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In lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, Derek Raycraft wrote:
> Iain, I'm going to Southern California. Other then the obvious one,
> what theme park should I go to. I want rides.
>
> Derek
>
> ps. I think we can all guess what the obvious one is.
Derek,
I have been to Magic Mountain (Six Flags), DisneyLand, Disney California
Adventure and Knott's Berry Farm. If you seek rides, more specifically coasters,
then Six Flags Magic Mountain is the place you want to go.
When I went it was early May and the kids were still in school, That didn't stop
there from being a lot of truent kids from being there, but it was definitely
fewer than their would have been. I rode all but the newest two coasters they
have there; Deja Vu and X which were both in construction when I was visiting.
Actually, the day before I visited they had a death on Goliath and the ride was
closed all day. Oh, yeah and Psyclone was down for an overhaul and while they
finished Deja Vu which is right next to it and construction had to shut down
Psyclone. Flashback was closed because the water park was open. Apparently, they
have to close Flashback down because the lifeguards at the waterpark cannot hear
their whistles when the coaster is running. Darn, I also forgot that a couple of
the coasters worked sporadically through the day and I do not think I ever rode
the Evolution. Scream was completed in 2003 so I know I didn't ride that one.
And Canyon Blaster and Goliath Jr are children's coasters and I was either too
tall or too big in the middle to fit on.
So out of the 13 coasters that they had there at the time, I rode 7. Yeah, it
SUCKED! I complained and got a free meal.
Call them before you visit and get the low down on what rides are operational.
The sky tower they have that you can get an unbelieveable view of the valley
from works on a seasonal basis and when the winds are not high. Apparently, it
moves quite a bit when moderate winds come up. And yes, I didn't get to ride
that one either.
I did ride Superman a dozen times and I still can feel the incredible
acceleration that you get from that.
If you do not mind a park that, at least when I visited, was a little run down
and about 4 notches below the customer service and quality of experience that
you get from Disney properties, then I would recommend going. If broken,
unavailable rides, closed attractions, snotty tenagers who are running the
rides, and poorly mannered employees do not piss you off, go for it!
Having said that I would go again if I was in the area because of the following:
1. X is one of the most unusual coasters in world
2. Evolution was the first looping coaster in the world
3. Batman the ride was the first hanging coaster in the world
4. Goliath and its twin Titan in Texas are one of the tallest and longest drops
in the NorthAmerica (TGop Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point recently beat them out)
5. Scream is a new one that looks interesting
6. There was so much work going on in the park that everything must be working
by now, right?
Check out the rides and stats at www.rcdb.com
By the way, the Deja Vu ride was constructed at about 6 or 8 locations around
the world by Vekome. Called an inverted roller coaster in a bomerang
configuration, this ride is not working in most of the parks it was installed.
The problem is the limit sensors that check to see if the ride has returned to
the safety position for loading an unloading. The train leaves the station
taking you backwards up an incline. From the top the coaster is dropped and
passes through the boarding station and enters a loop and climbs a second tower
where you are stopped. The train is lifted to a certain height and you are
dropped again repeating the course backwards. The train is then breaked after
passing through the station and allowed to climb up the first tower until
gravity retards your momentum.
We have one of these in Atlanta at Six Flags here and the ride works 25% of the
time, I waited one day 2 hours to ride as the thing ran then shut down, ran and
then shut down repeatedly. When the train is breaked through the station, the
ride must meet certain limit switches before it will release the harnesses to
allow riders to exit and enter. I watched as nearly every third operation
required the ride to be shut down and re-started, a process that took 12 minutes
every time. Apprently, the system is so safe, the only way to convince it to
release passengers is to restart the entire system!
I did get to ride it in Atlanta but not in California. The ride was cool, but
short. You are hulled up backwards meaning you rest you chest on the sholder
restraint bar until you are let go. Then on the second tower you are on you
back. After the second release you end back on you back briefly experiencing
weightlessness and then carene to a scretching halt in the station. Very violent
physically, but I felt safe the whole time.
And yes, I had to wait 12 minutes for the system to be re-booted until I could
exit the ride after my turn was complete.
Hopefully Vekoma will not be put out of business as Caripro was from their
trouble with Batflyer (Spellbreaker at Legoland) was. Oh, and, Vekoma bought
Caripro.
Todd
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Amusments Parks
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| (...) X looks stunning in theory, it's a great concept and I only hope one day Intamin, B+M or Vekoma can take that Arrow trash and rework their general idea into something that actually works properly and doesn't tear itself to pieces :) (...) I've (...) (21 years ago, 3-Mar-04, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Amusments Parks
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| Iain, I'm going to Southern California. Other then the obvious one, what theme park should I go to. I want rides. Derek ps. I think we can all guess what the obvious one is. (21 years ago, 2-Mar-04, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
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