Park Review
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Valencia, California April 14, 2001 I wasn't able to write this yesterday since I had the flu or food poisoning all day, so I'm writing my trip report now. I'd give my visit a five out of ten. First of all, we left home about 7am and got to the park around 11:00. Right around then, we realized that there would be some large crowds. We bought a season pass and then we had to get it processed, but the line for this was about two hours long. One of the employees informed us that this would be the busiest day of the year. After we got the season pass (my picture's great, ha!) we got into the park at 1:00 and we went to Riddler�s Revenge, which had a wait of about 1 hour and 45 minutes. We got some good pictures of it in the line and after the ride. Back to Riddler�s. I rode in the front row on the far left side. I think that would be 1.1, I'm not sure. I waved to the people in the queue and I thought I smiled for the camera, but it didn't look like I did. I'd give this ride a four out of five since it doesn't have a whole lot of strong G's, but besides that I love that ride. After that we bought a photo, but I was kind of being cut out by the border, and then we head over to Batman: The Ride. This line was also about 1 hour and 45 minutes long. This time I rode in the first row, second seat from the left so I would be in the photo this time. It was funny since the person next to me was trying to show off when we were going up the lift by not holding on, sticking his legs out, and saying how he wasn't scared. Right about when we got to the bottom of the first drop, he started screaming and grabbed onto the handles and was screaming throughout the rest of the ride. I'll also give this ride a four out of five since it's short but it is very smooth and graceful and is pretty intense. The special effects for some of the rides weren't running that well. Batman didn�t have any smoke coming out of the broken pipes and the video they play in the station wasn't running. Also, the lights and signs in Riddler�s weren't running well or at all. We also bought an on-ride photo of this ride that was much better than the previous one. After that ride we got some photos of Deja Vu (almost done), went to Flags and bought some stuff, and then went to Wendy�s outside the park. About this time it was about 5:30. After that, we re-entered the park and were going to go on Goliath for our last ride, but the line was about three hours long and stretched all the way over to Goliath Jr. Since that line was so long and we were already supposed to have left the park, we went to Viper, which had a line of about 45 minutes, and rode somewhere in the middle. I thought this ride was also really good but over braked (I counted four brake areas including the final brake run before the station). I'd give it three and a half out of five since it is a pretty good ride with good forces, a good drop, nice inversions, and an okay layout, but gets kind of slow near the end. I actually didn't mind going through the corkscrew slowly, as it was a little fun sliding around in my seat. This ride is also a "little" rough, not much though. Lastly, we went back to Flags, bought more stuff, too some pictures of the future site of X, andleft the park at 7. I have to say that I don't think they need many more trees; I thought they had about the right amount, except they could use some more in a few spots. However, I think they had more than most other parks in the area. There are a lot in the Rapids area, and there are trees in all the right spots in the Gotham City area. No more were needed in the area by Viper since it's supposed to be a desert. They could have used a few more by Riddler's, but everywhere else was about right. I still think their theming is a bit strange, since they have themed areas inside themed areas (ex: Goliath). I also noticed that they have the Colossus County Fair spread out into other areas a lot of the time. Also, how are they gonna� fit Deja Vu into the Cyclone Bay area? Are they going to do what they did with Goliath? I think X will fit if it is indeed themed to Area 51. One last note, the monorail was open, but few people rode it, and both sides of Colossus were running, but I never saw them racing. Ryan S.
SFMM: +4.5* I left San Diego about 3:45 am, made a few stops, and got to the park at 7:15. It was very foggy and I couldn't even see the park until we got very close, and it was a little colder than usual. We went around to the employee parking lot and saw some pieces of X on the side of the road, even though we didn't see X until later in the day. My mom dropped me off and she left to meet me later in the day. I waited around with the 16 or so ACE members until around 8, and then one of the employees led us into the park. We went in through some gates near Colossus and I saw some of the X trains. I would have taken pictures, but I was rushing. It was really neat seeing the park with no one else there.
