Beastmaster's End Of Season Awards..2012 Edition!

Nice write up except for all the "D" word profanity! Glad you got your power back - good luck with the gas (both kinds), having the same problem up here.

Jen

chitlins73 said:

So you are having gas problems also Jen???

Only the kind that goes in the car, LOL!

Jen

GoYanks34 said:

chitlins73 said:

So you are having gas problems also Jen???

Only the kind that goes in the car, LOL!

Jen

I'm only having the car version. I got on three lines last night and this morning, and all three ran out when I was still at least two blocks away. I'm on fumes.

Mike

beastmaster said:

GoYanks34 said:

chitlins73 said:

So you are having gas problems also Jen???

Only the kind that goes in the car, LOL!

Jen

I'm only having the car version. I got on three lines last night and this morning, and all three ran out when I was still at least two blocks away. I'm on fumes.

Mike

I wish you had enough to get up here - the Coastal on 46/rte 5 junction is open with a 15 min wait - mom just filled up so my gas problem is solved and I get to go home to my bunnies and much more comfy bed!

Jen

GoYanks34 said:

beastmaster said:

GoYanks34 said:

chitlins73 said:

So you are having gas problems also Jen???

Only the kind that goes in the car, LOL!

Jen

I'm only having the car version. I got on three lines last night and this morning, and all three ran out when I was still at least two blocks away. I'm on fumes.

Mike

I wish you had enough to get up here - the Coastal on 46/rte 5 junction is open with a 15 min wait - mom just filled up so my gas problem is solved and I get to go home to my bunnies and much more comfy bed!

Jen

You may recall my friend Ellen lives out that way. She invited me to come overlast night to take a hot shower, eat a hot meal, and crash. If I had known I could get gas, I might have chanced it..but running so low, I couldn't. Your Mom doesn't have a gas can you could fill and bring to Bayonne, could you? :)

beastmaster said:

You may recall my friend Ellen lives out that way. She invited me to come overlast night to take a hot shower, eat a hot meal, and crash. If I had known I could get gas, I might have chanced it..but running so low, I couldn't. Your Mom doesn't have a gas can you could fill and bring to Bayonne, could you? :)

No, we don't have a can and the Coastal is not filling cans - cars only to keep the line moving fast. If I had one I would meet you when I was on my way home later since I'd be passing by :-(

Jen

* This post was modified at 11/3/12 10:55:07 AM *

I distinctively remember saying "are you SURE you want to do this now?" as we left the nice warm insides of FOF to ride I-305 in that freezing downpour. So much for "getting wisdom from you elders," lol. It was fun (and as dreadful as I had imagined it would be since I would have never had done it on my own!!)

Paul

alpengeistno3 said:

Hopefully it will all right itself very soon so you don't have to hitchhike to work next week.

Paul

I found a bus. Hopefully it's running. I can take a bus from here to Jersey City, then another into Newark, about 6 (loooong) blocks from my office.

Mike

Best park that was new to me:
Win: Nickelodeon Universe
Place: Valleyfair
Show: Camden Park

Best wooden coaster that was new to me:
Win: Prowler-Worlds of Fun
Place: American Thunder-SF St. Louis
Show: Renegade-Valleyfair
Honorable Mention: High Roller-Valleyfair

Best steel coaster that was new to me:
Win:Skyrush-Hershey
Place: Griffon-Busch Gardens Europe
Show: X Flight-SF Great America
Honorable Mention: Verbolten-BG Europe

Best flat ride that was new to me:
Win: Excalibur-SF St.Louis
Place: Black Widow-Kennywood
Show: Jimmy Neutron's Atomic Collider-Nick Universe
Honorable Mention: Brain Surge-Nick Universe

Best dark ride that was new to me:
Win: Haunted House-Camden Park
Place: Reeses Extreme Cup Challenge-Hershey
Show: Ghost Blasters-Nick Universe

