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Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/12/2019 in all areas

  1. Time laps of Orion being topped off. Although the webcam was offline to the internet, they were able to get the footage locally. From Chad Showalter: The park is thrilled that internet streaming has been restored to the Eiffel Tower and the Mystic Timbers cameras. While the construction video of Orion's lift hill wasn't live, we are glad to at least share it."
    9 points
  2. How is The Bat rough? I find it to be one of the smoothest coasters out there. I've said it before, as long as the older clone (Vortex CW) keeps going, I think The Bat will too.
    7 points
  3. 6 points
  4. Bat goes up the lift slower due to the blocking. The train on the brakes comes off that block section slower as the bottom used to hit the centering rail too fast and led to people banging their heads on the restraints, and its less hard on the chain motors to slow than to stop then start.
    5 points
  5. Since we now have a giga, someone should write RMC in the snow lol
    5 points
  6. Odd that my harmless post from yesterday joking about the white castle crane got deleted, seems pointless. Did that offend somebody somehow? Geez
    5 points
  7. Meh. I don't know how else to avoid a one word post.
    5 points
  8. The only thing I learned from that is they intentionally took the cameras offline. Glad they were willing to confirm that, which also makes the “software update” statement a lie.
    4 points
  9. I agree it vibrated a lot, but I think that's just due to needing a paint touch up. I wouldn't qualify that as being rough though. Parts aren't a concern because S&S still churns them out. Several suspended coasters are defunct from age, but all those were either pretty aggressive compared to Bat and I have to think with BBW that with Schwarzkopf starting it and Arrow finishing it that something with the design unique to it led to it going early along with some aggressive swinging as well. Ninja is one to watch in that regard. I would say Bat's got between 5-10 years, and that might be generous.
    4 points
  10. If Kings Island ever removes The Bat, I would love to see an S&S axis coaster, it is sort of like a crazier version of Bat, and it would be very intense and unique.
    3 points
  11. An old poster here said multiple times over the years, "Tell them the truth, they will never believe you." Truer words can not be stated about the Webcam discussions.
    3 points
  12. Recently re-discovered this ride with my kids hitting 48'' this year. Gotta say I love the setting and the ride itself. It's unique and great for kids and that first sequence is pretty intense if it's your first ride of the day. I hope it hangs around for a while. All that said, that terrain back there would be perfect for a Beast-like RMC if they wanted to re-purpose the station.
    3 points
  13. Looks like Cleo just put in another piece of the drop/first hill.
    3 points
  14. 3 points
  15. Watch it be like 68 degrees that day...lol.
    3 points
  16. I'll ride it...with a winter hat and long underwear at least! I'm a Fool but no dummy.
    3 points
  17. I've been meaning to post these but I keep forgetting. I took these the day that the lift hill was finished. I also apologize that there are 17 photos but I thought that I should share all of my best shots! Im so glad I found this community! I always just looked at the posts, starting with the 'Decoding 2020' I never thought I'd be involved in the actual content. I appreciate whenever I get lots of likes on my posts! It makes me feel like a bigger part of the community and y'all are the best! Like I've said, I will be taking pictures like this til its done! (I hope to get pics when they start running test cars xD )
    3 points
  18. And Coney Island just happens to have one for sale too! LOL Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2 points
  19. Now that I've lost my beloved #1 Vortex, I'd be most upset to see The Bat leave the park. I'd expect Invertigo to go first, but there also isn't too much land there to work with.
    2 points
  20. Oktoberfest. Adventure Express queue entrance is there now.
    2 points
  21. I can see it going two ways for The Bat. It will either be removed to make way for a more modern coaster within the next few years or they will build up the traffic around it with a modern coaster nearby, giving it a few extra years of operation. Either way, I suspect that said coaster will likely be using Son of Beast's old station. I'm not very fond of it, but we can definitely expect the Adventure Express to be the last operating Arrow coaster at King's Island within ten years or so. Personally, I'll be ultimately content with that so long as AE gets to live indefinitely. Wooden supports and low G's are beneficial attributes that The Bat just doesn't have. It's definitely going to be sad to see such a unique type of coaster disappear from the world. I'm happy I was able to ride it and The Vortex so many times.