Goliath: +4.5 After this ride, I sat in the train for a bit and then rode again. Eventually, they turned the camera around and I rode two or three more times. I used to not like this ride much, but now I love it. At about 10 am, we were done filming and I followed some ACE members over to Batman. Still no one was around. Before we got in line, we noticed it still hadn't been tested much, so we went over to Riddler�s Revenge instead. I went to the second car, second seat from the left. The reason I didn't go for the front was because some other ACE members had already got it and I wanted to stick with them for a bit. We had to wait for about 15 minutes until some other people got there so we wouldn't be the only ones going on, but finally we got to ride.
The Riddler's Revenge: +4.5
Batman: The Ride: +4.5
Goldrusher: + 1
Viper: + 3.5 After Viper, it was about 11:30 so I went into Flags and got some souvenir pennies, found my mom, and we got lunch. Then I walked over to Riddler�s and rode that in the front. The ride broke down for a few minutes while I was waiting, but I didn't mind. They let the people who had to wait in the brake run for about 15 minutes get another ride and everyone booed, but I thought it was fair. Then they put a third train on the tracks. The line took about an hour and a half. I forgot to mention that on my first ride I noticed that the trains were named. I rode in the Jerry train (maybe it said Jenny) on my first ride, but I know the story about the names. I don't what train I rode in the second time. This second ride in the front was much better and felt faster and smoother. After that, I rode Batman again with a 40-minute wait. This time I was on the far right and this is definitely my favorite spot in the front. Then I walked over to Pyclone to see if it was running and it was.
Psyclone: + 2 Ryan S.
I'm not going to write a trip report for my entire trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain because, besides X, it was pretty much the norm. I went there on the 27th (I probably saw a few of you!), and I got there at about 10. I was supposed to have been there at 9:30 to meet the people from Danimation, but I got there late and never met them :-( . I got in line for X right away and had to wait a while by the Panda Express before they let us over. The queue is pretty long, and it was a 40 minute wait when everyone was right inside the building, so I'd estimate a five hour line once it's opened to everyone. At the intersection between the lines for the two sides of the train they have a sign that has all the stats for it and guess what's on the sign? It says Xcoaster! Hahahaha! I won't go through the whole loading procedure because it was already described on here, but the restraints are different. You sit down, then pull the two sides of the restraint together over your shoulders, then you can pull the whole thing down. It's pretty tight, but comfortable. You also have a little belt that holds the two sides of the restraint together. There are also two handles for each seat, and a handle on each side of the restraint. As far as the theming, it is a themed a bit to Area 51; the building is like a hangar, they play techno music, and the cars look very cool, kind of like UFOs or something. They have a little fiberglass fins on the cars that give them a very Sci-Fi feel. Also, it is out in the desert area of the park so that sort of adds to the Area 51 feel. On to the actual ride. I rode near the front my first time, then in the very back my other three rides. The back is much faster, has more Gs, and a better view on the lift. However, each car is spaced pretty far apart, so you have a good view no matter where you sit. I always rode on the inside because I heard it was smoother. You start off the ride by sliding out of the station facing backwards, followed by a small drop and around a curve, where you rotate (with some bumps) from being on your back to more of a sitting position while going up the lift. The lift takes a rather long time, and you get a very good view of the park. At the top you start to speed up a bit and go down the little drop while starting to rotate. You then go up a little bump and rotate so you are looking straight down and you get a weird sensation. Then you plummet down the drop rather quickly, and about halfway down, you start to rotate so you're on your back. You get quite a few Gs in the pull out, then you go up the raven turn and get a great flying sensation as you start down. You get pretty low, then it takes your picture, and you go back up and do a smooth turnaround. Then you go into a roll where you flip over, which is great, which is followed by the outside raven turn, which actually gave a lot of negative Gs. After that, you go into another roll which I got even more negative Gs on. Then comes the brake run and you unload in a separate area from where you load. The ride itself is extremely smooth and graceful. It's a little short, but it's great and you're up pretty high most of the time. As of now, it is my number one coaster.
On a scale of -3 to +5 I'm gonna say: It's that good, and the only coaster besides Ghostrider I'd consider near perfection. I highly recommend that everyone goes out and rides it, even though the wait will probably be forever once it opens. And I'm pretty sure I'll be at the media day, since I missed the people from Danimation and it was my parents� fault and they want to make up for it. Plus, my dad really wants to ride it, so that's another reason why we'll probably be going. Ryan S.
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