Best coaster ride of the year:
Win: Intimadator 305- back seat
Place: Skyrush- front seat
Show: Voyage- back seat
Honorable Mention: Superman ROS- back seat

Coasters aging like fine wine:
Win: Wild One- SF America
Place: Screamin Eagle- SF St. Louis
Show: Rebel Yell- Kings Dominion
Honorable Mention: Jack Rabbit- Kennywood

Revisits long overdue:
Win: SF America-12 years
Place: SF Great America- 11 years
Show: Worlds of Fun- 11 years
Honorable Mention: SF St. Louis- 11 years

Longest lines of the year: SF Great America
Shortest lines of the year: Worlds of Fun

Most fun at a park this year: Busch Gardens Europe
Best photo of the year: My kids in ACE news riding their 100th coaster.

That's all I really can come up with now, maybe I'll add to this later on.

We will have to check out some other parks next year mike! I did end up making it to Dollywood, SFOG, Kings Island, abd Busch Gardens Tampa in September! I still need to do a full write up on it, and I will be sure to pose it here for all to read/see.

- Pat-O

frontrow said:

Here are my award winners:

Best steel coaster that was new to me:
Win:Skyrush-Hershey
Place: Griffon-Busch Gardens Europe
Show: X Flight-SF Great America
Honorable Mention: Verbolten-BG Europe

Skyrush over Griffon??!! I think you need to schedule an appointment with a neurologist asap since it appears you suffered a brain injury with all the violent jostling on Skyrush! :-)

Jen

GoYanks34 said:

frontrow said:

Here are my award winners:

Best steel coaster that was new to me:
Win:Skyrush-Hershey
Place: Griffon-Busch Gardens Europe
Show: X Flight-SF Great America
Honorable Mention: Verbolten-BG Europe

Skyrush over Griffon??!! I think you need to schedule an appointment with a neurologist asap since it appears you suffered a brain injury with all the violent jostling on Skyrush! :-)

Jen

LOL! I know I'm one of the very few who loved Skyrush. I was very impressed with Griffon. I have it in my top 15 steel coasters. I would love to see more of these dive coasters built in the US.

chitlins73 said:

I am with ya on Skyrush Ken.It was one of the most intense coasters I was ever on.Top 5 steel for me!!! I hope they don't ruin things this off season!!

If by "ruin" you mean make the damn thing rideable/enjoyable, then I hope they DO ruin it...

Mike

beastmaster said:

chitlins73 said:

I am with ya on Skyrush Ken.It was one of the most intense coasters I was ever on.Top 5 steel for me!!! I hope they don't ruin things this off season!!

If by "ruin" you mean make the damn thing rideable/enjoyable, then I hope they DO ruin it...

Mike

Ditto....

Jen

"End of Roller Coaster Season awards"

...or ERiCS for short :-)

d_n_s_u said:

Lovin' the awards thread Mike..but I reckon the awards should be renamed to something like...

"End of Roller Coaster Season awards"

...or ERiCS for short :-)

Don't you mean "EORCS?" Every letter in the acronym MUST be accounted for. Your screen name shows you know that, Gary...;)

But, credit where it's due...that was pretty clever.

Mike

* This post was modified at 11/8/12 2:19:03 PM *

Best wooden coaster that was new to me: Phoenix at Knoebels

Best steel coaster that was new to me: Leviathan

Best revisited park: Dorney

Best revisited wooden coaster: Thunderhead

Best revisited steel coaster: Steel Force

Biggest disappointing steel coaster: Skyrush

Biggest disappointing wooden coaster: Predator

Biggest surprise steel coaster: SkyRocket

Biggest surprise wooden coaster: Ravine Flyer II

Best new style of ride that opened in 2012: Wild Eagle

Worst Senior Moment: driving around on a road I had never been on in the dark in Tennessee thinking that I will never make it to the interstate before I run out of gas

Best meal in a park: chicken with peppers and unions on flat bread at Dollywood

Friendliest theme park workers: Dollywood

________________________________________________

* This post was modified at 11/10/12 5:54:38 AM *

drachen's submission for the 2012 BAFAPARCS...

