• Published on

    Reign of Terror open on Friday the 13th for a great cause

    One of the very best Haunted Houses in Southern California is opening for a special night next month, on Friday the 13th to be exact. It's time for the Haunt/Theme Park community to come together and support one of our own. We'll be there, we hope to see as many of you as possible there for this special night. 
    See below for all of the details. 
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    Friday the 13th Fundraiser 

    Reign of Terror Haunted House for Heartwarming Cause
    Thousand Oaks, Calif. (January 23, 2015) – Janss Marketplace, located on the northwest corner of Moorpark Road and Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks invites the public to a scary event that will also tug at heartstrings. The annual Reign of Terror will open for just one night in February on Friday the 13
    for a young father who is battling cancer. 

    Tom Hood, a husband and father with four young daughters (ages 5-8) is a longtime supporter of the annual Janss Marketplace Reign of Terror haunted house, which raises money through ticket sales for Conejo Valley youth community programs. Tom, who is 35 years old and the sole financial provider for his family, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. 

    The one night Reign of Terror on February 13 is opportunity for the community to help Tom Hood and his young family. Janss Marketplace invites the public to support the Friday the 13th Reign of Terror, with 100% of ticket sales donated toward paying for Tom Hood’s mounting medical expenses. 

    General admission tickets are $10 and VIP tickets, which offer reduced wait time in line, are $25. The ticket box office opens at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 13. Additional donations are welcome at the youcaring.com Tom Hood website: www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-tom-hood-beat-his-lung-cancer/287082 and can be given at the February 13 Reign of Terror. 

    Volunteers who work at the October Reign of Terror are returning to help at the haunted house on February 13 to support their friend, Tom Hood. The 70 room Reign of Terror is located above Gold’s Gym at Janss Marketplace. Sunset Terrace Restaurant at Janss Marketplace will also donate portions of dining proceeds to Tom Hood’s fund. 

    February 13 is the ONLY date the Janss Marketplace Reign of Terror will be open before its annual Halloween dates. The walk-thru themed haunted house features elaborate sets, props, lighting and sound effects which combine live actors with animatronics to create realistic and intense frights. 

    Join Janss Marketplace to help Tom Hood at Reign of Terror on February 13. For more information, please visit rothauntedhouse.com or the at https://www.facebook.com/ROThauntedhouse

    UPDATE (2/10)
    The Sunset Terrace Restaurant & Lounge will also be donating a portion of their profits on Friday, February 13th to Tom and his family.


    Also, due to overwhelming demand (that's awesome) the box office will now remain open until 11pm, so you'll have plenty of time to head to the event. 
    For those unfamiliar with the area, Reign of Terror is very easy to get to. 275 North Moorpark Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
    • From the SF Valley/Los Angeles/All Points South - 101 north, exit Moorpark Rd, turn right. Janss Marketplace will be on your left at the corner of Moorpark Rd and Hillcrest Dr. (same shopping center as Toys R Us, TGI Fridays, Sears)
    • From Ventura/Oxnard/All Points North - 101 south, exit Moorpark Rd, turn left. Janss Marketplace will be on your left at the corner of Moorpark Rd and Hillcrest Dr. (same shopping center as Toys R Us, TGI Fridays, Sears)
    • From Simi Valley/Valencia - Take 23 South exit Hillcrest Dr turn right. Janss Marketplace will be on your right at the corner of Moorpark Rd and Hillcrest Dr. (same shopping center as Toys R Us, TGI Fridays, Sears)
  • Published on

    Twisted Colossus Update #16

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    Welcome to another Twisted Colossus update. We are still a good 3-4 months from the ride opening and already we are on our 16th update. Crazy how much time has gone by and how much work they've done on the ride the past few weeks. 

