Friday, April 27, 2018

Worlds of Fun 2018 Opening Day Review


I’m honestly not sure exactly how many opening day reviews I have written over the past twenty years, I started writing them with the 1999 season, stopped for a few years while I worked as an Ambassador and started them again around 2011.  I can admit to having written some not so positive, yet honest, reviews in the past, even though I always tried diligently to write about every positive aspect I could find. It was hard sometimes.  


It wasn’t hard this time. In fact I am left to wonder if one of the whole three people that read this will wonder what happened to me.  However, as difficult as it is to make negative commentary, it’s much easier and much more fun on my part to write about things I have only dreamed of seeing.  There was a time maybe a year or two ago, I literally dreamed of a moment where I turned the corner into Africa and surprise… there was the floral clock, back again. It was a dream I never thought I would ever see.  About six months ago I woke up from another dream where ELI was re-painted and was absolutely beautiful.  Do you know how it feels to watch the park announce, and then see them with your own eyes, and then you get the chance to write about them?!  So forgive me if this editorial goes on a little longer then my previous opening day reviews.  It was an absolute joy to write.   

Check in/Registration for Worlds of Fun Village


What a nice view!


Jeff and I decided to stay at Worlds of Fun Village for the first time this visit.  We visited it back when it first opened in 2005 but only walked around it from outside.  While we lived in town I could never talk him into paying to stay there.  When we moved to Florida though it became slightly easier, and finally I did, for one night, Friday night.  Prior to check in, I had called ahead of time since the website stated that the offices were only open while the park was.  The phone attendant stated that offices opened at 1 pm for check-in.  We arrived around 2 pm I believe, had no problem checking in.   I had requested a cottage near Oceans of Fun and was assigned cabin 220, the one closest to Mamba.  The employees working at The Village were polite and friendly.  We checked out the gift shop and found it well stocked and had a very nice selection of park merchandise and village-specific merchandise as well.  Now some may complain about pricing since food and drinks are above “off property” pricing, but having stayed at numerous other park-based resorts (Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Orlando, Cedar Point Breakers), I found the pricing on point, and no different than any of the others of equal comparison.

The futon (just an FYI in Cabins there are two of these)


We had a short drive to our cabin and parked right in front of it which was very convenient.  We found the exterior a little worn (they are 12-13 years old now), but nothing horrible.  There was a charcoal grill in front, a small deck, and three Adirondack chairs.  We did use the grill and grilled hamburgers and veggies for dinner that night, along with s'mores, and had no problems with the grills, though they are looking a little long in the tooth.  The interior of the cottage was small but nicely laid out into usable spaces.  In the end, there were three of us, Jeff and I and a friend.  All adults.  I would not recommend more than 3-4 adults total in a cottage, though with smaller children I could see them sleeping more.  You enter into the living area which has a full-size futon, kitchen table with four chairs, a small tv, and kitchenette with microwave, fridge, and sink.  Utensils are not provided, and I am wondering if the village has ever tried or considered a utensil rental such as Disney Vacation Club or Fort Wilderness offers.  Our friend slept on the futon and said it was comfortable.  Down the hallway is the bathroom, which is compact, but functional.  The bathroom has a small tub/shower combination (the tub is only large enough for a small child).  The back bedroom had a double bed, tv, small nightstand and bunk beds.  Being familiar with the bunk beds at Fort Wilderness, which are smaller than twin size, I found these to be Twin Size, perfect for a smaller adult (I slept on it without any problem and I am 5’3”), Jeff, being 6’4” took the double.  His feet hung off just a little.  Like many things at amusement parks, it wasn’t designed for very tall people.  (He also can’t ride Outlaw Run because of his height).  Overall though it was comfortable, I have heard the mattresses were just replaced this off-season, which is up there with good shower heads when it comes to a comfortable nights stay!  We paid $99 a night with the pass holder discount and found it to be a very good value, being an easy walk to the park through the Oceans gate.  We would definitely recommend it and hope to stay there again.

Double bed with a towel animal, love it!


Bunk beds.


So when we arrived we sat down our stuff, took some “unmolested” photos, and then took naps.  Jeff and I only had three hours of sleep the night before!  Around 3:30 pm I woke up and checked my e-mail and Facebook, responded to an e-mail and then laying there…. I heard it.  I wasn’t entirely sure that what I heard was what I thought I heard so I sat up and listened more closely.  Sure enough, it was what I thought it was.  Mamba’s lift hill!  For me… that is the ultimate perk of staying at the village, you are right there and can hear the train engage the lift, here the “rip” as the train releases from the chain and heads down the first drop, and of course the B-block brakes.  (clunk clunk clunk).  I ran outside and I wasn’t the only one out there.  It was chilly so I only watched for a few minutes but what a beautiful sight.  Cyrus showed up around this time, and both of started getting organized and ready to head towards the park.  I believe we left around 5:30 or so, and took the sidewalk to the Oceans of Fun gate.  I had confirmed with the front desk at check-in that the Oceans gate was open.  It took about five minutes to walk there and was quite simple.  No one was there except us, and the employees. We went through security and scanned our season passes and we were in!  The first thing I heard was Queen’s “We Are the Champions” playing and my spirit sunk… I didn’t have to worry too long. The themed music, in ALL worlds now seems back and hopefully will stay around.  We passed Nile which was already testing with boats and saw the waterfall was on, which meant it was probably not a ride I was going to be enjoying this go around (hey I am from Florida now!).  We headed towards Mamba instead.  I had noticed as we had walked towards the OOF gate that Mamba had all three trains at the station for the first time in several years.  The third train is still “some assembly required” but it’s THERE.  A major plus, especially come the summer and Haunt when it will need that third train.  I hemmed and hawed on whether I would express this next comment, but Mamba was running EXCEPTIONALLY well this weekend.  Jeff, Cyrus and I walked up to the Plaza and found the queue line open and ready for guests, right then the National Anthem played, the official cue for the park to be open.  After it finished we looked up to the panel and made sure they were ready, they signaled they were, and we boarded the first public train for Mamba’s 20th birthday season.  

Look its the third train!


Mamba photo turned gift shop.


When we exited I noticed that Mamba photo had been turned into a mini gift shop, similar to Prowler, with shirts, and miscellaneous Mamba souvenirs hanging on the wall that used to be open air.  Since there isn’t a gift shop anywhere near Mamba this wasn’t too bad of an idea!  We walked towards Nile which was still closed to guests but would open up later in the day.  Overall, every single ride operated on Pass holder preview (except Timber Wolf but its an exception to the rule) and Opening Day.  AND every coaster ran two trains, if able to do so (since Boomerang obviously can’t!). Though, yes it is should be expected, its a major step forward after previous years.  




