General Discussion

[SaiyanHajime]

The title is ambiguous for a reason, please READ.

General discussions seems a bit dead.

I wanted to make a topic where people can say interesting things about parks and rides that doesn't really belong anywhere else.

I'm hoping someone will say something interesting and then other people will expand on it, discuss it, argue with it... whatever.

Try to discuss what's already being discussed, you can contribute new things of course, but try not to let this turn into a post and run thread where nobody reads anything.

This will may either flop or turn into a spam fest... But I'm hoping it will become a place for interesting discussion to take place and provoke entire new topics to be created.

So I'll start the ball rolling with some random thoughts....

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Has anyone ever noticed how "authentic" Alton Towers is? Strangely, for a theme park, it has real history and context. It's rides have unusually subtle themes and stories that don't conflict with that, but instead blend in and make them seem authentic themselves.

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I was really looking forward to visiting Kennywood. I'd heard lots of people say it was like Blackpool Pleasure Beach. And it is. In fact, I can't think of two parks who are owned by different people/companies that are so similar. But whilst I adore BPB, I thought Kennywood was one of the most horrendous parks I'd ever been to. What's up with that? It's mobius coaster is so poor, the Thunderbolt is atrocious too if you ignore it's cool landscape and the only redeeming feature of Jackrabit is it's weirdness. the Noah's Ark was the park's best attraction, in my opinion. The new coaster wasn't open when I went though. The park's clientel were horrendous... Probably a bit offensive, but they all looked exacly the same, and whilst I loved the industrial factory next door (I have thing for grungy architecture) the location was horrible.

 

[gavin]

^I felt exactly the same about Kennywood. I'm sure the toothless trailor trash families in the McDonald's before opening didn't help, demanding Big Macs and Happy Meals at 9:30 in the **** ing morning, but I found the whole place to be absolutely vile.

Phantom's Revenge: incredibly disappointing - it was one of my "must ride" coasters, but it did nothing for me.

Worst wooden racer ever - I couldn't give two sh**s that it's a classic; it was a complete load of Tommy Tank.

To be honest, I prefered Thunderbolt to Jackrabbit.

That new launched thing was dire.

The best things were the Noah's Ark thing and the shooting dark ride.

 

[The Grape Wizard]

^On the topic of wooden racers, Grand national is terrible, apart from the first time I went on it, it has just got worse ever since.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

^On the topic of wooden racers, Grand national is terrible, apart from the first time I went on it, it has just got worse ever since.

Wow, really? I mean, I agree it's been damaged a little by the new trains, but I love Nash. I mean it's by no means the best woodie I've been on but I think it's the best racing woodie by a long, long way. I think Nash is the country's best wood, because whilst Megafobia is good, Nash has more personality, is in a better location and is a quality racing experience.

 

[Jer]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

I'd pair it with somewhere else local. Like, that park with the old Alton mouse isn't that far away. Erm, what's it called... Idlewild! http://www.rcdb.com/4600.htm

There's a couple of small parks around that sort of area, so yeah, my advice is pair it with another park. Myself, and the two yanks I was with, couldn't bare the park after a few hours and we'd wished we'd planned to do Idlewild with it after.

 

[The Grape Wizard]

^On the topic of wooden racers, Grand national is terrible, apart from the first time I went on it, it has just got worse ever since.

Wow, really? I mean, I agree it's been damaged a little by the new trains, but I love Nash. I mean it's by no means the best woodie I've been on but I think it's the best racing woodie by a long, long way. I think Nash is the country's best wood, because whilst Megafobia is good, Nash has more personality, is in a better location and is a quality racing experience.

Fair enough good points, but I just personally don't like it, it's... hmm i don;t know, boring? :?

 

[Snoo]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

I told ya to head up to Waldameer.. as the park is NEVER busy.

 

[Jer]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

I told ya to head up to Waldameer.. as the park is NEVER busy.

When did you say that, and where is it in relation to Kennywood and CP.

 

[bezzzzzer]

Fair enough good points, but I just personally don't like it, it's... hmm i don;t know, boring? :?

I like it, agree with Joey very much in the sense that the experience has become impaired since the fire (mainly due to the restraints) but I do like it. The racing element is good, but doesn't really do a lot for me. However, as it's mobious, at least you can guarantee that both sides will always be operating (and thus, racing).

I've been on a few other racers, but most either don't have both sides operating, or leave at inconsistant times or have climb hills with different speeds so it completely contradicts the point of leaving the station at the same time.

In fact, the only other one I can think of that was running as it should was Le monstre at La Ronde, which turned out to be a pretty good ride.

 

[Ben]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

I'd pair it with somewhere else local. Like, that park with the old Alton mouse isn't that far away. Erm, what's it called... Idlewild! http://www.rcdb.com/4600.htm

There's a couple of small parks around that sort of area, so yeah, my advice is pair it with another park. Myself, and the two yanks I was with, couldn't bare the park after a few hours and we'd wished we'd planned to do Idlewild with it after.

OMG, Idlewild is so amazingly fab! Alton Mouse is a lot of fun, but, it's all about the Mr Roger's Ride, Caterpillar and other stupid, crazy things <3 It's so cute.

Not been to Kennywood, looks and sounds like a right dump though, so I'm not bothered.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

I told ya to head up to Waldameer.. as the park is NEVER busy.

When did you say that, and where is it in relation to Kennywood and CP.

When I went, we hit Waldameer after Kennywood and before CP. It's a bit north out of the way, but it's kinda between them ish I think.

 

[CMonster]

Here's a google map of all three places:

 

[Jer]

it seems do able now, but how are we talking from kennywood to waldameer?

 

[Snoo]

You're looking at 2 hours for each trip. For the Live this year, we did CP then traveled to Youngstown, then did KW and Waldy in one day.. getting there at opening for KW and still having plenty of time at Waldy for numerous rides on RFII.


PS: See 'Austintown' in the Youngstown area? That's me.

 

[Jer]

Very nice, well im planning on a trip to KW, CP, and KI in 2012 and Waldameer looks like a possiblity. Maybe you could show me and my friend around KW and Waldy seeing as how we'd be able to make it. It's kind of a long way away but I like to pre-plan like this.

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

I loved Kennywood...

Phantom is amazing, the park has a brilliant atmosphere to me due to the massive area of greenery near the front end, some classic buildings (the Carousel Food Court), and the location is rather awesome...

The Mobius was rather poor though I agree... The Flume on the other hand was cool... The Kangeroo flat was mental (in a good way)...

It's like Blackpool mixed with some smaller atmospheric park in my view...

 

[Snoo]

Very nice, well im planning on a trip to KW, CP, and KI in 2012 and Waldameer looks like a possiblity. Maybe you could show me and my friend around KW and Waldy seeing as how we'd be able to make it. It's kind of a long way away but I like to pre-plan like this.

I'd be glad too. Waldameer is only about an hour away. Hell.. maybe we could slide by Conneaut Lake Park and get those creds real quick.

 

[Tomatron]

I'd go back to Kennywood as I would have liked to have more time to look around it.

And I loved Phantom's Revenge.

 

[Screaming Coasters]

I'm actually heading to Kennywood in 2012 (given I have the money) Would you guys actually say it was worth the trip and credits, or should I skip over it altogether?

I'd pair it with somewhere else local. Like, that park with the old Alton mouse isn't that far away. Erm, what's it called... Idlewild!

Idlewild is the name of a posh pub I go to in Warwick Avenue.