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    Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Fireworks show at Disney's Hollywood Studios

    2016 Attractions Disney Hollywood Studios Disney Parks Star Wars Star Wars Land Walt Disney World
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    Last week Renée and Morgan headed out to Disney's Hollywood Studios to check out the all new Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks show. Below are some great pictures and thoughts on the show. 

    We'll have more from Florida this week including EPCOT and opening day of Cobra's Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. 
    Written by Renée Girard
    Just arrived at Disney's Hollywood Studios for the first night of Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks!
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    It's a nice night to ride Tower of Terror, which seems to be the new DHS park icon.
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    If you ask nicely, Shanghai Disney buttons are still available at guest relations. #ThanksShanghai
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    Good planning and proper use of FP+ gets you on both TOT and Toy Story Mania in less than an hour.
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    Not my best, but I almost always manage to get the highest score in the car on TSMM.
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    It's a full house for the new Star Wars fireworks at DHS. Starting in around 15 minutes!
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    5 minutes to go! We might have some trees in the way but you needed to get here early tonight to score a good spot.
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    New DHS Star Wars fireworks rely heavily on projections on the theatre, look awesome but only if you can see them.
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    Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular is a huge hit! We'll definitely be back again soon! May the Force be with you.
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    Thanks again to Renée and Morgan for sending us these great pics. We can't wait to see more from this new show. 
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    Media Day for Cobras Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa

    2016 Attractions Busch Gardens Tampa Cobra's Curse
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    Yesterday was media day for Cobras Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa and the park was awesome enough to invite us out to check out their new Mack spinning coaster. 

    Below we've got some amazing pictures and video for you taken by Steve who was on hand for the festivities. 
    Written by Steve Burant
    Welcome to the Cobras Curse
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    The ride is amazingly photogenic 
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    The park provided us with an amazing POV, Reverse POV and off-ride footage
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    Snakes ... why did it have to be snakes
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    Let's head in and check out the queue
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    The queue is amazingly detailed and air conditioned which was very much needed yesterday
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    Video of the awesome queue pre-show
    We'll leave you with a few more shots of the ride 
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    Overall Cobras Curse is a crazy fun ride and something that is definitely needed at the park. It has good forces without too much crazy spinning and will do amazingly well with all of the parks demographics. 
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    Cobra’s Curse Striking Facts:
    • One-of-a-kind spin coaster features a menacing 30,000-pound snake king icon and a 70-foot vertical lift that will take riders within inches of its 3 foot-wide eyes and 4-foot-long fangs.
    • During the three-and-a-half-minute ride, the coaster trains speed along at 40 mph down 2,100 feet of serpentine-like track, travelling backward, forward and then spinning freely.
    • Guests will experience a new spin with each ride. Each train spins randomly, with frequency and direction determined by the rider weight distribution.
    • The ride’s air-conditioned queue naturally fuels guests’ adrenaline with an immersive themed experience and a state-of-the-art snake exhibit featuring four exotic snake species including some of the world’s most feared and often misunderstood, vipers.
    • Riders must be 48 inches to ride, or 42 inches with a parent or guardian. 

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    Mountain Madness 2.0 at Six Flags Magic Mountain (trip report)

    2016 Attractions Mountain Madness Revolution Six Flags Six Flags Magic Mountain The New Revolution Twisted Colossus VR Coasters
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    Below is our collection of Mountain Madness 2.0 pictures. We apologize in advance for the delay in these, so we hope you enjoy them. 

    Before we get to the pictures we want to send a huge heartfelt thank you to everybody who attended. The day started out kind of rough (more on that below) but I think by the end of the day everybody had an amazing time and for that we are thankful. 
    So quick story about the morning. We had set up reverse POV's on Revolution which actually turned out AWESOME (you can look at an example of that here) and then were starting our morning ERT. 

    Everybody had the option of using the VR or going without it. Those of us on the first train went out and had an amazing ride. Once the 2nd train left we pulled into the station and promptly got stopped half way through the station. And anybody who knows Revolution knows what that means. 

    Safe to say we weren't very happy as we pride ourselves on giving an amazing event and we were a bit disappointed that the ride went down. Luckily everybody in attendance took it in stride and ended up having a great time. Hopefully we were able to hide our disappoint. 

    The park did great and offered us all one front of the line pass for The New Revolution and one other front of the line pass for any other ride in the park. Luckily it wasn't a very busy day so we're pretty sure everybody got to ride everything they wanted. 