    We have a lot of pictures to get to today so we'll get right to the good stuff. 
    Pictures and Words by Gregg Condon
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    Just this one element of Twisted Colossus is more airtime than what is in the rest of the park. And it doesn't go right into a brake run. (just kidding SFMM ... kind of). =)
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    But seriously, that's gonna be a fun little pop of air before heading into the first turnaround and the high five element that they are currently putting up supports for. 
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    If you look closely, you can see some blue track ready to be put into place. 
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    The hole has all new supports in it
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    In just a few months we'll have an all new "holy grail" of coaster shots to try and get. Both trains of Twisted Colossus, Goliath, Superman and Lex Luthor all in one shot. Think it'll ever happen? 
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    Moving down to the other end, the brake run heading into the station looks to be finished as well as the transition from the blue to green track. You can see the brake run MUCH better from Goliath, but of course, we won't take pictures from other rides. =)
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    You can pretty much get the idea here and see the connection of the green and blue track. 
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    While we're down here, lets take a look at the new pretty colors for Scream. it looks all shiny. 
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    The orange will look very nice when it's all done. 
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    I'd guess the drop will be fully painted within the next week. 
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    Moving back down to Colossus, you can certainly see Goliath much more now. 
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    From this angle you can see just how much work they've done over the past couple of weeks. 
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    Inside, still waiting for artwork on the wall which we're told should be up within the next week. 
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    A bit of a better shot of the shiny new loop for Scream. 
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    Elsewhere in the park, Scream isn't the only coaster getting some offseason love, Road Runner Express is getting a new paint job as well. 
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    Nice and shiny red. Hopefully this one will last a bit longer than the previous paint job. 
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    Only the lift and drop are left but you can see the difference between old and new. They must be doing the painting during the week because the ride was open during our visit. 
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    The geese are back, hanging out on the roof watching Full Throttle. 
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    Nerdy Tweety, creepy Rastafarian Banana and at first I thought that was the frog from New Zoo Revue. (google it kids) 
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    We can't emphasize enough to start in the back of the park. In about 60 minutes we managed to get solo front row rides on Goliath, were the first riders on Riddlers Revenge (twice) and rode Ninja and Revolution with no waits. We could have gotten more rides on Batman, etc as well. And that was in addition to taking update pictures. 
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    For RD
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    There seemed to be a LOT of markings on concrete between Bugs Bunny World and Lex Luthor that usually indicates some kind of work about to be done. This is something that isn't going to bring in anybody but it's sure nice to see stuff like this getting done. 
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    Speaking of nice to see, the handicapped area of the first lot is getting new paving. This isn't new paint and slurry like it received a few years ago, but entirely new pavement. 
    This is the only area that's being paved for now, but that's the area that needs it most. Hopefully the rest of the lot will progressively get new pavement. 
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    Lastly, if you are going to do a race (5k in this case) at a theme park, and choose to use their lots for part of the race, and tape arrows on the ground ... general courtesy is that you remove those arrow's after the race, ESPECIALLY when the park has specifically asked you to. 
    These arrows are from a race held in December, and there are still a few left in various spots. While sure, the park eventually needs to remove them, they shouldn't have to. 

    This is why we can't have nice things. 
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    Alright, that's going to wrap it up for this update. We will have another Twisted Colossus update next week and hopefully have some really special things to share with you. Don't you love a good mystery? 

    Stay Tuned ... 
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    If you have any comments, please share them below. 
  • Published on

    American Idiot(s) - RD Sussman

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    Ever wonder why a certain kind of ride in say, California has certain restraints but a very similar ride in say, Pennsylvania is allowed to operate with a totally other type of restraint? Even one that worked on the CA ride for 20 years? 

