Today marked the first day of my trek across the globe in search for some of the finest theme parks produced so far. The journey begins at Crystal Horizons, one of the crowning achievements in the career of legendary park designer SACoasterFreak. This unique gem allows visitors to discover the ruins of a forgotten civilization, brave a ferocious battle between two powerful dragons, explore a ruined Aztec city, and relieve the American Gold Rush. Crystal Horizons is also a thrill seekers paradise, with five amazing roller coasters to choose ranging from the classic corkscrew coaster to the all-new flying coaster.

We begin the day of theme park bliss approaching the park’s stunning entrance. After paying the insanely cheap price, which is all the worse because you know they will make it up on food prices, of $13.00 to enter the park I passed through the colorful gates and walked on to the entrance plaza. Upon passing under the shade from the large trees looming throughout the path I came across a small Krispy Kreme shop and just stopped to pick up a quick breakfast of a few of those scrumptious glazed doughnuts. After exiting the shop with food in hand I search out a nice bench to sit down and munch, seeing all the benches occupied by several larger guests already worn out from the extensive walk from the park gates I head forward to take up a seat by the carousel which occupies the center of Crystal Horizon’s entrance. About halfway to the seat I simply stop, in awe of the perfection achieved in creating that classic American amusement park feel. The great wooden architecture, timeless carousel, lush green trees, abundant flowers, and of course that awesome looking Arrow Corkscrew coaster surrounding the plaza all come together to create one amazing entrance. After catching my first glimpse of Cobra I knew I wouldn’t be able to slowly enjoy my sugar loaded breakfast as I was already drooling for my first taste of airtime and all the other essential feelings which make coaster riding what it is.

After hastily finishing the Krispy Kremes I rush for a spot in Cobra’s wonderfully themed queue line. The sign at the front of the ride indicates a 30 minute wait, which I figure would be just enough for my stomach to settle. My thoughts about the migratory habits of swallows, sparked by some birds nesting in the many trees surrounding the line, is interrupted as the first train of the day comes roaring down the diving loop straight above where I stand. The combination of the coaster’s own sound and the screams of some frightened riders shouting out some interesting words which I don’t think Iris would like reported in my little trip guide interrupt the natural beauty of the line with the lush vegetation and slight trickle of a waterfall, but call to mind the nice views of the coaster from the line. A quick study of the layout shows this to be a very well designed ride, with an unpredictable layout and great views of the coaster from the main path and line. The thirty minutes passes fairly quickly as I soon find myself seating in the typical Arrow car, which as you may know doesn’t exactly feature the most comfortable of seats and headrests. The jerky lift shows the coaster’s age, being in it’s tenth season of operation, but brings us to the top nonetheless. Looking out to my left I notice two huge towers with track leading back to the entrance area. Just as I make a quick mental note to hunt those down next the coaster begins the diving loop and rushes up a quick hill providing nice airtime at the top. While racing through the darkness of the tunnel the ride enters at the base of the hill I began to wonder which element was next, but before I could finish the thought the coaster answered by shooting my skyward then through a well placed cobra roll, my personal favorite element. A brake run interrupts the excitement, providing a seconds rest to the couple who was screaming their heads off towards the front of the train. Building speed again off of the brakes the ride sent us into a double corkscrew right over the path, a kid in the row ahead of me felt it to be his duty to spit his gum at this time, landing right on the head of someone passing below. A nice pass over both the queue and a small lake provide for a great visual section, leading up to one of the rare top hat inversions. After hitting a nice helix finale the ride ends on the brakes and pulls up into the station. Passing out of the station, rather quickly under the corkscrews remembering the last person who lingered there too long, the thoughts of the great and unique coaster I had just experienced were quickly forgotten as I remembered those two towers I had noticed on the lift. A quick search of the entry area revealed the entrance to these two providers of massive airtime, Spire’s Reach, to be located right next to the Main Street Nacho restaurant.

Upon entering the line I was immediately faced with the most difficult choice of the day- the red tower or the purple tower. Pausing to deeply contemplate this perplexing situation I eventually made up my mind and choose Midnight Run, the purple tower, after a close coin flip series. Because the ride is located nowhere near it’s entrance the line was fairly short. After boarding in the very front of the car I noted these cars were slightly more comfortable than those on Cobra, which had left my neck in some pain. Departing the station the car immediately began to build speed, up to what I later found out was 94 mph. This thrilling launch occurs both in the endless blackness of a tunnel and then a well designed clearing in the woods leading up to the towers rocky base. The ascent up the 216-foot tower is too short to enjoy, but the weightlessness at the top is pure heaven. The ride back to the station is perhaps more exciting than the ride up as the car drops backwards down the vertical spike and returns through the tunnel. Back again in the park’s entrance I catch a faint sound of country music playing to my right and head over to investigate the source of the abominable noise. Coming across the entrance to The Yukon Territory I decide my time in the entrance is finished, seeing as I spent a bit over an hour there, and head on in search of my next thrilling ride.

