2014 Year End Review

It is time for my year-end review. I will do the best to summarize my amusement park goings for the 2014 season. I have to first express my gratitude for being able to attend these wonderful amusement parks. It is truly a passion of mine obviously, and when I get the opportunity to enjoy riding coasters I am thankful. So here are some stats for the year 2014:

Roller Coaster Blogs: 1 (Collin on Coasters)

This is why I blog

Enthusiast Events Attended: 3 (ACE Spring Conference, Rip Roaring Rampage, and Smoky Mountain Coasterfest)

ACE Spring Conference

Amusement Parks Attended: 7 (Beech Bend, Kentucky Kingdom, Kings Island, Holiday World, Silver Dollar City, Alabama Splash Adventure, and Dollywood)

My Home Park

New (To Me) Amusement Parks: 2 (Beech Bend & Silver Dollar City)

There is a park in there somewhere

This park is amazing!

Best Amusement Park Attended: (Tie) Kings Island & Silver Dollar City

Is it France? Or Kings Island?

 

Festive Silver Dollar City

 

 Roller Coasters Ridden: 31

Voyage in all of its Glory

New Roller Coasters Ridden: 14

Wildfire in its Scenic Glory

Brand New 2014 Coasters: 4 (Lightning Run, Banshee, Centi-Speed, and Firechaser Express)

Lightning Run

Any ideas what this Coaster is called?

Coaster Count: 151 to 165

One of my new coasters in 2014

Best Coaster Ridden: Outlaw Run @ Silver Dollar City

Second Best Coaster I have ever Ridden

Most Coaster Rides in a Row: 15 (Rampage @ Alabama Adventure)

It's not called Rampage for nothing

Most Coaster Rides on a Coaster: 40 (Outlaw Run @ Silver Dollar City)

Signage

Best Surprise Coaster: (Tie) Lightning Run @ Kentucky Kingdom & Powder Keg @ Silver Dollar City

Powder Keg

Best Coaster at Night: (Tie) Beast @ Kings Island and Wild Eagle @ Dollywood

Wild Eagle

On-ride Photos: 5 (Kentucky Rumbler, Beast, Banshee, Outlaw Run, and Powder Keg)

That's me with my arms Up!

Best Park Food: Silver Dollar City

Skillet Meal

Mmmm Pizza

Best Meal: Chicken, Ribs, Corn on the Cob, Mashed Potatoes, green beans, and strawberry cheesecake at Kings Island

Yeah this was great...

...followed by this!

Best Drink: Strawberry Smoothie at Silver Dollar City

Excuse my hand and admire the drink

Best Dessert: Cinnamon Bread at Dollywood

No caption needed

Friendliest Park: Silver Dollar City

Welcome to Silver Dollar City

Hey, I'm friendly too!

Best overall park experience: Silver Dollar City

Charm!

Biggest Thrills: Kings Island

I see you Diamondback

Highlights: Getting to go back to the park that started all of this craziness, Kentucky Kingdom. Riding four brand new roller coasters this year. Getting to add fourteen new to me coasters to my track record. Going to two new to me parks this year in Beech Bend and the charming Silver Dollar City. Being able to meet a few new friends at the parks I visited (Shoutout to Derk and Robert). Watching my daughter Bri ride a water coaster as well as a thrilling waterslide. Attending Rip Roaring Rampage event at my home park.

Welcome Back Kentucky Kingdom!

  
This has been a great year for me and my family for amusement park trips. What can I say except that I love amusement parks and roller coasters. This is the third straight year that I have been to a new to me amusement park. I hope that trend continues. This has also been the fourth straight year that I have ridden a brand new coaster in its debut season. This is the first year I have written a blog as most of you readers know. It is still a work in progress so if you have any ideas or suggestions don’t hesitate to comment.  

Alabama Adventure

 
What will the 2015 amusement park season bring? As they say, only time will tell. As of right now I have some ideas of where I would like to go, what new parks I would like to visit, and what newly built coasters I would like to ride. Be on the lookout for another blog post explaining my thoughts about the 2015 season. I am sure it will be an incredible one.

Take a bow for 2014