Shaggy

SFOG has always had a problem with flooding since it's essentially in a valley... however that's the worst I've ever seen it. Shaggy

Thanks! Interpreter: I met Steve at Phoenix Phall Phunfest many moons ago. He was a lively guy, and one of the all time great coaster lovers. I was sad to hear of his passing. Violakat: I have one of those lists too.... aren't they great! Marking Coney off was a HUGE accomplishment for me. And I've been lucky enough to mark quite a few other biggies off the list in recent years... My next really BIG one is being planned for 3 years from now. I hope to celebrate my 40th seeing Austria and Switzerland. I've never been to Europe, but know in my heart of hearts, that I'll be breathtaken. In regards to your profile icon picture... I visited Ground Zero in the morning prior to going to Coney. While we were there, they were imbedding a steel beam from the World Trade Center into the new building's foundation. Shaggy

This is long, so enjoy the journey with me. Are things ever what you envision them to be? I’d been putting off a visit to Manhattan for sometime. Not for any real reason other than circumstance. I knew I wanted to venture to the great white way to see 9 to 5 on Broadway. (I love me some Dolly!) My intention was to see it in the spring, but in typical “me” fashion, time began escaping. The economy bottomed and in late July the trade papers began uttering rumblings of an early closure due to not recouping weekly running costs. (Sorry, I’m a 15 year vet of Broadway booking and producing) It’s a problem many, many Broadway shows are facing these days. (Well, unless they have the deep pockets of the mouse, wear a porcelain mask or feature a certain green witch.) With news of 9 to 5’s imminent demise, I immediately booked my trip to NYC and I arrived on Aug 23rd. Monday the 24th saw a huge dream realized… and no, it had nothing to do with Dolly. ;-) The timing couldn’t have been better. You see, ever since I was a wee lad, I was fascinated with turn of the century amusement parks. Top of that heap was Coney Island in Brooklyn. For those who have little knowledge of Coney, I’ll give a brief layman’s Coney Island history lesson. Coney Island was not 1 park, as many assume. Coney Island was a collection of amusements and attractions that once made up a beachfront resort stretching nearly 4 miles in Brooklyn. Brooklyn lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the island of Manhattan. In its heyday, Coney Island annually attracted millions of visitors to its beaches. Amusements began cropping up in the form of side shows, then rides, eventually scenic railways (the predecessor to the modern coaster) and over-the-top parks and attractions. A subway line was built from Manhattan to Coney around 1915, and this prompted the resort area to explode. By the 1920’s Coney Island was the world’s most expansive and leading amusement resort area. The three main parks on the beachfront were Luna Park, Steeplechase, and Dreamland. Steeplechase is credited as being the frontrunner and example by which modern amusement parks were based. In addition to these parks, plots of land were leased to entrepreneurs who, among other things, built the new novelty… scenic railways. These ramshackle gravity driven railcars soon became roller coasters. Three notable coasters were built during the 1920s, the Tornado, Thunderbolt and Cyclone. The Cyclone remains the only coaster from Coney’s heyday still in operation. I believe it was ironically the last coaster built in it’s time period. The Tornado was lost in the 1970s and the Thunderbolt met its fate just this decade after standing but not operating for 20 years. After World War II, Coney fell victim to crime and urban development. Ultimately, gang warfare in the 1950’s (think West Side Story) and extreme low income housing installations resulted in the essential demise of America’s playground. Steeplechase Park was the holdout, but fell victim to closure in the mid 1960s. The demise can be blamed on the collective feel that Coney was no longer a safe place to visit. Astroland was opened around 1962 as an attempt to revive the dying amusement business. However the ongoing threat of crime, highly publicized subway incidents and the Worlds Fair nearly closed the park. It struggled and survived until recently when the owners sold the park to a new developer. It stands idle today. Coney Island sort of became an embarrassment of sorts to NYC Officials in the 1970s. Fred Trump (Donald’s father) actually spearheaded a campaign aimed at destroying any remaining amusements and having the area rezoned to outlaw them. Thankfully, he failed, saving what little is left. The man was so hell-bent on destroying what history remained that he actually held parties to throw bricks at still-standing structures! There are 4 significant attractions that have survived from the heyday of Coney Island. The Wonder Wheel, Nathan’s Hot Dog Stand, The Parachute Jump and the Cyclone are the few trace remnants. History lesson over. I can’t quite describe