    2 points
  22. I hope that everyone is having a good day. While I know this is a Kings Island forum, I decided to post my report here on this forum, as I feel extremely welcome in this forum. Beech bend park is an extremely small amusement park in bowling green Kentucky, where most of the rides there you could find at fairs, but I have my reasons for enjoying the park. I rode many first rides there, including my first Drop Tower, my first ride that wasn’t a simulator that went upside down, and other rides I didn’t feel good about riding before I visited beech bend for the first time in 2016. I also enjoy the park for how close it is to Nashville Tennessee. A drive to beech bend park is normally about a hour and a half, while a drive to Kings Island from my house is about four and a half hours, so the location is convenient for me. With all that said though, I still prefer Kings Island as an amusement park, and hopefully beech bend park adds new rides soon. I decided in 2018 before a history class at Murray State University to get a 2019 season pass for beech bend park, and I did this because the season pass was only around $40, which is around the admission price of the park. I shall now break up the park into certain categories: Overview, flat rides (I will make it easy to read there are a bunch of flat rides), coasters, employees, and a conclusion. Overview: While beech bend park is a small park, it feels like you are going through the countryside to get there, especially the last five to ten minutes of the drive. Upon arriving, there are no paved parking spots, so you park in grass instead (you are on a pavement to the grass). There is no theme to the park, the rides may be themed slightly, but there are no zones like Kings Island has (Action Zone X Base ETC). There is a small game area similar to the coney mall, but it is a lot smaller than coney mall, which doesn’t surprise me. The rides are scattered a little bit, but the rides are within at most five minutes of each other, and that is from one end of the park to the other. While I enjoy flat rides, most of them can be found at a fair or carnival, but they are still fun. Speaking of flat rides... Flat rides: beech bend park is known for flat rides and a certain coaster, but I was surprised by the amount of flat rides, there are a ton. I will only be reviewing flat rides I have ridden, so I won’t include the kiddy rides and certain family rides. Family rides: Laser Fury 360: in my thought, it combines a bumper car and a game of laser tag, but it is a waste of $6. I was expecting a ride that was interesting for the idea but what I got instead was a horrible ride. It felt way too arcadey, the other rides don’t try to make you flip, and it is extremely boring in my mind. Hip Hop Drop: this is the parks mini family Drop Tower, it goes at most thirty feet into the air, and drops the riders to a certain height. It is actually quite thrilling, I actually consider it more thrilling in some ways than the bigger Drop Tower at beech bend park, but that is just me. Sizzler: a spinning ride of epic proportions to crush your friends with. That’s the summary of it. It is basically a scrambler ride at the fair. Starship 4000: a graviton type ride that can make you feel extremely sick if you turn your head on it, trust me, don’t turn your head on it you will feel extremely drunk after the ride. Tilt a whirl: what can I say? It is a fun ride, but it is such a common ride at fairs that I don’t know what to write here, but I enjoy riding it. Thrill flat rides: Air Race: it is hard to explain, so look up “air race beech bend park” on YouTube. I really have fun on that ride, however it was down the whole 2019 season, but when I did ride it in 2018 I had a blast! The harness is tight, but not as tight as the harness of Banshee at Kings Island, but it is a comfortable ride. Most Dick: I was tempted to start signing a song from Futurama (Whalers on the moon we carry a harpoon), but I am holding myself back, but in all seriousness it is a ride that spins on a platform in either a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. Vortex (please don’t be confused with our late friendly coaster at Kings Island): Vortex at beech bend park is basically a fireball at a fair, where it is surprisingly intense, but not as intense as the opposite ride of Delirium at Kings Island. It is also a comfortable ride. Zero G: the 140 foot tall Drop Tower at beech bend park. It was my first ever Drop Tower, I first rode it in 2016, and I still get nervous riding it today. Unlike Drop Tower at Kings Island, when you reach the top it is an instant drop, but it is a somewhat smooth drop (probably not as smooth as Drop