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Greetings Everyone! First off, sorry for the long delay in posting this to the Website, but now that things are up and running again, I hope that everyone reading this had a wonderful coaster season in 2004. With the loss of Dave, there was a big void in my coaster season this year. It seemed strange walking into some of the parks without my best coaster buddy by my side. One thing I know for sure though is that he would have wanted me to continue riding roller coasters. If I didn't, there would surely be a bolt of lightning coming my way from Heaven. So, here for your viewing pleasure, is my coaster season of 2004.
With a few exceptions, 2004 was a great year for me. I attended many coaster club events, and it was great to see a few old coaster friends. Of course, I opened the season armed with my Six Flags, Paramount Parks and Cedar Fair season passes. The first two coaster events occurred during the same weekend in April. Scream Fest at Busch Garden's, Williamsburg sponsored by The Mid-Atlantic Coaster Club and Volcano Mania at Paramount’s Kings Dominion sponsored by The Coaster Zombies Club. Both were very fun events. It was nice to get back to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg as this was always one of my favorite parks. The coasters, including two of my favorites, Apollo's Chariot and Loch Ness Monster, were running great for Scream Fest. We had morning ERT on Loch Ness, and it delivered the thrills as usual. A very delicious lunch was served and all had a wonderful time. The next day, we were off to Doswell, Virginia to Paramount’s Kings Dominion. Today was Volcano Mania Day thanks to Sam and The Coaster Zombies. What a sight it was when we drove past the PKD sign and on it was "Welcome Coaster Zombies." We started our day with morning ERT on the newest ride, Scooby Doo’s Haunted Mansion, a Sally Interactive ride full of surprises. I had a great time even though I always end up with a low score. It has very cool effects though. When Scooby ERT was over, we had a full day to explore the park and we took advantage of it. Around 1pm, we were served a very delicious lunch, then we took off for even more fun-filled adventures. As evening drew near, the best was still yet to come; ERT on Volcano, The Blast Coaster. What an ERT it was too! I managed to get in 5 rides including the last front seat ride. This coaster is a blast, literally. One of the best moments turned out to be a very close rollback. The coaster barely made it out of the mountain, and we were literally hanging upside down for a few moments as the coaster stopped. But, then it took off again in the right direction. I thought I was going to finally experience my first rollback, but it didn't happen. Many thanks go out to Steve of M.A.C.C. and Sam of Coaster Zombies for a fantastic weekend.
Next, was a visit to Hersheypark to ride the newest Coaster for 2004, Storm Runner. As everyone who knows me knows, I am a big fan of blast coasters, and I was looking very forward to my first ride on the area’s newest. Storm Runner did not let me down. It is a very fast and thrilling ride that includes a second hill that gives a great sensation of g-forces that you would not believe. Kudos go out to HP for adding one more great thrill ride to their already great lineup of coasters including one of my top ten steelies, Great Bear, and one of my top ten wooden coasters, Lightning Racer. Hersheypark has never let me down. There would be a few more visits to Hershey later in the year.
Of course, there were the many weekends that I was not busy at The Baltimore Streetcar Museum, and I would don my Six Flags season pass and head down I-97 to Six Flags America. Even though there was nothing new there this year, they still have a great lineup of coasters to quench the thirst of any coaster fan. On a sad note, due to a tragic accident at Six Flags New England, all of the Superman rides were closed at the beginning of the year while a new restraint was installed. I think Batwing is starting to improve a little as I witnessed a few times on visits that they were actually running two trains and using both sides of the loading area. Maybe next year will be the charm. I was worried that the new restraints on Superman might ruin the wonderful air time that the coaster delivers. However, after my first ride with the new restraints, that thought was quickly forgotten. Superman still gives great out of the seat air time. There were many visits this year to my home park. Thanks SFA for another great season. I have already purchased my 2005 season pass.
