Transcript
urfavoritecoastersux: I'm Zach and... My apartment's under 80 degrees. Yeah.
Ben: I'm Ben and I'm... Uh...
Ben: Damn I can't think of anything this week. You know what? I'll just tell people my name is spelt with two N's.
cycloneman: I'm Daynon and I am on a bunch of opiates right now.
Ben: Nice.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Well. Is it fun at least?
cycloneman: I mean, I Just got back from being at the pub for the local bear meetup. This is not a joke, by the way. um And I...
Ben: cliff
cycloneman: And I took two Percocets before I went and then drank and almost... passed out. from one drink because I was on opiates. So yeah, it's been fun.
Ben: Oh shit.
cycloneman: Yeah. It was a cocktail i I made because they have a black currant juice. Um... and you can't really get like black currant anything here as a British pub.
cycloneman: So I got... I asked for black currant juice mixed with Sprite and a double shot of vodka. And I was good.
Ben: Damn.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: I think that constitutes a cheap date, right?
cycloneman: Yeah. You know? Percocets and liquor.
Ben: I know it says... Not to drink on it. like ah Actually, that kind of reminds me of that. um that Arrested Development joke where it's like, Lucia thought that the drowsy eye warning was a winking eye.
Ben: suggestion or whatever. You know?
cycloneman: it is It is very true. You just get drowsy.
cycloneman: But then I had to... Coke Zeros and because I'm... 36 years old and I had Coke Zero. after 10 p .m. I'm wired.
cycloneman: So, you know.
Ben: Yeah, that is. um That is true. That's like a newer thing I'm noticing.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Although... Um... also like soda in general like i i didn't drink it for many many years and then Trying to replace it with alcohol. like just like a coke zero
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: sometimes it hits and then yeah it's like oh yeah i forgot this shit has like uh
cycloneman: Caffeine
Ben: Kathy. Yeah.
cycloneman: If I have more than one too close to my bedtime, um I can't fall asleep. Wow, this is a very boring conversation for a rollercoaster podcast.
Ben: I know.
cycloneman: We're doing great. I haven't been on the show in, what, a year and a half, two years? We're talking about soda.
Ben: I mean, we're picking it up from a... a little bit of a pause so
cycloneman: Fair fair Or I guess you guys call it pop.
Ben: Oh, in Illinois.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Yeah, I think Zach, the Chicago. Yeah, it's like. Milwaukee was always in a soda bubble. like I'd never heard the word pop until... I was like 12 years old in Indiana.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: I think Chicago says pop for some reason.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, but I used to hear Soda. i remember hearing soda a lot i think you hear both in chicago Kind of interchangeable.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Nobody's gonna... look at you weird for saying one or the other.
cycloneman: Where I'm from will look at you weird.
cycloneman: Right. New Yorkers are just known for that.
urfavoritecoastersux: I was going to say New York or Orlando.
cycloneman: Um... If you say pop in Orlando... People are going to know what you're talking about. i swear to god if you said pop where i'm from in new york if people would have no idea
cycloneman: Maybe they would. i would like Maybe I can give people some more credit. but You know.
urfavoritecoastersux: That's.
cycloneman: We're stubborn.
urfavoritecoastersux: the The worldly city of New York.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Fucking, I can't. shit on New York. I'm from Chicago.
cycloneman: I'm i' am from Brooklyn. I can easily shit on New York.
urfavoritecoastersux: like that's the thing is that I can't You can really only shit on a place if you got the the right experience.
cycloneman: I mean I got nothing bad to say about Chicago. Um... My first sign to Chicago, I was 28. And I actually remember what my Facebook post said that day. I said...
cycloneman: Dear Chicago. Raging Bull is actually really good, despite what people have been saying, and I'm sorry that I talked smack about your pizza. This stuff is delicious. Sincerely, a New Yorker
urfavoritecoastersux: a
cycloneman: I did. I... had Deep Dish. At Super Rosa, I think was the name of the restaurant. It was near where my cousin lives.
cycloneman: And it was really good. And I was like, you know what? I'm sorry, I've talked bad about this for years. I was wrong.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I think if we if we do away with the expectation. of like pizza in the regular sense.
cycloneman: Yeah, it's a cheese and tomato casserole.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, exactly it like it's It's really pizza in name only. like You get a slice, but like...
cycloneman: I...
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it's it's just it's a different category.
cycloneman: I mean, i will I will talk smack about... um Your tavern -style pizza. Like, who wants it cut in squares?
Ben: So it's ah crispy. You can experience the... cracker thin crisp of the pizza and experience the toppings without the bread. I don't know
cycloneman: Exciting.
Ben: That's what people say It's good if you have enough if you got like good meat on it You got to get. at least sausage, pepperoni.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: like uncured ham like that's really what it's about it's like more about meat and shit. but
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it has to be good.
cycloneman: a
urfavoritecoastersux: people Like, it has to be a really good. tavern style but then Like... yeah if the the toppings and the cheese and the crust are all really lined up.
urfavoritecoastersux: then it's it's solid. problem is shit loads of places in chicago will be like yeah we do tavern style and it's like Fuck is this?
cycloneman: It's just cutting squares.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, this is just tiny pizza squares. Fuck you.
Ben: and so Yeah, it's a frozen pizza.
cycloneman: Oh, God, no.
Ben: That they just re -
urfavoritecoastersux: yeah Yeah, this shit's Red Baron. What's going on?
Ben: I don't know how true this was, but I just remember. Because I took this marketing class and we went to. What the fuck was it? Sargento's Pizza? which is in...
Ben: Milwaukee. And apparently... something There's some crazy stat where it was like, or they claim that 75 % of frozen pizzas are consumed. in Wisconsin.
cycloneman: That's sad. That's a very sad statistic.
Ben: Yeah. Yeah. I don't know how true it is. I don't want to look it up. but i i was also like yeah that's probably fair because people would have as a kid deep freezes in their basement.
Ben: Just full of like 25 frozen pizzas. And it was just like. Yeah. Go grab a pizza.
cycloneman: Yeah, like forever.
Ben: Like we don't want.
cycloneman: Like for a rainy day.
Ben: We do. yeah it's like yeah we don't want to cook just grab a pizza and if you want it you can stack the two pizzas make it a calzone
cycloneman: Oh, fancy.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: I remember. when i was i don't know like 20 years old, 21 maybe. I got like. Two of the small sized frozen pizzas. Like the ones that are like.
urfavoritecoastersux: A little smaller than a paper plate, you know.
cycloneman: Okay.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: And I made the. I made those and I put a fucking burger between them.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Nice.
urfavoritecoastersux: And I'm pretty sure.
cycloneman: Well...
urfavoritecoastersux: I'm pretty sure I made a photo trip report of the entire process. On the gap.
cycloneman: Rest in peace, The Gap. Um... Disneyland Paris used to have a pizza burger. And I remember I was so excited to try it. And that's exactly what it was. The bun were two mini personal pizzas just the size of a hamburger bun.
cycloneman: with the cheeseburger in the middle.
urfavoritecoastersux: You know... Love it.
cycloneman: It was so good.
urfavoritecoastersux: I bet, man. that's
cycloneman: And then... um Here in Orlando, back in like... 2011 Magic Kingdom. was like, I remember there was a little flyer.
cycloneman: Um... for they they were advertising like a pizza burger at um um Cosmic Rays because they were trying to like try different little foods. like They've gotten so much better now, but back then it was still pretty bad.
cycloneman: And I remember saying being so excited. I'm like, oh my God, they have pizza burger. It's going to be just like Disneyland Paris. It was not. It was literally one of the terrible Disney burgers with... tomato sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni.
cycloneman: And I was like, well that's pathetic.
urfavoritecoastersux: Aww.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: I feel like
Ben: We'll be covered.
urfavoritecoastersux: The Disney World food is like...
cycloneman: It's gotten better.
urfavoritecoastersux: I was going to say, I feel like it's like... It's not that it's bad. It's just like. It's not as good as the hype.
cycloneman: I don't understand why it had hype. in the first place? I mean it - Okay, well... Social media gave it hype. There was never hype but really for any sort of Disney food.
cycloneman: before then, other than people were like obsessed with turkey legs. And... back in the day, Liberty Tree Tavern. um because it had funnel cakes and churros, also did bait.
cycloneman: um like fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and they sold chocolate chip cookie sandwich ice cream sandwiches there where they would just scoop the ice cream and put it in between the two fresh baked cookies.
urfavoritecoastersux: Hell yeah.
cycloneman: And it was so good. Um... But yeah, as the years have gone on, I fully blame... I... influencers and social media. Try to like.
cycloneman: Push theme park food and be like, I mean which truthfully I think it's... pushed parks to make better food and it really does work out But...
cycloneman: So many people like the whole, oh, I just come to Disney for the snacks. And I'm like, the snacks aren't great. Like, I don't get it.
urfavoritecoastersux: but Yeah, it's...
Ben: Plus the plus size park hoppers. Really blow up the food scene With like all the videos
cycloneman: Really? Well, I think that i think that's a problem, too, is because—
Ben: Yeah, that's like...
cycloneman: Especially with Disney and Universal, you get all these like local Disney vloggers who are constantly vlogging updates from the park. And most of it is merchandise and food, because...
cycloneman: You never see them ride a ride or any of that.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Um...
Ben: that's actually one thing that always sticks out whenever i fall into a trap and get stuck in a disney vlog it is literally merchandise and food it's going to stores And then it's just eating the food.
Ben: I don't.
cycloneman: And I.
Ben: Get it?
cycloneman: And I.
Ben: Disney... has found a way to like fuck their consumers
cycloneman: Oh yeah.
Ben: Um, We talked about it with D23 and just like. the resale shit and like.
cycloneman: Oh, it's so bad, the Reassail shit.
Ben: I...
cycloneman: It's so bad.
Ben: uh
cycloneman: they were Disney has had to put limits when they do the releases for stuff, telling people they can't buy more than X amount of items because they know people are just buying them to resell. Looks atrocious.
Ben: Yeah, that seems...
cycloneman: That kid's humorism is out of control.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, but, you know... i i gotta be that guy and just point out that like If the consumer is stopped. participating.
cycloneman: Then you don't get the money.
urfavoritecoastersux: The whole thing. The whole thing falls apart.
cycloneman: Well... Very good point, because that's something I have to point out to... dumbthusies all the time. I'm not saying all enthusiasts are dumb, because they're not, but I'm specifically talking about dumbthusies who don't understand that theme parks and amusement parks are businesses.
cycloneman: They don't cater to enthusiasts. They're not here for you. They're here to make money and bring people in. Like I saw, so I keep seeing people complaining about all these.
cycloneman: They're like, oh, everyone's just getting family coasters. And I'm like. Good. You need those intermediate coasters. You can't just build thrill coaster, thrill coaster, thrill coaster, thrill coaster, because you're going to... push some people away like ah Someone complained about...
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: um Silver Dollar City's new ride. And I was like, have you... been to silver dollar city like this is perfect for them Especially because they're getting rid of Thunderation. They're literally replacing...
cycloneman: They're getting rid of their mind training, getting a new modern one. Because if they got rid of it, it didn't replace it with that same like level. of, you know... ride then they just don't have anything No good.
cycloneman: I don't know. So. let's
Ben: I did see...
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Yeah, i did' I did see someone complain about how all of their rides are just remakes and that they have nothing original. But I'd argue that. in a park like that that is so um it's like so i don't i wouldn't i don't know how to say it right' special it's like special for people right we're like if you take away something classic and don't replace it you get so much more heat for that.
cycloneman: backlash.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Well, also, if they didn't replace Thunderation... Guess what? That park no longer has a family coaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well...
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, and like...
cycloneman: And... For a park like that, you need a family coaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: Those two.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, and those two replacements specifically are like significant in terms of, yes, that's a family coaster that's needed. And it was the first coaster at the park.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: So like. the significance again of A family coaster. Yes. And then. Fire in the hole. is the dark ride of the park. and it's based on a true story
cycloneman: Which I think is so... I... Love. Love, love Silver Dollar Study. It's actually my favorite theme park in the U .S. And part of what I love about it is that it's based off...
cycloneman: history. and local history and the fact that fire in the hole is A real story that actually happened there is wild.
Ben: Yeah. Oh yeah. It has, ah like... ah even though it's not necessarily a locals park it has that kind of lore with people who go there all the time because
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: It's got that pull and that whole like. you know. mid that kind of Dead Zone of Theme Park Midwest midwest Region. I mean, like I know. of I like it. meet you meet people all around the country who like grew up going there or went there as kids or something it's pretty
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: I think its significance is... kind of under misunderstood.
cycloneman: And it's funny because anytime someone talks about Dollywood... Rest in peace, Dolly. um I always say, Dollywood's great, but have you been to Silver Dollar City? Um.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: but But actually, they're... both solid parks. Silver Dollywood is definitely... become more of a coaster thrill park in recent years, which is... Still weird to me, but...
cycloneman: They still have that happy balance that you need. Like Fiesta Texas getting a Werewolf George or whatever it's called. ah ah I know it's Werewolf Gorge.
cycloneman: Right? Wait, what they don't know?
urfavoritecoastersux: Wolf Wolfman Jack
cycloneman: Yeah. Wolfman Jack. um Curse of the Werewolf. um I saw people complaining about Fiesta Texas getting that ride. And they're like, oh, man.
cycloneman: you know blah yeah stupid family coaster we should have gotten something better and i'm like well The last... coaster you got was an RMC and the last coaster before that was an RMC.
cycloneman: And, like...
urfavoritecoastersux: And a B and &M dive coaster.
cycloneman: Last. Oh yeah, the deep I forgot about the dive coaster. like you It's all thrills. like let this park have and fiesta texas very much is a family park i mean yeah it has thrill rides but it also has tons of family rides it has the shows like it brings in families so You want to hit that market where, you know, little kid and grandma can go ride.
cycloneman: You know... Boy George the Wolf. Wow. You know, the teenagers go ride Rattler. It's also Fiesta Texas directly competes with SeaWorld.
cycloneman: which is another family, you know? oriented park. So like I make sense, but. No, we deserved a better ride. We should have gotten... I don't know some bullshit.
Ben: Yeah, and Great America's getting... their family coaster which it def it definitely needs
cycloneman: Exactly.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: I mean, I i do see why people are... like why some people will get annoyed because it's like It feels like that's all Parks are putting in right now. But that's not a bad thing. Like, it needs to happen.
Ben: Yeah, I think it definitely is better the way they're doing it now versus in... uh like oh seven oh six and oh seven remember that Weird. ah Was it was his name?
Ben: Mark Shapiro.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. It was like.