New to Me Park of the Year

Nominees:
Great Escape
Martin's Fantasy Island
Darien Lake
Seabreeze
Kings Island

Winner: Kings Island

I loved pretty much everything about it. Great park. I don't know why it took me so long to get there.

New to Me Steel Coaster of the Year

Nominees:
Skyrush - Hersheypark
Verbolten - BGW
X-Flight - SFGAm
Ride of Steel - Darien Lake
Diamondback - Kings Island
Vortex - Kings Island

Winner: Diamondback, Kings Island

No other coaster reached my top 10 this year. Diamondback landed there, ahead of the rest of his B&M megacoaster brothers.

New to Me Wooden Coaster of the Year

Nominees:
Beast - Kings Island
Comet - Great Escape
Silver Comet - Martin's Fantasy Island
Predator - Darien Lake
American Eagle, Blue - Six Flags Great America

Winner: Comet, Great Escape

I give Comet a razor-thin edge over the Beast, simply because it is a slightly more enjoyable roller coaster, in their current states. Sans trims, Beast may be my number one overall.

New for 2012 Coaster of the Year

Nominees:
Verbolten - Busch Gardens Williamsburg
X-Flight - Six Flags Great America
Skyrush - Hersheypark
Apocalypse - Six Flags America

Winner: X-Flight, Six Flags Great America

There was nothing that I didn't like about X-Flight, and there was a lot that I absolutely loved. I can't say the same for the other three.

Best New to Me Non-Coaster Ride

Nominees:
WindSeeker - Kings Island
Sky Screamer - Six Flags Great Adventure
Mind Warp - Martin's Fantasy Island
Delirium - Kings Island
Drop Tower - Kings Island

Winner: Sky Screamer

What a great ride and with minimal restraints/seats. I found both swing rides to be very relaxing, actually. I liked both, but I like the Six Flags version better.

Worst New to Me Non-Coaster Ride

No need for nominees - there is one clear winner...

Mach Tower - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

What a piece of junk.

Quirky But Fun Coaster

Nominees:
Moto-Coaster - Daien Lake
Bobleds - Seabreeze
Back Lot Stunt Coaster - Kings Island
Adventure Express - Kings Island

Winner: Bobsleds - Seabreeze

What an awesome, fun, and awesomely-fun attraction. I loved it. You won't find another one anywhere.

Best Day Spent at a Park

Nominees:
Kings Island, August by myself (mostly)
Hersheypark, August with my 4 year-old daughter

Winner: (obviously) Hersheypark with my daughter

This was the first time she and I went to a park on our own. I've never had more fun at a park, EVER. No Skyrush, no Great Bear, no Wildcat, no Storm Runner, no Fahrenheit, no Lightning Racer - no need.

We rode pretty much everything we could together, including her first rides on Roller Soaker (which is why we chose Hersheypark), sooperdooperLooper, Flying Falcon, and Comet. It was just an absolute blast.

Worst Day Spent at a Park

No nominees, just the winner -
Six Flags Great America in late August.

We gave up after 6 hours. I got three coaster rides in. Understaffed, massive crowds, rain. It was easily the worst, most frustrating day I've ever spent in a park.

Best Coaster Ride of the Year

Nominees:
The Beast - at night (twice)
X-Flight - front seat, left side
sooperdooperLooper, my daughter's first ride

Winner: (again) sooperdooperLooper with my daughter.

It was my first upside-down experience too, but I was 8 years old. During the offseason, I suspected that she'd break the 42" mark to ride it. So, we drew a line on her wall and labeled it "sooperdooperLooper". She would measure herself almost every night before bed.

So, it all came to fruition one September evening. She was very nervous, but hopped aboard - front row. I watched her the entire time. She actually liked it - a lot. Very few times have I felt so proud. My eyes welled up - just a bit...