A few steps into the Yukon Territory I came across a sight that struck me as rather odd, Austin Powers in the flesh. While wondering the connection between a horny British secret agent and the Yukon he approached me and handed me a coupon for $2 off a “groovy” gold digging attraction the park offered. While it did sound interesting, I had no desire to put out $3 to stick a little pan in water. Heading further down the path I caught my first glimpse of the Grand Yukon Mine Train rolling along a forested turn-around right next to the path. The track appeared to be one of the few enjoyable mine trains to come out of Arrow, so I rushed over to the entrance and got in the line. Because it was still early in the day, along with the lack of popularity of the mine train in favor of larger attractions the wait was only about 10 minutes in a nicely placed queue line with great views of the coaster and forested surroundings. I went for the shortest line at the station, ending up in the third row. The first lift goes by quickly, dropping into an awkward straight section before the first drop sends the car plummeting into the darkness of a mineshaft. Emerging in a rocky forested outcropping the coaster goes into a well-done turn-about near the path featuring a nice head-cutter effect before entering the darkness once again. Entering the daylight again a helix caught me off guard before the hitting the brakes, which interrupt the excitement and lead into the second lift. While ascending the lift I thought about my one big complaint with mine trains, just as they get going the ride stops for a second lift braking up the ride and ruining some of the intensity. The finish on this one is strong however, with some amazing helixes in secession, all placed around a nicely developed landscape. One final head-cutter before the brakes ensures the ride stays interesting until the end and makes the Grand Yukon Mine Train one of the top mine trains around with a great layout and complimenting scenery. Upon exiting the ride the heat of the day first got to me as the breeze on the mine train had helped to hide it. Remembering I had passed a log flume on my rush to the Grand Yukon I headed back to get a nice dosage of water to cool me down.

Apparently I wasn’t alone in my thoughts of cooling down as the line extended to the very end of the allotted queue space making the wait a posted 45 minutes. Wanting to get everything in I decided to endure the wait, which turned out only to be 30 minutes and was aided by an in park television system with various clips. I can’t say the ride was worth the wait as much as the soaking was worth the wait, but what log flume is really worth a half hour wait. However, Lumber Mill Mayhem was one of the better log flumes I have been on. Lacking the astounding theming and instead opting for a quiet lake surrounded by trees the flume relies instead on the unique layout and great variation to pull off an enjoyable experience. Satisfying wet I returned back past Grand Yukon Mine Train with the intent to exit the Yukon Territory, all the while admiring the exceptional wooden architecture that completes the area. Before heading on and continuing my trek in the Aztec Jungle I caught a quick spin on Pick Axe, an inverted swinging ship, realizing that riding this after I eat lunch probably wouldn’t be the smartest of ideas.

Upon entering the Aztec Jungle I was simply amazed at how well it resembled a lost city of the once mighty Aztec Empire. A large pyramid greets guests entering from the Yukon Territory and fits simply perfectly into the area and really transports you into the theme. The moment of awe did not last long, for I quickly remembered my quest for some lunch. To my dismay the nearest restaurant was located all the way in the back of the area. While en route I took note of all the attractions the area offered to drool over, particularly Phoenix, the park’s floorless coaster. Arriving and ordering a simple burger, basket of potato wedges with cheese, and a cheery coke I took up a seat in the large indoor and air-conditioned dining area themed to an Aztec tomb. The park’s food did not disappoint and the lavish decorations did not hurt either.