    Why does Germany get all the fun rides? Is it just because of regulations or the clientele? Well, read on and find out. - Gregg
    Written by RD Sussman
    What's the difference between a 2 year old screaming toddler, and the American General Public? When it comes to rides, the two year old stops crying & screaming. 
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    Let's face it, folks. The American general public are whiny, crying babies when it comes to rides. Anything a little too rough or a little too forceful results in good rides getting neutered: Trim braked to death, restraints to ensure you're not going anywhere, and reprofiled to within an INCH of the ride's life. Excellent coasters, once run as the builder intended get slaughtered due to the complaints - and lawyers - of a few people who do stupid things, or worse. 
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    Let's start out with the shining star of this crowd: Revolution at Six Flags Magic Mountain. A ride that when it opened in 1976 had a single lap bar - no back rests, no trim brakes, no excessive blocking, no back Over-The-Shoulder restraints (OTSR). It operated with efficiency & grace, glass smooth performance, and a thrilling ride for what is by modern standards a very basic coaster. And then - for reasons that only SFMM's management knows, a series of changes wormed their way in, most notably with OTSRs, followed by heavy-duty trim brakes along the track (due to the added weight of the trains). 

    The result is a ride that is nothing of her former self; a mere shadow of what the ride once was. Anton Schwarzkopf is turning in his grave over the changes that have taken what is one of His crown jewels into a steaming pile of doggy doo. And mind you, I love Revolution - it is one of my favorite rides in the world, and one that I cherish. SFMM's line is this: "The ride is too forceful for the comfort of our guests." 
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    Revolution at SFMM - OTSR's and lap bars

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    SuperDooperLooper - New Gerstlauer trains in 2012

    Wait a second. This is a ride that for 20 years operated perfectly without restraints, trim brakes & such without injuries or accidents - but NOW all the sudden it needs excess restraints & trim brakes because it suddenly became forceful? Sorry, folks - that is one of the worst excuses in the world. Let's be honest here: Somebody threatened a lawsuit, and we now suffer with the consequences. All due to somebody not reading a warning sign saying "THIS IS A HIGH-IMPACT RIDE. DO NOT RIDE IF YOU HAVE HEART, BACK or NECK AILMENTS." Thank you, American Idiot(s) for ruining something.
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    Now let's look at Big Foot Rapids, a ride that has a BIG SIGN that says "YOU WILL GET WET! YOU MAY GET DRENCHED!." And gee, it's a river-rapids ride, designed to DO that. It isn't like they're hiding the fact you're going to get dripping wet on it. Isn't that why they build said rides? And yet, the American Idiot(s), who willing went ON Big Foot Rapids would - gasp - panic as the ride headed into waterfalls, and STAND UP... so they don't get wet. But no, the waterfalls are too much for a get-wet rapids ride, and we need to turn them off so people don't stand up and injure themselves. 
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    When Thriller - a Schwarzkopf large portable coaster came to the USA, it was opened as Taz' Texas Tornado - an insane, forceful & GLASS SMOOTH ride that featured a unique & thrilling layout with crazy inversions. This ride operated perfectly well on the European fairground circuit for nearly a decade before coming to the USA, without a single injury or fatality due to Thriller's operations or design. Schwarzkopf knew how to design & build superior rides, the best of the best on earth. 

    But for some reason, when it came to the USA, it was TOO MUCH for the American General Public - too intense! Too forceful! Too Scary! And what happened? When Six Flags rotated the ride to Six Flags Marine World, it was deemed 'too intense' - and prior to the ride re-opening in 2003 was neutered. The first & second inversions were altered to reduce the forces on this ride, and braking was kept to an absolute maximum. What was once a fantastic & out of control attraction operating safely was now at best a bland experience, tamed down so much that it was a shadow of its former self. 
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    Thriller - balls to the wall

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    Zonga, didn't even last a full season at SFMW

    That isn't to say that rides don't NEED re-profiling & modifications - they do, often to the point of excess work being done to the ride itself. Texas Cyclone, a Bill Cobb masterpiece is a perfect example of this. In 1976, when it opened to the public, people came from hundreds of miles away to ride what was an insane near replica of the original Coney Island Cyclone. "Ten Feet Taller - and PLENTY meaner!" was the call sign of this wooden coaster, cloned many times over by the Six Flags corporation in the 80s & 90s. 
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    However, the original trains were quite large (PTC's 4 bench trains) and rode very hard & heavy on the track, resulting in a much-needed change in profile & structure. In this case, TClone wasn't riding right, and was tearing the track up, requiring heavy repair & maintenance to prevent damage to the ride itself- and injuries to the rider. This was necessary - and no question a must-do. However, the changes did not stop at basic levels, going MUCH further to adding over-sized 'coffin cars' from Morgan Manufacturing to the track - which reduced any real visibility to the ride itself down to nearly nothing. And even then, the ride was re-profiled again & again, each time reducing down the thrill factor, until in her final years the ride was a very basic & bland variation on what it once was. 

