Roller Coaster Thread

[raisingarizona]

Go to Colorado to get high.

Record-setting mountaintop rollercoaster set to open in Colorado at 7,160 feet above sea level | OutThere Colorado

 

[MiSkier]

Cedar Point on Fathers Day. Been coming every year since 2001 with my daughter. They only year we missed was 2020 due to being closed for Covid. The parking lot was half full and 20-30 min wait for the good rides all day long.

 

[snoloco]

Finally caught some rides on the Alpine Bobsled at Great Escape. This ride began its life at Six Flags Great Adventure in 1984, was removed from there in 1988 and sent to Six Flags Great America, and was moved here in 1998. It's one of only two Intamin Bobsled rides remaining in the US. It experiences extensive downtime due to the fact that it can't run in any rain at all. It has been closed all the other times I've been at Great Escape.

 

[riverc0il]

It's one of only two Intamin Bobsled rides remaining in the US. It experiences extensive downtime due to the fact that it can't run in any rain at all. It has been closed all the other times I've been at Great Escape.

I haven't been to Great Escape since I was really young, 10 or so maybe? I can't see myself ever getting back there.

Funny Bobsled story from Cedar Point circa 2006 or so...

We were near the front of the park and it started to pour. I had not been on Disaster Transport (similar Intamin bobsled ride, but enclosed and now defunct), so I thought I was being clever when I suggested it. An inside ride during the rain... perfect idea, right?

Well, the building wasn't sealed tight and water got onto the track when it rained. It took a long time before the ride was ready for riders again. We waited a heck of a long time while they cycled trains to clear the water in the trough. I had no idea what the coaster even was at the time, let alone the impact of water on its operations.

We would have gotten more rides and waited less if we just waited out the rain and picked a different ride. It had probably stopped raining for quite some time before they started boarding guests. At least we were dry, though.

--

Unrelated to Intamin Bobsleds, three cheers for Wildcat at Hershey Park getting an all but officially announced RMC conversion. That ride was great when it opened. Last time I rode was in 2008, it was horrifically rough. I am sure it is even worse now. I like a wild woody, but it joined a short list of woodies that I swore I would never ride again.

I haven't been back to HP since Fahrenheit was installed, so I will get to ride four new coasters when I go next (after Wildcat is RMC'd).

 

[snoloco]

I live 25 minutes from Great Escape so it's easy to stop by for a few hours. If I want to spend a whole day in the park, I go to Six Flags New England.

Disaster Transport was built in 1985 and called Avalanche Run. It was outdoors. It got enclosed in 1990 because they had issues with sand getting in the track. As you noticed, it was a very problematic ride, and was removed in 2012 to make way for Gatekeeper, a B&M wing coaster.

I've never been to Hershey, but I've always heard good things about it. RMC Wildcat will be an excellent addition to their already great lineup. Some parks struggle to maintain wooden coasters. Great Escape and Six Flags New England do a good job with their wooden coasters, but when Great Adventure still had Rolling Thunder, they let it fall into severe disrepair, leading to its closure. I honestly don't see the chain ever building a new wooden coaster again.

 

[Harvey]

Love the pics in this thread.

 

[snoloco]

Love the pics in this thread.

And here's some more from Six Flags New England today.

Before park opening with New England Skyscreamer, the world's tallest swing ride in the distance.

Lunchtime! This park has a surprisingly good barbecue place, with both in indoor and outdoor seating. You don't have to settle for overpriced chicken tenders and fries! I always eat here during my trips.

The Riddler Revenge, a Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster, or SLC for short. This often cloned model is maligned for its rough ride and headbanging causes by the bulky restraints. This version was built in 1997 and originally called Mind Eraser. In 2018, it was renamed Riddler Revenge, and received new trains with vest restraints. While it's still rough, there is no headbanging, making this version one of the best of this model.

The tower on the right is called Scream, and it's a multi-tower complex of S&S power towers. They are powered by compressed air and offer 3 programs. Turbo Drop mode lifts you up slowly and then drops you at faster than freefall speed. Space Shot mode launches you upwards and then lowers you slowly. Combo mode basically runs the two programs back to back. Two of the towers can run all 3 programs and are usually set to combo mode, but one can only run in turbo drop mode, due to the fact that it was built 2 years before the others.

