It's been nine years since I made the trek from Grand Rapids, MI around the lake to Gurnee. Probably eight years too long in many people's book. While many of you park regulars get to see the changes that occur a little at a time, year by year, those of us who visit once a decade get slapped in the face with them. It's like seeing your long lost buddy with his now 10-year-old kid (I remember you when you were this big, now you have buck teeth and zits). OK, bad analogy. Where to begin...
Our party of six stayed at La Quinta, practically on property. Not bad at all. I read some reviews ahead of time that completely panned the place but I found a favorable experience. The rooms were clean and the staff was friendly, courteous and very accommodating. we were given 4th floor rooms facing the park (we could only see the Sky Trek Tower over the trees, but still awesome). The king rooms had a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and N64 (what?) but of course we had no time to mess around at the hotel.
I should mention that the forecast was ugly with heavy rain and storms on their way. We lucked out with a couple short hard rains, a couple mists and overcast skies regularly broken up by windows of incredible sunlight. Anyone who was there during these two days can surely back me up on the surprisingly favorable conditions versus the forecast.
We drove in, checked the location of La Quinta and immediately sat down at Ihop for breakfast since we were almost two hours early for park open due to our remarkably easy drive through Chicago. After shoving way more food in our bellies than was probably necessary we parked at SF and bought two days worth of tickets. We got a fantastic deal from my employer in the form of buy one get one free coupons, which we then turned into twickets. We then marched into the "Cleanest Theme Park in America". A very suspect claim on multiple counts. Cleanest? I wouldn't call it filthy by any means (aside from the mountains of gum, which most parks suffer from), but Disney parks are impeccable. You'd be hard pressed to stay cleaner than that, especially considering the differences in attendance. Theme Park? Yes, but sadly half the park's "theme" is covered by midway games and carnival atmosphere now.
Day one was walk-on for every attraction just about all day long, with the exception of Raging Bull. We took the Superman route at park open, hit that, then Dark Knight, Ragin' Cajun, Batman the Ride, and on up to Iron Wolf. Superman is a five star coaster in my book (did I mention gum?) and blows away it's "counterpart" at Kings Island, Firehawk. I think it's something about the restraint comfort and the feeling of safety, not to mention the track layout is awesome. I know a lot of folks like the front car best as illustrated by its separate queue and longer wait, but in my opinion the nosedive after the first drop is a sensation best experienced from the very last car. Rode this one five times total.
The Dark Knight - Hmm. I already knew this to be a wild mouse in a building with theming, so I was not expecting Space Mountain. However I do have a couple feelings here. I was let down that they have removed the preshow, which I have only seen a video of online, but it was well put by the staffer working the line. He explained that while the five minute show existed, it would back up the riders so that several empty trains would be waiting for the show to finish (stifling throughput), and the line would spill outside with riders waiting to see the preshow. Since they removed the show, he said, there has been no line at all since the because keeps moving at a steady pace. It almost sounded like a scripted response to avoid saying "this ride's not good enough to warrant the kind of buildup the preshow provided". The line area outside the preshow room was a bit dirty, dust in every corner. But then, this is supposed to be Gotham isn't it? Inside the ride, the theming was ok, a cross between Tim Burton's imagining, Chris Nolan's presentation, and the comic books. I did like the busted subway-looking trains. Nice touch. I feel like it could have been, or maybe once was, darker inside. I didn't like being able to see the track in front of me so well in a dark ride, nor the cement floor beneath the structure. Protip: Wear your sunglasses on this. Out of the four times we rode TDK, three were with shades on. Much better experience. I know we aren't the first ones to think of this. Gotta give The Dark Knight three stars, something made us ride it four times, right?
Ragin' Cajun - Fun fun fun. A slow loader with a small capacity so waits were a bit longer, especially on our second day when the park was busier. Once the car gets spinning I almost pee myself laughing. Wait, I've ridden this before... Where was that... aha! Primeval Whirl at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Love it there, love it here. A quick search at rcdb.com tells me they are by two different manufacturers (!) Very surprising. Three easy stars.
Batman: The Ride - Absolute classic B&M inverted (their first?) Love this thing almost as much as my Raptor at Cedar Point. It's a bit shorter of a ride than Raptor, but packs a real good punch. Walked on all but once of five rides. It got easy once we figured out no one was queuing up in the last row. It's deceptive, the second to last looks like it's the last I suppose. As it turns out, there's no better place to ride this one. Getting yanked at full speed through every loop, turn and hill is incredible. Four star coaster.
Iron Wolf - I did not and will not get on this one. The rest of our group rode this while two of us stayed behind. If I learned anything from Mantis at CP, it's that I do not care for a seat between my crotch while coastering. Also in standing up, I feel like I'm using muscles to ride that are not supposed to be used on a coaster. There's no relaxing on these. No rating.
