-------------------------------------- 2008 --------------------------------------

ACE Day
at Hard Rock Park
(Myrtle Beach, SC)

Saturday, June 21
180 members and guests rocked out at Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, SC on June 21. ERT was cut short by rain on Led Zeppelin-The Ride and Eagles: Life in the Fast Lane, but the weather cleared for rides on Maximum RPM, Shake Rattle & Rollercoaster, and Slippery When Wet. Lunch and a Q&A after the Country on the Rocks ice show were enjoyable and informative, but the exclusive reception in the private Peavey Lounge for the Bohemian Rhapsody fireworks spectacular was a memorable way to end the night.

Coaster Con XXXI
begins at Six Flags Over
Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

Sunday, June 15 - Friday, June 20
It was a coaster-lover's paradise in Georgia! A spectacular collection of coasters at the host parks this year, from some of the best in the business, including Arrow, B&M, Vekoma, and Schwarzkopf. It was all fun in the Georgia sun as ACE visited Six Flags Over Georgia and Wild Adventures!

Rip Roarin' Rampage
at Alabama Adventure
(Bessemer, AL)

Saturday, June 14
101 members and guests enjoyed the eve of Coaster Con XXXI, June 14, 2008, at Alabama Adventures in Bessemer with over three hours of ERT on the wood coaster Rampage during Rip Roarin' Rampage.  Dinner included drawings for not only traditional souvenirs, but once again the graveyard was robbed for train parts including 2 coaster car side panels.  The rain came in and cleared out the park in the late afternoon so for hours it was only the enthusiasts and the enthusiastic ride operators left in the dark, but no one seemed to mind.

Thrills in the Hills
at Dollywood
(Pigeon Forge, TN)

-- PARK EVENT --

June 6-8
This first-time Dollywood-sponsored event took place June 6, 7 and 8 and offered coaster experiences you won’t find anywhere else. Participants got exclusive ride time on Thunderhead, Dollywood's Great Coasters International wooden wonder, named No. 1 in the world in 2005 and 2006. 

Spring Fling
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

March 29
151 registered guests from New Jersey to Canada to California enjoyed a full morning ERT schedule and a rain shortened ERT at night on Batman-The Ride, Georgia Scorcher and the Georgia Cyclone which was giving its best rides in years with the rain soaked track.

-------------------------------------- 2007 --------------------------------------

Coasterfest
at Dollywood
(Pigeon Forge, TN)

November 17
We closed out the year with a Smoky Mountain Coasterfest at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge California. 185 members and guests enjoyed ERT in the morning on Blazing Fury (lights on, too), and night time ERT on both Mystery Mine (a blast in the dark) and Thunderhead.

ACE Day
at Family Kingdom
(Myrtle Beach, SC)

September 9
We found as many ride operators as riders for the final hour of the day on the Swamp Fox.

Back Stage Preview
at Hard Rock Park
(Myrtle Beach, SC)

September 9
Back Stage Preview at the Hard Rock Park included a talk by the VP operations, plenty of photo opportunities, and lots of fun.

Carolina Coaster
Classic (C3)
at Carowinds
(Charlotte, NC)

September 8
Carolina Coaster Classic at Carowinds in Charlotte, NC, found 87 ACE members and guests enjoying coasters under the Carolina blue sky. Along with games and prizes ERT was enjoyed by all.

Rafting
Chattooga River

July 21
Rafting the Chattooga River was the challenge that only three (3!) ACE members felt the need to explore, but challenge and conquer Section IV of the Chattooga River they did.

• View Gallery »

Rip Roarin'
Rampage
at Alabama Adventure
(Bessemer, AL)

June 2
Rip Roarin Rampage returned to Alabama Adventure with 32 ACE members and guests After a day under unusually rainy skies for 2007, the group enjoyed a random drawing for a bunch of Visionland signs and souvenirs, along with miscellaneous items used on the star of the show, Rampage. Finally, the night climaxed with non-stop coaster riding up until midnight when the last to leave were locked inside the park! Security came or else we'd still be there riding one of the best wood coasters in the southeast.

Mystery Mine Event
at Dollywood
(Pigeon Forge, TN)

April 28
The Mystery Was Revealed to 111 ACE members and guests at Dollywood. A special event to celebrate and enjoy the park's opening of Mystery Mine, after a day in a very full park one hour of ERT was enjoyed on the mine in the dark under the moon.

