2011: Your favs, highlights, memories this year

[Leo C]

This a very general recap thread of 2011. As long as it's amusement related and it happened to occur in 2011 you may post about it. It could be your favorite trip, favorite new credit, favorite 2011 debuting ride, favorite cycle on a ride in 2011 you've ridden many times before, your biggest surprise of 2011, even favorite construction site in 2011 for a 2012 debut.

Let's go.

My favorite trip: New England with our own member Thunderhawk. I went to SFNE for a second time in the early season and had a much drier, enjoyable time. Marathoned Bizarro basically and knew the ride soundtrack and movie line reel by the end of the night. Comet was pretty cool at The Great Escape. I also introduced Thunderhawk to his first crappy painful classic kiddie coaster at Hoffman's Playland outside Albany, NY. One day after he'll have all the major big credits of the East Coast maybe he'll appreciate that. Don't know.

Favorite new 2011 ride: Wooden Warrior at Quassy. It truly rides bigger than what the small new wooden coaster is in stats. The Timberliners were cool trains. I wish the project lots of luck. Stormrunner is awesome, Fahrenheit I'm not really impressed with. Here's to getting back on the ball and doing the best yet in the park.

Most surprising new credit/cycle for me was Soaring Eagle at Screamzone Luna Park - Coney Island. That must have went through a pretty good refurbishment. The trains were actually quite more tolerable this time than the other Volare in the NYC region at Rye Playland.

Runner up second favorite trip for me this year: My return to Lakemont and Idlewild

Favorite construction project: Skyrush. Even reporting my findings here on TN I got sucked into its construction. I think Hersheypark themselves brought me even deeper into the project. Pretty cool.

[Thunderhawk]

Let's see. I visited an insane amount of new parks (for me) and picked up 74 new credits.

Favorite new credits: Bizarro at SFNE, Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer. Honorable mentions include Hades, Intimidator 305, Ride of Steel, S:ROS, The Comet at TGE, Avalanche/Hellcat at Timber Falls Adventure Park, and Shivering Timbers.

Favorite trips: For a weekend trip, definitely visiting SFNE and The Great Escape with Leo. We got 9 rides in on Bizarro, with six power-riding at the end of the night. We memorized the movie quote reel so well we quoted it the next day... while going up the lift of the Comet. We got ten rides on the Comet which was pretty great. We also balanced out getting great rides on the Comet and Bizarro by riding the ultra-crappy Roller Coaster at Hoffman's. When we slipped through the brakes after 3 rides I was really disappointed we had to go again.

I also took a trip I have dubbed the "Chicago/Midwest" tour. I spent four days visiting SFGAM, Michigan's Adventure, Indiana Beach, Mount Olympus, and Timber Falls adventure park. This was my longest trip of the year and I had a great time.

Lucky credit of the year: Happened to be at Darien Lake the day Ride of Steel re-opened, which had not been announced in advance.

Missed credit of the year: No multi-day rollercoaster trip is complete without a missed new credit (and I usually miss star attractions). I did not get a ride on the Cornball Express at Indiana Beach.

Most anticipated ride of 2012: SkyRush at Hersheypark. This is going to be awesome.

[Antoine]

It really has been a monster year for me. By far the biggest year I had before with 95 (I think) new credits in 4 different countries. Kinda hard to sum up one of favorite trips though.

My best trip is probably to the UK when I finally got to visit Alton Towers. Been wanting to go there since 1997 when I last lived here. The place did not disappoint either. I was also able to reach that 300th coaster on Nemesis Inferno at Thorpe Park. But they also have the WORST steel coaster there known as Colossus. Blackpool Pleasure Beach introduced me to what is by far the BEST water ride I have been on before in my life, Valhalla. They also have a 70 year old wooden coaster, Nickelodeon Streak, that is the smoothest wooden coaster I have been on before (Yes, even smoother than Toro!). Drayton Manor made my heart skip a beat on what is the scariest drop tower I have been on to date with Apocalypse. Overall the UK has a lot of 'BEST' for me there, so it was a great trip.

While in Germany I toured a lot of the big parks here and even got on the brand new Krake at Heide Park. Huge disappointment with that ride, but incredibly smooth. Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park still runs the show in all of Europe, IMO, but bluefire Megacoaster 2 hours away is a CLOSE second.

