|
|
Worlds of Fun Trip Report- 8/30/09Worlds of Fun Trip Report from August 30, 2009 (will be updated slowly throughout the week of August 30-September 5).
From Jake Jones
My Visit at Worlds of Fun: OVERVIEWPosted August 30, 2009 at 8:32 PM I visited World's of Fun August 30, 2009, arrivng 10 minutes before opening. I will start with just the order of which we rode the park's rides, which will probably be very boring to read, so beware... Here was James' recommendation for touring: 2nd round: Boomerang - back row BBQ @ Festhaus Here is what I did: All Stars Grill- Chicken Sandwich 2nd Round: Final Ride: James- my dad and I were both impressed with your recommendations for which rides to ride, and where on the ride to ride them. The reason we modified the plan was because we left World's of Fun by 2:15 as the park was getting more crowded, yet the train operation stayed at one per coaster. My dad really did not want to wait for re rides, so we decided to leave and check out Oceans of Fun before heading home (in 65 degree weather). More of specifics of the trip coming later this week ...
Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond. From Jake Jones
Coaster Rankings (in order of when I rode them):Posted August 31, 2009 at 5:00 PM Patriot: This was our first ride of the day, so we did not feel like waiting 10 minutes for the front row, when every other row had open seats. We chose the back row, rumored to have the best ride (James and the Ride Op gave us this recommendation). In some ways, I wish we had waited for the front then, but my first ride was still great. When people say it’s not as intense as Batman: the Ride, I would agree for the most part. B:TR is not stop intensity, while Patriot has it moments, and spreads out its elements more. However, I really like the zero g roll on Patriot, and the ride better overall. The spread of the elements gives the ride a nice feeling of speed throughout. It does seem Patriot is missing one more inversion. I think either the tilted helix should have been made a second loop, or an element should have been added to the little uphill stretch leading into the final corkscrew section. My second ride in the third row came through as well, giving a smooth ride. Worlds of Fun really got the colors right on this coaster, it is beautiful. 8/10 Mamba: I rode three times, all within twenty minutes (I sat first in back, then middle, then front). The ride in the front row was the best, followed by the ride in the back row, followed by the middle section ride. The back provided the thrill of getting thrown over the first drop, followed by airtime on the second hill. The front provided the hanging sensation on the first drop, also had airtime on the second hill, and gave the best sensation of speed. In all three seats, the first half of the ride was a lot of fun, and very intense. Like others have stated before, I ducked at the end of the helix, which was also a great section of the ride. Then… the brakes gave a nice breather, but I still think I would rather wait to breathe until the end. After the brakes, the coaster’s first half performance dropped off. I am not sure whether this is the layout of the ride, or to much braking, but the bunny hills provided little thrill. I felt some airtime, but not a substantial amount like on the second hill. 8/10 Boomerang: After three rides on Mamba, we walked to Boomerang (my first). The last two rows were filled (surprisingly). Also, I was feeling little sick and thirsty before riding. We hopped in line for third to last row. I thought the towing out of the station up the hill was nifty. When I got off the ride, I began to feel somewhat nauseous. It was not so rough though, it just made me a little dizzy. The experience was ok, but the feeling after was not so. 4/10 Prowler: I got some water, and headed to Prowler. We sat in the third row after a 5 minute wait. It was fun, but did not give as good a ride I expected. I would have given it an 8/10 on the ride, rating it below Evel Knieval but above Kentucky Rumbler. The reason we did not ride again in the morning was that I was hungry and ready for a break. Ride two in the afternoon was different: There was a 20 minute wait for 1 train operation, which was really too bad. I went straight to the back row, for what I had heard was the best ride. The back felt much faster on the first drop than the front (like EK), and felt more intense as the coaster raced through the woods. The track banking was awesome. I may have liked it more because I felt much better in the afternoon as well. I would have ridden again, but the line was 25 minutes and kept growing. Because of ride two, I give it 9/10; instead of 8/10 like the other 2 GCI I have ridden (KR and EK). 9/10 Viking Voyager: Later Spinning Dragons: A fun ride, like Tony Hawk’s Big Spin. It had no shade though, or as nice a setting as THBS. The ride did have a surprise drop towards the end which was nice. Tony Hawk gets a higher ranking in my book because of the setting, but I give both the same rating out of 10. 7/10 Timber Wolf: Just like you said James, it was old, painful and slow. There was no airtime, speed or fun. It was just a load of pain. The track is not banked at all. Those unbanked turns hurt bad traveling at 40 mph. At least on Screaming Eagle (also painful) there is good scenery and speed and drops. The best part was hitting the brakes at the end. At least I didn’t have any aches after the ride though. 4/10 Thunderhawk: Later Wacky Worm: The ride operator refused me a ride on Wacky Worm. Even when I took the “all the other coasters are too scary” stance, she would not let me on the ride. Detonator: Later
From James Rao
Glad you made the trip to the park, and I think your reviews so far are very fair. Make sure you thank your Dad profusely for all that driving he did. Sounds like you are pretty lucky to have such a cool father. He reminds me of me! ;)Posted August 31, 2009 at 8:34 PM Funny thing about that brake run on the back half of Mamba: sometimes the brakes are stronger than others. On a good day, you can breeze through the brakes with almost no slowdown, but on some days the brakes hit so hard you wonder if the train will make it over the camel backs. I have no idea why it varies but it does. And, I have it on good authority that WoF maintenance crews control the strength of the brakes, although I do not know how and when they decide to "clamp" down on the ride. One day some ex-WoF employee will come clean with the details...
