Well, now that it is May and the prime amusement park season is right around the corner I think it would be a good time to recap my awesome coaster season in 2016. It was the busiest coaster year/season I have ever had. I am thankful I had the opportunity to embark on many adventures at amusement parks in 2016. I continue to be grateful for the ability I have to go to these fun and amazing places.
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| Where is Everyone? |
My first trip of the year was to Cedar Point Wednesday – Friday May 18 – 20th. I got to spend three full days at my most favorite place and had a skip the line pass (Fastlane) for two of them so I was able to get in a ton of rides. Then I attended the Coasterstock event at Kings Island on Saturday and Sunday May 21 – 22nd. Always a fun event and I got to ride a lot as well as take in some cool behind the scenes tours.
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| The Best Amusement Park Ever |
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| One of the Best Amusement Parks Ever |
Next trip came closer to home at Alabama Splash Adventure and the Rip Roarin’ Rampage event on Saturday, May 28th. I hung out with Doug on this trip and rode Rampage 25 total times. This park has come a long way under its new owners and I believe it will continue to improve over the coming seasons.
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| My Home Park |
The big family trip of the year came when we all went to Cedar Point Wednesday – Friday June 1st to June 3rd. It was a great trip and I was happy to have the whole family at my favorite amusement park. It was a joy to watch Bri ride her first 48” height roller coasters. I also attended the Coastermania event while we were there. It was the best Coastermania trip I have ever attended. The Jet Express boat cruise was one of the coolest things I have ever done at Cedar Point.
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| Fun Family Trip |
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| This was a Cool Experience |
The heat of the summer included trips to Kentucky Kingdom for the Storm the Kingdom event on Friday June 24th. Then a side trip almost 800 miles out of the way to Michigan’s Adventure the next day. Shivering Timbers cracked my top 10 coasters so it was worth it.
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| This Park is Great |
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| This Park isn't as Great but does have Shivering Timbers |
We spent the Fourth of July at Six Flags over Georgia with Bri and her cousins. I made a solo trip to Carowinds to ride Fury 325 forty-eight times. While on our family beach trip we stopped at the not-so amusement park Race City. They did have a roller coaster that we rode as well as a midway with a few small carnival rides. Then we finished the summer with a family trip to Alabama Splash Adventure.
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| Our Group had a Blast |
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| Family Time |
To close out the year Bri took me to Lake Winnepasukah for my birthday. It was a nice family owned amusement park that I am glad to finally get to attend. We had a great day there. Our last stop was Fun Spot in Orlando on our way down to Miami for our cruise. Fun Spot offered us a great five hours and we had lots to do in the time we were there.
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| We had a Great time at this Nice Park |
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| This Place was Fun |
2016 Stats
Amusement Park Trips: 10
Amusement Parks Attended: 10
Miles Driven: 5826
States Visited: 10
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| Pure Michigan |
New (to me) Amusement Parks: 4 (Michigan’s Adventure, Race City, Lake Winnepasukah, and Fun Spot Orlando)
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| Michigan's Adventure |
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| Race City |
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| Lake Winnie |
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| Fun Spot Orlando |
Days Spent in Amusement Parks: 17
Best Amusement Park Attended: Cedar Point
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| America's Roller Coast |
Most Improved Amusement Park: Kentucky Kingdom
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| The Kingdom |
Next Best Improved Amusement Park: Alabama Splash Adventure
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| Nice Entrance |
Worst Amusement Park that can hardly be called an Amusement Park: Race City in Panama City Beach
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| This is pretty much it |
Best Amusement Park Trip: Cedar Point/Kings Island (5 Days)
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| I Love Millennium Force |
Coaster Enthusiast Events: 4 (Coasterstock, Rip Roaring Rampage, Coastermania, and Storm the Kingdom)
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| These Events were all Awesome |
Roller Coasters Ridden: 59
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| New Coaster Credit |
New (to me) Coasters Ridden: 18
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| Three Coasters in this Shot |
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| Cannon Ball |
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| White Lightning & Freedom Flyer |
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| Hurricane |
Brand New 2016 Coasters Ridden: 2 (Valravn and Storm Chaser)
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| Drop! |
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| Storm Chaser |
Coaster Count: 179 to 197
Best Coaster Ridden: Fury 325 @ Carowinds
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| I mean this ride is Amazing |