Exiting filled and cooled I immediately headed back over to Phoenix. The queue line is well designed and shows off plenty of the coaster for near perfect viewing, from almost any point in line you have a train racing overhead which helps pass the time. I also caught a glimpse of a towering temple with a watery plunge and remembered the entrance to the ride being a little further back towards the park entrance. The forty-five minute wait, extended because I opted to wait for a seat in the front, passed quickly enough and soon I was strapped into a comfortable front seat of another fine B&M Floorless. Exiting the station the lift goes straight under the ride’s cobra roll for an awesome effect and is further heightened by the amazing view of the jungle and ruins. A dip into a brake and the car begins to turn and accelerate downhill right into a loop. The feeling of speed at the bottom of the drop is enhanced by the placement of two small buildings right along the track. Upon exiting the loop the track heads over the cobra roll and drops down near the queue only to pull up and clear the line at the last second while heading straight under more track. Turning around 180 degrees at the top of the hill the coaster descends again into a dark tunnel only to emerge being thrust skyward into the perfectly placed cobra roll near a large lake at the back of the park. Heading out of the cobra roll the rides hits the safety brakes, placed awkwardly over Tonatiuh's Curse, my one complaint with the ride’s placement. Coming off the brakes and quickly gaining speed back the ride hits one of the most exhilarating parts through the amazing interlocking corkscrews built right into some ruins. The turnaround between corkscrews runs right along the path of Tonatiuh's Curse offering more great visuals. Finishing strong riders pass once more over water and into a nice final helix before hitting the end brakes and returning to the station. Phoenix leaves as lasting impression as a very well designed coaster. The elements are placed nearly perfectly to provide great visuals of both the track and surrounding scenery. After exiting through a rather long tunnel light by torches I made my way towards Tonatiuh's Curse, the water ride that had bordered Phoenix.

Tonatiuh's Curse is a very entertaining water ride that suffers only from the constant roar of Phoenix taking away a little bit of the ride’s otherwise awesome atmosphere. The line started in a refreshingly shaded square next to some nice foliage and some of Phoenix’s track. As with all water rides throughout the rather hot day the line was unusually long making the wait about 45 minutes. Upon entering the tomb a booming voice tells the tale of the sun deity Tonatiuh and the curse he placed upon the river to set the ride up. The journey starts along a short strip of river in the dense jungle with some nearby temple ruins. A lift up a pyramid takes riders into a chamber where the voice comes once again, warning the boat to turn back now or face destruction. But it is too late for that, the chamber opens and the boat drops unexpectedly down a small slope and then passes by two grand warrior statues and begins an ascent into the main temple complex. Water spewing from the temple sides adds to the ruined atmosphere of the area, and a great view of Phoenix is given while the lift slowly climbs into the temple. Inside the voice comes again, this time enraged, after a quick turn and blinding flash of light and fire hit as the boat suddenly takes a huge plunge out of the temple and to safety. Another sequence on the river follows, this time while soaked and under the track of Phoenix slightly interrupting the atmosphere, but at least giving some unique views of the coaster. Upon disembarking I came across the photo booth on my way out. Apparently the camera’s flash is mixed in with the blast from Tonatiuh’s fury so I had never noticed the picture being taken. Opting not to buy one I headed out of the plaza and back into the main path, slightly turned around because of the odd placement of the exit. Working my way further back towards the Yukon Territory I got some extra film because I was running low in the Aztec Postcard shop and noticed a small family coaster hidden off to the side and decided to give it a whirl. Jaguar was rather disappointing, even for a family coaster. It lacked the quality of theming I had grown to expect from the park, as well as the creativity in layout and placement. Disappointed I caught a quick ride on warrior, which was surrounded by some great architecture, and then headed back down towards the back of the Aztec Jungle. On the way, I finally realized how repetitive the pink flowers became. While they do add a little to the appearance of the buildings I thought they were a little overused and slightly overwhelming. Spotting one final ride in the area I was about to hop in line when I realized I had just been on the exact same ride (excluding name and color scheme) a little while ago in the Yukon Territory. Puzzled at why a park would duplicate an attraction within such a short distance I left the Aztec Jungle for a change of scene in Avalon.

Stepping into Avalon I meet up with the park’s designer and complimented him on the wondrous park he had created. After a brief conversation he mentioned that they had just worked the kinks out of the park’s newest coasters, the duelers, so that the duel was now near perfect. While anxious to get to the coaster I was tired of walking back and forth in an area as the stop for lunch in Aztec Jungle had forced me to do so I decided to take each ride as I came to it. First were the dueling inverter ships in Blazer and Chiller. Despite that fact that these made the third and forth copy of this ride I had seen in the park I decided to catch a ride because of the unique dueling aspect. The duel actually helps the ride considerably, though not as much as it does on a coaster. Looking over at the other car as they pass each other you feel like you are going much faster than you actually are, much like watching cars speed by the opposite direction on the highway. Heading out I dropped into Avalon Snacks to grab a quick refreshment of coke and continued about in search of the next ride. Heading down the path I passed a nice little lake that revealed a castle tower and the loop of what appeared to be a shuttle coaster against the forested backdrop. I took a spot in the line, which was expectably long because of the poor capacity of the ride. The queue winds through a patch of flowers and trees and is bordered by the ride’s beautiful station and the typical dense forest of the park. The ride was perhaps one of the strangest I had ever seen for the simple fact that it neglected to use a large part of the constructed track. The large rear section I had observed from the queue was not used during the ride, which consisted of a 47 mph launch, a loop, and then an ascent during which the car lost momentum and fell backwards to repeat the loop. Despite its oddity The Black Knight provided a slight does of adrenaline to hold me over until I came to the duelers Snowbound had mentioned.

