BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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 7/11/2005 1:47:52 PM
So, now that the "major additions" of 2005 have all opened, is this year a disappointment to you like it is to me? Or, are you satisfied, if not happy with the class of 2005?
http://themeparkcritic.com/Forums/ViewTopic.asp?TopicID=101620&ForumKey=1
Look there, some we calling 2005 one of the best years in a while, and meanwhile, I personally have not been too impressed with four of the new coasters (Hydra, Kingda Ka, Italian Job and Mr. Six), and though I still have to wait to ride SheiKra, I am overall feeling a sense of having been let down in anticipation of a great year for new coasters. Sure, a couple of them were good, but overall I dont think the class is as stellar as we would have anticipated. Perhaps that is because we haven't had a big year in a couple of years and we were eager to take anything?
What are your thoughts thus far?
Still nothing great...
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It's Playtime! 
Message updated 7/25/2005 9:05:48 PM by BobFunland
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sfo1
Posts: 5359
Registered: 7/22/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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 7/11/2005 2:05:23 PM
Hades seems to be the star of 2005, by far.
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/11/2005 5:30:49 PM
I think this was a good ride for coaster additons. MAny parks had expantions with rides as well. so in that aspect 2005 is a top notch year.
But I can agree. nost of the coastrs added this year arn't that amazing. Italion job, Shekira, and Kingda Ka are apealing but I will likely only ride Kingda ka. most coasters Road Runner(TGE), MSP(SFNE) were not what they were maid out to be.
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CCTrack
Posts: 663
Registered: 6/10/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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7/11/2005 5:57:16 PM
What are you talking about?!?! You dont think Sheikrs looks amazing, well then again just because I thyink it looks amazing dosnt mean that you have to think that too.
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/11/2005 6:09:15 PM
Hades definately met my expectations. Shekra I won't know for a while. Hydra seems solid according to reviews. Kingda Ka I coulkd care less about and I would have to say I didn't have much expectation for Italian Job. We also have to realize that most rides will not meet our elevated expectations.
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WAR2174
Posts: 1067
Registered: 3/6/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/11/2005 8:23:01 PM
It will be harder and harder for "enthusiasts" to be amazed by roller coasters. If you have ridden enough you pretty much seen it all. The only thing they can do is make rides longer, faster, taller, etc. If isn't, it is seen as a failure. Look at Hydra for example, the general public probably loved it, but we here have put it at about average. Only something so unique you will never see it anywhere else, will get people exicted. Expedition Everest next year looks like one of those rides.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/11/2005 9:24:25 PM
I rode Hades and Hydra. While Hades met my expectations I liked Avalanche better in Wisconsin Dells. Hydra didn't do it for me but I still have to hit KK when it comes back on-line and Sheikra in October
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Mom always said, "Don't play ball in the house".
Message updated 7/11/2005 9:25:30 PM by larrygator
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CCTrack
Posts: 663
Registered: 6/10/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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7/12/2005 9:58:16 AM
I think Sheikra is going to be way better than Kingda Ka, I think Sheikra is the best new coaster of 2005, but that is just my opinion.
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Hercules
Posts: 4037
Registered: 10/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/12/2005 10:10:00 AM
Are we related or something B. Fun?
2005 has been a big disappointment for old Hercules here. It is pretty sad that a new pendulum ride is my top new ride for the year so far. Out of the top coasters Kingda Ka just beats out Hydra (which I'm going to hit up again today since it is my birthday  , short day of work for me since I'm my own boss... I guess 50 rides on it hasn't been enough for me just yet)
I don't think that rides have to be taller or faster or more unique to impress me. I just think they have to be solid and I would be happy. Sure, unique is definately appealing, but look at what it has done for the Class of 2005. Maybe we and parks should worry about making good, solid rides instead of trying to make things different and have them fall flat.
For coasters this year, the winner has to be Hades and it is sad that it is one that I haven't been on.
Oh yes, and as for Hydra, even the general public is kind of bored with the ride. There was an excellent article in the Morning Call (a paper here in the Lehigh Valley) saying how it did not reach the expectations that were placed upon it, but it was a pretty good hit with families and smaller enthusiasts.
