davidm
Strata Poster
Right, been away on a trip, back now obviously so the usual photo-dump and waffle will follow...
--
Whilst thinking about where I wanted to go for hols this year I had come to the conclusion that Texas was worth
a revisit ; I had done a loop of Texas back in 2005 so there were a few good reasons to get back there (couple of
RMCs not least of which) so I had formulated a plan to fly into Texas and then expand out a bit into the
neighbouring states. Then Carowinds went and built that stupid big ride and I started to think about whether I
could fly into Charlotte then onto Texas... and then I planned a route to drive instead (which is tiring, and
adds cost since the car hire places charge you annoying one-way fees) and so I ended up with a plan involving
a reasonable amount of driving but a way to get from Charlotte to San Antonio navigating by roller coaster.
Sorted then, off we go...
Day 0 : Saturday 23/5
Flight from MAN to IAD (Washington, Dulles) - I'd taken the same flight on the same weekend for the last 3 years
(2013 driving away from Washington, 2014 flying onto Atlanta, 2015 as follows), then swapping to a little commuter
plane for the short flight down to Charlotte. Picked up a car at the airport, drive the 1/2 mile or so to a hotel
and crashed out...
Day 1 : Sunday 24/5
I'd been to Carowinds back in 2004 when it was still a Paramount park (the "Borg" Vekoma flyer was new that season)
and had a good enough day but last year I was in (relatively) nearby Atlanta and I did not bother coming the 3hrs
up to the place since it seemed a long way out of my route for the one new-to-me B&M (Intimidator). Well since this
year they had gone and added another HUGE B&M (and I am bit of a fan of the HUGE big coasters) I thought it a worthy
starting point.
Being a weekend, I'd opted for the FastLane+ option so not to have to worry about crowds too much (frankly when
you've forked out a not-insignificant amount of money to get to the park in the first place, s few extra $$ to
make sure you don't spend most of the day in-line or trying to dodge big Qs is nothing), so I was not in any
particular cred-anxiety to get the new ride in first - they opened up entry for season-pass holders to get to
Fury before the rest of the peeps though, who had to Q up even to get close to the ride...
But since I have the FastThing, I actually wait to have a go on that and head off around the park to see if they
would let me ride the kiddy-ride currently named "Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie" before the crowds build up...
Sadly not though, so I sulked for a while and just worked my way around the park for a while...
These little junior woodies are really pretty good, this one is currently "Woodstock Express", but was for some
odd reason a Scooby-Doo coaster on my previous visit.
Why I say these are good, is that there are a few of them, they all date from the 1970s and they are all still
running (well, apart from the Australian one
) so they must be doing something right.
Had a go on the other nearby junior coaster next, "Flying Ace Aerial Chase", but don't seem to have
bothered taking any snaps of it - Vekoma junior invert though, one of many and not even a +1 for me as I remembered
riding it 10 years before.
Rode their dark-ride/shooter since I was walking past ; was pretty poor really and an upcharge for 3D glasses (which I
didn't spot until later to be honest)
MUCH more worthy was the next up, some old-school B&M inverted greatness; Top Gun, I mean "Afterburn"
Proper good this, and I was most heartened to find myself waiting for the front row along with a rather elderly
couple (probably in their late 60s/70s) who certianly survived the ride and seemed to enjoy it ; frankly if
you are still riding these things into your 70s you must have been doing so for a while. Made me feel young for a
(very short) moment then!
Only one side of "Thunder Road" was running at this time (the second side opened up later in the day so
I rode that later of course). Bit of shame that this is being removed as its a good, old out'n'back ride - certainly
a loss for this to go IMHO. One side was running backwards when I was here in 2004, but that novelty didn't seem
to last too long?
Right enough of this messing about, ridden 4 coasters by now and not any of the new-to-me ones, so off to the
first +1 of the trip, the rather splendid looking airtime machine that is "Intimidator"
Some goon taking pics;
My similar pic;
Really liked that then (and the fastthing+ started to be worth the $ now), grabbed a couple of rides, back then
front and it was great at both ends of the train - lots of big airtime hills, really what (I think) that these
large B&Ms should be doing (I'll come back to that point in a bit).
