Guy_With_A_Stick wrote:Oh boy! I'd love to see some Hyper Action!
Something like that ------
Thursday July 16th, 1998 July
Went to the park today, I figured crowds would be more controllable due to a local fishing contest attracting most of the town
You know what I was looking for..
This may look very different next year
Here's the plot for the proposed new roller coaster. I heard all went well at the meeting earlier in the month, but it needs one more approval next month to go through.
A view of the site from Crackaxle Canyon
Fun Fact: Torbellino was the first ride installed at the park
Had lunch at Andre's per the usual
This corner of the park looks quite nice
Being in somewhat of a central location, Scream Machine's lift hill gives great views of all around the park
Ferris Wheel dominates the park's skyline
Don't exactly know why, but I love marathoning Connecticut Twister in the evening
Airtime!
Supposedly, Hurricane was originally going to cease operations after the 1998 season, but the park spared it and chose the space behind Aquaman for the new coaster. This doesn't surprise me considering the decrease in it's popularity with new rides like The Tower of Doom and Verdugo stealing it's thunder.
The Lost Rapids got me soaked today
I find it hilarious how Joker had a non-existent line while TTOD's was 30 minutes
More floater air for me!
Verdugo maxed out a 45 minute wait
Haunted Ranch. Subtle, yet thrilling
I've always enjoyed the surrounding area of El Scrambler. If you look closely, Grand Stand's train is going through the corkscrew/flat spin
I had to leave a little early because of work tomorrow.
I can't wait to see what is coming! Looking good as usual. Thanks, Whiz
Favorite @ SFGAm - Eagle ~ Favorite Steel - Skyrush ~ Favorite Wood - El Toro 35 Rides on Eagle in 2015 68 Rides on Eagle in 2016 102 Rides on Eagle in 2017 9 Rides on Eagle in 2018
Whizzer Whiz Kid wrote:I can't wait to see what is coming! Looking good as usual. Thanks, Whiz
Thanks man! You'll find out soon
------ Wednesday August 5th, 1998 August
Today was a beautiful day to visit the park
I like to make Sky Tower my first ride of the day on sunny August mornings like today
Mid-Century Square and Fairgrounds
Update on the 1999 coaster: Good news, it was officially approved on Monday! (August 3rd) I've heard that construction will begin sometime within the next week!
Saw a concert at the Gotham City Amphitheater. I really like how The Tower of Doom only seems slightly taller than the top row of seats.
Aquaman's station is only about 1/2 the height of the amphitheater
Swingset's central location allows for great shots like this one
Had lunch at the EXpress Cafe
Due to the Read to Succeed promotion expiring yesterday, the park was DEAD, so I was able to marathon Connecticut Twister and Hurricane multiple times in a row without leaving my seat
I wonder if it'd still be possible to get pictures like this one if Hurricane was removed
Dive Slide is starting to fall apart.. one of the boards on the stairs was really loose, and the supports need some paint. Kind of makes me wonder whey the chose to revamp Nifty Fifties Playground over Orleans Park.
Scream Machine had the longest wait in the park at 25 minutes
Might've had something to do with the fact that only 1 train was running
County Fair Snacks currently has a promotion: 2 Giant pretzels and a lemonade for only $3.50. Steal!
Loving the new covered pathway to MCS
Despite being a kiddie attraction, I kind of like The Jetsons's Jet Orbiters
Sometimes I feel like Grand Stand is the perfect candidate for the ride-rotation program. As a fan of the ride, I hate to admit it, but I can't see it still standing (No pun intended) 20 years from now. I think Six Flags could squeeze a Batman: The Ride clone in that spot if they tried
If you look closely you can see Verdugo's train completing the vertical loop
Fun Fact: El Starfish was the last ride installed before SFCK, then called Heage Lake, opened to the public on May 1st, 1992
I really like that lake shot, except for the fences behind the flowers. If you replaced those with some more flowers, and possibly a few trees, I think it would really help make it look a lot nicer.