Tower at Kings Island I still need to ride that). It is my favorite flat ride at beech bend park due to how thrilling it is. Coasters: Wild Mouse: memes aside, the cars look like they are on certain substances, but it is a good little thrill. Wild mouse is a small coaster that goes up to 60 feet, and at certain points it feels like you will fall out! Spinning out: a surprisingly fun family coaster that spins more than wild mouse, which is a bunch of fun! Kentucky Rumbler: it is now the moment y’all have been waiting for, the most famous ride at beech bend park, well I should say the most famous coaster... Kentucky rumbler is a good thrill, but due to how rough it is, I don’t enjoy that much. I last rode it in 2019, where it was still rough, but I enjoy the thrill it provides. Employees: while most employees are somewhat nice, others clearly haven’t heard of the ADA (Americans with disabilities act), thanks to how they don’t understand how certain people need extra help with certain things. I have general anxiety disorder with ADHD and a general learning disorder, so sometimes I can’t find the right words to say, but Kings Island is very supportive with that. Beech bend is as well with the rides, but in the gift shop they clearly only want more money, and I have had horrible customer experience in the gift shop. Overall though the employees are nice. Conclusion: would I recommend beech bend park? Yes, it has good thrill rides for the area, and it is nearby to me. No, the employees can be awful, and the rides are nothing compared to Kings Island. Overall though I recommend going if you are in the area, but if you don’t want to go that it fine as well. Sorry for the long trip overview, I finally had a chance to write this, and I have been busy with school at Murray State University (go racers). I did decide to get not only a 2020 season pass for beech bend park, I also have a 2020 gold season pass for Kings Island, and I am super excited for 2020! Here’s to 2020. I hope that everyone has a good rest of the day. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2 points
  23. Kentucky Rumbler is rough now? That's a shame to hear. I rode it back in 2006 when it was just a few weeks old and it was glass smooth. I figured with the Millennium Flyer trains coupled with modern engineering would help keep the ride smooth for the long run, but that's clearly not the case. They used to have a ride there called Looping Star that was a essentially a galaxy coaster with a loop. It was as bad as it sounded! I did notice their flat ride collection, even back then. Seemed like almost all of them were trailer mounted and Zamperla branded. We joked that it was a "Zamperla showroom" but in hindsight I think they had an agreement to purchase that manufacturer's prototypes or something. Glad you had a good summer there. That park certainly is overlooked and a lot of fun!!
    2 points
  24. I actually love the walk back to Bat. Its pretty relaxing. Now the walk back to AZ is a different story haha. The Bat ( Top Gun at the time) was my favorite coaster. I would hate to see it go! I think @silver2005 is right and it just needs some TLC.
    2 points
  25. Minus the gravel road, I would say Action Zone fits that category.
    2 points
  26. My thoughts exactly But a cool timelapse nonetheless
    2 points
  27. Yes, but for some reason when I go to look at the webcam it will only show the announcement video for Cheetah Chase.
    2 points
  28. Sorry if my post was a little misleading, by a little while ago I meant earlier today before TheFloppyDisc's post.
    2 points
  29. A truck just brought some tracking to the back part of the track also Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2 points
  30. This photo is taken from 48 south in Lebanon near the OSP post.
    2 points
  31. Winterfest Igloo rental information: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/november/rent-an-igloo-at-winterfest Here is a look inside them.
    2 points
  32. To tell you the truth, I find webcams to be about as exciting as watching security footage or worse, Nascar. But I am glad they exist and I happy that people do get satisfaction from watching them obsessively, as I am then able to get my updates through the construction thread.
    2 points
  33. You could always make a trip to Cincinnati and they will make you uncooked ones you could freeze. Word of caution the LaRosas in the park taste completely different.
    2 points
  34. I apologize that post was so long. I just started writing, got nostalgic, then unsuccessfully tried to tie it up at the end. If I could add one more thing not to replace Vortex but an addition to Coney Mall, add a Tilt-A-Whirl.
