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NEW FOR MICHIGAN'S ADVENTURE 2008 - ThunderHawk Suspended Steel Coaster

metrogrkid

By metrogrkid
in Grand Rapids Coffee House

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metrogrkid Hamlet

metrogrkid

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Michigan's Adventure (MIA) has announced the addition of the Vekoma-manufactured steel suspended rollercoaster THUNDERHAWK. This 2-min/20-sec ride, at 2,200 feet long and 105 feet in height and featuring five inversions and speeds nearing 60-mph, will initiate the image of MIA being a true "thrill ride" park and will predictably bring MIA's attendance to 700,000+ visitors this year.

http://www.miadventure.com/ride_thunderhawk.shtm

Because of downtown GR's position at US-131 and I-196 and its close proximity to US-131 and I-96, it could become an ideal spot to "land" after a day out at MIA for a "night in the city".

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Veloise City

Veloise

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...I went to Michigan's Adventure last year and stopped in GR on the way. I didn't get to spend much time downtown, but just passing it by on the expressway wasn't gonna cut it since it was my first time in GR (as far as I can remember). The new ride will give me another excuse to visit GR once again - and actually walk around downtown. I'm thinking it'll look quite a bit different the next time, too.
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  • 3 months later...
aowwt Whistle-Stop

aowwt

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Well from my visits in the park here some numbers. First the park has a HUGE amount of land to use. The nice thing is that the three woodies are awesome. The kid one is perfect IMHO. Not to scary but good enough. The Wildcat is a nice square design. It doesnt hurt your neck at all so its quite nice. As for the Shivering Timbers, well lets just say it has YET to go below top 5 since it has been built. It is by and far was the BEST woody in the Cedar Fair Corp. It is an awesome ride, I happened to ride it about 50 times one summer, the perfect style for an out and back. Speaking about the 'was', cedar fair purchased Paramount Parks two years ago. As such it came with Kings Island which happens to have the BEAST and Son of Beast. Those two rides are awesome but the son lost a bit because of the loop having to be taken out after some issues with it. I think there was a crash or something in regards to it. In any case Cedar Fair has a piece of coal in Michigan Adventures and needs to put some pressure on it to make it a Diamond. On a side note that year when I went there almost every week during the summer I saw a boat of load of busses almost every time. The thing is seldom were these busses from Grand Rapids. Most were from Detroit and outlying areas. So its already a destination spot. But I think an exit on Russel Road would be awesome. Plus it could serve the small race track as well that is east of 31.

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  • 3 weeks later...
GR8scott Burg

GR8scott

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thats going to be sweet although I dont know if it will have any impact what so ever on GRAND RAPIDS but Muskegon could start to see some more tourists

Mi adventure has a lot of potential, but the location kind of hurts it not being visible from the highway or next to lake for a better draw. There is also no direct jighway access and it is somewhat of a drive most of the population in West Michigan and Michigan for that matter

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jbr12 Hamlet

jbr12

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I hope that as Michigans Adventure continues to grow, the infrastructure that supports it will follow. They really need to do something about the access to the highway and the parking lot entrance. We waiting in line last summer for 45 minutes, bumper to bumper traffic along whatever 2-lane road that was just to get into the parking lot. If they want to be a destination in any sense of the word, access needs to be improved.

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metrogrkid Hamlet

metrogrkid

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I hope that as Michigans Adventure continues to grow, the infrastructure that supports it will follow. They really need to do something about the access to the highway and the parking lot entrance. We waiting in line last summer for 45 minutes, bumper to bumper traffic along whatever 2-lane road that was just to get into the parking lot. If they want to be a destination in any sense of the word, access needs to be improved.
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metrogrkid Hamlet

metrogrkid

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Wow....a non-Michigan native on these boards...I'm not the only one.

Um, if someone drugs me, I'll go on that. Michigan Adventure sounds fun but not for me. If someone wants to give me an explanation as to how it is so structurally sound, then I'll consider it.

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Veloise City

Veloise

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First Issue: If beer will suffice, a bunch of City Contingent Folks will be going out to MIA on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend to flip out (literally and figuratively) on Thunderhawk. You may join us after downing much brew with us in the parking lot (in the future that will take place at our campground site in the upcoming adjacent MIA Campground).

Second Issue: Purportedly, Thunderhawk will be equipped with ride-cams to provide terror pics for "nervous-about-structural-integrity" folks just like you. It would be an honor to see your face on one of the monitors at the bottom of the exit ramp. :camera:

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