The park is looking great so far! Super happy the plan went through. Can't wait to see what they have in store for 1999! My guess is a Superman: Ride of Steel-type coaster.
Guy_With_A_Stick wrote:I really like that lake shot, except for the fences behind the flowers. If you replaced those with some more flowers, and possibly a few trees, I think it would really help make it look a lot nicer.
The park is looking great so far! Super happy the plan went through. Can't wait to see what they have in store for 1999! My guess is a Superman: Ride of Steel-type coaster.
Thank you! I will see if I can fix the fences. As for the coaster, you're not too far off
--- Friday August 21st, 1998 August/Small construction update
Geez, summer really went by fast this year. Atleast with school starting up again the crowd levels decrease here at the Kingdom
Started my day with Ship Dip. I don't know why, but I find it to be the most comfortable Intamin looping starship. Quite the opposite of Power Dive at Six Flags Great America
Sounds of Summer is the new show at the Connecticut Showhouse this year, and today was the last showing
It's basically about a Haiwaiian couple who fall in love, and, along with their two friends, run off to live on a tropical island
It wasn't bad! Definitely had a good storyline and wonderful music, but the setting and props weren't there. Solid 7/10, wouldn't mind seeing it return next year
Hurricane is the most picturesque ride in the park
For lunch, I tried the Cajun Chicken salad from Orleans Grille
I'm happy to see the park (possibly) reviving the dead corner of Crackaxle Canyon with Project 1999, but I really think Pontchartrain Bay needs some love to. There's only Hurricane, The Lost Rapids, Sky Wheel, and Orleans Park, which is even less than Fairgrounds.
Maybe a small flat by Hurricane's drop?
I seriously love how TTOD looms over almost everything in the park
A scaffolding for the station of the new coaster has been put up, and a crane is on site
What's in the shed?
My guess is that if the entrance is in CAC, it will reuse MSD's old queue along with the old ride plot
Lol, can't wait to find out! Hopefully it is something for the new star attraction for this park!
Favorite @ SFGAm - Eagle ~ Favorite Steel - Skyrush ~ Favorite Wood - El Toro 35 Rides on Eagle in 2015 68 Rides on Eagle in 2016 102 Rides on Eagle in 2017 9 Rides on Eagle in 2018
Good Mooooorning Connecticut. Man, that would make a great name for a morning talk show
I decided to hit Verdugo before it broke down
As the season progresses. so does the construction of the 1999 coaster
I couldn't pass up a perfect opportunity to take construction photos
Here you can see the coaster's exit (Looks like it be will be shared with Aquaman) and some of the station. The current rumor is that B&M may be working on a Hyper coaster and that SFCK could be the first park to have one. We shall see...
HUSS Troikas are pretty fun rides
It'd been a while since I lost a gamble at the Gotham City Arcade but today wasn't my luckiest. Didn't get a single ticket from the Fortune-Guesser game
I actually witnessed an employee get fired from Backlot Bites today. Customer supposedly asked twice for a new drink as his one was too cold and the employee threw the drink onto him.
With autumn approaching earlier than usual this year, it was not a wise decision to do The Lost Rapids
I'm still loving that blue paint
View from Ferris Wheel
View from Ferris Wheel
View from Ferris Wheel
View from Ferris Wheel
Decided to head back to the other side of the park
Gyration was running insane tonight
Spacely's
Will Grand Stand still be the only B&M in the park next year?
I know the park is in October now but I will only be doing Fright Fest every three years. I guess you can assume it's still "going on", since in real life, Six Flags wouldn't just do it every three years, but it's just simpler to do it this way when doing an RCT3 park. -RC ---
Saturday October 3rd, 1998 October
As soon as you walk in the park you notice the nicely colored fall trees
I forgot my coat, so the chilly weather tempted me to take to the skies on Sky Tower to warm up
It needs to be above 45° for El Starfish to run and it was, ironically 44° so we had to wait until it got a bit warmer
Grand Stand was running a bit sluggish because of the cold temperatures
How many rides can you spot in this photo?