    2 points
  35. It would be a shame if the relationship soured between Cedar Fair and RMC. RMC has certainly done a fantastic job refitting coasters with their track system. I've only ridden Twisted Timbers, New Texas Giant, and Steel Vengeance. All three are amazing. The three rides I mentioned above utilize the I-Box track so I have no ride experience with RMC's topper track. If anybody does I'd be interested in your opinions of it. I'm left to speculate that the topper track probably feels mostly if, not exactly, like a typical wooden coaster. I was really interested in how Zadra would turn out being RMC's first coaster they designed and built from the ground up. I don't think I will ever get to visit Poland to ride it myself but the reviews I've read have been very positive. That's a big milestone for RMC. As for my thoughts on what might occupy the land in and around Vortex, I'm not sure. The area of land Vortex covers is not that large. I'd have to trust those who have posted estimates on here as to the size plus the size of the surrounding area. I know some things that I'd like to maybe see happen. My first choice would be to not expand that area at all. Simply remove Vortex and build a Gerstlauer Euro-fighter in that spot. They are always built custom per-job and that is adequate room for really fun ride like that. Second choice would be a RMC monster that would be a part of The Beast family; Sister of, Brother of, Drunk Ass Uncle of, you get the point. Normally I'd be against another Beast member but that spot almost demands it. RWC could do it right. Build it like the King's Island construction crew did. Send it out into the woods following the terrain of the land. Third choice would be to demolition that Backlot Stunt Coaster turd also. That would open a lot of area they could revamp. Then perhaps a wing coaster could be built and travel in a way that won't require any messing up the trees around The Beast. I'm still trying to to process The Vortex is done. It's been there nearly my entire King's Island attending life. I've lived around the corner in Mason since I was born. I first went there in 84. The year they built King Cobra. I was only 4 so I hung out in Hanna-Barbara riding The Beastie and the Smurf ride. The Cobra was a big deal tho. Three years later Vortex would become a very big deal. It was had multiple records and firsts. Sure, it had got a bit rickety over the last 33 years but she could have made it to 35. It is my understanding they intend The Vortex to be gone by the start of Winterfest. That's in 10 days. I do not know the current status as of this writing. The weather has turned nasty. If any of you guys or gals have updates please share.
    2 points
  36. That’s what i was thinking. I thought the phone policy was Cedar Fair. I know Zadra has lockers but do they have a metal detector?? Technically i have taken my phone on SteVe and put it in the pouch with no issues at all. If you are stupid enough to loose your phone on SteVe that’s your fault. I do not understand the metal detectors at all. I would love a RMC obviously I think that everyone agrees with that. Twisted timbers type would be fine if they don’t want to top Iron Gwazi. If not a RMC then a blitz coaster would be great just not a spike please. I don’t understand all the hype with the spike. The spike makes sense when it comes to something that is heavily themed like universal or Disney.
    2 points
  37. If I'm being completely honest, (and forgive me if this comes off a little negative, especially this late in the game), what we're seeing right now is precisely why I was never on board with the whole "you won't notice 13ft" argument. With the elevation disadvantage, paired with its placement in the back left of the park, I think were beginning to see that it really could have used all the height it can get in order to appear more imposing onto the rest of the park. Or at least, its a slippery slope. I would say that it was never so much about 13 ft as much as it is about 20-30 ft, given the expectation that it was going to clear 300 ft by at least some amount, even if by just 5-10 ft. Having it at 300 flat was kind of pushing it to begin with, but take away an additional 13 ft? And yes, I do think it results in a noticeable discrepancy between this and previous gigas... However, on the other hand (and this is positive), I'm starting to think that what is lessening the ride visually (placement), will end up enhancing the ride from an experience standpoint. Come to think of it, I never wanted this to be a parking lot coaster anyway, so I'm actually glad to see it break from Fury and Leviathan in that regard. Sure, it won't be as immediately noticeable at the front of the park, in the way the aforementioned B&M gigas are... But if better night rides/seclusion come at the slight expense of imposition onto the rest of the park, then that is an A-ok tradeoff in my view! Think about it. Would you rather be riding past a mundane ocean of concrete, traffic lines, and car light glare, OR flying through the trees and foliage of the dark Ohio woods after sundown? I think you know my pick...