In June, my employer, Amtrak, decided I was needed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and transferred me to Lancaster. Although I was living out of a motel for four days a week, it was a great chance to visit some of the Pennsylvania parks including many visits to Hersheypark. There is nothing like going for a coaster ride after a long day at work. There were a few visits to Dorney Park this year too, and I always made it a point to ride the front seat of Steel Force. It was funny to go by the old Hercules site and see nothing there. The new coaster, Hydra, The Revenge, is coming along nicely and should be ready for the 2005 season. Of course, another of my faves at DP, Talon, was running great all year. Now, the coaster season is over, and I am still working out of Lancaster. How strange it is not to be able to just take off and go ride a coaster. Oh well! *sigh*
Perhaps one of the best events of the 2004 season was The Coaster Zombies Tour of The Cotton States. A few ATR members attended this tour including Scott, Art and myself. We all met in Birmingham, Alabama. The first stop was Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We had evening ERT planned on their newest coaster, Thunderhead, but there was a glitch. As we waited for our first ERT ride, one of the trains overshot the brakes and shut down the computer. Because this was a new coaster, the ride ops couldn't get the computer to reset. We had reservations to see a show later in the evening, and as that time drew near we thought we were going to miss our ERT. But, surprise, we were invited back to the park for ERT on Thunderhead after the show was over. Of course, we accepted. After the show, we went back to Dollywood and were greeted by an operating coaster. ERT was awesome in the hills of Tennessee with a moon that was absolutely breathtaking. Kudos go out to Dollywood for doing this for us. If you are ever in the Smokey Mountains, Dollywood is a must visit park. After a short night of rest, we were off again to our next park, Paramount’s Carowinds, in Charlotte, North Carolina. This Park is interesting due to the fact that it is the only park to be located in two states, North Carolina and South Carolina. The wooden coaster, Thunder Road, is the only coaster I know of that actually runs through two states. This was my second visit to Carowinds, and I really enjoy this park. The newest coaster there is Borg Assimlator, a flying coaster just about the same as Batwing at SFA. This coaster was moved to Carowinds from California where it was known as Stealth. We were scheduled for ERT on Borg in the evening when the park closed. However, a very violent thunderstorm put an early end to the ERT. We did manage to get one ride as the angry clouds approached. We just made it to the bus before the downpour. Kudos go out to Carowinds for trying though. Sam had planned many surprises for this trip including a visit to Holiday World and Santa Claus Land somewhere in the hills of North Carolina where we enjoyed a rainy ERT on their small, but fun roller coasters. Next stop was Six Flags Over Georgia and a very relaxing tour of Atlanta. (Our bus driver was from Atlanta). SFOG is a fantastic Six Flags park with a lot of great coasters including Superman, Ultimate Flight, a lay down coaster similar to Superman at Six Flags Great Adventure and a fantastic woodie, The Georgia Scorcher. But, the best attraction for many of the attendees was Mind Bender, North America’s first triple looping coaster built in 1978! I loved this coaster and rode it four times that day. Everyone really enjoyed their visit to SFOG even though there was no ERT. Our next destination was Lake Winnepesaukah. (aka: Lake Winnie) This park is very nostalgic and has many rides that were once located in other parks including The Conestoga Wagon Ride once located at Hersheypark. It was great to see this ride again. The park claims to be in Chattanooga, Tennessee although we were still in Georgia. The Tennessee line was about a mile up the road. LW is a beautiful park, and I plan to return there one day. I loved this park. Our final park on this tour was Visionland, located outside of Birmingham, Alabama. Visionland is a very nice, relaxing park that really deserves more attention then its getting. The park was almost empty the day that we were there. The only coaster there is Rampage, which is now one of my top ten coasters. The staff at Visionland was probably the friendliest staff of any park (besides Holiday World) that I have visited. We had evening ERT on Rampage, and the staff really took great care of us. They seemed to be having as much fun as we were. I hope this park soon gets the recognition it really deserves. Come on Alabama, wake up! You have a great park there. The next day was the official end of The Cotton States Tour, and after a few tearful goodbyes, everyone split off on their own. Many thanks go out to Sam for planning a great week of coasters. Scott, Art, Shannon and I finished the weekend with a visit to Paramount's Kings Island just North of Cincinnati, Ohio. PKI is now home to my all time number one wooden Coaster, The Beast! (Sorry Knoebels, The Phoenix is now number two.) I loved The Beast. It has to be the longest wooden coaster with a total ride time of almost 5 minutes. I plan to visit PKI again in 2005.
Another event I attended this year was the Coaster Zombies invade William’s Grove event. William’s Grove is the home to Cyclone, a woodie built in 1933. We had some great rides on this coaster. William's Grove is a small park, so it can be done in just a few hours. WG is very special to me because my grandfather used to take me there when I was a child. Cyclone was my first "big" coaster. It is always great to get back there. From there, we went to the Maryland State Fair and rode the best wave swinger I have ever experienced. It was very fast. I loved this ride. The Wild Mouse spinning coaster there was great also. We managed to get a few rides on that one. That was a great day overall.
