TombRaiderFTW
-
Posts
4,492 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
13
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Calendar
Posts posted by TombRaiderFTW
-
-
1 minute ago, Voicetek said:
The posters found at Cedar Fair had obvious nods to both Son of Beast and Adventure Express. "Number 5 is Alive" and "Track 2 is no longer is use and has been permanently abandoned" were written on the posters. Pair that with the announcement being on National Rollercoaster Day and you can't help but speculate differently. I never thought we were getting a rebuild of Son of Beast, that's never happening. However, I figured a revamp of Adventure Express was highly possible. Just not sure what all the teaser posters were getting at.
Those weren't teasers. They were Easter eggs.
-
4
-
1
-
-
^ Seconded. Smart reversal of one of the biggest mistakes of the last decade.
For those of us who weren't able to tune into the entire livestream: did they say where they would go?
-
3
-
-
I don't have anything unique to contribute, as I agree with the general consensus. I think I've said this before, but I wouldn't be mad at seeing Coney Mall get repurposed into a romanticized 1920's version of itself. I don't expect that tomorrow, but it would still be cool. That, and if a giga is coming, give it a curved, old-timey wood station (something like Comet at Waldameer but with the artistry of Racer at Kennywood) and a throwback name, like Shooting Star.
Gotta be that guy for a second: for the record, y'all, THIS is what teasers and hints actually look like from the park.
-
3
-
-
18 hours ago, HandsUp said:
@TombRaiderFTW I hear you, but in the day and age of rampant digital connectivity, the powers that be know that even little crumbs of info will be spread and speculated on. And let's face it, once there is actual teasers, those are seen as basically an announcement. It's all just a way to build it up the hype...enthusiasts are the best marketing and the official announcement is usually just the confirmation of 'ongoing speculation'. I love it all either way--especially the conceptual joining of multiple parks' theming.
Okay, but here's the thing:
1.) What percentage of park guests in a year do you think are enthusiasts? How much influence do you think we have? We're not a huge group. If there were enough of us to be the best marketing, wouldn't coaster clubs be renting out whole days at the park instead of just ERT sessions tacked onto the end of normal operating days?
2.) I don't disagree about the connectivity bit, but that doesn't change the fact that Cedar Fair doesn't tease new rides through subtlety and niche hints, which seem to be the trees everyone's barking up right now. We literally have an example two years ago involving fences, signs, fog machines, and announcement dates posted well in advance. How many subtle "hints" in the season beforehand did the park give?
-
3
-
-
^ The only reason the news believes there is substance to the rumors is that it's being talked about here.
A question I think everyone here needs to answer: why would any park ever release hints that:
1.) are only recognizable by people with an amount of industry knowledge the average park guest wouldn't have (e.g. "giga" in the snow),
2.) require an enthusiast-level amount of attention to detail to an obscure feature that played absolutely no part in the ride experience of a roller coaster that hasn't operated in almost 10 years (e.g. Outpost 5), and/or
3.) exist at a park that isn't the one the "hint" is about (e.g. literally anything reported in Steel Vengeance's queue)?
Do you know what teasers do? Get media and guest attention for the park by the park's own doing. Enthusiast speculation being reported on is not the same thing. Actual teasers--ride Sally ride, filming in progress, watch out for falling trees--get everyone's attention. It's not there to wink at enthusiasts through subtlety. Marketing and PR don't exist to tickle enthusiasts.
You know what DOES contain all three of those features? Easter eggs, which aren't the same thing as hints. Easter eggs exist to wink at loyal fans. Putting Canada's Wonderland-, Kings Island-, and California's Great America-related posters in the Steel Vengeance queue/the area near Steel Vengeance does exactly that.
I love speculation, but the coaster fandom is really, really good at cycling through Here's a Thing I Noticed -> I Wonder If It's a Hint -> It's Definitely a Hint -> It's Definitely Confirmed, We're Just Waiting for Them to Announce It -> What Do You Mean It's Not What You Promised This Whole Time so much. It's kind of a mind-numbing cycle to watch over and over and over.
Trust me, folks: when it's a teaser, there won't be any question about whether or not it's a teaser. These aren't hints, no matter how much the news talks about us looking for hints.
-
9
-
-
2 hours ago, JAHill said:
So hear me out. I think I’m onto something.
[...]What are you doing, you monster?! :P
-
1
-
2
-
-
I've been to both, and I echo the advice given here about SFStL.
