Leap the Dips The World's Oldest Operating Roller Coaster- Ride Review

The World's Oldest Roller Coaster

 Leap the Dips at Lakemont Park

Trip Date: August 2nd, 2013

Time Waited: None

Ride Rating: 8 of 10

Opinion: Excellent piece of history but needs some love

Recommendation: Everyone who considers themselves a coaster fan should ride this at least once to experience roller coaster history.

Coaster Specifications

Builder: Edward Joy Morris

Build Date: 1902

Type: Side Friction

Height: 41ft

Drop: 9ft

Length: 1,452ft

 When I had to sit down and pick a coaster to be my 100th unique ride I had a very tough choice in front of me. I could think of dozens of rides but I wanted something special, I wanted a wooden coaster. About this same time we here at ISI were working on our plans for our "Small PA Parks Tour" and I remembered Lakemont Park was on this list. Soon we found out that Lakemont has the oldest operating roller coaster in the world and something special clicked, what better way to celebrate a hundred unique coasters then with the worlds oldest? So we picked a day and headed out to Altoona, Pennsylvania where Lakemont is located.

 Lakemont is an old park, it's been around since 1894 and began it's life as a Trolley Park. It became an amusement park in 1899 and 'Leap the Dips' was built shortly after in 1902. Over the years, Lakemont has suffered through a lot of bad times and at least one natural disaster. 

Six Flags Great America- Announcement Coming Soon?

Six Flags Great America

Building Something for 2014?

 Well it looks like Six Flags Great America in Chicago, Illinois isn't going to be dissuaded by all the hype coming out of Kings Island. They also have some kind of a new ride coming to their park in 2014 and have provided a teaser trailer that doesn't really give away any information. Some rumors are stating 'Coaster' while others are expecting a flat ride.


UPATE 8/16/13 and 8/19/13
We have new rumors and news coming from Six Flags Great America today, so much it deserved it's own post on the blog! So please visit the link below for updated information about what may be coming in 2014!

Six Flags Great America- New Coaster for 2014?  

 Never Fear, InSanity lurks Inside will be keeping up with the 2014 announcements as they come!

Kings Island Announces Banshee

The Newest, World Record Breaking Roller Coaster

Coming to Kings Island in 2014

Check out our review of Banshee right here!

Tonight at 10pm Kings Island in Kings Mills, Ohio announced the World Record Breaking Coaster Banshee which is taking over the spot once occupied by the ill fated 'Son of Beast'. This space in the park as be empty and desolate for five years now since the once great coaster went quiet after a spat of injuries, accidents and lawsuits.

Image from Kings Island

 Banshee is a much needed and much anticipated project for Kings Island who hasn't built a new coaster since 2009 when Diamondback opened to the public. Finally we're seeing progress in getting much needed fresh blood into the park as well as a coaster that will "chew through a line" as the term is known. A high capacity, high excitement ride. Banshee is the will be the world record holder for "Worlds Longest Inverted
Coaster".

Image from Kings Island

 The stats for Banshee are also pretty damned impressive, they need to be in order to be a record breaking! Banshee is a Inverted roller coaster with the following stats...
Height: 167 feet
Drop: 150 feet

Speed:  68MPH

Inversions: 7

Length: 4,124.1
Ride Duration: 2 minutes 40 seconds

Image from Kings Island

 The theme for Banshee is also pretty interesting, coming from legend. They mourn the passing of others and wail when someone is about to die. Some also say it's a woman who died or a woman who lost her child. So this theme is really very fitting for a ride which is taking over the grave of a titan.

(Side Note: I was RIGHT!)

2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Menus

2013 Epcot Food and Wine Menus

Image from Travel with Rick

 Disney has released the menu's for the 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival which begins on September 27th and runs through November 11th at World Showcase. Epcot hosts one of the largest Food and Wine festivals out of any of the theme parks and each year adds in something new. This year they have added Scotland, which looks to have some tasty treats!

 Epcot also is one of our favorite theme parks and we try to time our visit's so that the Food and Wine Festival is going on during our visit. We will be in attendance this year during the preview day as well as opening weekend.

Park Review- Hersheypark

Park Review of Hersheypark

Day: Thursday Night- Preview and Friday- Full Day

Dates: July 25th and 26th

Weather: Warm (Mid-80s)

Overall Rating: Good

Ride Rating: Good 

Opinion: Worth a visit if you've never been.

Staff: Carrie and Kitsune 

Overview: Hersheypark was built in 1905 by Milton Hershey as a picnic grounds for his chocolate factory employees, in 1907 they began adding attractions which is when it became an amusement park in truth. By 1923 they added their first roller coaster, the original Wildcat. Once that happened the park began to add rides on a regular schedule except during the years of WWII. In the 1970's the park went through a period of re-development, eventually expanding the 110 acre park it is today that features 11 roller coasters and dozens of flat rides.

Park Review- Zoo America at Hersheypark

Park Review of Zoo America at Hersheypark

Day: Friday

Date: July 25th 2013

Location: Connected with Hersheypark

Price: Included in Hersheypark Admission

Overview: Zoo America began as a private animal collection by Frank and Louise Zinner in 1899 when they moved from Germany. However, they were not allowed to keep animals in their yard but knew that Milton Hershey was building an amusement park nearby.  In 1905 when Hersheypark opened the Zinners went to speak to Milton Hershey about a zoo in his park, he agreed and the animals became part of the Hersheypark history. Other animals were added over time and Zinner served as zookeeper of his animals and others until his death in 1918. In 1975 the zoo was remodeled into Zoo America and features the animals native to the North American Continent.

The Status of Flying Turns

The Status of Flying Turns

 The simple fact of the matter is this: No One Knows.

 In 2006 Knoebels Amusement Resort began building one of the most enthusiastic and anticipated roller coasters to date, giving it the name "Flying Turns". To understand, Flying Turns is style of roller coaster, a bobsled but made entirely of wood. One hasn't been built since 1940 and currently there are no operating wooden coasters of this style left in the world. So you can imagine the hype that Knoebels got when they announced they planned to build an antique coaster in this style.

 The problem is this, no one alive today has knowledge of how to build this ride. Only the plans which are from a ride designed by John Miller and John Bartlett from the 1920's.