Zachary said:
I think this could possibly be attributed to just how good GCI's original ROAR design was. SFA's ROAR still ranks very high on my wood coaster list.
Twisted Timbers
- Thread starter Nicole
- Start date
I think this could possibly be attributed to just how good GCI's original ROAR design was. SFA's ROAR still ranks very high on my wood coaster list.
They were playing 50s music in the area on Sunday, which really helped tie everything together thematically. Hopefully the two '55 Chevy Bel Airs return in front of Juke Box Diner in the coming weeks; then the area will have a respectable 50s theme all around. Between the music, Twist & Shop, the survival of Juke Box Diner, Apple Zapple, and Twisted Timbers' theme, I'm pleased that the park has doubled down on the 50s vibe instead of going for the generic, modern-style pavilions that Cedar Fair has been adding lately.
Joe said:
This could be more for elsewhere but:
From all the interviews, and from what I've been told, the big feedback CF got last year was how far behind their themeing was and how their food needed updating. They really are making a push, and in the next few years, to improve that theme/food concepts. And this isn't a one or two park thing, but rather a chain wide push to improve.
I really think we are just seeing the start of all of this change.
If you play that video on half speed, it's more accurate to the ride's experience.
Now that I'm sick and forced to rest with such nice weather I felt it would be a great time to write a review of my experience on Twisted Timbers on Sunday. Note, this is based solely off my experience on Sunday as one of my biggest critiques was the lack of audio and sparse theming which is supposedly still being worked on this week. So prepare to dive into a very critical in-depth review of Twisted Timbers.
After witnessing the announcement in August I was ecstatic knowing that my home park would be receiving an RMC hybrid with a thematic package. The park had strayed away from theming with additions like Delirium and Hurriacane Heights being mostly concrete and steel attractions with little relations to the surrounding area. Knowing that the park was going to transform one of the worst areas of the park into a vibrant 50's esque orchard had me giddy with excitement.
Upon approaching the entry area on Sunday I was happy to hear 50's music booming over the speaker system with a visually impressive tree combining wood and steel. The rod iron gate with the sign looked incredible in front of one of the various vehicles. The line leading up to the main switch-backs in between Juke Box Diner and the barrel roll contained some lack luster Cedar Fair theming with cinder block walls and crates stacked upon each other.
Once I got into the main switch back section I enjoyed the orchard landscaping with the trees lined up in rows with the shade structures being labeled orchard sheds. The car with flickering headlights was a neat prop, something that left me confused was the orb and surrounding colorful display. Based on the backstory of the ride it never mentioned an object from space hurtling towards the ground or whatever this was supposed to represent. It was also disappointing not hearing any audio in such a thematic area. Knowing that Mystic Timbers utilized audio in the queue along with the lift hill it made the surprisingly quiet queue line have a very strange feel.
The stairs leading up to the queue line contain a piece of metal overheard to the guest with a tractor damaging it leading to a very cool immersive element showing the destruction that was brought by the winds. The exterior of the station feels very natural with slight rust and wording scattered about bringing up the realism factor. A very subtle, yet effective touch was the added paneling on the side that was partially peeled off. As for inside the station I wasn't a big fan of the set of switch-backs due to how compact they were making it very awkward for groups. Also, painting on the walls "Bins" on the opposite side of the station may have not been the best choice considering bags are not allowed on the ride as I overheard many people around me wondering if they were bins for loose articles. Also, I'm not sure if I'm the only one. but I found the shin restraints to be almost painful while going through the course. I'm a little over 6' and I found this to be slight nuance while traversing the course to have my legs slamming against the restraint every time airtime occurred. It wasn't nearly as bad as something like Tempesto, but it was noticeable.
I rode in the second to last row of the blue train and as soon as the train pulls out of the station it becomes very apparent that this ride is a smooth as glass. These trains traverse the course in an angelic fashion where there is not a single moment of roughness or a rattle. Going up the lift it's definitely the loudest in state being almost impossible to hear any conversations. Taking the right hand turn and diving down into the barrel roll drop leads to some extremely cool visuals that turn into a blur. Sky-rocketing out of this the train rockets over a small hump and then flys into an over-bank which is fairly forceless but a cool feeling nonetheless leading into another small hump. Next is the highlight of the ride three airtime hills in succession each providing floater air that then turns into ejector air. This is followed up by yet another small hump that then send the train soaring into the cutback that makes it seem almost as if the riders hands are about to be cut off by the wooden structure. Continuing on the train goes into an absolute onslaught of airtime with two bunny hills and a track track. This leads the train under the lift hill into an off axis airtime hill which provides ejector. I found this part particularly interesting as before the brain even notices this the train swings to the right and into a speed hill. This absolute insanity continues into a zero-g roll that feels like eternity with some incredible hangtime. Followed up by two nearly 90 degree turns and a few airtime hills lead the train flying into the brakes to a stop before rolling into the station.
