Geauga Lake 8/4

[thejoker8388]

Well the day started off early at 7:30 to make the 2.5 hour trip up to Geauga Lake. We made great time until getting completly lost due to wrong Map Quest directions, I usually check to make sure Map Quest is correct, but forgot to do so this time and it got us completly lost, but we managed to find Geauga Lake eventually and got there about 11:00. The other problem was that Geauga Lake is very laking in signs. When you go to CP or PKI, they are impossible to miss with signs along the interstate many miles before you are there. Geauga Lake doesn't have any signs at all, We saw one the entire time and that was when we were already on the exact road that Geauga Lake was on. We actually saw more signs for CP than Geauga Lake, makes you wonder if more signs would help attendence. Well that was just a bad start to what was a great day.

When we got there like what I have heard, no one was there, a couple thousand people there at most, it was deserted and I actually parked a row from the front even though we were there an hour after opening. This was my last trip to GL was before the Six Flags take over, so the whole park was essentially new to me.

Dominator- Best ride in the park, got a total of 6 rides, there wasn't a completly full train the entire day. My group and I liked front the best and rode there 3 times, all without wait. The huge vertical loop was my favorite part and there were 2 surprising "pops of air". 10/10

Thunderhawk- Your typical Vekoma SLC, was only running one train and waits were probably the longest in the park with about a 15 minute wait. I actually enjoyed the ride and thought it was a very smooth SLC, no head banging. Compared to T2, the only other SLC I've been on, you'd never know the rides were the same layout made by the same maker, Thunderhawk was actually enjoyable. With that said considering it had the longest lines only rode it once. 8/10

Raging Wolf Bobs-I've heard this coaster was rough, it wasn't bad at all in my opinion except for the turn that slopes up by the station which was extremely bad. But over all a nice coaster, still only rode it once. 7.5/10

Villain- I had heard mixed reviews of this ride. Some saying it was highly underrated and deserved a top ten or others saying it was rough, group me with the latter. Villain was HORRIBLE, the only coaster I've ever actually been happy it was over. Compared to SOB it made SOB feel like a beemer, seriously. If you think SOB hurts your back then don't ride Villain, it will probably kill you. I typically don't find any rides rough, I'm very tolerant, but this felt like riding on a wood board with square wheels over gravel while being propelled by a jackhammer. The ride was also the most frustrating ride I've ever been on because the layout is amazing, tons of air potential, great head choppers. I don't know if it needs retracked or something besides g-trains, but if it was made smooth it would be amazing. Potential-10/10 Actual-0/10

Double Loop- A small Arrow looper. It was fun and surprizingly smooth (then again rode it after Villain so anything would feel smooth). It was a million times better than Corkscrew at CP. With that said still just a small Arrow Looper-7.5/10

X-Flight- The 2nd best coaster in the park. Rode it four times, once in front, found the front the best like Dominator. I enjoy this Vekoma Flyer much more than it's B&M competitor (Gasp). Better layout and not a snooze fest like Superman. Very comfortable and smooth for a Vekoma, really cool at night. 10/10

Steel Venom-Fun launched coaster. The launch doesn't compare to Wicked Twister, but still a fun ride and I actually enjoyed the strait spike that grabs you more than the second twisted spike like WT. Rode it twice. 9/10

Head Spin- Typical Vekoma Boomerang. I only rode it once and disliked it a lot, but in all fairness when I rode it I was feeling a little ill so my opinion may be off. Rough, not fun, luckly the train was waiting for us because even a minute wait wouldn't have been worth it. The Invertigos like Face Off are a million times better in my opinion for some reason, even though they have the same layout. 1/10

Big Dipper- It was as many said the surprize gem of GL. Surprizingly smooth for an 80 year old coaster, cool layout with some nice surprizing air. Only got to ride it twice, I wish I rode it more. Very fun and much better than out and backs like Blue Streak at CP, or Racer at PKI, much better. Once again as I said I was amazed at its smoothness, only downside is the cars themselves could use more leg room. 9.5/10

Wildwater Kingdom- Not very large yet and Boomerang Bay has it easily beat. With that said the three body slides on the huge slide complex (forget name) are the best body slides I've ever been on, very long twisty and fun. Also, although BB has it beat right now, after seeing what is planned for next year with two more slide complexes, wave pool, and more, Wildwater Kingdom will absolutley DESTROY Boomerang Bay. This year-8/10, Prediction for next year- 10/10 (amazing)

Texas Twister- The first Huss Top Spin. The program was much better than TR:TR, but for some reason I still enjoy TR:TR MUCH better, don't know if it is the themeing or what but TR:TR is much better. Also, I hate how the restraints close themselves, mine was WAY too tight and caused much pain in the lower region, only rode it once due to this. 7/10