My Girl, with her pint-sized "I Survived" shirt.

Letdown Coaster of the Year

Nominees:
Skyrush - Hersheypark (trains)
Ride of Steel - Darien Lake
American Eagle, Blue - Six Flags Great America
Racer - Kings Island
Beast - Kings Island

Winner: American Eagle, Blue, Six Flags Great America

It's not that I didn't like any of the nominees. It's just that they didn't meet my expectations in some form or another. I really like American Eagle. Having ridden the red side in 2010, I was expecting more of the same from the blue side this year. The red side is significantly better.

Why Did I Do This To Myself? Award

My three parks/one day trip to Darien, Martin's, and Seabreeze. Don't get me wrong - I'm so glad I did it. But, man that was taxing...

I left home at 5:30 in the morning and got home at 11:30 PM. Out of those 18 hours, 11 were spent on the road, over 770 miles. 6 were spent between the three parks. Never again...

Better Than Everyone Said It Was...

Verbolten - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

What a fun ride - a perfect addition to the park. It earns high marks from me.

I Actually Met Some URC Users This Year

For the first time ever, I actually met some of you. It wasn't so bad either!

It was nice meeting d-lo775, gad198, and alpengeistno3.

Local Food Joint of the Year

They advertise the world's best cheeseburger, and they were close... Bill Gray's, down the hill from Seabreeze. The burger was delicious. I will be back.

Important-to-Me Achievement of the Year

Riding Viper at Darien Lake, and Vortex at Kings Island to finish off my collection of the existing major Arrow Dynamics loopers.

In fact, the only one I never rode is Shockwave. I now have Drachen Fire, Scream Machine, Viper (DL), Viper (MM), Anaconda, and Vortex on my list. I'm very happy to say that, as an Arrow fan.

Odd Achievement of the Year

I rode four of the country's five B&M mega coasters within a two month period - unintentionally, I might add.

Between Diamondback and Raging Bull in August, Apollo in September, and Nitro in October, I only left out Intimidator. Granted, it was a cold October day when I rode Nitro, but based on how they rode during that period, I would rank them as such:

1) Diamondback
2) Apollo's Chariot
3) Raging Bull (which is underrated by many)
4) Nitro

Most Improved Coaster from 2011

Great White - Morey's Piers.

The re-tracking in the off season was very effective. The re-done portions are very, very smooth. Trains were rebuilt in 2011. The first half of the coaster was re-done this past off season. I believe the second half is being done this year. It will ride like new in 2013.

Water Slide of the Year

Wipe Out mat racers at Morey's

Truth be told, it was the only water park I went to this year. But this ride is a very good one, and a very good addition to the park.

Infuriating Moment of the Year

Dealing with my budding Aris, the mid-line attendant a Great America.

Arrogant, controlling jerk. After a hour wait to get to him, and a 25 minute rain delay on top of that, he decides to let EVERY Flash Pass holder through, and no one from the main queue. After the Flash Passers stopped coming, he refused to let us in, because a few people complained to him. "I'll let you in when I'm ready" he said to us.

Renewed Affection Award

Kingda Ka - Six Flags Great Adventure

I waited 90 minutes for it with a first-time rider. I hadn't ridden it since 2010, I think. It was a blast, but I will never wait 90 minutes for it again, or even half of that...

Rest In Peace Award

Son of Beast - Kings Island

I'm glad I at least got to see you in person. What a shame. It seems that you were doomed to be short-lived from the start.

Made Me Giggle Award

The constant and consistent use of the phrase "crotch-strap" on Sky Screamer at Great Adventure. I laughed every time I heard it.

2013 Announcement of the Year

Nominees:
Hades 360 - Mt. Olympus
GateKeeper - Cedar Point
Outlaw Run - Silver Dollar City
Iron Rattler - Six Flags Fiesta Texas

Winner: Outlaw Run

They beat Hades to the punch, and I'm just so intrigued by this thing. Plans to get there next year may have fallen through. But I should be there by 2014.