Coasters was open to the public as we walked by and I noticed the “directional sign” right across from it was blank on Friday.  Here is another amazing thing to me.  Between Friday night at 10 pm, and Saturday morning at 10 am, there were several updates to the park, including the addition of park information guide board additions, properly themed information guide boards no less.  The one across from Nile was themed to “Egypt” which was awesome, but makes me wonder… are there Mamba’s in Egypt?  :). 


New gate at Fury of the Nile.


The asphalt around Boomerang hadn’t been sealed yet, and was in pretty rough shape, but not really a major issue to me as it is one of only a few areas that have yet to be replaced.  Unlike when over half the park was in this condition just a few years ago.  MAJOR improvement. Maybe this means something new will be coming there in the next few years?  No, I don’t know anything more than anyone else, just being hopeful.

Floral Clock during the daytime...


Floral Clock at Night.


At this point, I was literally dragging Jeff and Cyrus behind me I wanted to see the Floral Clock.  From the pictures posted on the Worlds of Fun blog and knowing the weather the previous weekend (snow!), I wasn’t really excepting anything except dirt and bricks.  I was once again pleasantly surprised to find that there were indeed flowers, though it appears they were a “let's get something in there” kind of thing and I am guessing the flower design is not the final product.  I also loving the new sun and moon topiaries, that frame the clock, beautiful and such a nice touch to this Worlds of Fun original.




Paisano's new Menu.

We next went up through Europa, and since I noticed the show times were not on the park map we had been given as we entered the park I figured I would check at Moulin Rouge to see if the upcoming shows would be listed there.  They were and first thing I noticed was the significant change in the show line up, in that there were MORE shows then previous years.  First off, I am not a huge show fan myself, but I have friends that are.  Moulin Rouge has been reduced from its two shows during the normal season line up to just one this year which looks like it will be a re-boot of “Road Trip” from last year.  However two NEW shows have been added which appear to be variations of shows from Winterfest,  The “All American Trolley” (in Americana) and “Where’s the Party?”  (International Plaza).  This should definitely be an interesting season as far as live entertainment goes.

Italian/Sicilian wedding photos on the wall in Paisano's.  Being 25% Sicilian myself (explains a lot I know) I have photos of my Great Grandparents that look just like these... and yes they all look like mafia photos. 



Though there are no major additions to Europa this year it has been home to several small updates.  Deja Vu, though still home to retro merchandise also has a nice selection of Coca-Cola themed merchandise as well.  Paisano’s, while still serving Italian was not only open(!), it also had several small theming details added, including various Italian/Sicilian wedding photos, hanging lights, and various other small details.  Paisano’s, which originally was Le Polit Bone when the park opened is an original food service location and its overall structure could use some love… but Rome wasn’t built in a day either.  The main reason MOST people go to food service restaurants… you know for food… I won’t overlook either.  Several restaurants received all new menus this season, including Paisano’s, thanks to the new chef on board.  It will take time to see how the menu options will fare throughout an entire season, but on opening day… it was VASTLY improved.  Worlds of Fun has never been known for its tasty food selections, in the entire forty year experience I have had with it, but the fact that the food was warm and enjoyable, was a big step forward.

Yummy.


Looks a bit funky but tasted good which is all that matters.

Several other attractions in Europa have seen some minor updates, Flying Dutchman boats were shiny in their new paint jobs.  Autobahn also was running… 14 cars, an all-time high for recent years, and was also sporting some new German autobahn road signage (as in the REAL Autobahn).  Awesome.  

Some German Autobahn signs, on... Autobahn.


Some German Autobahn signs, Grob Koris and Mittenwalde are cities in Brandenburg.  Of course all distances are metric.


Also, Awesome, Falcon’s Flight received a new lights package.  It was missing last year but has made it for year two. As those that know amusement parks, in general, it's rare for anything put off to “next year” to actually occur. Anywhere.  So I was once again pleasantly surprised.  Falcon’s Flight looks just like it should now. 

Falcon's Flight with new lights!


Some have asked about the troll that was added to Haunt last year, its shed has been closed up, it's not really tacky it's more just “unnoticeable”.

Lookin' good for 45 years old... (actually 46 since it was built in 1972, but since it's a she I thought ELI would appreciate being called younger...)

And from the 1970's... looks pretty similar.  That makes me smile.


I have heard these had to be re-painted a few times to meet park approval.


Ok, Ok, besides the floral clock what else have we all been waiting to see?  The train of course!  ELI and the coaches behind it were re-painted for the first time in many years and it looks… well, I needed to pull out my trusty thesaurus because the word Awesome is getting way overused.  So how about the word Stunning.  Yes, it very much does.  It wasn’t just re-painted though, it was repainted almost exactly as it was when the park opened in 1973, Candy Apple Green, and each individual row ending cap was repainted, painstakingly to its original white and multi-colored balloon.  It does look stunning, and beautiful.  When I first saw the post on Worlds of Fun's facebook I recalled the interview I conducted several years ago with the then new head of maintenance, Wayne Meadows. In the interview he stated that the train was the crown jewel of the park’s ride line up, and now… it looks the part too.   The only question I had, is I noticed there was no train conductor spiel, was this missing because it was opening weekend?  Curious.

The map board by Vittle Griddle.

And the original one by the Depot.


Besides major and minor attractions through the park, one thing I had been noticing was the map cases.  Worlds of Fun is one of the VERY few parks that still uses map cases (thank goodness), and they were fantastically updated this year. Instead of the old stand by glass case with old-fashioned paper and wood displays (and a clock that as another fan mentioned could be updated by just about anyone), it is now a digital board, displaying all the same information but in a much more aesthetically pleasing way. Each board is themed to the correct world, and I have noticed how several of them have a seemingly intra-World theme, such as “Old West” by the train depot, or “Egypt” Near Fury of the Nile.  Speaking of maps we turned the corner and found a few teenagers looking very confused by the Front Street shops end cap display window, that now displays a variety of old souvenir maps (1973, 1987, 1996, and 1998).  The teenagers didn’t realize that the maps were not current, and we explained that fact to them and directed them to the more current map cases.  We happened to notice on the 1973 map that the scanned image had a very distinctive piece of yellow tape that held the map together… it looked familiar…

Moving along.  Every year for the past few years a wide span of old asphalt has been replaced by concrete.  Usually, it coincides with the new addition for that year.  Up to now the entire Orient, half of Europa, half of Scandinavia and half of Americana had been replaced.  For 2018 the park replaced what is most likely the largest swatch of asphalt with concrete at one time from Detonator and Forum Road all the way to near Pizza Pier.  This included re-landscaping, re-curbing, and removing the extended queues for Cyclone Sams.  I am slightly concerned about the removal of the extended queue for Cyclone Sams and how that will effect lines come summer time.   On a different front, we noticed that the lights on the exterior of the building had been replaced by a very awesome (there’s that word again!), flaming light bulb.  Jeff loved them so much he researched them literally overnight and bought a few on Amazon already.  


