Opening Day 2002 (Corkscrew has ejector air?)
I arrived at the park around 10:03am and walked past the unbeleiveably long line of people processing their season passes. Once in the park, I made a beeline to CP's newest atraction, Wicked Twister. Stopped at the restroom by Demon Drop...did anyone noticed the air hand dryers? They were called Excellerator! Maybe Cedar Fair was test marketing a similar name here for it's ride out in California. Knott's people, what are the names of your hand dryers? It might be CP's next coaster!!
Delighted was I to find it to be a 20 minute wait. The dispatch time was around 1:45-2:00mins which wasn't bad at all. Overhearing kids freaking out because the track and structure swayed so much was fun in itself. Riding in the back seat on this ride is unbeleiveable!!! Twisting up that rear spike, I lost sight of the track...looked like we flew off and were just floating. Those G-forces were insane! I wasn't expecting much and Wicked Twister delievered wayyyy more than I imagined!
I decided magnum was next, but I detoured onto Corkscrew as it was a walk-on. I sat 2-1 and was absolutley shocked by by the second hill. Ejector Air!?!?! Coming over that second hill before heading into the loop, I was literally thrown upwards into my restraint! I've ridden Corkscrew many many times and never have I noticed this. CP's maintenence sure has outdone themselves this year. Saw Monty Jasper standing adjascent to the ride with 2 other individuals talking, pointing, and laughing.
Quick spin on Magnum in 1-3, good as always. While I was in the station, someone near the rear of the train was having trouble with thier seatbelt or lap bar and delayed the dispatch. The ride-op in the booth kept looking at the turn into the bunny hops praying they'd get the train out in time. Well, I saw the train and one of the crewmembers started running down the catwalk to reset the trains. The train rolled out of the station and up onto the lift where the chain promtly stopped. Since the guy was almost out there already, the set-up lasted about a minute but I could tell they weren't happy. Near the exit of the ride, saw Natalie and Jeff (awww aren't they cute) and saw a group of GTTPers gathering. Waved and walked on.
Noticed the wall by Gemini and sat in the right hand side of the Blue train to get a better look. Like everyone and their brother, I saw some big 'ol footings and some mysterious piles of dirt over by MF's turnaround...time will reveal the answer to us all. Gemini was fun, though after the first competitive ride, the blue train kept beating the red train hands down. We weren't even close enough to slap hands :-( Also noticed the walk way and handrails up the lift on both sides are all new wood.
Mean Squeak wasn't squeaking at all today and even though the first drop trim did grab, the first half of the ride seemed very intense. The person doing the spiel had a nametag that said "Ride Pride" What the heck does that mean? All he did was do the spiel and tell the person in the booth when to dispatch...he didn't check restraints and woudlnt interact with the riders.
Up next: Mine Ride. It still gives a good ride, and the two female teenage coaster-neophytes behind me made it all the more amusing. I think they liked it...hehehe.
Hopped on the train and headed to the front of the park to take a spin on Blue Streak and boy was that thing flying. Sat in the last row and I wasn't expecting the ride I got. Airtime city and fantastic laterals through the turnaround. what the heck did they do? Must've used Raptor's "speed paint" or something!
Raptor was intended to be next, but somehing was wrong. They were unloading people on the lift so I decided to check out the 3d Thrills on Disaster Transport. Though I didn't have the appropriate glasses, the ride was a lot better than I imagined. Headed back over to Raptor and as I walked up, they reopened it. I was about the 10th person in...talk about good timing and luck. HAD to ride the front seat and shared it with two attractive young ladies who'd never expereinced the front seat. I told them to relax and imagine being in a jet fighter. Well Raptor gave a great ride, though it was rough in a few spots...Cobra Roll and the twist into the brakes, other than that it delivered the intensity I remembered. The two young ladies literally jumped up and down screaming because they loved it so much....they even gave me an unexpected big hug too :-)
Decided Magnum was calling my name and went back their to discover it was set-up on the lift hill. Took 5 more laps on Gemini before heading back to the front of the park. Took a quick spin on Corkscrew, this time in the back to see if it was a fluke, but yet again, forceful air abouned on the second hill!
Hmmm, Millennium Force's line was too long for my blood, so I decided to check out Draggin' Iron. Overall still very pleasant and relaxing and noticed Monty Jasper on the platform, waved and moved on.
I was getting tired, so I walked to the front (Skyride had closed due to "weather condition" that blasted blue sky and sun! Raptor had a 10 minute wait so I took 3 laps and then left the park.
Overall, very good day at CP!
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--Seth
Seth-"Ride Priders" are "volunteers" of sorts who work at CP for 1 day or so and donate their salary to their favorite charity. So it's not expected of them to spiel or d anything more than what they are told to do. We had a ride pride on Raptor in '00 who wanted to spiel and it was a classic cause he kept getting Raptor's stats wrong and I kept having to "correct" him over the loud speaker. It was TOO funny! :)
Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
Next VP of GOCC?
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)
The Sky Ride shuts down when the wind reaches a certain velocity, they should probably change "weather condition" to "high winds" so people have a better understanding of why Sky Ride isn't running.
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It's very hard to drink all day...
Unless you start first thing in the morning.
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- The Darling one
"Danger: Hgih Voltage" -The DT Queue
"Those weren't trims, that was a buzzcut" - A Mean Streak rider
Sky ride will shut down when there aren't enough employees to work too-which is why you'll notice during Halloweekends the sky ride has ALOT of down time even with no winds. If ride ops are needed elsewhere, they are pulled off sky ride.
That would be my guess since there were so many ride prides yesterday. Tons of employees still in school full time.
Jo
2000 Raptor Crew
Gemini 100 "Survivor"
Next VP of GOCC?
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Cowboys dig cowgirls in trucks
Cowgirls dig cowboys in Wranglers! ;)
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Virtual Midway
http://www.virtualmidway.com
*** This post was edited by Gemini 5/6/2002 2:36:47 PM ***
I was amazed at corkscrew.That ejector air was fantastic.I loved it.I hope it stays that way for the rest of the season.
"Bravo,Pugsly"
Here is my quick report for opening day before work which was at 11:30.
Wicked Twister:Walked right on it was my first wicked twist and I was pumped and scarred.I forced my self on and with my hands shaking I pulled down my harness and buckeled my seatbelt then 3...2...1...Blast off I was thrown into my seat and headed straight up a spiral.Man is this fun I thought so I let go and went the rest of the ride with my arms and legs straight out instead of grabbing the hgarness for dear life.let me state righr now that since I am a big guy I was surprised that I fit in the seat at all.
Millennium Force:I headed over to MF and got in line,which,there was none so I got on and we started to go up the hill.Nice veiw as always I thought going up and then we went over and went down that rush which surprisingly after almost 7 months of non-riding felt like nothing and needless to sya I was a tad dissappointed by MF that day.By that time I decided to just chill before work which went very well.
Troika/Chaos crew 2002
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