my pre-conceived visions of what my experience at Coney Island would be like. I had seen it from the air when flying in and out of NY airports. And Lord knows I had read enough about it. However I wasn’t quite sure of how run-down and barren it would be and if much of it’s past would be recognizable. My friend Nathan was a good sport and willing to go with me on the excursion. At the very least, it was good to have the support and conversation as the subway ride from the Times Square area went on, and on, and on… I have to admit trepidation in riding the subway through what I had always heard was a high crime area. I’m a big guy, so is Nathan… and we can hold our own… but I did wonder if the word TOURIST would beacon out from our forehead inviting trouble. How naïve! As the train went on, stop after stop, fewer people were left on it. By the end, we were virtually the only two left in the train. (Not counting the person sleeping in a curled up ball in the rear corner. They never woke up to my knowledge and are probably still there.) As the train rounded Brighton Beach, I began to piece it together. In front of me was the area I had so often envisioned in my mind. Yet it was seemingly different from those mental snapshots. It was a very warm, bright sunny day, so there were people bathing on the beaches. From inside the train, I first saw the ocean, then the Cyclone, then the Wonder Wheel and finally the Parachute Jump. Quite honestly, I had déjà vu (the experience, not the ride) reminding me of defunct parks from my childhood. I instantly remembered the smell and feel of Ocean View Park and Buckroe Beach. They were a stones throw away from me as a kid. Those parks are long gone, but no doubt once thrived on the successfully laid groundwork of Coney Island. There are still arcades and side-show type attractions… but not in a nice vintage way. Most were reminiscent of one of those horrid portable carnivals that travel the country. Most annoying was the loud rap music screaming from inside these places and airbrushed graffiti on the outside exteriors. We passed by Surf Avenue t-shirt souvenir junk stand hecklers and headed directly for the coaster. So there I finally stood at the entrance to the Cyclone after 37 years. (Of me, not it.) But I can’t explain what I felt. I guess you could say it was like seeing a long lost friend, or meeting one you’ve never met face to face. It was instantly familiar to me, but also unfamiliar. I felt a million miles away from home in that instant. Odd. But, lots of things crossed my mind. It surprised me that so much of it was made of steel. It was well kept, but rundown at the same time. It only had around 20 people riding. It had that “smell” - you know the one. Grease, wonderful hot coaster chain grease. It’s been painted about a million times. There were very few tourists. It was actually bigger/longer than I expected. After a confusing ticket purchase at the entrance booth (under the 2nd turnaround) we were up the entrance ramp and boarding the front seat of the train with no wait. If I had it to do over again, I’d probably soak up the surroundings a bit more. But it seemed like in a flash I was trying feverishly to fit 6’ 3” me into an overly padded car built for people 5’ tall. CLUNK! …was the sound my knee made hitting the metal lap bar bracket getting into the very front seat. I had the souvenir bruise for a week, something those junk peddlers couldn’t sell. No time to say “ouch” though… we were already off and running. Never in my life have I felt such pressure to get in, sit down and be latched so quickly into a coaster. We were turning the corner to the lift before I even realized I still had my hat on. Heck I don’t think I even saw the infamous “Secure Wigs and Hats” sign until back in the station! (Did you know that the “wig” part of the sign serves a purpose? It has shut down several times due to wigs flying off and jamming the wheels!) The coaster ride experience was what I predicted it to be. Rough, very rough. But it’s allowable for such a piece of history. The train dips left to right shimmying up the lift. The first drop was every bit as steep as people claim it to be. But that second drop off the turn… eeeeeouch! Don’t ask me to quote the ride to you. I just know it was longer than I expected it to be… but in an okay way. After about two minutes, it was done. My first ride on the Cyclone was reality, and now a part of history. We opted to pay the $5 for a re-ride which proved just as rough and just as rushed. LOL After exiting, I took my pictures, filmed the coaster in action, and called my Dad from the boardwalk. I was feeling all sentimental and wanted him to somehow be there to ride it with me. He’s the one that got me started on these things after all. I got his voice mail. LOL! Nathan is scared of heights. So of course I insisted that we ride the Wonder Wheel next. Nathan is scared of unstable things. So of course I insisted we ride a swinging car. The devil in me didn’t get enough of a charge out of forcing him to the top of the Empire