing it was open so I grabbed 2 rides on it very quickly.

The rest of the day was rerides of coasters and quick other rides as I wandered the park with no more issues processing my pass for drinks. Other than the glitches with the pass addon's and undercooked pizza it was good day. The heat hit me at around 5:30 so I decided to call it a day as I can go back easily.