Ben: Where it was like... every part gets the wiggles and then it's just it's like a a playground with
cycloneman: Kitty.
cycloneman: Yep.
Ben: slides and... little fountains and...
cycloneman: Uh - And that was the problem that happened at Great Adventure. was... We had nothing in the middle for a while. It was thrill coasters and kiddie rides.
cycloneman: End. Then we built Dark Knight and everybody got mad.
cycloneman: Oh.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: I don't know.
Ben: To be fair.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: To be fair though, like. I thinking back on it, it is crazy. if That is a $10 million. dollars Wild mouse.
cycloneman: well You know, so I was actually at the Dark Knight Media Day, and I remember being thoroughly impressed. I mean, truthfully, i've obviously we knew it was a... mock mouse, so that wasn't a surprise.
cycloneman: But like seeing the effort they put into it with the pre -show, which probably was most of the budget. um The theming, which was actually all working back then, like... It was impressive.
cycloneman: Um...
Ben: Yeah, I will say the first year when everything was on, with the because I think Great America, I don't know if they were all the same, but... ah Great America had three pre -shows.
cycloneman: Three?
Ben: I think.
urfavoritecoastersux: No.
Ben: Yeah, there was a...
cycloneman: No, it's just the one. i mean I mean, I've done Great Americas, and it was just...
Ben: Oh shit. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. You're right.
cycloneman: But...
Ben: Out. i was thinking of terminator salvation that one had like three pre -shows
cycloneman: yes Uh, but... with Dark Knight, like... People hated it because they were expecting a thrill coaster.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Like, we were joking at Great Adventure. We're like, it's not El Toro in a box. but people would But that would get full queues and people would come out of the ride booing. Because the exit was next to our outdoor section outdoor queue.
cycloneman: And people would be like, boo, don't waste your time. It sucks. Don't waste your time. Like, everyone would come out booing. It was actually very funny.
Ben: And what's funny about that. And what's funny about that too is that that was in 08. YouTube was definitely a thing, and I'm pretty sure the POV... And all the media, like...
Ben: uh, the teaser footage all existed.
cycloneman: Yep.
Ben: So that ride should not have been a surprise to anybody getting on it.
cycloneman: The... problem was, and I remember talking to um At the time, Angel Ariston was the PR representative at Great Adventure. um because this is back when I was working with greatadventurehistory .com.
cycloneman: That's how I got to the media day for that. And actually, my media day video is still on, is up on my YouTube channel. from way back, but... I remember talking to them about it. and ah And this was like months after about the backlash. And she was like, we weren't allowed to advertise it as a family ride because like we know it's a family coaster.
cycloneman: but because of the context of the movie. and it being darker and violent they were not allowed to advertise it as a family ride.
Ben: Oh interesting.
cycloneman: Which... Looking back Like, it was a dumb choice to make it a family coaster when you really look at it, but it makes sense as to why they couldn't advertise. you know for kids
Ben: That's why I always... thought that they should have just neat i should have just themed it to like Mr. Six's crazy bus or something and just put in
cycloneman: a mr
Ben: techno music and strobe lights and fog and just have it like a The cars, it could be like little mini buses.
cycloneman: Oh my god, that would have been horrible.
urfavoritecoastersux: yeah Yeah, I can kind of understand the booing.
Ben: nothing
urfavoritecoastersux: Because, like... If your only frame of reference is not being a coaster person is like... oh batman the ride and especially great adventure like Batman and Robin the Chiller.
cycloneman: Well, that was another really big thing. people that were local And even some enthusiasts were convinced that Chiller was taken down to be replaced by the Dark Knight.
urfavoritecoastersux: Which...
cycloneman: because of where it was.
urfavoritecoastersux: sounds like it would make sense because of the theme and everything right of course
cycloneman: But it wasn't. The Dark Knight replaced our Splashwater Falls. because it was next to the empty plot of Chiller, but everybody was like, they got rid of Chiller for this?
cycloneman: No. They were supposed to exist at the same time. Bye. Ben Chiller decided to be a bitch. And that was the end of that.
Ben: What was the last year for Chiller? 07?
cycloneman: Yep.
Ben: Ah. Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Miss that motherfucker by a year.
cycloneman: I didn't.
cycloneman: I rode chiller every single year I was there.
urfavoritecoastersux: When did it open up? three
cycloneman: 98. Well, 97 for two days, and then 98.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh, shit. Okay.
cycloneman: Because I was at the media day in 98. Because my brother and I were one of the... many so multiple sets of twins that cut the ribbon That's the photo.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Nice.
cycloneman: That's why there's photos in every single like video of Bachelor's history of the media dates, because it's the pictures my mom took.
cycloneman: It's actually funny. like My friends will text me and go, hey, you're in this video I watched. Yeah. It's a picture of me at eight years old, my brother cutting the ribbon.
Ben: See that whole era of the late 90s premier coasters? to me is more futuristic than that whole intimate era.
cycloneman: I agree.
Ben: It was kind of cool. Although they all they all had... They all had weird. problems but if you just think about them as concepts like if you saw The promo art for those rides, even today.
Ben: and you like especially if for mr freeze you look at it and be like what the fuck
cycloneman: well i remember seeing chiller for the first time in person when it was under construction I was seven. And I just remember looking at it thinking, oh my god. Because in, um... the The track was finished.
cycloneman: And... I had never seen anything like it before. And I was like, this is... Terrifying.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: I actually remember saying to my mom, I don't want to ride that at that.
Ben: listen
cycloneman: I mean, I was seven and I was not and it wasn't going to open anyway. as I then get in line for free fall next to it. Whatever. I was a weird kid.
Ben: I don't know how true it was, but apparently Great America was supposed to get... a Mr.
cycloneman: Mr.
Ben: Freeze clean
cycloneman: Freeze, I have heard that.
Ben: I don't know how true it is. I don't even know if it would have worked out. but
cycloneman: I think... well i don't I think it was true that it was considered. and planned. But.
Ben: Because... Yeah, because St. Louis as a park for that didn't. Mick. a whole lot of sense. at the time because That park wasn't even always the park was never like that big of a like of a revenue Grab I thought It just seemed like a weird park to get it.
urfavoritecoastersux: that's That's not what Enchanted Parks needs to think.
cycloneman: I think Mr. Freeze, well, if that's the reason Freeze went to St. Louis, it makes sense, actually. Because that was the time where the Wintrust sued Time Warner. because Time Warner was giving minimal investments to over Texas, over Georgia, and mid -America.
cycloneman: because they were trying to get the Wintrust to sell full shares to take full ownership.
Ben: Oh
cycloneman: Yeah. Which is why... um over Georgia and over Texas got Batman's late, and that's why, like... They got minimal, smaller investments. That's like...
cycloneman: you know What was the big coaster in the 90s at Over Georgia? Viper. the Which, don't get me wrong, I love a Schwarzkopf shuttle loop.
cycloneman: But... Compared to what the other parks are getting. You know, it was things like that.
Ben: Didn't over Georgia get. No, but they got a when did they get their Batman? Was it?
cycloneman: 97.
Ben: Early in it.
cycloneman: Or 90.
Ben: Oh, okay.
cycloneman: No, they either 97 or 98.
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: I can double check that.
Ben: And then Scorcher was...
cycloneman: 99
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: Scorcher! So, apparently, i've I've heard a lot of things about Over Georgia. Um... from people And apparently they wanted to put a Mr. Freeze clone where Scorcher ended up going.
urfavoritecoastersux: What?
cycloneman: Yeah.
cycloneman: there was also There was a lot of plans in that park. Batman opened in 97 at Over Georgia. I just checked. rcdb
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: Um...
Ben: Damn, that seems late for one of the later ones then.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I think Texas was 99.
Ben: Thanks.
cycloneman: Texas was the last one. under Time Warner.
Ben: Interesting.
cycloneman: but um Yeah, over Georgia, apparently we're supposed to get Mr. Freeze clone at one point. I was also told that Scorcher's original concept name was Jezebel.
cycloneman: which is why it's Yeah. um
urfavoritecoastersux: Are you fucking kidding me?
cycloneman: No. This is just what I was told. I can't tell you if that's the truth or not. But apparently there was also a couple of concepts for the park. Um... they were They wanted a hyper coaster, and they almost got a Morgan hyper.
cycloneman: That would have gone behind screen machining. and ran across and gone across the like the river.
Ben: Oh cool.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh wow.
cycloneman: Yeah. And apparently also they almost ended up with a Togo hypercoaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: What?
Ben: Yeah, I did. I did know, yeah, apparently... I heard something how Six Flags was going to have or wanted to pursue a contract with Togo for three hyper coasters.
cycloneman: Yeah. six Six Flags was fully in with working with Togo. But you can thank Viper at Great Adventure for that for all falling through.
Ben: That makes sense. Yeah
cycloneman: Um... Also, Togo was really trying in the 90s in the States and every single product failed.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Um... Some haven't had it.
Ben: I did.
cycloneman: I mean, we gotta... I mean... You know, we have to give respect to the Manhattan Express.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yes.
cycloneman: for Zachary Yes. So... I take back what I said, but not really. Oh.
Ben: I did see there was there was a video. where someone recreated the original togo proposal for fiesta texas
cycloneman: Yeah, I've seen that too.
Ben: where Krypton... it looked like and what's funny about it is that it looked like it would have been absolutely mind -blowing in the late 80s
cycloneman: Yes.
Ben: But... completely dated for the late 90s and a floorless coaster was a way better Way better option.
cycloneman: Me agreed.
urfavoritecoastersux: Wait. what what is this
cycloneman: um Fiesta, Texas's... proposed toga. There was a model for it, wasn't there?
Ben: Yeah. Yeah, there was. um it was it was it had a i think it had a triple up helix it was I don't know just imagine uh what is it bandit
urfavoritecoastersux: That's exactly what I thought of when you said a toe veil.
Ben: with
Ben: Yeah, it's it was basically bandit, but the first drop. went off the quarry wall and there was a loop i think
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay, that's... ah Yep.
urfavoritecoastersux: It would have been RMC'd by now.
cycloneman: I'm trying to think of what other fun over -Georgia effects I have. I'm blanking. I know that... Over Georgia was originally supposed to get Dr. Diabolical.
urfavoritecoastersux: Interesting.
cycloneman: um in the Scream Punk section, which is why... They made a Scream Punk section, but right now it's only... the za the discovery.
Ben: I mean, I guess they do have that um Daredevil dive. Which is, I wouldn't say similar, but it's I don't know beyond vertical drop.
cycloneman: Meh.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, that's a very mid coaster
cycloneman: I would rather take the scrambler that was there that they replaced it with.
cycloneman: It was an indoor scrambler.
Ben: What was weird about...
cycloneman: It was great.
Ben: Oh, nice. Yeah, the the weird thing about Daredevil Dive is how big it is how like how much space the layout takes up considering it's such a It could be such a compact coaster.
cycloneman: You know it's a clone, right?
Ben: of...
cycloneman: Anubis.
Ben: One of the...
cycloneman: at Popsaland.
Ben: Oh.
cycloneman: But the difference is... Anubis has a launch. and a top hat.
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: But when you come out of the top hat, it's the exact same layout as Daredevil Dive.
Ben: Okay, that makes sense.
cycloneman: it was And I didn't know that until I wrote it, and I was like, wait a minute.
urfavoritecoastersux: Interesting.
cycloneman: I'll sit down.
Ben: And I knew...
cycloneman: Huh?
Ben: and anubis anubis is first right and then they
cycloneman: And New Christmas first, yeah.
Ben: Okay, that makes sense.
urfavoritecoastersux: What year did Daredevil die? What was it like? 2010.
cycloneman: 2011.
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: I remember that indoor scrambler. That was fun. They played music in there.
cycloneman: It was fun. I love indoor scramblers.
cycloneman: Ender Scramblers are a good time. Unless you're Ride Playland and then you kill people.
urfavoritecoastersux: oh
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Did it... Did it ah have the... Music and lights like, uh... like fun town splash town One.
cycloneman: Probably. I mean, I haven't been to Funtown, but... It did have music and lights.
Ben: Nice.
cycloneman: Remember, I think it was called Shake, Rattle, and Roll.
urfavoritecoastersux: That sounds right.
cycloneman: oh
Ben: Was there ever an SLC in the Six Flags chain called Shake, Rattle, and Roll?
cycloneman: No.
urfavoritecoastersux: No.
Ben: okay because there's it's one of those weird memories i have from browsing the old six flags website
cycloneman: They probably just used the wrong photo.
Ben: remember Remember that. Could be, yeah.
cycloneman: Because I used to do that shit all the time.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, or they're like
Ben: Yeah, that's probably what it was.
urfavoritecoastersux: oh we can't get a picture of an indoor scrambler Hey, just use whatever picture you've got.
cycloneman: Say it.
cycloneman: Yep.
cycloneman: I remember I used to go through the Six Flags sites and look at the different park rides back in like the late 90s when we got a computer. And I remember then being like, that's not that right.
Ben: Yeah, the old Flash site where it had the map.
cycloneman: Yeah! Yes! but
Ben: and it had the really annoying sound effect and then you'd click on it and then it'd open a little portal screen and then Yeah, it had drop downs for the rides.
cycloneman: Yep.
urfavoritecoastersux: Do either of you remember when they would have... Fucking POV videos that you could download. Not for every ride.
cycloneman: Yes.
urfavoritecoastersux: but
cycloneman: And the Cedar Fair Parks had them, too.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Because i I remember that Pete...
Ben: Good old quick. Quick time.
cycloneman: Because I remember the POV, oh my god, quick time. I can remember the POV for Hercules and the trims being off. and being jealous that the trims are off.
urfavoritecoastersux: ah
urfavoritecoastersux: That makes sense that ride look dope
cycloneman: Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, I take it back.
cycloneman: I mean...
urfavoritecoastersux: The drop looked dope.
cycloneman: So... With the trims, it was basically a dive coaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh.
cycloneman: okay
Ben: that makes sense
cycloneman: Yeah, if you ever find a video of Hercules, like an off -ride video of Hercules...
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Like, the back of the train is... Like, still trimming while going down the drop.
urfavoritecoastersux: a
cycloneman: Yeah. um It was not a great coaster. I mean, I liked it because... I thought it was weird. But it was it was not great. Peace.
Ben: Yeah, and also in the untrimmed POV. and i think there was some discovery channel or What was that channel? E. There's some on it's on YouTube. There's a video where it shows.
Ben: It must be Hercules Media Day. i at at full speed untrimmed and it shows The airtime that you probably got. when you came back.
Ben: from the lake. i'm trying to remember the lat you basically like do the first drop you do the turnaround
cycloneman: And then he'd do like three.