Starfish- A Chance Wipeout. First I've ever been on and it will be the last. I don't get motion sickness usually but this made me feel horrible 1/10

El Dorado- Fun car ride that revolved in circles, good view from top, but it had that horrible ride closing restraint system which was once again painful, luckily there weren't many G's-6/10

Time Warp-A Chance Inverter. Fun ride with some nice G's and some great illusions of running into a wall. But once again what is with these horrible ride locking restraints, horribly painful and much pain on the thighs. 5/10 W/O those restraints 8/10

Hay Baler- I love these Mack Swing-bobs. Like Matterhorn at CP. Very fun, good music and just plain enjoyable 8/10

Overall, I love Geauga Lake, it was a very fun time and I will surely go back. The only thing it is missing is maybe a nice longer launched coaster and a fast non-looping steel coaster. I was very surprized and pleased by the flats, it didn't look like they had anything but really they had a fair amount and they were all very fun (sans Starfish and those horrible ride closing restraints). I can't understand why no one goes. Let me once again stress the emptiness. All rides were walk ons beside Thunderhawk with a 10-15 minute wait and X-Flight with a one train wait (which at just about any other park I would consider walk on). Dominator, the best coaster, didn't have a full train the entire day, no exaggeration, and it was only running 2/3 trains. Towards the afternoon I actually recognized half the people on the midways because I had seen them earlier and almost every flat they actually had to start the ride up just for my group, every flat we rode we were by our selves, no joke. I believe if I were to go to PKI or CP in the next couple days I would actially hate both because of the waits. GL truely spoils you with no wait times. It was perfect weather, sunny all day. Geauga Lake is without a doubt 10/10.

[Skippy]

I'm glad to hear that you had fun at my home park and will be coming back for more (as we need as many people as we can get)! Now about the attendance issue, it's been that way ever since the Cedar Fair takeover, with the reason being the loss of the animals (according the the article in Wednesday's edition of Akron Beacon Journal). It's very sad to the park being run better than it ever has and no results to show it Now I will clear a few things up!

Thunderhawk just received a brand new paint job this year along with a fresh set of wheels causing it to roll better that any SLC has ever done before. It's one of the only SLCs that are actually enjoyable.

The Raging Wolf Bobs is no longer rough because of the three year retracking it's undergone and that spot you mentioned on the track where it's still rough will be covered this off-season as it's final year of retracking. It's was mentioned as a fact in the Akron Beacon Journal that after ONLY it's first year of retracking, the ride was six seconds faster.

The Villain used to be one of the smoothest woodies (heh, heh, I said woody) at any park and was one of the top 20 wooden coasters but it has slowly been declining and this year is by far it's worse year ever. I heard it was NOW as bad a SoB so I haven't ridden it this year but let me tell you, when it first opened, I rode it 20x in a row. The good news is Cedar Fair not only plans on retracking it like the Wolf Bobs, but they also plan to eventually give it it's own set of PTCs

Double Loop is one of the smoothest Arrow Coasters I have ever been on and is a great starter coaster. It has little to no head banging which I can't say for Vortex.

I hate Head Spin and have always wished they would great rid of it or replace it with an inverted boomerang like PKI's, because their actually enjoyable

Wildwater Kingdom will eat Boomerang Bay alive once Phase II is completed! The theming and atmosphere is phenomenal and most of the park has HEATED WATER. Once completed WWK will be the largest water park in Ohio accompanying over 20 acres of land

BTW, did you happen to ride Robots of Mars 4D (3D/4D theater) or Dino Island II (4D simulator)? Their alright, but RoMs is a step down from Pirates. I hope to see you back soon and please spread the word about GL as not many people know about it. "Enjoy the rest of your day here at Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom!"

[KIBeast]

I am hoping to sneak in a trip to GL before the season ends. I am positive that CF can and somewhat already has, turned GL around. Maybe after next year's waterpark expansion, we may finally see the hypercoaster that was rumored to be installed there finally come to fruition.

[thejoker8388]

Skippy, no I didn't ride either of the simulators. I wanted to ride the Dino one but my group didn't want to and although I didn't see the mars robot one, I did go on the pirate one when it was Sea World and it was fun. As I said before GL was very fun and I'm shocked at how few people go. It sounds like we are in agreement about the park and its aspects.

Also, glad to hear they will be retracking Villain. Like I said the potential for the ride is amazing, the layout and all is great. Once they retrack it I will be sure to give it another ride.

And for those who haven't been, go. Go now while there are still no waits because it is an amazing park and truely does hold its own with the other Ohio giants.

[Captain Picard]

When I was there in 03 The Villain was an amazing ride and Raging Wolf Bobs caused pain I still have today.

I said I would never go back but with the low attendace It may be ok.