Theme park/roller coaster thread

[Bob Cook]

Just got back yesterday after two days with my coaster-freak 11-year-old son at the Mecca for coaster freaks: Cedar Point.

We rode them all. Top Thrill Dragster, coaster porn, with a zero-to-120 mph in four seconds launch up a 420-foot hill followed by a 270-degree drop (a 90-degree drop with spins), all in 17 seconds. Millennium Force, quite possibly the greatest coaster in the world. Maverick, with a 95-degree drop (yup, going slightly upside down), twists and turns including a horseshoe spin and turn, and a zero-to-70 mph launch out of a tunnel. Rode 14 out of 17 coasters in all (stayed off the Junior Gemini and Woodstock Express, both kiddie coasters, and Disaster Transport, an indoor bobsled coaster for which have you have to pay $10 for 3-D glasses, and is shut down so frequently that it'll probably be the next ride to go when Cedar Point adds another coaster.

We didn't just jump in and hit the biggest rides. Bringing my son to Cedar Point was like bringing your old-country Catholic grandmother to the Vatican -- there's such a sense of awe, you can't just jump into St. Peter's and kneel. We spent the first day on rides, but also my son taking a lot of pictures. This is a kid who can explain to his old man the finer technical details of how these coasters work, the motors they use, the lifting technology that gets the cars going. The real mindbenders, we did on day two.

Speaking of mindbenders, I feel like my brain is still jostling around from the weekend. But I'm of firm enough mind to say that if you like coasters, get to Cedar Point at least once in your life. However, I would caution at staying at Breakers Express. It's a CP-owned hotel, which means you get one hour early entry to the park. Very cool. But I've stayed at $50-a-night Quality Inns that were cleaner and smelled less funny.

Please feel free to add your coasters and/or park recommendations and/or memories here.

 

[Songbird]

Space Mountain at Disneyland.

 

[ondeadline]

Top Thrill Dragster, coaster porn.

Do they check IDs on that one?

 

[expendable]

I love roller coasters, but when I'm out with my family I have to go on them by myself. MrsExpendable is too chicken**** to go on them, and the eldest of the little expendables is taking after mama. I'm hoping my little one keeps the sense of adventure she appears to have at nine months, but that's still some time in the future.

 

[KevinmH9]

Ah, roller coasters. I haven't been on one in years. I remember when I was younger my dad took the family to Busch Gardens which is now Six Flags. I refused to go on the roller coaster and balled like a baby and gripped onto whatever I could like I was falling off the the earth.

 

[Ace]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

 

[Bob Cook]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

The Bobs.

Riverview.

Chicago.

Western & Belmont.

Glorious, for its time.

 

[doubledown68]

Been to Cedar Point once. Top Thrill was closed, and at 5-10, 280, I was too girthy to get on Millenium Force.. at least that's what they said.

Anyhoo, the rest were great, though I was severely disappointed with the big wooden coaster.

Best wood coaster I've ridden is the big one at Six Flags St. Louis. The Screaming Eagle is an American classic (and it's where my mom found out she was pregnant with me after getting sick on it).

Worlds of Fun in KC has changed some since I last visited, but the Timber Wolf is still fantastic. It'll beat the **** out of you, but it's great, as is Mamba, the big steel coaster.

 

[the fop]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

Absolutely true. Millennium Force is hands down the country's best. Still better than Top Thrill Dragster, IMO. and I still love me some Magnum at CP, especially at twilight when you look out over Lake Erie as you climb that first hill.

The one I can't take anymore is the wooden one in the back of the park (Mean Streak?). used to love it; now it leaves me feeling like a crash test dummy.

 

[BigSleeper]

I grew up a couple hours away from Cedar Point and recall many a summer day getting sunburnt and getting sick from riding those roller-coasters. Great days.

 

[mustangj17]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

If it makes your head hurt, I don't suggest riding the Mean Streak. That thing is a concussion waiting to happen.

Anyway, I once got stuck at the top of the Millenium Force in high school. That was not fun. Getting a free ride pass as a result was. I think I rode the Raptor like 5 times straight after that. It was sweet.

 

[mustangj17]

Anyway here is my rollercoaster top 5:

1. Raptor- Cedar Point
2. Millenium Force- Cedar Point
3. Incredible Hulk - Islands of Adventure Orlando
4. Mantis- Cedar Point
5.Wicked Twister- Cedar Point

Never been on the Top Thrill, I guess that means it is time to head back out to Sandusky.

 

[Ace]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

If it makes your head hurt, I don't suggest riding the Mean Streak. That thing is a concussion waiting to happen.