From Jake Jones
Flat Rides:Posted September 1, 2009 at 5:09 PM Viking Voyageur – We rode the flume right after Prowler. We arrived at a little after 11:00, so the ride was just opening. This ride is not nearly as good as the SFSTL log flume as 1) no scenery, 2) very short 3) water sometimes seeps in over edge of boats and 4) the last drop sucks. It is crammed in right next to behind the main entryway, so I guess they made good use of the space. Other than this efficient usage of space, this ride is very boring, and the water looks disgusting (like almost other flume I have been on). The final drop gives no splash, but watch out for water to seep over the rim of the boat. 5/10 All Stars Grill: Later Thunderhawk: At first, I wondered why the overhead restraints fit so tightly. Then, after the first “inversion”, I quickly realized why they needed such tight restraints. It was very intense. As the premiere flat ride at WOF, it is on the same level, if not better than Excalibur (though not as visually pleasing). One of the best flats I have ridden (I have not ridden many though). 8/10 Cyclone Sams: Just as you said James, even with no one in the queue-room, there was no way you could here the preshow sound. The screaming from insider plus the outside noise made it impossible. The ride was very fun though, and the indoor setting made it soooo much more intense. Without the indoor setting, I am not sure whether I would it enjoy the ride. I tried to reach the ceiling but it was difficult to keep your hands because I was sitting on the outside, and my dad was squeezing me. 7/10 Detonator: The only rides I honestly compare this to are Liberty Launch (HW) and Tower of Terror. From memory, the ride was more thrilling than Liberty Launch only because I was not expecting the first shoot upwards. After this, the following drops seemed boring. S: TOP in SFSTL looks way more intense on the first drop, as you see all the other people drop around you. I have never ridden S: TOP because of wait times and my lack of interest in drop towers. 6/10 Fury of the Nile: After Detonator, we went to Fury of the Nile, and got soaked. It was an ok ride, and the moving table was interesting, but there was nothing to write home about. They did seem to have some theming after the tunnel. I also assume there was some sort of theming in the tunnel, but I couldn’t really tell. I did not enjoy the water falling off the roof the tunnel on a cold 65 degree day. It would be nice on a hot day, but not when I went (it’s also kind of lame that they need a waterfall to soak the riders- that’s what the rapids are for). 6/10
All Stars Grill:
From James Rao
I mostly agree with this round of ratings as well, Jake. I think Detonator is a bit lower, but because it is somewhat new to you, I can see your interest. After a few rides, I think you would drop your rating down to a 5 or even a 4.Posted September 1, 2009 at 6:25 PM Both Fury and Viking Voyager are best ridden in the dark (when you can't see the brackish green water). As for All Stars Grill, it is the only good place to eat in the park. You might should have tried the nachos as the portion size is pretty good for two. Once again, good stuff. Thanks for your honest and pretty much spot on review of my local iron ride park. Now, go to Branson and ride Powderkeg! ;)
From Jake Jones
Comparisons:Posted September 2, 2009 at 5:48 PM Setting: The only other corporate iron ride parks which I have visited in the past two years are SFSTL and SFKK. In general, the park did not give the same corporate feeling as SFKK or SFSTL, maybe because of the missing presence of superhero themed rides and areas. Sections of WOF do feel corporate, the Panda Express, and the area near Mamba which is home to many basketball three-point shot games. Also, the park is cleaner than both SFSTL parks, which adds to the less corporate feeling. SFSTL has some nice areas, like the area near the Mine Train and towards the back of the park. The front of SFTL looks very corporate, and unfortunately, there is spat-out gum piled around the park. SFKK has an interesting setting, which I liked a lot, but there was no theme. Certain stretches of SFKK towards the front of the park felt very corporate as well, but I felt the park was fairly clean. Worlds of Fun had a nicer feel to the park because even some of the trashy areas at least had theme or was not as prominent (the pay-extra attractions at Worlds of Fun not nearly as obvious as the skydive attraction and bungee-bouncer at SFSTL). Though there was no one great example of theming, signs on rides and throughout the park at least correlated to the park section. The children’s area is also not in the middle of a pathway between sections of the park. Worlds of Fun feels much closer to Holiday World or family owned parks than Six Flags. James, your park may be just an iron-ride park, but it’s a step up from the two Six Flags parks I have been to. 1st/3rd Coasters: SFSTL and Worlds of Fun have a lot of parallels in their coasters. If Boomerang were to be replaced with a better coaster, and a nice coaster was added (bringing the total to 8), I think the ride selection would blow away SFSTL. In my opinion, WOF needs some sort of legit sitdown looper (whether be a B&M or Intamin or whatever else). Then they would have an B&M inverted, a hyper, looper and great GCI, which would be a great starting lineup for coasters. In quality of coaster (not considering uniqueness/clones) Add Wild Card: Boss Without the Boss, I think WOF and SFSTL would have an even coaster collection, with WOF maybe having a slight advantage. Add in the Boss, and the SFSTL collection is superior. Also, SFSTL has 8 legit coasters, while WOF has 6 (7 minus Wacky Worm). The Worlds of Fun collection is no doubt superior to the SFKK collection, though, as SFKK only has two or three quality coasters. 2nd/3rd Flat Ride and other Comparisons, plus a few photos will be posted later…