There were a few more visits to parks throughout the year, and I also attended Coaster Madness at Cedar Point and took my first ride on Top Thrill Dragster. (It was down during the 2003 CM.) WOW! What a rush! Of course, there were many rides on my second favorite steel coaster, Millennium Force. As usual, Cedar Point held another great Coaster Madness event, and I am already looking forward to Coaster Madness 2005. On the way home, Scott and I stopped at Kennywood Park and found that the wonderful coasters there were still giving out the thrills. This was Scott's first visit to Kennywood and he came away with thumbs up. Scott did a great job driving to and from Cedar Point and Kennywood especially through the Hurricane.
Of course, what season would be complete without Knoebel's Phoenix Phall Phunfest? This was my second year to attend this event, and it was wonderful. I met many coaster friends there and tried to ride at least once with all of them. The Antique Auto ride with all the special effects including a guy jumping on the top of our car was awesome. The costumes were great as usual. Thanks to Knoebel's Amusement Resort for another fantastic PPP. This is a must do event for any coaster buff.
As the Year wound down, I did manage a few more visits to Six Flags America for Fright Fest. I also went there for season pass day and had a great time. My final park visit of the 2004 season was to Paramount’s Kings Dominion on November 7th. It was a beautiful day, and the crowds were light. Sam had arranged it for us to be the last group to ride Volcano for the season. He named it Last Blast 2004, and it was a great ride. (Congrats go out to my new friends from Texas, Roger and Kelly, for getting the front seat!)
Well gang, that’s my 2004 season. I hope 2005 is just as good, if not better. There are a lot of new coasters planned for the 2005 season here in the East including Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure which, when completed, will be the tallest and fastest coaster ever built outdoing Top Thrill Dragster by a few feet and a few miles per hour. Hersheypark is adding The world’s first Interactive Rides Frequent Faller coaster, Turbulence. Of course, there is also Hydra at Dorney Park. 2005 should be an exciting year! Stay tuned!
-Carl
On Sunday, June 15, 2003 Carl, Scott and Dave went to Druid Hill Park in Baltimore to help celebrate Baltimore’s Gay Pride weekend. It was the location of the “Baltimore Gay Pride Fair” and there would be many booths, and vendors there to celebrate Gay Pride weekend. So, what better way to get new members for the group than to set up a booth and attract new riders to our club’s website as well as advertise the club, itself.
Carl and Scott arrived first, and signed in at the festival vendors kiosk and got their spot and permit for parking. They were assigned space #115, which was next to the road, and pretty easy for them to unload the table and chairs from Carl’s truck. After setting up that stuff, Carl parked the truck as Scott began working on “goodie bags” they’d be handing out to people who would sign up as future members for the Alternative Thrill Riders. The goodie bags contained candy and a business card about Alternative Thrill Riders with their web page information on it.
Dave arrived next, his car loaded with items for the booth. He had two banners that featured the words “ALTERNATIVE THRILL RIDERS” and “BALTIMORE, MARYLAND” which is where the group is “located” at. (Okay, so Carl and Scott live in Baltimore County, and Dave lives in Anne Arundel County. When the club was formed, we just figured Baltimore City would be a good landmark location to work out of…go figure.) On either side of the banner were pictures of the roller coasters, “Millennium Force” and “Roar” to show potential customers what the club was all about. One banner was placed on the front of the table, while the second banner was hung from the “barrier fence” that was installed on the sidewalk by the road, at the back of the booth area.
On the table were placed 2 clipboards of Member Registration forms for people to use to sign up and join the club at the festival. Also, there were brochures to hand out for people to read about what the club enjoyed doing, information about the club’s website, as well as information on how to join online or at the booth. There was also a section listing future trips the club was preparing to take in June and July as well as plans for a “3 days of coasters” event in August. Along with the brochures, business cards were laid out on the table for interested parties to take. We also had a bowl of candy for freebies. Also, there were several framed pictures of roller coasters with the coaster’s name, the amusement park location and state that the park was located in.
At 11:00 a.m., the festival “opened” as people began to wander through the many booths and vendors on site. A lot of people would stop and look the pictures over, saying they had rode this or that coaster, or would share a fond memory of a coaster they had ridden on that they remembered even if we didn’t have a picture of it. Most people were thrilled with seeing a gay roller coaster club and either signed up at the booth or took a brochure or business card to do so online when they got home after the Pride Festival. We had a lot of people ask questions to which we fielded the answers to. But the booth did attract quite a few inquiries from people and gave people a few smiles.
