Kings Dominion: the TR.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Hey all! If you happened to read the thread I made on tips for Kings Dominion, then you know I made my way down to Doswell, Virginia this past Thursday. If you didn't, you know now. Kings Dominion's been the park I've been going- there is a no more appropriate word- insane waiting to visit. It's the one park I've wanted to visit ever since vacations even ten years ago, when we ate at the Burger King across the street on a mid-travel chance and I wanted to know why there was another Eiffel Tower at some "Paramount's Kings Dominion". It's the place I've wanted to go ever since I really got into parks and coasters two years ago and discovered they had a lot of the elements since removed from KI that really "made" the park experience when I was a kid. And I finally made it. Holy cow.

I didn't take too many pictures because I was too busy drooling over the theming park experience, but here's how it went down.

The Arrival:

We arrived at the park at 9:30, an hour before it opened. In my opinion, Kings Dominion has a far more impressive skyline compared to Kings Island. It may be an "other side's grass is greener" situation, but to me, the Dominion's skyline-shaping rides seem much closer together. It gave me a first impression that there was a lot more to do in the park, and that ended up getting me incredibly psyched to take on the day. Intimidator 305 and the Eiffel Tower tower over the rest of the park, but between Dominator and Volcano below, getting excited is pretty much inevitable. Dominator, especially, thanks to its location at the front of the park, is very impressive- and looks much larger than I had originally imagined. We parked pretty much the closest you can get to the entrance to the park and made our way to the admission gate, which looks really odd with an Eiffel Tower not blocked by an International Restaurant.

I'm going to jump on a soapbox here for a moment. If you'd rather not read, move on down to the next bold title. I absolutely loved the fact that there's no incredibly special, so-special-we-won't-toss-it-in-with-a-Platinum-pass parking there. It's not a matter of me being a whiny enthusiast; it's a matter of not getting special treatment based on how much you pay. I'm not a big fan of a lot of price-based perks- in fact, the only reason I get a platinum pass each year is for the admission and parking to other CF parks. It's come in fantastic use for Kings Island, Cedar Point, Michigan's Adventure (even though they weren't too familiar with what it was, haha), and now Kings Dominion. (On a side note, I absolutely hope the non-included parking rumor for next year isn't true. It will make my renewing come into strong question.) The "premiere" parking (or whatever it is) at KI just irks me, because it's like Kings Island absolutely has to nickel-and-dime their guests for every last cent they have access to. But I'll step off my soapbox now.

Waiting to Enter:

We stood in line at the gate when, out of nowhere, Linus came out to greet everyone in line. He was soon followed by (someone I guess to be) an admissions supervisor, who greeted us all with a very friendly, very loud "goooooooooooooooooood morning" and explained to us about how to safely store our items for the rides before telling us to enjoy our day. What a fantastic touch! I had heard enthusiast grumblings about the KD staff, but I certainly wasn't buying into it at the first impression.

And at 10:00, the surprisingly small group of us were allowed to enter. With the strongest urge ever of excitement to grab my friend Hannah's sleeve and leave a dust trail towards the rides, we hurried over to Berzerker. Berzerker is located just off the left side of International Street, most comparably where our (former- can't think of its current name) Paramount Theatre is located.

Of course, it's completely impossible to avoid gawking at the KD IS. The KD IS is incredibly tree-filled. When combined with their better-themed buildings, bubbling fountains, and looming Eiffel Tower, the effect is impressive at least. I can't describe it any better than that. It's probably due to being so used to KI's IS, but it totally revved me up for the day.

Now, I'm not really going to give a play-by-play of how we went about the rest of the day, because I honestly feel like it gets old hearing "and then we went to x, which was super awesome, and then we went to y, which was super lame, and then we went to z bathroom, which smelled like old corn chips". Instead, I'll just review the rides in the order we hit them up.

The Rides.