I've been to SFoT three times, and every time was during the Christmas season. So, take this with a grain of salt...
The park has been decently (but manageably) busy every time I've been. If you can swing it, The Flash Pass isn't a bad idea. You can expect lines for Texas Giant, Titan, Pandemonium, and La Vibora. If Flash Pass isn't an option and you're getting there at opening, I'd honestly head to La Vibora first. It's not the most thrilling ride in the park, but its lowish capacity gives it a constant line. It's decently fun, too. Getting there first may help you beat the crowds. Texas Giant wouldn't be a bad first stop, either, for the same reasons (although TG is definitely thrilling and seems to have better capacity.)
Operations and the park upkeep are pretty good at SFoT. Six Flags gets a lot of flack about operations and allegedly run-down parks in enthusiast circles. There ARE some parks of theirs that fit that mold (SFA, SFMM), but this isn't one of them. It's a pretty park that's generally run well. I've always been impressed.
Food-wise... I can't think of anything exceptional there that wasn't part of the Christmas event. It definitely wasn't bad, but I can't specifically recommend anything.
As far as I'm concerned, Shock Wave (in the back), Runaway Mine Train, Texas Giant, and Titan are the must-dos. Shock Wave has incredibly fun airtime in the back. Runaway Mine Train was Arrow's first non-Disney coaster and is one of their best. Even if you're not big on Arrow rides, it's still a great ride. Texas Giant is the first RMC and is honestly a bit tame compared to the others, but a tame RMC is still a dang good ride. Titan is just fun; while there's not much airtime, there is a lot of speed to enjoy. Until the mid-course brakes, anyway.
Runaway Mountain can be a little nauseating, so be warned: if being on a coaster in the dark with a lot of repetitive turns isn't your thing, you may want to think twice. (I wouldn't compare it to Flight of Fear... Flight of Fear doesn't feel like a lot of helices put together, but that's what Runaway Mountain can feel like. I had friends walk away dizzy. Your mileage may vary.)
I'd like to suggest other things in the area like @King Ding Dong did, but I've never been overwhelmed with excitement by Dallas. (I *have* been overwhelmed by how many annoying u-turns you have to make to get anywhere, though... Haha.)
-
Interesting poster. I'm having 2012 KIC flashbacks, though...
-
4
-
-
1 hour ago, Kenban said:
It says Bonifield Barrell Co., Oak Strong and Iron Bound, Since ‘93, Mason - Sandusky. Barrels for all occasions.
Bonifeld? '93? Mason? On a teaser poster?
I'm officially old. This old gun can't top that. It's a bit... extreme. Or maybe not extreme enough?
Is this what it feels like to be The Interpreter?
-
5
-
-
First: I think that's a nice-looking coaster. I'm not a sports guy, but it does look like fun. I'm pretty sure Ride Centerline, who does layouts for RMC and Chance, also does layouts for S&S. I look for this to be a little more intense in real life than in the animation.
Second: Forgive me for being That Enthusiast, but I'm not overwhelmed by the idea of that area of Kennywood being covered in Steelers IP. To me, it (and to a lesser extent, Thomas Town) go against what Kennywood has been for years. Much like with California Adventure, I feel like there are ways to include IP that doesn't detract from the theme of the park, but I don't feel like that's what's happening here. It's certainly not going to keep me from visiting, but it does feel like the soul of the place has been ever so slightly chipped away at.
(Get off my lawn, you whippersnappers.)
-
1
-
-
^^ No, but it does appear to be a reference to Tomb Raider: The Ride. TRTR's preshow referenced "the Khmer trail," which was implied to be somewhere in southeast Asia (possibly Cambodia.) The spray painted "TRTR" would imply that that is intentional.
-
Nah, they should go big. They ought to charge at least $100 more and let your upgraded pass get you into Cedar Point. They could name it after another metal...
In all seriousness: yeah, I also don't feel like Gold passes have the exclusivity they were originally meant to under Paramount. You honestly have to go out of your way to get a regular season pass at this point. What perks would you add to improve it, though?
-
I'm still skeptical that that was Fred Grubb, but if we're being totally honest, I wouldn't hate the idea of Racer keeping its layout but getting Topper Track. Make the track red, and we're one step closer to the ride looking and riding like it did in 1972.
I also wouldn't hate it if Beast got new articulating PTCs and gently reprofiled with Topper Track to get rid of some trim brakes, but I won't say that here... Oops.