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"I could never design another ride like Hercules." - Curtis Summers
Message updated 7/12/2005 10:31:40 AM by Hercules
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Swimace
Posts: 5916
Registered: 8/28/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/12/2005 12:24:33 PM
I've ridden 1 new coaster this year: SheiKra. I can honestly say that SheiKra surpassed my expectations by a huge margin. Hydra looks like a huge letdown however, and Kingda Ka lacks originality and the the ability to function.
One coaster that seems to have escaped everybody's memory is Powder Keg. I think that ride looks incredible. SheiKra, Hades, and Powder Keg all look like they are great new additions for 2006.
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/12/2005 1:17:01 PM
Quote:
CCTrack said:
What are you talking about?!?! You dont think Sheikrs looks amazing, well then again just because I thyink it looks amazing dosnt mean that you have to think that too. |
Perhaps I should have hit the enter button. I mentioned that those three are apealing but I woudl likely not ride them any time soon.
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Miracles can be made with a rock!
"Get a good idea and stay with it. dog it and work at it untile it's done, and don right." Walt Disney
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/12/2005 1:20:21 PM
It's hard for me to be Empressed. I have 3 coaster added in my area. 4 if I count Kingda KA in NJ(5.5 hours of driving). Every coaster is a Family basic coaster. I liked Pandimonuim but I wasn't trilled. I had more fun when only my brother and I rode it since it spun allot more.
Kingda Ka looks great. but they can't keep it runing.
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Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
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7/12/2005 3:11:31 PM
Hades is an incredible ride! I'd recommend it to anyone who's headed to the Dells. 
I'll be checking out IJ:ST @ PKI soon, and SheiKra in December. 
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Swimace
Posts: 5916
Registered: 8/28/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/12/2005 7:49:46 PM
SheiKra was great. There are few flaws in that coaster. I think Hades and Powder Keg look great too
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tacoking
Posts: 9914
Registered: 2/19/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/13/2005 1:05:30 AM
Ehhh....it wasn't a bad year, but it wasn't great either.
We have "great" ones like Hades and Silver Bullet, and the "good" ones like SheiKra and Powder Keg. It also seems we have a few disappointments as well like Hydra, Italian Job, and Kingda Ka (with it's downtime).
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CCTrack
Posts: 663
Registered: 6/10/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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7/13/2005 9:41:49 AM
I would say Sheikra should be in the great category not the good category.
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penguin22
Posts: 332
Registered: 2/14/2005
Rank: Silver Critic
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7/13/2005 9:49:24 AM
So far this year has been a huge letdown. We expected a great class of coasters and instead we get a few great ones, a bunch of underachievers, and deaths, fights, missing people, etc. every week. So far this year has not lived up to expectations.
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CoastrGlxy
Posts: 358
Registered: 5/23/2005
Rank: Silver Critic
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7/13/2005 3:37:34 PM
For me, Sheikra was a let down. Did it show me something new? Yes. Did it blow me away? Not at all. It's by no means a bad ride (in fact it's a good one) but for me it didn't live up to the hype. Now Hades looks like a beast, I doubt I'll make it out to WI, but that ride looks like it wouldn't dissapoint. I'll be riding Mr. Six next month so we'll see how that goes.
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Swimace
Posts: 5916
Registered: 8/28/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/13/2005 3:43:38 PM
Quote:
tacoking said:
Ehhh....it wasn't a bad year, but it wasn't great either.
We have "great" ones like Hades and Silver Bullet, and the "good" ones like SheiKra and Powder Keg. It also seems we have a few disappointments as well like Hydra, Italian Job, and Kingda Ka (with it's downtime). |
You'd rate Silver Bullet over SheiKra? Silver Bullet looks pretty bad to me.
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SheiKra- 2005's most amazing ride experience.
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RCGenius
Posts: 1180
Registered: 12/23/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/13/2005 9:05:21 PM
I've only been on SheiKra so I'm going to say that. I'll admit that the ride's too short, but for a ride to have a 1st drop of 200 ft. drop at 90 degrees, a 2nd drop of 138 ft. at a 81 degree angle, & a 165 ft. immelman in such a short amt. of time's really impressive to me. I did have high expectations & anticipation for it too, but it was still a lot of fun.