All in all Twisted Timbers is an absolute tank of a coaster. I think at the moment it's easily in the running for the best ride at the park with I-305 edging it out slightly at the moment. However, once the train two train operations are figured out and it's not 40 and windy I think this will without a doubt be flying around the course. I think many are right about the ride running slow as in certain areas it's very apparent, but I feel in a few months this won't be a problem. I think everyone just needs to let this ride settle in to fully appreciate this coaster speed and airtime. It's a masterpiece of an addition, I'm just waiting for the finishing touches.
9/10
After witnessing the announcement in August I was ecstatic knowing that my home park would be receiving an RMC hybrid with a thematic package. The park had strayed away from theming with additions like Delirium and Hurriacane Heights being mostly concrete and steel attractions with little relations to the surrounding area. Knowing that the park was going to transform one of the worst areas of the park into a vibrant 50's esque orchard had me giddy with excitement.
Upon approaching the entry area on Sunday I was happy to hear 50's music booming over the speaker system with a visually impressive tree combining wood and steel. The rod iron gate with the sign looked incredible in front of one of the various vehicles. The line leading up to the main switch-backs in between Juke Box Diner and the barrel roll contained some lack luster Cedar Fair theming with cinder block walls and crates stacked upon each other.
Once I got into the main switch back section I enjoyed the orchard landscaping with the trees lined up in rows with the shade structures being labeled orchard sheds. The car with flickering headlights was a neat prop, something that left me confused was the orb and surrounding colorful display. Based on the backstory of the ride it never mentioned an object from space hurtling towards the ground or whatever this was supposed to represent. It was also disappointing not hearing any audio in such a thematic area. Knowing that Mystic Timbers utilized audio in the queue along with the lift hill it made the surprisingly quiet queue line have a very strange feel.
The stairs leading up to the queue line contain a piece of metal overheard to the guest with a tractor damaging it leading to a very cool immersive element showing the destruction that was brought by the winds. The exterior of the station feels very natural with slight rust and wording scattered about bringing up the realism factor. A very subtle, yet effective touch was the added paneling on the side that was partially peeled off. As for inside the station I wasn't a big fan of the set of switch-backs due to how compact they were making it very awkward for groups. Also, painting on the walls "Bins" on the opposite side of the station may have not been the best choice considering bags are not allowed on the ride as I overheard many people around me wondering if they were bins for loose articles. Also, I'm not sure if I'm the only one. but I found the shin restraints to be almost painful while going through the course. I'm a little over 6' and I found this to be slight nuance while traversing the course to have my legs slamming against the restraint every time airtime occurred. It wasn't nearly as bad as something like Tempesto, but it was noticeable.
I rode in the second to last row of the blue train and as soon as the train pulls out of the station it becomes very apparent that this ride is a smooth as glass. These trains traverse the course in an angelic fashion where there is not a single moment of roughness or a rattle. Going up the lift it's definitely the loudest in state being almost impossible to hear any conversations. Taking the right hand turn and diving down into the barrel roll drop leads to some extremely cool visuals that turn into a blur. Sky-rocketing out of this the train rockets over a small hump and then flys into an over-bank which is fairly forceless but a cool feeling nonetheless leading into another small hump. Next is the highlight of the ride three airtime hills in succession each providing floater air that then turns into ejector air. This is followed up by yet another small hump that then send the train soaring into the cutback that makes it seem almost as if the riders hands are about to be cut off by the wooden structure. Continuing on the train goes into an absolute onslaught of airtime with two bunny hills and a track track. This leads the train under the lift hill into an off axis airtime hill which provides ejector. I found this part particularly interesting as before the brain even notices this the train swings to the right and into a speed hill. This absolute insanity continues into a zero-g roll that feels like eternity with some incredible hangtime. Followed up by two nearly 90 degree turns and a few airtime hills lead the train flying into the brakes to a stop before rolling into the station.
All in all Twisted Timbers is an absolute tank of a coaster. I think at the moment it's easily in the running for the best ride at the park with I-305 edging it out slightly at the moment. However, once the train two train operations are figured out and it's not 40 and windy I think this will without a doubt be flying around the course. I think many are right about the ride running slow as in certain areas it's very apparent, but I feel in a few months this won't be a problem. I think everyone just needs to let this ride settle in to fully appreciate this coaster speed and airtime. It's a masterpiece of an addition, I'm just waiting for the finishing touches.