Berzerker:

If you're not familiar with Berzerker, it's essentially Kings Dominion's Viking Fury/swinging ship. The big draw with Berzerker, however, is that it rotates a full 360 degrees, leaving you dangling above the ground. The differences because of that are that the lap bar is instead, for a lack of better words, two colossal, firm black marshmallows and that it has over-the-shoulder restraints (OTSRs). This seemed like a pretty cool setup for a pretty cool ride, especially with its walk-on wait. The cycle started, and while it didn't have the airtime of Viking Fury, I was impressed. And then came the first swing that nearly cleared the top.

The OTSRs on Berzerker were at best painful as we dangled down on top of them, and on the down swing, mine gave my friend's and my lungs a good squeeze as they clicked further down. From that point on, we laughed in gasping agony as we kept swinging and flipping. Point and case, we walked away nicknaming the ride "Asthma: The Ride" but regardless having had obscenely too much fun.

If you and your friends happen to be giggling masochists like us, this ride is a must-ride for sure. If you are claustrophobic, dislike being held upside down, or prefer to breathe regularly, you may not enjoy a spin on Berzerker. I'd probably pass on it on a re-visit, but it's worth a shot just to say you've ridden it. 2/10.

Dominator:

Dominator, for those not in the know, is Geauga Lake's transplanted B&M Floorless. There's honestly nothing comparable at Kings Island, unless your imagination can somehow mishmash Vortex and Diamondback into a roaring, smooth looper. Thanks to the nonexistent lines, we walked onto the second row.

Now I understand why people go gaga for B&M coasters. I can absolutely respect other people's opinions of rides, but- be gentle, flamers- I have never been truly wowed by a B&M coaster before, save for the occasional last-row ride on Raptor. Diamondback has its great moments and is a fantastic addition to KI, but I need more "meat" to my coasters than repeated floater airtime and helixes. Dominator was an absolute blast- and, more importantly, unlike my only other non-DB B&Ms (Raptor and Mantis), Dominator didn't bore me, hurt me, and/or cause me to gray out while boring and/or hurting me. The ride was surprisingly violent- violent, not painful, a la Diamondback's turnaround rattle- but, by the final brake run, I was in love with its twists and fast inversions. The lack of a floor somehow made the view from our row seem wider, as well. I might have preferred a bit quicker pacing, but they all can't be a Voyage. Smiling, we walked away totally loving the ride, and if we'd had more time, I'd almost certainly have gone for a re-ride.

If you like smooth inversions, moderate element pacing, ground-hugging turns, and arguably second-row-of-Racer roughness, I'd put money on you liking Dominator. If you dislike generally awesome loopers or not having solid ground beneath you, this may not quite be your cup of tea. 8/10, and my new #4 steel.

Drop Tower:

Drop Tower is Drop Tower is Drop Tower? Not quite. Kings Dominion's Drop Tower is a bit shorter than ours both in height and in ride time. The shortened ride time is due in part to its lack of rotation and shortened anticipation at the top. It's basically and quick cruise up and a FAST drop down, and it felt to me like the drop was longer. Sure, it's probably due to the fact that I'd never been on the ride before... but tell that to this guy. I hate hate hate getting dropped, and I ended up yelling "ARE WE GOING TO STOP" to the other three riders. Good news, everyone: it stops. The thing must be a people eater, because it's got a huge capacity and a tiny ride cycle. Probably not a huge difference between KI's and KD's DTs besides the rotation to the average Ride Warrior.

If you like getting dropped, then look for the orange-and-pink tower in the Grove. If you hate Drop Tower/getting dropped, let's be friends. And then let's avoid this ride. For a Drop Tower, 10/10. For how much I liked it, 2/10. At least there wasn't much anticipation and/or clicking at the top.

The Crypt:

Now... if you know me at all, you know that this was It. What's It? It is the ride to make the park for me, as decided before I get to the park. If my username isn't obvious enough, Tomb Raider: The Ride was my favorite ride ever, thus making me a bitter, bitter KI Crypt rider. And the old Tomb Raider: Firefall (now KD's Crypt)? It basically kept everything that made it Tomb Raider-y, save for some- and only some- of the direct movie references. Sound like a recipe for Alex happiness? You betcha. So without further ado, both of us (and us alone) walked right onto the side not facing Volcano, strapped in, and waited.

