West Coast Bash 2009
March 22, 2009
After the Terminator tours were completed, a really satisfying lunch was served. Gave everyone a chance to take a load off, chat with old friends, and start a scavenger hunt, if you were so inclined.
Robb and Elissa Alvey's "KidTums" and Chris and Natalee Godsey's Caroline, representing the next generation of coaster enthusiasts, pegged the Adorable Meter all day. Here, they share a dance at the lunch picnic. If they don't make you smile, seek help.
Before heading into the Magic Moments theater for an hours-long Q&A and a showing of one of Theme Park Review's upcoming DVD releases, Shannon gives Doug's wind-chapped lips some TLC. I later made a crack about his dignity being chapped, but I coulda used some of that, too.
So Jay Thomas, Neil Thurman and Tim Burkhart once again graciously took questions from the audience like the true gentlemen that they are. Someone even made a disparaging remark about Scream, the B&M "parking lot" floorless, to which Neil (I think) replied, "Yeah we're thinking about doing some restriping," which earned much laughter.
Could use some restriping, ackshully.
Winners of the scavenger hunt and a trivia contest were also announced (the trivia questions were HARD!) and victors took away wheels from the old Sierra Twist ride! Kewl!
Kinda miss the old Twist...
We were also told about the new paint job on the Swashbuckler:
And once again, we were promised that more flats are on the way. Just be patient.
With the Q&A over, the screening of the TPR China parks DVD began and it was just what we've come to expect from Robb: awesome footage, lots of humor and production values some Hollywood entities could learn from. Alvey is The Man.
Oh, yeah, and they also announced that all the coasters would be open for the after-dark ERT. With the lights off.
As mentioned earlier, X2 couldn't join the party, nor was the Sky Tower available. No biggie. Riddler's Revenge, Colossus, Goliath, Deja Vu, Gold Rusher... all walk-ons, all fantastic.
Mr. Six even joined us for the Colossus ride, shown here with RideWorld's Chris Godsey, both doing their best "jazz hands."
Again, what a day. A titanic thanks to the entire staff of Six Flags Magic Mountain for their insane generosity, and to RideWorld and Theme Park Review for masterminding what is easily now among the best enthusiast events in the world.
And start planning for next year's Bash. Plans are already afoot to make it even more memorable...
Before I forget, the guy who works here told me that SFMM is adding two 500-foot-tall Intamin Rocket Coasters in 2012. Believe it.
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