larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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 9/6/2005 12:43:52 AM
Now is the time I wish I took pictures because words do not do justice to some us these older parks.
Here's the deal - I left Manhattan at 2PM on Friday afternoon and hit no traffic leaving town, a shocker so now I'm already two hours ahead of schedule. Expected to leave at 3PM and expected lots of traffic. With the high price of gas I decide I'm going go cheap whenever I can. I make a side trip to a friend's deli, because he always give me a free hero. But I'm still 90 minutes ahead of schedule as I enter Eastern PA. So I get an idea. I'm gonna check the status of The Looper.
Knoebels 9/2/05
For the first time ever I buy a ticket booklet. Overall I spend $10.20 in tickets to ride:
Phoenix once (the first of many ACE classics this weekend)
Fandango once
Flyer - 3 times (lots of snapping)
Scooters - 4 times (some great hits)
then drive to Clarion, PA for the night
Saturday morning I get to Waldameer for the 11AM opening, but only the waterpark opens, rides open a 1PM. I killed two hours doing Sodoku puzzles.
Waldameer - admission price $15.95 9/3/05
Once in the park I head to Steel Dragon first since wild mouses tend to be slow loading, and decide I'm going to try a lot of flats on this trip since flats tend to be unique at smaller parks and I skipped so many flats on my early big Midwest trip. I also decided I'm going to try the Lemonade at as many parks as I can, here is a list and order of the rides I rode
Steel Dragon - two rides
Pirates Cove - one time on the walkthrough attraction
Tilt-a-Whirl - once
Wipeout - once
Sea Dragon - once
Whacky Shack - once on this dark ride
AliBaba - once on this flying carpet
Comet - once on this ACE classic coaster
Lemonade - very good
no - they would not let me ride the kiddie coaster, Ravine Flyer 3, without a child
it's about a 40 minute drive to Conneaut Lake
Conneaut Lake - admission price $16.95 9/3/05
The first thing you see when you enter the park is the flying skooters which are run for a long cycle and very quickly. The park is unique in that the outskirts are bounded by The Lake, the road and housing cottages. A couple of rides were not operational as there were signs stating that the park was waiting for parts. Their TumbleBug, YoYo and a third ride (I think it was a scrambler were not operating). There was a classic/custom car show which is always a relaxing thing to look at while in the park.
so here is the order that I rode
Flying Skooter
Blue Streak - 2 times
Devil's Den - once on this gravity powered dark ride (I can't believe they promote the infamous gum wall)
Swiss Toboggan - once is enough
Roll-O-Plane - once
Bumper Cars - twice
Blue Streak - 3 more times
Flying Skooter - twice
Blue Streak - two more times
The carousel pavilion is very nice. In the kiddie section I like that they have pony rides for the kids. However, I'm denied a ride on the kiddie coaster here also.
The lemonade at the Conneaut Lake is very good.
I finish the day driving to Pittsburgh and am at Kennywood for the opening on Sunday morning
Kennywood - admission price $28.95 9/4/05 (Giant Eagle discontinued discounted tix early in the year, but that's OK I don't mind supporting the independent park
On my only other trip to Kennywood I missed Exterminator and many flats so I really wanted to make up for that this time. Kennywood has an overall great feel to it and like Knoebels many unique flats that are run particularly well.
here is what I rode and the order:
Exterminator - I skipped the indoor pinning mouse last time because I didn't know what it was and by the time I realzied the long was one hour, so I headed there first
Phnatom's Revenge - two rides in the last car
Turtle - once on this now rare ride
Noah's Ark - once
Thunderbolt - once (unfortunately Hrrytraver's comment that beautiful young ladies were waiting for single riders last week was not<
Message updated 2/27/2006 10:59:45 PM by larrygator
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Cyclonic
Posts: 2636
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Experiment 626
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9/6/2005 6:57:33 AM
Sounds like you had a fun weekend  A few comments here:
Unfortunately you were just hours too early to catch the Looper. It opened just before 8 that night. I hear it is excellent.
It is odd that you couldn't ride the Ravine Flyer III. On my last visit I had no problem getting on it, and got about 10 curcuits in a row because the park was slow and the ride op just kept letting it go around.
Did Conneaut have it's Tilt back together? It was in pieces on my last visit.
It is a shame you did not stick around Idlewild just a little bit longer, they have some unique attractions there, including an interesting walkthrough and a haunted swing.
Don't worry about the Skydiver, even if they let you ride alone, you may not have been able to fit, it is very tight, and I know I don't come close to fitting. If you really want to give one a try, Blue Diamond has one that they will let you ride alone.