The Festival lasted from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We had quite a few people who took brochures and quite a few who signed up for membership at the booth. And we even got a surprise at the festival as well. Apparently, a representative for Gay Day at Kings Dominion stopped by and gave us a flyer about the event for this year. We were pleased to accept it and asked if we could post it on our web page. We received a heartfelt YES!!
At 6:00 p.m., with the festival over, we took down the booth and headed home. Although it was a long day, we got a lot of people at the booth who took brochures to read and sign up for membership online. We were tired, but we were happy to have been a part of the Baltimore Gay Pride Festival
A special thanks also goes out to: Jason, Steve, Dave, Rich, and Ivy for their help at the Festival as well. Oh, and for next year, we’re even starting to formulate plans for creating a float for the parade! Stay tuned for details!!!!
-Carl
On Saturday, May 3rd, eleven ATR members attended a trip to Dorney Park in Allentown PA. This was ATR's first trip to Dorney, so we were very excited as the park came into view from Interstate 78. The first Coaster we saw was Steel Force, Dorney's mega-coaster. It looks like an awesome ride, more on Steel Force later.
As this was Dorney Park's opening day, it was not very crowded when we arrived. A few of us decided to purchase a season pass mainly because this pass is also good at Cedar Point and we will be visiting there later in the year. The line for season pass processing moved very quickly, even with only one window open. Soon, we all had our season passes in hand, and we entered the park.
After comparing photos (and lots of laughs) with each other, we were off to ride Talon. Talon is a very nice ride and reminds me of Great Bear at Hersheypark. Talon at that time of the morning was a walk on and soon we were all fastened in and on our way for our first ride at Dorney. Very smooth coaster with great turns, loops and corkscrews. When our ride was over, we all agreed, that we would be back.
Next, it was time to explore the park a little and see what Dorney had to offer. We found Hercules, one of the two wooden coasters at Dorney, closed, so we decided to keep on exploring.
Our next ride was on Dorney’s other woody, Thunderhawk. This is a very nostalgic coaster. With Steel Force sitting directly behind it, it looks very tiny. But, what a surprise this coaster gives. It is very fast with tremendous airtime. I really fell in love with this coaster as it reminded me of the coaster at Gwynn Oak Park, when I was just a child.
After Thunderhawk, it was time to ride Dorney Park's showpiece coaster, Steel Force. This steel coaster was one of the first “mega-coasters” built in the country. The cars are very roomy and you do not feel like you are locked in. The first drop is 205 feet with many more drops and a great helix in the middle of the ride. For my first ride, I sat in the middle of the train and I have never experienced a better ride in the middle of a train then I did on Steel Force. It was fantastic with lots of airtime. Steel Force is also one of the quietest coasters I have ever experienced. We will be back for a front seat ride later.
Next, it was time to ride the drop ride Dominator. I sat that one out, as I am not a fan of drop rides. However, those who did ride said it was a very enjoyable ride. Maybe I will give it a try on our next visit.
Some of the group had split off a little earlier and ridden Hercules. Now, it was our turn. I was told that this coaster is very rough but naturally had to find out for myself. I ended up in the front seat with Matt. Well, I have to say if you have never rode front seat of Hercules, you have missed one heck of a ride. We even enjoyed the part where the coaster leaves the station and heads to the lift hill. But, the best part was yet to come. As you get to the top of the lift, everything disappears and you actually feel like there is nothing under you. Then, there is a sharp left hand turn and then there is the drop. Wow, what a feeling. I really liked this coaster and it is now ranked as one of my favorites.
Next, it was time for lunch. We all gathered at the Red Garter Saloon. The food was excellent and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Kudos to the staff as I am sure we were the first big group they experienced.
After a little relaxation, it was time to hit some flat rides. We chose the Bavarian Swings, a very nice relaxing ride.
After some delicious ice cream, it was time to ride more coasters. After a few repeat rides and some members riding Skyscraper, we ended up at the inverted coaster, Lazer. Lazer is one of the older coasters at Dorney, but it has a fantastic double loop. The lift hill was very slow, but once you were over the top, the ride became very fast. I think everyone enjoyed this ride.
Soon, it was time for more repeat rides including a front seat ride on Steel Force. I was not disappointed. The day was very quickly turning into night, so we decided to ride Talon and the train one more time before departing.
Next, we all sat down and enjoyed a nice dinner and then did a little shopping. Of course, I had to stand by the carousel and listen to the band organ for a while. Then, we rode the train and Talon one more time.
Soon, it was time to say goodbye to Dorney Park. Matt and Art being only an hour away from home did stay and ride Steel Force one more time.