They had built a Windseeker here too, I quite like these, but don't find them at all exciting. Treat them bit like
an observation ride that you can't take pictures from then - nice view, bit of fresh air to cool you down in
the stupid hot heat, but eminently missable if you have to Q for them too long.
Always quite photogenic though,
OK, onto the real reason for dragging myself here and planning a whole holiday itinerary around starting in the
Carolinas... the HUGE new B&M that is "Fury325" (or "Furie 3:25" as I thought of it)
and it is HUGE
Dominates the skyline and you can see it from miles away as you approach the park - I heartily approve of this.
So I ride it a couple of times - now obviously its very good, really fast, really comfy restraints, great view
from the HUGE lift hill that seems to take an age to ascend - so I'm not dissing it at all but I wasn't really
blown away by the thing. Liked it a lot rather than loved it I guess?
So my point earlier around Intimidator was that I think B&M should concentrate on that sort of thing rather
than the big speed monsters (I've not done Leviathan though, I assume its a similar experience to Fury) - the
rides on B&M airtime 200ft+ things are so good compared to these 300ft ones? Not sure I'm making my point well
though? I305, SD2000 and MF being similar sized HUGE machines I probably all liked more than Fury, whereas a
good 200ft B&M full of hills os hard to beat? Of course B&M build what the park asks them to so its all a bit
of a moot point - and really what is there to complain about in any new HUGE toy that someone wants to build
for me? (sorry, rambling, I'll shut up now)
The Q for it was worth missing certainly;
Some pics from later in the day;
That 'ampersand' turnaround bit is a bit good (is it the same sort of thing on Shambhala? (must get out to see that at
some point too then!)) though.
Mopping up the rest of the rides here through the afternoon then,
Not all old-school B&M is good B&M ; the reasonably unpleasant stand-up "Vortex" still exists, and
for some reason has an hour long Q (which I can bypass) - ouch then...
Despite having taken no pictures of it, the "Carolina Goldrusher" is a nice enough old (40-odd years old)
mine train, that I remembered being better than it was - not as rubbish as the standup at least.
Their flyer "Nighthawk" had a huge Q for some reason, 2 hours stated at the entrance (which I bypassed
obviously). Was a reasonably comfy ride, I've ridden all these Vekoma flyers and this one 3 times with a different
name each time (Stealth/Borg Assimilator being its previous names) - seem to think that this one was the original
version (was the first one I rode (as Stealth)) and had slightly different loading system to the other 2.
Think I preferred it in green rather than yellow though
My (clearly failing) memory had told told me that their mouse ride "Ricochet" was a bit different to the
usual layout (it wasn't) and I even had to Q for this (no fastfaff).
"Hurler" is a odd-ride - clearly a "quick we need to buy a new ride" choice from years back, it sits
there like some problem child no-one talks about. Much rougher than its cousin in Kentucky that had pleasantly
suprised me last year, and not as painful as I recalled it being 10+ years previously even. No one would miss it
if it were gone though.
"Carolina Cyclone" I wasn't looking forward to, remembering it as a painful experience, but it was fine with
a bit of defensive riding.
Bit miffed that the observation tower was down though, took some nice pics from that the last time I was here
and I was expecting to get some nice pics of the big coasters from there today, but alas not
In theory new-to-me was their boomerang "Carolina Cobra", but it was a relocation from Worlds of Adventure where I had ridden it
back in 2003, but you still have to have a go don't you? (feel a bit nauseous coming off that though, hmmm thats
no good)
So the park all "done", I go back to Furie325 and ride it a few more times - probably enjoying it more and more
as I do so. Get a front row ride at one point (the seating is assigned so you can't choose your row) and that
feels unbelievably fast so I would say make sure you do that - there isn't a great deal of airtime on the thing,
its all about the speed, which it has in abundance. After a while I start to feel a bit more ill though (heat/tiredness/
first day of a trip blues) so I call it a day and head off, pausing only to take a few snaps in the car park
(as posted above) since there are much better views of the new toy from there than from inside the park...
(trick shot, obv.)
Impressions of the park under Cedar Fair rather than Paramount were good though - place was clean, operations (despite
the non-operating tower) were good, staff engaged on a busy weekend day - overall a great day out and a great
start to my 2 week trek towards Texas...