Next Best Coaster Ridden: Storm Chaser @ Kentucky Kingdom
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| This ride was Fun |
Third Best Coaster Ridden: Shivering Timbers @ Cedar Point
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| This ride Blew Me Away |
Coaster I Already Knew Was Awesome: Fury 325
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| Yup, still Awesome |
Most Coaster Rides in a Row: 43 on Fury 325
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| Me after 40+ Rides |
Most Coaster Rides on one Coaster: 48 on Fury 325
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| Love some Fury 325 |
Next Most Coaster Rides on one Coaster: 30 on Millennium Force
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| Millennium Force is Still at the Top |
Best Surprise Coaster: Shivering Timbers @ Michigan’s Adventure
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| This ride was Huge |
Next Best Surprise Coaster: White Lightning @ Fun Spot Orlando
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| This Coaster Packs a Punch |
Best Coaster at Night: Beast, Millennium Force, and Fury 325
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| Da Beast |
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| Pretty |
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| Those Colors Rule |
On Ride Photos: 6
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| Derk and I enjoy Valravn... |
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| ...and Banshee... |
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| ...and The Beast |
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| My 30th ride on Millennium Force |
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| Doug and I enjoyed Shivering Timbers |
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| That's my Girl! |
Best Park Food: Kentucky Kingdom
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| Some Good Ole Fashioned BBQ |
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| Great Ribs and other Good Stuff |
Best Meal: Philly Cheesesteak and Fries @ Carowinds
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| Yes, it was worth the insane $20! |
Best Snack: Pretzel @ Kings Island
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| This is always worth the $5 |
Best Dessert: Blue Ice Cream @ Kings Island
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| And this stuff is Priceless |
Next Best Dessert: Funnel Cake @ Lake Winnie
Best Food Outside of Parks: Wendy's (my go-to after parks usually)
Best Hotel: Hotel Breakers
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| Super Nice Lakefront Suite |
Next Best Hotel: Residence Inn in Chattanooga
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| Impressed with Residence Inn |
Friendliest Park: Lake Winnepasukah
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| The Aynes Family Loves Coasters |
Best Overall Park Experience: Cedar Point
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| Living it Up at Cedar Point |
Next Best Overall Park Experience: Kentucky Kingdom
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| What a Coaster, What a Park! |
Biggest Thrills: Cedar Point
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| Top Thrill Dragster is Tall |
Next Biggest Thrills: Kings Island
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| Banshee is Foggy |
Worst Coaster: T3 @ Kentucky Kingdom
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| Melt it to the Ground |
Highlights:
Best Cedar Point Coastermania! event yet
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| I DO Love Roller Coasters |
Finally getting to ride Shivering Timbers
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| It was a Fantastic Wooden Coaster |
Going back to Kentucky Kingdom for an enthusiast event
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| I'm Loving this Moment... |
Getting to meet Kentucky Kingdom owner Ed Hart
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| ...and this one! |
Family Trip to Cedar Point
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| Happy to be here with my Family |
Watching Bri ride big Roller Coasters
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| Bri Loved these Big Coasters |
Staying in a suite at Hotel Breakers
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| Soaking it all In |
Another Great Coasterstock Event at Kings Island
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| Love Kings Island |
Taking my first ever behind the scenes Beast Tour
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| The Beast disappears into the Woods |
Bri taking me to Lake Winnepasukah for my birthday
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| Thank-you Bri |
Getting to go to Fun Spot Orlando on our way to our cruise in Miami
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| Bri Loves Coasters |
Spur of the moment trip to Carowinds to ride Fury 325 forty-eight times
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| I see Fury 325! |
Taking Bri and her cousins to Six Flags over Georgia on a non-busy Fourth of July in the park
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| Making Memories |
Five-Day trip to both Cedar Point and Kings Island
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| Perfect Shot |
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| Hello There |
Two days of Fast Lane at Cedar Point
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| When you have Fastlane you skip these lines |
I am a sucker for sunsets so I took a few pictures during the year. Here are some of my favorites. I am just going to let these sunsets do the talking on these pictures.
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