Not a great photo but shows the new lights by Sams.




The lights on the actual ride itself have also been replaced in this case by LED bulbs.  A fact noticed by another fan, since I can no longer tolerate Cyclone Sams.  And by the looks of those exiting the ride… I am not the only one.  

New Vittle Griddle Menu.

New paint on Bicentennial Square.

Taped up wiring for a light fixture.


Next up was Timber Wolf and the old Bicentennial Square.  For those not familiar, Bicentennial Square runs from Timber Wolf’s entrance all the way back to its exit, it was added along with Screamroller (that Timber Wolf uses the same station and queue line from), in 1976.  Timber Wolf’s line was closed off and had a sign that Timber Wolf was basically a work in progress.  Now for those that have read my opening day reviews in the past, know I am not a fan of rides not being open on opening day.  Timber Wolf’s not being open does not bother me in the least.  Why?  Because the park was completely clear what was going on and they gave a date for expected opening.  Fury of the Nile did the same thing in 1984 (it didn’t open until Memorial Day either), if an opening day is not going to be the same as the rest of the park, and its made readily apparent by the park, (opening late spring!), It is a non-issue if it isn’t open on opening day. Plus, as Timber Wolf is one of my favorite roller coasters (after mamba and prowler), in the park, I am rather intrigued as to this modification since the helix has always been, for me at least, sluggish.  Stay tuned for my review after wolf opens.  


More Bicentennial Square/Ripper Alley for Haunt


Bicentennial Square itself was closed off, just past first aid (the old entrance to Uncle Sam’s Skeeball Hall), when I looked through the darkened doors of the arcade I saw the same picnic tables that had been there since Winterfest and no games.  I have heard the games will be coming back… which is possible.  Still, every time I think of arcades in the park I remember that scene from the new Tron: Legacy, where we see the old shuttered Flynn’s Arcade.  No one cares anymore about arcades anywhere.  Sad.  But true.  What’s fascinating to me, is that it appears the outside of New Funtier Arcade/Snoopy’s Arcade, whatever its called today, has recently been painted.  The same blue color as most recently, but it looks to be obviously VERY recent as the light fixtures were removed and electrical lines taped up as you would do with a proper painting job.  Also, the buildings further down, the old Calamity Games/Timber Wolf games, look to be primed as if ready to be painted.  Maybe, well probably, they are just painting the buildings.  






New Front Street Square at night.


Ok so lets all talk about the ten-ton gorilla in the room.  The new Front Street area.  I knew about it awhile ago, and knew that there would be some that would freak out over the trees.(Go read my Patriot post on April 8th…)  I know this because had this happened three years ago I probably would have freaked out too.  Too many years watching too many beautiful trees being cut down for what appeared to be no reason whatsoever without being replaced.  Truth be told some were probably removed to create a more open walkway.  Then there is exhibit B, Mamba Plaza. Enough said.  So a few years ago when the Americana Front Street island trees were removed I was visibly upset, then the trees in front of Voyager were removed and replaced about three years ago.  This depressed me even further.  Then last year, I remember seeing the new Voyager trees planted just the year before and noticed that they appeared larger already.  Then I sat in Patriot Plaza, waiting for Jeff to ride (as I no longer ride Patriot),  and enjoyed the shade that the once tiny Bradford Pear trees provided.  And I realized something.  Some trees need to be replaced.  This wasn’t the first few years of the 21st century Cedar Fair, ripping out trees left and right with nothing left but mulch beds.  This was a thoughtful and careful process of replacement NOT removal.  The trees aren't even being replaced by "stick" trees either, but the slightly more mature version, and not with “weed” trees but carefully chosen specimens (Hunt Midwest was guilty of both just as a reminder...).  Let us not forget that Worlds of Fun didn’t open completely covered with mature trees either.  I am now at peace with what I have begun referring to as the “Tree Rotation Program”.  


An Atlas Cedar planted by Subway (is Atlas Shrugging?)





The new Americana fountain, its beautiful.

Case in point.  The original trees at the Front Street sunken fountain were Pin Oaks.  A fine mature and beautiful tree.  The new trees, are Shumard Oaks.  Shumard’s are a more hardy species, native to Missouri, and produce red foliage in the fall.  They are also fairly quick growing of the oaks.  It’s also one of the rarer species.  It wasn’t chosen without thought.  Probably the detail I was most disappointed in loosing was the sunken fountain aspect, but that makes the most sense when it comes to ADA.  AND, on opening day a friend made a good point.  It is much easier to walk across the plaza now, rather than going around a sunken area.  The fountain is without question, beautiful, I cannot even imagine any argument to the opposite.  Yes, it’s different, yes it’s changed from what we have all known.  But that isn’t always a bad thing.  For the first five years of park operation, there was no central fountain at all, it wasn’t even added until 1978.  Sometimes new can be better than the original.  


The only slightly critical comment and it's more just an FYI that concerns me is the lip in the concrete from the fountain area towards the shops.  Both Jeff and I saw several people trip, heck I even tripped once on it (of course I am a klutz..).  I am sure the lip was designed to assist with drainage, but it's something I at least wanted to call to someone’s attention.  Otherwise zero criticism.


Picture of Front Street from Friday, notice the lack of flowers in the bed here.


From Saturday morning... now there are flowers.


Last few comments on Front Street, and it’s a small detail but one that reverberates for what it tells me about landscaping and the park.  On Friday night preview the Front Street area had small shrubbery planted but no annuals.  The park closed at 10 pm.  At 10 am the next morning… there were annuals and LOTS of them.  Now I have planted annuals in my own home garden, and while the folks at Worlds of Fun are professionals, there is a fact you can only plant so fast.  So basically someone, stayed up overnight… to plant flowers.  Let me rephrase that… someone at 2 am in the morning was planting flowers. 


Irrigation!