State Building the night prior. (*See footnote at the bottom) So I thought the Wonder Wheel would do the trick. Deno’s Wonder Wheel has a story of its own. Constantinos Dionysios Vourderis, otherwise known as Denos, came to the US as an immigrant and earned a living as a young man pushing vending carts. He once promised his wife that he would buy her the Wonder Wheel as a symbol of his love. “The largest wedding ring” he called it. He eventually managed a restaurant at Coney and began managing the park that was home to the Wonder Wheel. When the owners fell on hard times, Denos asked to buy it, and was sold the ride for far less than its value… all because they knew his love for the ride would preserve its history. He built a new park around it, and viola! Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park. Great story, huh? I digress… It seems my evil plans backfire. Once we got on the wheel, I immediately started clicking pictures and filming. Within an instant we dipped, dropped and swung. It unnerved me. I had ridden the version at California Adventure, and had no issue there. But I guess the rusty bolts and the fact that it’s about 80 years old had a larger impact than I thought. After the initial descent, I was fine and managed to capture on video Nathan breathlessly screaming “Oh, Oh, Oh dear Lord!!!” and holding on like a frightened caged cat. Muhahahahaha! With that, the riding portion of our day was over. Well, amusement riding portion anyway. Other than kiddie or carnival type rides, there’s few amusements there to enjoy these days. So we walked the boardwalk. Now although I couldn’t explain what I felt when arriving at the Cyclone, I distinctly recall what I felt as we walked the boardwalk. I felt old boards, classic old boards that seem unsecure and ready to break. It felt so great and nostalgic to me. Actually, it was my uneasy feeling on those boards that gave me the sensation of time gone by. This was THE most famous boardwalk ever built, and I was there. Thank God it’s been preserved (albeit moved in the 60s) over the years and not sacrificed for beachfront condos. As monumental as this was to me, it was also melancholy. There are ghosts of the past that seemingly haunt the boardwalk. These looming spirits seem to blow in the air even on a bright sunny day. There’s a sound, a look, a feel that exists that can’t really be put into words. It reminds you of men in Bowlers, and Women wearing corsets and children in knee high socks all roaming around in awe of the sites at a time when electricity was astounding. There’s a mental reminder of just how far and distant our world, and country is from its roots. Progress and technology has made our lives so much easier, but it came at a cost of our innocence. I envy those simpler times. In place of the Great Luna and Dreamland now there’s an Aquarium. In place of Steeplechase, there’s a minor league ball field. Where the Thunderbolt stood rotting for so long, is an overgrown field. The Parachute Jump, Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower, still stands (non operationally) to this day, and likely gives ghost rides to those spirits still roaming the boardwalk. Then there’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Stand. It’s nearly 100 years old, and true to its claims, serves the best chili dogs ever made. And yes, I planned it… I planned for Nathan and I to end our time at Coney Island eating an original Nathan’s hot dog. It was the least I could do for someone so willing to brave the Wonder Wheel. I wish the best for Coney Island. But I don’t see it ever returning to the glory days it once knew. I am ecstatic that the Cyclone, Parachute Jump, and Wonder Wheel are all preserved as historical landmarks to remind people such as us of the great place it was and all the laughter and excitement it brought to so many. I am grateful that I got to, in a small way, play a spectator’s part in its continuing history. Will I return? Maybe, if it feels right. But for now I am happy with my new visions and understanding of what Coney Island was and is. I have enjoyed learning and exploring and will continue to so do by viewing archives of what once existed. However, I want to preserve my fond memories like those old black and white vintage snapshots of the past. My trip to Coney Island is one that I’ll recall with fondness like so many millions of happy visitors before me. (For those that may be interested… yes I saw 9 to 5, yes it was as good as I hoped, yes I’d recommend it, yes it closed this past weekend. LOL!) *Footnotes: Empire State Building: It’s a long wait to get to the top, only to be pushed and shoved like cattle along with an endless amount of foreign tourists all to get a glimpse of… rooftops. It was the only disappointing part of an amazing week in Manhattan. It is of note that out of the endless amount of things to do in NYC, it is my opinion that a ride on the Staten Island Ferry at dusk cannot be beat. It is an amazing experience that costs… nothing. It is by far my favorite experience there.