Dorney Park is a wonderful park with a friendly staff and great rides. The Park is exceptionally clean and litter free. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this Park at a 9. We will be back again.
Members that met us at the park and ride were Carl, Scott, Sam, Bobby, Shannon, Tom, Justin, and Jimmy. Others that met us at the Park were Matt, Art, and Deb (who drove all the way down from western Massachusetts!) A big thanks goes out to our official ATR chauffer, Scott, who drove from the park and ride to Dorney Park. Also, a big thanks goes out to Dorney Park for providing us with a wonderful day.
Stay tuned for an announcement for our next trip coming soon!
Happy Riding!
-Dave
On Saturday, April 12, 2003, a record 13 members of the Alternative Thrill Riders Coaster club met at the Harundale Mall parking lot in Glen Burnie, Maryland to travel to Largo, Maryland to attend the opening day of Six Flags America.
Now the week prior to, Six Flags America sent out an e-mail to their season pass holders announcing that the first 1,000 people in the park would get a red hat and would be entitled to FREE Coca Cola drinks ALL DAY OPENING DAY. Six Flags was changing from Pepsi products to Coca Cola, and this was their way of letting pass holders get a sample of their new line of drinks. But, only the first 1,000 people into the park would be able to take advantage of this promotion. You better believe I was more than ready to get MY hat and be able to drink all the free soda I could handle. The rest of the members spent a good bit of the morning assuring me I would be able to take part in the promotion. I, in turn, vowed that if I couldn’t, there would be NO letting the gang live down how upset I would be if I missed out on it. It became the morning joke with us all.
Finally, at about 8:30 a.m., we got into our cars to begin the drive down to the park. In Millersville, we stopped off at the McDonald’s for a quick breakfast and some good natured ribbing fun of “Hurry up guys, eat faster; I want to get there and get my hat…”
After another bit of driving, we finally arrived at the park and got in line at the front gates. I looked around and some of the guys pointed out that there weren’t 1,000 people here yet. Phew…I was going to get my hat after all. GREAT!!!
Looking through the gates, I noticed how clean the park entrance way was. The buildings on Main Street seemed to glow from touch up paintings and clean walkways waiting for happy customers to use them. I watched anxiously as the staff members set up the table to hand out the hats for the free all day drinks. Soon, staff members began taking their places at the front gates to allow us entrance into the park. At about 10:25 a.m. the gates opened at people began to gain access to the park. Hooray. Six Flags America was finally opened for the 2003 season!!!
But first things first…after I got into the park, I immediately went over to the promotion table and got my hat AND hand stamped. Apparently with those 2 things together, you got free sodas. COOL!!! Now I was a happy camper! And the rest of the group with me was happy as well and gave me some more fun ribbing “Hey, let’s hope Dave don’t lose his hat on a coaster ride, like he lost his car keys two years ago…” Grrr…
Before going any further into the park, some of us had other business to attend to. Carl and I got our parking passes for the park and other members went and got season passes for free admissions to Six Flags for the year. That’s one of the perks of being a pass holder. After 2 visits to the park, the season pass is paid off. Any visits after those are freebies. And with a season pass, you can go to ANY Six Flags park in the USA or overseas. I strongly suggest that anyone in the Baltimore/Washington area pick up a season pass. Especially if you have children. You’ll be glad you did.
Okay, enough advertising season passes and stuff…. back to the details of our day in the park… LOL…
We slowly meandered down Main Street, looking at the shops and trying to decide what ride to get on first. We headed over to the right side of the park, and got in line for the wooden coaster, “The WILD ONE”. Soon, we were leaving the station cheering and applauding as we made our way to the lift hill for our first ride on this coaster for the season. As we climbed the lift hill, looking over to the right, we could see construction being done on the park’s newest water ride adventure, “PENGUIN’S BLIZZARD RIVER”, but the view of the ride was short lived as we soon found ourselves rocketing down the first drop and through the ups and downs of this wonderful coaster. When we returned to the station, we looked over at the queue line and saw only a few people there. TERRIFIC. As the few new riders came on board, some of us played Chinese fire drill and jumped into another seat for a second ride on WILD ONE. The ride operators laughed and approved since no one else was there to get on the ride. Again, we left the station cheering for a second trip on this wonderful woodie. When we got back a third time to the station, there were still very few new riders, so some of us chose to stay on the coaster for a third run. A few of us wanted to head to other coasters and see what was happening with them.