I'm also going on Hydra: the Revenge sometime in Aug. I'll admit that I also expect Hydra to give me a ride experience I'll never forget, but based on its small stature, it might be a letdown despite the fact that it'll be my 1st floorless since I didn't go to Seaworld Orlando & ride Kraken. Think about it. It's only 95 ft. high, has 3198 ft. of track, & its top speed's 53 m.p.h. Some elements like the jojo roll & the 105 ft. drop at 68 degrees are pretty cool. I guess that I'll have to wait until I ride Hydra next month to determine if Hydra's what I expected it to be or a huge letdown.
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tacoking
Posts: 9914
Registered: 2/19/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/13/2005 10:29:01 PM
Quote:
Swimace said:
You'd rate Silver Bullet over SheiKra? Silver Bullet looks pretty bad to me. |
Remember who you are talking to. I have three B&M Inverts in my Top 10, and two in my Top 5. Silver Bullet, aside from the weak drop, looks insane. Better than SheiKra, Hades, or anything else that came out this season. Having been on SheiKra, Silver Bullet has a good chance of being better - but that part is just speculation.
Besides, if we all went of speculation, Katun would own all of them. 
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Revenge of the Mummy is the greatest ride ever!
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CCTrack
Posts: 663
Registered: 6/10/2005
Rank: Gold Critic
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7/14/2005 7:54:30 AM
How good do you think this year went with flat rides?
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/15/2005 12:20:53 PM
The thing is with Shikira and Oblizian is they really rely on the Vertical drop for the coaster they isn't much to then. They really are a cheap trick coaster.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/15/2005 3:01:38 PM
Quote:
mrceagle said:
The thing is with Shikira and Oblizian is they really rely on the Vertical drop for the coaster they isn't much to then. They really are a cheap trick coaster. |
I fear that could be the case also, but I'll reserve judgement until after I ride
3 months til SheiKra
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Red Rascal
Posts: 7284
Registered: 1/28/2003
Rank: Croatian Critic
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7/15/2005 3:52:48 PM
Quote:
mrceagle said:
The thing is with Shikira and Oblizian is they really rely on the Vertical drop for the coaster they isn't much to then. They really are a cheap trick coaster. |
I could understand that for Oblivion, but not so much SheKra, seeing that it does have unique features and longer (and improved) layout over its predecessor, but I'll judge it after I ride it (only 5 months to go!).
Larry, which parks are you planning to hit, and in how many days?
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~ Coaster Count: 123 ~
What's life if you never get to the Point?
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/15/2005 4:36:38 PM
Well I hope you injoy the trip I likely won't be out there any time soon.
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/16/2005 12:32:46 AM
I would have prefered to see a shorter coaster with more inversions and manuvers. I'm sure it's a great ride but it still seems limited.
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Swimace
Posts: 5916
Registered: 8/28/2003
Rank: Platinum Critic
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7/16/2005 1:22:41 PM
That's not possible mrc. The problem with dive machines is their train designs which are required to manuever the steep drops. The trains loose momentum really quickly. One could hardly fit more manuevers into the ride without killing it's momentum. The drops IMO beat any inversion that they could have put in.
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CoastrGlxy
Posts: 358
Registered: 5/23/2005
Rank: Silver Critic
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7/16/2005 8:09:02 PM
Well the Immelman on Sheikra is really cool but it's short and for me neither of the drops were intense enough. And I'm a drop junkie but it's not like I've been on anything really tall. I'd actually prefer Apollo's first drop over Sheikra's. Maybe the brakes take away from the momentum for the drop. They add to the suspense and fun for the onlookers, but something was def. missing. It's a good ride, it's B&M and Busch Gardens, but not a great ride.
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mrceagle
Posts: 13804
Registered: 6/9/2001
Rank: TPC News Minister
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7/18/2005 12:01:02 AM
Teh drop is 200 and a 173 ft Immelman. I think you woudl have manuvers like A loop and tords the end do manovers like A Boomerange with can operate on less speed.
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