let me just say...this was a typical dispatch for Raging Bull
Taken at 11:30am
So I decided to take my friend to the park to get her pass processed. I knew the weather was going to be shatty but I didn't really care. We left my house around 8:00am and go to the park around 9:35...when I pulled into the parking lot I noticed that noticed there was 6 parking tolls open. I thought that was kind of useless when I noticed there was only 1 other car in the entire parking lot. I pulled into my usually spot right up front and we waited until about 9:50 to walk up to the gate. There was a lot of staff walking around doing a sweep of the front entrance. At 9:55 there was only about 30 people at the front gate waiting to get in. At 10:01 they started letting people into the park and we walked right to Superman (it was my friends first and only coaster she has ever ridden so I figured we would start with that). We got on around 10:05 first dispatch in the second last row.
We then walked to TDK since my friend loves the movie and she has never been on it before. What pissed me off was how they weren't letting people walk through the preshow room...which basically means they send empty cars on the coaster for about 5 mins. We got off around 10:15 and then walked to Batman. But because of the rain it was closed so we just walked to Viper. But I saw that Orbit wasn't in a cycle so we went on Orbit. I told my friend it just spins around (she was so shocked when it started going upsidown). We then got a walk on for Viper in front row. It was my friends first (traditional) coaster and she loved it. Viper was running awesome in the rain with crazy airtime (more the usual).
We then took a spin on Chubasco and found my new favorite cup Walked off and went over to Raging Bull. Walk on for last row. The fullest train I have seen was about 10-15 people all day. We got a re-ride and had another spin. Walked off and my and my friend rode Giant Drop (didn't phase my friend at all). Meet up with another friend and went back to Bull. We got 2 rides in the back and then got a walk on for front row with a re-ride.
Since it was past 11:00am we went over to Demon and saw the new neon train (WTF!!!). Got a re-ride in the back and it was my friends first looping coaster so she thought it was great. Walked off and headed towards Eagle. We ended up getting two rides in back in the rain. The ride was hauling ass with basically a trim-less ride. We walked off and stood out in the rain for a smoke break. They really need to offer smoking areas with a shelter/roof
Then I wanted my friend to ride Iron Wolf. We rode in the back row and she though it was fun but she said it hurt her ears. Also I noticed that if you pick up your feet on the straight drop after the helix in the back row you get a really cool weightless sensation. Try it, just pick up your feet while dropping after the helix. That was my 12th ride on Wolf for the season.
After that we walked to the front of the park and hit up East River Crawler and King Chaos. Since we were wet we decided to ride TDK again. UGH! We had to sit through the pre-show again. But since they were cycling empty cars we got to re-ride. When we were walking to the front of the park they announced they were closing in 15 mins. So we dashed to Viper for one last ride in the back row.
By 12:55 they closed off the line for Raging Bull so we figured well just process my friends pass. When we left the park we got our free COMP ticket. TOTALS Superman- 1 TDK- 3 Raging Bull- 6 Viper- 2 Demon- 2 Eagle Red- 2 Iron Wolf-1 FLATS: Orbit Drop East River Crawler King Chaos
***One thing I noticed was that Viper almost always will keep cycling way after the park closes. I think we got to our car by 1:25 and they were still cycling it empty. There have been so many times I would walk out to my car way after closing and notice Viper cycling empty.
Last edited by tp41190 on April 20th, 2009, 10:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
Besides the theming for the Dark Knight's preshow, it's meant to stall the line (waste time). You have to remember that the ride is low capacity for what it is. Each car only can have 4 people. If they are running 5 trains, that's only 20 people whereas about every other roller coaster has more than that except Whizzer (Whizzer usually runs more than one train though.) at times, and Ragin Cajun.
Yeah, they probably should have let you go through the preshow if you wanted to considering there was hardly anyone at that park.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
^ I understand the reason for the preshow during a typical day...but when there is less then 20 people in the entire line I don't see why they have to make you watch the preshow. Last year during fright fest on Fridays they just kept the door open so you could walk right through.
on TDK's preshow you can push the door open and walk though. Of course you're not supposed to, and around 50% of the time they will yell in your general direction, though they wont do anything about it. Can only watch that show so many times (once was enough for me)
Favorite Wood Coasters: The Voyage, Ravine Flyer II, Thunderhead, Balder Favorite Steel: Voltron Nevera, Steel Vengeance, Expedition GeForce, Olympia Looping Parks visited: 232, Coasters Ridden: Steel: 894, Wood: 179, Total: 1073
FParker185 wrote:on TDK's preshow you can push the door open and walk though. Of course you're not supposed to, and around 50% of the time they will yell in your general direction, though they wont do anything about it. Can only watch that show so many times (once was enough for me)
I've actually seen employees call up to the ride op about that this year, I think the 2nd Saturday they were open. Not sure if anything happened, but they have been strict this year. They were also telling people to stay in line during the preshow.
tp41190 wrote: Then I wanted my friend to ride Iron Wolf. We rode in the back row and she though it was fun but she said it hurt her ears. Also I noticed that if you pick up your feet on the straight drop after the helix in the back row you get a really cool weightless sensation. Try it, just pick up your feet while dropping after the helix. That was my 12th ride on Wolf for the season.
Yeah I do that all the time too. It's fun at the top of the loop too. And especially at the switch in banks just before the end (If that makes any sense?). By the end of the season people will be doing ab workouts on wolf.
Coasters Ridden: 131 Top 5: Maverick, El Toro, Voyage, Fahrenheit, Dominator