As we strolled along, we began heading towards Gotham City, home of the two newest coasters of the park, BATWING and SUPERMAN, RIDE OF STEEL. We walked by Joker’s Jinx, which was temporarily down for finishing maintenance touch ups to the ride. We also got a closer look at Penguins Blizzard River, a multi rider water ride. All that was up was the curvy path the tubes would take the passengers on which took two 90 degree turns and then went down two hills to land in the bottom splash area and go back into the queue station. Although no station or ground path construction or lift hill was present, you could easily make out how the ride was going to travel. The bright red, blue and yellow chute made interesting camera shots for many park visitors.
Arriving at the SUPERMAN queue, we were greeted with the ride being down due to restraint problems. They were stuck in the closed position. People however were in line, so we stood and chatted taking in the park’s cleanliness and listened to the sounds of people talking as they walked around Gotham City. Eventually, however, the train was released and the first set of riders were soon ascending the lift hill cheering and applauding the fact they were the first riders. Lucky stiffs. We all made our way to get into line and be one of the first batches of people for the day to ride Superman, which for some of us, is a park favorite.
The winter nap must have been good for Superman, as he performed to all of our expectations. They had one train running, the red one (to which I received more good ribbing from Carl of “Oh no, not the red train.”) To get the jist of this joke, you need to go to the News article archives of this group and read my story called “The Coaster Zombies Mini Marathon” or “Preference Adjustments”.
Having finished our ride on Superman, we immediately headed over to Batwing for a ride. We noticed Batwing was now running with passengers and knew it would crowd up quickly being the parks newest coaster. As we walked back to the station, we pondered among ourselves “Would this be the year this coaster would FINALLY operate as it was designed?”
In the queue line, our question was answered. One train was still on the sidetrack by the lift hill and one train was still on the 2nd track of the station. Figures. It was going to be another year of running ONE train. But for now, I wasn’t worried. I was going to finally get into the front seat of BATWING and experience it there. ALRIGHT!!!
Any coaster enthusiast will have a special preference as to where to ride a coaster to get the best effect of the ride. Some say the front seat offers the best view of the ride before everyone else. Some say the back seat is better, as you’re pulled over all the hills and whipped around the corners more. Some say the middle is best where it’s a bit calmer, with the front and back absorbing most of the shock. On BATWING, MY personal opinion is to take the BACK ROW of the ride. You’ll REALLY feel the G forces of the loop there. A word of advice…DON’T EAT BEFORE RIDING BATWING, unless you want to show the world what you ate before riding this ride. (Note: Yes, this is the MY personal opinion and experience. I haven’t “tossed my cookies” yet from a coaster ride, but I have discovered, as I get older, my stomach iron lining has sort of weakened with age… LOL)
From JOKER’S JINX, we headed out of the Gotham City section and headed over to ROAR. This coaster had 2 trains up and running but was basically a walk on as well. Since the skies above were still cloudy, it was keeping people away in droves, apparently. ROAR also had a relaxing winter, apparently. ROAR provided the group with thrills galore as it made it’s rapid circuit around the tracks.
After ROAR, the gang decided to get something to drink. You have no idea how cool it is to walk up to a drink stand, place an order and get your 22 oz drink and NOT use your wallet at any time!!! Again, I received more good-humored ribbing about finally getting my FREE drink that I had wanted all morning. [G]
We walked back over towards WILD ONE and watched a few members take a ride on the parks free fall ride. After a few minutes, while our friends were still in line, we opted for another ride on WILD ONE. Soon, our adventurous ride on WILD ONE was completed and we went back to watch our other members take the plunge on the free fall ride after the wait they had in the queue line.
By now, we all were hungry and decided to get some lunch and relax. We headed for our “favorite restaurant” in the park, HOLLYWOOD CAFÉ for burgers and fries and FREE soda. (Yeah, this was my 3rd free one, and it was only about 1:00 in the afternoon.) We sat down and ate warm burgers and fries, and cool drinks. At last, the park had gotten the food serving idea right. (See last year’s review written by me, about the food we had last year…)
Okay, we’ve ridden most of the coasters in GOTHAM CITY (except for TWO FACE…It was down for maintenance, in fact, the train hadn’t arrived from storage yet and wasn’t on the tracks…hard to ride a coaster without a train to ride on, right?) So we headed over to the parks western section to ride MIND ERASER. First, we decided to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl. Scott and I had one of the cars and believe me, we had that car spinning madly to the amusement of other people in the park. It rarely stopped spinning.
Once we were done with that, we headed for MIND ERASER. Now it was Carl’s turn to start with his favorite line, “We’ve GOT to ride the front seat on here.” I assured Carl he and I would indeed ride in the front.