The park had a new show playing, The Bad Pumpkin
Kind of a weird storyline (Mutated pumpkin that aims to destroy the farm), but it was a hit with families and kids, so who cares?
The wind nearly caused some rider collision on Americana Swings
Haunted Ranch's effects weren't working today
The weather got a bit warmer, so I decided to take a spin on Batwing
I don't exactly know why but I prefer this Joker inc. to the one at Six Flags St. Louis
What's this?? Gotham Gear merchandise 50% off?
Oh. Maybe that's why
Here’s your obligatory shot of Orleans Park
Is there ever a bad shot of Hurricane? Would've really sucked if it closed this month like originally planned
I had a Cajun spice latte from the Pontchartrain Cafe and it wasn't bad!
What is your favorite ride in this pic?
While not the smoothest wooden coaster, it's far from the roughest. Definitely not comparable to most RCCA's
One last ride!
You may have noticed that I didn't provide any construction pictures of the new ride in this update. Well, let's just say it would give away a little too much, and some readers of this blog have asked me not to spoil it. Sorry!
Whitehall Gazette wrote:This just in --- Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom has announced their BRAND NEW roller coaster ride coming in 1999! Mr. Freeze! The coolest coaster on the planet, Mr. Freeze will take riders from 0-70 MPH in just 3.8 seconds, through a vividly lit tunnel. You will then endure a top hot inversion, which will take riders head over heels under the ride's massive support structure. This is followed by a 105 ft. tall overbanked turn and then you will climb 218 ft. in the air to the ride's peak - before doing it all again BACKWARDS. 1300 ft. of pure adrenaline. The ride will be situated in the park's "Gotham Backlot" area behind the Aquaman Splashdown ride, which debuted at the park in 1993
Wow, this is quite the exciting addition! Unlike the installations at Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags St. Louis, this Mr. Freeze will have lap-bar restraints rather than OTSRs. In case you're wondering, this one will also have a dual-loading station to decrease wait times and increase capacity.
Here are some pictures from the Press Release:
This is what Mr. Freeze's entrance will look like. It will be right between Aquaman Splashdown's entrance and Crimewave Cafe. Actually, the queue goes under Aquaman's structure and caused the removal of the seating area for Crimewave.
Mr. Freeze's station will be themed to an abandoned ice cream factory named Snowy's
The 105 ft. overbank
The launch tunnel. I personally can't wait to ride this.
Guy_With_A_Stick wrote:Oh wow, did not expect that!
Mr. Freeze is a wonderful coaster, and I'm super excited to see it come here!
Thank you! I kind of wanted to throw everyone off with all the B&M Hyper stuff. Worked for 1998 and 1999!
---
Saturday May 1st, 1999 Opening Day 1999/Mr. Freeze opens
The day has finally arrived. Mr. Freeze opens today!
Everyone made a beeline (More like a mad dash) towards Gotham Backlot. EVERYONE
I still love the entrance
As stated in the ride announcement in the Whitehall Gazette, Mr. Freeze's queue passes directly below Aquaman Splashdown.
The greenery around the queue looks beautiful
Unfortunately, the other side of the station was dispatched first so I was not on the first official train
The first train coming back into the station. After this it would slide over to the track on the left and my train would slide over to the launch track to dispatch.
This was taken a few seconds before the launch
Sweet mother of...
....
I almost went deaf due to the amount of screaming from the teenage girl sitting behind me
The top hat stall felt seriously insane
WOW! That was honestly one of the most intense coasters I've been on. The launch, top hat, overbank, and 218 ft. spike all kicked major ass, especially when traversed backwards. Theming is on point as well. Easily my #1 at the park.
You may have noticed that some of Mr. Freeze's queue replaced the seating area for Crimewave Cafe. It has been relocated to the other side of the restaurant and now sports some nice looking teal tables
Gotham Gear has received a complete overall to support the opening of Mr. Freeze
Pretty much every other ride in the park was DEAD
is a great park
The view from inside Ship Dip's cabin
Don't worry Verdugo, you're still my 2nd favorite ride at the park
I apologize for the extremely late update - I originally intended to have it out March 8th but quite a few things (Mainly my in-game camera not working) led to me laying it off until now. Still planning to wrap up 1999 before April so updates will be frequent for the rest of the month.