My final comment,l, but the newly landscaped areas, the ones that I could see up close, had something that Worlds of Fun has NEVER had.  Irrigation.  Yes, there has been hose plug in rainbirds, but never a full irrigation system.  Nice.

"new" landscaping on the Americana/Orient hillside, notice the old timbers in the background.

The closest I could come to a before picture its from the opposite direction but you can see the similarities.



Moving along, we both noticed some nice “new” landscaping off to the side just past front street.  New is in quotes because at one point the hillside was obviously originally landscaped as it still has its original railroad tie edging.  (like the entire park used to have).  Like more than one thing with park landscaping, what was old is new again, and in some cases being completely rediscovered.   It’s nice to see. 

This lake is under construction...

Taken on Friday this might have been the last time we could see it.



Next door was Ripcord lake, which had been drained and on Saturday (another one of those not there on Friday but there on Saturday), the park had posted a sign apologizing for the “inconvenience” of viewing an empty lake.  For us, it was a rare situation to actually be able to still make out where Cotton Blossom once stood.  From what someone reported it sounds like they are re-sealing the lake bed.  


FunPix signs around the park.





A pricing list for FunPix available for purchase at Guest Relations.


I headed into the Orient, at this point I was passing through as I was trying to get over to meet up with Jeff.  However, I did notice the new FunPix sign by the Orient pond.  There are quite a few of these signs scattered through the park, both offering good recommendations for photo opportunities but when those with FunPix scan the QR code, it gives photo takers themed borders to their photos.  The Orient one features a background of Chinese Lanterns.  FunPix is an interesting concept debuting with the 2018 season.  Guests pay a fee for either a one day use, or the entire season of use, which entitles them to all the available on ride photos, FunPix photographer photos as well as the fun border photos scattered throughout the park.  For those familiar with PhotoPass its a somewhat similar concept.  It’s a fascinating concept.


The orient pond looking pretty.


Some remember the photo I posted about two weeks ago of what appeared to be lanterns going up in the Orient.  After some time it was determined those were the Winterfest lanterns, and it appears they were being taken down, while new Asian Koy fish windsocks were being put up.  They add a themed visual interest to the pond area, and it's nice to see once again the small details being attended to.

Some new hardscaping on the creek under the SO bridge.


Attention to landscaping at the park this season has seemingly taken a light speed jump forward, it has gotten to a point its impossible to walk through an area and not see something new.  The same is true with Orient.  On the Scandi/Orient Bridge (referred to as SO bridge) the old rough rock work on the creek below has been entirely removed and is being replaced by a much more attractive hardscape creek bed.  In regards to the SO bridge an interesting detail I discovered this last weekend also is that the SO bridge, in regards to the actual physical bridge, isn’t original.  The current structure replaced the original wooden bridge in 1982.  Which is WHY on the 1973 map the bridge looks nothing like its current form.


Ugh... and you can even still see where Pizzo Pizza lettering was.



As I turned into Scandinavia, I didn’t notice a small detail that had been changed, to be truthful I didn’t notice it until the following Saturday.  And there is an interesting reason.  Pizzo Pizza, located in Scandinavia since 1981, and named Pizzo Pizza since 1982, was renamed this year… to Just Pizza and Turkey Legs.  Funny thing, it is still listed as Pizzo Pizza on the map.  I don’t get why?  Ok, I guess I get WHY because now it serves Turkey Legs.  But seriously can’t people just read a menu?  Or ok make it Pizzo Pizza and Turkey Legs.  In all the world of beautiful landscaping and re-incorporation of the theme, there is this one little change that isn’t like the others…  And that my friends is about the only truly negative commentary I can make in this entire editorial.  


A new map case!


Up the hill towards the slightly new main gate (it’s so 2017), the park has added a new map case in traditional map case styling but with the new screens.  Supposably this one was relocated from somewhere else in the park.  Maybe it was the one that used to be in the old Scandinavia plaza?  Still a good idea to have one by the main gate.  






Moving through Scandinavia, a fairly major change for Retail is the re-naming and re-theming of The Lift to Kringle’s Holiday House.  I have to ask… why wasn’t it Kringle’s Holiday Haus?  I guess that just seems such an obvious thing to me.  For years, and I seriously mean decades the retail location across from Voyager has struggled.  It was dead when it was Norseman’s Niceties, it was dead when it was The Lift.  I can only hope that maybe with time Kringle’s will pick up in traffic.  It’s a fabulous idea to bring a Christmas store to the park, since so many parks have already followed the same trend.  It's also a very charming store, I loved the merchandise options.  Hopefully, it will pick up in traffic when Voyager does, as it gets warmer.  


Whether they are new or rehabbed they still show some signifiant work was done to Voyager's 45 year old pumps.

While we're talking about Voyager I noticed, also on Saturday that the pumps, located under Lift 1, appeared to either be rehabbed or replaced, probably rehabbed.  I am THRILLED that Voyager is getting lots of TLC, in addition, the trough appears repainted too.  (either that or really well cleaned).  I honestly think Voyager has seen more updates in the last five years then it has seen in the entire other 40 years of its existence, Which is just… Awesome.  

Before we get to the new ride I wanted to make a quick comment.  Now in the twenty-odd years, I have been writing these opening reviews I can’t think of a time I have openly discussed a ride that was removed in the prior season.  Since its usually widely discussed prior to that point.  I am going to continue that trend, but I am going to mention Fling, not because its virtually impossible not to, but to make a point.  Fling was a rare ride, but let's not forget Voyager is getting to a point where it is almost just as rare.  Voyager is an Arrow log flume, and many consider those a dime a dozen.  They were.  Now… not so much.  Arrow flumes are vanishing just like almost every other type of Arrow ride.  (Orient Express and Screamroller were also Arrows)  If you are still dwelling on Fling lets not lose sight of the fact that the park is still investing money into Voyager every single year and that makes me very very happy. 