From James Rao
I can't argue with anything you have posted, Jake, although I have never been to SFKK. And I completely agree that if WOF would replace the Boomerang with a decent family coaster (like the Zambezi Zinger that used to be in the park), add a top of the line looper like Wildfire at Silver Dollar City, replace some of the circa 1975 flat rides with newer, more modern thrillers, and add one or two unique and delicious dining establishments, then the park would finally be a vacation destination. A nice $100m influx of cash, that's all WoF needs to be a contender!Posted September 2, 2009 at 8:20 PM
From Jake Jones
Flats (everything but coasters):Posted September 3, 2009 at 4:49 PM No park (out of WOF, SFKK, SFSTL) has great flats, with SFKK clearly lacking the other two parks in this department. All three parks have the Enterprise style flat, so I will leave this out when comparing. I am including S: TOP and Skyliner even though I have not ridden them (based on height, area of park, and watching the ride). More on this later … Worlds of Fun-SFSTL Comparison: It’s tough to include the Ferris Wheels in here, as it gives SFSTL an edge, but our Ferris Wheel is nice and centrally located, and SO much taller than the WOF wheel. Wild Cards: Fjord Fjarlane, Bamboozler, Octopus and Finnish Fling (which I wish I rode) and others… I have rode round-ups and the Octopus ride before, and I didn’t think they were too exciting, but its better than nothing. After Excalibur, SFSTL has no real flat rides. By no flats, that means that it goes from Excalibur, to an Enterprise, to a no-good Scrambler ride. The swings are even broken down! Overall SFSTL gives WOF a run for its money with a very nice Ferris Wheel, Log Flume and seemingly fun S: TOP. The Ferris Wheel and S: TOP give SFSTL a great highway appearance. I know you really can’t rate a ride you haven’t been on S: TOP, but just the huge presence of it in the park might be better than Detonator alone. Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom has one decent flat (Breakdance), one interactive motion picture (Thrill Park Theater), and one good rapid ride (Penguin’s Blizzard River). Breakdance is somewhere between Shazam and Cyclone Sam’s in ranking for me. The Thrill Park theater’s show storyline is a little shaky, but still a fun ride. The Blizzard River is better than either Rapid Rides at WOF or SFSTL. Other than the Enterprise and the Ferris Wheel, the flat ride depth at SFKK is even worse than SFSTL. Even if Worlds of Fun’s flats are “circa 1975” (like James said), it is better than no flat rides at all. Overall WOF takes the crown since it has a much deeper lineup of legitimate flat rides. 1st/3rd
From James Rao
WoF's Huss Enterprise (Zulu) is quite a bit better than SFSTL's Schwarzkopf Enterprise (Highland Fling). The compartments are roomier, the wheel bigger, the loops more intense. In fact, I was disappointed in the Highland Fling after riding Zulu, despite the fact that its much lower height requirement allowed my not-quite 54" son to ride when we went in '08. +1 to WoF.Posted September 3, 2009 at 7:20 PM Also, you made the satement that WoF's circa 1975 flat rides are better than nothing - well, I agree, but they are JUST BARELY better than nothing! ;)
From Jake Jones
Haha ok, +1 to WOF. I had no intention of riding that Zulu thing after Prowler the first time, as I was not feeling good. Also, I think Highland Fling is the ride which has made me closest to vomiting, so even if I was feeling well, I probably would not have ridden Zulu. Also, I guess SFSTL does have one more semi-legitimate flat: Rush Street Flyer. Still, the WOF collection prevails.Posted September 3, 2009 at 7:35 PM
From James Rao
That's all well and good, Jake, but isn't winning the flat ride battle like taking second prize in a two-person beauty contest?Posted September 4, 2009 at 2:49 AM
From Jake Jones
James- Yes and No. If WOF was my home park, I think I would try to get rides on Cyclone Sam's and Thunderhawk every visit. At SFSTL, I rarely ride flats when I go. With the occasional Excalibur and Shazam! ride, I stick to the coasters. Also, the circa 1975 thrill rides (Finnish Fling and others) give the park a old-family style feel. For me, WOF had better and more non-coaster rides than every park I've been to except Disney (when I went to SDC then did not have some of there newer flats).Posted September 4, 2009 at 7:06 PM