    Thanks again to everybody who showed up. ​
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    Below we're just going to share some pictures from the day, click on any of the pictures to see a larger version.  

    First set is from "The Coaster Whisperer 
    The rest are of course from our own awesome CoasterMatt 
    Thanks again to all who attended. We've already been asked about future events and right now we don't have anything in the works, that could change but there likely won't be anything for the remainder of 2016. 

    Next week we'll have an all new feature video "Coaster Reviews with Gregg" where we'll be talking about Twisted Colossus at Magic Mountain and The Joker at Discovery Kingdom and why it's not so easy to compare them. Stay tuned for that. =) 
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    Ghost Town 75 at Knott's Berry Farm a smash hit

    2016 Attractions Cedar Fair Ghost Town Ghostrider Knott's Berry Farm
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    Last week was the grand opening and media day for the all new Ghostrider at Knott's Berry Farm as well as Ghost Town Alive and the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. . 

    All are AMAZING additions to this already amazing theme park. Be sure to check out all of our pictures, video and reviews of Ghostrider. 
    Pictures and Video by Matt Nelson and Gregg Condon (additional pictures by Knott's)
    Written by Gregg Condon 
    Oddly enough, we didn't get too many pictures of Ghostrider as we were busy riding and making sure we had a decent review of the ride. Yeah, that's it. =) 
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    Photo: Knott's Berry Farm

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    Photo: Knott's Berry Farm

    We'll start off with some amazing POV provided by the park. 
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    And of course our reverse POV of Ghostrider that we posted last week. 
    Gregg's review of Ghostrider 2.0: 
    Let's travel back to 1999. A new wooden beast opens at one of the best theme parks in Southern California. At the time I had only ridden coasters in Southern California. And no wooden coaster (even mid-80's Colossus) could live up to the amazing ride's you could have on Ghostrider. Even after travelling in subsequent years and riding coasters in parks like Knoebels (Phoenix) and Six Flags Great Adventure (El Toro) wouldn't compare to the amazing rides on Ghostrider the first few years it was open. It would have still been my #1 woodie. 
    Unfortunately the ride was tearing itself apart. The park did everything it could to continue to provide a solid ride, but through the years the ride greatly deteriorated to the point where it was all but un-rideable. 
    For the past few years there had been rumors about a makeover to the ride. Would it be RMC? In House? GCI? Last year we got the answer, GCI would come in and not just re-track the ride, but reprofile the ride along with new trains. While many were upset it wouldn't be an RMC those of us who still enjoy classic woodies were ecstatic. 
    Still, we wondered if the ride could live up to the amazing ride Ghostrider once was. 

    So how is the ride? It's amazing. Is it as insane and intense as it was in 1999? No. This is very much a GCI coaster, with a CCI layout. The ride has been reprofiled to give it a smooth and exciting ride. So while the original Ghostrider would still be my #1 coaster, Ghostrider 2.0 would probably rank #3 behind the aforementioned Phoenix and El Toro. 

    That's not a dig at Ghostrider, not by a long shot. That's high praise and that's what this ride deserves. A ride that ranked at the very back of wood coaster polls in 2015 should be back in the top 5 or 10 in 2016. THAT is how much work has gone into this ride, how much they have improved it, how much they have made it amazing. 

    So go, ride, have fun. You won't regret it. We rode in every section of the train and it gives a great ride all around. We also were riding in the morning when it was in the mid-60's. We can't wait to get to the park on one of those hot summer nights, when the ride is broken in, warmed up and see just how awesome it can really be. 
    The day also marked the re-opening of the Chicken Dinner Restaurant which recently reopened after a major refurbishment. 

    Unfortunately some of the earlier reports coming out about the makeover compared it to a Cracker Barrel or other similar restaurant. We didn't get that impression AT ALL. They've done a great job preserving the history of the restaurant while giving it a much needed makeover. 
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    The original dining room still looks amazing and has a very homely feel
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    And of course, the awesome new bar
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    If that wasn't enough, it was also our first time to check out "Ghost Town Alive" and let us tell you, it's absolutely amazing and charming and totally works. 
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    Don't be an ass ... =) 
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    Beautiful ... 
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    Some of the citizens of Ghost Town 
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    Lots of great little details 
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    The all new Town Hall 
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    And the Fire Dept ... 
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    The new stage is also done and looks amazing!! 
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    In a kind of unexpected development, the amazing locomotive "Green River" came out from it's 5 year refurbishment (yes, 5 years) and is now on the tracks. It's absolutely gorgeous. 