Ben: And then when you...
cycloneman: Like... Three hills going up.
Ben: Yeah, yeah, and then there's a drop when you come back towards the station.
cycloneman: Yes.
Ben: That looked like it had crazy airtime. um when it ran untrimmed.
cycloneman: There was... I can confirm with you that that ride had zero airtime.
Ben: I mean, not surprised.
urfavoritecoastersux: yeah the only thing that like really i can remember stood out was Done. the drop onto the leg.
cycloneman: I mean it was a really cool visual.
cycloneman: Listen, I liked Hercules. It wasn't good, but I liked it.
urfavoritecoastersux: but
Ben: When did that close?
cycloneman: 2003.
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: That was its last season.
urfavoritecoastersux: And then Hydra was 2000. five
cycloneman: Yep.
Ben: That's right.
urfavoritecoastersux: I like Hydra.
Ben: I think... hu Weirdly, so I remember in the The old TPR forum days, I think. Hydra meaty day was. Like one of the first.
Ben: Photo trip reports posted on that forum.
cycloneman: really
Ben: I think. I mean, maybe there were other threads where people had photos, but it was like the first thing that was stickied. As like, uh... Where a you know, like a random member posted something That was. like a media day and then rob like stickied it Um...
cycloneman: Well, I know Hydra opened before Kingda Ka did.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Because Hydra opened at the park.
cycloneman: because As much as I shit on Cedar Fair. Back then, they would at least get their rides ready for opening day.
cycloneman: Where with Great Adventure, it was always a gamble. You never knew.
Ben: Yeah, I guess at this point... Hopefully. the merger kind of blends. Mix. more consistent openings across the board.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I feel like Six Flags has always been like... they first they'll be like Opening Spring. And then they'll be like. Opening. Summer.
urfavoritecoastersux: then they'll be like Opening this year.
cycloneman: I still think Busch Gardens Tampa does it the worst.
cycloneman: Opening when we feel like it.
urfavoritecoastersux: Opening 2020. Oops. 2021.
cycloneman: Oops.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oops.
cycloneman: 2022.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. Ah. I still haven't been on it.
cycloneman: Iron quasi.
urfavoritecoastersux: thank you Yeah.
cycloneman: I... I have been on it a lot. I haven't written it in over a year, but I've been on it a lot.
cycloneman: I haven't written many things in over a year.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yay. i mean
Ben: i hope Aren't they getting a giga?
cycloneman: Um, that is the rumor. But nothing is confirmed, and I do not know. I mean, I'm going to be honest, as a resident, And as someone who's been going to Busch Gardens regularly for the last 17 years.
cycloneman: Um... The park, i like I've watched the parks of... severely decline. to the point where i don't even enjoy going last year i went for an evening i went once And it was for the bluesiest event.
cycloneman: um And it was a great time, but like it was still rough at the park before the ERT. And... Truthfully... You know, I hate them so much that I really hope Koopa's revenge is like a fucking frisbee ride or some stupid shit.
Ben: That'd be pretty funny.
cycloneman: I agree.
urfavoritecoastersux: It's an old top spin.
cycloneman: Yep.
Ben: If it's a... I mean, if it's like just a standard Vekoma. multi -launch looping coaster I feel like that'd be fine
cycloneman: Well... There's been a rumor for a while. going around that apparently they wanted a coaster like Pantheon. But I don't think that's true, being Velocicoaster is literally down the street.
cycloneman: Well i not down the street, but down the road. about an hour. But then again, this is the same company that built Kraken literally five minutes away from Hulk. So.
Ben: True. yeah I mean, I think also, I mean, it's a universal property. I just i i don't know. i don't Is there that much crossover? I feel like they'd be fine.
cycloneman: For Busch Gardens and Universal.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Um... Yes and no. ah Locals, for sure.
cycloneman: But...
Ben: Yeah, true.
cycloneman: Not with Taurus. Taurus won't give a shit.
Ben: Yeah. I mean, also Pantheon doesn't. I didn't. think it felt like Velocicoaster at all.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: I felt like they were pretty different. I was a little underwhelmed with Pantheon. It just felt... Really? out of place? End.
cycloneman: I get that.
Ben: Spread out. And. No theming. The ride experience was. Fine. Um... I don't know. just it was It's a very weird ride.
Ben: Because you got that really cool multi -launch uh you know, shuttle mode kind of thing. and But then... The elements are just these. Very large, unpaste elements.
Ben: Which are fun, but they don't flow. I don't know. Everyone loves it. i seem to hate it I guess. I don't know I'm just happy I got on it because I'm technically too tall.
cycloneman: Atta girl.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Well...
urfavoritecoastersux: I mean... The coaster contrarian over here.
cycloneman: I mean, my favorite coaster on that side of the park is Apollo's chariot.
Ben: Now, have you... Have you ever gotten rides on Apollo's chariot that varied in? ah like intensity and airtime.
cycloneman: Um... I always thought it was pretty consistent.
Ben: because i i've only i guess i've been underwhelmed by the airtime on apollos but i always hear people rave about the airtime so i always wonder i'm like am i just getting like bad rides on it
cycloneman: Okay.
cycloneman: No, you're not.
Ben: Or is it just...
cycloneman: Because I had friends tell me it's their favorite B and &M hyper, and then I wrote it with them, and I went... What is wrong with you? This is not the best B &M hyper, but it's fun.
Ben: but
cycloneman: It's good.
Ben: Yeah, it is fun.
cycloneman: I like it.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: But I'm like... they're This is not the best life.
Ben: yeah and like on the flip side growing up at great america i always thought raging bull was kind of lame But now that I've... Moved away? And. every time i go back to great american ride it i actually kind of fall in love with it again because it's
cycloneman: I...
Ben: I think it's. better.
cycloneman: love Raging Bull, and I wish that there were more B and &M hyper twisters. I mean, they build with a parked one.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: but I think Raging Bull is fantastic.
Ben: Yeah, and it's still it still holds up. And now that they've untrimmed that first bunny hill, it's like a completely different ride.
cycloneman: And I've gotten to experience that.
Ben: Yeah, because for growing up there for... ever it was like the fucking lame ass hill that had no airtime
cycloneman: I...
Ben: you just get completely... cro crushed on the trims.
cycloneman: And that's what I've always heard. uh my first time to great america um It was so cold, the trims were off.
Ben: Oh nice, yeah.
cycloneman: And then when I went the second time... i went back the following year it was trimmed but i was like i don't care i still like it And then I went back to Great America and... Not last year, but the year before.
cycloneman: And it was... plowing through the course. And also the crew was so fast. um They were running three trains, and... They would literally dispatch the next the train as soon as it cleared the lift.
cycloneman: before the other the third train even hit the brakes. And I was like, this is impressive. This is cool.
cycloneman: Because we...
Ben: Do you remember?
cycloneman: Huh? huh
Ben: do you remember the do you remember the death stairs on the going up to the station
cycloneman: Yes.
Ben: By far the craziest. Most terrifying wooden staircase.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, apparently.
Ben: I think I've ever seen at a park
urfavoritecoastersux: Apparently they've upgraded it.
cycloneman: Yeah, they just swapped out the series this season.
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: To give you an idea, I timed it.
Ben: this Good, good.
cycloneman: Um. When that particular time when I wrote Raging Bull... And they were rolling the trains as fast as they were. We got in the queue and it was at the entrance, but none of the switchbacks were open.
cycloneman: So it was just a straight shot to the station, but the from the entrance. It was exactly nine minutes.
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: that
Ben: Yeah, that's that that's that's good.
cycloneman: That was awesome.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: like I timed it. And I remember looking at my watch when we got dispatched and I said to my friends, I went, that was nine minutes. This part, I... I will give Great America props. I have always been really impressed by their operations.
cycloneman: have They genuinely always seem to care.
Ben: Mm hmm.
cycloneman: So.
Ben: Yeah, I agree Yeah, the Raging Bull, when it... was Because that was always one thing that was... um kind of hard to believe because definitely when it's like yeah when it's outside of the entrance but no switchbacks are full.
Ben: People would always say it's like under 15 minutes.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: And that's generally pretty true.
Ben: Um, even with like.
cycloneman: and And they were grouping, so that helped.
Ben: Yeah. Oh, yeah. same with like um i mean even same with batman the ride like When... batman the ride is grouping and there's no switchbacks that's like it should be about 10 minutes from the entrance
cycloneman: I... Emma f - full believer in having grouping groupers. but You know, as as a...
cycloneman: you know operations person myself i'm very very very I originally wasn't. I actually, when I worked at Great Adventure, I was so against having groupers at rides because we really didn't. And I was like, grouping is stupid. Assigning rows is dumb.
cycloneman: And then... I moved to Florida and started working at the parks here. and still to this day and then I travel and and watch with a different eye.
cycloneman: If you have a good grouper, your line moves so much smoother. My biggest thing and this is what I always tell my people. um Ah. Honor roll requests.
cycloneman: There is no reason not to. And it's stupid if you say you don't. If you can't honor a Rome request, just admit you're bad at grouping. That's okay And that's what I would tell my... my um my people my operators if they're like Aren't going to do a row request because some people just won't do it And I'm like, if you're working at my ride, you're doing it.
Ben: yeah
urfavoritecoastersux: a
cycloneman: I had.
Ben: Yeah, I know.
cycloneman: I had somebody say that to me. He goes, oh, they're going to have someone mad because they went to the front, and I told them no, and I'm like, why? Oh, I don't do rare requests. Why? Because they used that person work usually worked at a different ride.
cycloneman: but they were trained at um, The coaster. And... See how I'm like still not saying where I work, but I'm talking more openly about it. You guys know where I work. um
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: a place
cycloneman: And. a place with with stuff. I mean, I'm on medical leave, so I actually haven't worked in 11 months, but you know. um
urfavoritecoastersux: It's still a place.
cycloneman: It's still a place, and it still exists. Um... It may or may not be a mock launch coaster. And I can say that now because now there's more than one of them in Florida. Oh, I just gave it away. Anyway. Um...
cycloneman: Yeah, I was like, no, you honor row requests. Like, there's no excuse. just admit you Just tell me right now that you're bad at grouping. and And I said this. I'm like, just tell me you're bad at grouping. That's okay. I can help you just Just say it. like Admit that you're bad at at doing this. Because if you can't honor a row request, you obviously don't know what you're doing.
Ben: Yeah, and my annoyance with the with the no row request thing is um here's the thing if they're doing it sequential from front to back And they're not going to honor it. It's like, whatever. Okay.
Ben: What I don't understand is when they're not doing it. front to back they're just it seems like they're doing it randomly and they will actively not honor a request
cycloneman: I mean...
Ben: even if you're super polite it's like hey can can we please go as far back as possible and they're like nah i go to four and i'm like
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: It's empty gates. in the front and the back this doesn't make sense and obviously that person is just doing it because they can tell you're a Thuzy if you're asking for the back and they just want to take a power trip.
Ben: I mean, I get it, but you know.
cycloneman: I have never turned down a request. unless... And the only time I tell people no... is when the gates are open and they're supposed to be boarding. I'ma get it! looks You missed your opportunity. Now is not the time.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: That I think if if they do that, you gotta be like.
cycloneman: But I have literally never.
urfavoritecoastersux: Sorry, go ahead.
cycloneman: I have literally never. denied a ro request, I have discouraged it and persuaded people to change their mind. or go to a quote unquote better row. um Bye.
cycloneman: I will always do my best to accommodate it because like... These people waited in line. Like, that sucks to be told no. and that's what And I usually use that as an example.
Ben: Mhm.
cycloneman: I would say, how would you feel if you waited? you know, an hour from Velocicoaster and you got to the grouper and you asked for the back and they said, no, go to row three. How would you feel? Well, I'd be mad. Okay, well. Don't do that here.
Ben: is universal and no... Row.
Ben: Selection.
cycloneman: no they'll they'll They'll make accommodations.
Ben: I'm trying to remember
cycloneman: You know... Universal... Okay, so Universal versus Disney with grouping. Disney will double load the gates? And Universal will not double load the gate. They only single load most of the time.
cycloneman: And they wait for the gates to... close before they start loading their single load. Which on coasters like Velocicoaster or Stardust Racers... It's not a problem because the trains aren't too, it's not that many people. Like, it's still a good amount.
cycloneman: but If you do it quick, like, you'll fill every row and you'll be okay. Um... But on Hulk? They struggle. Like... They only single load Hulk.
cycloneman: And they really can't keep up with it depending on how good their operators are. um Because they they most of the time have six people on the platform checking restraints.
cycloneman: so They roll three trains the best they can, and sometimes the groupers can't keep up with it. Um... And you know, there's the firm. People wait for trains, trains don't wait for people.
cycloneman: So like... I'm gonna send a half -empty train because I'm not holding up for you. Keep the i key everything moving. Um... So that annoys me. when i and And Cedar Fair Parks. are the same way. They won't double load the station. They'll only single load it.
cycloneman: And I'm like... You guys are struggling to fill the rows. Like, just double it. I don't understand why they won't. Bye.
Ben: Oh, God. Have you ever... are I don't know if they still do this, but were you familiar with the Ride Pride? thing during hollow weekends at Cedar Point.
cycloneman: No, because I've never been to Hello Weekend. That's a good point.
Ben: Okay, so... it's ah It's a... program for local... sorority houses and fraternity houses to work. at the park during hollow weekends
cycloneman: Basically to get their help to fill in the people who left after the summer.
Ben: Yeah, but I don't think they paid him hourly. It was like you had to fulfill a certain amount of hours for your house. And then your house got like a bonus check.
cycloneman: Wait what?
Ben: at the end of the season.
cycloneman: Is that legal?
Ben: Yeah. i again i don't want to misspeak on the details i'm almost certain yeah like they did not get paid hourly or. Maybe it was. Maybe they got paid hourly and then they got a bonus if they fulfilled the hours. it was i know All I know is it was pretty fucked up.
cycloneman: Okay.
Ben: because they were definitely exploiting workers but they would give them shitty jobs it would be cleaning bathrooms. ah food service, and then... grouping rides that was the only thing they could do on rides they couldn't operate them
urfavoritecoastersux: They're like, to like.
Ben: Um... but so
urfavoritecoastersux: Like technically you're an inmate.
cycloneman: So no. So basically, no no training.
urfavoritecoastersux: So you make eight cents an hour.
Ben: Yeah. yeah
cycloneman: So they were only allowed to group?
Ben: But of course. Yeah. So what would would happen is they would. There would be like a station that was completely full to the brim, but they were still like trying to do row assignment because they didn't understand what they're actually trying to do.
cycloneman: Oh my god.