From James Rao
Compared to SFSTL, you may be right, Jake, but compared to Disney (hey, you brought it up), WoF is a roving carnival in a grocery store parking lot. The flat rides are okay at best, and totally forgettable at worst. I've been riding those things for going on 25 years, and I gotta tell you, I would LOVE to see some 21st Century updates. And would it kill Cedar Fair to build a good omnimover-style dark ride once in a while? Or a Sally Corp Shooter? Anything to break up the monotony of coaster, coaster, coaster, spinner, spinner, spinner?Posted September 4, 2009 at 7:25 PM As for SDC vs WoF, trust me SDC is far superior. Their Grand Exposition area is full of the midway rides you love, and the rest of the park is filled with unique coasters and memorable dark rides. Sure, they could use a few more big time attractions, but SDC is the King of Missouri Parks IMO. Regardless, I am glad you like my hometown park. It is not bad, by any means, it just does not hold up well on repeat visits. Trust me... I know. But there is a lot to like, and a lot of unrealized potential. If Cedar Fair (or whoever eventually buys the park) decides to make WoF a true vacation destination, it won't take much to bring the park up to snuff. About $100m and some creative vision is all we need...
From Jake Jones
When I get the time, I will continue to explain the things I don't like about WOF (specifically: Water Park). And in the last two years, the parks I have been to have had relatively no flats (SeaWorld, Magic Springs (with many rides closed), Holiday World, Beech Bend, SFKK, SFSTL, WOF). And SFSTL also has the Scooby Swamp shooting ride (its easy to forget these rides as I remember them being so lame), which is fun only for the first few times. Posted September 4, 2009 at 9:20 PM
From James Rao
Went to WoF today. Arrived at 9:45, got in at 9:50 rode Spinning Dragon, Patriot (front row), Mamba (front row), Boomerang (back row), Prowler (front row), Zulu, Sea Dragon, Finnish Fling, then left at 11:26. 90 minutes of fun... not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning! ;)Posted September 5, 2009 at 10:28 AM
From Jake Jones
Oceans of Fun:Posted September 5, 2009 at 10:45 AM The slide collection at SFSTL in some ways is similar to that at Ocean of Fun. Oceans of Fun has four slide towers (Aruba Tuba, Typhoon, Diamond Head and Hurricane Falls), with 2 tube slides, 5 body slides and one group raft slide. SFSTL has four tube slides, three body slides and one group raft slide. Also, SFSTL has the very fun Tornado ride and Wahoo Racer. Tube slides were fine, about the same caliber as SFSTL. Like the rest of the park, they were colored blue and white. Typhoon slides were fun. Not near the caliber of the SFSTL body speed slides, but still fun. Again, they were of white and blue color. Diamond Head slides were the most intense and probably most fun at WOF. Still not near the intensity of Tornado or the body speed slides at SFSTL. Part of the intensity was that the turns were so rough, and it felt like you were sliding on concrete. The last turn on the end of the slide really bounced me around. Because they were sort of located on a hill, they don’t give the same impression of the 7 story tall SFSTL speed slides. Hurricane Falls was very similar to the Big Kahuna raft slide at SFSTL. The Big Kahuna however is more pleasant to look at, as it is colored red. Both are fun family slides, and very comparable. Lazy River: Not themed at all like SFSTL, and because it was 65 degrees, we did not venture into the water. Wave Pool: Though it seemed good size, it did not have the same appeal as SFSTL’s pool with a Volcano at one end. SFKK’s water park and Hurricane Harbor are more comparable. SFKK has 3 tube slides, 1 body slide, a tornado slide, 1 bowl slide and a water coaster. The tube slides at SFKK are equal to those at SFSTL, and while the one body slide is fun, it doesn’t match the three at SFSTL. Both parks have the Tornado (awesome), but SFKK has the bowl slide (awesome) and the water coaster (awesome). SFKK doesn’t have a matt racing slide (like Wahoo Racer) or a raft slide, but the water coaster and bowl slide easily make of for this. Though OoF may not be exactly part of WOF, Hurricane Harbor really adds a reason to go to SFSTL for me, and is an integral part of the park. Oceans of Fun is definitely behind these two water parks. 3rd/3rd
From James Rao
My Gold Pass gets me access to either Oceans or Worlds of Fun, so I did visit the water park several times over the summer. Sadly, Oceans of Fun pretty much blows. It is okay by 1985 standards, but with a Schlitterbahn waterpark just 30 minutes away, I fear OoF is going to just continue to degrade until it is completely removed and the area used for amusement park expansion (not a bad idea, really).Posted September 5, 2009 at 10:52 AM Jake, if you get a chance, drive a few hours east of St Louis and go to Splashin' Safari, the water park portion of Holiday World. It is an excellent water park - truly one of the best in the States. And you can also ride The Voyage, the best wooden coaster ever built - so what have you got to lose?
