PTR: 10/10/22

[nbadude44]

Due to my busy work schedule, I haven't been to the park since May 1st. Also, this is the only day of Fright Fest I could make since I usually work on weekends. Turns out I went on the right day, because it was 10 outta 10 (pun intended).

 

The good news: the weather was pleasant all day long (mid-60s), the lines were next-to-nothing since it's a school night, and I got to ride pretty much everything I intended to. The

bad news: There wasn't any nighttime shows since the park closed at 7 today Also, in addition to Toro still being broken, multiple rides were closed for the entire day such as Joker, Houdini, Zumanjaro, and Kingda Ka. In fact, they completely walled off the entrances to both Ka/Zumanjaro and Plaza Del Carnival. Plus, the infamous spotted lanternflies have swarmed the park (AKA the bugs you might have heard on the news recently that you're supposed to kill on sight.) I saw dozens of them around the park, specifically around the base of Skyscreamer and the Parachute towers. If any of you plan on visiting the park in the next few weeks, please be mindful that these pests are multiplying exponentially and have been throwing the local ecosystem out of balance. If you see 'em, stomp 'em!

 

Anyway, I got to ride Jersey Devil three times (thrice?) in a row, followed by quick rides on Nitro, Batman, Big Wheel, and Skyscreamer. The only ride with a relatively long wait time was Justice League (now in 2D), which was about 30 minutes. The Oktoberfest theming was a great addition to the normal Halloween stuff this year. They even had a few employees dressed in traditional German lederhosen (minus the shorts). The newer Fright Fest-themed props looked nice too, like the old Off-Road Safari trucks covered in cobwebs, and the mini-blood fountain next to Jolly Roger (even if it looks more like a Fanta fountain in my opinion). 

 

Other random observations:

• Green Lantern's sign is fading and cracking up (let's hope it gets some TLC this offseason).
• Justice League had a noticeable audio delay with the pre-show & Cyborg animatronic in the queue. It felt like when you watch the news on TV and there's an awkward silence between the host cutting to another reporter on the street, y'know?
• The propane tanks for Medusa's flamethrowers are gone. Hopefully not forever...
• Northern Star Arena's marquee is completely blank and there's a bunch of unmowed, untidy grass on the hill. I'd honestly be shocked if it ISN'T getting removed. If it does, I'm hoping it's replaced for a new coaster for the park's 50th anniversary in 2024. I personally wanna see a smaller, family-friendly wooden coaster that can fill the gap left behind by Rolling Thunder.

 

After some quick rides on Green Lantern, Swashbuckler, and Medusa (twice), I decided to call it a day. 

 

Final Ridecount:

Jersey Devil 3x

Medusa 2x

Nitro 1x

Batman 1x

Green Lantern 1x

Big Wheel 1x

SkyScreamer 1x

Justice League 1x

Parachutes 1x

Swashbuckler 1x