Ben: Or you would have the person who did take it seriously, but then they were sending up B and &Ms with like... two people in every row.
cycloneman: Oh no.
Ben: Good. So it was yeah, I don't know if they still do that, but whenever they were on a B and &M it was always a shit show
cycloneman: I mean, it's funny when you go to regional parks that do have groupers and they don't. My last time to Kirowinds, they were so short -staffed. Number one, Fury was only running two trains, which I had never seen before. um But they had no grouper.
cycloneman: And the guests there are so conditioned to have groupers. that the guests were standing at the top of the stairs and wouldn't go into the station until the guests boarded the train.
Ben: Holy shit.
cycloneman: And I was like... This is the opposite. like They're so well -trained to have groupers there that the guests were just doing it themselves, but it was also annoying us. because we would see empty seats, and we're like, go in!
Ben: nothing
Ben: Shit, I don't know if those motorcycles are getting picked up. I apologize
cycloneman: You're fine.
urfavoritecoastersux: Go throw something at him.
Ben: They always ride through the alley which is annoying.
urfavoritecoastersux: Are they like crotch rackets or are they like? Boomers on Harleys.
Ben: ah It could potentially be a stolen Harley.
cycloneman: Rad.
Ben: Because... There is a... Our neighborhood, I don't... had a like a little chop shop operation at one point
urfavoritecoastersux: Nice.
Ben: And. There was one night i would like you'd literally hear people. come through the alley. And there's an RV in the house behind us. and they'd be like talking like yeah like i got this i got this motorcycle or i got this car blah blah and then someone would get in and take it somewhere else in the neighborhood and then they would come back.
Ben: It was crazy. i don't think they do that anymore but
urfavoritecoastersux: I got a Harley for 250 bucks.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh man. So. um Yo, we got some. Questions?
cycloneman: all alright
urfavoritecoastersux: I put out the feels for that.
cycloneman: I think we're almost an hour into recording this now, so I think we should probably go. Do those.
Ben: Well, hold on before questions. I just want to touch base quick on thrill glider since that's been announced.
cycloneman: Oh yeah.
Ben: The two train, 16 person.
cycloneman: It's good.
Ben: What a theory.
cycloneman: Ugh.
Ben: It's like... Barely 600 person. theoretical capacity coaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: I did. I did some math on this. Uh... And you'll appreciate this, El Toro Ryan's dad. um
cycloneman: but Wow, my full government name.
urfavoritecoastersux: You don't hear that often. The POV animation is 62 seconds.
urfavoritecoastersux: Fly at Fantasia Land has a 60 to 80 second. Dispatch All right. operations. So I'm splitting the difference, 70 seconds.
urfavoritecoastersux: That's... 51 dispatches an hour. times 16 822. There's my theory that's my predicted hourly capacity.
cycloneman: That was well done.
Ben: All right. So I guess 800 isn't. terrible i guess that's on par
cycloneman: Stop! Great.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it's it's neither.
Ben: Ice.
urfavoritecoastersux: Terrible nor great.
cycloneman: Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: You'll be. If it draws a lot.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: especially where it's placed in the park. It will probably.
cycloneman: And it will.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it'll probably have like... hour and a half, two hour lines regularly.
cycloneman: it looked it It does look fun. It's, you know, if Fly and Tron had a baby.
Ben: Yeah, how much of that theming do you think is going to stick around though?
cycloneman: Um, I was surprised with the amount of theming I saw in that video, and I was like, there's no way any of that's getting built, but I could be wrong, you know? I've been proven wrong before
Ben: Yeah, and the entire waterfall section. I... I'm doubtful. Hopeful but doubtful.
cycloneman: yeah It also looks like it takes up way more space than I thought it would.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: But also the animation video doesn't actually show the park, so... I'm having a hard time picturing where this, I mean, I know where it is. But, i like, you know, the Golden Bear Theater.
cycloneman: But I... I'm... Curious to see how this interacts with what else is already in the park.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, the only structure I could really identify in that whole video is... full throttle station.
cycloneman: The real YOLO coaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: Damn straight.
Ben: Yeah, I did not see X2 in the background.
cycloneman: I didn't see. anything in the background.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I don't know where you would have seen X2 in the background.
cycloneman: Yeah, it was hiding right in plain sight with Goliath. Oh wait, that wasn't there either.
urfavoritecoastersux: But it does look awesome.
cycloneman: Oh, this one popped in my head. Um, listening to the last video, Zach, where you called me out to make fun of you.
cycloneman: Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: What did I say?
cycloneman: It's... About Space Mountain in Paris and how you weren't going to try the - pronounce the name, and then you said that I would probably laugh at you.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh yeah.
cycloneman: Do you know how to say it?
urfavoritecoastersux: No.
cycloneman: Do you want to give it a try while I'm on the show with you?
urfavoritecoastersux: Uh, De La Terre a la Lune.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: All right.
cycloneman: yeah that was That was good. that was That was correct.
urfavoritecoastersux: All right. Alright.
cycloneman: Yeah, I'm not going to make fun of you. Um... I mean it was very American sounding, but it was correct.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, That's the most important part I guess.
cycloneman: I mean, I'm American, but... I mean, I'm American, but I speak French, so. You know, I i pronounce it. derata elaloon But.
cycloneman: I mean, I could be like actual France and go, Space Mountain de la Terre de la Lune.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yes.
cycloneman: where they go mountains and a mountain. But...
urfavoritecoastersux: ha
Ben: Well, also... also What are your thoughts on X2? Is that reopening ever?
cycloneman: Um... Either outcome would not surprise me. If that makes sense. If they decide to not reopen the ride because Cal OSHA exists.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: I wouldn't be surprised if that's the outcome, especially because they pour so, it's the rides a money pit. They pour so much money into it. And they struggle to keep it operational with how much maintenance and money they're pouring into it, even though it does have a following and it is popular.
cycloneman: Um... I can see it going both ways. I can see them reopening the ride and just being like, yeah, whatever. Um... But I also would not be surprised if it closed forever.
cycloneman: Um... My feelings on Exeter are very polarizing. um I... Absolutely hated it. for years. And...
cycloneman: In 2023, I wrote it. in February. So I was wearing multiple layers. So I had extra padding and cushion. And I was like, oh my God, that ride was great. And then in October, I went back and I was like, I changed my mind. I don't like this anymore.
cycloneman: Um... I... could care less if they got rid of X, which is, I know, a very hot topic because... Like, my roommate, it's her number one coaster.
urfavoritecoastersux: pearl
cycloneman: She loves X, which is why we went in February to ride on her birthday. but My favorite coaster at Magic Mountain is Viper. And I hate X, if that puts it in any sort of perspective.
Ben: Yeah, I mean, did you... Get the whole back row.
cycloneman: Yep.
Ben: outside last Raven turn experience.
cycloneman: Where I knock the shit out of me? Yes. I also think the last...
Ben: That's...
cycloneman: um Is it a half -half? When it it flips direction. is alter I think the whole like...
Ben: Oh, yeah.
cycloneman: First of all, I think the whole ride is violent. But especially after the turnaround where you start where you change direction and then the the final Raven turn and it has that snap. If you're not prepared, that's going to knock you out.
Ben: Yeah, and we were and we were talking about that last time. But I do think that the motions... And. The motions on the body are very very unique. on that ride because it's not normal for your head.
Ben: to be jerking back and forth into the head restraint.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: And I can... totally understand why people have head injuries.
cycloneman: I mean, I'll be honest.
Ben: Okay.
cycloneman: I... adore the beginning of X. Like, I love the first drop in the first Raven turn. And then the ride could be over. that's where That's where my loyalty ends.
cycloneman: Because I think it has one of the craziest drops. Like, I love it. But...
urfavoritecoastersux: i was
cycloneman: It's just so violent
urfavoritecoastersux: I was thinking about the whole X2 thing. Now I know we don't have the details about the settlement.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: but All that we know about that settlement is that six flags settled. but who is a party to the lawsuit that we haven't heard confirmed was settled. SNS.
urfavoritecoastersux: Right. And here's my thoughts, right?
urfavoritecoastersux: they Six flags. And that's what's written on this lawsuit. And the lawsuit was going to say. something to the effect of SNS.
urfavoritecoastersux: Did an inspection of the ride. after. That guy died. And they were like. No, we're not signing off on these trains. We have a third version now.
urfavoritecoastersux: Those are the only ones that can safely operate.
cycloneman: I could see that.
urfavoritecoastersux: And Six Flags is like... We're not buying those.
cycloneman: I can also see that.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. and and so they settled so that that theory only remains a theory for idiots on the internet.
cycloneman: ah
urfavoritecoastersux: Not in the public record.
cycloneman: You know, I rode Ejinaika at Fuji -Q Highlands. the year it opened. So I was 16. And I remember being, and like, I remember being absolutely violent. as hell.
cycloneman: But the thing was like hella padded. And there are these giant... padded cushions on the harness and the headrest was padded. So when I rode X2 for the first time, I was shocked there was no padding on it like there is on Ajanika.
Ben: Yeah, it is. i It is surprising like when you compare because I actually was just watching a video of Asia Nica before we started.
cycloneman: Yeah
Ben: Um... Yeah, they are the
cycloneman: Nerd.
Ben: The pads are huge.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: But also, isn't the rest of the train pretty much the same though? Like the seats and all that are almost identical.
cycloneman: I think so.
Ben: And I'm surprised, though, like the actual headrest itself, though.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
Ben: from like of all the pain it's really for me just like the back of the head like that headrest is not very Forgiving.
cycloneman: No, it is not
Ben: and especially if you hit it like if you hit it if you met if your head is misaligned and you hit the edge of the headrest right you know, kind of lips out. It hurts even more.
urfavoritecoastersux: they were like
Ben: Right.
urfavoritecoastersux: Six Flags was like... I don't know, $20 per seat. Can't sleep. for padding and that's just sns is like We can guarantee within 98 % that no major injuries will occur with this padding.
urfavoritecoastersux: The Six Flags is like... Yeah, I don't know. What about a four bucks a seat?
Ben: As far as actually...
cycloneman: All right, thanks.
Ben: Spurs six -fly shipping out Okay. Do you know this, Stanton? When... You know the whole test where they put the dummy with the accelerometers and they do all the...
cycloneman: Yeah
Ben: like impact is that required every year or only when the ride opens.
cycloneman: As far as I... Okay, so for any ride I've ever worked... Well, I think it depends on the state Because... I only know of doing it when a ride opens, but every once in a while I find that they'll... through testing.
cycloneman: I don't. Actually, I have an answer for that, because any ride I've ever worked, we've only ever done it when it opened. That I'm aware of.
Ben: Yeah, and this is this got me. curious or you know questioning because I feel like a ride like X2 has so many different variables. that can change over time.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: and by seat and by row and by weight weather whatever so I'm actually curious. If they only did that testing. when the ride opened with the new trains and they haven't done it since.
cycloneman: Probably not. That's what I would assume. But um unless California requires it annually.
Ben: Which then...
Ben: yeah which i'm not i'm i'd be so fascinated to know if that's the case because I... wouldn't be surprised if it if they did those testing if they did that testing again, and especially if they tested it on like...
Ben: a 98 degree day when the ride's been running for 12 hours.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: and like okay we'll test the like outside last row seat or something and they discover like oh shit actually
cycloneman: Actually...
Ben: The ride's pulling.
cycloneman: This person's dead.
Ben: Tenji. Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, well, Ben, you know, you're making. you're making another good case for the thing i said uh last time about I think there's a good it would be a good idea to have some tighter regulations around rides.
urfavoritecoastersux: at least for standardization sake.
Ben: Yeah, as long as it was...
Ben: Yeah, because I'm... There's, I mean, I guess, it I don't know. I guess I... ah federal As long as there's federal oversight, that makes sense.
cycloneman: And there isn't.
Ben: I mean...
cycloneman: It's all state level. Not federal.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: Because I know Florida... um Ride safety is done by the... Department of... Agriculture.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: So.
urfavoritecoastersux: I think that's kind of standard in most states.
cycloneman: Is it?
Ben: sounds like it yeah i know wisconsin's like that a lot of so a lot of carnivals are like that too
cycloneman: yeah Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Because like industrial machinery. It.
Ben: It's the closest thing.
cycloneman: Oh, yeah you know what?
Ben: Like...
cycloneman: That makes sense. I never thought of it that way.
Ben: Yeah, especially, and I think also too, from like user operator. as well like there's an element of user training. manufacturer specifications, manufacturer procedures.
Ben: Like. you know manufacturer stated operational steps
cycloneman: yes
Ben: Um, all that stuff it's like it's actually pretty close it's pretty similar the only difference is that agriculture doesn't move people Which... I know. like with engineering stuff, once you get into people moving.
Ben: territory, then it suddenly changes. safety regulation. Bye.
Ben: Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty sure that all the states, the Department of to department of Agriculture's job is really just to interpret the manufacturers. Like. instructions and steps of inspection and all that and just ensure that it's working. as the manufacturer intended but Yeah. a department Department of Agriculture is not going to know about.
Ben: testing with accelerometers. and At least I don't think.
urfavoritecoastersux: Again, highlighting exactly what I'm talking about. it's in most states i think it's the department of agriculture but it's up to each state individually So I think.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: having a standardization Even if it's not, you know... its own department or bureau or whatever. Like... Let me get every state. It's the same thing and they all follow the same guidelines They all do.
urfavoritecoastersux: accelerometer testing every year after an attraction's been open for five years or if there's been a major accident.
Ben: I will say though... as far as the testing and accelerometer thing Honestly. X2 might be the only coaster that... would require that so type of thing.
Ben: Because... every Every other ride, a B and &M, of a Vekoma. Like... are They're going to pretty much stay within the ranges that the manufacturer intends. x2 is just it's so variable and I don't know if the train's not running good one day.
Ben: That's probably where it slips out of the the safety range.
cycloneman: Probably.
Ben: It is. you take x2 out of the equation then suddenly it's like oh then 99 .9 % of the time it's all good.
Ben: Except for Mount Olympus wooden coasters, I'm pretty sure. if you did that type of testing on some of their rides when they're running in poor shape like you'd find some 10g potholes on riders necks
cycloneman: And they'll say, that's fine, that just adds character.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: After the owner kicks the dog.
Ben: Yep.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yep. And also...
cycloneman: Will never not be funny. me
urfavoritecoastersux: They don't have insurance. for their rides or the dogs.
Ben: Yeah, I was going into a rabbit hole on G -forces and... g -forces on the body and stuff like that and I'm almost certain that there are probably cases when a roller coaster gets so rough when it has those nasty potholes that it probably pulls 10 G's.