    And with that, Engine 41 is now undergoing a 5 year refurbishment. Love the attention and care Knott's gives their trains. 
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    We are going back to the park this Sunday for Fathers Day and we're very much looking forward to spending more time in Ghost Town and experiencing all of Ghost Town Alive. 

    In addition to Ghost Town Alive we were able to get some video of The Log Ride, our first attempt at a 360 video and an HD POV of the Log Ride. Enjoy and let us know what you think of the 360 video, and if we should try and do more. 
    Lastly, there was a re-dedication of the Chicken Dinner Restaurant attended by the parks former and new GM and members of the Knott's family. 
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    Our day wrapped up with a great presentation by Charles Phoenix about the history of Knott's and a panel discussion with some Knott's historians. 
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    Last but certainly not least, a new piece of original artwork was unveiled for the 50th which you can purchase at the park or at the Marketplace. 
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    As you can see it was a pretty packed day full of events, which is what you'll have at Knott's 75th anniversary of Ghost Town. 

    Have you experienced Knott's 75 or the new Ghostrider yet? If so let us know your thoughts below. 
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    Detail pictures of Wizarding World Hollywood

    2016 Attractions Harry Potter Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey Hogwarts Universal Studios Hollywood Wizarding World
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    Wizarding World- bringing some magic into an awful world ... 
    As we are all still reeling from the tragic events in Orlando yesterday which have claimed 49 lives as of this post (including 2 employees of Universal Orlando Resort) we thought we'd just share some amazing Wizarding World Hollywood pictures taken yesterday to hopefully put a smile on some faces. 
    Pictures by CoasterMatt 
    (Click on any of the pictures below for a larger version)
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    “The Ninja Blues” - Blue Hawk Media Day at Six Flags Over Georgia

    2016 Attractions Six Flags Six Flags Over Georgia
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    This week Randy from Metro Atlanta Coaster Club headed out to Six Flags Over Georgia to check out the all new "Blue Hawk". 

    Out of all of the new or improved coasters for 2016 this was one that really made everybody curious to see if they could actually make the ride good (again or for the first time). Check out Randy's review, it may surprise you!! 
    Written by Randy Dewberry 
    When Ninja was installed at Six Flags Over Georgia for the 1992 season, after spending its first 2-3 years on the Jersey shore as “Kamikaze”, it was the tallest continuous-circuit roller coaster in the park. It would hold that title for almost 15 years, only being beaten by Goliath in 2006; in point of fact, the spikes on both of Six Flags’ shuttle coasters, Viper and Déjà Vu, were also taller, at 138ft and 195ft, respectively. During that time, the ride developed something of a reputation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a good one, which usually led to its one saving grace among coaster fans – it almost always was walk-on regardless of the day you visited.
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    Six Flags has tried to improve things. First there was a new paintjob in 2006 that changed its supports from white to black and freshened up the red track. Then there were the train swapouts about 4-5 years ago, as the park took delivery of the trains from the demolished Arrow megaloopers at sister parks Great America (Shockwave) and Great Adventure (the other Great American Scream Machine). That helped a bit, but it soon reverted to type: NinjOUCH. As coaster rumors came and went for the park, the rumor almost always involved the removal of Ninja, either actively or in the form of wishful thinking. In 2015, the coaster ran a single train almost all season, leading people to believe the rumors may finally become reality.
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    With the arrival of the 2016 season, sharp-eyed readers noticed the park map had Ninja as “all-new” and opening later in the year, and that it was now shown blue in color. The intrigue continued as park officials stated that Ninja indeed was getting some work done and would possibly even ditch the old name for something newer. Throughout March and April, the coaster traded red and black for blue and gray (track and supports, respectively). In May, the name change became official as the park announced an election – as if we needed another one in 2016 – where guests could vote on one of three new names for the ride: American Eagle, Blue Hawk and Air Commander. Over 6,000 votes were cast by the time the polls closed, with as more than 50% chose “Blue Hawk” for the ride’s new name, thus negating the need for a runoff (which Georgia law would require to be run in July).
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    Fortunately, the name would be the finishing touch to the already significant changes to the ride. Equally fortunate was the park understanding and full-on embracing the fact they had a problem child. In the discussions I’ve had with park officials, they’ve all acknowledged Ninja’s reputation, and that all this work was intended to fix as much of that was humanly possible. Vekoma provided a lot of assistance, from inspecting and making any needed adjustments to the entire run of track (it’s not known if any sections were outright replaced instead of being finessed) to providing two new trainsets for it. Said new trains would sport Vekoma’s new vest-style restraint system that had already improved the experience on the nearby Carolina Cobra (well, as much as a Boomerang experience can be improved). Then there was the theme switch, from Japanese assassins to the American military. The station colors match those of the ride itself, and the former “pagodas” along the queue line are now festooned with red, white and blue pennants.
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    Six Flags could not have picked a better day to launch the renovated attraction. Warm but not oppressive, low humidity – a “Chamber of Commerce day”. As invited guests awaited the new ride, they were treated to a duo of bagpipers and a local falconer who had brought along a European Buzzard (it sure looks like a hawk, but that’s its name, according to its handler). After a rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” from a lovely team member with tremendous pipes and some appropriate words from park brass, the first train was sent on its way, filled with 28 active-duty military and their families. Moments later, your intrepid reporter was aboard and kicking the tires.

