It is hard to believe just how fast the time is flying by during this off-season. It seems like I'm still finishing up a column a week even though we recently switched to one column every other week.

When I last sat down to write the prologue, I was preparing for the Eastcoaster event near Allentown, PA. Now, I am getting ready for a AAA Cruise and Travel Show that will be held at the Days Inn that used to host Eastcoaster itself. According to literature for the show, Disney, Busch, Six Flags Great Adventure, and others will be appearing. The show takes place before most of you read this column, and I'll have some notes from the show next time. But for now...

Notes From Eastcoaster

The American Coaster Enthusiasts hosted the 20th annual Eastcoaster event on February 16 at the Holiday Inn in Fogelsville, PA. It certainly was good to catch up with some familiar and friendly faces at the event, as well as getting to meet some new fellow enthusiasts.

As is typically the case, the event doesn't include much startling news. Much of what was said was already heard. But it's the first glimpses of the newest rides, or just hearing confirmation of a new ride from an official source that seems to make the event worthwhile. It has become one of the few days I look forward to during the winter.

I'll take the time with this column to cover just a small number of the presenters at Eastcoaster this year.

Cedar Point began the day with a look at its newest Intamin coaster, Wicked Twister. The Point rarely shows up empty handed and started the day off by distributing Wicked Twister buttons to all attendees. CP further confirmed the Snoopy Rocks ice show that will be taking over the former IMAX theater, as well. It is odd how little excitement surrounding the new additions to Cedar Point this year even though what they are adding would be a big deal to just about any other park. CP also gave each attendee an exit pass good at any ride at the park, and encouraged us to use the pass at either Wicked Twister or Millennium Force.

Paramount's Kings Island had an excellent presentation, as has come to be expected. No real details were left out of the bag concerning Tomb Raider: The Ride, other than confirmation that the entire experience will last twenty minutes. Other news from PKI for this season includes the fact that the Vortex has been painted and retracking has taken place on the Racer in an effort to have the coaster provide a similar experience to what it offered in its first season thirty years ago. PKI also presented each attendee with a free ticket for one day at the park.

Holiday World President Will Koch represented his park himself. Mr. Koch had details on the upcoming Stark Raven Mad event, including a well-done video that some group had put together from last year's event. Holiday World will continue to offer free sodas all year in 2002 and will now offer free sunscreen in the water park. Of course, the highlight at Holiday World this year will be the exciting work being done to the Legend, which includes the swapping of one Gerstlauer train for two PTC trains.

Paramount's Kings Dominion was in attendance for the first time in several years, featuring a look at the new Mack Wild Mouse Ricochet that will is expected to be ready for opening day in March. In addition to Ricochet, the park will be adding a Chance Troika to be called "Triple Spin" that will be located across from the entrance to Shockwave. Other details provided by PKD include the renovation of the area around Shockwave that will see the asphalt torn up and replaced by bricks. Elsewhere within the park, new outside vendors will be used to replace the former vendors at Victoria's Pizza.

In interesting news from PKD, the Fearfest event that was held for the first time at the park last year will be expanded to encompass the entire park and will last all day long. The park indicated that the day will start with family-friendly fare before eventually becoming more of an adult-style hauntings event by the evening. Unlike last year and unlike what has happened at other Paramount Park Fearfest events, season passes will be accepted at PKD's Fearfest in 2002. I wonder if this will be true of any other Paramount Park with an October event this year?

Neither Six Flags New England or Six Flags Over Georgia could be in attendance this year, even though both parks are adding what look to be exciting B&M coasters. SFNE's floorless looks like a compact version of the other floorless rides. SFOG's Superman: Ultimate Flight is the one ride I'm most eagerly anticipating this season. I was disappointed that nobody from the park was actually there, but a great video of the construction site was available including comments from the park itself.

I once said that the Zamperla Power Surge is what I was expecting when I first rode a Chance Chas. I have a feeling that the B&M flyer will be what I was expecting when I first rode a Vekoma flying coaster. I should find out for sure this Spring.

Hersheypark was at Eastcoaster with an introduction to the Roller Soaker coaster. Similar to the Super Saturator at Paramount's Carowinds, this thing looks like an incredibly wet ride. For the first time in years, there is a coaster being built that I have no desire to ride whatsoever. That being said, I can't wait to watch this ride in action. It looks like another wise choice for the park, as it should match the clientele extremely well.