    Mercifully, TClone was pulled down in 2006, after Astroworld closed their doors forever. 
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    So why is this a big deal? 

    Well, let's look at Germany for a second. In Germany, rides are operated as they are designed to do. Oktoberfest, Germany's annual drink & ride festival outside Munich is a perfect example. Rides are operated with maximum capacity, maximum speed & maximum force. 

    OlympiaLooping, the world's largest portable coaster, operates with six trains at once, no trim brakes, no excessive restraints beyond what Schwarzkopf designed it to have, and at balls-out speed. The same goes for the flat rides there, which are operated at full fairground configuration - usually 20-40% faster than what you would find in the USA. And these rides operate with a near 100% capacity for the duration of their stay - without injuries caused by the rides. 

    Why? That's pretty simple: 
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    1. German laws are different than the USA with regards to ride operation & liability 
    2. People don't do stupid things as a rule there. 

    The first is an important thing - German law states that their own inspection authority has taken a VERY cautious look at each ride operated, and certified it as safe, operated properly & operated within the designated & designed limits of the ride's construction. At this point, the ride operators are no longer liabel for injuries due to rider behavior. They are still liable if the ride fails due to operator negligence - but the strict level of German inspection eliminates this. It puts the liability for injury where it belongs: ON THE RIDER. 

    The second part is related to the first: In Germany, if you get injured on a ride, IT IS YOUR FAULT. If you are riding properly, as the ride is intended to do, you won't get injured. If you do something stupid, such as get on a ride with back/heart/neck problems, and you get injured - your fault. Signs are posted saying that - in multiple languages. 
    And now you're thinking this: "But there are signs on rides here in the USA that say that!" - and you would be right. Here's the difference: In the USA, due to our fantastic legal system and thousands of lawyers, the operator (and in some cases the manufacturer of the ride) are held responsible for the bad behavior of the riders. In other words: The ride is safe, it is built properly, but the American Idiot(s) who do something stupid on a ride will then sue the park and/or the builder of the ride for millions of dollars due to the fact they were injured on the ride - though these idiots are themselves responsible for their injuries. And the parks end up paying out the wazoo for insurance against these mental defectives, and pay out again when they are sued due to these irresponsible actions. 
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    I look at the recent New Texas Giant accident a few years back to what really happened on that day. Gerstlauer, the company who built the trains for NTG, clearly stated that larger guests who were unable to fit the restraint safely should not be allowed to ride. And Six Flags Over Texas, the ride's operator had that posted on a sign clearly out front of the ride, and again in the station. Yet, on that fateful day, a larger guest WAS allowed to ride, and the restraint system failed due to that guests girth & size. And a fatality occured. Why? The legal system failed again: The guest was TOO LARGE FOR THE RESTRAINT, and fearful of a guest complaint, the operators that day let her ride despite this. She should have been told "YOU ARE TOO BIG TO RIDE." I'm a fat man myself - 6 foot tall & 275 pounds, and I know that if I don't fit a restraint properly, I don't ride. That's common sense. However, that is something lacking among the American Idiot(s) who are a part of general public in parks. 
    Realistically, the only fix that would work to this problem is a massive change in liability laws in the United States. Remove the parks & the ride builders from being the sole point of blame in incidents. Ensure rides are operated properly & within the design limits of the builders. Put the blame on the people who cause the incidents themselves. And make sure that people know what rides do, and that if they choose to ride something, if they get injured, it is their fault. Our legal system is so badly overburdened by excessive lawsuits already; removing the ones caused by American Idiot(s) is a good start. Start holding people accountable for their actions, instead of figuring out ways to work the system over for money. 
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    So here it is: We are paying for the stupidity of others now. Insurance rates go up every time there is even a minor incident on a ride that is caused by American Idiot(s). And that turns into higher ticket prices at the gate, more restraints on a ride, rides getting neutered to within an inch of their existence, and coasters which are operated so badly that the ride themselves is nothing of what it should be. All because of American Idiot(s), and the lawyers who make a living off of their client's stupidity. We're the ones paying the price. 
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    B&M: Where'd the mojo go? 