So 5,364 words is what it took to get me to the new ride for 2018, Nordic Chaser.  Nordic Chaser was manufactured by Mack Rides (the manufacturer plaque is very visible on the ride), and is similar to Mack’s current Sea Chaser ride except the boats don’t spin.  Some have compared it to the old Rockin’ Reeler, and on first appearances, its definitely seems similar.  However, it doesn’t really ride like Reeler did.  It’s more like an old caterpillar.  However, most people reading this have no idea what a caterpillar ride is (it’s an older style ride from the 40’s), and fewer still have actually ridden one, so let me try to explain as best as I can.  Nordic Chaser is a circular ride with undulating hills, that are “wave-like”.  While spinning it produces a very significant level of lateral g-forces (similar, but stronger than Scrambler does), and on each “wave” the car bumps up an down like it was on a literal wave.  It creates a sensation of “almost airtime”, and I believe it was running just a bit faster it would actually be real airtime.  A lot of people were concerned that it was a “kiddie ride” and it really isn’t, it's more a fun family style ride, and fun in that both I and my husband really enjoyed it.  The amazing thing about Nordic Chaser is that the experience is not just about the physical ride, it also combines music (themed music no less!), and colored lights that at night really add to the ride experience.  Almost like an indoor ride, that isn’t indoors if that makes sense.  I personally also love how the queue line and that the drive box fly flags of several Scandinavian countries.  AND, yes the landscaping around Chaser has IRRIGATION too.

Last comment about Nordic Chaser but its similar to my comment about all rides operational on opening day.  And that says it all.  Nordic Chaser, the new ride for 2018 was open on opening day for 2018.  Since there has been some difficulty in getting the new rides open on opening day in the past, its also a major step forward to have Nordic Chaser open on opening day!  


One aspect I was shocked about with Nordic Chaser is that the park kept the original walkways around it, the steps and curves.  Since they re-did and flattened out Front Street for ADA I thought they would do the same here, and I am wondering if that isn’t the long-term plan.  Still, the only way to really do something like that is to do a type of Lombard street switchback.  


ELI has significantly improved the curb appeal of it's home.


Behind Nordic Chaser is a view Jeff and I love to check out and that’s ELI’s Roundhouse, or better described as ELI’s shed.  Like ELI herself, ELI’s rectangular roundhouse has received some much needed TLC since it was probably in worse physical shape then ELI was!  It appeared painted, spruced up and even…. Has a door.  Every off-season in the past the opening towards the park was covered with a sheet of plastic.  That was the only thing separating ELI from snow and ice and everything else Kansas City weather cooked up.  This year it has a real honest to goodness roll down door. 


New menu for Chicken Shack in Scandinavia.


I have briefly discussed the new menus and two of the upcoming restaurants, Chicken Shack (old Nordic Nook) and Gorilla Grill have been recipients of the new menus.  They look far more appealing then the old menus did.  Like a million times better.  Jeff and Cyrus shared some chicken fingers while I ran around doing whatever I was doing at the time.  They said they were quite good.  Nice.  Edible food, always a good thing.



Work done on Big Jack's patio over the off season.


Moving into Africa there are some changes.  First, one thing that hasn’t changed, which has made me EXTREMELY Happy is Big Jacks, is still Big Jacks.  Both on the map and on the snack stand itself.  For those that don’t know (and I know anyone that knows me knows this about a million times over), Big Jacks was named after Jack Steadman, one of the founders of the park, and without a doubt in my mind the person quite literally responsible FOR Worlds of Fun.  With the removal of Steadman plaza last year I thought for sure this would be gone too, and it wasn’t.  So that’s good.






Across from Big Jacks, it appears Big Game Hunt has also gone to the Worlds of Fun in the sky.  This was pretty apparent at Winterfest when it was used as a petting zoo, and to be honest with you the reader, it doesn’t bother me really at all.   Like almost every arcade in the park the era of the amusement park arcade has basically vanished, for years I never saw anyone playing it, and it’s time has come.  However, instead of boarding it up and leaving it a horrible looking eyesore the park made an interesting choice to re-use it, in this case as a FunPix Photo opportunity.  It surprisingly fits!  I have to wonder how long the decked out jungle safari theming will last (not because of the park but because of those IN the park…)  but it's a cute little photo opportunity that is well themed and probably will be more used then Big Game Hunt was at least in its last few years.  Some have discussed what the park will now, permanently put in place of Big Game Hunt and I am not sure.  It's really a tiny little space if you look at it on Google Maps.  Some have discussed moving Autobahn there, but really it's only about 25% of the space of Autobahn (if that).  It’s really shoehorned in there between Zulu and the Railroad tracks.  It will be interesting to see what it’s used for in the future. 




Looking from Zulu onwards across the bridge to G’rilla Grill, the area around the bridge has been meticulously landscaped and looks downright manicured.  The topiary Giraffe, Elephant and Rhino are obviously left from Winterfest, which is a-ok with me, it looks awesome.  I love the WOF letters too, which are also a holdover from Winterfest.  It wasn’t that long ago when this area was a tangled wild set of woods with a not so pleasant smelling creek.  Today, it's like it did a 180, and not only opens up the area but makes it absolutely beautiful.  It will look stunning once all the tropicals get put out.  I can’t wait to see it. 



Fried cheese from G'Rilla Grill. 


New menu for G'Rilla Grill.

Moving on to Prowler which was down on most of Friday preview night, though I heard it went back up right at the end of the night, I did not get a chance to ride it though.  From riding the train it appears portions of the track have been replaced which is good since it was starting to get rough.  


Prowler makes a good intro to my closing discussion.  People come to a park for rides, that is the primary reason, and we all know that.  So on a preview night and opening day to see every single ride (except Timber Wolf but Timber Wolf has an excused absence) was operating made me extremely happy.  Still, though people come for the rides, they come BACK because the park is beautiful and it was a pleasant experience.  Many parks have failed because they have simply been allowed to fall apart (Joyland in Wichita is a sad but good example).  It takes a park filled with people that see beyond a 9-5 job that really care and dare I say love the park to make a park successful.  I am not saying that because I think everything is coming up roses at Worlds of Fun Avenue, but I think the park is headed in the right direction, and that’s always a great way to start a season.  Here’s to a wonderful 46th season at Worlds of Fun, see you at the park!

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Sit Up Right... Hold on Tight... Because Mamba is About to Strike! Celebrating 20 Years of Mamba!




The Beginning…



“Oh my…” that was the response of the KC Star teen writers as they approached Worlds of Fun for their first ride on Mamba in 1998.  As I stood on Worlds of Fun Avenue a day later, April 18th  1998, trying to get pictures of Mamba, I was passed on one side by an entire string of cars literally parked on Worlds of Fun Avenue waiting to get in… I saw more than one gapping open mouth… looking straight up, 205 feet up to be sure.  But that’s not where Mamba’s story starts.  I also vividly remember in summer 1997 first hearing about the “big new ride” coming to Worlds of Fun in 1998 while I worked in retail at the old Baltic Bazaar.  The guy, I will always vividly remember this, was wearing a Cedar Point “Banshee” shirt.  But that wasn’t the start either.  I happen to believe that in history, nothing happens in a vacuum and so it is with Mamba as well.  Because no discussion of Mamba would be complete without its sisters, Steel Force and Wild Thing, or its own progenitor, Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point.