-RC ---
Thursday June 3rd, 1999 June
The summer season has officially began here at Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom!
Mr. Freeze is still kicking major ice since it's debut last month
Yep. Best coaster in the park
Mr. Freeze, Gotham Gifts, Crimewave Cafe, Batwing... Gotham Backlot is starting to have too much blue
Grand Stand - Sponsored by Chupa Chups. I see the traditional Six Flags advertising has spread to our park
Full shot of Mr. Freeze
A Haunted Ranch make-over, eh? I didn't see this one coming at all
Must be something big.. seems promising
Something looks different here
I love the views of the Connecticut Twister from Connecticut Cruisers
The empty midways are a pleasant site to see
What's in the reflection?
Ah, it's Hurricane
Riding Lake Pontchartrain Boat Tours by yourself is.. awkward
I'm surprised this clearance is even legal
Aquaman Splashdown is even better this season since it gives great visuals of Mr. Freeze
Great way to cool off on a hot June day like today
We're in the midst of a hot summer season here at Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom!
This is the first I've seen Mr. Freeze closed. Heard there was some sort of problem with the LIMS in the morning, but it did open up later in the day
Who doesn't love looking at Mr. Freeze from over 30 stories in the sky?
You know it's going to be a crowded day when the new ride is closed..
Atleast there was another DC ride running
The outdoor seating area for Andre's Diner is a great place to sit back and enjoy a drink
Skee Ball, an amusement park classic
Standing while up-side down is a joy!
There was some weird Indian show playing at the Americana Theater. Sometimes I feel like this park is spot on in the entertainment department, other times it feels like they hired someone off of Craigslist..
Dodgems would be much more fun if the floor was wider
Verdugo's location relevance to Sky Tower allows for some iconic photos
At around 5:00, Mr. Freeze opened up, right as I was about to walk up to Verdugo's empty station (It had also just re-opened from a breakdown, but that's no surprise)
I got on and off as quickly as possible (Zen ride!) and bolted it down the exit ramp
While it was limited to a 1 train operation, the line went by rather quick, and I was able to score a front row ride!
My last ride of the day was on Hurricane
I was a bit hungry so I picked up a sub at Orleans Subs before heading out. (That is not me in the picture, by the way haha)
Let me start off by saying, today was not my favorite visit to the park
Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom is trying something out this summer where elementary school aged kids can get free tickets after reading a certain number hour of books, and today was the last day the tickets were valid. As you can see by the previous picture, crowds were anything but light
Must've been a nice view of the crowded parking lot from the 2 towers
Quick Pass was a must today. On a related note, I heard that it might be renamed the "Fast Pass" for 2000, Nothing too major, but still noteworthy
Ah, the looks I got while entering this line
I've probably taken this picture 20 times but it just looks great
Sounds of Summer returned this year, and I was lucky enough to catch one of the final performances of the season!
They finally decided to add props this year
Who could forget about Mr. Freeze?
Me. I could forget about Mr. Freeze
If I didn't have a quick pass, that is
Premier goodness
Harley Quinn was one of the few rides without a line
Uh, no thank you.
Even if you hate it, you have to admit Grand Stand is very photogenic
Local schools started up again this week(And tonight was a school night ), so today was quite the opposite of my last visit
Verdugo was an excellent way to start my day. Looking at this picture reminds me, I've always thought the color choices for the trains was kind of weird. Black and red coaster with baby blue and yellow trains? Maybe it was a budget thing, I suppose the park was somewhat in poor shape at the time it was added.
Remember when Aquaman Splashdown (Formerly Klondike River Splashdown) was the "New big thing that everyone had to ride"? Ah, how times have changed...
Two guests enjoying an early morning spin on El Scrambler
Back in 1992 I told you guys that Americana Swings was a Chance Yo-Yo ride, but I recently found out from Mr. Heage (Former owner of the park for those who haven't been reading for that long) that it is actually a Chance Aviator.