-
13 hours ago, Tera Ryzing said:
That said the cell phone was in a pocket, the woman wants KD to do more to prevent these things. What is KD supposed to do, pat people down at the entrance?
I can't believe I'm saying this (
), but I actually agree with Tera Ryzing on this one. I'm not sure how a cell phone in a pocket is something the ride operators, spieling or not, could have done something about. It sounds pretty established that the phone was in his pocket, not in his hand.
-
4
-
-
45 minutes ago, sixohdieselrage said:
^ Here is one for you...
What if this child has an appropriate color wristband for the ride, and has a Drivers License that has the Orange (54") color band? I mean, it's still rude to argue and I'm not saying that I support that. But, what if...
Not sure if you were asking me or @flightoffear1996 this. If you were asking me: If there's conflicting information about how tall the child is, then they need to be checked. Conflicting info is a failure on the system's part that unfortunately becomes the guest's problem, but that isn't a reason to unload both barrels on the ride ops. They didn't invent the system.
Take the problem to the people who can actually do something about it. In the meantime, have some perspective on the fact that height checking, in the long term, is a very brief activity with important consequences. It's not like they're asking you to prepare your taxes before riding.
-
4
-
-
^ Because not every ride has a line separator who can check them on the way in. I imagine this is due to staffing levels. Sometimes, ya gotta make lemonade out of lemons.
And yes, I've seen the yelling. That's one of the ugliest and nonsensical things I've ever seen at a park. Imagine how much more upsetting it would be to have an incident because a child was too short. Makes that 10-second check seem a little less torturous, I hope?
There is no reasonable argument against height checking, period.
-
8
-
-
I swear, it's a tradition around here for one of the acts to only last about two weeks after opening... Has that ever *not* been true?
-
EDIT: Nevermind.
-
1
-
-
8 hours ago, King Ding Dong said:
Closing the ride early, to me, says they've got a fix up their sleeve and/or want to do some testing. I'll be curious to see how Steel Vengeance runs tomorrow and this weekend.
-
The description sounds closer to Mike Graham than Fred Grubb.
TRFTW, poking the bear.
-
This year, it's just a KI pass for me. I've had Kentucky Kingdom, Six Flags, Holiday World, Kennywood, Dollywood, and Universal passes before.
-
1
-
-
^ If it wasn't me, then that person is 100% correct. It's grodyburger.
-
2
-
-
As a former Subway sandwich artist... Please don't toast your tuna. It turns gray and looks pretty gross.
-
2
-
2
-
-
18 hours ago, silver2005 said:
I also don't get why RMC is changing up their rolling stock so often. Why can't they come up with a design they're comfortable with and stick with it?
1 hour ago, chugh43 said:
Why would they have one model/design and stick with it? Variety is the spice of life.Part of remaining in business is being willing to improve your product when needed. Improving products takes time away from other tasks that also need to be accomplished. The time it takes to make improvements has a cost associated with it.
Improvements, especially on the scale of RMC's newest-generation trains, don't happen on a whim.
RMC is also a very young company in terms of how long they've been building their own rides, so I'm personally not shocked to see changes like this. I've heard bits and pieces around the Internet indicating their original trains were kind of a pain to work on, too.
-
4
-
), but I actually agree with Tera Ryzing on this one. I'm not sure how a cell phone in a pocket is something the ride operators, spieling or not, could have done something about. It sounds pretty established that the phone was in his pocket, not in his hand.
The Giga Speculation Thread
in Rumors
Posted
I also can't help but wonder how many of the people demanding Son of Beast's return actually rode the thing.
I'm sure someone will reply to this with "it wasn't that bad," but I don't think you all understand how rough of a ride it was. To many, it was literally the baseline comparison for how rough a wooden coaster could be. Beast and Racer never had anything on it. In rougher years, more hyperbolic members would say that both were approaching Son of Beast's roughness, but I sincerely can't think of a time when anyone ever accused either of being rougher. I've ridden something in the neighborhood of 290-something coasters, and the only rides that have ever come close to that experience for me were Boardwalk Bullet and Gwazi.
Everything up to the first drop after the lift was good. Everything after somehow managed to make meandering airtime- and lateral-lessly into a painful experience. Based on how many "[Relative] of Beast" comments float around each time a new ride gets built, I can't help but feel like many are more attached to the name and marketing than the ride itself.