What should I do about Thunderation it gives me a headache because it's a little jerky. I will say I love Powderkeg because the track is just like Tennessee Tornado which are both smooth. I love Wildfire and Fire-in-the-hole. should i just stick to those three or is there a trick for Thunderation.
Here is a trick that my nephew played on me once and it really works! He talked me into riding it backwards. I tell ya' the pain in your neck will make you forget all about the pain in your head. :D
Seriously though, I love that ride. I'm just waiting on the kids to get old enough to ride it with me!
You might try taking a couple of ibuprofen 30 minutes before you get on it. That helps me when I'm going to be doing something that sometimes causes a headache. ;)
I noticed that it had gotten pretty jerky as well. That's really sad, because they did a ton of work in it not too long ago that couldn't have been cheap, and parts for Arrow rides can only be getting more expensive. I hope they don't start looking at it in a bad way, as much as a GCII would do perfectly in it's spot. We need another coaster, not another replacement.
A tip though: sit in the first row of whatever car you choose. The closer to the front of the train you are the smoother it will be, though it won't be as forceful.
Thunderation has always been a hard ride as it ages I do not see it getting smooth. Enjoy it for what it is a roller coaster.
No silly the jerky is over by Powderkeg! :D
Maybe you should talk to SDC. Over at thrillnetwork someone posted Mystery Mine was getting jerky and they fixed the problem. This happened recently because I went yesterday and it was alot smoother plus it's my favorite ride. Seriously though they can't fix it if they don't know about. Mystery Mine truly has been worked on I promise.
My viewpoints always seem to be in the minority around here, but I think Thunderation should be bumpy, and jerky.
It's a wooden rollercoaster! For those who really want a silky smooth ride then try out the teacups at the Grand Exposition. :)
It's actually a steel track supported by wood. It was super smooth when it was new, but it could be a lot worse. The wood expands and contracts with the temp and humidity so the track is bent slightly in a different way from day to day - not as much as with a true wood track, but a little. I might suggest you ride it during a different time of year or a different time of day.
When I was on park 2 weeks ago they were pulling a train from thunderation because one of the wheels on the last car was bad. The next day I rode in the same car and it was riding much smoother. One thing to consider is that staying open so late makes it harder to fix things on the rides everyday.
Thunderation is definitely a workhorse, and has been for nearly 20 years! Every ride needs a little overhaul from time to time, but I think the bumps, and jolts add a little character to it.
Rode this today and you can see where certain sections of track are not " square" even on the lift hill its not straight. I am sure its almost impossible to get sections that need repair exactly at the right angle and all.
Its still a fun ride.
TNT is probably the best mine train coaster in existence. And that helix is one of the best sections of track on any coaster I've ridden. Hope they NEVER decide to remove or replace this gem. Man, that choo choo can chug.
And yes, it can be a rough ride, but it comes with the territory. I've ridden steel coasters that punish you much more that TNT. One thing that helps me is trying to keep my neck as tight as possible throughout the ride. Not as easy with cars that don't have head rests, but it's doable.
Three years ago, we were there first thing in the morning. We decided to ride Thunderation FIRST. Why, I don't know, as I don't tolerate fast, spinny rides very well, if you know what I mean. We got in line to ride it backwards (by accident), but I thought "Oh well, lets live a little. How bad could it be?". It was VERY bad. Jerky doesn't describe it. Riding it backwards was much worse because obviously you can't see what turn or drop is coming up next. We survived, and were glad to say we did it, but MAN, did my neck hurt for days. I think its a great ride, but everyone should ride at their discretion. For example, I probably won't be riding it again, but glad to say we did.
You guys do realize that the ride is designed to be a little rough, right? That is the nature of the minetrain design. It is supposed to feel like an out of control ore cart going down the tracks. TNT is FAR FROM being rough. In fact it is one of the smoothest minetrains out there. I think the issue is that some of you have become spoiled by the smoothness of B&M coasters like Wildfire and have come to expect that on all coasters... unfortunately not all coaster design firms are B&M.
I guess that's true. I've become spoiled by all of the smooth coasters like Powderkeg, Wildfire, Thunderhead, tennessee tornado, mystery mine, I guess I just expect smooth. LOL!
Swoosh-You are correct, sir. I was mostly commenting on my inability to ride roller coasters more than anything. It was an exhilerating (and slightly jerky) ride. It turns out I'm just not a roller coaster guy. I'm glad I rode it though, even if it was backwards. We had a huge wooden roller coaster here in Tulsa since the sixties called the "Zingo". I regret that I never rode it, and now thanks to our idiotic and greedy city council, it has been torn down. I'm trying to live in the moment more now, even if it hurts a little sometimes. ;)
^Oh boy did you miss out on a classic by not riding Zingo... that was one amazing ride. However if you though TNT was jerky, you wouldn't have liked Zingo, it was an agressive thrill ride.
I love Thunderation for that reason. This past weekend I rode it for the first time in the very first seat. So sad that I haven't done this before - I remember as a teen wanting to only ride backwards. lol I've been on that ride too many times to count and yet have never jumped in the front seat. It was the best ride I've ever had on that coaster! I held out my iPhone the entire ride to get a get video. I'll get it up on YouTube soon.
Quote from: QueenMum on September 15, 2010, 10:12:19 PM
I held out my iPhone the entire ride to get a get video. I'll get it up on YouTube soon.
OnRide Video and Photography are strictly forbidden on SDC rides as posted at the entrance warning signs at most attractions, including ThuNderaTion
^ I would never record while on a ride but I will make sure to watch Youtube for the ride.
rules are being broken through out the park.. people are smoking through out the park not in designated areas! even with this happening in front of their eyes they seem to turn their head .i did hear they were putting up cameras to catch people doing the videos on the rides .
When I was there in July there was 2 people smoking in the que for TNT. The ride opp asked several time for them to please stop and they were ignored. When Security showed up the were escorted away. It was nice to see that they followed thru.
Quote from: oklaSDCfan on September 16, 2010, 07:42:04 AM
When I was there in July there was 2 people smoking in the que for TNT. The ride opp asked several time for them to please stop and they were ignored. When Security showed up the were escorted away. It was nice to see that they followed thru.
That's what I like to refer to as "sweet justice." :D
I think people often forget that most of us are in fact
guest, and although we have paid for certain services, we are still required to follow the rules of the property owners.
As far as the cameras, with picture, and video capabilities on most cell phones, it will difficult to catch everyone, and especially after the ride has already started. Once you begin that downhill glide on Thunderation there is no stopping until you hit the lift hill. :)
Perhaps employees will start talking to offenders after the ride is over, or better yet make everyone go through airport security style searches before boarding the ride. ;)