It just prooves where the bulk of voters live. The northeast rides typically pull a ton of votes. Such a big part of these results is based on geographical demographics. Still, remarkably on-point. Shaggy

Screamscape IS just a rumor site, but I know for a fact that parks "leak" info to him to help keep interest buzzing. I've seen it firsthand. But a word of caution about Screamscape... things get "altered" over time. As more accurate clues and rumors get posted, past updates get "edited." That way when latter rumors proove to be true, the initial false ones he posted are gone, and he can say "I told you so." I love Screamscape, read it all the time. But the "told you so's" irritate me. Shaggy

Give him a break... He's red-headed and fair skinned... like I am... and probably not sunburned, just red. I turn red after about 5 minutes in the sun, doesn't mean I am burned, just means my skin is hot. Anticlimactic? Only if you somehow were wishing for something else. I personally think its a good addition for them. Good to see water rides making a comeback. (Many here are too young to remember the days when outside of a flume there were virtually no water rides at parks... in the mid 1980's raft rides revolutionized the industry spurring interest in water attractions once again. Maybe this will do the same.) Shaggy

Good for them! Looks like a fun ride, and nice to see something different at CP. I doubt I'll ride though... I would, but going under one of those drenching waterfalls is not my idea of fun. Why did they have to put that in there? Shaggy

So with KI being owned by CF, and you're being such a "heartfelt" fan of KI, why on earth would you find any humor in the mere thought of CF going bankrupt? Shaggy

They bought PP for 1.24 billion when they were already have a billion in debt. CF has more than turned into the new SF. They keep making very poor business decisions, and there is no sign of it stopping anytime soon. Are you a fan of KI?

"I must say, I am dissapointed with the height and speed. I know, it's a giga. That's awesome. But, I think it should've broken records or something. I guess I'm more dissapointed with the length though. Tha little bit of track will be over in such a short period of time at that speed." Why break records? SOB broke them... did that make it better? As far as the short ride... count your blessings, it could be TTD. "Anyone who is dissapointed with MF because of no airtime with be dissapointed with this. Also, a couple of the transitions look like Vortex's, I hope that's just because it's an animation. They are classifying the restraint system as over the shoulder lap bars, not over the shoulder restraints." The best feature of this ride has little to do with the airtime hills. The fact that it will be so close to the ground is it's highlight. Flying past low lying objects will make the speed seem even more extreme. The restraints look to be like Mavericks... which are tight at the waist and open around your neck/shoulders. "Im just disappointed in color choice. Love the Red track, but Yellow supports? Why not Black or Silver Supports?" It's Cedar Fair... they don't know how to not include yellow or red on a coaster. "Don't get me wrong, the ride looks uber badass, no doubt, but it doesn't look anything at all like I thought a giga would. While Millennium Force is huge, with mammoth hills and drops, and a beautiful structure, this ride looks like a low to the ground, speed monster with a 305 foot hill to get things started instead of a launch (Which, being a NASCAR ride, I would have thought more appropriate). I also am not a fan of the minimalist support structure, maybe it's just me but I love the look of the intricate supports on MF, and this with only two support beams on the lift hill? That's why it's only 25M I guess. " So how is a Giga supposed to look? I always thought a Giga looked 300' tall... if that's the case... then this looks like a Giga. As far as a launch being more appropriate... Nacars don't race... they speed up and down. "dude, i was all excited to wake up late today and have the announcement already have been made. I got up and saw Intimidator 305 and was like ALRIGHT!!!! But then i saw the layout and specs and was thinking "Are you serious??" I am really disappointed with the layout and how MF is still taller. I was really wanting this baby to beat out MF. And i think the biggest disappointment of all is the fact that it uses OSTRs, COME ON CF!!!! These are not necessary for a ride of this type!" Did you honestly think Cedar Fair was going to out-do MForce? Not a chance. They are not about to compromise any coaster at their Flagship. Oh, and the restraints are necessary due to the lateral direction changes. That's what dictated their use. Shaggy

***SPOILER*** Here's the secret revealed if you can't wait: http://www.catchfence.com/2009/sprintcup/0...oaster-in-2010/

Really? Cause the complaints I heard when it was TR: TR came particularly from men, if you understand. Hence my stating "didn't like going upside down for so long." Sometimes it's best to avoid stating the obvious.