Anyway, I once got stuck at the top of the Millenium Force in high school. That was not fun. Getting a free ride pass as a result was. I think I rode the Raptor like 5 times straight after that. It was sweet.

Could be it's been mostly the wooden ones in the past few years giving me the pains.

 

[Bob Cook]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

Absolutely true. Millennium Force is hands down the country's best. Still better than Top Thrill Dragster, IMO. and I still love me some Magnum at CP, especially at twilight when you look out over Lake Erie as you climb that first hill.

The one I can't take anymore is the wooden one in the back of the park (Mean Streak?). used to love it; now it leaves me feeling like a crash test dummy.

Agree on MF -- great, great coaster. A couple of years ago CP put some brakes on the Mean Streak course in the turns so you didn't feel like you were getting so beaten up, so it's a lot better ride now. Still, the worst wooden coaster was the Rattler in Fiesta Texas. It was designed to shake a lot (the Rattler, after all), and my wife and I rode in 1992, not long after that park opened. It's still the only coaster that made me feel sore all over my body for the rest of the day, and we rode it in the morning. I understand the Rattler rattles much less now.

mustangj: Raptor turned out to be my son's favorite as well, maybe tied with Mantis. Don't know if you did this, but you can get a DVD of yourself riding the Raptor, not just a pic.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

If it makes your head hurt, I don't suggest riding the Mean Streak. That thing is a concussion waiting to happen.

Anyway, I once got stuck at the top of the Millenium Force in high school. That was not fun. Getting a free ride pass as a result was. I think I rode the Raptor like 5 times straight after that. It was sweet.

Could be it's been mostly the wooden ones in the past few years giving me the pains.

The Bobs was wood.

As I say . . . glorious.

 

[Huggy]

Toronto SportsJournalists.com types of a certain vintage will remember the legendary Flyer and Wild Mouse at the Ex. Accidents waiting to happen, those things.

Haven't ridden many coasters in the last 20 years or so (don't go to amusement parks unless I'm with eight-year-old Huggy Jr. who won't go on them), but I'll always have a soft spot for the Python at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Space Mountain and the Dragon Fire and Mighty Canadian Minebuster at Canada's Wonderland.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Toronto SportsJournalists.com types of a certain vintage will remember the legendary Flyer and Wild Mouse at the Ex. Accidents waiting to happen, those things.

Haven't ridden many coasters in the last 20 years or so (don't go to amusement parks unless I'm with eight-year-old Huggy Jr. who won't go on them), but I'll always have a soft spot for the Python at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Space Mountain and the Dragon Fire and Mighty Canadian Minebuster at Canada's Wonderland.

Riverview had a Wild Mouse, as well. Tracks extended over the Chicago River.
Good times.

 

[dreunc1542]

I will throw in the Pittsburgh SJ recommendation of Kennywood. It's much cheaper than most places like those run by Six Flags and has some great coasters, especially the Thunderbolt, Racer and Phantom's Revenge. Phantom's Revenge's older brother, the Steel Phantom, was the fastest coaster in the world for a short time but the new version is better because it's smoother and doesn't leave you with headaches afterward.

 

[mustangj17]

I used to love them but now I can't take them so much. All the banging around and jostling makes my head hurt.

Don't give up, Ace. The newer coasters are, like barbers would say, smooth as a newborn baby's ass. Millennium Force goes 93 mph and has drops of 300, 180 and 150 feet, but it feels easier than riding in your car.

Absolutely true. Millennium Force is hands down the country's best. Still better than Top Thrill Dragster, IMO. and I still love me some Magnum at CP, especially at twilight when you look out over Lake Erie as you climb that first hill.

The one I can't take anymore is the wooden one in the back of the park (Mean Streak?). used to love it; now it leaves me feeling like a crash test dummy.

Agree on MF -- great, great coaster. A couple of years ago CP put some brakes on the Mean Streak course in the turns so you didn't feel like you were getting so beaten up, so it's a lot better ride now. Still, the worst wooden coaster was the Rattler in Fiesta Texas. It was designed to shake a lot (the Rattler, after all), and my wife and I rode in 1992, not long after that park opened. It's still the only coaster that made me feel sore all over my body for the rest of the day, and we rode it in the morning. I understand the Rattler rattles much less now.

mustangj: Raptor turned out to be my son's favorite as well, maybe tied with Mantis. Don't know if you did this, but you can get a DVD of yourself riding the Raptor, not just a pic.

I haven't been in a few years so I haven't done it, but one of my buddies did. He cried like a girl the whole way through. It was great.