Ben: in certain...
cycloneman: It's possible.
Ben: But like yeah, but you'd have to have the specific equipment that could get to that. you know. that level of testing, like within like. fractions of seconds.
cycloneman: Correct. and its ah And it's not sustained. GeForce either.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: It's like a split second. So it's it's weird how your body reacts differently to that sort of stuff.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I still can't quite exactly wrap my head around that but like I appreciate you sending over that that interesting article, Ben.
Ben: Yeah, that's crazy. a car accident without an airbag Could test up to 1 ,000 G's i think they said 70 miles per hour no seatbelt no airbag
Ben: And then... like say jumping three feet with your knees locked is like Was it 100 Gs?
Ben: There's like all these different tests of testable ranges that are like kind of shocking to see. But I guess it makes sense.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, i mean kind of. I don't know. um I feel like it would have been helpful if I took a physics class at some point
urfavoritecoastersux: Anyway... With that said. um
cycloneman: Yo, I just got hate mail.
urfavoritecoastersux: Really?
Ben: Wait what?
cycloneman: Yeah
cycloneman: On the your favorite coaster sucks. and I mean, I'll tell Ryan's dad.
cycloneman: Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh, somebody
cycloneman: Someone, I'm just going to put this on the air right now. Someone who's... Made an Instagram account called AmericaFirstAlways250 and has... It's following one person, which is America250.
cycloneman: Message me on El Toro Ryan's dad. Because I shared... um The Charlie Kirk thing where I said, you know, Charlie Kirk was a piece of shit.
cycloneman: But I even wrote, and and I'm going to read what my comment says. Here we go again with the post about this man's legacy and faith and bullshit. As a reminder, most people didn't know who he even was until he was dead, and he was also not a good person, which once again does not mean I support murder, because I don't think he deserved to die, but I'm not going to mourn for a bad person that meant nothing to me.
cycloneman: Do you guys want to read the hate mail I just got?
cycloneman: um Because this always happens to me.
urfavoritecoastersux: Go ahead.
cycloneman: Um... danan So he used my full name, so he knows my name. Danon, you are absolutely disgusting for posting this. Completely disgraceful. that you stoop to this level. This is not your time to share your hatred.
cycloneman: Quote, Despite liberals like you claiming to be loving and tolerant, you guys never are your you guys never are your violent and push violence. Um...
cycloneman: It's why so many on the moderate independent side have moved to Republican. You wonder why Trump won and why Republicans will continue to win because people like you are extremely hurtful and use anti -American racist rhetoric.
cycloneman: Did you actually watch any of Charlie's debates? The full videos? Nope, you didn't. You just immediately made a liberal ill -informed judgment without any context. content whatsoever because liberal media says Trump and Republicans bad.
cycloneman: This is extremely disgraceful. Liberals like you. who He wrote whore. The Tolerant Ones. I guess he meant Who's. Canceling people for simply having a different viewpoint. For thinking criminals shouldn't be released by corrupt liberal judges onto the streets to harm innocent innocent individuals.
cycloneman: That fatherless. Dude, what?
Ben: It sounds like it's probably copy and pasted multiple times too.
cycloneman: um I think this is probably Andrew Locke, who absolutely hates me and is obsessed with me for some reason. and I never... said anything to the studio. Oh, I got a second message.
urfavoritecoastersux: Wait a second. She got... I... charlie kerr Tattoo.
cycloneman: What?
Ben: oh yeah yeah this is so i i It's just someone we know in that I put it in the text.
cycloneman: homes and ah The fatherless Holmes and corrupt politicians allowing juveniles to be dangerous and cause crime is acceptable. Charlie was for America. our country and reducing crime. It was for families of traditional values.
cycloneman: of doing good and working hard. You used an inappropriate song for this post too and did the same with RFK Jr. You once posted a horrible photo of Trump on your Facebook page. Twitch almost got you banned, but didn't because liberal meta had double standards. You're part of the problem pushing violent extremism and liberal propaganda supremacy in the world. You should be absolutely embarrassed and ashamed of yourself point posting this.
cycloneman: If you actually took the time to know Charlie and his actual beliefs... You know that he isn't anything but a family man that wanted to address the horrible things going on in this world. with Sin and the Democrats trying to destroy our society.
cycloneman: Where is your outrage for... Irena Zaroksta. lake and riley dakara thompson oh there's none because it doesn't fit your liberal And he's typing another one. He's definitely typed this somewhere else.
cycloneman: Who is this? Also, you know my Facebook page? a liberal narrative, disgusting, disgraceful, shameful. You liberals are filled with so much hurt and hatred. I pray for you, truly pay pray for you.
cycloneman: Okay, dude
cycloneman: i I don't know who this is. He made it a burner account just to do this, and this is hilarious.
cycloneman: Should I respond?
urfavoritecoastersux: no
urfavoritecoastersux: Yes. you should write AI chatbot loading.
cycloneman: I just wrote K.
urfavoritecoastersux: Man, I don't even know where to go from there.
cycloneman: I truly pay for you, man. You clearly don't know me or anything about me if you think I support violence.
urfavoritecoastersux: That what what
cycloneman: I truly pray for you, ma'am man from Albuquerque.
Ben: The entire internet is fake. Even this podcast.
urfavoritecoastersux: Shut up.
Ben: Like, just... This is the... no but when you hear like people that argue on the internet and the replies and just like the fake account it's like that account like you're describing with like the 250 or whatever Um...
Ben: Even if it's not actually bots or AI, everybody's like... I don't know Internet's fake. It's done. were cooked.
urfavoritecoastersux: So drink a Celsius and pop a Zin. You're five.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: just just stand in a dark field and look at the sky for 20 minutes.
urfavoritecoastersux: Dig a hole. And then put...
Ben: But at night... At night, so everyone knows. Good. you know so it looks really suspicious
urfavoritecoastersux: but Where?
Ben: Dig a hole in your backyard at night with all the lights off.
urfavoritecoastersux: and bury some mulch there for no reason.
Ben: Put it in a black trash bag first
Ben: and leave a little bit of the back sticking out of the dirt.
urfavoritecoastersux: and put some mung beans in the middle. and some water first and let it sit out in the sun.
cycloneman: I just said to him, like, you clearly don't know me.
urfavoritecoastersux: for a couple of days.
cycloneman: I'm... or anything about me. If you think I support violence, because I don't, but feel feel free to think whatever you want about me. I feel sorry for you. Also, thanks for hiding behind a fake account because you can't tell me who you really are being you seem to know me.
cycloneman: Democrat politicians are only ones that are supporting criminals and really, you know what, dude, shut up. Peace.
Ben: Just Google a picture of someone's like feet. like a like a foot fetish photo and just send that just reply to that no text just Just start sending like... weird fetish porn.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, find some like... Little person fart porn.
cycloneman: It doesn't matter what this account is or what I'm trying to do. But at the end of the day, it's just disgusting that you would make such comments about Charlie. That I don't think he deserved to die, but I don't feel bad because he was racist?
urfavoritecoastersux: I mean...
urfavoritecoastersux: Here's the thing. right It's mid -September. And we're coming up on the anniversary. of the death. of a real American icon.
urfavoritecoastersux: Tupac Shakur.
cycloneman: I know.
urfavoritecoastersux: Gone too soon.
urfavoritecoastersux: Anyway, we have some listener questions.
cycloneman: yeah yeah yeah sorry we can edit this all out
urfavoritecoastersux: I don't. My editing machine is broken. So. You know. what you What you hear is what you get. Sears 6752. Well, actually, let me start by saying this.
urfavoritecoastersux: If you want to send us a question. Easy breezy beautiful. Log on to our Discord server. You can submit questions there. And if you put them there, we'll answer them here on the show.
urfavoritecoastersux: Sears 6753. Smash your pass. the emotional roller coasters cartoon characters
cycloneman: Cartoon characters?
urfavoritecoastersux: That's gonna be a no from me, dog.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Yeah. i
cycloneman: I'm good.
Ben: I don't.
cycloneman: I'm gonna pass on all of that.
Ben: Yeah, I'm not into the cartoon thing.
urfavoritecoastersux: Hey, full consensus.
urfavoritecoastersux: Thanks for that disturbing question. Uh, Steam 26. They're 2363. Says, after the last podcast, do you think...
urfavoritecoastersux: with the slow decline of six plagues. We'll see a rise in smaller, more family -oriented parks. like Mattel, Hirschen, and Enchanted. ah Bad news about Mattel.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: I mean, there's so...
Ben: Oh, is that cooked?
urfavoritecoastersux: It's so close to being done with construction. But like. From what I've heard. Basically, it's like an abandoned construction site with roller coasters and stuff.
Ben: Oh shit.
urfavoritecoastersux: So...
cycloneman: I could choose as to why.
Ben: Maybe...
cycloneman: They announced they're going to build a water park when they haven't even opened their own theme park.
urfavoritecoastersux: um Sounds like a move to try and get. Some money.
urfavoritecoastersux: You know. Kisses. investors.
urfavoritecoastersux: but I don't feel great about Mattel.
Ben: Okay.
Ben: And are the coasters, so the coasters are built. In Kansas?
urfavoritecoastersux: Arizona. It's Glendale.
Ben: Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: It's right by the the stadium where the Cardinals play. I saw it. A couple of years ago when I went to that stadium to see Metallica.
urfavoritecoastersux: one of the coasters was like You can see the track. but like That was. Like three years you ago exactly almost so.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: I don't think there's been much progress in those three years.
Ben: So am I hallucinating where there was a coaster that... went on the roof of a building and i think it was orange
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, that's that one.
Ben: I had a bunch of bunny hills. Okay. Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yep, that's them. That's the coaster. So. Mattel specifically, like... I don't know I know. seen lives closer.
urfavoritecoastersux: to the Mattel Park. construction. in Kansas. So maybe he has some insight into the... One there, but. that Arizona one's not in great shape from what I understand.
urfavoritecoastersux: So I'm not feeling great about their future. Hirschen uh
urfavoritecoastersux: Sure.
Ben: wait like will more will more parks go towards the hershen route or is it hershen will be success what's the
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay, so the question.
Ben: I already forgot the question
urfavoritecoastersux: um do you think with the slow decline of Six Flags We'll see us rise in smaller, more family oriented parks. Like Natal Hirshen did in Enchanted.
Ben: Okay. guys
cycloneman: No.
Ben: I mean...
cycloneman: but
Ben: i think that I think the parks that already exist are going to do fine. Um... And Six Flags is going to add some family coasters because we're in a... Weird.
Ben: non -recession recession kind of thing right now Um...
Ben: So it's ebbs and flows, you know. i think I think what Six Flags is going to do is probably just try to be more sustainable with their portfolio.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I think right now they're trimming the fat.
Ben: And that's...
Ben: And not even just park -wise, but just their parks themselves, right? like You want to get to the point where you don't need to add a new coaster every couple years to keep your Okay. numbers up.
Ben: But you tap. Into your local market correctly and keep the people returning regardless.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. Um, with Six Flags they've got their core. properties now that they're clearly focused on. It's the ones that they reinstalled park presidents at. it's five of legacy six flags parks five legacy cedar fair parks I think it's, what, Magic Mountain, Great Adventure, Great America.
urfavoritecoastersux: Over, Texas. Think Fiesta?
urfavoritecoastersux: But I could be wrong about that fifth one. And then.
Ben: Well, Fiesta is in the portfolio, but wasn't it? that fiesta doesn't have a park president
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh, maybe.
Ben: All right.
urfavoritecoastersux: maybe they They got rid of all of them, and then they reinstalled them at 10 parts. So Fiesta is the question mark on that.
Ben: Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Fifth. legacy six flags one and then it's Cedar Point. Kings Island. Carowinds.
urfavoritecoastersux: Nuts.
urfavoritecoastersux: Maybe Canada's Wonderland?
urfavoritecoastersux: I can't remember for sure.
cycloneman: something
Ben: And then in...
Ben: Yeah, so whatever is in it. The new Six Flags portfolio will probably be... more thrill oriented and then i could see the enchanted parks going
Ben: More like... Michigan's Adventure Valley Fair.
cycloneman: I'm... Gotta be honest, I'm way more curious about the future of the Enchanted Parks than the Six Flags Parks.
Ben: As in they'll sell them or what? like uh
cycloneman: what's going to happen with them.
Ben: What angle? Oh, do you think they'll sell him off?
cycloneman: Um...
cycloneman: Not all of them. I don't i don't know. I don't... I don't know I don't know how they'll, what they'll do.
Ben: Cause like some parks I think are totally fine. they don't need investments like valley fair and michigan's adventure those parks will sustain themselves. almost indefinitely. Um...
Ben: I don't know about St. Louis That one seems like it could be more of a wild card because... It's... bigger i'm sure it's more costly to operate.
Ben: but What's another one? What's another enchanted park?
cycloneman: Great escape.
Ben: Oh yeah. that one's fine right that's like
cycloneman: Yeah, that's... That's perfectly fine.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: That's actually... um The last Six Flags park I went to before my accident. I was there two weeks before. um before I became... Disabled.
cycloneman: So... That's fun. The last coaster I rode was the Boomerang.
Ben: Nice.
cycloneman: I was with my 10 year old brother. No, I lied. The last coaster I rode there was steammon Demon Demon. Not the boomerang. Talk about going out with a bang.
Ben: Nice. really
urfavoritecoastersux: to get on comment
cycloneman: we wrote ah We wrote the comma 11 times.
urfavoritecoastersux: Nice. How was it?
cycloneman: I love the comet. I mean I grew up writing it. Um... And it's my 10 -year -old brother's favorite coaster, so he was... ecstatic
urfavoritecoastersux: Hell yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I'm curious about Enchanted 2.
urfavoritecoastersux: Like in... What else did they get? Michigan's Adventure.
urfavoritecoastersux: Like...
Ben: Yeah, and everyone always like talks shit about Michigan's Adventure. and Even... great escape because they only judge its success on how many new rides they get but I don't think enough people understand that Those places are...
Ben: Like... They're so local. That. they don't need new things to get people into the gates.
Ben: Like...
cycloneman: Well...