From Jake Jones
Yeah I have been to Holiday World. Splashin' Safari is very good, almost as good as Waterworld (10/10) in Colorado. And it will be even better next year with the new water coaster. I still think Hurricane Harbor (7/10) is still a whole level above OoF (5/10), and Splashin Safari (9/10) is two levels above Hurricane Harbor. Posted September 5, 2009 at 11:04 AM
From James Rao
You are correct, sir, Wildebeest looks like an awesome addition to Splashin' Safari. I can't wait to ride it!Posted September 5, 2009 at 1:36 PM
From Jake Jones
James- you asked, based on my day at WOF, whether I thought you were too hard on your home park.Posted September 6, 2009 at 6:34 PM First I had to see what you said about your home park (the quotes are all from the same article, I just put the link multiple times to split them up): http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945506213 I would agree that SFSTL gets old as well. No matter the park, I would be excited for my first visit, so I cannot really say whether you are being too harsh or not… http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945506213 If you only have one chance to go to WOF, I think it would be worth $40 (though I’m sure you could find a better). Earlier, your reasoning for not spending this much money was that in this case, this person had been to a similar Dorney Park. Even if the parks are similar, it would be worth $30 (the rate you could probably find) to go to Worlds of Fun as every park has a different feel and different rides (no matter how they match up). http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945506213 James- I would be incredibly upset if they took away two good coasters (and Zinger sounds like it was some sort of timeless classic). Cedar has invested a lot into WOF, though, with 3 coasters in the past 5 years. I can’t imagine what the park was like in 2004 or 2005, without either Patriot or Prowler, or Orient Express. It must have sucked until 2006 when Patriot was added. And no smaller corporate park gets completely renovated every year (though SFSTL has been pretty good), so its not surprising that a lot has been around for twenty years. SFSTL has no flats, so otherwise nothing to keep for 20 years. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945506213 That’s my exact feeling about SFSTL, and with the cheaper season pass price than WOF, it is totally worth it. I never get snacks at SFSTL because they are overpriced and there are only a few good places (caramel apples at front are good). I would completely agree with you here, if WOF was my home park, that’s about as long as I would stay. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945506213 Because I don’t have kids to bring to the park, I really don’t even consider doing anything at the park other than riding coasters. When I go to Six Flags, I don’t anticipate spending more than a few hours their (unless I go with friends who don’t have season passes), and wouldn’t spend more than a few hours even if the park had more coasters. I would rather go more often for a few hours than for a whole day more often. I would agree that WOF is not a destination park, but if a family is going to Kansas City for a vacation, WOF is not a bad stop. I would not call SDC a destination park alone either, Branson and its attractions along with Table Rock Lake bring it up to destination status. I think you are a little harsh on a park, as you compare it to the best of the best in WDW and SDC. Let’s be honest- when someone thinks of a weekend in KC, Worlds of Fun is not going to come to mind. It's so hard not to wish your home park was up their with the other top parks, but we are lucky to have a top park in our state (SDC). If you compared it to just its sister Cedar Fair parks, and the smaller Six Flags parks, I think you would serve your park a lot more justice.
From Jake Jones
Can/How do you post pictures onto the blog (I only took two, but they are of the most beautiful things in the park)? If you can, what size should I make the photos? Posted September 6, 2009 at 6:50 PM James- Why did they take away Orient Express and Zambezi Zinger if they were so popular? Did these rides require maintenance or were they rough or unsafe?