This ride wasn’t a walk on, being one of the parks more adventurous rides and also, the sun now made an appearance in the sky bringing more people into the park for opening day. Oh well, we had the place to ourselves almost the whole morning. We can share our fun with other people now as well. Soon, Carl and I were securely strapped into the front seat and ascending the lift hill for our first ride of the year on MIND ERASER. Within moments, we were at the top of the hill and racing down the other side and flip flopping through the many elements of the ride.!
After Mind Eraser, we opted to ride a couple of the flat rides in the section. So we again took another ride on Tilt-A-Whirl. It was an incredibly fun ride with our car continually spinning again from start to finish almost. After that, we went on Rodeo for a galloping good time. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the bad pun…LOL)
By now it was getting closer to closing time, so we went back for a last ride on BATWING. The line for it was getting long, but we waited and had another thrilling ride on it. After that ride, we all chose to close the day out with SUPERMAN. And, as usual, it filled the bill and ended our day on a perfect note.
Now, armed with my season pass, I’m anxiously awaiting the opening of the new ride PENGUIN’S BLIZZARD RIVER in Gotham City. I’m sure it’ll be an outstanding addition to SIX FLAGS AMERICA’S ride arsenal.
-Dave
Saturday March 22nd dawned, a cloudy cool day in the Baltimore area, but 5 members of ATR woke up very excited. Coaster Season 2003 was upon us, and we were ready to take on opening day at Paramount Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.
ATR members Carl, Justin, Jimmy, Tom and Scott met at the Harundale Plaza parking lot at 7am. After some talk about the exciting day ahead, we all jumped into Scott's Jeep for the trip South to Doswell. We made a quick stop at McDonalds in Millersville and ordered our breakfast to go. We needed to be at PKD at 10am exactly as we were invited to attend a walk back to PKD's newest thrill ride, Drop Zone. More on that later.
As we drove down I-95 and got closer to exit 98, we noticed the usual tell tale sign that we were nearing the park as the Eiffel Tower came into view. But wait... what was that tall object next to the Tower? Oh wow! It's the new drop ride PKD has built this year, Drop Zone. It was fantastic to see that as we exited I-95. Now, the true intensity of another coaster season opener was gleeming on all of our faces.
We arrived at the Park at 9:30, and we were told to be behind The Berserker no later then 10am. I decided that I was going to purchase a season pass this Year because I will be visiting Kings Dominion a few more times this Year, and the value is well worth it. As I was waiting in line for my photo, I saw Sam from Coaster zombies and let him know we had arrived. After the photo, we all met up with Sam and went back to where the coaster buffs were meeting for the walk back. It was an honor to be invited to this walk back, and we were not disapointed. Now, a walk back means that we were met by an official of the park and got to be the first to go back to the new ride, Drop Zone, and become the first to ride this new ride on openening day. When we arrived at the gathering point, we were greeted by Mark Riddel, PKD PR Director, whom I'd had the pleasure of meeting the Saturday before when Sam and myself attended dry run day at the park. He handed out a CD-rom, of PKD, but I have not had a chance to view it yet. While waiting, I greeted some of the members of Coaster Zombies and ran into a few friends from the Mid-Atlantic Coaster Club.
After waiting for a few last minute stragglers, Mark got the ok and we were off for our walk back to Drop Zone. As we walked back, everyone was pointing out some of the work and improvements that were done over the winter time. The Park looked wonderful and ready for another season of thrills and laughter. Soon, we were at Drop Zone, and everyone took their places in line. Drop Zone is a huge drop ride, with a 275 ft drop, at speeds of 70 mph. It has a capacity of 56 people per cycle, so loading will not take long at all. After a few more tests of the ride, the gates opened and 50 very happy and excited people took their places on the new ride. (Now I must confess, I am not a fan of drop rides and did not go on it. I stood on the sidelines and watched the excitment, but I am sure that Sam and Bobby will have me on this ride one day very soon.) After Mark took a few pictures of everyone on the ride, the group was being lifted into the air amongst cheers and a few "Oh My Gods". After they were at the top, 275 feet in the air, they had 10 seconds to take on the view of Central Virginia. Then it happened.. click and 70 mph back to Mother Earth! Everyone exited the ride with thumbs up, and many returned back into the line for a second ride. PKD, I think you have a hit on your hands with Drop Zone. Congratulations on a job well done. Also, thanks to Mark for our walk back to Drop Zone. It was enjoyed by all of us.