After coming back to the main path I wanted to ride Mistrunner, the first flat ride I had seen that wasn’t a swinging inverter in the last few hours, but I noticed that it was currently closed with what appeared to be a broken seat. Despite not being able to ride it I noted that Mistrunner is very well placed in a bend in the path, but space was still allowed to placed shrubbery and trees between them to keep the forested look that the area held. Directly across from Mistrunner was the indoor motion simulator The Mists of Avalon, the indoor part struck me more than the motion simulator because the heat was becoming brutal again as it reached its peak and good thirty minute wait inside an air-conditioned building sounded like paradise at the moment. Entering the small castle which houses the simulators the line leads into a grand hall type room with tapestrys adorning the wall and classic medieval items such as coat of arms and sets of armor adding atmosphere to the room. The ride was actually surprisingly well done, while in line I had wondered how a motion simulator would work in a medieval setting, but the concept was actually logical and made for a great ride. Starting off in a wizard’s tower he transports the room filled with about 50 people to the mythical island of Avalon, accessible due to his levitation spell. Along the course of the attraction you encounter many legendary heroes and foes including a gigantic fire-breathing dragon at the end that produces some great visuals with the fire going everywhere and the forest being completely devastated.

It is a good thing I had not looked down the path before entering the Mists of Avalon or I probably would have bypassed the ride. Just over some trees I caught a glimpse of perhaps one of the most unique sights I had ever seen on a coaster. An SLC car was passing through the loop of a flying coaster, putting the riders only about an inch away from each other. Racing down towards the coaster’s entrance I chose Luna- Moon Dragon because of my affection for flyers, but knew I would come straight back and give Pyre a chance afterwards. The queue line is one of the more entertaining I had ever had the pleasure to wait in. The side-by-side lines have some great views of a nice dueling section overhead, without showing too much of the track as the ruin the surprise. About halfway through the wait I entered a large castle structure constructed solely for the queue, in addition to what it added to the coaster’s layout). The tower was lavishly decorated, including a brilliant magical mural on the ceiling showing the destruction the dragon’s feud brought to the land. Emerging from the tower the lines split off, Luna’s line bordering a curve on the track leading into a duel. The station platform featured an equal amount of attention to detail, as it resembled a dim cavern strewn with bones, blast marks, and ice. Knowing seat row means nothing on a flyer I took the first available seat and placed on the multiple restraints that would hold me in during the duration of the ride. Ascending from the station I looked up and caught a glimpse of Pyre’s train in perfect sync with ours, the ride ops must have been well trained for this ride. The glaring sun ruins any of the view you would get from the lift as you are stuck facing it until the cars flipped on the way down the first drop. As the flip occurs following a quick dip you nearly scrape into Pyre’s track, which has already begun it’s decent. This sudden encounter lets you know the true potential this design concept has. Luna quickly dropped into flight with riders in the flying position, which in itself is entertaining enough, soaring over the surrounding forest. Flipping over again Luna drops once more, this time into a turning section, which features the first amazing overhead duel. While staring straight up the Pyre train runs overhead in a perfectly timed duel to create one of the most memorable moments I have ever had on a coaster. However, this is only the beginning and another one of these amazing duels follows in a matter of seconds and Luna descends and hits a loop. Through the center of the loop passes Pyre, enhancing the joy flyer loops already hold threefold. Quickly ripping through a shed Luna flips once more into the flying position and hits the ride’s only design flaw, a near stall at the top of a hill. The would be stall serves a purpose however, for under that hill passes Pyre through a corkscrew creating one more in the series of mind shattering duels. Dropping off the hill and into a turning bend the park’s lake becomes visible through the treetops as you temporarily lose sight of Pyre. The fight isn’t over yet however and you quickly meet up with Pyre again as it performs an Immelmann around Luna’s corkscrew. Pyre passes under as Luna turns into the dueling helixes. One final blow is dealt as the dragons bend and enter into a final duel through interlocking corkscrews. After hitting the brake I could think nothing else other than wow. Luna left a lasting impression as one of the most creative and enjoyable coasters I had ever ridden. Curious to see if Pyre did the same I reentered the queue after exiting and found out for myself.