In the United States, I decided to do my first west coast tour in nearly 10 years. Surprisingly, I really loved Green Lantern: First Flight. Unfortunately, it is a capacity nightmare. Glad I rode it first thing. Universal Studios Hollywood is a ripoff. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone on a severe budget. I had a good time, but the price didn't add up right at all. Knott's had me conquer my fear of heights when I got on Windseeker. I said all year I wouldn't do it too. Oops, I lied.lol Silver Bullet has a nice 90 degree banked turn that is awesome in the back seat. Disneyland: kids, kids, and more kids! California Adventure I got more enjoyment out of and it wasn't as crowded. Great America just confirmed to me that the place will not be around for very long. You know its' bad when my most exciting part of the visit was stopping at IHOP for breakfast. Discovery Kingdom was unusually packed but the crowd moves towards the animals mostly. So ride lines were short. My weirdest accomplishment there was riding Medusa. I have now ridden every floorless in North America.

Finally was Italy where Katun unseated Montu as my new favorite inverted coaster. The drop and the turn after the zero G roll won me over big time. Then onto Raptor about 2 hours away. Nice to take a ride on B&Ms first wing coaster. Wasn't too impressed with it, but wasn't disappointed either. Kinda neutral overall.

I had many missed credits over the course of my trips, but most of them were for flats and not roller coasters. However the two that really stuck out was California Screamin' and The Big One.

Favorite new credit is probably Nemesis Inferno because of that lucky 300. Most anticipated coasters for 2012 will probably be Shambhala at PortAventura and Oz'Iris at Parc Asterix, the only two parks that I have as a 'definite' on my 2012 coaster tour.

[Rick B]

The best thing that happened to me in 2011 was coming on as staff to ThrillNetwork. That led to my first construction tour of a roller coaster with Wild Eagle that is coming to Dollywood in 2012. Even if I weren't a coaster enthusiast, I love documentaries, so seeing the construction behind the scenes was very interesting.

I made my first trip back to Cedar Point since 1987 and it was a blast. Our favorite trip was to Holiday World, especially since we didn't expect to make it there for a few more years followed closely by Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I think BGW will be our favorite park but it's hard to tell during a special Christmas event. We'll be going back in 2012 to experience the park when it's in full swing.

My biggest surprise of 2011 was Firehawk at Kings Island. I really liked the coaster as you spend a good portion of your time actually flying, unlike it's sibling coaster at Carowinds where you seem to spend most of the time on your back.

[Chris H]

My favorite trip this year is a tie. I really enjoyed my trip at the beginning of the season to Carowinds and Kings Dominion. This trip was very special to me because it was my first real coaster trip out of state and that I was surrounded by about 10 friends. The other trip that was special to me and one of my favorites is the trip up to Cedar Point for Coastermania. It was my first coaster event and it allowed me to be with 4 of my friends the entire weekend and I got to ride Millennium Force as the sun was rising.

My favorite new credit this year out of the several new ones would have to be Mystery Mine at Dollywood. It really surprised me and was very unique!

As for my favorite 2011 debuting ride, I'd have to say WindSeeker as it was one of 2 new rides that I rode this past season. I only got to ride the ones at Cedar Point and Kings Island but both were great rides for me. Honorable mention would be Barnstormer at Dollywood. While it was a great ride, for me it didn't compare to Sky Hawk at Cedar Point.

As for my favorite cycle on a ride in 2011 that I've rode many times before would have to be Dodgems at Cedar Point, the cycle this past year has special memories for me and was better than I remembered.

My biggest surprise of 2011 would have to be Halloweekends at Cedar Point. This event has turned out to be one of my favorite Halloween adventures.

My favorite construction site in 2011 for the 2012 debut would have to be Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland. The project seems so interesting to me and it's located not to far from where I lived in Toronto, Canada in 2008.

New Favorite Coasters: Mystermine (Dollywood), Dominator (Kings Dominion), Afterburn (Carowinds), Thunderhead (Dollywood), Mean Steak (Cedar Point), The Legend (Holiday World) and Wildcat (Cedar Point).

Guilty Pleasure Coaster of the Year: Wildcat (Cedar Point)

Guilty Pleasure Ride of the Year: Two Way Tie: Cedar Downs (Cedar Point) and Woodstock Gliders (Carowinds)

Favorite Dark Ride of the Year: Gobbler Getaway (Holiday World)

[Katie]

There is something seriously wrong with you Chris if you "liked" Mean Streak....