From James Rao
I don't think you can put pictures into the discussion thread at all, however, if you have pictures of specific WoF attractions, you can post them in the appropriate place on the WoF TPI Park Review page (click the link on the right hand column that says "Worlds of Fun").Posted September 7, 2009 at 11:26 PM As for the Orient and Zambezi, Cedar Fair claims the rides were costing more money in upkeep than they were worth. And that may be true. However, the Zinger is still operating at a park in South America to whom Cedar Fair sold the ride years ago. Guess it wasn't that bad off. As for the Orient, I remember the official word being that it would cost more money to bring the ride back up to snuff, than it would to add a new ride altogether. Cedar Fair bought the park in 1995, and its coaster track record is somewhat up and down, but started out pretty awful: 1) Sold Zambezi Zinger (1997) - down -- at this point the park had Mamba, Boomerang, Timber Wolf, and the Wacky Worm. Honestly, the only good coaster was Mamba. It was a really bad time for the park, IMHO. But then things got better, slowly... 5) Added Spinning Dragons to replace Orient Express (2004) - as a replacement for one of my favorite coasters, SD was a horrible failure, but as a good family-friendly coaster, SD is still one of the best - even Cedar Fair has done us proud the last 5 years or so, in the coaster department. And if they hang on to the park a few more years, it will be interesting to see what they do for their next coaster addition (although what the park really needs is a good Omnimover dark ride, or a customized Sally Corp shooter, not a coaster). However, we may never find out as rumor has it there is at least one very interested buyer for Worlds of Fun. No idea on who it is yet....
From Jake Jones
Closing: Posted September 13, 2009 at 3:28 PM I had a great time at Worlds of Fun, and due to light crowds, was able to, for the most part, fully tour the park. I wish I had to opportunity to stay until night as the Prowler and Mamba night rides were rumoured (by many) to be fun. Just like SFSTL, I would have trouble spending an entire day from opening to close at the park. It’s on par with SFSTL. I would not make the trip to KC just for WOF again, which should be expected. If by chance I spend a few days in KC, and they had a good 25-30 dollar deal, I would go back. As earlier stated, the park would do well for itself by adding a good sit-down looping coaster and a good family coaster. Final Comparison with SFSTL: Earlier, rated WOF as having a better setting and flat rides, with SFSTL having better coasters and water park. In the end, I am personally glad SFSTL is my home park. The good water park makes up for lack of flat rides, and the steady improvements of the park get me excited to go back every April. Again, this is coming from a 15 year old, so I 1) am not used to a corporate park, and 2) I don’t put such a big emphasis on the setting as I would on the water park. Better flat rides at SFSTL would keep me in the park longer, but WOF flats are not so much better that I would give the edge to them over SFSTL’s coasters.
From James Rao
Basically what you are saying is that both parks are mediocre at best, so you give the nod to the park that is closest, and has the most coasters.Posted September 14, 2009 at 2:59 AM I completely understand. Anyway, good work, Jake. I have appreciated your reports, and look forward to seeing more in the future as you continue to travel. Make sure you shoot for Silver Dollar City next year, as Powderkeg is quite possibly the best coaster in the state.
From Jake Jones
James- I searched through TPR for forums about SFSTL, and guess what? There was a forum just about you (you may have seen it already)! Not kidding-check this out. I thought it was very entertaining and it might give you a good laugh how they try to disect every part of your TR.Posted September 28, 2009 at 6:50 PM http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=50124&highlight=six+flags++louis
From James Rao
I'm famous! Even other geeks on other sites like to talk about my writing! Never doubt my skillz!Posted September 28, 2009 at 8:06 PM Sounds like they pulled my TPI SFSTL trip report after I copied it over to tripadvisor.com (they won't take links to other sites, so you have to re-post the whole thing). Too bad those SFSTL groupies didn't take the time to review my other posts on tripadvisor, they would see I am an equal opportunity hater! ;) Interesting... I never considered the corkscrew on Ninja as two separate loops. I always just thought of it as one... which is how I come up with my tally of three loops (standard loop, sidewinder, and corkscrew). I stand corrected. To be more precise I should say, the Ninja has four inversions. Either way, I still like the ride.... each to his own I guess.
From steve lee
Wow, people on TPR acting like elitist douchebags. Must be a Monday. Posted September 28, 2009 at 8:22 PM
From James Rao
The last post on TPR was in April... my fame was fleeting at best. *SIGH*Posted September 28, 2009 at 8:37 PM
From Jake Jones
I was laughing my ass off while reading, I don't know about you guys. I can't believe they bash someone for their mistake on a roller coaster stat (# loops). Posted September 28, 2009 at 8:49 PM
From James Rao
Hey...the park was totally forgettable! Can you blame me for one or two mistakes? I was so pissed about the weeds, the crappy food, and the lousy kiddie section that I could barely even remember the names of the rides! =)Posted September 28, 2009 at 10:03 PM It is somewhat pathetic when you encounter people who feel they have to defend their home park just because it is their home park. Furthermore, I will never understand why some people feel they have to settle for mediocrity or a less-than-stellar theme park experience. You know, that whole idea that "it is Six Flags....what do you expect?" Well, Six Flags used to be a premier theme park company, until people started to allow for and accept those less-than-stellar experiences as par for the course. Honestly, if we don't complain about the mistakes theme park managers make and the bone-headed cost cutting measures they often take, things will never get better. They will just continue to decline by degrees. I take my theme parks very seriously. Whether they are run by Six Flags or Disney is irrelevant. There are standards that need to be upheld and it is up to the purists to be ever vigilant. As Jack Burton once said: "May the wings of [theme park] liberty never lose a feather." Are you with me or against me?!?