Ben: they're they're not neglected they're not like they're not Like, neglected parks. They do just fine.
cycloneman: The Green Escape. Definitely changed. So Six Flags kind of fucked that park up. um When they added the resort and paid parking like that really angered the locals because it used to have free parking.
cycloneman: And then they really tried changing it to like a mini Six Flags park. um They got rid of half of the classic stuff and made it. ah Bugs Bunny National Park.
cycloneman: And then they got rid of the circus. and use the circus tent for, I'm not kidding, a Justice League walkthrough. So you'd walk around the park and they'd just be Justice League characters walking through the old storybook section and it like it made no sense.
cycloneman: And, um you know, they've now converted the... a Bugs Bunny National Park area to its own arm.
cycloneman: to its own little, like I forgot what it's called, but it's their own characters that they made up themselves. They restored a lot of the old classic stuff that was taken out. from that area and they put it along the miniature railroad so when you ride the train you can see that old stuff um the ah every justice anything justice league or dc is no longer in the park like they've given the park back its identity which is really nice
Ben: Okay, that's good.
urfavoritecoastersux: Entry staff.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: And I... i I kind of hope that That is the best outcome. of the merger is that the six flags parks overall lose.
Ben: Just that, like... Stupid. IP shit. That doesn't make any sense.
Ben: I got... it Being more familiar with great America how The two original great America parks had so much um I don't know.
Ben: Alright. I guess theming, style, whatever the fuck you want to call it, with all the sections that have been completely deteriorated. and just replace with. comic book shit.
cycloneman: Yeah, it just... I'm gonna be so for real. I'm so happy.
cycloneman: that that shit is done. with um Like, I really hope we're getting away from all of that.
Ben: Yeah. Same. Even if we go through a weird period where all the classic... you know, all of these like super popular rides go through a weird uh like remember when paramount Had to.
Ben: like step down the theming of their rides from the paramount stuff and there was a big controversy like
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: like flight deck and
urfavoritecoastersux: That was when Cedar Fair bought the Paramount Parks.
Ben: Very soon.
Ben: Yeah. So I can imagine.
urfavoritecoastersux: Drop Tower.
Ben: Yeah. I imagine that that'll have probably happen with some of the Six Flags parks if they do. de -theme things but
urfavoritecoastersux: all right Fucking thrill glider.
Ben: Although...
Ben: Yeah. Although, are there that many? What do you call it? like a like the like the what what would you call it the rides that across their park portfolio are like the best of the best like the Raging Bull and...
Ben: titan and all that i actually don't think any of those are really comic book themed Raging Bull is not. X2 is not. Goliath isn't.
urfavoritecoastersux: um Batman the Ride.
Ben: So they might be... Oh yeah, oh yeah, Batman, of course.
urfavoritecoastersux: Superman Ultimate Flight.
Ben: But those aren't... I guess maybe this is the Thuzy perspective, but I don't really consider those like their standout. like major coasters like El Toro or Kingda Ka.
Ben: Um... I don't know Maybe that'll be fine.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, well, hopefully we'll see. some Good news for attractions.
urfavoritecoastersux: Let's see, chat killer. It says, I want to hear you all speculate on where Air Force One is going. Because apparently Six Flags bought it. They did indeed.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: And.
Ben: about I bought in into carowinds.
urfavoritecoastersux: I. Side. i think just today that um Kings Island and great adventure have already put out surveys.
urfavoritecoastersux: asking about a ride that matches the exact stats.
cycloneman: i saw that I love that they purchased this ride and had no idea what they were doing with it.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, they really didn't. So that's fun. They and like they they're like it's keeping the name which it's like, How much money did they save?
Ben: That's...
urfavoritecoastersux: There is some sort of deal where, like... The Aerie family is like, we'll knock off. $5 ,200 if you. Keep the name.
Ben: That name's not going to make any sense, though, anywhere else. Which is funny.
cycloneman: I... despise the fact that they're keeping the name.
Ben: I... So...
Ben: I think Carowinds makes most the most sense. It doesn't make sense at... Great adventure.
Ben: Or King... u or maybe kings island they could figure it out but it seems awkward
cycloneman: I...
Ben: And Carowinds is caryn's his way closer too.
cycloneman: I would love to see a park. that Six Flags still owns, like Frontier City or Darien Lake get it. I think Frontier City really should get it. Because they haven't gotten... Anything.
cycloneman: um And they have the room, but... You know, they're obviously going to put in a park that brings in more people and makes more money. But...
Ben: well yeah now with all this like internet clout thusi shit and they know it's a highly ranked coaster so i'm sure they're going to want to take advantage of that wherever they do put it
cycloneman: I... Still can't get past. the fact that that was actually their announcement. Because i didn't I didn't think it would be their announcement at all. I was... You know, everyone, I was being told, I was told days in advance, like, oh, you know, Six Flags is announcing Aerie. And I was like, there's no way. Like, why would a corporate announcement be about one coaster that they bought? that That's not something that they would do.
cycloneman: Well... I was wrong. It was something they exactly did. I don't know.
urfavoritecoastersux: i thought the same damn thing. I was like, They really came out here. And they made a big deal about an announcement. from corporate Just to say.
urfavoritecoastersux: Ah, we bought a used roller coaster. and it's not going to be open for two to three years. and we don't know where it's going yet.
cycloneman: Like grasping at straws.
urfavoritecoastersux: But we're keeping the name.
Ben: yeah
cycloneman: I... It's so stupid.
cycloneman: It serves.
Ben: I wonder if they're gonna... I wonder if they're going to keep colors on it too.
urfavoritecoastersux: They should move it to Six Flags over Georgia.
Ben: I think they'll get it.
urfavoritecoastersux: and put it right next to Twisted Cyclone.
Ben: yeah
Ben: It is funny every time I see comments and when people suggest putting it in a park that already has RMCs.
Ben: And then people like, well no, they're totally different rides. the ride experience is like yeah but Like people always bring that argument up when. um Like, for iBoxing American Eagle.
cycloneman: Yo.
Ben: Like, and it's like... ah Yeah, and outside of the atrocity of... Eyeboxing that ride. It would be weird to just have two RMCs. next to each other.
Ben: With the same trains and everything the same elements the same you know. motions.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I
Ben: I think.
urfavoritecoastersux: I would not like RMC Eagle.
Ben: I think I... am
Ben: No.
cycloneman: No, leave Eagle alone. Eagle's great.
Ben: but you know what's a close second knocking down eagle and putting an airy force one
urfavoritecoastersux: happy You son of a bitch.
cycloneman: ah
Ben: Okay. flip if that imagine if that was the reality they just like knock out eagle
cycloneman: I would be so mad.
Ben: I know.
cycloneman: I'd be so mad.
cycloneman: What if they knock down Goliath and put Eri?
cycloneman: I mean, it wouldn't it wouldn't fit, but let's do it.
Ben: Yeah, that'd be...
Ben: That'd be fine.
urfavoritecoastersux: That would...
cycloneman: Yeah, goli I... I don't love Goliath.
urfavoritecoastersux: I think that would be an improvement because it would add about. 20 to 30 seconds of ride time.
Ben: Yeah.
Ben: The worst Airy Forest location, though. would probably be...
cycloneman: Cedar Point.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: They do not need another goddamn coaster.
Ben: Yeah, I mean... maybe by like it'd be funny if they throw it by like blue streak or something And... In one of the videos, I think it was an El Toro Ryan video.
cycloneman: Never heard of him.
Ben: Weird. Right.
Ben: where someone was so where they were playing around with like the potential spots for it and the one spot that he brought up was. Like. basically parallel to Racer and Orion.
cycloneman: Yeah I've seen that.
Ben: So you... So you'd have like three lift hills going the same direction, just like basically next to each other.
cycloneman: I mean, that park, every lift hill is going in the same direction, and you can see it from the parking lot.
Ben: oh you know what yes yeah you know what because i had that thought when i was really high when I was there last summer. from the from the from the tower and we were like up there just like taking pictures like Wait a fucking minute. Every lift hill is going the same goddamn direction.
urfavoritecoastersux: You know, I'm kind of high, and my response is... Every lift hill goes the same direction.
cycloneman: Up.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yep.
Ben: this
cycloneman: You know, people are really... really convinced that it's going to go to Kings Island or Carowinds. Um. I was told in full confidence by somebody that I fully trusted and believed.
cycloneman: that apparently it was going to Wally Gator. And I was told that, like... Two weeks ago? and i was like and i And I had heard the rumor beforehand, too. um And then last week, a friend out in... the UK was telling me that apparently Six Flags was looking at parks in Europe.
cycloneman: um to purchase, which I thought was a very stupid idea. And then I was like, wait, is the announcement that because then I was everybody started saying, oh, Aerie was bought by Six Flags.
cycloneman: So then I kind of secretly thought the announcement on Tuesday. was gonna be... That six flags purchase parks in Europe. And that Air Force is going to give an alligator.
Ben: I mean...
Ben: I don't.
urfavoritecoastersux: That would be...
Ben: see it But...
urfavoritecoastersux: That would be so crazy because they failed at that exact fucking thing 25 years ago.
Ben: and i In Wally Gator, they got that Raptor clone, right?
cycloneman: Uh, yeah.
Ben: Was that the one? And that was was that? uh built for them or was that from expo land
cycloneman: That was from Extra Land.
Ben: Okay, that's right.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yo, what do you think the over -under is? that a Air Force is going to Canada's Wonderland. I don't know. about the actual physical space.
urfavoritecoastersux: But.
Ben: They might. be able to do it. It would work. for I mean, I guess it works for them. They don't have anything similar to it.
urfavoritecoastersux: What I'm saying is I remember. Hearing that. A while ago they wanted to RMC. Ah. I can't remember if it was Mind Buster. Well, the beast, but...
urfavoritecoastersux: One of them. But, like, because of... Canadian laws and the way the RMC does everything in -house. They couldn't do it.
urfavoritecoastersux: but like
Ben: Oh, they have to have they have to have like a Canadian construction company or something?
urfavoritecoastersux: Something like that.
cycloneman: There is something. Because I know they did Topper. They did top her track on Monster.
urfavoritecoastersux: That's probably... That's probably different than, like, constructing the whole thing.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Because I know they're fully in -house in terms of like... doing the actual Full. construction so like There's some... something legally but like that seems like a really Good workaround for Six Flags.
urfavoritecoastersux: Like if they want to put an RMC in Canada.
urfavoritecoastersux: But it used one there.
cycloneman: Well...
cycloneman: It would be hilarious if Canada's Wonderland got Airy Force One and they didn't change the theming.
Ben: that's like once i was there and at closing they were playing um What the fuck was that? song Something about rocking in the USA. But it was...
cycloneman: Well, they don't have a song called Rocket in Canada, eh?
Ben: True.
cycloneman: but but
urfavoritecoastersux: But they do have pride to be a Canadian.
Ben: But it it was just...
Ben: Yeah. But it was just so funny though, because... all these canadian flags like the whole maple leaf thing right closing the waterfall all that stuff and then to you just hear this rocking in the usa song as they're like closing
cycloneman: That is hilarious.
Ben: It's... Yeah, it was Pretty surreal.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, that was an interesting question.
Ben: Rocking in the USA.
urfavoritecoastersux: of Ribs and bacon. asks Are influencers ruining it for everyone?
cycloneman: Yes.
urfavoritecoastersux: I would agree
cycloneman: Wait, am I allowed to answer that?
Ben: Influencers
Ben: they're ruining literally everything too it's not just coasters it's like a it's a problem of literally any niche or hobby.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yep.
cycloneman: I would say here in Orlando, it's... ah
cycloneman: It's rough. My favorite is... um my friend Brandon, you guys know Brandon. He refuses rihi refers to every opening and closing or release of anything in Orlando.
cycloneman: as Orlando Vlogger Con.
Ben: Yeah, that makes sense.
urfavoritecoastersux: That seems pretty accurate.
cycloneman: um Because it's true like they'll even show up for look stores Which I'm all about supporting local business, but they're not.
urfavoritecoastersux: But hey, Gideon's just dropped a new cookie. So we're going to go wait in the line for it.
cycloneman: Ah.
Ben: It's like... so still to this day thinking about Like during COVID. When? People were... the posting like 20 minute long test footage videos daily of you know like sea world attractions from the outside parking lot
Ben: Every day. Just a 20 minute video. It's like, yeah, here's footage of Mako running for 20 minutes.
cycloneman: yep That's where it began.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh that reminds me. I was watching a semi prominent.
urfavoritecoastersux: Travel YouTuber. Think very much in the vein of Adam the Woo.
urfavoritecoastersux: um Who I don't particularly like, but I'll watch his videos every once in a while.
cycloneman: Adam the Will?
urfavoritecoastersux: No, in that same... category though I like that in the room.
cycloneman: Yeah, I thought you did.
urfavoritecoastersux: May he rest in peace.
cycloneman: Yeah, that was sad.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. Um, so But just in that same category. I don't want to be specific because, like, the question it's It's more universal. But anyway, he went to Magic Mountain. He rode everything except for X2 and the kitties.
urfavoritecoastersux: And. He was complaining about headbanging. And it gave me an idea.
cycloneman: Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: What? If. Oui.
urfavoritecoastersux: Cara Beanard. Our shirts. to a neck pillow.
Ben: Wait, are shirts?
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, you put a Caribbean, like you make a whole. or two holes. in the shoulders of your shirts. Tools on each side.
urfavoritecoastersux: And then you carabiner down a neck pillow.
cycloneman: i don't I'm not following.
Ben: I mean I get it, I think.
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay, you carabiner the neck pillow. and then the carabino also goes through your shirt.
cycloneman: So we just have a neck pillow around our neck. Like a neck brace?
urfavoritecoastersux: Well. Look, if the cushion... At help on Asian Nika. Right this.
cycloneman: hu
urfavoritecoastersux: I'm just... Thank you.
Ben: Or what about like the Tourette's guy neck brace?
urfavoritecoastersux: That could work too. But I feel like that's more a thing you do to try to get like a. a fake disability pass.
cycloneman: Not anymore.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, no, not at Disney, that's for sure
cycloneman: Also, if you're... um
cycloneman: If you, you know, show up at any ride with a neck brace. They're going to be like, you can't write this.
urfavoritecoastersux: and you yeah You got to explain like, oh, no. My kids want to ride it And then they'll be like, your kids. Are the same age as you?
cycloneman: Yes. Apparently.
urfavoritecoastersux: You know, my neck got hurt. I don't really remember.
urfavoritecoastersux: I'd say yes, influencers are ruining everything now.
Ben: they literally are
Ben: Also, too, like...
Ben: The IQ of influencers is definitely a little lower than Thuzy's. But... the whole industry kind of stoops down to the influencer level.
Ben: If that makes sense. like Because influencers make parks more money than just a non... Vloggerthusie.
Ben: So then Parks... Curate. what they do to appease. the vloggers. You know what I mean?
Ben: coaster events, merch, releases. media days, all that stuff.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yep.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, I've said this before and I'll say it again. It. if if a channel that you watch is going to media day you should consider that A paid sponsorship.
