Another CP trip

Didn't get to go last summer, breaking my 4 trips in 4 years streak, but I'm going on a school trip tomorrow.

Since I haven't been going in a while, any ideas? Saturday, a week after Maverick opens doesn't seem to be the best time but that's how it was set. I was pretty lucky enough that Maverick opened earlier than expected anyway.

We should get there right when it opens. Is it a good idea to run right to the back of the park for shorter lines?

Well, I have a list on an order I might ride in, here it is:

Raptor
Mantis
MF
Maverick
Mean Streak*
Gemini*
MXL200
TTD
Power Tower
Corkscrew*
MaXair*
Wicked Twister
Blue Streak*

*might have to skip.

Mavericks line stays the same all day, when I went on monday it was 2 1/2 hours all day till it broke down.

how long is the line for it to be that long?

I waited in everything but the metal queues (well, a couple queues) when you first enter and it was 35 minutes TOPS! What is 2.5 hours, like a full queue and then a line way outside back to mine ride or something?

That and I rode 5 times in under 2 hours without any break downs - It did break down as we got off (HAHA) but it seemed like it was up before we could walk too far away.

Well, here it is. This report was done for general use and will probably contain some useless information.

Ride list:
Raptor
Mantis
Millennium Force
Thunder Canyon
Snake River Falls
Mean Streak
Maverick
Gemini
Top Thrill Dragster
(some random carnival ride)
Corkscrew
Magnum XL 200
Skyride
Blue Streak


My 5th time to CP. Didn't go last summer, breaking my 4 years in a row streak, but I might be able to go again this summer. Our riding group consisted of 4; me, a friend, and 2 other people who are friends of him. Turns out we spent about 30 minutes waiting for the gates to open. After that we did what any idiot does when the park opens, run straight to Raptor. Seems like the ride is made better simply because it's the first one. After that we went to the middle area and went on Mantis. Don't like the trim brake on the first drop, but at least it gives you more hang time in the loop. Plus the ride has some nice laterals from the banking transitions. (though Raptor is still better simply because Mantis probably had to be toned down with less forces because of the stand-up style.) For both B&M rides we just did, the other 2 would not want to sit at the end of the car. (the seating on those rides have a 1X4 configuration per car)

Sometime along, half our group complains about needing to use restrooms, so we do that, then run back to get in line for Millennium Force. Again, middle of the train. Nice, fast ride. Though it doesn't have the rapid, sharp bunny hopping of it's older brother, the Magnum XL 200, it's still pretty nice, and the height, speed, and steeper slopes definately help. After this, we needed to cool off. We shouldn't have went on Thunder Canyon since it was pretty boring, so we go on Snake River Falls after. White Water Landing would've been good but Maverick took it out. After Snake River Falls, Maverick breaks down, so we went on Mean Streak. The trims, as said so many times, completely killed the airtime but still, the ride was alright.

After that we go back to Maverick, and it breaks down again when we're about 2/3 through the line. We wait it out and it opens back up. Well worth the wait, the ride had a nice mix of ejector air, laterals, and inversions. The lift is speedy, not the boring chain lift type, but powered by LIM's. (which are used on Wicked Twister and on the Maverick launch) The 95 degree drop was pretty great, and the speedy lift only makes it better, then it leads the trains into a series of turns with banking transitions designed to slam around the rider. The series of turns is broken up by a hill with nice airtime, then with some zero g rolls after. Later it quickly rolls into the tunneled launched. The launch is very quick and has similar acceloration to Top Thrill Dragster. It's not as fast, but the curve out of it doesn't give as much room to move around. Oddly, some brakes are right after the launch, perhaps they placed them there just to make the launch faster. Then we get to where the heartline roll was supposed to be, but there wasn't a lot of space there so they took it out. (this is why some of you who went there earlier didn't get to ride it, but the ride opened up a week before this trip) The rest is fast turns, dives, and other good stuff that makes good use of the launch speed. It slows down and we're out again.

