Cyclonic
Posts: 2636
Registered: 7/19/2002
Rank: Experiment 626
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 9/27/2004 7:55:36 PM
I am going to keep this short, and try to keep to the park's newest addition, Tsunami, which finally opened just a few weeks ago.
South Jersey ACE had invited members to the park for an ERT on Tsunami. Entrance to the park was just $11, and that included ERT, so I was cool with that.
I headed up to the park early, stopping at my cousain's place, which is just across the lake. After conversing with her for and little while, and feasting on the buttercake I had brought along, I headed over to the park at about 1 PM.
The park was not yet busy, and I got a close spot to the rear gate. Tsunami is right there as you enter the rear gate, so I headed up the stair to the station, only to find that they had just closed it. So I explored the rest of the park.
I had not been to the park in some time, I figure 10 to 12 years, maybe more. My family used to come every year, and the Jack Rabbit was my first coaster. It is sad to see it SBNO, but a look at it shows why. Being a Miller coaster, the drops go right to the ground, some even dip into ditches dug into the ground. The wood is just rotting out. The dips are not the only problem. The supports are all right on the ground as well, and they have suffered the same fate. It could be fixed, but it would be costly. I took as many pictures as I could.
I roamed the park, riding at will. The park was still empty, but people were still pouring in, and it was getting busier. This park does get very busy, so much so that they park people miles away and shuttle them over to the park on busses. Later this day they would be doing just that.
The rides were pretty much your common rides, a Thunderbolt,
Inverter,
Falling Star, Chaos,
YoYo, with a nice Egyptain theme,
small Chance Carousel,
and the Turtle Whirl, which was an excellent themed Tilt-A-Whirl (loads of spinning every time I rode).
Finally, Tsunami had finally reopened. The trains on the ride are beautiful. One is a dark blue, the other is blood red, and both feature classic gold leaf outlining on them. I wish I took a close-up shot of them to show them. They were, of coarse, nice and comfy PTC's, with a new feature. The seat divider is no longer a solid piece, but instead is more of an L-shaped arm rest that creates a big hole in it, perfect for my fat butt.
They were very big on safety here, creating slow dispatches, but that is OK. Every safety belt was checked, and then double checked, as were the lapbars. No loose rides here, belts were tightened and lapbars pushed all the way down. All of this while the state is watching on a camera in the station (yes, "Big Brother" is watching, this is The People's Republic of New Jersey after all).
So, finally, we are off. A small dip under the brake run leads to a fairly quick lift hill. Once you reach the top, the insanity begins. The first drop is masterful, steep and filled with airtime, particualy from the back of the train. Pure heaven, then all hell breaks loose.
A quick valley, tilted slightly to the left, bring you up to the second hill, which is one wild ride. As you crest this hill, you are bucked back and forth, left and right, as you float out of your seat. It is like ridi
Message updated 9/27/2004 8:00:46 PM by Cyclonic
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