 Mamba? Is that you?  Nope... Its Magnum XL-200.


Back in in the late 80’s, Cedar Point was looking for the next big thing and they went to a company that had already designed and built several of their most popular coasters, Gemini, Corkscrew and even Cedar Creek Mine Ride.  Arrow Dynamics.  Arrow, the great proliferator of amusement park rides and roller coasters for the last four decades still had several good tricks up its sleeve, and one of these just happened to be the world’s first hyper coaster, or coaster 200 feet tall or taller.  A type of coaster built not for loops or other crazy shenanigans, but speed and lots of it.  It could be said that Magnum propelled Cedar Point to its title “Roller Coaster Capital of the World”.  It could also be successfully argued that if Magnum hadn’t been built, neither would Worlds of Fun ever have become a Cedar Fair park.  Certainly, there would have been no Mamba.  Ron Toomer, the designer for Arrow Dynamics, and designer of the immortal Orient Express and Screamroller had one last great trick up his sleeve. 

 Some specs on Mamba from the original press kit.  

The world wasn’t ready for Mamba as of yet though.  A few years after Magnum, Cedar Fair began to do what it has always done best, copy its most successful ideas to its other parks. Before I continue it's important to point out that at this time Cedar Fair didn’t own over a dozen parks like it does today.  In 1996, where our next chapter takes us it only owned four, Cedar Point, Valleyfair, Dorney Park and of course Worlds of Fun, which it had bought from Hunt Midwest in mid-1995.  Instead of Arrow though, they went to Morgan Manufacturing, owned by the son of one of the founders of Arrow Development, Dana Morgan (son of Ed Morgan).   The apple certainly did not fall far from the tree at all.

 Ok let's all be honest... who puts their hands down here?  

Wild Thing at Valleyfair was first, and it opened in 1996, though there are urban legends that Wild Thing was actually planned for Dorney Park first yet the construction permits couldn’t be filed in time… so it went to ValleyFair instead.  Steel Force would find its way to Dorney Park and it would open in 1997.  Worlds of Fun would be third in line, completing what is commonly referred to as the “Morgan Triplets” .  Improving on everything that was learned with the two previous incarnations, designer Steve Okomoto and D.H Morgan gave “The World” what is arguably the best of the three.



Obviously, all these people did... Looks deceivingly close in this shot!

Mamba would combine the best elements of the first two, a 200+ foot lift hill and first drop along with some fantastic air filled bunny hops as a finale.  To the mix, Mamba would spice things up with an equally towering second hill at 184 feet, complete with its own massive dose of airtime and a fantastic head-chopper helix.  Mamba was to be built, perched at one of the highest elevations in the park, utilizing some of the park’s naturally slopping terrain allowing both the lift hill and first drop to reach 205 feet equally, creating a grandiose monster that to this day seemingly snakes around the park. 





Mamba wasn’t without its own fiascos and “urban legends”.  A commonly quoted fact that Mamba’s price tag was ten million, is actually false and based on the price tag of its two quasi-twin predecessors. Mamba’s price tag was never officially announced and only listed officially as “over ten million dollars”.  The other story fans love to tell is that Mamba was designed with twin tunnels, identical to those on Steel Force and Wild Thing.   This one is true, as the press release above can attest.  The tunnels were cut as the budget continued to climb above the original price tag, but not before the preliminary wiring was complete.  Out in an electrical shed, near the turn-around of Mamba are two on/off switches, one for “enclosure #1” and the other for “enclosure #2”.  Though the tunnels are often discussed, even today, they are not often missed, as from at least this rider’s point of view, having ridden both Steel Force and Wild Thing on multiple occasions, I ‘ll take Mamba any day. 

 
Airtime!  

Going back to April 18th, 1998 the day Mamba opened to thousands of would be, possibly traumatized gawkers… I was there and I was one of them, and while I wouldn’t ride Mamba myself for six more years, I cannot forget that day.  The line for Mamba streamed all the way back past the line for Fury of the Nile.  Of course, there was a simple reason for that, Mamba was quite literally an 11th hour miracle.  Morgan had delivered Mamba’s first and only train for opening weekend literally DAYS before opening day!  However for those brave enough to challenge Mamba it was and still is one heck of a ride, enough so to make all of those of us who were there to witness it realize we were witnessing a once in a generation event, the birth of a legend.

 
3.5 G's right now... 

Mamba’s Long-Term Impact

What makes a legend?  Is it something that thrills us right out of the gate?  Is it something that ten, twenty, thirty years later we still love, or is it something deeper than just a ride that just offers a good time?  My argument is that it is all three.  Any ride can be popular the first or second year that it is open, Mamba had to be all of that and then some.  Because it wasn’t just Mamba being this huge awesome coaster, it was everything that happened at the same time.  Mamba became not just a big new coaster it became a turning point in park history.   


This illustrates the point perfectly... 

History will tell us that the three years surrounding the addition of Mamba saw the removal of almost a dozen major and minor attractions, Cotton Blossom, The Main Gate, the Henrietta, the Dolphin Show, the Marionette Show, the Floral Clock, The Trams, and of course the Zambezi Zinger.  Zinger, no less was in the process of being removed while Mamba was being built.  Only a few years later, Orient Express would follow the Zambezi Zinger, and in the blink of an eye, Worlds of Fun had lost its two legendary roller coasters.




Why do I bring this up?  Why is this important?  Because it illustrates how Mamba was not only at the crossroads between an old Worlds of Fun and new Worlds of Fun, but that these changes, helped shape Mamba, and more importantly, how its fans and riders viewed it.  Simply put, Mamba became a legend not because it was a home run hit out of the park when it first opened (though it was!), but because it was THERE when it felt like at the turn of a corner who knew what else wouldn’t be.  It was a 205-foot, 5,600 foot long, red steel piece of bedrock.   Mamba was almost instantly put on the road to become a legend because it filled for many of us the terribly empty shoes left by the two biggest roller coaster legends of park history up to that point.  Today, it's not Zambezi Zinger and Orient Express, it's Mamba, Patriot, and Prowler, and by being first then and being first today, Mamba cemented its legendary and beloved status that we celebrate today.

 

Mamba Today

Twenty Years have passed since that day Mamba gave its first public ride.