Oh. My goodness. I'm not going to sit here and type "It's like TR:TR never left! It's the best thing ever! Bring all your friends!" The ride is no TR:TR. But so help me, it gets closer than anything else I've experienced. And that was enough for me.

To compare, before I review the ride experience: the ride itself is not the same as our Crypt. I don't care what your friend's mom's brother's niece's cousin's soccer mom's nephew's dog's previous owner told you. Kings Dominion's suspended top spin is a smaller, nimbler ride located outdoors with the vehicle's rows facing opposite each other, whereas ours is a lumbering giant top spin located indoors (with both rows facing forwards) that to me now seems very bulky and very inept at doing anything besides functioning as a grande-size Action Theater. And whereas ours is, as many a member here will say, "a giant Ferris wheel in a box," Kings Dominion's is a spiraling, disorienting sensory overload.

Remember how our Crypt once had that crazy flipping cycle that plastered you to your seat and flung you about? Yeah, I don't think it's supposed to do that. Not comfortably, anyway. It's meant for a suspended top spin, and it works wonders for Kings Dominion. When you're not getting very close to some rather powerful water fountains, you're getting roasted by flames and disoriented by so many flips, all set to an epic score. It's indescribable, and if you're as thirsty for Tomb Raider-top spin goodness as I was, you'll be in love with it. Just like I was.

I really can't build on it any more than that. If you like disorientation, lots of functional theming, epic music scores, Tomb Raider: The Ride, and the smell of propane (from the fire effects, haha) then PLEASE get yourself on The Crypt. If you don't like being flung about, being disoriented, or having a Paramount-worthy good time, then please at least sit in the viewing area for this ride and watch a cycle or two. It's almost more visually impressive from a watcher's perspective than a rider's. 9/10, only because it's so disorienting that I had trouble re-riding it more than once.

Volcano: The Blast Coaster:

Volcano is an Intamin launched suspended coaster set inside a giant volcano. Or, in KI terms... like nothing we have. At all. The best comparison to this is Wicked Twister at Cedar Point meets something twisted, delicious, themed, and full-circuited. The long queue twists its way around and inside the volcano, which itself is adorned with a periodic (literal) blast of flame. The coaster as well winds and twists its way around the volcano. We waited one train for the third row.

I absolutely love this ride, and it completely roasted Wicked Twister from its 5th-place spot on my steel list. A first launch kicks you from the volcano, but a second (and surprisingly strong) launch positively hurls you from the top of the volcano on a twisted path of heartline rolls and sudden dives before you crash smoothly back into the brakes. I was shocked both by how relentlessly fast this ride is and by how jerky it was. Contrary to my POV-fed notions of the ride, the train really flies through the heartline rolls, and the semi-quick transitions into the turns between them could definitely be felt. That's in no way to say the ride is rough. I still like it infinitely better than my experience with the other non-KI Geauga Lake recycle, Thunderhawk at Michigan's Adventure. Volcano just has its way with you and sends you back where you came from, and I completely fell in love with it.

If you enjoy Wicked Twister, (arguably) Maverick, sudden launches, and quick plunges, then I beg of you to ride Volcano: the Blast Coaster. If Flying Ace Aerial Chase seems rough to you, you might want to step away from this amazing ride. 8/10, only because I wish it was a smidge longer. My new #5 steel.

Flight of Fear:

I'll be frank: there aren't a metric ton of exterior differences between KI's and KD's FoF. There's a huge, ugly Haunt setup in the queue. Sure, there's a lot more theatrical lighting that works in KD's. But on the other hand, their station was honestly rather dully lit and poorly cared for compared to ours. It's an equal trade. Everything else was the same on the exterior.

The big difference, however, is that, at least on my walk-on ride in the front row, the ride is incredibly less violent than ours. It was a very smooth ride that didn't stop on the MCBR (!). If I ride our Flight of Fear on a hot, water-deprived day, I will walk away smiling but wincing at my new headache. On this equally hot and water-deprived day, I walked away smiling- and that was it.