    2 points
  38. I know people were (and still are) upset over the removal the Eagles. A lot of people though of it as their favorite flat ride in the park compared to other removed rides which had fallen out of favor with the general park guest.
    2 points
  39. Twisted Timbers valleyed while I was at KD on it’s opening weekend in 2018- is that the type of breaking in problems you’re talking about?
    1 point
  40. Or Zeus 2: Electric Boogaloo
    1 point
  41. White Castle Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1 point
  42. I can remember Raptor's opening day that was cold & rainy. Getting off Magnum our faces all felt & looked like we has a deep severe acid facial performed.
    1 point
  43. I am curious to know if they requested Orion to be engineered to run in the cooler temps for Winterfest. It would be cool to have FOF added back and Orion added to the lineup for next year.
    1 point
  44. I shared a scan of the 1972 Kings Island Guide Book a few months ago, highlighting all the interesting details from the 47-year-old park guide, and noted I'd share the 1973 Kings Island Guide Book soon. I've been slowly scanning my Kings Island collection for archival purposes and realized no time like the present to share. It's mostly the same as the 1972 version, but I'll do something a little different (and very nerdy)... I'll point-out all the differences between the guides with some commentary thrown-in. I find it interesting, but I don't know if that'll be a shared feeling Feel free to share additional information if you have it, and please don't hesitate to correct me if I say anything wrong. Cover - Showcasing the park's fireworks and fountains. I personally like the cover of 1972's better, but it's interesting to see the long-exposure effect the Sky Ride cabins had on this one. 2-3 - Advert for Sherwin-Williams, identical to the one in the 1972 guide. 4-5 - The Host and Hostesses section on the left is identical to 1972's, but the Table of Contents was rearranged a little bit. Also note the "Kings Island costumes are styled to fit each themed area of the park" line - most employees now have department-specific uniforms, although Planet Snoopy associates have a unique polo compared to other ride operators. 6-7 - General Information is very similar to 1972's, with a few minor differences: northAmerican Van Lines is correctly stylized (the "n" was incorrectly capitalized before) Stroller rental is now "Strollers & Wheelchairs", although wheelchairs may have still been offered for rent in 1972. Traveler check limits were raised from $20 to $50. Larger checks were also shifted from the Administration Building to Guest Services. 8-9 - BankAmericard Service Center and northAmerican Van Lines. Like before, the stylization of northAmerican was updated, but nothing else really changed between the guides. Also, free strollers - I wonder when that stopped? 10-11 - And into the interesting stuff... International Street. I love how diverse and interesting all the shops and restaurants sounded in the early 1970s. In terms of changes, it's interesting that item 6 (Refreshment Stand) was previously marked as "Schnell-Imbiss (Refreshment Stand)" and items 28 and 32 (Front Gate Souvenir/Shop and International Restaurant) were added with the entrance building expansion that year. 12-13 - Kahn's Sausage Haus description. The process for the sausage was changed a little from 1972's guide. 14-15 - Rainbo Mini Bakery (or Rainbo Backerei, per the map) Fotomat Camera Shop (or Fotomat Fotografia). The bakery page is mostly unchanged, but the description for Fotomat was completely re-written - no more references to Hanna-Barbera characters, but instead a more dry explanation of the store's location and purpose. Also a 50-cent coupon. 1973 was the final year for Fotomat's sponsorship. 16-17 - Oktoberfest map, featuring two of the new rides for 1973: Flying Dutchman and Bayern Kurve. 18-19 - Descriptions and artwork for Toys Internationale and the French Bauer, both on International Street. No changes between 1972 and 1973 guides. 20-21 - The order of the pages differs between the two guides starting here, but the Coney Island maps are comparable. The biggest difference is the addition of the new Arcade & Games Building, which remains to this day. Interestingly, items 17 and 18 (both Refreshment Stand) are referred to by their actual names at the end of this guide. 