Today, when I look at Worlds of Fun’s website I still see Mamba’s visage being plastered in videos, photos, and comments.  What ride are you going to ride first?  Mamba of course!  Magnum XL was long ago surpassed in height at Cedar Point. Steel Force isn’t the biggest, hottest ticket at Dorney Park anymore.  Mamba has been surpassed as the newest trick in town at Worlds of Fun almost a half a dozen times already, yet whenever we look at Worlds of Fun what do we see first... Mamba.  Twenty years may have dulled her paint job but not dulled the Worlds of Fun’s patrons love of the big red coaster on the hill.


Come on a roller coaster blog from me?  Of course you're going to get a panel shot, because its awesome!



 Today, we all clamor for what we consider the best seat in the house, many love the very front, some, crazy people mind you, like the back, me I love that beloved airtime-inducing, third row of the first car.  We groan when Mamba is only running one train, and ALL fans wait for that perfect combination of warm weather, no breeze, and light B-Block trim brakes.  Back in 2007, I had the honor of driving Mamba for an entire season, and it was one of my absolute favorite rides to work, with the possible exception of maybe ELI.  Today, I can still rattle off the spiel that I said probably at least a hundred times daily.  I still hear, even over a thousand miles away, the ride operator yelling “pop one, pop two!” for the “automatic” pedals that were and still are anything but automatic. (manual foot pedals are a staple on older steel roller coasters, they unlock the safety harnesses) The most vibrant memory is the one that lives even today when I “argue” with my husband about which coaster, Mamba or Patriot is really superior, and we all know the answer to that question. It’s these memories that, so like the memories of Worlds of Fun when I was eight, or twelve, are what continue to make Worlds of Fun more than a place on a map.


  
What is different between the two Mamba logos you ask?  I'll wait....


Everyone has a different Mamba story, anyone that has any connection with the ride itself, from rider, to operator, to public relations manager, maintenance man, to even the steel worker that knocked her to together all those years ago.  It took twenty years to create all of our own personal stories with Mamba, and that is partially what we are celebrating today. One thing I have learned over the years, is that history and its importance isn’t about things, not the steel or the bolts or the paint, it's about how those things impact our lives, and make memories that we can look back on.  Mamba certainly has done that for me, and I hope that those reading this can say the same.  Happy twentieth birthday Mamba, thanks for all the wonderful memories and here's to many more to come.


So what was different between the two logos?  The Grass!  Right before the new logo was released, Jeff was shown the two final options for the final logo.  One with grass, one without.  I think they made a good decision.  Snake in the grass...

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Mamba Poised to Strike: 20 Years Later, April 1998-2018



A few things, first this will not be the last Mamba Construction blog before we celebrate Mamba's 20th Birthday, there will be one more to cover Media Day for Mamba.  Also, I have to admit I screwed up on Worlds of Fun History.. well for the last several months I have been talking and posting that Mamba's opening day was April 26th, it wasn't actually, it was April 18th. I checked about a week ago just to make absolutely sure I had the right date!  I know exactly where I got the 26th, but that's beside the point. It was my mistake and I am owning up to it, it's certainly not my worst one, by like... a long shot. 

(someone, somewhere is nodding their head in agreement to that last statement)

 Last point, I am still scanning photos, I have reached somewhere near 400 or so, and I am still barely into the second binder of photos.  Its a LOT of photos.  

However, when thinking of what to talk about today, I thought about the photos from April, but what couldn't escape my mind is the photos I  never shared, or haven't shared yet because we were too busy moving at the time, the ones from December and January and February.  There were hundreds of photos that I will still scan and put online, but thought I would share at least my absolute favorite one today and tell you the story behind it.


It's the topping out of Mamba, from January 1998.  What is even more fascinating is the story that goes along with it.  If you look at the point of view it's not your ordinary ground shot... It was taken from a basket hanging off the construction crane.  Jeff and two others, a Channel 5 cameraman and a construction guy.  Imagine if you will... being in an open-air construction basket, hanging 200 some feet in the air, and when it moves... you swing behind the crane (think hot air balloon).  Then there is the cameraman, with the big video camera, swinging the thing around him to get his shot.  Add to that a huge dose of eery quietness, because there is literally JUST you and two other guys, some steel and the cold January air...

The safety guy was on the ground, which is exactly where I would have been too.  Smart.

If you look closely in this photo you can see the steelworker positioning Mamba's crown in place, an awesome job, with an awesome view but you better have your head screwed on straight...

From January we are going to fast forward to exactly 20 years ago once more, to early April just weeks before Mamba's opening.  In fact, as we will see on Mamba's Media Day, Mamba was quite literally an eleventh-hour miracle...

Working on the bunny hops... whadayamean there are no tunnels?  All that work for nothing!


Just so awesome I had to share, love those head choppers. 

Oops #2... For further explanation see Oops #1 on the previous post.  Something about Morgan advertising a perfect fit EVERY time... Sorry, I love you Morgan but really it's just too good not to share. 

Finishing up the lift hill...

If you ever wanted to know who really controls Mamba... This guy.... in the yellow hat.  


Because well... because.  


We're all familiar with this view...


Sunday, April 1, 2018

Timber Wolf Turns 29: A Retrospect on Timber Wolf's Run for Number One

Every March for the last several years, I have had multiple conundrums.  The upcoming month of anniversaries is upon me and somehow, I have to come up with something new and unique to say about many rides that have been around for twenty plus years.  After twenty years of writing, you would think I would run out of things to say about roller coasters such as Timber Wolf, Orient Express or Mamba. sometimes it's hard, sometimes inspiration comes from the oddest places.  The other day my plans were to share an excerpt from a Kansas City Star article for Timber Wolf’s upcoming birthday, which you are most likely reading on the actual birthday of April 1st.  I thought I would also come up with something witty, since it also happens to be Easter AND April Fools Day too.  Instead, someone made a comment to me on Worlds of Fun’s Facebook and it took me to an entirely new dimension.  It made me think how many thought about history in general, how many of us, including myself at one point thought about it.  Dates, years and numbers.  Stupid and annoying to most, fascinating to those few crazy people that LIKE history.  Maybe I could help you the reader understand a little bit of why it’s so fascinating.




An early aerial view of Timberwolf.