If you like our Flight of Fear, you'll probably like this better. If you don't like our Flight of Fear because of anything besides how dark it is, chances are I might ask you to give KD's a try. It was the difference between day and... well, very late that afternoon. The layout was familiar, but the riding experience was new. 8/10.

Boo Blasters on Boo Hill:

Like Flight of Fear, there isn't a ginormous difference between our BBoBH and theirs. The only real external changes are the outside of the building, which has a fantastic queue that leads you through a bayou/swamp sort of themed (I hear the Hallelujah chorus) setting, and how close you come to the targets, which are much closer.

In riding it, though, I found I liked Kings Dominion's BBoBH much better. The cars are mechanically identical to Holiday World's Gobbler Getaway, but the guns are much easier to aim. While moving through nearly identical scenes, we realized the guns have working lasers that help you aim. (If you're a cheater, hold down the button and point it at the targets instead of pressing the trigger. You'll never prosper, you know.) The downside to the experience was that the fog effect wasn't on and the shrieking skeletons were silent and unlit... except when you hit their powered targets. Then, of course they'd let out some shriek to high heaven that scared the bejeezus out of me. Goodness. The end of the ride left me liking it more than ours, but it still just didn't quite take down Gobbler Getaway, for some unknown reason.

If you like dark rides and/or our Boo Blasters, then ride this if you've got extra time. If you're pressed for time, this is honestly kinda passable. There's not that much of a difference besides the outside queue. 7/10.

I'm going to take a break at this point and continue the TR later. We got home this evening, and I'm so tired I've gone cross-eyed trying to write this TR. I hope to cover the rest of the rides and coasters (save for one side of Rebel Yell, Ricochet, and Taxi Jam, which we missed), the park employees, and the park atmosphere in future updates. Till then, let me know what you think!

-Alex

[The Interpreter]

Wow...great reading, and I have something to look forward to when I get up tomorrow...

Old Terp can't wait, but will...

[stephatron]

Awesome TR! I can't wait to hear the rest!

[TombRaiderFTW]

Thanks, Terp and Stephatron! TR writing gets a little easier with comments like yours. Sorry for the wait, by the way. Yesterday was unexpectedly eventful, so by the time I could write, I was too pooped to try. Haha. Anyhoo...

After riding BBoBH about 3 times, we took a break to get some water since the weather was suffocating between the high humidity and mid-90's temperature. But there was more riding to do, so we made our way to...

Shockwave:

If you can recall a time when Kings Island had a TOGO stand-up coaster, you're allegedly not too far off-base from Shockwave. If you're like me and never got a chance to ride King Cobra, then this ride will seem like an incredibly exciting credit to snatch up. Shockwave has a great location along the length of what's essentially KD's Coney Mall with a semi-disturbing rattling sound that can be heard throughout the area. Regardless, though, I found it to be visually enticing, so we walked onto the third row, wedged ourselves in the ridiculously awkward restraints, and were off.

Now, I don't know what riding King Cobra was like... but based off of the reviews, I think I'll imagine it was more pleasant than Shockwave. Don't get me wrong: from the top of the lift, through the loop and double helix, and up till after the airtime hill by the station, I was fairly positive this would clobber Mantis as my favorite stand-up (even though Mantis was the only one I'd been on). The ride wasn't obscenely rough, and my head wasn't necessarily getting chucked around like Mantis tends to at and after the MCBR. The experience thus far had a very "classic" feel to it, and I was loving every minute.

Then came the last turn before the brakes. I watched the front car take this huge, awkward leap into this turn, and I tried to brace myself. I failed. My whole body thunked from one side to the other both entering and exiting the turn. One painful bunny hop and leap into the brakes later, I prayed the brain damage wasn't permanent. The non-Crypt ride that had the most preconceived potential to impress really let me down, to be frank.

