5/26 Idlewild, GL, CP all in one day

**Leo C** · #1 05-28-2007, 10:16 PM

For years now I've been planning to get to Geauga Lake. I thought I lost my window when Six Flags sold the place. I could not use now my SF season pass for the chance. It's hard to get there since it's about 6-7 hours away from Jersey. The window opened this year when the Maxx Pass was offered and I purchased one. My initial plan was to do Idlewild and Geauga Lake in one day. I got a ticket for Idlewild ahead of time through my uncle's employee ticket program. I was locked in on this until I talked last week to a former TNer. He convinced me to do GL and CP in the same day. CP is great; we know. When I heard Maverick was opening this past Saturday I said "Sure!!!"

I went with the idea of possibly not doing Idlewild and just going first to GL. By the time I drove in the vicinity of Idlewild at around noon, 4.5 hours from my house I realized I burned my $30 worth of gas in my Honda Civic. I was not going to burn then 60 bucks of gas in the future for a sole Idlewild visit so I pulled in and in about 2 hours did Idlewild. In the main Old Idlewild section a lot of the old buildings reminded me of New Jersey's Clementon Park. Idlewild is just full of many more towering trees. There was a light crowd and I wish I wasn't in a rush. The Vekoma Wild Mouse was so scenically mingled with the trees. The simple old fashioned mouse trains were very much appreciated. The trains did not hurl you into the turns until the 2nd half at least. I really enjoyed that. It's probably my favorite Wild Mouse I've been on. I usually do not give much love for this genre. I will not forget this installation especially with the tilted lift hill.

I missed the covered Caterpillar ride at Canobie Lake so I dared not to miss the one @ Idlewild. Next up walking by the new Flying Aces ride that was still being installed I rode Rollo-coaster. Now I know where Boulder Dash got some inspiration. I hope to make Boulder Dash my #250th coaster. Rollo-coaster as well was very much enjoyed. I didn't really notice the very short length.

I had to go so unfortunately I couldn't do Mister Roger's Neighborhood. I loved him as a kid so the door is left wide open for my eventual return. Happy 130th season Idlewild!!!

It was raining outside of Pittsburgh so I knew the threats that laid ahead. By 4 I was Geauga Lake. Again I come to a park a year too late. The last time I uddered that observation I arrived at the site of the former Astroworld (RIP 2005). Two coasters were missing @ Geauga Lake. I'm glad I could attend the rest of the park. The skyline of this place sure does not match SFGADV. The first coaster I did was Head Spin. I took pics of the horizontal sections of Steel Venom that were still left. This was the first impulse I ever wanted to ride. It was such a weird concept when I saw the plans for SF Ohio. Maybe I will see this @ DP? With the possiblity of a wooden coaster for Dorney lingering maybe I don't want to see the Impulse so soon. Head Spin was a walk on. The asphalt queue line was the worst I've ever seen for a Boomerang. The inversions were rough. I spent too much time looking at the nearby devastation of this section of the park; the waterpark slide footers and former wave pool. I had a hard time even taking photos of this Boomerang.

Big Dipper was next. I couldn't find the queue the first time around. When I walked to the other side and by Shipwreck Falls I realized "How could this have been a Six Flags park?" This area was too cramped. It's too cramped for Six Flags park standards. I found the former lazy river filled with green water - Yuck!

I wish the main midway offered a nicer more direct view of the lake. A children's section was in front of it. I didn't want to walk all the way through that. Looping back through the 50's section I rode El Dorado. Really cool how it's themed to a Cadillac. Then I found the entrance to Big Dipper. The bushes should be trimmed in the queue line! The trains are really cool with the retro padded one side entry. No paint on this baby. An old school ride it was. Fun.

The effects of driving far set in. I was not acute to picking coasters apart to really feel the forces and define each ride.

Next up was Thunderhawk. On the way there I appreciated that a Time Warp was still running. I miss ours @ SFGADV. This SLC was horrible! Side to side shaking entering the elements. Not enjoyed. After the ride I realized it smashed my camera LCD screen. I should have had it faced out in my pocket and in a protective sleeve. "My bad" Now it's the second camera I lost to a coaster. Last year the Canobie Corkscrew took my first camera.

Next I made my way back towards Double Loop. I realized I could still take photos with my optical viewfinder of the camera. Again it was very hard to photo the ride. I missed the real details of the tunnel out of the station. The lift was really fast. What I really appreciated on this Arrow was the nice banking on the first turn. The loops were actually rough on the top. I never experienced rough tops on the loops before. On SFGADV's GASM it usually was at the bottom.