Back to Gemini. As we're in line, red train gets owned twice. One time, blue was released out of the station about 1/4 a second before red. Blue also always gets detached off the lift hill long before red does. Later, we go on blue and red beats us. Most of the time actually, blue is usually ahead of red, but then near the hills at the end red usually comes ahead. Not a lot of people slapped hands this time. It's quite simple though, keep your arms up, and when you reach those turns, put an arm to the side.

Afterward, we went on TTD without anything to race. Half our group (literally, the 2 friends of my friend) dragged us a lot and wouldn't go on, so I just went on with my friend. Being 4 years in operation, rollbacks never really happen anymore. (at least with riders on them) We did see one later (after it rained), but that was during testing. Still a fun 17 seconds though. However, for some reason, something near my hip (if not the hip itself) was just hurting after we just hit the brakes. Perhaps the water bottle in my pocket plus lap bar plus airtime combination caused it. Still, gotta love the sheer size of that drop. Launch was pretty good too, I got my arms up right when the green light hit. We were in the seat right before the front, but it was still pretty good. As we exited, we spend more time waiting for them. (they circled the park looking for bathrooms) Sometime along, we had some fries, though I don't remember where nor when.

Well, it started getting a little cloudy. We get in line for the Magnum. Me and my friend get in the 3rd row's safety lanes, then, to line up with our friends behind, we let 2 people pass. Later we go in our seats and we lock our harnesses. Then they open up and they close down the ride due to the approaching storm. Yep, we just missed the last train before it closes which we wouldn't have if those 2 weren't dragging us as we went and complaining that we were riding too many rollercoasters, skipping TTD, etc. We sit in the rain for a while at the safety lanes, then it takes too long so we leave. We get some nachos and wander around and 2 people buy TTD basketballs, then we go on some carnival ride; the one with the little chairs that fly outward as the center turns. The rain clears up a while later, then we get in line for Corkscrew. It opens up and we go in, and turns out it was actually the line for Power Tower. (which I figured out when we reached the sign telling about the red and green towers and their modes of operation) The rest of the group didn't want to ride it and wanted to ride Corkscrew so we got out and went to Corkscrew's line. Pretty bad of me though, after being here for the 5th time and not knowing my lines.

Corkscrew is short, and the car design inhibits arm movement. Just wished the ride was a bit longer at least, but it was better than going on the nearby Iron Dragon. Later, we go back to the Magnum. No 3rd row this time since that area was too crowded, but it was still a fun ride. The ride often stays at a high altitude away from the bustling midways of the park, and more near empty beaches. We could see someone go on ripcord too, as well as most of Soak City. The first part seemed to hurt for some odd reason (probably the laterals and the train design), but once we got to the bunny hops it was pretty fun, and nearly killed the riders behind us. (they must've let their lap bars lock down too much)

Afterward, we try to go on Skyride to transport back to the front. Unfortunately, the TTD b-balls did not settle well with the ride operators so 2 people walk and 2 people ride to the front. Later, we meet up and take the Blue Streak before heading back to the buses. The stuff I carried protected our cellphones pretty well, though the money got wet. (didn't really matter since it didn't rip and was still useable) However, all the food I packed either got mashed up, opened itself during the rides, or both.

So, I missed Wicked Twister, Power Tower, Disaster Transport, and some flat rides I wouldn't have mind riding. (maXair at least) Wicked Twister and Power Tower can be blamed by that part of the group that severely delayed everything (as well as making so many inefficiently timed rest stops), while missing maXair and some other rides can be blamed on the rain. However, I was able to hit most of the good rides due to the time frame we were given. The usual trip I go to wastes time on the bus ride back to eat somewhere, rather than eating at the park, but at least it's cheaper that way, and we don't use expensive charter buses. (though the charter buses, being much more smooth, do eliminate the coaster feelings and illusional g-forces on the way back) Well, it's pretty hard to hit an ideal trip. This time we had short lines (which I've been getting for a while actually) as well as a decent time frame, but we had people dragging us and slowing things down as well as inclement weather. The people dragging us down even suggested going back to check on the buses before the rain cleared up.

Well, that's about it, good to get back on the rides after 2 years...

:) It is more fun to read that after going to the park itself.

I wondered what was up with the brakes on the hill after the launch on mav as well.