If you like awkwardly wedging yourself inside multiple pieces of foam, bracing yourself for pain a la Son of Beast (totally getting flamed for that one), stand-up coasters, and long loading times, I present to thee Shockwave. If you're like me and aren't a fan of having a brace position that has to be applied at a second's notice, then let's skip this one. 4/10 just because I like stand-up airtime (as long as I keep my legs straight!)

TR writing to be continued later this afternoon.

[bkroz]

Yes! I have been waiting for this trip report forever (we also did our Kings Dominion trip reports the same way, listing the rides!) I’m so happy you had such a positive experience like I always do – Kings Dominion is best thought of as the “beautiful” Kings Island, with trees, fountains, forests, waterfalls, beautiful lakes, abundant fake rockwork, etc. No matter how beautiful you think Kings Island is in 2010, you’d almost have to admit that Kings Dominion is moreso. Maybe just because it’s in Virginia, but still...

I couldn’t help but laugh at your review of Berseker. When you said you were most excited about The Crypt & Berseker, I just rolled my eyes. I didn’t ride it, but it’s always a walk-on, and from watching it and seeing that “first-time-it-reaches-the-top-but-doesn’t-quite-make-it-over” that you talked about, I just can’t imagine it being any fun.

I’m so glad I finally found someone else who appreciates Dominator. Most everyone I’ve ever ridden it with finds the pacing way too fast, or way too slow. I think it’s an incredible stand-out coaster. That might just be because it was the flagship ride at my local park for a few years.

Their Drop Tower does drop further than ours. Ours is the tallest gyro drop in the world. Theirs is also the tallest gyro drop in the world. Our record emphasizes the tower’s height, while theirs is about the drop length (their brakes start farther down). For my two cents, I would happily forego the spinning ascent on ours for the shorter wait that Kings Dominion’s tower proves that we’d have.

And naturally, we also agree on The Crypt in most every regard you posted... More visually impressive for a watcher? Yep. I love when people first ride Kings Dominion’s, because they finally understand what I mean when I say that the nine-flip cycle really honestly does work on top spins, just not giant ones. Their Crypt is very, very small compared to ours, and it almost feels lackluster to first see it from behind as you enter The Congo, lifting riders to a staggering 45 feet (woo hoo.) compared to our 80. But it’s so acrobatic and so light and... It’s just incredible. After riding their Crypt, and even ours, I can’t imagine a simple, standard, outdoor top spin with no fountains and no music and no effects – it would be ridiculous.

Also gotta love Shockwave... as you said, it’s the last turn & bunny hill that really gets you, when the car in front of you slams forward and your head goes right towards it... Wow.

Anyways, I love this trip report! Everyone should take a lesson from you on how to write one, and I’m loving it! Can’t wait to read the rest!

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ Thanks! Seriously, Berzerker's probably one of the trippiest/most life-threatening flat rides I've ever been on. I'd sincerely be hesitant to bring an asthmatic friend onto the ride. Dominator and The Crypt are fantastic, and Shockwave is... quite a ride. Haha. And thanks for the DT info! Like I said, I seriously was wondering... the plummet took FOREVER. Again, thanks for the compliments!

Intimidator 305:

It's Millennium Force-- It's Maverick-- No! It's Intimidator 305!

Okay, that was the cheesiest introduction/Superman spoof ever. Admit it. But it's true: Intimidator 305, our next stop, gets a lot of comparisons to those two rides. And it's for that reason that I was honestly rather skeptical of it when we got in line. I absolutely love Millennium Force, but when it comes to Maverick, I've got a bit of Interpreter inside me: the ride is absolutely fantastic... in the first row. The other rows attack my neck through those tight turns like Twilight fans on Robert Pattinson, so the idea of going through them at ~90 miles per hour... didn't exactly have me drooling. I read the TRs/PTRs on here, but I just couldn't get into the idea of riding I305. But regardless, I was going to ride it. It couldn't be too bad, right...?

In case you haven't noticed, this TR, Crypt aside, has had two common themes: walking onto rides and having my preconceived notions, where applicable, overturned. Well, we walked onto (I think) the 5th-to-last row... and got our notions of the ride completely shattered.