I'm looking forward to your review of the Cyclone, it should be interesting, expecally since you rode the back seat (ouch). The Twister's ride op is truely insane, and he gets great pleasure out of making people sick  Dopn't worry about the kiddie coaster at Williams Grove, they don't let adults ride anyway. No ride on the Wildcat? It may not look like much, but it still runs very well and is a lot of fun.
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My Track Record
Penncoasters.com
Coaster Events Page Updated 6/16/05
The Al Franken Show - The worst three hours of radio known to man! Good thing Rush is on at the same time
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hrrytraver
Posts: 1270
Registered: 7/16/2005
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/6/2005 9:34:58 AM
larry-
too bad the young thunderboltesses didn't come out for you. i wonder if you have warmed to thunderbolt? your review seemed "so-so". i really love it myself.....
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BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001
Rank: Site Moderator
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9/6/2005 9:35:25 AM
Nice Larry, what a fun weekend.
When I was at Conneaut there was a car show down between the hotel and the Toboggan, maybe its a weekly thing? (or maybe just holiday weekends?)
From what I've heard from a friend who just toured the area, the tilt a whirl is re-built and was operating when he went. However, since every Conneaut TR I've read includes a few closed rides, it could have been closed to save money.
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"eh oh coasterdad time!" 
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/6/2005 10:28:37 AM
Cyclonic
I didn't realize i just missed The Looper opening. They were working the cars when I first got there but 45 minutes later no workers were at the ride. I did not even see the motor running when I was there. I just assumed it would open over the weekend not on Friday night.
Tilt-a-Whirl was operating at Conneaut but I didn't ride. I didn't try to ride Ravine Flyer III, there was a sign that said teens and adults must be accompanied by a child. At Idlewild, I saw the walkthrough area from the parking lot but decided not to do it knowing it would take some time. I guess I should pay more attention to your reviews (and print them out) because I forgot about the haunted swing.
Skydiver - I'm sorry I missed it only because I wanted to try as many unique flats as possible. I'll have to stop at Blue Diamond on my way to SFA next year.
William's Grove - The Cyclone's last row was closed off so I rode in the second to last row. I rode the Wildcat last time I was at William's Grove, so I passed this time.
hrrytraver - nope, no Thunderboltesses. I got to ride the Tunderbolt with a nice little girl who was probably about 10 or 11. Her parents don't ride the "crazy" rides. It was her first time on a roller coaster and she kept apologizing for slamming into me. She wanted to ride Phantom's Revenge but was scared and asked my if I would ride with her. I politely said I couldn't and "ran" the other way after getting off the ride. It is kind of scary how naive kids are. Now I'm not a deviant (except for my coaster obsession), but kids really need to be taught not to talk to strangers. FYI - I has a similar experience on the Wild Mouse at Idlewild.
unfortunately I still don't love Thnderbolt
Message updated 9/6/2005 3:27:05 PM by larrygator
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/6/2005 11:05:26 PM
What a great trip and you have caught a couple of the PA parks I have missed.
I also rode ravine 3 but you are definately the bigger whore then me.
That statement is especially true since you tried to blame me for that piece of crap we rode at MIA, since it is obvious you would have rode that even if I wasn't there.
Glad you had fun I did nothing on this Labor Day.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/7/2005 12:10:31 AM
Quote:
coaster05 said:
you are definately the bigger whore then me. |
UNTRUE
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coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/7/2005 12:15:56 AM
The little leaper at Lakemont is definately big time whoring.
Course I do have the lil shaver to my credit.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/7/2005 12:27:49 AM
It look like a smaller Millenium Force to me
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Hercules
Posts: 4037
Registered: 10/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/7/2005 10:28:20 AM
Speaking of a smaller Millenium Force
You can get it for 79 dollars. Just don't be trying to jump on it for a credit you credit whore. 
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/19/2005 9:13:46 PM
FYI - The meatless sauce from DelGrosso's is pretty darned good, also. I made pasta tonight
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Hercules
Posts: 4037
Registered: 10/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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9/19/2005 9:20:30 PM
I'll have to remember that. I'm planning on making a similar trip within the next couple of years, so that is a good little thing to bookmark and remember 
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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1/26/2007 12:31:38 PM
bumping this up because, Hercules was looking for it
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Hercules
Posts: 4037
Registered: 10/13/2004
Rank: Platinum Critic
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1/26/2007 6:57:11 PM
Thanks a lot Larry. I'll really take a look at this and refresh my memory of it.
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larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002
Rank: Platinum Critic
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1/27/2007 7:49:22 PM
and remember I was paying about $3.25 a gallon as it was right after Katrina
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