While Pyre does not offer the same feeling from the duels that Luna does it still is nearly as equally amazing as its foe. Through the duels Pyre creates a different feeling than Luna, which while not as mind boggling it still is one of the better duels I have ridden. Pyre’s highpoint is defiantly the seas serpent roll that nearly scrapes the side of the queue’s tower, though notable seconds are the corkscrew which Luna passes over and an Immelmann coming out of a tower that gives the feeling of being flung out into the lake. In the end Luna comes out as the better ride, but both demonstrate true engineering genius on Snowbound’s part. Having had my fill of Avalon and with the day nearing an end I headed on into the final area of the park, the Lost Continent.

The Lost Continent features many of the same colors and elements as the Aztec Jungle; however, the two pull off completely different atmospheres and look almost nothing alike. The Lost Continent offers three different flat rides buried among its forgotten ruins along with one towering wooden beast. Entering from Avalon I passed through a small strip covered with pink flowers, the same pink pests that plagued the Aztecs. This is the only spot in the area I felt the flowers to be particularly overwhelming because of their overuse. Rounding a corner I came across a drop off offering a perfect view of Cobra’s helix and promised myself a final ride on it should time permit. Continuing on I looked to my right and spotted a large slab of rock with a slide carved into the side. While that looked mildly entertaining I went for the more thrilling option and hoped in line for the Rising Sun. This was a refreshing change of pace from the so far repetitive flat rides and featured some nice ruins around it plus a view of cobra from the queue. Staying to the right I came across another Top Spin, which again brought up the curious question of why so many flats were repeated. Again passing on it, I instead entered the mystery shop, which sold some interesting oddities related to magic and myth. Realizing I only was running low on cash I settled for a park T-shirt that simply featured Luna and Pyre logo. Continuing on the first parts of Titan, the park’s wooden monstrosity, came into view and I spotted the entrance sign on a pile of ruble. Before I could enter though I was confronted by a strange man in armor who babbled on in a hard to understand accent. The only words I could make out from his long speech, which had a very condescending tone, were hamster, second-handed electric donkey bottom bitter, and something about berries. After the strange meeting I took my spot in the now fairly short line, which winded through the jungle and rubble of the area.

Arriving at the ruined station I headed towards the back and ended up in the second to last seat in the sleek new orange train of Titan. The traditional loud lift provides time to gaze out over the forest through which Titan rampages, making for a nice view as the track breaks the tree line. Upon reaching the top a dip and a turn leads up to the first plunge, which sends the car down below the treetops and then quickly up again into a turnaround, which brings it through the wooden supports for a nice head-cutter. Ascending up again out of the trees the coaster passes through a rocky outcropping making a turn followed by a drop and another turn, leading into yet another drop. Heading up again and turning the coaster enters an awesome large helix still keeping great pace. Another series of turns and drops brings the Titan back to the rocks, this time diving low and hitting a tunnel for a long underground section, emerging sporadically for a quick hill then going under again until the final turn and brakes. Titan is a very well paced ride, and certainly well designed, but it just wasn’t my type of wooden coaster. It failed to provide good airtime and had little scenery other than trees; some ruins to enhance the feeling of speed may have been nice. The trees do however create a nice effect only a few woodens share of racing along through a forest, but that would have been enhanced by variation with ruins. Despite the complaints, Titan is still a wooden worthy of the park in which it was built. Having enjoyed all the attractions I planned to in the area, and wishing to avoid contract with the strange man in armor again, I headed back to the entrance and as promised took another spin on Cobra, which was just as enjoyable as the first time.

Having ridden nearly every ride in the park the sun began to set, signaling the end of the day and my time at Crystal Horizons. I left the park with the same awe of it that had stayed with me throughout the day. The park has one of the best designed and placed coaster lineups of any park, and supports them with equal attention to the lay of the queue line and the theming of the surroundings. With a park like this one can have few complaints, however the repetition of flat rides struck me as huge. Who wants to ride the same ride three times in one day? The logic of the idea still escapes me, but it did not detract much from the park experience. The only other negative I noticed is a lack of eating establishments. They were placed very far apart and didn’t offer the best variety, even though when I finally found a place to eat the food was superb. In the end crystal Horizons will remain a personal favorite of mine for the creativity and mastery expressed through the design of nearly every square of the park.

 

  PyroPenguin

Crystal Horizons Walkthrough