Airtime! Laterals! Grey-outs! More airtime! Quick but comfortable turns! Non-painful restraints! Airtime in turn transitions! Only two words can describe my feelings for this ride: true love. Whereas Maverick can be a neck-chopping wincefest for me in other rows, I305, both times ridden towards the back, was pure bliss. Glass smooth and forceful without being violent, I absolutely adored this ride and made absolutely sure to buy a shirt on the way out. Intimidator 305 was hands-down the best steel coaster I've ever been on. (Sorry, Magnum!) I can't even imagine riding it without trims, because it was simply unbelievable. It just barely didn't quite take down Voyage as my #1 overall, but geez, if it didn't give it a run for its money!

If you like the idea of Millennium Force having much more airtime, the front row of Maverick, unbelievable airtime, quick turns, and hugging the ground, aim for the big red thing behind Anaconda PLZ. If you don't like greying out, extreme heights, not having much time to prepare yourself on a lift hill, or barely noticeable trim brakes, I sincerely hate to say it, but you might have a couple issues with I305. I'd personally suggest giving it a go anyway, but it really just comes down to how much of a problem you have with those negatives. Of all the coasters with trims I've ridden, almost all of them have a seriously negative experience impact when we hit the trims. For I305, the effect was almost nonexistent. 10/10, and my new #1 steel. "Gentlemen, start your engines" indeed- just the thought of re-riding gets me pumped for my next visit to KD.

Anaconda:

Think Vortex, but located on a lake. That's the best description I have for Anaconda, Kings Dominion's Arrow looper. The ride's setting in the Congo area is fantastically gorgeous, though I imagine it probably looked even more so without a giant gigacoaster looming behind the lift. But anyway, as we- you guessed it- walked onto the "Toomer row" (5-1), I was quickly reminded as I looked over the lake that the first drop goes straight into and underwater tunnel, with timed water blasts at each end to boot. "This will be fun!" I told myself despite my temperamental indifference towards Vortex.

I'll bet you guessed my ride experience, too. As with Shockwave, the first 3/4 of the ride were a blast. The first drop into the tunnel, the loop, the sidewinder, and the drop from the MCBR were a real scream. (I'll be here all week, folks.) Following those, though, came a section of track I honestly have trouble describing. Viewable from 1:04 to 1:13 in

, the ride lumbers about playfully in a, in theory, very good impression of a snake slithering. The problem? The low transition from the first "swoop" to the second. I don't know if the ride just aged that poorly or if it's the Arrow goodness making its way out in the ride. It was like Anaconda, instead of spreading headbanging out across the whole cycle, condensed it all in the second it took to maneuver that transition. OW. It didn't ruin the ride for me, but my goodness. I can't really swear off ever riding it again, but I would pretty much have to be in the right sort of mood to want to jump on on a return visit. I think our grass is greener on this one, guys.

If you like wonky Arrow coasters or classic-feeling loopers, you'll want a spin on the smaller of the red Congo coasters. If you've a low pain tolerance... choose your row wisely, or else choose a nice park bench. 6/10, because the ride really has a lot going for it, if only not for that darn jolt.

Backlot Stunt Coaster:

Sound familiar? It should... a little. If you ever read GoodYellowKoRn182's comparisons of the clones, you know that many of our working effects don't work on KD's, and vice versa. I'm here to let you know he's spot-on, but I'll add something else: the queue for their BLSC is much more streamlined and direct. (If you ever watched the computer animation for IJST, KD's queue resembles that video much more than ours.) But besides that, there wasn't much else different, so we walked onto the middle car.