It's worth noting that neither Crypt... nor TR:TR have ever had high overall guest ratings. The complaints from the beginning were: Too short, didn't like going upside down for so long. The complaints now seem to be: Too short, didn't like not going upside down. Fact is, as it stands today... without proper theming and show elements to distract, the ride program can never be enough. The Giant Huss Topspin is simply too large and too cumbersome a unit to cycle over and over with a large amount of inversions. That's why the original was themed so heavily. KI wanted a Top Spin, but for capacity reasons needed the giant version. It was a trade off. KD's, followed suite and is a better install because it's: A. Smaller B. Outdoors C. Able to easily change rotational programs. These advantages stemmed only from the lessons learned with KI's TR:TR. Shaggy

Did you ride it at Wonderland, Carowinds or Kings Dominion? Wonderlands was the first and has a capacity of about 23 people per hour. Carowinds was built in an old park theatre in the "Western" area of the park??? It's got a capacity of about 50 per hour. Kings Dominions was the last of the bunch to be built, and from what I understand get's a great capacity. KI's used the existing People Mover from Phantom Theater because of it's large capacity. However every other car was removed. Ditto. Enchanted Voyage was about as perfect as a ride could be for the entire family with a wonderful, snappy song. To this day, I still don't understand why KI ever removed it. They removed it because it was falling apart. The animatronics were virtually worn out, half the figures had stopped working and overall the scenes were filthy. It was called Scooby Zoom I believe. There have been over 6 KI attractions themed with Scooby and the gang through the years. Can you name them all?

Why are there so many people speculating the removal of Flight Deck? There are threads suggesting this everywhere. Why? Because it needs a paint job? Because Big Bad Wolf is being removed? I will fall off my chair shocked if Flight Deck goes anywhere in the next 10 years. SOB is a different story... it's the new Hercules. What would I do with the area? Kill SOB, remove the Go-Carts and cut a path to The Racer/FOF area. I'd remove Congo Falls and Invertigo and place a true Invert in their spot. Shaggy

Maybe I'm off the mark here, but are this coaster's markings crossing the state line? Could the monies be distributed between the two counties/states? Shaggy

That they do. Pirate, anyone? What about Dorney? Just to begin. . . Kingdom of the Dinosaurs Knott's Berry Tales Journey to the Center of the Earth Earthquake...

I think everyone should pray hard that CF doesn't decide to remove "Scooby"... if they do, say goodbye to any dark ride at KI. CF has a long, bad, and notorious history of removing dark rides left and right from the parks they own/aquire only to replace them with.... nothing. For those still lamenting the loss of Phantom Theater... while I agree it was a terrific dark ride which I very much enjoyed... the thing was falling apart and needed to be yanked. Dissapointed as I was with the 2-dimensional Scooby, in the final years only about 1/3 of Phantom Theatre's effects still worked. What you saw just before it closed didn't compare to how it looked it's opening year. Shaggy

They don't care since the three parks do not compete for attendance within the same regional areas. Shaggy

I have a great Camden Hawnted House story... On one of my trips to Camden, I was by myself. Well, I got on the Hawnted House, and the entire side of my car fell off! The ride op came running up, and instead of stopping the ride, he told me to stay seated and then just "popped" the side back on. He then gave me a shove and off I went! That attraction is normally tame, to say the least, but that ride sure scared me to death! I spent the rest of my trip through the building scared for my safety! Shaggy

I'm a wooden/rough coaster fan (SOB!), Busch garden rides are so smooth i barely got a thrill. Maybe i am just spoiled by my coaster capitol homeland Oh, if you like 'em rough then KD has plenty for you.... Hurler, Grizzly should suit your taste ;-) I've always heard KD referred to as "ghetto Kings Island," but I'm glad to see that CF has put an initiative to try and improve it. Well, again, I hold a soft spot of KD because of so many childhood memories. When I visit now, I desperately miss Lost World/Fantasy Mountain.