Ben: I mean... Kinda, yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Because you don't pay to go to media day. You don't pay to get on the ride. You are invited.
cycloneman: Yes. That also means... Don't act like a fool. When you go to media days, which is something that... um Some people have forgotten.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, yeah, for one. if you act like a fool You will not be invited again.
urfavoritecoastersux: but also If you don't hold up your side of the bargain, you will also likely not be invited again.
urfavoritecoastersux: Which usually just means you gotta to say the ride was awesome.
cycloneman: Yeah, but then there are some people who act a fool and still get invited, so...
cycloneman: Whatever.
urfavoritecoastersux: well
Ben: I thought it was interesting how two now media days they have like. time slots for YouTubers now?
cycloneman: Yeah, I mean, they've gotten smart.
Ben: So it's just...
cycloneman: I mean, I remember... And I'm sure you guys remember this too. Back when... You know, we were making coaster videos before you know vloggers or anything were really a thing, and we were just having fun and being idiots in the parks.
cycloneman: um The Parks hated it. They did not like social media, which was literally... Internet forums. At least... i can't I don't know about Great America, but I know that, like...
cycloneman: The parks in the Northeast were not the biggest fans of... you know, That sort of stuff. I mean, we would still get invited to the media day. But like... You know, they were very anti...
cycloneman: posting things and now I feel like they just feed into it.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: It's wild. like They had Influencer Day at Great Adventure, and I was like... um I remember when we weren't allowed to see. like if we posted something in the forums you were taking off the media list but okay
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I remember I went to. the media day for the tornado at Hurricane Harbor, Great America. And I was trying to like. Like get a video of it near the ride And. Somebody, one of the officials there.
urfavoritecoastersux: came up to me and they're like oh what outlet are you with and I was just like uh youtube this is like 2006 or 2007.
urfavoritecoastersux: So like, obviously. It's like, oh no, this is for like real media.
cycloneman: Yep.
cycloneman: Yep.
urfavoritecoastersux: And it's like. Fuck you dude, you invited me! Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: But yeah, I don't know It's wild how different the whole. Thing is now.
Ben: she Speaking of Tornado Media Day, was that the video with that one Acer where it was like Dorothy and Wizard of Oz?
urfavoritecoastersux: I don't know
Ben: With some... With the molester.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh yeah.
Ben: Was that what it was? He was like Dorothy and it was like. a tornado thing with six flags or... It was like a promo for NoCoasterCon.
urfavoritecoastersux: Maybe. I don't know. i was I remember. seeing molester that day.
cycloneman: did you guys get in trouble at no coaster con or did i imagine that
Ben: Not in trouble, but probably didn't.
Ben: Make a great impression.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I wouldn't say in trouble, but I would say like. kind of a Social faux pas. Perhaps.
urfavoritecoastersux: Because I I
urfavoritecoastersux: Ben was there too, but I... asked Kentucky Kingdom while they were still settling things with that. Poor girl who got her legs cut off.
urfavoritecoastersux: Uh.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: I said. So do you have any plans for the drop tower?
urfavoritecoastersux: And it's just like... It's like a a hush. fell over this crowd of. Well, you know, heavy breathing was still happening. because Coaster enthusiasts.
urfavoritecoastersux: Um, Bye. Yeah, it was. They were like, um we can't comment on that. cause under investigation.
Ben: Yeah, she definitely froze.
Ben: And then actually, what it remember, it was there's two there's two people there. There's the one woman. who was like who had the inner tuber on her waist and she had like the flippers and the snorkel and all that stuff And then there was like the PR person doing the announcement.
Ben: Remember, it was for... it was for Or like a mega wedgie toilet bowl slide.
urfavoritecoastersux: That's right.
cycloneman: Always.
Ben: or something. And so it was this whole skit. where they wanted the crowd to be like... six flags and they were like showing random images on a powerpoint
cycloneman: Ay.
Ben: And then... The woman... In the... like in the inner tube in the swimsuit and the snorkel and all that i think she was the actual like PR person But they had the other person on the mic answering questions.
Ben: so So it got to the point where like... when zach asked that the person with the inner tube in the historical and all that she like grabbed the microphone and kind of took over for a second and she was like um we that is under investigation and because the other woman froze or it I think.
Ben: Remember that? Like the woman. i it's hard to remember it's hard to remember but like The person giving the speech froze and started stuttering. So then the person.
cycloneman: oh
Ben: And then like. yeah then the person in the inner tube was supposed to be doing the skit jumped in and then she took over the mic It's kind of funny.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it seems. Right, like some... ah ah and then Like.
cycloneman: Well, I'll never forget It was East Coaster, which was like the East... coast No CoasterCon. Um. I think it was 2008.
cycloneman: Or, yeah, it was 08. So it was February of 08. So, as you know, the 07 season has just ended. And the representative from Cedar Fair... was on the stage and he was representing all the parks and people were not having it.
cycloneman: Because Jagalachip is closed. And... On the map of all the parks, like he had a map of the states, and with all the parks pinpointed, he forgot Valleyfair. And I... ass. Is Valleyfair closing too?
cycloneman: Um... And then... And finally, like people were he was asking if people were getting mad. And then... The last thing was... um Someone stood up and said.
cycloneman: Geauga Lake. Why?
cycloneman: And... He said... We're done. And he walked off the stage.
Ben: no
cycloneman: I feel like, if I remember correctly, he left the building, but I i may be making that up. But... I feel like he left. Because, you know. he did He did what he came to do.
urfavoritecoastersux: He went outside, smoked a cigarette, thought about going back in.
Ben: Holy shit.
urfavoritecoastersux: And then drove away.
cycloneman: Yeah
Ben: Holy shit, my phone's listening to me. I just type in Six Flags and YouTube suggested Six Flags Great America Tornado announcement.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh wow.
Ben: Spooky.
urfavoritecoastersux: All good.
cycloneman: Do any of the parks still have a Mega Wedgie?
Ben: I... No idea.
cycloneman: Because those names were stupid.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, like they were trying to act like it was the funniest fucking thing in the world.
Ben: And it's no coaster con and it's literally a toilet bowl slide. And it was so long. that's That's the other thing. Remember, that skit went on for so long.
urfavoritecoastersux: And I also feel like. there may or may not have been. Alcohol. And weed.
urfavoritecoastersux: Which like. Should make it funny, but it was just bad.
Ben: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: you You remember that time we. we saw that person Playing with gum.
Ben: Oh yeah. And then. It turns out she was just knitting.
cycloneman: What?
Ben: We thought she was playing with gum. like her chewing gum pulling it and like apart with her fingers. Because what we saw from behind and we we're staring at this for like 20 minutes we were taking videos of it and photos of it And we thought it was the funniest thing. And then.
Ben: It turns out. Um, like later in the night we're like oh she's knitting Because she was pulling the thread, you know, like away from her.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Like. Yeah.
cycloneman: Oh. And from behind it looked like she was pulling on her gum. I get it.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: That's... Great. You know what? This actually just made me think of something going back to the vlogger thing and just... judging people. Um, When...
cycloneman: Um... A certain show. A certain nighttime spectacular at a certain theme park in Orlando opened. in the year 2017 at a park I definitely used to work at.
cycloneman: um Give you a hint, the nighttime show did not survive COVID. Um... I worked the opening night. as one of the ushers in the theater.
cycloneman: and The last guest wouldn't leave because they were... ah still editing and uploading their video that they filmed of the first ever show. on their laptop.
cycloneman: In the, in the... In the theater.
Ben: Oh shit
cycloneman: Yeah. And we were like... We need to clear. Like, you need to go. And she was like, wait, I need more time. And she had like her camera plugged into her laptop and...
cycloneman: You know? It's like, this is embarrassing.
urfavoritecoastersux: Jesus Christ. Christ.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: um Shit guys, I might have to go in a few minutes. What are you all timing that?
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay, well, we have one more question.
cycloneman: I feel like there's so many things we haven't talked about, we just kind of went off the rails.
Ben: Okay.
Ben: Okay. One more question.
urfavoritecoastersux: And that's what makes podcasts fun. Gabe, hey, Gabe, hope are you're doing well. What was the most delusional park prediction you've ever seen someone make? where they were adamant about it can be a prediction from the forms or recent.
cycloneman: Jesus Christ.
Ben: Ever. Every video put out by... keep riding coasters slash theme park predictions slash
urfavoritecoastersux: it
cycloneman: Ugh.
Ben: Uh...
urfavoritecoastersux: Hitler in heaven.
Ben: Whatever it was. whatever the fuck the vid
cycloneman: Hitler in heaven.
Ben: Whatever the channel is now, it's gone through five names.
urfavoritecoastersux: Totally not racist, Brandon.
cycloneman: You know, I was warned about that guy I mean, I don't know him, but I was warned many years ago about theme park predictions being like. ultra mega and problematic.
cycloneman: And I was like, okay. I don't watch his videos so I don't know who this is. Um...
cycloneman: So yeah. Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay, so here's a funny thing. Since you mentioned Twitter being so right -wing,
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: Uh.
cycloneman: Oh my god.
urfavoritecoastersux: And.
cycloneman: Well, that was before we were recording
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh, yeah, you're right.
cycloneman: but
urfavoritecoastersux: But you did you did mention it. It just wasn't on this podcast.
cycloneman: Yeah, no, I... My YouTube channel, because it has a Google email. Um. created myself a theme park, like a Twitter.
cycloneman: So I don't really use it, but like I... you know, now that I'm Homebound and... disabled and unable to walk while I'm still in recovery from my accident.
cycloneman: Which, by the way, boys, I mean, I know we've talked about it personally, but like on air. Thank you for sharing the GoFundMe and and you know letting the... people know what happened to me like that was really sweet of you guys Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
cycloneman: you know and Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: uh that's um Glad to help. raise awareness That's still... we're so We still got that up on our link tree.
cycloneman: Oh, that's very sweet. I mean, it's very helpful because the settlement was not a lot because the state of Florida really knows how to let a person down. Um... And I still, you know, I've had...
cycloneman: five surgeries and I still have more ahead of me. and Who knows when I'm going back to work. cause it's good I probably won't go back to work until next year. like it's This is...
cycloneman: The same for the week guys, the same for the week. Also, I miss riding coasters. Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, that GoFundMe is still live.
cycloneman: Bye. ae
urfavoritecoastersux: So.
cycloneman: Oh wow.
urfavoritecoastersux: for everyone listening.
cycloneman: Well, you know you guys, I didn't know about it. Um... I didn't actually know about the GoFundMe for a couple days. So you guys actually had already shared it before I even found out about it.
cycloneman: So that that's pretty cool.
Ben: Oh.
cycloneman: Um... So that was the nice thing on Twitter. Now let me talk bad about Twitter. ah
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, well, I would just say it again. That GoFundMe is still live.
cycloneman: Feet?
urfavoritecoastersux: So. Um,
cycloneman: You don't? I... you know it just the thought is appreciated you don't i'm not telling people to don't i I mean, I'm not working. I'm getting disability which is enough to cover my rent.
cycloneman: um And I'm... Killing myself in physical therapy trying so hard, but... um ah Side tangent for those listening. um I was in... in October of last year, in the in October 4th.
cycloneman: i was in a head -on collision because uh somebody in the other lane While speeding... swerved into mine and hit me head on.
cycloneman: um with no time for me to react so it was a full blown impact. There's a picture of the car in the GoFundMe. Um...
cycloneman: i my left arms My left forearm snapped in half. And so I have a pretty gnarly scar on it right now. It's healed. But the scar is pretty gnarly. My right leg.
cycloneman: I was so badly injured. Both bones below my knee broke and came completely out and took everything with it. But my foot was still attached to my leg and skin. Um...
cycloneman: They wanted to amputate me. I fought them because I could still feel my foot and w wiggle my toes, so like my some of my nerves and muscles were still attached. um I ended up losing seven and a half inches of bone.
cycloneman: They grafted my left thigh to make a new right lower leg for me. um which is called a flap. um I was hospitalized for two months. In a rehab center for. um Over a month of that.
cycloneman: And then I was sent home and I had... Multiple setbacks, and infections. I had a wound vac attached to my leg to try to close up the wounds and the holes that were in there. And then...
cycloneman: And July... So nine months after the accident. I actually, two months ago today, I had my big surgery, which ah which was to put what's called an external fixator around my leg. So basically there are 16... metal rods going through my skin attached to my bone.
cycloneman: um one on On rings. So there are three rings around my leg. like halos The bottom one is in my ankle. The top one is... um Right below my knee.
cycloneman: And then the one in the middle. It's attached to my bone that's remaining and is literally dragging it up to the top. and to create new bone and the bone growth is working but it's seven and a half inches of bone, 18 centimeters.
cycloneman: and it moves one millimeter a day, and I have to crank it by hand myself.
Ben: oh weird
cycloneman: So that's what I'm going through.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
cycloneman: um Just to give you the rundown, um I left out some details. um i Like I said, I've had five surgeries. it's It's a lot. Anyway, back to the conversation. um Yeah, so RollerCoaster and Theme Park Twitter is super fucking toxic for no reason. And I just like watching...
cycloneman: at like a fly on the wall watching these people fight each other and take each other down and also somehow it's super right -wing conservative and people blatantly post crazy shit and i and First of all, I'm so unserious about it. Like, I watch these people fight on Twitter. I'm like, why do you even care? And then there was that one guy.
cycloneman: who was openly What was his name? I'll call him out. I don't give a shit. I don't care. Surveillance is his handle name, and he seems to be a troll. But he was defending...
cycloneman: someone who was exposed for being a sexual, sex offender. who had a shirt. making fun of being a predator, but then it turns out he actually was. But, you know, we don't know the whole story. Yeah, I don't care, dude. He's a registered sex offender and he even, ah you know, admitted to it. I don't i don't know what we don't understand.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. and Ben.
cycloneman: Amen.
urfavoritecoastersux: Um, We were talking about theme park Brandon. A person that you and I know. from many years ago. through SIFGAM World.
urfavoritecoastersux: I'm going to be vague and specific here all at once. From Green Bay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Sent out a big... post that was Like I support. the the offender and theme park theme park you're totally not a racist
cycloneman: yeah
urfavoritecoastersux: Peace out.
Ben: Wait. Green Bay. green bay i'm trying to remember
urfavoritecoastersux: you know Green Bay, it's a lot like paradise.
Ben: Yeah, but who on Syfgam were - Oh.
urfavoritecoastersux: So. um They were like, they were like. They're good guys.
cycloneman: but
urfavoritecoastersux: And I was like, Oh, my God.
cycloneman: What do you mean the lion ate my face?
urfavoritecoastersux: And it's so funny that you sent. um that other person that we both know from Wisconsin. With that tattoo.
Ben: Oh yeah.