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    RD is back this week with another thought provoking but likely highly controversial opinion piece all about B&M coasters. 

    While nobody can deny that B&M makes quality coasters that the General Public and most enthusiasts love, sometimes it's hard to tell which B&M coaster you're actually riding. Is this a case of them building what parks want, or just being safe? Read on to find out. And be sure to take the poll at the bottom.  - Gregg
    Written by RD Sussman
    EDITORIAL
    25 years ago this year, Bolliger Mabillard made their debut on the theme park scene with a standup coaster system that was quite groundbreaking in concept & in design. It took what had previously been attempted by two other builders (Arrow, with their refitting of trains onto a mine train as well as a corkscrew, then TOGO with their standup coaster design) and revolutionized the concept - wider trains, smoother flow & better pacing all around. It was truly awe-inspiring for an era where technology had reached a zenith; we were still floored by Arrow's 200 foot tall coaster, and seeing this new generation system really opened up the floodgates of creativity. 
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    Vortex - California's Great America

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    Iron Wolf - Six Flags Great America

    What would their next step be?
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    Batman: The Ride - Six Flags Great America

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    Flight Deck - California's Great America

    Of course, 1992 brought us their next concept - by turning the track upside down, trains could be suspended from the rails... and the Inverted class coaster was born. Batman:THE RIDE took an idea and changed the way parks would be able to thrill their guests. Built in a way to enable B&M's creativity to soar, these compact coasters soon found their way into almost every Six Flags in the country, all with nearly identical layouts & configurations, theming & plots. B&M expanded up the Inverted coaster to epic levels; their crowning glory seen in the format of Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 1997. 
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    Batman: The Ride - Six Flags Magic Mountain

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    Alpengeist - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

    Diversifying their offerings gave us the sit-down coaster in 1993, and the Drop machine in 1998, and the floorless coaster in 1999. Their own take on the Hypercoaster debuted in 1999 as well, in both twister format (Raging Bull, SFGam) and classic out and back style (Apollo's Chariot, BGW.) Standup coasters were enlarged and became their own giant designs; Chang & Riddler's Revenge were nearly the same size as the largest Arrow looping coasters built - but with a refined style & smoother design that made them instant hits - with both the public & the coaster people around the world. 
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    Riddlers Revenge - Six Flags Magic Mountain

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    Apollo's Chariot - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

    There was NO stopping B&M. They reached for the skies, they reached for the stars, and they found them. Your park was not complete if you didn't have at least one B&M in it. 2002 brought us their Flying coaster, which allowed riders to take flight as Superman, swim with the fishes as Manta, and through the skies as Air. 
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    Superman: Ultimate Flight - Six Flags Over GA

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    Great Bear - Hersheypark

    It was also at this point where B&M started earning a reputation with their newer designs: Bland & Mild. Boring & Mundane. Names they EARNED. Their designs began to lack force; they lacked creativity, they lacked that special 'feel' that their earlier coasters had in them. The rides all began to look similar to each other - sharing the same elements, the same order in which they flowed on one ride were so similar to others that they lacked that creative spark that brought B&M to the top in the 90s. Rides began to feel more like an lounge chair than a coaster.
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    Raging Bull - Six Flags Great America

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    Georgia Scorcher - Six Flags Over Georgia