    The seats are fitted with black rubber inserts that were rather grippy and comfortable. The harnesses are hydraulic in nature, with an infinite number of lock points, meaning it’ll be secure and comfortable for any rider. While not my first experience with the Vekoma vests, I still treated them as if they were brand new to me, analyzing them and checking their comfort. The rubber vests are secured by seat belts at the back, and when the harness is closed, there’s a bit of slack in it so it’s not squeezing into you (riders of Wild Eagle at Dollywood will be thankful), yet it’s still quite secure. Final checks complete and the train was on its way.
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    Even in the first few moments leading to the lift, the ride felt different. The 122-foot lift felt a bit slower than the previous version, but as soon as it drops off the chain, that’s where the fun really begins. The entry and exit for the butterfly are still a bit rough in points, but (1) it’s much less than before and (2) there’s no horsecollar to bang one’s head into. The entry into the reverse sidewinder, as well as the element itself, were light-years beyond Ninja and quite smooth. The final dual corkscrew is one of the best components of the ride now, and everyone returned truly happy with the experience. I was definitely happy with it, so happy I rode it again in multiple locations, to see if there were seats to seek out and/or seats to avoid.
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    Riders will be eager to learn that based on my sampling, there is not a bad seat in the bunch. In fact, the best seat may well shock you. My initial run was in my “happy seat” on Arrow/Vekoma loopers, which is the front seat of the rear car … “happy” in the sense that it’s generally the least painful of the various experiences. Since science suggests you try different methods, I took three more trips: in the very front row, in the very back row, and one smack dab in the middle of the train (specifically, back seat of car 4). NOT A ONE was rough, so any seat will be a good ride. Surprisingly, the very back row gives a smooth and speedy experience, and arguably was my favorite of the group.
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    If there’s any bad news to be had, it’s that the ride is still only operating a single train. Park officials stated that having both trains aboard would have led to another 1-2 week wait on the opening. The second train is on the way and is expected on by the middle of the month. Until then, be prepared for a bit of a wait … unless you yourself are active-duty military and visiting the park in July. Park president Dale Kaetzel announced that they were eligible for front-of-the-line access simply by showing their military ID at the ride entrance any operating day next month.
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    In conclusion, I do have to confess something: I actually kinda liked Ninja. It wasn’t a good ride, but it wasn’t that bad of a ride either, again thanks to the happy seat. So I’m sure people would assume I’d say the ride was better by default. Well it is certainly better, but I was honestly prepared for it to be just slightly better, enough to be different, but still “Ninja 2.0”, as it were. But it really is better, enough to where Ninja should be purged from one’s memory and replaced by what is actually a very good coaster for the park. It’s not going to enter anyone’s top 10, but it may well leave someone’s bottom 10. In the long term, it’s going to do what it set out to do – improve its reputation – but I also am hoping that there’s an ulterior, yet benevolent, motive at work.
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    As a reminder, next year is the park’s 50th anniversary, and all signs are pointing to a new coaster on the horizon, and hopefully it’ll be something with some size to it. Whatever it may be, the park seems to be preparing in advance for it, by providing an improved mid-tier ride to absorb the influx of riders to the park who want to experience the new toy(s) for 2017. If that is indeed its true mandate, Blue Hawk will rise to the challenge, and I do encourage all enthusiasts to give this ride a fair shake and a second chance. While you never get a second chance to make a first impression, people (and coasters) can change, and they deserve the chance to show that.

    Ninja is dead. Long live Blue Hawk!
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