Soon, it was time to get in some coaster riding! We joined in with Sam and his group and decided our first coaster of the day would be Hypersonic. After about a 45 min wait, we were buckled in and ready for our 0 to 80 mph in 1.5 second blast off. Although this ride is only 20 seconds long, to me it is a very exciting ride. My heart starts to pound as I wait for the blast off. I am a big fan of blast coasters, and this one is no dissapointment. All were in agreement that this is a very nice coaster.
Next was a ride on the classic woodie, Grizzly, or as I like to call it, the coaster in the woods. This coaster was a walk on. Grizzly had a lot of track work done during the winter, and the ride was fantastic. When we arrived back into the station, there was no one in the line and on Sams signal, we all remained in our seats. Wow, a bonus ride! That was exciting. Grizzly did not let us down.
After our bonus ride, we decided it was time to visit Rebel Yell. First, we did the forward side and the ride was great with good airtime. Then, we did the backwards side, and that is my favorite. I love seeing where you have been instead of where you are going. The seats we picked seemed to have extra airtime, but it was hard to resist the temptation of turning around.
Soon, it was time for lunch. We decided to eat at Country Kitchen. I was not hungry, so I enjoyed a refreshing soda. The food did look delicious, however. (Sam, next time it's Bubba Gumps!)
After everyones bellies were full and after a stop so Sam could pitch a few quarters, it was off to the other side of the park for a ride on Volcano. This Coaster is my favorite blast off coaster. It was not too long a wait until we were all on board and ready for our ride through the mountain. Great ride as usual. I can't belive this coaster is now in its sixth year of handing out the thrills. All had a great experience, and we said we would be back for another ride before the end of the day.
Next was Avalanche. Scott and I decided to ride this one together. Not a bad ride with some nice twist and turns.
Next, it was time for a ride on Anaconda. This Coaster is about 15 Years old now, but it still is an exciting ride. This is my favorite coaster in the park. I love the sound of it as it goes up the lift hill. (shades of Steel Phantom) I love the first drop into the tunnel by the water and the loops and corkscrews. A wonderful old steel coaster.
Next was the indoor coaster, Flight of Fear. Another blast off coaster. I believe that PKD is the King of blast off coasters. I like that! FOF did not let us down when it came to the thrills, and the sound effects were working this year. That added alot to this ride. Just about all of us have also experienced the Jokers jinx at SFA which is the same layout as FOF except it's outdoors. All were in agreement that the indoor sensation seems to add a lot more excitment to this ride.
After FOF, we did a few repeat rides including Hurler, one of PKD's three wood coasters. The ride was great and seems a little smoother this year.
As it was now dark, we decided to make our last ride on Volcano. Justin, who is not a steel coaster fan, was coaxed into joining us on this ride. He did excellent and was only woozy for a few minutes after the ride. We decided to give him a Volcano t-shirt as a rememberence of his experience on this ride.
Soon, it was time to say goodbye to PKD and to a very fantastic day. But, wait a minute... we did not ride the Scooby Doo Thrill Coaster. How convenient that Sam walked us past the coaster on the way out. Soon, we were all running into the station but the girl told us it was closed for the night. After a few sighs, the ride operator said, "okay, one more ride" and we took over the coaster for our last ride of the night. It was great to see members of Coaster Zombies and ATR taking over the whole train. Now, this coaster is considered a kiddie coaster, but do not let that fool you. The only thing kiddie about this coaster is the small seats in the trains. This is one fantastic wooden coaster, and a great ride. It is also a nice way to break in someone who does not have quite the experience yet for the biggies.
It was then time now to head to the main entrance, and do a bit of shopping before it was time to end this fantastic day. As we said our goodbyes, I hated to see this day end.
A great big thanks goes out to PKD PR Director, Mark, for welcoming us to the park and being a wonderful escort down to Drop Zone. Also a big thanks goes out to Sam from Coaster Zombies for putting up with us and showing us a great time throughout the day. Last but not least, thanks goes out to Scott for driving us there and back. Fantastic job as usual. As for PKD, I give this park a huge 10 for cleanliness and a very friendly staff that went out of their way to make our visit an enjoyable experience. We will be back soon!
Mark your calendars now for our next trip to Six Flags America for opening day on saturday, April 12th. If you did not attend our trip to PKD you missed a wonderful experience, so do not make the same mistake twice! We will be meeting at Harundale Plaza at 8:30am. Please e-mail me at CRL4U14857@aol.com, or call me at 410-663-8646 for more info or to let me know that you plan to attend. Hope to see everyone there.
-Carl
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