    This isn't to say B&M built bad products - at all. People pay a small mint for these rides - as they should. Reliable? You bet. Durable? No question. Mass capacity? Yuuup - that too. A B&M coaster creates a skyline that says "COASTER HERE!" and moves people through the lines at light speed. 
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    Hydra - Dorney Park

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    Griffon - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

    But they've lost their way. Their mojo is gone. People can count the number of trim brakes on the track like a counting game. They all feel exactly the same, no matter which type of B&M you're on. And with this came their first rides considered 'duds' in the market - namely Led Zepplin/Time Machine at Freestyle Music Park, OzIris at Asterix Park, and Swarm at Thorpe Park. All three different B&Ms, and all three suffering at the hands of a boring & indifferent ride. No forces. No thrills. No real feeling of being on a coaster - other than the visuals. B&M has perfected the art of being TOO perfect. Of being too consistent, of being able to remove the coaster out of a ride. 
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    Medusa - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

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    Silver Bullet - Knott's Berry Farm

    I now look at B&M with great skepticism when I see one announced. I give them credit: Very few coaster builders to date have rides that simply look stunning on a skyline. They show an elegance that very few are able to do. At the same time, I look with dread towards them as well. Is this new B&M going to be a repeat of their lost mojo on many other coasters? Is it going to be forceless & bland? Will I slip into a coma from boredom? 
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    Goliath - Six Flags Over Georgia

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    Apocalypse - Six Flags America

    So where does B&M go from here? Back to the drawing boards I hope. I recall riding Alpengeist at BGW on opening day, and being blown away by the sheer feeling of force on the ride. Precise & tight turns produced spikes of positive Gs second to none. The spiral dive into the Immelman was astounding, as was the hang time at the top of the first two inversions. The Cobra Roll was insane & thrilling - and the finale of diving into a shed followed by a heartline roll was genius. And it is a crown jewel of B&M's portfolio. 
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    Wild Eagle - Dollywood

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    X-Flight - Six Flags Great America

    Georgia Scorcher stands there too - as being a fast, thrilling & force filled ride, complete with some amazing lateral turns & pops of airtime that very few other rides deliver to this day. It is this mojo that B&M used to have that they need to find again. 
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    Rougarou - Redo of Mantis at Cedar Point

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    Thunderbird - Coming to Holiday World in 2015

    Bring back that element of surprise. Make people feel like there is something to be feared - a spike of negative Gs on a drop, a feeling like you're going to be hammered into the seat during an inversion, the rapid & insane feeling of a high-speed heartline roll. Those are ingredients of legend, and those are what made B&M's earlier projects legendary - and for many of us, classics. 

    The market for coasters is changing rapidly, and with MACK coming up with insane designs that rival in both durability, reliability & capacity of any B&M, they need to get back to their roots - and back to building stellar rides like they used to ... before B&M lost their mojo
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  • Published on

    Knott's Berry Farm update including Iron Reef opening date

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    This week we headed back to Knott's Berry Farm to have some fun in the park, hopefully catch the reopening of the Log Ride and take a look at what's going on for the new for 2015 ride, Voyage to the Iron Reef. 

    We had a great day in the park, despite moderate crowds, the ride ops were working great and we didn't wait more than 25 minutes for any of the major rides. 

    Unfortunately the Log Ride didn't reopen until after we left, but we'll be back soon for the Knott's Coaster Run and some rides on the best Log Flume ever. 