The coaster itself was nothing new. The theming, however, was, bluntly, odd. How, you ask? It was odd in the sense that cruising down between cop cars was silent, in that flames didn't roar and crackle, in that the helicopter was stationary. When that's all you're used to on a backlot-themed stunt coaster, it feels very... off. But when you factor in the fact that their tunnel has tiny holes in it where sunlight peeks through as you rush through it and that their splashdown is functional, the ride experience is something similar to an unfamiliar deja vu. The tunnel somehow seems faster, and the finale seems more complete than on ours. (Without the splash, ours personally feels like it says, "...Aaaaand now it's over. Get off now. kthxbye.") But without the fire, the helicopter, or the cop cars, it feels something like paying for a movie ticket only to see the words "the end" on the screen when you walk in: unfulfilling, and you want to say, "Good one. Now, seriously..."

If you like our BLSC, ride theirs, I guess. If you dislike our BLSC, you might as well skip it, then. With the care the park takes with just about everything else on their other rides, it's hard to hate on this... but it's hard to love it, too. 4/10.

Avalanche:

It's easy to forget this little bobsled coaster in its little corner by Volcano. Most easily compared to Disaster Transport at Cedar Point, this Mack ride's train travels freely through what basically looks like a giant PVC pipe. While I consider Disaster Transport to be somewhat of a hidden CP gem, it's by far not one of the most intense rides I've ever ridden. I refused to stereotype Avalanche, though- goodness knows I'd messed up enough stereotypes on rides that day. What really got me with this ride, though, were its restraints. Similar to Olympic luge, you and your riding partner ride with one person sitting between the legs of another. The simple metal restraint sort of sits lightly on your Ride Warrior sammich legs and lap, locking you in for a few minutes' awkwardness. Blushing and laughing meekly at how close our friendship had suddenly become, we rolled out of the station.

The ride was surprisingly intense, with some light greying out to be had amidst very weak floater and very quick transitions. Seeing as how this was one of the quickest walk-ons of the day, I'd like to imagine it's also a hidden gem. I honestly don't really have a whole lot to rave about with this ride, but it's definitely worth a try and definitely works as a great family coaster.

If you enjoy relatively mild coasters such as Adventure Express and/or are looking for a unique coaster experience, you'll enjoy Avalanche. If you're not a fan of (or have trouble finding the comedy in) having to wrap your legs around your friend's posterior for a good minute or two, you might want to "accidentally" overlook its missable entrance by The Crypt and keep walking towards Volcano's entrance. 6/10.

Ghoster Coaster:

I have a confession: we didn't actually ride Ghoster Coaster at this point. I actually forgot at which point we rode this ride... so it's going here. Don't like it? Fine. Skooch on down the page, then. See if I care.

Ghoster Coaster is quite simply a very similar coaster to our own Fairly Odd Beastie Doo Express. The funny part? It was probably our longest wait of the day. The even funnier part? Walking onto the last row, I buckled in...

And got mild ejector air. Multiple times. On a kiddie woodie. I'm not lying. The ride gently-but-definitely chucked me out of my seat on nearly every drop, with an especially surprising pop on the hill before the brake run. Wow.

That wasn't I305 or anything, but wow. If you like kiddie woodies and surprise airtime, get yo'self in the last row of this thing. If you don't like kiddie woodies, do it anyway for the sake of having done it. 5/10, and an honor as my favorite kiddie woodie. Sorry, Zach's Zoomer.

Sorry to keep breaking this report up into multiple parts, but I take a while to write. I hope to finish this thing up by tomorrow. In the meantime, tell me, like GYK, what you think: how well do I write TRs? Any input is completely appreciated.

[The Interpreter]

I love your detailed analysis and reasons for thinking what you do. I also will give I305 another chance, when I give the park another chance. It sounds as if the new trims and restraints have each contributed greatly to that ride. Before, it was simply one of the worst experiences I ever had on a coaster. Not as bad as The Roller Coaster at New York, New York Casino, but then again, what is?

[The Interpreter]

Hmmm. I305. Another chance. One more day...

Hmmm.

Probably warmer than Sandusky, too...

Terp, thinking allowed?

And there's that only steel non-hyper I count there, too....

What will tomorrow bring?

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ Go for it, Terp! You really oughta go for a spin on I305 and Volcano (and The Crypt, of course) for me, especially since homework has pretty much squished any chance of me riding a coaster tomorrow.