Spring Fling
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

March 24
211 ACE members and guests from 22 states kicked off their coaster season at our Spring Fling at Six Flags Over Georgia. With over 4 hours of ERT that included almost every coaster, a great lunch, an auction and lottery to benefit the National Roller Coaster Museum Fund, and a souvenir t-shirt, the event had more to enjoy than unseasonably warm 80 degree temperatures. Pictured below the group prepares for a ride on the 40-year old Dahlonega Mine Train, the original coaster at the park.

Reunion & Tour
at Discovery Place
(Charlotte, NC)

February 18
A dozen ACE Southeast members reunited with Natividad Lewis, formerly a member of the Carowind's Public Relations staff, at her new home, Discovery Place, in Charlotte, NC. After a tour that included the new Candy Unwrapped exhibit it was time for lunch and reconnecting during the off-season.

-------------------------------------- 2006 --------------------------------------

Coasterfest
at Dollywood
(Pigeon Forge, TN)

November 18
100 ACE members and guests trekked to Dollywood for our 2nd annual Coasterfest held in conjunction with the park's "Christmas in the Smokies" celebration. During the day attendees enjoyed a scavenger hunt, shows and rides. As the evening wore on (and the temperatures dropped) hot chocolate warmed up everyone for an hour ERT in the dark on Thunderhead. Winners of the hunt walked away with Season Passes and Media Preview Invitations for Mystery Mine, opening next year on Friday, April 13. Pictured below are just a few of the people who came from all over the country for the last ACE Southeast Regional event of the year.

Season Passholder
Appreciation Day
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

November 3
Over 70 ACE members enjoyed a reception during Six Flags Over Georgia's Season Pass Holder Appreciation Day. Park representatives answered questions and provided door prizes, Tim Hollis signed his souvenir book on the first decades of the parks history, and plans for 2007's 40th Anniversary celebration were discussed, along with Spring Fling on March 24.

Carolina Coaster
Classic (C3)
at Carowinds
(Charlotte, NC)

September 16
Paramount's Carowinds once again welcomed the Southeast Region to the annual Carolina Coaster Classic. 94 members from all around the country came to enjoy ERT on the Ricochet, Vortex and Carolina Cyclone coasters, and the event once again pushed the boundaries of fun with a Carowinds/Coaster Match Game and Family Feud session during the middle of the day which ended celebrating the 30-year old Thunder Road and the relatively new .Top Gun - The Jet Coaster

Rafting
Ocoee River
(Cleveland, TN)

September 9
ACE Southeast members took to their oars and rafted down the Ocoee River (Cleveland, TN) for another fantastic roller coaster ride of a trip. Click here for all the photos, and we're already planning on taking on another river, the Chattoga near Clayton, GA, on July 21, 2007. And if you don't know the name of the river, you probably know the movie it starred in (can you hear the banjos?) Deliverance.

• View Gallery »

Rip Roarin'
Rampage
at Alabama Adventure
(Bessemer, AL)

June 3
This day marked the first ACE Southeast event at Alabama Adventure (formerly Visionland) when 43 attendees returned for Rip Roarin' Rampage and enjoyed lights-out ride on one of the top wood coasters in the country, Rampage. Park management came out to provide some extra special things like brake fins from the train (3!) and wheels from Rampage and Zoomerang which were stored away in preparation for the 2008 Convention. Finally, before ERT, a dozen lucky winners got a backstage tour including the extinct dinosaur exhibit (you had to be there!).

Spring Fling
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

April 22
It was a gigantic celebration at Six Flags Over Georgia with 320 registered members and guests for our 4th annual Spring Fling. In the morning, rains kept Goliath down, but Superman-Ultimate Flight and Great American Scream Machine were ready to enjoy along with Shake Rattle & Roll. Due to the rain, attendees were admitted into Goliath's station prior to opening to the public. In lieu of a formal group portrait, a shot of the station crowd waiting out the storms is substituted below. After lunch, and raising over $2,000 for the National Roller Coaster Museum fund, an exclusive show was held prior to the night time ERT. Gotham City (including the Justice League) were on hand first, then the Georgia Cyclone, Acrophobia, and (of course) Goliath, where the giant coaster was available for a full 90 minutes of night time ride time.