--
Whilst thinking about where I wanted to go for hols this year I had come to the conclusion that Texas was worth
a revisit ; I had done a loop of Texas back in 2005 so there were a few good reasons to get back there (couple of
RMCs not least of which) so I had formulated a plan to fly into Texas and then expand out a bit into the
neighbouring states. Then Carowinds went and built that stupid big ride and I started to think about whether I
could fly into Charlotte then onto Texas... and then I planned a route to drive instead (which is tiring, and
adds cost since the car hire places charge you annoying one-way fees) and so I ended up with a plan involving
a reasonable amount of driving but a way to get from Charlotte to San Antonio navigating by roller coaster.
Sorted then, off we go...
Day 0 : Saturday 23/5
Flight from MAN to IAD (Washington, Dulles) - I'd taken the same flight on the same weekend for the last 3 years
(2013 driving away from Washington, 2014 flying onto Atlanta, 2015 as follows), then swapping to a little commuter
plane for the short flight down to Charlotte. Picked up a car at the airport, drive the 1/2 mile or so to a hotel
and crashed out...
Day 1 : Sunday 24/5
I'd been to Carowinds back in 2004 when it was still a Paramount park (the "Borg" Vekoma flyer was new that season)
and had a good enough day but last year I was in (relatively) nearby Atlanta and I did not bother coming the 3hrs
up to the place since it seemed a long way out of my route for the one new-to-me B&M (Intimidator). Well since this
year they had gone and added another HUGE B&M (and I am bit of a fan of the HUGE big coasters) I thought it a worthy
starting point.
Being a weekend, I'd opted for the FastLane+ option so not to have to worry about crowds too much (frankly when
you've forked out a not-insignificant amount of money to get to the park in the first place, s few extra $$ to
make sure you don't spend most of the day in-line or trying to dodge big Qs is nothing), so I was not in any
particular cred-anxiety to get the new ride in first - they opened up entry for season-pass holders to get to
Fury before the rest of the peeps though, who had to Q up even to get close to the ride...
But since I have the FastThing, I actually wait to have a go on that and head off around the park to see if they
would let me ride the kiddy-ride currently named "Lucy's Crabbie Cabbie" before the crowds build up...
Sadly not though, so I sulked for a while and just worked my way around the park for a while...
These little junior woodies are really pretty good, this one is currently "Woodstock Express", but was for some
odd reason a Scooby-Doo coaster on my previous visit.
Why I say these are good, is that there are a few of them, they all date from the 1970s and they are all still
running (well, apart from the Australian one
) so they must be doing something right.Had a go on the other nearby junior coaster next, "Flying Ace Aerial Chase", but don't seem to have
bothered taking any snaps of it - Vekoma junior invert though, one of many and not even a +1 for me as I remembered
riding it 10 years before.
Rode their dark-ride/shooter since I was walking past ; was pretty poor really and an upcharge for 3D glasses (which I
didn't spot until later to be honest)
MUCH more worthy was the next up, some old-school B&M inverted greatness; Top Gun, I mean "Afterburn"
Proper good this, and I was most heartened to find myself waiting for the front row along with a rather elderly
couple (probably in their late 60s/70s) who certianly survived the ride and seemed to enjoy it ; frankly if
you are still riding these things into your 70s you must have been doing so for a while. Made me feel young for a
(very short) moment then!
Only one side of "Thunder Road" was running at this time (the second side opened up later in the day so
I rode that later of course). Bit of shame that this is being removed as its a good, old out'n'back ride - certainly
a loss for this to go IMHO. One side was running backwards when I was here in 2004, but that novelty didn't seem
to last too long?
Right enough of this messing about, ridden 4 coasters by now and not any of the new-to-me ones, so off to the
first +1 of the trip, the rather splendid looking airtime machine that is "Intimidator"
Some goon taking pics;
My similar pic;
Really liked that then (and the fastthing+ started to be worth the $ now), grabbed a couple of rides, back then
front and it was great at both ends of the train - lots of big airtime hills, really what (I think) that these
large B&Ms should be doing (I'll come back to that point in a bit).
