Six Flags MM 4/2/06

Had a last minute trip to LA last week and managed to stay through the weekend to get a early MM trip in. Got to the park about 10AM and the lot was about 1/4 full. I was happy to discover that was as crowded as it got most of the day. I was waiting for the tram that was running that day and after 10 minutes, I gave up and walked to the gate. I still hate how Scream looks from the parking lot, but I am hoping the new management will put some grass under it at some point.

The ticket line was pretty packed, but I had a comp pass and went straight the the admin gate. Upon entry I set off the metal detector and was pulled aside for wanding. The nice lady started to wand me and then gave a quizical look at my nether regions. I started to ask what the problem was and then the damnedest thing happened: She actually reached down and tugged on what she apprarently though was contraband, in reality she yanked my left coconut[shocked]. Once she realized what she tugged she quickly let go and turned red. My buddy, being the polite gentleman that he was, annouced to the entire crowd that I just had a Six Flags employee grab my nuts. The embarassed security lady waved me on. I really wanted to ask her what exacty she thought I had stashed down there, but I figured this one was best left alone.

After the bizzare antics at the gate, I entered the main plaza. Tatsu looks amaxing from this vantage point, but I must admit that I was sad to see all of the hillside trees gone. This ride will really look amazing in a 15 years when some of the trees grow back. I loved Revolution's wooded setting, so I was sad that it is still missing the entire bottom of the helix due to the Tatsu construction.

I had still been unable to get my X credit, so I was excited to finally get a ride. The line was about 35 minutes, so I hopped in. The landscaping on Baja ridge looks great. The Q for X was huge. I can't imagine the line back in the entry plaza. That would go on forever. The ride ops for X were very clearly hourly employees as they were very slow indeed. It seems they meandered around checking and rechecking restraints at a snails pace. After 6 trains I finally got on X.

Holy mother Mary this ride is not over-hyped. X is by far the most extreme ride I have ever been on. The lift up looking back at the park is really disorienting as you keep thinking that you should really be near the top soon, but it just keeps climbing up. Once you finally crest the hill, the first drop comes quick and furious. The flip that eventually places you looking straight down is fantastic. The two girls in front of us let forth a bellowing howl of pure terror that I actually found quite entertaining. Between the operatic screaming and the pure joy of X, I laughed the entire ride. It has been a long time (SROS SFNE) since I enjoyed a ride that much. I got 4 more rides that day and the average wait was about 30 minutes.

Viper was running well and really needs a paint job IMO. The line was about 2 minutes and I got 3 rides. I have a soft spot for this ride, so it was great as usual. I must admit that the sidewinder element felt more rough than in years past. It is sad to see this ride starting to show it's age.

As I walked back to Deja Down all the friggin time Vu, the sight of Tatsu's first drop looming far above was very cool. The visuals on Tatsu are going to be amazing.

Deja Poo was open and I got my ride in about 10 minutes. I have never really liked this ride, and it was status qou for me.

Riddler's was running good this trip. The last few trips it was been jerking a bit in the corks and the incline loop. Seems they tightened up the wheels as it ran very smooth. We ran into the two screaming girls again and they gave another virtuoso performance. Some guy in the back of the train got really mad at them and kept yelling at them to shut up during the ride. The girls actually got louder as a result of the guys attacks.

My friend and I made a pact to see which way the girls went out of the Q and we would go the opposite. Thankfully they went towards Deja doo doo and we headed towards Batman. We decided to skip Goldrusher as I already had a sore back from a particularly nasty biffer I took playing basketball last week. Batman was running well and they actually had the circuits going pretty fast. One train op made for a short line, but not too bad. Batman was intense as usual and was really fun. We ended up getting 2 rides and decided to head towards Golioth and Scream.

As we were heading under Superman, we heard the slow build up of a train car speeding down towards the spike high above us. As the noise increased as the car neared, we also heard the distinct, and by this point almost ludicris, screaming of our two lovely screaming girls. My friend and I looked at each other and smiled. At about that moment, as the car was cresting on the spike and preparing to plunge backward, we also heard the clear voice of mister profanity(the angry guy from Riddlers) yelling at the girls again. Why did he follow them? We figured he was their parent or something. As the train plumeted back to earth the girls started their screaming again and angy man's voice was once again drowned out in a soprano sea of of pre-pubecent terror.

As we ventured towards Scream, I noticed Colossus was closed. As I had skipped Psyclone for fear of permanent back damamge, I lamented at the fact that I would not get any wooden coaster ride on this trip. MM so badly needs another decent wooden coaster. Scream was a bit rougher than Medussa east, but it was still a fun ride. The parking lot looks as terrible from the ride as it does from the outside of the park. There was a 5 minute wait, but we only decided to re-ride once.

The landscaping of the park was a bit nicer this spring IMO. The area around Golioth was especially nice. Golioth was running well and the block break was a bit softer than my last trip. Our second ride went through the block very fast and I gulped in anticipation of the near black out experience I would have in the helix. I would tell you about it but that 5 minutes is now a permanent blur in my already eroding memory.

There were looney toons charcters all over the kiddie section that day. We ate at the sit down restaraunt next to the log flume. Way too expensive, but still good food.

Overall, a good trip for me. The park is looking better and hopefully will be looking great come high season this summer. I hope the coasters beef up capacity by then, but the park is improved over my last visit. ALl of you Cali boys are lucky as can be with Tatsu as I think it will be an amazing ride. I look forward to the TR's and hope to get out again in August for the WWS meet-up.

That's all folks.[:D]

Sorry about the spelling as I am from the spell check dependant generation.[confused]

[Oscar]

you were in LA and did not call up to meet up, shame on you! Glad you made it and had some fun [:D]

^^^

I found out about my trip on Thursday night. I do make these trips about 4 times a year, so I will get a hold of you before my next one.[:D]

[coolbeans326]

@ the girls and mr. Profanity.

Yea... you should really let people know next time you visit. Any excuse to go to the mountain is a good one.[:)]

Lol @ the gate security . A few years ago, something similar happened to my friend, Kristen. (She's gonna kill me for saying this.) Her bra strap set off an airport metal detector. We all got a great laugh out of it as the security guys tried to figure out what was setting the alarm off. The look on their faces was priceless when they found out. (You have to love those security horror stories... I think everyone has one.)

Anyway, good review. I wish I could get out to California... SFMM looks like fun from everything I've seen and heard about it.

I dont see anything embarassing about a girls bra setting it off. Heck, if you wear an underwire that could do it as well depending on the sensitivity of the machine.

Having your nut grabbed is quite different. It would be the equivalent of a girl having a nipple ring or something and them grabbing it to see.

Then again, that wouldnt feel bad. For a guy...just the right amount of pressure can send some pretty nasty shock waves back to the brain.