I noticed that the Skee Ball game in front of Americana Swings has been removed. New food stand perhaps?
The roof of Yogi's Yahoo Cups provides for a cool photo
Spacely's Sprocket Rockets is a great beginner coaster
The front pond is quite a nice place to be around on a light-crowded day
No caption needed
Marathon time!
Sky Wheel is definitely the more thrilling of the park's 2 Ferris Wheels
Pontchartrain Bay could really use a new attraction. I feel like it got a ton of attention during the Heage area but it seems to be neglected by Six Flags
On the other hand, for a park only in it's third season under Six Flags, Connecticut Kingdom has a solid DC era.
After a trip to Six Flags Over Texas in July, I've now been on all 3 of the Mr. Freeze clones, and ours is still my favorite
Back row feels so out of control in reverse, it's awesome!
Quite the nice collection of rides. I think this part of the park is set in stone for a few years
Cocina Picante is pretty popular with guests
Not the best idea to plaster advertisements all around one of the most unpopular rides
Saturday September 18th, 1999 Man dies at Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom
Whitehall Gazette wrote:
The entrance to Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom - Picture taken by Jacob Karse
A sad day today at Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom, as 42 year old Howie Boynes of Hartford lost his life last night to the park's "El Starfish" ride. Mr. Boynes and his 7 year old daughter Emma boarded the attraction around 7 P.M. last night and Howie was told by a ride attendant that he "Might be too large to ride." (Records show that he was 284 lbs. at the time of death) Howie insisted and got strapped in for the "Mild family ride" with slight trouble pushing down his restraint. After a 2 minute delay, including 2 employees having to help push down his lap bar, the ride began. Only 20 seconds in, Mr. Boynes' restraint popped open and he was flung from his seat, and crushed by the ride's main disk as it spun along.
Six Flags Connecticut Kingdom's El Starfish Ride - Picture taken by Jacob Karse
Passengers, 12 of which were children under 13, were forced to watch in horror as Howie was slowly crushed to death. "The trauma caused by this event will forever affect the lives of bystanders and other park guests" says 24 year old guest Anna De Vito, who was in line for the ride when the incident occured. In a statement from the park, Spokesperson Alexandria Case says that "We are deeply saddened by the events leading up to the death of Howie Boynes, and we do believe that the situation could've been avoided had proper safety techniques been followed." The ride will remain closed until further notice, and will undergo State Safety Inspection
^ The black and white photos were a good touch, eh? xD
--- Sunday October 31st, 1999 Halloween - Final update of the 1990's
Today is the last day you can visit SFCK before the new millennium begins!
Mr. Freeze's first season at the park is coming to an end
It was running a bit sluggish due to the cold fall breeze, but it's still a solid ride
Haunted Ranch reopened at the beginning of October following a 4 month long renovation
The first notable change is this shiny plaque in the station
A subtle ghost animatronic slides along the track
The park added an arch and some fake blood to one of the "hallways"
Random zombie face hanging from a wall
The animated props, like this one, were my personal favorites
It'd be cool if they gave the ride a distinct storyline but the random cheesy props are pretty nice
A pair of skeleton arms sticking out from the walls welcome riders back to the station
Rumors have began to circulate as to what might be added to SFCK in 2000. The current one is that the park may be adding a couple of flat rides next year. While not a crazy War on Lines event like Six Flags Great Adventure pulled off for this year, it seems that the park may be looking to fill a few voids with new attractions. Evidenced by the lack of trees, I wouldn't be completely surprised if something turned up in this spot
One particular rumor (From a trusted source, too) that excites me is the possible addition of a thrilling flat ride to fill the vacancy left by the park’s original Diner, torn down after the 1992 season
You may have heard about the accident on El Starfish that occurred last month.. the ride has sat vacant ever since and according to park officials, will most likely reopen next April
Verdugo nearly stalled in the boomerang element due to the temperature
Dracula the Musical was showing at the Americana Theater
As per the usual, it had that "Family friendly" twist on it, but it was entertaining, nevertheless
4 years and 5 seasons later, Hurricane is still storming on
Thankfully I reached my goal of starting 2000 by the end of March, so the frantic "Every other day" updates will stop. Next update will probably be on Tuesday. -RC
--- Friday April 14th, 2000 Opening Day - 3 NEW rides!!!
