The newz just in today is that Medusa at Six Flags Great Adventure will be the recipient of an X2 makeover for the 2009 season according to Great Adventure President Mark Kane. “The Medusa redesign will deliver a multi-sensory ride experience with all-new thematics and innovative, state-of-the-art visual, audio and sensory effects launching it into another dimension of thrills and excitement.”

In other words the new Medusa will have fire, fog, music, and other silly gimmicky effects that don’t have anything to do with the ride. I’m sorry but the first time I saw the fire effects and fog on X2, I thought “that’s so stupid…” There’s no reason for it! It’s just there for the sake of saying “oh this ride has fire now!”

I hope that Medusa doesn’t become something like that, with open flame towers sitting around and a fog machine in the helix. I hope they at least take the time to theme it. Maybe add some buildings into the coaster infield (which is currently a huge open field) and a realistic looking tunnel and all that. Give the ride a real theme instead of a gimmicky X2 makeover. Whatever it turns out like I’m sure the general public will eat it all up, so I guess it’s a good move on SF’s part.

Go to main article: Ride Review: Maverick

Maverick; the word makes me think of some cowboy dude spinning a gun around his finger and then shooting some robber in the ass. I also tend to think of John McCain’s skeleton-like smile and Pailin’s sort of hot librarian quality. All of those come before the Maverick I’m really talking about here, the Moser kind of Maverick. I took the time to update one of my most traveled sections that really hasn’t been updated in a little bit with a ride review of Super Loop on Top’s ‘mini-me’, the Maverick.

A major blow to Thor Equities came today as the city of New York purchased a one acre piece of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park for $11 million. Thor Equities had been “in contract” to buy the same piece of land for the aformentioned price, instead the city snatched it up before a deal went through. According to a press release issued by the New York City Economic Development Corperation:

The deal is the first of what NYCEDC expects to be a series of land acquisitions in the coming months as the City proceeds with its vision to create a 21st century entertainment destination and protect Coney Island’s amusement legacy in perpetuity. The current tenant, Wonder Wheel Park maintains a lease to operate on the property for a term of 12 years, through 2020.

This is very good news for Coney Island. Many saw the amsuement district as becoming a giant mall with Joe Sitt’s ultra posh condo complexes towering over the Wonder Wheel, or even Parachute Jump! Hope still remains…

Source: http://www.gowanuslounge.com

Yo-YoUh-oh…looks like One of our most beloved White Trash Carnie Rides, the Yo-Yo, has been recalled by Chance rides. According to an Associated Press article, Chance will be giving ride owners and state regulators kits to test and repair defective rides as well as putting out new maintenance guidelines. “We are pleased to bring that to market to allow the owners of Yo-Yo rides to keep them safe for the future” said Jeff Roth, Chance Rides vice president of administration.

This recall came after two Yo-Yo accidents related to the defect occurred, one this past May at the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee in Angels Camp, CA when the arms of a Yo-Yo collapsed. The second one happening in 2006 at Six Flags Over Texas.

I’ve seen some pretty shifty looking Yo-Yo rides, so this recall is probably past due. Being a ride enthusiast, I kind of want to see what’s in this kit. Like maybe it has a gold doubloon with the Yo-Yo arms pattern cut out in the center. The owners walk 200 paces away, hold it up and see if the arms line up with the cut out. Or perhaps the kit simply has a note that says “get a Wave Swinger.”

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i2X20qgDe_1BlEI5fVW87yoMgAxgD93MD5U80

Coney Island/Astroland Video

Posted by on October 2, 2008 | Add a Comment

I haven’t gotten around to making that Astroland trip report since I’ve been busy lately, however, I did manage to whip up this video of my most recent trip to Coney Island. It features a lot of Astroland’s rides and  Coney Island attractions in a video set to “Feels Like Tonight” by Daughtry.

You can download the full quality file here (33mb) or watch the YouTubed version.

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