They had built a Windseeker here too, I quite like these, but don't find them at all exciting. Treat them bit like
an observation ride that you can't take pictures from then - nice view, bit of fresh air to cool you down in
the stupid hot heat, but eminently missable if you have to Q for them too long.
Always quite photogenic though,
OK, onto the real reason for dragging myself here and planning a whole holiday itinerary around starting in the
Carolinas... the HUGE new B&M that is "Fury325" (or "Furie 3:25" as I thought of it)
and it is HUGE
Dominates the skyline and you can see it from miles away as you approach the park - I heartily approve of this.
So I ride it a couple of times - now obviously its very good, really fast, really comfy restraints, great view
from the HUGE lift hill that seems to take an age to ascend - so I'm not dissing it at all but I wasn't really
blown away by the thing. Liked it a lot rather than loved it I guess?
So my point earlier around Intimidator was that I think B&M should concentrate on that sort of thing rather
than the big speed monsters (I've not done Leviathan though, I assume its a similar experience to Fury) - the
rides on B&M airtime 200ft+ things are so good compared to these 300ft ones? Not sure I'm making my point well
though? I305, SD2000 and MF being similar sized HUGE machines I probably all liked more than Fury, whereas a
good 200ft B&M full of hills os hard to beat? Of course B&M build what the park asks them to so its all a bit
of a moot point - and really what is there to complain about in any new HUGE toy that someone wants to build
for me? (sorry, rambling, I'll shut up now)
The Q for it was worth missing certainly;
Some pics from later in the day;
That 'ampersand' turnaround bit is a bit good (is it the same sort of thing on Shambhala? (must get out to see that at
some point too then!)) though.
Mopping up the rest of the rides here through the afternoon then,
Not all old-school B&M is good B&M ; the reasonably unpleasant stand-up "Vortex" still exists, and
for some reason has an hour long Q (which I can bypass) - ouch then...
Despite having taken no pictures of it, the "Carolina Goldrusher" is a nice enough old (40-odd years old)
mine train, that I remembered being better than it was - not as rubbish as the standup at least.
Their flyer "Nighthawk" had a huge Q for some reason, 2 hours stated at the entrance (which I bypassed
obviously). Was a reasonably comfy ride, I've ridden all these Vekoma flyers and this one 3 times with a different
name each time (Stealth/Borg Assimilator being its previous names) - seem to think that this one was the original
version (was the first one I rode (as Stealth)) and had slightly different loading system to the other 2.
Think I preferred it in green rather than yellow though
My (clearly failing) memory had told told me that their mouse ride "Ricochet" was a bit different to the
usual layout (it wasn't) and I even had to Q for this (no fastfaff).
"Hurler" is a odd-ride - clearly a "quick we need to buy a new ride" choice from years back, it sits
there like some problem child no-one talks about. Much rougher than its cousin in Kentucky that had pleasantly
suprised me last year, and not as painful as I recalled it being 10+ years previously even. No one would miss it
if it were gone though.
"Carolina Cyclone" I wasn't looking forward to, remembering it as a painful experience, but it was fine with
a bit of defensive riding.
Bit miffed that the observation tower was down though, took some nice pics from that the last time I was here
and I was expecting to get some nice pics of the big coasters from there today, but alas not
In theory new-to-me was their boomerang "Carolina Cobra", but it was a relocation from Worlds of Adventure where I had ridden it
back in 2003, but you still have to have a go don't you? (feel a bit nauseous coming off that though, hmmm thats
no good)
So the park all "done", I go back to Furie325 and ride it a few more times - probably enjoying it more and more
as I do so. Get a front row ride at one point (the seating is assigned so you can't choose your row) and that
feels unbelievably fast so I would say make sure you do that - there isn't a great deal of airtime on the thing,
its all about the speed, which it has in abundance. After a while I start to feel a bit more ill though (heat/tiredness/
first day of a trip blues) so I call it a day and head off, pausing only to take a few snaps in the car park
(as posted above) since there are much better views of the new toy from there than from inside the park...
(trick shot, obv.)
Impressions of the park under Cedar Fair rather than Paramount were good though - place was clean, operations (despite
the non-operating tower) were good, staff engaged on a busy weekend day - overall a great day out and a great
start to my 2 week trek towards Texas...