Ben: Yeah. I'm not surprised. i am At what? I'm actually a little surprised because I don't know when that started for them. you know what i mean like because i mean we haven't talked in many years but then suddenly something must have happened
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, you don't end up with a Charlie Kirk tattoo out of nowhere
Ben: um
cycloneman: You sure about that?
urfavoritecoastersux: I woke up one morning. I was drunk as shit the night before. I had some weird ink on my arm, man.
Ben: Also, what I find funny about... What I find funny about that, though, is that when you Look at it literally. Anytime that... You add.
Ben: across. to like a word. It's always read literally as the letter T. You know what I mean?
urfavoritecoastersux: Mm hmm.
Ben: So sometimes it just doesn't make sense. It's like that meme with the the like the volleyball team. where it was like l -i -t or no c -l -i And then it had a cross.
cycloneman: ah Oh, the Charlotte Airport.
Ben: It was like...
Ben: Is that what it is?
cycloneman: ah CLT.
Ben: Oh I didn't even think of that.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: Shit.
cycloneman: Because we always joke that when you go to click when you go to Charlotte, you find the c clip.
Ben: absolutely
urfavoritecoastersux: and
Ben: yeah this was like a t -shirt from a volleyball from like a volleyball league it was like christian Lutheran. Something. It was C -L -I.
cycloneman: Hallelujah.
Ben: was the acronym. But then they added the... T the cross at the end of it.
urfavoritecoastersux: Christian Lutheran Industries.
Ben: yes
cycloneman: Either way, I can't find it.
urfavoritecoastersux: Freedom.
Ben: Um, Alright.
cycloneman: Well, I'm also gay, so I've never found it, but I can't find it because I'm a man.
urfavoritecoastersux: ah
Ben: Um...
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, that's ah that was...
Ben: Okay, guys
urfavoritecoastersux: that's ah That's a pretty wild prediction.
cycloneman: Oh yeah, we talked about predictions.
urfavoritecoastersux: Mm.
cycloneman: um I...
urfavoritecoastersux: There it is right there.
cycloneman: remember when There was some bulldozing. This is I want to say 2002. Ew. At Great Adventure, there was bulldozing and work happening across the lake.
cycloneman: And... That property is owned by Great Adventure. They did nothing with it. I don't know why they cleared land. I think it was for a service road, looking back. But there were like survey markers and stuff. And the people on the forums were convinced that we were getting a park expansion with a 4D coaster.
cycloneman: That did not happen. Um... Oh my god, but what's the craziest thing that people are absolutely adamant about?
urfavoritecoastersux: I got it.
cycloneman: What?
urfavoritecoastersux: Shockwave is in storage.
cycloneman: Oh, my God. That woman is. Fucking crazy.
Ben: The one that bought... Wait, the one that bought... Big Dipper.
urfavoritecoastersux: No.
cycloneman: No, there's this woman. I don't remember her name who is convinced that shockwave is in storage it is going to get rebuilt
Ben: Yeah, where where did that originate from?
cycloneman: Well because it's true, obviously.
Ben: suspicious But was that like on, was that Sif cam rolled or like? Where did that? um because it sounds i know the origin of it like it's it's very familiar but where did it I'm trying to remember like where it started.
urfavoritecoastersux: I mean, it was in storage for awhile.
Ben: like great america shockwave or
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
cycloneman: Yeah
cycloneman: Big blue.
Ben: Nah that ride got scrapped
cycloneman: Yes, it did. We know it got scrapped.
Ben: fifth
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it was in storage at great. It was on site in storage on a hill for like two years And then all of it disappeared.
cycloneman: And then they sold her for scrap metal.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, all of it disappeared.
Ben: Oh, right. Holy shit. Okay. Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. So there's ah there's a... A person. who popped up in Great America and Rollercoaster fan groups on social media. and insist that Shockwave is still.
urfavoritecoastersux: In storage. As recently as like. within the past five years
Ben: Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Saying that shockwave is still in storage and they're gonna bring it back
Ben: Well, what's i guess i totally forgot about the whole Shockwave lane on the side of the hill. Was it? How long was it really like that, though? can because I guess I'm trying to remember, was it like that when Superman opened?
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, it was a couple years, I think.
urfavoritecoastersux: Like...
urfavoritecoastersux: 2003, 2004, maybe by 2005 it was gone. Or maybe in 2000, like after 2005 it was gone. I can't remember. I would have to ask.
urfavoritecoastersux: My buddy.
cycloneman: trying to think of what other insane predictions because i know people would always just say rumors but like i'm i'm trying to think of like Because I've heard so many rumors over the years that people are adamant about. But I can't think of like...
cycloneman: the ones people like. This is the hill. This is where I'm gonna die.
Ben: Mm hmm.
cycloneman: Um...
cycloneman: I don't know why I'm blanking on it right now because there's so many over the years. I think because like once they're proven wrong, I just kind of wipe them from my memory.
urfavoritecoastersux: oh Here's one. The People Movers coming back.
cycloneman: No it's not.
cycloneman: i I mean, we have it in Florida. t Disneyland's people mover. It is royally fucked. And... The biggest reason it can never reopen is it's not it doesn't...
cycloneman: have the when the tunnels through the buildings aren't big enough for modern fought fire and ada codes
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. um The only caveat would be. If they rebuilt a brand new one. that didn't use those tunnels.
cycloneman: I mean I think people would love that.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, but it's never coming back in the current form it's in.
cycloneman: Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: But there are lots of people who are. have held on to that for. potentially over 20 years.
cycloneman: in more than 20 years like the people mover closed 32 years ago
urfavoritecoastersux: Much like... Much like Shockwave.
urfavoritecoastersux: God, you're right.
cycloneman: Yeah, because PeopleMover closed in 94. Rocket Rods opened in 90... eight and then closed in 2001.
cycloneman: So...
urfavoritecoastersux: And people move through Irvington.
cycloneman: Rock your watches. Or maybe Rock and Roll has closed in 2000.
urfavoritecoastersux: PeopleMover was in 67?
cycloneman: Yeah, that's when it opened.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: So it's been gone. longer than it was there.
cycloneman: I don't like you.
urfavoritecoastersux: look I'm just being honest but the fact that people have been
cycloneman: I mean...
urfavoritecoastersux: on to that for this long. And.
cycloneman: It is interesting when you look back on like nostalgia. Uh... The best example is Epcot. Like all the classic stuff at Epcot, everything that's replaced it has lasted longer.
cycloneman: Everything.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
cycloneman: Thank you. including this version of Imagination.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, I'll be gone soon enough.
cycloneman: Thank God.
urfavoritecoastersux: Neil Patrick Harris told me.
cycloneman: I know. I saw. I watched the panel myself. I...
urfavoritecoastersux: I paid a lot of money to watch that. panel in person
cycloneman: I know you did. I screamed like a little girl. when he said um Next, we're going to outer space. and Paris and Tokyo.
cycloneman: I knew they were going to do stuff about Tokyo. I had... Paris wasn't even on the radar. and I mean, I have a poster for De La Terra a la Lune in my room. like I'm obsessed. And...
cycloneman: I... Didn't expect the announcement. I was so excited. I didn't even care what else they announced. I was like, this is all I care about.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. My wife lost her mind for that.
cycloneman: It was. Beautiful. and um Once again. Every version of Space Mountain that exists in Paris now has been there longer than De La Terre La Lune was.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well... In 2028, that changes.
cycloneman: Thank God. Well, I do know that when they put the new trains on it... their theme to Terra Terra Lune, and... Because I have friends who work.
cycloneman: At Disneyland Paris. and Actually, in my last visit that to Disneyland Paris, I got a tour of the maintenance bay at Space Mountain. So, you know, I definitely met.
urfavoritecoastersux: Nice.
cycloneman: I definitely cried. Um...
cycloneman: Um... But... the um
cycloneman: I know that almost all of the props are still in there and covered. because you can see the outlines if you know where to look during it while you're riding through hyperspace And... i All of the trains already have the... de later the audio uploaded to them.
cycloneman: like it's gonna be a very like they've they've wanted it the people at the park have wanted it but Corporate didn't want it because Star Wars surveys well.
urfavoritecoastersux: I I. So that moon. is gonna be there
cycloneman: Yep.
urfavoritecoastersux: That's the real moon Fuck that.
cycloneman: but
urfavoritecoastersux: Fuck the Eric I don't know.
cycloneman: If they put the Eric Idle mood on beat lift, I will cry.
urfavoritecoastersux: That would be pretty funny though.
cycloneman: I know, it'd be great. I would crack up.
urfavoritecoastersux: Um, Yeah, fucking oh they did I audibly went. oh My god when they said we're putting we're we're gonna uh fix the yeti
cycloneman: Ugh.
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay.
cycloneman: Yes. But... You know. You know my feelings.
cycloneman: I'll believe it when I see it.
urfavoritecoastersux: Amen.
cycloneman: Also, I hate that. A big announcement was... based off fixing what that should have been done after years and years and years of neglect.
cycloneman: but You know, I'll give credit where credit's due. It's Josh DeMauro as CEO. Because Josh DeMauro came from Parks and he's an operations person. And he seems to he seems to actually be listening.
cycloneman: to what the guests want, which is something that Disney has not done in a very long time.
urfavoritecoastersux: That's what I'm saying. I wasn't disappointed by D23 at all. because...
cycloneman: No, um I wasn't expecting anything good because I'm like, they're just going to announce what they've already announced, but then... When they were like... So we're going back to the moon and also Dream Finder's going back. I was like, what? What are we doing?
urfavoritecoastersux: And Yeti and Tomorrowland.
cycloneman: You would think I'd be more excited about the Yeti, but I could honestly care less.
urfavoritecoastersux: ah Come on, Tomorrowland. That's not nothing, though.
cycloneman: I'm excited for to Disneyland's Tomorrowland Needs It.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yes. Good God, does it need it. and yeah with the yeti it's been gone for 20 more years than it was there
cycloneman: I mean, the Yeti's there.
urfavoritecoastersux: Okay, it's it's been broken for 20 more years than it was working.
cycloneman: just doesn't
cycloneman: There it is.
urfavoritecoastersux: Because it only works what six months?
cycloneman: No, it worked a couple years.
urfavoritecoastersux: Oh, okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, then it's almost been broken through. 20 years, more than it was. a operational.
Ben: Hey, sorry, guys. I got to wrap up soon -ish.
cycloneman: Okay.
urfavoritecoastersux: Alright.
Ben: um i had a Do normal work shit tomorrow. Unfortunately.
urfavoritecoastersux: All right. Well, that's. That seems like as good a time as any. Uh.
cycloneman: Yeah we have been recording for two and a half hours.
urfavoritecoastersux: It sure has been.
Ben: Nice. It's a good, uh...
urfavoritecoastersux: Well, good. That'll be. this is This is helping us make up for it. The break we had. Hmm. So thanks for being here, Dan.
cycloneman: Yeah, no, thanks for having me. This was this was great. I missed you guys. and You know, I... Don't really have a lot Going, on I mean... I do but I don't have a lot going on.
cycloneman: I mean, I have gone on Horror Nights twice, so... For anyone in the Orlando area listening, you may see me rolling around Universal. and ah And a scooter. with with this giant thing in my leg going.
cycloneman: Going to the park because I bought my pass. Um...
Ben: Well, yeah, we can do it again though.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: We're... We got a whole winter coming up.
cycloneman: Oh yeah, i I got nothing but time. and And I got nothing but time and shit to say.
urfavoritecoastersux: Boom there is yeah I want to ask you about a specific YouTuber that's in Orlando. But we will we'll hold on to that until the next one.
cycloneman: o Stay tuned next week.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah. All right. Well, thanks thanks for hanging, Dan. This has been fun.
cycloneman: Yeah, thanks guys. This was awesome.
urfavoritecoastersux: And. The GoFundMe page is still live. There'll be a link. in the episode description. where you can go. Kick in a few bones if it's possible or share it to some friends.
urfavoritecoastersux: Dana is a longtime friend of. Most everyone in the coaster community. except for the that griefs
cycloneman: yeah
cycloneman: there's there I do have some haters.
urfavoritecoastersux: yeah
cycloneman: so ah One in particular who told somebody that... um I deserved this accident. I'm sorry. The quote was, I'm not saying that Damon deserved what happened to him, but karma is a cunt.
urfavoritecoastersux: Wow.
cycloneman: The karma was they just don't like me because of my politics.
cycloneman: Yep.
cycloneman: He he.
urfavoritecoastersux: Shaking my head.
cycloneman: Yeah, imagine being that miserable man.
cycloneman: Whatever. All right, let's sign off. So, Peggy, go to sleep.
Ben: I'm trying to like manage and also listen. Sorry.
cycloneman: Yeah, you're good
urfavoritecoastersux: all right well thank you all for listening um And until next time. Wait, hold on. Ben. You got anything else?
Ben: Yeah. Uh... No, I... We have another We'll just have to record again in a week.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
cycloneman: Yeah.
Ben: I'll save it.
cycloneman: but
urfavoritecoastersux: All right. make Make a note.
Ben: It won't be. It won't be like last.
cycloneman: Hold your breath.
Ben: it won't be like last time where the last time we recorded and didn't realize that i would have You know, you'd have we'd have to wait six months.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah.
Ben: There's probably some unresolved dots that weren't connected from our last time we recorded but
urfavoritecoastersux: I'm sorry, we're still getting back into the swing of it, but that's okay.
Ben: Yeah.
cycloneman: I think... um Next time. Or at least next time I'm on the show. We should probably have a list of questions and topics. Instead of just YOLO.
cycloneman: but I mean, YOLO works for us, but... And I'll keep
Ben: I think that's the best.
cycloneman: If...
Ben: I think that always brings out the... it Brings you to the best topics.
cycloneman: True. That's true.
urfavoritecoastersux: Yeah, I think and the whole point of this show at this point Is that like... It's just Ben and I are going to be having an interesting conversation. And there's a good.
urfavoritecoastersux: chance. that that roller coasters have come up.
cycloneman: Yeah, well, except for your favorite one because it sucks.
urfavoritecoastersux: Bingo. That's it right there. Yeah.
urfavoritecoastersux: But yeah, with with that. With all that... um hogan Thank you all for listening. Thank you again, Daniel, for being here.
cycloneman: Thank you for having me.
urfavoritecoastersux: go Go kick in a few bones on the GoFundMe. And then two, next time. Yor.
cycloneman: Yeah, I...
urfavoritecoastersux: David.
Ben: your
urfavoritecoastersux: Coaster.
cycloneman: Favorite coaster song?
Ben: Favorite.
urfavoritecoastersux: Shots!
cycloneman: Sucks.
