My boyfriend works as an engineer and rarely *wants* to take time off work, which has effectively stuck us going to theme parks in the evening after work or on weekends. The predicted weather for Saturday was gorgeous, so given that we have season passes and so the crowds don't matter *so* much we went.
Got there at nine, he got his pass validated, the system for which was reversed from when I did it earlier in the season. Odd. That didn't take long at all. Then we went right in the park at 9:15ish as the gates had been opened and got ahead of most of the crowds and headed to Raptor (a girls gotta have some traditions, after all).
Wait: 15 minutes. Should have been ERT, right? but... apparently not. Girl at the gate to Raptor was size testing anybody slightly large and measuring all children. Annoying, but we still got to the station in near record time.
We decided to ride Raptor in the back, which proved to be really smooth, fast, and fun. I generally ride up front, but I definately now prefer the feeling of being pulled over that first lift and the loop. Nifty.
Next, I whined that Wicked Twister *better* be running, and it was. We rode it twice in a row almost, first in the middle, then in the front. He started feeling slightly queasy so we didn't stick around for a back ride (next time!) but I think I like hte middle more than the front and I don't know why. I've heard the back's great and can't wait to give it a try later in the season.
An interesting thing about yesterday was that due to an eye infection I couldn't wear my contacts... and so I had to take my glasses off for the coasters. I am *really* freaking near sighted, and every coaster was like a new experience since I couldn't really see much.
Anyway, so we rode Disaster Transport... which was boring when I couldnt' see the theming... but it was a walk on. I insisted we ride it then because it is just too slow of a ride to wait an hour or more for later in the day... air conditioned cue line or not!
After that one, on to Iron Dragon, which is fun in the back. Again... less than a fifteen minute wait....
We skipped Mantis because the line was already long, and walked past MF intending to return later. The line was about 1.5 hours plus already, and even funnier, the line for fast lane was at *least* an hour long...
Now people, really. I don't know exactly where the fastlane line kicks in, but if you wait an hour for your fastlane, and a half hour for the coaster later, you might as well ahve waited an hour and a half to begin with!
Mean Streak proved interesting. The trim on the hill was on, hard, but I didn't get nearly as jiggled around as usual. yay! We got to the brake run and were stopped on it. It was kinda interesting to feel the train behind us pull up, as there was still one in teh station. Someone had thrown up on the brake run, and then literally sprayed the station. I mean, there was a good 12-17 feet of station that had to be sprayed down, and the train. A ride worker came back to tell us and was friendly and joking around. Cool. What amazed me the most was that people actually watched intently as the puke was cleaned up. I would have thrown up if I had watched that. Ick. Oh yeah, and MS was almost a walk on.
Saw this on somebody's hand. Which fastlane is coded SU 95????
Gemini's station was opened up all the way, and people slapped hands. The longest line we stood in all day was for GEMINI.
They wouldn't let us get in line for corkscrew with a water bottle. What? They sell the freaking things in line for raptor. We decided just not to ride. We're those people who refill water bottles all dya to save money... so... you know....
Played a few games at this point. On the game with the water guns that you hit the small orange circle... there's one that has flowers that go up. Play that one. Play number five. It wins nearly every time.
Dropped big prizes off at the car, got cheese fries.
Mantis had broken down sometime earlier as the queue was empty and people were being turned away. Watched as some ride ops were taken up a very long (30 minutes +) trip up the lift hill. I believe it was reopened later in the day. It was kinda fun to watch tons of people in uniforms we'd never seen pop up to inspect it and figure out what was wrong.
MF... 2.5 hour wait. 90 degrees... *swelters*.... b/f looks at me and says "I'll bring you back some weeknight. We'll ride it five times." I get very happy and agree to go wait for Magnum instead.
On the way we noticed that power tower was nearly a walk on. I'm afraid of heights and have never been on it, at all, period. We did space shot (well, he convinced me to). It was fun. I wanna do it again!
Magnum's wait was about a half hour... worth it all the way. What can I say?
We grabbed another ride on Wicked Twister... and then decided to leave the park. It was supposed to start raining in a couple hours, though you'd never know it. If we got in line for MF there was a good chance we'd get rained on. On the way home, this proved to be true (pretty wise decision.. I guess). We're going back soon for it, but are avoiding the 4th... duh.
All in all, we got about 10 rides on various coasters in 2.5 hours. We didn't wait long. It was a saturday, and the weather kicked @ss. I can't complain. Even after those 10 rides we walked around more for some doubles and triples.... and then the crowds were getting ripe and we went home.
For those of you traveling from Detroit, this next part is for you.
On the way home we stopped at Tony Packos, which is right off of 280 on the Front street exit. Head away from the bridge on the exit, k? They ahve the BEST coney dogs anywhere, great pickles, I seriously love it there. So I got to go to my favorite park and favorite restaurant on the same day. you won't be able to stay at the park all night (not sure when they close) but it's really worth it. Trust me. And they have Guinness on tap.
On the drive home it was raining and the sun was shining too. There was a beautiful rainbow. I swear, even with TTD closed and the crazy line for MF it was a great day.
Notably, there were some park officials in the booth to TTD but it looked like they were installing new computer equipment--maybe for testing? I heard on the news last night that it *will* be opened on the fourth but then I read on here it might be closed the rest of the summer...
Anybody care to explain? This girl who *loves* to be launched wants to be launched on the baddest coaster around before the year is up, dammit!
~me.

Great TR.

The wait for Freeway is worth it. The freeway line for MF moves fast, but you gotta be in the line at 10:45am if you want a 1-2pm ride. The line streatches from the booth, all the way to Frontier Trail, but only takes 15 minutes to get a stamp.
Well worth it, your wait with a freeway pass will be 15 minutes. After getting an MF stamp, run to Raptor or Mantis and get that stamp.
Or you can start with Raptor, then get one for WT which won't run out as fast.

WT in the back is cool because you go up real high.

If TTD is down, MF will have long lines, even on week nights. What you need to do there, is get to the Marina gate at 08:30am on the weekend. Arrive to the parking lot at 8am, park, then walk down the road to the Marina gate. Yes, that means starting your drive from Detroit at 5am, so you can get there early. You can run to MF, get a ride, do it again, do Mantis at 10pm, Iron Dragon, then get in the Freeway line for MF and you'll get a 1-2pm time slot.

If TTD is running, drive your car all the way around and park in the soak city lot. Walk under Magnum, and you'll see the entrance. By 08:30am, the line streatches under Magnum, so get there early.