9/10
I'll pop my post cherry with a review on this one.... Going forward I plan to give some background info, ride experience, scores in individual areas, and a total score.
Twisted Timbers @ Kings Dominion
I'm born and raised in WNY so home parks were Cedar Point and Darien Lake. Relocated to VA 2 years ago and was fortunate to upgrade home parks to KD & BGW. I've missed out on CP's Gatekeeper, the Mantis rebuild, and their new drop coaster. The RMC conversion of MeanStreak just iced the cake of sadness until I realized (late to the game) that KD was getting one as well.
We did a double-duty weekend between BGW and KD, visiting on a chilly Sunday (3/25) that saw a high of 52 and a low of 32. Rode TT in both temps. Didn't notice much difference regarding the ride. Smooth and fast both times.
Had FastPass so we didn't get the standard queue line experience, but the ride is reasonably well decorated to fit the overarching theme. The twisted tree and various vehicles are cool but it seems that this is really contained to the boundary of the ride plot so as with all Cedar Fair parks/rides, it could definitely use more decor integrated into the surrounding park area. I think the 50s diner out front doesn't really match the modern-50s? orchard theme that TT has and a modern shop for goods really doesn't help the cause. I may be picky after BGW's unrivaled theming so hopefully they can continue to tie it all together. The bones are good, it just needs fleshed out.
My first gripe (as with a number of other KD coasters) the hourly locker racket. This is another ride with no item bins and varying length/priced lockers around the park just make it off-putting that I'm charged for another locker (my third of the day). I may be being petty about this, but for a "brand new" ride, they could've taken the opportunity to do something better here.
Next is the platform. Theme is great and everything ties nicely together. The problem, as others have stated, was absolutely no music whatsoever. Just silence aside from guest conversation, however the staff on this ride was definitely KD's A-team. Constant interaction with those in queue, high-energy, entertaining, and a true asset to what would've been very dull aside from decor. They were the saving grace of the platform.
Regarding uptime and reliability, I personally saw this ride go down twice and from surrounding conversation, assume it did a number of additional times throughout the day. We are unaware of the problem for the first bit of downtime, but the second one was due to an issue with the blue train's (only one running) restraint system. Thankfully RMC and park engineers were on standby at the ride to immediately jump on the issue. I was patient and can thank FastPass for that, but I can't say I've ever seen an angrier bunch of folks in a queue. A short 20m downtime and we were back in action.
Regarding those restraints, we saw at least a half-dozen people who were unable to ride due to their body size/shape in our 3 rides on this coaster. The restraints, albeit comfortable for me (5'10"-210lb-beer gut), seem to be a bit pickier than most coasters and I have to chalk this up to an inverted coaster with only lap/leg restraints. There is an LED indicator on the back of each car to show if it's been latched enough. Just because it's caught and feels locked doesn't mean it's "enough". It was sad to see this happening but after riding, I see why.....
Heading out of the station, the first two things to notice are how beautifully smooth this track is and how dead silent things are. No music, no track noise, nothing. This thing NEEDS music. This silence changes once you round the first corner and hit the chain lift, as the anti-rollback ratchet is extremely loud. It's a bit shocking at first, but is a nice nostalgic touch that fits well with the theme and park area.
The train approaches the drop with a small bit of speed and the barrel roll is timed perfectly so there is the slightest bit of seat lift during the inverted drop before the train comes back up to catch you. The next element is a buttery-smooth over-bank around the front of the station leading into two massive airtime rollers. These may be the best airtime rollers I've been on in recent memory. Stomach stays in throat for an eternity. Another over-bank (inverted) which comes up to some pitch changes in the track before an element that I don't know if I can even properly describe. It's a hard right turn, crossing under the main hill supports, but the track pitch leans to the inside during the turn, throws you to the outside when under the hill supports, and brings you back to the inside to turn out of the element. Unexpected, and probably the second-most notable ride feature. You finish up with a heartline roll and a few small rollers before pulling into the station to disembark.
Nothing but clapping and nods of approval from riders. They've got a winner here.
The scores (out of 10 points)
Appearance & Theming: 8
Twisted Timbers @ Kings Dominion
I'm born and raised in WNY so home parks were Cedar Point and Darien Lake. Relocated to VA 2 years ago and was fortunate to upgrade home parks to KD & BGW. I've missed out on CP's Gatekeeper, the Mantis rebuild, and their new drop coaster. The RMC conversion of MeanStreak just iced the cake of sadness until I realized (late to the game) that KD was getting one as well.