There were certainly other parks represented, but too much time has gone by for me to get it all right and I wouldn't be able to talk about everything anyway, so I'll cut it here for now. The bottom line is that parks are getting ready for the new season and so am I. As of this writing, I'm a little less than a month away from my first park trip of the year.

Hershey To Lose Another Legend

Last time around, I spent perhaps too much time going over the history of the Hersheypark Arena. The arena is effectively being replaced by the Giant Center to be located on the opposite side of the complex as the current arena. But at Eastcoaster (and on the main page here at RollerCoasterWorld), I learned that Hersheypark would be losing another Legend this season.

Senior Vice President Franklin Shearer will be retiring effective June 30 of this year. I will not pretend to know Mr. Shearer, as I have only met him enough to say hello as just another park patron. Shearer's accomplishments with the park are endless. He has been at the helm during what is quite honestly one of the most exciting periods of growth any park has ever seen.

Over the past seven years, Hersheypark has added multiple fascinating attractions and thrillrides without losing the incredible family atmosphere that had, and continues to, define the park. With Franklin Shearer's guidance as such an incredible factor, Hershey received the Applause Award for being the world's greatest amusement park in 2000 and it most certainly deserved the distinction as far as I am concerned.

You could often see Franklin Shearer with a broom in his hand sweeping up what little garbage that others had missed. His voice, while perhaps not the most recognizable outside of this particular instance, greeted guests at the skyride.

But I most fondly think of Franklin Shearer when I think of the concerts Hershey has held inside the park's amphitheater. Each year, the park hosts free concerts inside the park featuring a wide array of artists. It has come to be known for either younger country music stars or more established stars of the '60s, '70s and '80s that can't quite fill the larger venues anymore.

Over the last few years, I have personally seen some unbelievable concerts at the venue, including the annual Bowzer's Rock 'N Roll Party, Mary Wilson, and a young Faith Hill. The park does well financially from these concerts, as older residents of the area often by season passes just to attend the weekly concerts (typically held on Sunday evenings).

It seemed like every time I've attended a concert at the venue I've seen the same people over and over. In fact, they often gather just for the experience and not necessarily for the concert itself. I can't recall just how many times I've been waiting in line for a concert when I've seen one couple arrive, greet their friends in line, and then ask, "So, who's singing tonight?"

Franklin Shearer attended nearly every concert I've been to, if only for a few moments each time. What made it special was that it never seemed like Shearer was there to watch over things. It always had the feel that he was there just to say hello. Such a large percentage of the people who attend the concerts regularly talk to Shearer as if he were a longtime family friend, and Shearer was always more than polite in return. It was almost like as many people were there to say hello to Franklin as there were people to listen to Tony Orlando or JoDee Messina.

The amphitheater had a great atmosphere for a concert. It was small, yet could fit enough people to make for a good, loud crowd at times. Yet, like the park itself, the amphitheater never lost that small-time, family friendly feel. I can't help to think that Franklin Shearer was a gigantic part of that feel.

Franklin Shearer may not have the name recognition that other heads of parks around the country may have, but he is owed a thank you to match just about anybody else. I'm only one man, but thank you Mr. Shearer for everything.




The next issue of View From the Back (March 14) will be my last column before the season starts. That's pretty darn exciting stuff. Between now and then I will hopefully be attending the AAA Cruise and Travel show that I mentioned above, and will have my car checked over to make sure that everything is ready for the coaster season.

Next time, I will have the third annual Top Five New Attractions forecast. Two years ago, the View projected Superman: Ride of Steel as the best for2000 and we were right. Last year, we projected Wildfire and we were close (the post-season #1 went to Cornball Express). What's going to be number one in this year's pre-season poll? I said above I was most looking forward to Superman: Ultimate Flight, but will that be number one? We'll find out on the 14th.

It's amazing just how much I enjoy the winter season, seeing my family and enjoying the rest of my hobbies. But it is even more amazing how much I look forward to the start of the new season.

That comes less than a month from this writing. Until then I'm going to have to count on those of you who can to take a back seat ride once for me...


                                                                                 Coaster 3:16

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