In Summation...

All told, 2012 was good year for me. I got to a lot of parks, five of which were first time visits (bold):

Morey's Piers
Hersheypark
Great Escape
Dutch Wonderland
Darien Lake
Martin's Fantasy Island
SeaBreeze
Knoebels
Kings Island
Six Flags America
Six Flags Great America
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Six Flags Great Adventure

I rode 32 new-to-me roller coasters, 9 of which were wooden rides. 2013 doesn't look quite as promising right now, but we shall see.

Thanks for reading...

* This post was modified at 11/21/12 9:26:11 AM *

drachen said:

drachen's submission for the 2012 BAFAPARCS...

But...but...don't you mean DAFAPARCS???

Or are you changing your screen name to "Brachen?"

Thanks for posting. You had a good season, but it sounds like your day with your daughter was a real highlight. Nice picture. I'm sometimes amazed by the number of people for whom Sooper was their first looper..yours truly included, on a seventh-grade class trip in 1977 with a girl I had a severe crush on and later dated. She didn't let go of me the entire ride. Niiiice...

I wish I had gone to Bill Gray's when I was at Seabreeze in 2010. And I share your feelings on their bobsleds.

I hope to join the club of URC'ers who have met Drachen one of these fine days.

Beastmaster (not "Deastmaster)

Jen

beastmaster said:

But...but...don't you mean DAFAPARCS???

Or are you changing your screen name to "Brachen?"

Does 'brachen' mean something in German? I think it means "candy corn"...

I would never even think about changing the name of such a prestigious award program. It's all yours, Mike!

beastmaster said:

Thanks for posting. You had a good season, but it sounds like your day with your daughter was a real highlight. Nice picture. I'm sometimes amazed by the number of people for whom Sooper was their first looper..yours truly included, on a seventh-grade class trip in 1977 with a girl I had a severe crush on and later dated. She didn't let go of me the entire ride. Niiiice...

Very nicely played...

You're right, it seems that there are many of us in the Northeast that got their first inversion on sooperdooperLooper.

It was a very important ride out this way. Next looping coaster to open was Nessie (all of this is before my time). But it makes sense that with Looper being the first one to do it, many people came to Hersheypark to give it a try.

beastmaster said:

I wish I had gone to Bill Gray's when I was at Seabreeze in 2010. And I share your feelings on their bobsleds.

It was really good. I can't say if it's truly the "World's Greatest Cheeseburger", but it's close. I'll definitely head back, maybe as soon as next year.

beastmaster said:

I hope to join the club of URC'ers who have met Drachen one of these fine days.

Beastmaster (not "Deastmaster)

Thanks Mike. I'd like to get to Great Adventure at some point with some URCers, but I keep a funny schedule. Keep posting your plans here and one of these days, I'll show up too.

GoYanks34 said:

Drachen: Great post and your daughter is absolutely adorable! :-)

Jen

Thanks Jen - I think she is too... I attribute to that fact that she has a gorgeous mom. I certainly had nothing to do with it...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I'll be spending part of it with my friend Jen. Noooo, not THAT one! Her name's Jennie-O, and she's in the freezer (for now.)

Mike

I don't know if I gave a Summation of 20012 on a different thread, but I'll follow drachen's lead and give one here. All together, I went to 17 places. Some were new parks (****) while others just gave me a few new credits (++). There were 44 new rides; 36 were steel and 8 were wooden.
Busch Gardens Tampa
SeaWorld Orlando
Legoland Florida ****
Magic Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Epcot
Hersheypark ++
Dorney Park ++
Six Flags Great Adventure ++
Knoebels ****
Kennywood ++
Waldameer ****
Seabreeze ****
Darien Lake ****
Canada's Wonderland ****
Dollywood ++