From steve lee
You had me until you said "decline by degrees." I quit going to Miceage because of that phrase (though at least it no longer is used when they find a slightly chipped trash can anymore). Posted September 29, 2009 at 2:00 PM
From James Rao
Hmmm... I think the term perfectly describes what is happening to the amusement park industry these days - and I think Kevin Yee is dreamy! =DPosted September 29, 2009 at 5:49 PM
From Jake Jones
Actually I think Mark Shapiro has made some pretty good moves recently (refurbishment of coasters w/X2 and Bizzaros, relocation of Chang). In terms of thrills, Six Flags is still the nation's premiere parks due to number of parks. However, this is besides the point.Posted September 29, 2009 at 7:17 PM Yes I agree with you that all theme parks should be judged compared to the best of the best, however as some have said before, maybe they should divide theme parks and thrill parks into different categories. Therefore, in some ways its not fair to compare a theme park (which the company regularly invest a hundred million dollars in) to a thrill park (where a 4 million dollar investment is a big deal and possibly a park highlight).
From James Rao
The argument about theme VS thrills is tired and old. There is no reason a ride can't be thrilling AND tell a good story. Posted September 30, 2009 at 3:54 AM Theme (story and decoration) + thrills (speed, height, and exciting elements) > thrills alone. Regardless of theme or thrills, all parks should meet certain standards for cleanliness, maintenance, service, and fun. And if a park is not living up to those standards, it is our job to call them out, as I did with my 2008 SFSTL TR (incidentally, I spent the majority of that report highlighting things that were good in the park - my report is NOT all about the bad stuff). No, I don't expect the same level of immersion and narrative tension from Six Flags as I do from Disney, but that is only because Disney is a successful multi-billion dollar corporation and Six Flags is a failed, bankrupt disaster. However, if the gates to SFSTL remain open, then the park should be clean, maintained, fun, serviced by employees who care, and striving, each and every day, to be more like the industry leader (Disney) in terms of those qualities I have previously discussed. In 2008, when I went, SFSTL was not meeting even my minimum expectations. If it has improved one year later, then kudos, and you're welcome. I am glad my TR helped lead to positive change. SFSTL fans should be thanking me, not hating me. ;)
From Jake Jones
It is still hard to compare such budget differences. Theme costs money, but is worth it, as the SF corporation is starting to realize (Dark Knight, Bizarro, X2, Terminator). But yes, each theme park should strive to be the best, by comparing themselves to the best. I think it is a actually a talent to keep your expectations so high, for example, I did not go into Worlds of Fun expecting a SDC, and I was not disappointed. However, you should always be comparing the parks to what they should be.Posted September 30, 2009 at 8:05 PM
From James Rao
Jake, I believe you and I are in nearly complete agreement.Posted September 30, 2009 at 8:20 PM
From steve lee
Interestingly, the keynote speaker at the annual ACE banquet was someone high up in Herschend. She said that in nearly every survey they did people just weren't responding to themed attractions. I thought that was a really unfortunate fact.Posted September 30, 2009 at 8:30 PM
From James Rao
Funny....and there's Disney making money hand over fist with their themed, story-driven attractions. Maybe the Herschend folks just weren't asking the right people?Posted September 30, 2009 at 8:47 PM
From Jake Jones
Well, with the release of Texas Giant's renovation and the Bizarros-is there really a theme as it really seems to be just flame throwers (getting old) and audio affects (bad reviews)?Posted September 30, 2009 at 9:32 PM Herschend's parks are heavily themed themselves already, but the data does seem a little tainted. Bad reactions to mine scenery on Mystery Mine? does not make sense to me...
From steve lee
Since we were in Branson, I have to assume that the woman worked at SDC as opposed to Dollywood. I was really surprised to hear her say that. I just hope it doesn't lead to a shift in their attractions mentality. Posted October 1, 2009 at 2:12 PM
From James Rao
Steve, what the speaker said just doesn't make much sense, and has no basis in fact. The attendance numbers for the top theme parks in the world offer a completely contrary view. My guess is that the speaker was saying things that catered to an audience composed of (mostly) thrill ride enthusiasts with little or no interest in attractions heavy on story and theme.Posted October 1, 2009 at 3:51 PM
From steve lee
James, the bulk of her presentation was on "the future of the industry." I'm sorry if I'm coming across as obtuse here, but I honestly don't see what benefit there would be in pulling nonexistant polling information out of her butt regardless of the crowd. Posted October 1, 2009 at 8:09 PM And while there's plenty of hardcore thrill-only folks in ACE, there's also plenty of people who appreciate the theming and atmosphere of a park. You usually can't spot us, though, because we're not playing the "who can wear the most obscure coaster shirt" game.