-------------------------------------- 2005 --------------------------------------

Coasterfest
at Dollywood
(Pigeon Forge, TN)

November 19
There was a Coasterfest at Dollywood when 90 ACE members and guests enjoyed the holiday sights and sounds of the park along with an hour of night rides on Thunderhead! Just a portion of the attendees came out for the photo, the rest were trying to get some night rides in just in case the temperatures decided to drop below 40 degrees (when the coasters stop running).

Season Passholder
Appreciation Day
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

November 6
It was Six Flags Over Georgia's Season Passholder Appreciation Day and we enjoyed a Fall Finale reception with over 70 other ACE members and friends. A new film on the Great Gasp was shown, along with another on Six Flags Over Texas, prizes were awarded and the initial plans for Spring Fling 2006 were revealed. $200 was raised for ACE historical efforts with the auctioning of a parachute from the Great Gasp. At Spring Fling another parachute will be auctioned, along with the rider information sign board from the ride (which was on display at the event).

National Geographic
Filming Event
at Dollywood
(Pigeon Forge, TN)

September 20
The National Geographic Cable Channel came to Dollywood to film for an upcoming 2-hour special. Over two dozen ACE members joined designer Mike Boodley and Dollywood employees to enjoy some exclusive September rides during the afternoon on Thunderhead.
(Photo by Robert Nagy)

Goliath Event
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

September 1
We had 25 members attend Six Flags Over Georgia's announcement of Goliath.

Carolina Coaster
Classic (C3)
at Carowinds
(Charlotte, NC)

August 19
Over 120 members and guests from 17 states came to the Carolina Coaster Classic at Parmount's Carowinds. Below are most of the attendees stradling the North Carolina / South Carolina border.

And while suffering the swealtering Carolina heat wave 14 teams took on The Amazing rACE where they had to submit to challenges and explore the entire park. The four final teams are picture below at the end of this wonderful event along with Scott and Kathleen from the park's outstanding public relations staff. Congratulations to all who participated.

Coaster Con XXVII
at Six Flags Great America,
Little A-Merrik-A and
Mt. Olympus

June 19 - 24
A group of 16 members of the Southeast Region enjoyed Coaster Con XXVII at Six Flags Great America, Little A-Merrik-A and Mt. Olympus Theme Parks. Not only were there great coasters to ride, but members John MacGreggor came home with both the 2nd and 3rd place member's choice video awards, along with both the independent judges and member's award for our regional newsletter, "The Southern Scream."

Rip Roarin'
Rampage
at Visionland
(Bessemer, AL)

June 4
64 members and guests enjoyed 3 hours of the best wood ERT in the Southeast during our Rip Roarin' Rampage event at Visionland. Pictured below is a part of the group at the new Zoomerang roller coaster.

River Raft Run
Ocoee River
(Cleveland, TN)

May 14
On our first ever River Raft Run down the Ocoee River 21 brave members took on the challenge of white water rafting excitement. Coordinated with the ACE Spring Conference we enjoyed waking up with some great white water rafting fun.

• View Gallery »

Spring Fling
at Six Flags Over Georgia
(Atlanta, GA)

March 26
143 members and guests met at Six Flags Over Georgia for our annual Spring Fling event. While some rides and the weather didn't totally cooperate, we enjoyed 15 hours of ride time (including over 3 hours of ERT), a Mexican lunch, an exclusive show, door prizes and more.

Construction Tour
at Carowinds
(Charlotte, NC)

February 26
23 members enjoyed an off-season construction tour on the new Nickelodeon and other improvements at Paramount's Carowinds courtesy of the wonderful Public Relations department. Highlights included seeing the relocated Flyers, the new brick paving, the new Happy Days Diner and plenty of other changes that should be ready when the park opens in March.

So...Coaster!
at North Cobb
Visitor Center
(Marietta, GA)

February 19
18 members and guests enjoyed a day of video watching and sharing coaster memories during the first So...Coaster! event at the North Cobb Visitor Center in Marietta, Georgia, Thanks to our special guests from Paramount's Carowinds and Six Flags Over Georgia, everyone went home with a prize or two in addition to the wonderful memories that were shared and the friendships that were renewed.

Running Wild
at Wild Adventures
(Valdosta, GA)

January 16
20 members and guests were Running Wild at Wild Adventures with ERT-like conditions during the sunny Winter day, while we were sad the numbers were down (primarily due to Cheetah's maintenance) we had a good time all around.