My family made the trip up to Lake Winnie yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised by the park. Its $25 to get an unlimited ride pass, and I believe its worth stopping for if you're going along I-75 near the GA/TN border.

First ride of the day was the Tilt-A-Whirl. This had to have been the fastest version I've ever been on because I don't ever remember the forces being so strong. I've always thought that they were kinda tame, but this ride changed that.

After that we made our way over to The Castle. Unfortunately it broke down while we were on it and we had to walk through the ride to get off. It didn't look like we missed to much though, just a lot of broken effects and glow in the dark paint.

After that it was time for the first coaster of the day, Wild Lightning. The real name for this thing should Pain Machine. If you're anything like me you've probably wondered why all wild mouse coasters are filled with brakes. After going on this thing I now know why. You fly through the course, being thrown against the side of the car repeatedly. Not at all fun, and I would never go on it again. My knee was sore for the rest of the day.

Then it was time for the main draw of Lake Winnie, Cannon Ball. The ride is a classic Allen out-and-back and is probably the most enjoyable wooden roller coaster I've ever been on. The ride is in absolutely amazing shape, Six Flags could definitely learn something from them. The ride is smooth as glass and offers some nice airtime, trick track, and a head chopper at the end. I could've ridden it all day.

Following that we rode the "dry" waterslide Pipeline Plunge. It really wasn't as exciting as I had hoped it would be. I had been on a similar attraction before that was very thrilling, but this was very tame. The only part of you that ends up getting wet is your backside and possibly the sides of you legs.

Then it was time for some classic flats. First was Paratrooper. This ride was much faster than I had expected and gave a nice sensation of flight. Then it was time for the one of a kind Fly-O-Plane. Its the only one still in operation in the US and I can see why after riding it. The planes can roll freely and the rider can "steer" to try and control it. In reality you just end up stuck on your side pinned against the side wall for 60 seconds waiting for the ride to end. Once your weight gets shifted there is no way to try and get back up. The restraint for this ride is also very uncomfortable, its a very tight strap across the thigh.

After those I decided to try their drop tower, Oh-Zone. The ride didn't look too tall from the ground but once I was at the top my opinion changed. The weirdest thing about the model is that there is basically no pause at the top, once you hit it you drop. The braking on this is very sudden and pretty uncomfortable IMO. I can't imagine riding this too often for that very reason.

The Antique Cars was the next attraction and it was just like every other version I've ever ridden. The only difference was that the car in front of me shut off during the ride so I had to wait 5-10 minutes for them to get it going again.

Then it was time for the Wacky Worm a very gentle kiddie coaster. I was surprised by how easily I fit into the car, which is usually a problem whenever I ride something like this. You end up doing 3 circuits during the ride. Overall it seems to be a little too tame, even for the ages its meant for.

Then it was time for yet another classic attraction Boat Chute. This is not your basic flume ride. The boat actually floats freely through the chute and ends up splashing down in the lake. The tunnel ride to the lift is very long and very, very, very dark. It seems like you're never going to get out. After that its a quick trip to the top of the hill followed by a nice drop and a gentle splashing at the bottom. Its a classic that should not be missed.

Two flat rides rounded out our visit to the park. The first was Matterhorn, which wasn't as much fun as I thought it was going to be. I don't know if it wasn't spinning fast enough or what, but it wasn't as much fun as similar rides I had previously been on.

The final ride of the day was Genie. I usually avoid this types of rides like the plague but for some reason I decided to give it a try. That ended up being a big mistake. The spinning isn't so bad when the ride is flat, but once that arm gets fully extended it feels like a never ending B&M pretzel loop. The intensity was way to much for me to handle for as long as the ride cycle was and the thin padding isn't enough to keep your head from hurting.

Overall I'd recommend people take the time to stop by Lake Winnie. Its got a wonderful classic feel and the prices are reasonable. The park warrants a visit for Cannon Ball alone, you could consider everything else just a nice little extra.

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TV/Event Guide Editor

Seems like you had a good time. I remember looking at pictures of this park; looks like a nice, small park. How was the weather?

Glad you had a good time. I hope to get out ot this park one day.

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Michael C - Speedzone Editor