Superman looks so great during golden hour when the sun hits it. Still my favorite ride in the park, and one could argue it's the best traditional hypercoaster out there.

Ride count:

10 Superman
10 Wicked Cyclone
3 Scream
2 Batman
2 Riddler Revenge
2 Pandemonium
1 Skyscreamer

Total of 30

 

[riverc0il]

Looks like a nice day.

I agree, the BBQ place is nice. I am glad to see parks step up their food game (more so at Cedar Fair parks, less so at Six Flags... but at least SF is taking small steps forward). I am happy to pay more to get quality food at a park (though, the BBQ prices are quite reasonable, from what I remember).

I rode Riddler after the harnesses were changed. I was actually looking forward to it, thinking the change might make a difference. It was the most brutal steel coaster ride that I have ever been on. Never again. Well, that is what I said about SLCs many, many years ago.

I wish I could love Superman, but the U-bricks are the most painful restraints that I have endured on a coaster. It is a pity, as the replaced Intamin T-bar is my favorite restraint.

I am tall with long legs. I barely fit in the U-bricks because of my leg length. Air time is super painful (I always cringe going over the last two air time hills). First half of the ride is great, though. The new wheels a few years back really help, that coaster was lifeless for a while.

 

[Brownski]

Sno, you’re making me want to get on a roller coaster again. My younger son has been to six flags NJ this year but I haven’t.
Mind Eraser in NE was definitely one of the roughest coasters I’ve been on. What’s the giant boomerang they have there? Is it called Goliath? That thing is pretty wild. Why isn’t that on your list and why no Thunderbolt? Superman is good but I think I like Nitro in NJ better.
edit: I agree on the bbq too. It’s not world class or anything but way better than anything else there.

 

[snoloco]

Looks like a nice day.

I agree, the BBQ place is nice. I am glad to see parks step up their food game (more so at Cedar Fair parks, less so at Six Flags... but at least SF is taking small steps forward). I am happy to pay more to get quality food at a park (though, the BBQ prices are quite reasonable, from what I remember).

Six Flags has a new CEO and one of his priorities is to improve food quality. All parks ban outside food, but it turns out if you want people to eat inside the park, then the food quality has to be good, or people will just hit a McDonald's on the way out.

I rode Riddler after the harnesses were changed. I was actually looking forward to it, thinking the change might make a difference. It was the most brutal steel coaster ride that I have ever been on. Never again. Well, that is what I said about SLCs many, many years ago.

It's still quite rough, but you don't get any headbanging with the vest restraints. They do tighten a lot during the ride. When I get back, I always hope the crew is working fast, or that it's running one train. The restraints can get so tight that they start to cut off your circulation. If they want to keep that ride around, then I think they should do what Morey's Piers did and retrack it using Vekoma's new track bending technology. I've heard their SLC is as smooth as a B&M invert now.

I am tall with long legs. I barely fit in the U-bricks because of my leg length. Air time is super painful (I always cringe going over the last two air time hills). First half of the ride is great, though. The new wheels a few years back really help, that coaster was lifeless for a while.

I didn't ride it for the first time until 2021, but I heard it was running much slower from when it was converted to Bizarro until receiving the new wheels in 2019. It now runs the same speed as it did in the early years. The U bricks aren't the best, but I honestly don't mind them all that much. I try to hold the lap bar up once it is checked to avoid it tightening during the ride. Also, the red train is smoother than the blue train, and slightly faster.

Sno, you’re making me want to get on a roller coaster again. My younger son has been to six flags NJ this year but I haven’t.

You should definitely go. Crowds have been a lot lower this year and they've made a lot of improvements to park appearance and operations.

What’s the giant boomerang they have there? Is it called Goliath? That thing is pretty wild. Why isn’t that on your list and why no Thunderbolt?

Goliath last operated in 2019 and was removed and scrapped in 2021 after being standing but not operating for 2 years. I rarely ride Thunderbolt due to the fact that it can only run one train and usually has one of the longest lines in the park. I have been on it though, and found it to be a smooth, though rather mild ride.