From James Rao
Okay... what you are saying is that this person who works for Herschend, one of the most theme focused, family oriented amusement companies in the world, thinks the future of the industry is in...what? Midway iron rides with no theme and very intense thrills?Posted October 1, 2009 at 9:41 PM Since Disneyland opened in 1955 the Walt Disney Company has dominated the amusement park industry with their family oriented, story driven, themed attractions. And now, I am supposed to believe that the company who pulls more visitors than all their main competitors combined has got it all wrong? I guess I just need to hear more of the presentation, but taken in the context of this discussion, it just makes no sense at all to me. I have a ton of respect for both Dollywood and Silver Dollar City, and the Herschend family, but if someone in their top brass thinks the future of the industry is in unthemed iron rides, ask them why the heck Celebration City was such a dismal failure...
From Jake Jones
http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51758&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=50Posted October 4, 2009 at 8:08 PM James you may have a few prodigies on TPR. Go to the Bottom of This Page. The TR-writer said almost exactly what you said earlier (at the bottom).
From James Rao
If you're talking about this line: "When I read Trip Reports, I want to know things other than what I could find on the park's website. I'm not here to do a marketing commercial for the park. When I review my park visits, I want to give my opinions, both negative and positive, and if the negative out weighs the positive, so be it." then, you're right, that is exactly how I feel about a TR... and why I like most of the reports on TPI.Posted October 5, 2009 at 3:02 AM But the guy was dead wrong about the Voyage - it is a fantastic, relentless coaster from start of finish. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen... and leave the heavy lifting to us tough guys! And just to get this discussion thread back on track: I've now been to Worlds of Fun's Halloween festivities twice this season, and other than some huge issues with crowd control during the opening parade of Haunts (Overlord's Awakening), WOF still puts on a great show. Too bad they don't put this much effort into story and theme the rest of the year....
From Jake Jones
Yes, that is what I was talking about. And a couple people bashed him for saying it, and some supported him. And he did list the Voyage as his #4 coaster I thought. Not too Shabby.Posted October 5, 2009 at 4:06 PM Already two times so far, it must be impressive. By your TR of last year, I assume there is 4-5 haunted houses/mazes and 2-3 haunted sections. STL has 1 pay extra house and a few haunted sections (nothing notable like you described however). I bet WOF draws alot of people for Halloween season.
From James Rao
Close... 6 Houses/Mazes, 3 scare zones, one very cool opening show + parade, and a series of (lame) kid-friendly attractions during the day. It is one event that I am confident every visitor from SFSTL would feel is better done at WoF than at SF. Even those pesky themeparkreview.com posters! ;)Posted October 6, 2009 at 3:06 AM And yes, the park is packed. It is probably the busiest time of the year for WoF. Hmmmm.... you'd think Cedar Fair might figure it out: add a really good central theme, lots of story driven elements, carry that immersion throughout the park, and voilà, people respond favorably!
From James Rao
Oh, yeah, Jake, if you haven't already done so, remember to post your Worlds of Fun ride ratings, reviews, and pictures (if any) on the TPI Worlds of Fun page.Posted October 6, 2009 at 3:09 AM
From James Rao
Thanks for posting your reviews on the WoF page, Jake. Nicely done!Posted October 7, 2009 at 2:59 AM
From Jake Jones
Just a little edit cut and pasting- An old trick of mine (:Posted October 7, 2009 at 6:33 PM My two pictures are not so good, but I might add them later.
From James Rao
Best way to go... cut and paste. Why write reviews twice when you can do 'em once and post them all over the place! ;)Posted October 7, 2009 at 7:17 PM
|
Search Theme Park InsiderReader Reviews, by Theme ParkUnited States/Canada Top 20 *
Other U.S. parksInternational parksWater parksTheme Park Insider on Twitter
New HD video of Cedar Point's Millennium Force: http://bit.ly/5u8iiI That'll fire up your Friday! By the way, @HolidayWorld. We're demanding cranberry sauce on the turkey next time! :-) http://bit.ly/6zDSup Our vote of the week: Holiday traditions and cranberry sauce: http://bit.ly/6zDSup Five Disney legends recall Walt's management style: http://bit.ly/uhv5B #IAAPA2009 Theme Park Reviews, Features, Advice
Theme Park News Archive2009Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov.
2008Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
2007Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
2006Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec.
2005Dec.
2004-2005Staff column archive
|
