LONG - Sun 7/18 Rain, what rain? NO MF for me.

This was my first point trip this year. I was kind of hesitant earlier in the season to go because I knew of what they were doing w/ MF and I wasn't sure that I could be in the park and be told that I couldn't ride my favorite coaster. So, despite my earlier anger w/ the park, I decided to put on my best game face, and quit being a moron by missing out on the rest of the best of CP and take my friend who hasn't been to CP since Raptor was new.

I watched the weather forecast heavily the day before and according to the weather it was supposed to storm all day, so I came expecting little to be open, because we were getting our season passes, I knew that we could do this again whenever the need hit us. Not to mention that there is plenty of live entertainment to keep busy for a while if rain was going to be an issue.

After a nice downpour on the way to CP, approximately nine o’clock, I got to the point and was pleasantly surprised to see TTD running! YEAH! I love to take my friends for their first TTD ride. It is sooo much fun to see the expression on their faces :) Sadly enough I personally have determined that TTD’s thill is fading a little for me :( I really do love MF and TTD just doesn't compare in my book. After about an hour, we got our great ride. I then took a moment to thank the CP Gods for no rain as we quickly headed for MF, to try to make sure that he could get that in before it was supposed to begin to rain.

I sent my friend into the queue, as I headed for the dreaded test seat, part of me knew that I wouldn't make it, even though I have lost some weight from last year. I was right, I had close to an inch to go to be able to fasten the belt, much less to be able to pull an inch of slack :( The ride op was excellent and I told him that I was not at all upset, that I was aware of the policy change and that he and the rest of his crew were doing a great job. I also told him that I was sure that this was not CP's fault either, and made mention that I thought the policy changes were a knee jerk reaction by Intamin, and that I hoped that there would be a better resolution in the future. My wish is for them to retrofit MF with seats similar to the Dragster train.

I told my friend that I would meet him at the exit in an hour, and headed off to ride Iron Dragon, still and old favorite, and the train. I still am not sure how I feel about that, I send my friend for a great coaster ride, and I get to ride the train, great consolation prize... NOT! I will add that I now have a little bit of added push as to want to want to get that extra weight off, I hope by the end of the season, but I WILL NOT EVER GIVE UP! EVER!

Anyhow, after the train ride, I was dying to see his reaction to MF, and as much as I do, he loved it. I asked what his favorite part of the ride was, the first drop, the inverted turns, or the airtime hills out to Millennium Island and back. He told me, it was the inverted turns, which kind of surprised me :)

After that, we decided to take a quick break for lunch at Macaroni's. I knew I could get a not so bad for me lunch there. I had a salad bar plate and part of chicken sub sandwich, no bread of course. After resting our feet there for a while we headed to Wicked Twister, where I again instructed him to go without me. I might try this one later this year too, but being a very upper body heavy woman, I have NEVER fit this one. His total wait plus ride time was only like 15 minutes, so I told him to go again, and pointed him to the next to the back seat on the right hand side, and told him to sit there. Before I knew it he was done again, and he told me that the crew wouldn't let him pick where he wanted to sit. I thought this was awful strange, especially considering how short their lines were. Whatever the case is, he had two really fun-filled twists and I was still amazed that it hadn't rained a drop. I said another prayer to the CP Gods, and off we headed for Raptor, as he told me that he was tired of riding alone. I understand how he feels, but I also know that I am doing all I can, and I LOVE Raptor, after all these years, I think it is still my favorite next to MF.

On the way to Raptor we skirted through the main Arcade so that I could show my friend the DDR machine, I wish that I had the money to put one of those in my home, I think my cardio would be tons more fun than it is now. There was a younger girl dancing she did a great job for several minutes, pulling off some great combos. I wish that I could do that!

Raptor's line said 1 hour but was more like 15 minutes, and we decided to do it again, it was, and still is an awesome coaster. During our first wait in line was our only sign of rain the whole day, and it sprinkled for about 2 minutes. Biggie deal!

Next we hit Power Tower up and down, which took like about 20 minutes total. The most interesting part of that was watching him be so amazed that there was water that you couldn't see the other shore of that wasn't the ocean. The view from up there is still marvelous.

Then it was on to Mantis, my friend had never heard of a roller coaster that you ride standing UP! I commented to him that I couldn't believe that in all the years of living in FL by all those major theme parks that he had never ridden a stand up coaster, much less heard of one! It was a good one plus hour wait for it, and as usual, a very powerful ride that never ceases to amaze me. I still often find myself getting off that coaster wondering how exactly it is that some men can ride that without physically harming themselves!

We were headed for magnum, when I saw the Corkscrew, and decided that I must have a quickie, because it had been a whole year. We quickly loaded into the next to last seat of the train and off we went. Corkscrew is still a lot of fun back there for the whiplash effect. I did notice both this year and last that for much time during the day they don't load the middle of the trains, anyone have any idea why?

Last ride of the day for us was Maggie. She is still such a dream, and so powerful. I took the earlier advice of ppl here on the forum and fastened in firmly, and had one of my best rides on Magnum in a long time.

By this time it was nearly six o'clock, and I knew I had to pick up a few items from the gift shops, and head home. It is a good three hour drive, and I knew that I had to work today.

I picked up a TTD t-shirt for my 5 year old son, the six different CP posters, and a Puzzle Cube and headed home. Many thanks to the girls in the gift shops that took a couple of the posters off the walls for me so that I could get a complete set. I stopped to get frames for them once I was back in town.

All in all, it was a great day at CP! I am looking forward to another visit soon, hopefully as soon as next Sunday.

Great TR! I still can't ride Mantis without "something" hurting, whether it be my legs or my "leg."

I again feel bad for those of you who can't ride MF. Keep workin' girl, and they might not have to refit the trains after all!

Yea that trip report was nice to read.

I agree with the hurting on Mantis, the ride was dissapointing and painful.

Great TR! Sounds like you all had a great time. Keep workin for MF and I'll keep tryin to get lucky enough to catch a second ride on TTD (even though I'm not really a fan of it). BTW, what's the difference in MF and TTD seats? I was under the impression they're the same with the expection of the headrests. *** Edited 7/21/2004 12:33:18 AM UTC by RockDown2G***

I really love how you dont whine and complain about MF and the seatbelt policy. I really am sick of hearing about that. Great TR.

I believe the difference between MF and TTD seats is that TTD seats are more like bucket seats. Plus, the restraints are different, TTD being the Tbar. Great TR by the way.

-Eagle-

I didn't realize that some people can ride TTD and not MF. On my last trip I had a friend who couldn't ride MF so didn't even try TTD thinking the seats were the same. She was VERY close to fitting too, with a good squeeze her boyfriend got the seatbelt to fasten, but of course you have to do it yourself with the 1 inch slack. What a shame, she should have given it a try.

Yeah, most people, including me, would think if you can't fit in one, than you can't fit in the other.

-Eagle-

My coasterbud, TheRealCP can fit into TTD, but not MF.

There was a whole thread about this in the MF or TTD forums. I don't feel like looking up the link, but a quick recap.

The seats are not the same. They are both the same depth, but MF's has a bigger slope at the front, making the effective seating area smaller than that of TTD. Also, MF has a straight T-bar whereas TTD has a bent T-bar so that it sits more snugly against your lap. Because of these differences it is actually possible to fit in TTD and not MF.

Always try every seat, who knows, you might fit and then you can ride. If you're not expecting to fit, then you'll be pleasantly suprised if you do, but you don't even have a chance if you don't try.