At this point we worked our way back through the middle of the park starting with American Eagle, then Demon, Whizzer, Viper and Raging Bull.
American Eagle - Of course we rode this giant badass. Once. This is the kind of classic that makes me giddy with anticipation while waiting in line and climbing the lift, thrills me while beating the hell out of my spine, then lets me off wondering how old is too old for this sort of thing. I love and respect this machine, but I think there should be a back brace rental just outside the exit. Naturally I'll have forgotten about this somehow by our next visit, and do it all over again. Two and a half respectful stars.
At this point it is worth mentioning that Revolution was down, no attendants, mechanics or staff, just a sign. Exactly as was noted on the board at the park entrance. More on non-coaster rides later.
Demon - Awesome a expected. I have a deep love for Arrows of this era (Vortex at Kings Island being my favorite). Demon does not disappoint at all. It's looking a little dingier nowadays, can't say I care for the advertising skins over the trains, and the mist is gone from the tunnel before the corkscrews. I'm pretty sure the mist was there when I last visited in 2003. Just the same, we rode six times because it gives a kicks ass ride in the front of the train and it was a consistent easy walk on. Three stars.
Whizzer - How cool is this? I didn't bother riding it nine years ago and can now safely kick myself. The Whizzer throws me back to my eight-year-old self riding the Jumbo Jet at Cedar Point. I believe this is the only surviving spiral lift coaster, based upon some of the pre-trip reading I had done. We rode, realized that we wanted our own cars, queued back up, and just as we were about to take our train, got rained out. We were kept in our hopeful yet soggy positions by an entertaining ride operator, but eventually relented and sought cover. We got our one-per-car ride the next day. Two and a half stars. Tyler, the operator, four stars. Happy birthday, Tyler!
Viper - I'm not the biggest woodie fan in the world. You've read my feelings on American Eagle. The award winning ACE favorite Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure makes me flinch. I'll never ever ride Mean Streak as long as I live. But Viper is an attitude-filled pistol. It doesn't beat my ass too bad, is fast, loaded with airtime, has headchoppers... someone in line said that Viper was a modified mirror image of Coney Island's Cyclone. If that is true, I guess I love the Cyclone sight unseen. Even the theming is adequate here, giving a western/mine train feeling. Four stars.
Raging Bull - After our ride on Viper, the only coaster left was RB. It was about 7:30 and the line at this point was an hour so we took the rest of the night riding flats and repeating coasters. At park open on our second day we dashed directly through Southwest Territory to Raging Bull. I'd had a crack at it in 2003, but since then have ridden Diamondback which has clouded my memory, and was feeling a bit fluttery just looking at it. We got on the first train of the day, second car, and locked in. I had forgotten just how out in the open you feel when held just off the floor and only by a lapbar. This coaster is truly exhilarating. Once back at the station, there were not enough riders waiting to fill the entire train so we got to re-ride. After our second go, the line was already 45 minutes out so we took the rest of the day repeating other coasters and flats. Five stars naturally, and as good of a reason to return to SFGAm as you'll get.
Flat rides - I'm one of those guys that loves a good Scrambler. I love both coasters and good spin-and-pukes, unlike most of my friends who are one or the other. I never took to the Witch's Wheel at CP but warmed up to the Orbit and rode it four times. I have always been a sissy when it comes to MaxAir and Delirium but Revolution makes me ready to attack them. I didn't ride King Chaos, Forget that thing. I'm not about it at all. Crawler? Check. Fun Machine? Check. Fiddler's Fling? River Rocker? Gotta do 'em all.
Staff - Awesome, nice, polite, entertaining. Not a single blemish.
Patrons - Your usual mixed bag. We got to see some people acting their worst but the good outweighed it by far.
On the theme(s) or compromise thereof - Carnival games. No, I do not want to climb a twisty rope ladder. No, I'd rather not break plates or squirt water or throw darts. I'd like to see the facades and buntings and lush theming in each area that I seem to remember. I liked the games in County Fair, not everywhere in the park. It's also a bit offputting to see DC, Hanna Barbera and Warner Brothers together.
In closing, it's sad to see a park change, partially because of my own selfish nostalgia but It's true that changes can sometimes be necessary or we may not have a park at all. We had a brilliant time and feel that not a penny of our money was wasted. On second thought, I did not discuss food did I...
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6/21-6/22 Trip Report/Review
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Where did you get the 45 min line from on Raging Bull? Is it one of those yellow signs in the line? Those signs are lies! They say something is 60 min when it's really 30 min. They just want people to buy the flash pass. So, how long were most of the coasters on Wednesday - wait times? Did you get on Condor, or Ricochet?
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
We got the RB estimate from people exiting the ride. Yes, some of us rode Condor (not I) and Ricochet, which I could take or leave.