Today marks the start of season #9 here at the Kingdom, and as you can see by the poster, the park is introducing not one, not two, but THREE new flat rides for 2000!
At 225 ft. tall, the new Dare Devil Dive skycoaster is even taller than Mr. Freeze!
Chaos (Chance Chaos) was the first new ride I went to check out
This is the first season since 1992 in which this space is in use!
My final thoughts? It's a really fun ride, pretty intense. Got to say, it seems like a lot of people can't handle the constant flipping of the seats, quite a few people lost their lunch on it. --- 7.5/10
Dare Devil Dive was next (Note to self: Plant trees in this area )
This is the park's first up-charge attraction since Mountain Climber (1993-1996)
WOW! That was a rush. --- 9/10 (Have to deduct a half point for the up-charge bit )
Finally, we have Frontier Fling, a Huss Breakdance attraction utilizing the former space of Mine Shaft Drop (1992-1996)
They really made it look nice alongside Mr. Freeze
Yet another intense ride, with a very long cycle. Easy 8.5/10
Also new for 2000 is the Picnic Pavilions area
For a small amount you and your party of up to 90 people can rent out a section to eat in
The 2000 additions are great and all, but we can't forget about 1999!
Still a phenomenal ride
The Tower of Doom is now 1 of 4 rides that surpasses 200 ft.
Even though the weather wasn't right, some brave parkgoers decided to take a quest on The Lost Rapids
A rumor has surfaced that Connecticut Twister will run backwards for Fright Fest this year. Guess we'll have to wait to find out
A young guest enjoys a drive on Connecticut Cruisers
Wow, you rode an Arrow Looper three times in a row. RC, I expect you do the same in real life.
Favorite @ SFGAm - Eagle ~ Favorite Steel - Skyrush ~ Favorite Wood - El Toro 35 Rides on Eagle in 2015 68 Rides on Eagle in 2016 102 Rides on Eagle in 2017 9 Rides on Eagle in 2018
Here's what The Lost Rapids' tunnel looks like from outside of the park
At some point the park had a similar photo to this one on a postcard sold in Main Gate Gifts
This is the last week before local schools get out for summer vacation, so I had to make the most out of it with an early morning Connecticut Twister marathon
Confirmed! retsiwT tucitcennoC will be returning for Fright Fest this fall!
Got to say, the Food Court is still one of my favorite places to eat in the park. It retains that "Heage Lake Charm"
Hurricane's color scheme reminds me of the newly opened Millennium Force at Cedar Point
My friend Jerry has been telling me about some new show in the Gotham City Amphitheater that debuted last month called "Batman: Riddler's Revenge", so I decided to go check it out for myself
They finally managed to produce a good show here. +1 Six Flags
It was so hot that Aquaman was sending out full boats, even though most rides had less than 20 minute waits
If only Snowy's Ice Cream Factory was a real place
Frontier Fling reopened but it's so hidden behind the trees that nobody noticed
The Picnic area truly looks nice, It'd be cool if there was an enthusiast event hosted here
I kind of like how Dare Devil Dive's structure protrudes over Grand Stand
A recent rumor on Screamsource.com says that the park will be removing Grand Stand this year and replacing it with a B&M floorless coaster named Medusa or Scream!.. considering 3/4 of the people that send in rumors are prepubescent 12 year olds, I'm not buying it
Why is Spacely's Sprocket Rockets the least popular ride in Camp Cartoon? I guess it is a Vekoma..
County Fair Snacks is now serving Funnel Cake Sundaes. I might need to bring my checkbook to the park on my next visit xD
Got this nice shot of CT Twister from Connecticut Cruisers
Sky Tower's central position in the park is pretty nice
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