bumprnugit
Posts: 282
Registered: 10/7/2003
Rank: Silver Critic
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 4/19/2009 3:43:43 PM
My son is in boys scouts and tent-camping trip was planned this weekend near Hunter Mountain in the Catskills, and he really wanted to go. There is no way I am sleeping in a tent in April, so at the last minute to make it up to him, we went to Great Adventure yesterday with our Great Escape season passes. What a perfect weather day.
Kingda Ka was not running, so that was a disappointment. We rode El Toro 3 times, once in the first seat last car (a light check of the lap bar by staff), once in the very last seat (light stapling), and last in the second from the front (heavy stapling.) Although not the perfect ride, damn is this ride awesome! The first drop in the very back in mind-blowing!! At 80 degrees, it is better than Millennium Force, SFNE S:RoS and Shiekra. Still the smoothest woodie ever, especially in the front. The back does feel a little more like a traditional woodie, but nothing like any I have ever have been on before.
The airtime is unreal; we were waiting in line near the second hill and my son was taking a picture when suddenly, as the train crested the top of hill #2, a cell phone went flying up about 20 feet over the hill, floated mid-air for a second than fell to the other side. There were gasps and laughter in line. Unfortunately, the picture my son took was centered too low, so it didn't show up.
The longest we waited was about 45 minutes for El Toro, although the estimate was 90 minutes. It was down for a bit during the day, so that didn't help. Rides were pretty accessible early in the day, but in the afternoon Superman; Ultimate Flight was about 90 minutes and Nitro the same. Being down two major attractions probably contributed to this (Kingda Ka and Medusa/Bizzaro.)
On Superman: Ultimate Flight, we rode in the last row. I remember the +G's being pretty high last year, but HOLY SHIT in the back at the bottom of the pretzel loop it seemed as if we were pulling near 4 G's! It was without question the most intense G forces I have ever experienced.
We also took rides on Nitro, Batman, two on Skull Mountain, Runaway Mine Train (first time in 15 years; better than I recall for this type of ride) Rolling Thunder and GASM.
We began to wander over to Bizarro to see the "funstruction" progress, but it is tucked so far back in the park we changed our minds. The old domed station of Batman and Robin is undergoing some work as well - from what I understand it is being converted into some kind of kiddie play area.
GASM, although looking pretty faded, was running surprisingly well and the crew kept the line moving briskly with two trains. Rolling Thunder, not so much. It was running left track only, but there were a couple moments of gentle air time in the front. It still squeals like a Banshee on the far turnaround.
We left the park at 7 PM but didn't get home in Albany, NY until 12:45 because right at the end of the NJT construction closed down all but 1 lane at the Vince Lombardi rest stop. We sat for 1 hour in line at the tolls and crept along for another hour until it opened up. Talk about trying to put 6 lbs of shit in a 1 pound bag (get it- six lanes from three into one?)
Overall, not a bad way to start to 2009 season.
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Life can be hilariously cruel.
Message updated 4/20/2009 4:21:01 PM by bumprnugit
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