For Dark Knight, I think there are multiple reasons why they took out the preshow. First off, I think it's too scary for young kids, and it's supposed to family ride, so why are they showing that type of video? Secondly, maybe they have gotten complaints from people being bored and sick of seeing that same video over and over again. Thirdly, when you went in that room you lost your place in line. Some people chose to sneak in front of other people by going right near the door. And yes, at times they shouldn't even be running that video because they are sending empty trains. This is particularly at night, or in the morning. First ride of the day on that, and you watching a 4 minute video while the roller coaster is running. It's a waste of time.
Ok, I see how it could be packed like that. Went on Friday, and the parking lot wasn't that terribly packed (Sure the front lot was full, and there were some 1/10 of cars in the back lot, but realistically that's nothing. Remember, that through the years the front parking lot has gotten smaller with the waterpark, Viper, and before Space Shuttle America.), but when you have only 25 people in the waterpark + barely anyone on the other 3 water rides that are open (I doubt Yankee Clipper was open.). That's -5000 people (I usually see about 4,000 people on the box in the waterpark when I go, and adding 1,000 for the other 3 rides whether in line, or on the ride.) The capacity is probably higher though since the new Riptide Bay stuff. Before, I think it was 7,500. Because of no one being on the water rides (very little people), they are out and about on the roller coasters, flats, and shows. So, stuff was packed. Superman had all the lines going even. Demon had the switchbacks going near the station, and the line was kind of close to the entrance. Batman the Ride had lines going back and forth in the park. It felt packed like a Fright Fest day, but yet the parking lot wasn't full. It's because of barely anyone going on the water rides. Really I like the waterpark a bunch, but the dry side is the side that really needs something more. It's just the fact that the water rides will never be open as much as the dry rides will be, and it's not even close. Even if you just counted June - August, the dry rides are still open more - How many minus hours for the waterpark compared to the regular park. And I do like the waterpark, but the dry side is the side that really needs something more. "I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
Glad you had an awesome day at Gurnee,IL.
I couldn't agree with this more. My local park is Michigan's Adventure, which Cedar Fair picked up in 2001. I believe this move was largely to get Shivering Timbers into their roster. Then they brought in Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, added some flats and Rip Cord, which is an extra-pay sky coaster,then began expanding the water park by adding a giant funnel like all other parks have, in 2005. Luckily in 2006 we got a rapids ride, Grand Rapids (named after my humble hometown, hurrah), but still no coaster. Then we were given Cedar Point's swan boats to make room for the Mav, we got Valleyfair's bumper boats, and some more waterpark nonsense. Finally we were given the transplanted Thunderhawk from Geauga Lake, making our total of worthwhile coasters a whopping three. I mean, there are several other coasters, but a wild mouse is the best of them. This year, we got Beach Party. Guess where that is? Whee. It's an "interactive water playground with 150 different water-related activities" (It does include a 90 ft geyser apparently). But really, Cedar Fair, people come from all over the country to ride ST and have little else to occupy their day unless they want to get wet. Should have transplanted Demon Drop instead of scrapping it. This is why we spend our summer weekends at KI, CP and now we will add SFGAm to regular rotation. Maybe soon they will climb up financially and remove these tacky carnival games that have spilled onto every midway... End of rant. Yes, rb1, we had a fantastic time and will return soon.
Actually Demon Drop went to Dorney Park, a park that already had/has 2 S&S towers making it a ridiculously stupid place to send it, vs MiAdv which has no towers of any sort. Hopefully next year their new inverted shuttle coaster looks good next to their existing shuttle coaster.
Wish Cedar Fair would take better care of Shivering Timbers as well, maybe could one day resurrect C.O.S.T., not that anyone around here would know what that is/was, been a long long time since it ran that well  Also it's a shame the Jourden's didn't get to install the Morgan Hyper they seemed to always have plans for. Of course it would only be a Morgan but in that park, that'd be big news there. Morgan Hyper would have fit the park like a glove. Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder
Favorite Steel: Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 222, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 822, Wood: 178, Total: 1000
Ugh. That makes it all the worse.
V2 and Deja Vu are totally different rides. One is a launch and one is you drop down from high up, and it sends you. Invertigo is very similar to Deja Vu (the ride Dorney Park is getting), but it's NOT 90 degrees, has a smaller loop, and lift chain, but really it's like saying well SFGAm never needed Deja Vu because they have V2. They are totally different! So, I don't see the complaint there. "I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
aka, 2 Inverted Shuttle Coasters.
I never said they didn't need it, though since you brought that up I am saying that now. Dorney Park doesn't need 2 Inverted Shuttle Coasters. They need a second Inverted Shuttle about as much as they need a 3'rd drop tower complex Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder
Favorite Steel: Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 222, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 822, Wood: 178, Total: 1000
I promised to be an active member here and not a one-trip-wonder so I'm bumping my TR thread to show off my shiny new avatar!
I still can't decide whether I like Diamondback or Raging Bull better. I suppose I'll just have to visit both parks again soon to find out...
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