We did a double-duty weekend between BGW and KD, visiting on a chilly Sunday (3/25) that saw a high of 52 and a low of 32. Rode TT in both temps. Didn't notice much difference regarding the ride. Smooth and fast both times.
Had FastPass so we didn't get the standard queue line experience, but the ride is reasonably well decorated to fit the overarching theme. The twisted tree and various vehicles are cool but it seems that this is really contained to the boundary of the ride plot so as with all Cedar Fair parks/rides, it could definitely use more decor integrated into the surrounding park area. I think the 50s diner out front doesn't really match the modern-50s? orchard theme that TT has and a modern shop for goods really doesn't help the cause. I may be picky after BGW's unrivaled theming so hopefully they can continue to tie it all together. The bones are good, it just needs fleshed out.
My first gripe (as with a number of other KD coasters) the hourly locker racket. This is another ride with no item bins and varying length/priced lockers around the park just make it off-putting that I'm charged for another locker (my third of the day). I may be being petty about this, but for a "brand new" ride, they could've taken the opportunity to do something better here.
Next is the platform. Theme is great and everything ties nicely together. The problem, as others have stated, was absolutely no music whatsoever. Just silence aside from guest conversation, however the staff on this ride was definitely KD's A-team. Constant interaction with those in queue, high-energy, entertaining, and a true asset to what would've been very dull aside from decor. They were the saving grace of the platform.
Regarding uptime and reliability, I personally saw this ride go down twice and from surrounding conversation, assume it did a number of additional times throughout the day. We are unaware of the problem for the first bit of downtime, but the second one was due to an issue with the blue train's (only one running) restraint system. Thankfully RMC and park engineers were on standby at the ride to immediately jump on the issue. I was patient and can thank FastPass for that, but I can't say I've ever seen an angrier bunch of folks in a queue. A short 20m downtime and we were back in action.
Regarding those restraints, we saw at least a half-dozen people who were unable to ride due to their body size/shape in our 3 rides on this coaster. The restraints, albeit comfortable for me (5'10"-210lb-beer gut), seem to be a bit pickier than most coasters and I have to chalk this up to an inverted coaster with only lap/leg restraints. There is an LED indicator on the back of each car to show if it's been latched enough. Just because it's caught and feels locked doesn't mean it's "enough". It was sad to see this happening but after riding, I see why.....
Heading out of the station, the first two things to notice are how beautifully smooth this track is and how dead silent things are. No music, no track noise, nothing. This thing NEEDS music. This silence changes once you round the first corner and hit the chain lift, as the anti-rollback ratchet is extremely loud. It's a bit shocking at first, but is a nice nostalgic touch that fits well with the theme and park area.
The train approaches the drop with a small bit of speed and the barrel roll is timed perfectly so there is the slightest bit of seat lift during the inverted drop before the train comes back up to catch you. The next element is a buttery-smooth over-bank around the front of the station leading into two massive airtime rollers. These may be the best airtime rollers I've been on in recent memory. Stomach stays in throat for an eternity. Another over-bank (inverted) which comes up to some pitch changes in the track before an element that I don't know if I can even properly describe. It's a hard right turn, crossing under the main hill supports, but the track pitch leans to the inside during the turn, throws you to the outside when under the hill supports, and brings you back to the inside to turn out of the element. Unexpected, and probably the second-most notable ride feature. You finish up with a heartline roll and a few small rollers before pulling into the station to disembark.
Nothing but clapping and nods of approval from riders. They've got a winner here.
The scores (out of 10 points)
Appearance & Theming: 8
- Points off for slim park integration and slightly sparse theming.
- Points off for no music (this is where it really hurts), no item bins, and no music/line entertainment. Kudos to A-team staff.
- Point off for restraint size limitations.
- A unique and exhilarating experience.
- This is a standout coaster. With some easy fixes by KD, this will easily be a tie with I305 for the best ride in the park, and in my opinion will best it. Good things come in small packages.
Welcome to the forum! That's one hell of a good first post!
Not sure if this should be here, in the Hurler page or under merchandise but here goes, anyone see the sections of 2X6 branded with the Hurler logo and dates the ride ran in the gift shop. It was $19.99 and sold with the TT merchandise. There were no signs stating that it was wood from the old track or structure but I dont see why they would sell it if it wasnt. I didnt buy one but wish I did, will pick one up Saturday though!
My apologies for the double post mods (my last post was kinda silly anyway). Anybody get at the park today? And if they are.......is the test seat for TT there?
CoasterChase said:
I have been to the park today for a few hours and I can confirm that they are test seats. Also, Twisted Timbers is having downtime today when I was there. (Luckily, I rode it one time on the back before it has downtime).