[Rick B]

^That's for sure. I liked the layout of the ride and thought it had a lot of potential. However, it is in serious need of something - reprofiling, retracking, new trains, C4...

[Antoine]

I was thinking the same thing. I mean it isn't even my favorite wooden coaster in Ohio! And there aren't many in that state either.lol

[Chris H]

Nothing wrong with me at all. I had my first ever ride on it, at night, in early June. It wasn't as rough as I've heard it usually was and had people with me who road it in prior years and they also said that it was a great ride. It's all about the ride experience for me and Mean Streak has given me some great rides this past season. There was only 1 day out of the 7 trips I took to Cedar Point where it was too rough for me and that was in October. So if you were me you would have enjoyed it when I road it. If you're not me, say okay and move on

[Rick B]

^LOL, I hear you. By the way, I also had my first ride on it, at night, in early June. Probably the same time you did since I was also there for CoasterMania, and they had ERT on it. Specifically on 6/3, and we did ERT on TTD first at 10:45, then made our way to Mean Streak. We probably rode it around 11:15 PM.

I will admit that my brother told me it was absolutely terrible, and I didn't agree with him. I thought it was bad, but I have been on some woodies that are worse. It probably helps that they have trims on about half of the first drop so it's certainly slower than when it was first built.

[Antoine]

I actually never found it to be rough at all. My problem with the ride is its' overuse of brakes. From the first time I rode her, Mean Streak was pretty much wide open all throughout. I loved it. But when the ride was reprofiled and retracked years later, the brakes fired everywhere, to include the crest of the lift hill. It made for a very boring ride for me and I lost interest in it. Not sure if it has improved since 2010 (last time I was there), but I wasn't impressed that go around either. It used to be a spectacular ride, but I have seen how much time has not been her friend with so many changes to it.

[Leo C]

Thunderhawk did you get Steel Hawg at Indiana Beach? It's the S&S El Loco model. I guess Brian would have got that coaster, generally very few of the TN members for the time being. It looks like the current K'Nex coaster sets.

[Antoine]

That is one coaster credit I thought I would never get in my lifetime, but it happened to be SLIGHTLY on the way from Worlds of Fun to Cedar Point. I liked the slow inversions, but overall was disappointed with Indiana Beach. The day I went in 2010, a large majority of their rides were closed. Was not happy about that.

[Thunderhawk]

^^Leo, I did get my Steel Hawg credit. The inversions have some serious hang time, especially the weird immelman-esque element where it flips upside down, you hang for a second or two, and then you exit the inversion in a half loop going back the way you came. The drop is extremely steep feeling, if short. Overall I wasn't real impressed with Steel Hawg though. I only rode it once due to the long wait times.

Three of the six coasters were closed when I showed up at Indiana Beach. They all reopened except for Cornball Express. I went not expecting to get LoCoSuMo given its reputation, but luckily it was open and I got two laps.

So, would I go back? I guess. The operations were pretty painfully slow when I was there. A ride op at Hoosier Hurricane told me Cornball was open the prior evening. It was really disappointing to me to miss that ride. I would probably go back if I am near that part of Indiana, but I am certainly not racing to get back any time soon.

Antoine, was Cornball Express open when you went? How was it?

[Antoine]

It wasn't open at first, but they opened it a few hours later. It wasn't to bad. A number of moments of airtime on it. I actually enjoyed it more than its' slightly older brother of Hoosier Hurricane. It seemed to have aged better than HH. I know that Cornball is younger, but it seemed to run a LOT younger than HH. I agree with you about Steel Hawg. I liked the slow inversions on the ride, but it wasn't overall that impressive. I also wasn't a fan of the large degree drop but brakes on the drop. I know they have to be there, but it kinda takes away from the drop when you do it at what seems like 5 MPH.

[Brian H]

My 2011 year could have been better. I took one big trip, two new parks being Zoombezi Bay and Conneaut Lake. Unfortunately, the coasters at both of these were down the days I visited, so no new credits this year. I did enjoy a ride on CLPs Turtle. Best coaster for the year was Waldameer's Ravine Flyer 2. The suprise for the year was a trip to CP with the college physics group, and a behind the scenes walk with Monty Jasper.

[Leo C]

Aw man. Sea Dragon was fun at Jungle Jack's Landing. Isn't that confusing with the Columbus Zoo? We're all inclined to call it Zoombezi Bay i guess because of how Wyandot Lake used to be both ride park and waterpark. I was never at that park as Wyandot Lake.