For those that have done crosswords or puzzles of any sort, you know the feeling when you make a connection; where one piece fits into another and allows you to see a bit of the bigger picture? That’s how dates and years work. They are pieces of a bigger picture.  April 1, 1989 was the day Timber Wolf opened, but it is also the day Timber Wolf opened.  The first day that the smell of grease and wood welcomed visitors to Worlds of Fun, maybe not the first time Timberwolf unleashed its schizophrenic personality on a rider, but certainly the first time it did so to unprepared guests.  Timber Wolf always has had a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personally, going back to March 31, 1989. The press rode the Timber Wolf for the first time and reviews began to pour in.  That amazing, fearsome “Harry Traver-style” first half, and then the anti-climatic second half.  Thankfully, that anti-climatic half has quite literally been sawed in half a few months ago and looks to be replaced by a helix worthy of its Mr. Hyde personality. 

Back to the topic at hand though.  April 1, 1989 is not just a date, it was the date we were all introduced to Timber Wolf.  Timber Wolf, a coaster that would climb to the pinnacle of coasters, and be the first and only Worlds of Fun coaster to be ranked #1 in the world.  That my friends is where the problem resides.  A lot of people, mistakenly, assume it was ranked #1 in 1989, the year it opened.  Or possibly 1990.  Funny enough,  it was ranked #2 those two years, by the reader’s of “Inside Track”.  It didn’t hit #1 until three years after it opened in 1991.  Now, why is that important?  Am I am little stir crazy in the mind for making that such a big deal?  Okay, I will admit to being a little crazy; that is besides that point, it IS important.  Because it's all part of the story, and NOT just dates on a page. 

John Hudacek, General Manager of the park at the time is on the left in this promotional shot.  I keep hoping the park will re-make these hats, I so want one!

Why?  Let me share with you one of my favorite excerpts on Timber Wolf from the Kansas City Star, April 5, 1991 (The article interviewed General Manager, John Hudacek, in regards to the upcoming 1991 season):

“Of the factors that are out of Worlds of Fun’s control the one that interests Hudacek the most is the Timber Wolf’s reputation.  Two new wooden roller coasters will open this year, including one at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio that is said to be the world’s tallest and longest. The competition will be tough but Hudacek has high hopes.

What we did was introduce at various points throughout the ride the elements that distinguish a great roller coaster from a mediocre roller coaster he said.  Even though there were new roller coasters in 1990 we were still second best.  We think we can create the same excitement as a ride 20 or 30 feet higher because of the unexpected turns and acceleration.

In a lot of cases they’re spending three or four times what we spent on Timber Wolf.  But we are confident we’ll hold our position in the top five”

 Triplett III, Ward W. (1991, April 5), “Worlds of Fun is Ready to Roll” Kansas City Star p. H3

The sign that stood at Worlds of Fun Avenue and Parvin Road for several years.  I spent almost a decade trying to find a copy of this photo, as I always loved the sign!

History will not deny the fact that Timber Wolf was riding on the crest of a wave of new wooden coasters of the 1990’s, it was one of the very first new wooden coasters built.  Two years later in 1991, two giant wooden monsters had been built specifically to capture the number one spot, Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas and Mean Streak, now Steel Vengeance RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction) at Cedar Point.  The point is, Timber Wolf was not ONLY a part of the new wooden coaster revolution, it ALSO vaulted to the top number one spot even when bigger, faster, taller and more expensive coasters were built.  Simply put, by Timber Wolf being voted #1 in 1991 not 1989 it beat coasters it was never intended to beat!  Royals of 2015 anyone?    THIS is why it's so important to remark that Timber Wolf was #1 in 1991, not 1989, not so much because of the year, but because of what it beat to get there.   Timberwolf was and still is not the biggest, meanest coaster out there. It was never built to be, but it had where it counts, and that was enough to even exceed its own builder’s expectations.



Thursday, March 22, 2018

Mamba Poised to Strike: 20 Years Later March 1998-2018

Back in September, I started with such high hopes of covering 20 years of Mamba construction over the eight months that it took from announcement to reality.  Of course, what I didn't expect, is that building and moving to a new house during that time would involve ALL of my time.  Once we got moved in and started unpacking boxes that had been "lost" in storage for two years I began to think, if we are going to do this we should do it right and actually scan all the original photos instead of sharing the poor quality, low-resolution store scanned files.

Finally, last week I bought a new scanner and my very first scan was a Mamba construction photo, followed by, to date, about 120 more.  Which is why you are reading what you are reading right now.  However, before we get into what was going on exactly twenty years ago, I thought I would stop and reminiscence on the fact as to WHY it took so long to get the photos up.

Twenty years ago there were very few digital cameras, they existed yes, but cost far out of the range of the normal photographer, and consisted of a dollar amount that could easily buy a decent car.  Twenty years ago, there were also no smartphones, no camera phones, no Facebook or Twitter or even YouTube (gasp!), and the internet was in its infancy.  In fact, the PalmPilot the archaic predecessor of the smartphone had only come out a year earlier! Mamba construction was not shot digitally it was shot using a film camera, in which the film had to be bought, placed in the camera, shot, rewound, taken out (but not before it was rewound or you would ruin the photo!), driven to a photography store that would take the film and develop it rather quickly compared to the old days (only two days!).  When you went to pick up photos, the store would then hand you back an envelope of photos, with the negatives and a CD with "high resolution" DIGITAL photos!  Of course, "high resolution" then was on par with a gigantic ONE Gigabyte harddrive then too.  Which is why those high-resolution photos then are crummy, grainy low-resolution photos in this day in age.  So when I wanted to provide quality Mamba construction photos from twenty years ago, it meant I had to re-scan the paper photos form twenty years ago too.  Today, I can easily shoot a photo on my iPhone and post it online in a matter of seconds. I wrote that last paragraph not only to remind this writer but everyone else how great technological leap forward we have made in the last twenty years and WHY it has taken me so long to finally start getting these photos online!

Consider that last paragraph a prequel to the editorial to come on April 26th, because Mamba itself, just like the film camera that shot its construction would quite literally straddle the world of the old and new.

However that's looking into the future, lets once again look back to the past, in this case, twenty years exactly, March 1998.
No major action, but just an awesomely large wrench.



The second hill takes shape.


A few weeks later the second hill is done, shot from the top of Timberwolf.



The station starting to become vertical.


The base of the lift hill, incomplete and without a chain or lift drive.




Moving on to the helix, an "oops" shot, or what we like to jokingly refer to the "A Perfect
Fit Every Time" since that was Morgan Manufacturing's advertising line at the time.  Obviously not always.  Obviously, this was fixed before Mamba ever ran!



A different view showing the still incomplete B-Block.



Track waiting to be placed in the helix.


Air compressor down by B-Block.  I call it the evil air compressor as it powers, among other things, the B-Block brakes.