Hi! I grew up in Eastern Virginia, and was lucky enough to visit KD many, many times. I was also fortunate that I had a sister that lived in Ohio and that allowed me to travel to KI many times in my youth/teen years. Later, after I graduated and moved out on my own, I ended up living in Cincinnati for a number of years where I was a KI regular (and still am to an extent.) I manage to get to KD every few years, although the last time I was there was 2003. I hold a soft spot for KD, as it was the place that I first rode a coaster... the Scooby Doo... in 1978. I was 7. How vividly I remember it... mostly because Lost World/Fantasy Mountain had just opened! The parks are remarkably similar, but remarkably different. Of course they both have many of the same attractions, but they also have unique ones. I personally give the edge to KI, mostly because of how it was the "original." KI seems larger to me, and I much prefer the layout of KI. KD has a "lop-sided" feel and has some areas that I find hard to manuever with much narrower paths etc. The whole kids area/congo access at KD is utterly confusing to me. KD's International Street was built much narrower than KI's. I think KI's is about 10 feet wider on each side. KD's trees have matured and parts of the park have a density to it. Heck, the trees on International Street almost obscure the view of the Tower base and International Street shops. KD is now looked upon as being "rough." It attracts a large amount of people from high-crime metro areas such as Richmond and DC. There's been a bit of publicity related to gang incidents and altercations at the park. KD was the first "KECO" park to have metal detectors, which were installed years before KI had them. From what I understand, CF has an initiative to overhaul KD. KD saw a dramatic decrease in family attendance over the years while the over-the-top amazing Busch Gardens down the highway soared in popularity and reputation. That's been the reason for the new coasters. They specifically want to revitalize the "feel" that's been tarnished by the crime and neglect the park saw in the 1990's and early 2000's. So I hope that KD is on the upswing. Speaking specifically about coasters/rides, KD seems to have the better collection of flats. -They have a superior, albeit ridiculously short, invert. -Their Fairly Odd Coaster (or whatever it's called there) is run better than KI's and retains it's final bunny hop. -Hurler is junk... -Grizzly is fun, but a shell of its former self. -KD's FOF has always braked trains mid-course. -Shockwave remains a fun standup, but KI's King Cobra was superior. -Anaconda has one of the worst jaw-breaking head jerks on any Arrow Dynamic looper. -KD has the legendary Rebel Yell featured in "Roller Coaster" the movie. - KD has the WONDERFUL Avalanche Bobsleds (best ride in the park! The Only Mack Bobsled ride located in North America!) However KD committed a horrific sin in the early 1990's. They drained "Lake Charles" and eliminated the ski show in leiu of.... a waterpark. ICK As if that weren't bad enough, they removed the "Old Dominion Line" train in leiu of "Waynes World." OY But I guess it's apples vs oranges since KI removed the Flying Eagles and the picturesque Antique cars in leiu of the piece of %$ junkyard Backlot Stunt Coaster. Something I've never forgiven them for, and doubt I ever will. Overall, you may be surprised at how much KD has to offer. But enter it without comparison... judge it on it's own merit. Honestly... I am more jealous of your being close to Busch Gardens. It is stunning, absolutely stunning and far superior an experience than any Cedar Fair Park. Shaggy

Don't you mean the HaWnted House? ;-)

I wouldn't buy that thing. There's obviously an issue with it since Kennywood just installed it in recent years and is already removing it. Prior, it was at Lake Compounce. I rode it there back in 2000 or so. Quite frankly, if KI were to do anything with the Crypt, I'd suggest re-installing it outdoors and using the show building for something else. However there are so many complicated computer parts involved in Crypt, that when the park does decide to do something with it, it will likely involve the junk pile. I'd be willing to bet that we will see the show building outlast the Huss unit inside of it. Shaggy

That's the model located at Six Flags America. http://rcdb.com/545.htm Two Face has been plagued with downtime since it opened. It also got stuck on the lift 2 years ago and stranded riders for hours. It never re-opened after that and AFAIK has been SBNO for the past 2 seasons. Shaggy