Villain was next. I don't think it should have overshadowed Double Loop like that. Double Loop is a classic but maybe Villian would have been better off if DL was not there. Villian is designed too much to the very cramped effects. I don't see any real land restrictions on this ride. It's not Morey's Pier either. I know a picnic building and a service road is next to Villian. Why couldn't it go over the service road? The helixes really turned back into themselves to exit because of this cramped area. There was some rough areas on this ride. I saw the trick track was straightened. This section was fine.

Beaverland Mine Ride was next. It's my Blackbeard's Treasure Train from SFGADV essentially. It had a two cycle program as well. I was very excited about that. I still like the SFGADV version and setting more.

DOMINATOR!!!! The king of the park. Finally I would face this floorless that is so unconventional as a B&M; that quirky ride that somehow although cramped into its location and not maxxed out in inversions is the longest floorless coaster in the world. Maybe it needs new wheels because I felt vibrating during the ride. I looked forward most to the first turn after the loop. It really whipped into it with a nice head chopper. Both turnarounds are really greatly executed. No trim on the cobra roll. It's another one of those weird cobra rolls like the one on Kraken. I liked this one more. I don't appreciate how it's second half blocks the view of Raging Wolf Bobs. Now I realize there's a world where an inverting B&M doesn't need a Zero G roll and could survive on its own. If this ride was at another Six Flags park with a Riddler theme I'd totally be in love with it. Medusa is still my number 1. I'm surprised that I actually made it to all the floorless coasters in the United States. Nice landmark to reach.

Finally the coaster that doesn't get much mention but when it did I heard bad things; Raging Wolf Bobs. I was glad there was news of retracking the last few years. I think this was my favorite woodie in the park. The almost cloverleaf design of the ride was something I have not seen in awhile on wooden coasters. It has a very wide first turn for a small woodie. It has a noticeable real grass infield there. The major surprise of the ride was the way it left that first turn. That downward exit out of the first turn has a great tilt to it. The train really slowed down in the second turnaround. Realizing that there was a third and final helix of the coaster was a nice surprise. I thought the ride would have ended before that.

At Geauga Lake I thought there was too many coasters packed into the place. I agree it's not a big place. I'd really enjoy if the view opened up on the lake. The coasters overlap into the view of the next. I enjoy getting more full frame pics of coaster elements usually . It was not possible with the park's coasters especially with Dominator. To get a shot of the cobra roll I'd have to be in the pizza vendor kitchen in Power City. I wish the observation tower was running. The empty monorail station of the just removed ride looks lonely. Please fix up the old waterpark section Cedar Fair. Fill it in. Move rides there to the front of the park.

By 6:30 I drove out to Cedar Point. By around 8 I was there. Looks like everyone at Cedar Point had a rain drenching day. I had enough time to get a ride on the new Maverick. It's a neat combination of many rides. The first airtime hill provided El Toro/SROS type of air. I really enjoyed the second zero g like corkscrew the most. The launch with the LED lights was a neat treat. The restraints on this ride really beat you up. Thank goodness there are not blades on the restraints. I'd lose my head. I barely noticed the inline twist was gone. It goes too fast through the s-turn in its place.

Afterwards I drove all the way back to NJ in the same night. It's really not recommended. I had about a coffee a hour. I regret doing it every time. Gas was really adding up in price. It offered a perspective for how I need to restrain for the rest of the summer. I will still make park trips but I think they need more focus in priority/desire. I guess no SFA for me this year!

Thunderhawk · #2 05-28-2007, 11:08 PM

Did you drive all the way to Idlewild and back from New Jersey in one day? If so, you are a wild man.

**Leo C** · #3 05-28-2007, 11:16 PM

that's Cedar Point. I did it also in 2003. The next time I go to CP, the third time, I should NOT drive home the same night.

You'd figure too if I go to Idlewild I should stay and go then to Kennywood since I'd be in Western PA. Actually my Pennsy focus is to try and get the interior parks. I have DP, Hershey, Dutch Wonderland, Kennywood (in 2001), Knoebel's, Williams Grove, now Idlewild done. Idlewild still looks too far away for me to do a day trip with Lakemont Park and Delgrosso's. I think next year when Delgrosso's gets their Arrow in I'll finally make that Central PA trip that'll really nail Pennsylvania down for me. It's too bad Conneaut Lake is now shuttered. I don't see how I would have got there though.