[Chris H]

I rode it at Wyandot Lake and now at Jungle Jack's Landing. I'm maybe 40 minutes away from the Zoo/Zoombezi Bay/Jungle Jack's Landing, all dependent on traffic. It's one of my favorite woodies. I enjoy the fact that some of my enthusiast friends who have over 200 some credits don't have that credit and I do

[Antoine]

lol It's funny how that works out sometimes. Like no matter how many credits a person gets,there will always be that one credit which constantly eludes you. Like I am ashamed to have nearly 400 credits and yet not a single credit from the state of New York, especially the famed Cyclone. You'd think being a NJ native I would have one though. What is even sadder is that from my sister's living room window, I can LITERALLY see the skyline to NYC too.

[Leo C]

Hahahaha It's like the North Jersey Giants. Nothing, not in New York for 35 years. Fail.

I was going to bring up that New Jersey (mainly SFGADV & CP) up to Central PA(DP,HP,DW, SP) is considered my home park region yet Coney is closer to me than Hershey. The islands, bridges, traffic, whole different market get in the way. Rye is slightly closer to me than Hershey even but crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge, the preferred bridge to get through to the New England region, is entering a different market as well.

This year I went to Long Island to get the coasters. It is a pain to get to Long Island as Antoine may have been eluding to. That Saturday I went in July I had a window before picking up relatives at Newark Airport after 5.The problem was the parks opened up at noon. I went to beyond the middle of Long Island to get a family coaster at a Boomers then Adventureland. I was short on time at Coney Island. At Screamzone I got their two true adult coasters: Steeplechase and Soaring Eagle, the old Elitch Gardens flyer, that in my opinion is improved upon the refurbishment. I already got the Cyclone a couple years ago. I still have points on my swipe card. I'll get that mouse and family coaster at Coney eventually.

[Antoine]

Yeah it really is a pain to get there. And well traffic comes with the territory for that state too. I have been to many areas in NY, but never to an amusement park though. I have even been THROUGH NY just to get to Lake Compounce and SFNE, but never stoppd at a NY park. Just sad I tell ya! I may have to put New York state amusement parks on my bucket list.lol

[Leo C]

I passed Lake Compounce and Quassy for about 5 years on my way to SFNE before I ever stopped in CT to get them. Power of the SF Season Pass. loll The wait was supposedly worth it because I got Boulder Dash the season it got the retracking work.

[Antoine]

You just let me realize that Quassy is on the way to SFNE. I thought it was past it.lol

[Leo C]

Oh no. There's actually a billboard on 84 I noticed every time going east. It's maybe 3 or 4 miles north off the Middlebury, CT exit. That's the first park you encounter in CT coming from NJ/NYC region on 84. Just look for the Bristol, CT exit for Lake Compounce. You pass ESPN headquarters and studios on the way to LC.

[Antoine]

Shoot, I need to better plan next time. I could have gone there for a few hours while headed up north. I think I need to take me a NY road trip to parks there and the outskirt states. I am missing out on some primetime parks here.

[Rick B]

I'll have to keep that in mind when I plan a road trip that way in the near future. I'm looking forward to going go SFNE after seeing some reviews about it.

[Leo C]

I forgot: My favorite gift of 2011 from Six Flags was the Green Lantern standup at SFGADV. The first standup I've ever been on was Shockwave from KD, not the simple Intamin one looper with the box track B&M would eventually adopt that used to be at SFGADV. The standup came back to SFGADV as the butt kicking Green Lantern. I enjoyed it as Chang at SFKK. It was a grand prize to get a proven powerful coaster. Except for the view of the park from the lift hill and the consecutive Arrow corkscrews, I didn't really miss The Great American Scream Machine.

Happy 50th Anniversary Six Flags. Happy 10th Anniversary ThrillNetwork.

[Christina87]

very sadly i only got to go to knobels this year but i love both phoenix and twister

i also had the great pleasure of meeting a great online friend for years there this year

i ACHE to ride steel force again

[APE]

We made the trip to cedar point after getting married. We usually try and make it once a year. My favoriteemory as always is the beginning of the day running to the rides and the end of the night mad scramble to get on as many as possible before the park closes. We also went out to Halloween haunt at kings island about every weekend. Loved the atmosphere of it after having not gone for several years.