    But first, we'll take a look at Voyage to the Iron Reef progress. 
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    Since our last Knott's Update, unfortunately the outside of the building hasn't changed much, all the work looks to be taking place inside as they get ready for the ride opening on May 15th. 
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    Will be interesting to see how much this changes to make it fit to the Boardwalk theme. 
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    A peek inside, not much has changed. 
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    The mural is still there, not sure if this will be staying or not. 
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    A peek from above, looks like some work has been done up on the roof in recent weeks. 
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    Elsewhere in the park, Xcelerator is getting some work done as they make a new queue for Fast Lane. 
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    Great ride
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    It was a beautiful day so we figured we'd take a walk through Ghost Town and look at some of the area's that aren't visited as much. 
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    Where's the fog? 
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    ♪ Wanted ... Dead or Alive ♪
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    Wonder if they had forever stamps back then. 
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    Moo
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    How cool would it be to stay here? 
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    No cards up the sleeve
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    Love these guys, and the plaque behind them. 
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    Ghostrider is still closed for it's refurb
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    Ice Cream Sandwich!!! 
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    Two of my favorite spots in the park are below ... 
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    For years I've been trying to get a picture of Xcelerator from the Sky Tower going over the top hat. This is the closest I've been able to get. LOL
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    This is the Knott's Coasters Burger (at Coasters). It's a burger (obviously) with fried cheese, onion straws, jalapeno's, lettuce, tomato, pickles and chipotle on Ciabatta. It is REALLY good, but you might want to share it with somebody. =)
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    Knott's Saloon Show ... you should definitely see it next time you are in the park. 
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    Farewell from Knott's!! 
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    Knott's Coaster Run
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    Don't forget that the Knott's Coaster Run is coming on March 8th and we have a meet scheduled if you'd like to join us for the race and then some fun in the park. 

    If we can get enough people we'll also be setting up a breakfast reservation at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant after the race. So please let us know if you'd like to join us. 
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    Disneyland announces 60th anniversary celebration

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    Last night while most of the country was sleeping, Disneyland announced two new shows, a revamp of World of Color and some decorations to celebrate the parks 60th anniversary. 

    The festivities will begin on May 22nd and no end date for the event was announced. Below we'll lay out what was announced, and maybe more importantly, what wasn't announced. 
    All pictures © Disney
    Disneyland 60th Diamond Castle
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    Work has already begun on the new Diamond Castle and this looks to be a huge part of the celebration once again (as it was during the 50th). 
    Carthay Circle
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    DCA isn't being left out of the celebration, and while the Carthay Circle might seem a weird choice to get the Diamond Anniversary treatment, Carthay is modeled after the theater that showed Walt's first full length feature animated film so it makes the most sense. 
    World of Color - Celebrate
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    World of Color - Celebrate will be a homage to Walt Disney and Disneyland, "bringing Walt's dream to life.". 
    Paint The Night
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    Paint the Night is making it's way to Disneyland, but will be different than the existing parade at HKDL. Our guess, expect some kind of Frozen float. =) 
    Disneyland Forever
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    New fireworks show - Disneyland Forever. projections and pyrotechnics "Bigger than everything we've done before". Show will have new projection system on surrounding buildings to fully immerse guests in the experience."
    So that is all that was announced. So let's take a look at what wasn't announced, that many are still saying is still coming. If we had to guess, if true, these announcements will be made at D23. 

    • Fantasyland Dark Ride refurbishments/enhancements - If you've ridden Alice In Wonderland recently you know what can be done to make these rides all new again. There have been rumors that the remaining rides in the land will be closing to receive similar effects. 
    • Matterhorn enhancements - Likewise, rumors have been pointing to Matterhorn receiving new effects of some kind. Projections for the Fireworks were already pretty much confirmed, so we're not sure if this is talking about the inside of the ride. It's no secret that the new fleet of trains the ride received a few years ago haven't really worked out. Not sure if this would be a part of this. 
    • Star Wars Land - Anybody who went last night and expected some kind of huge announcement around Star Wars, Marvel or any other e-ticket attraction walked away disappointed. IF there is any kind of announcement of this sort to be made, it's going to be done at D23 in August. MAYBE some kind of teaser at Star Wars Celebration in April. 

    No end date for the event was announced, so obviously any further announcements made could still be done under the "60th Celebration" umbrella. Remember, the 50th ran for about 18 months and it sort of looks like this one may be here for that long as well. 

    So what do you think? Are you excited for these new offerings? Waiting to see what else is announced? Let us know in the comments below. 
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