22-23 - Overview of the park... albeit not quite to scale 24-25 - Map of Rivertown. Few minor changes: Salt Water Circus (dolphin show) was renamed to South Sea Excursion Powder Valley Nature Trail added as one of the 1973 additions Floral Clock now added, although it's technically more part of International Street than Rivertown. The clock was also present in 1972, just not featured in the guidebook. Pizza Shop (Rivertown LaRosa's) was added. It was another one of the many 1973 additions. Super X General Store is now identified as SupeRx General Store, although I assume the earlier naming was a typo. 26-27 - SupeRx General Store and South Sea Excursion ads. The General Store is today's DB Trading Post, and the location of the dolphin show is an empty field (as it has been for 25 years now). 28-29 - Last map of the guide, The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera. Only changes between the guides are Winsome Witch's Caldron to Cauldron, and the addition of the Fred Flintstone Floral Face. The piece of landscaping lasted 1973 through about 1977 I believe - anyone know its last year for certain? 30-31 - Marathon Turnpike spread, identical to 1972's. 32-33 - Shops and Stores, the majority on International Street. As previously noted, the only new things are the Front Gate Souvenir Shop and the SupeRx spelling change. 34-35 - Food and Refreshments. There are a lot of changes between the 1972 and 1973 guide: International Restaurant was added, as it was a new-for-1973 addition Munchen Cafe (today part of Emporium) now lists the "Kings Island Julienne Salad Bowl", plus pastries The former Schnell-Imbiss has been renamed Refreshment Stand (today's Funnel Cakes). The Bavarian Sundae, served in an old-fashioned double-head cake cone, is no longer listed. La Fiera Pizzeria (today's LaRosa's) now lists pizza by the slice or whole, and beer. Both may have been offered in 1972 though. French Bauer (previously referred to as French Bauer Gelato) now includes coffee and Danish pastries. Der Alte Deutsche Bier Garten (today's Hank's Mexican Grille) removed reference to serving frankfurters, but includes several new items in their place. Sweet Tooth (today's Subway) now includes sundaes, ice cream, parfaits, and caramel corn. Lunch Basket (today's Skyline Chili) now includes french fries, onion rings, and sandwich platters Thrill Burger (removed for Coney Bar-B-Que) and Antique Treats (today's Refill Station near Dodgem) both received names, whereas in the 1972 guide they were referred to as "Refreshment Stand". Thrill Burger also now includes fish sandwiches, onion rings, and sandwich platters... is there anywhere in the park you can still get fish today? Pizza Shop (LaRosa's) is added Whistle Stop Patio (removed for Mystic Timbers) now serves fish sandwiches, french fries, and onion rings... and "Kings Island's own 1/3 pound double deck 'Burger Biggy'" Watermelon Wedge, a stand serving exclusively fresh watermelon slices, is added Columbia Palace Dining Hall (today's Miami River Brewhouse) now includes "deep-water clams and Icelandic whitefish". Humble Pie also includes fish sandwiches and a couple other items - fish seemed to be very popular in 1973. Granny Sweets Treats (today's Snow Cones, next to Woodstock Express) includes nutty bananas now Kings Island Cooler becomes "Kings Island Kooler" and the Antique Popcorn Wagon is added 36-37 - Kings Island Campground and the Jack Nicklaus Golf Center. Both were expanded for the 1973 season - the campground jumped from 200 to 300 sites, and now includes Wayfarer Motor Homes and bicycle rentals. The golf center's Executive Course was also lit for night play, starting in the 1973 season. 38-39 - Kings Island Inn was also expanded for the 1973 season, with the new Brauhaus cocktail lounge and an indoor swimming pool. And whereas the 1972 guide has Kings Island Inn over two pages, the 1973 guide uses some of that space for the entertainment offerings. There's a handful of new shows, like Saturday in the Park, Give My Regards to Broadway, and The Family Jewels. 40-41 - The 1973 guide included two more sets of pages than 1972's. This was used to highlight the new-for-1973 rides and attractions. Here's some additional information on each: Bayern Kurve (often misspelled "Curve") was a Schwarkzopf Bayern Kurve attraction in Oktoberfest. It was removed after 1982 and relocated to former Kings Island sister park Australia's Wonderland. Games & Arcade Building, featuring over 90 mechanical and skill games, remains today. It's the large arcade next to Monster. Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal was an Arrow Development hydro-flume, a variation on their classic log flume model. It operated through the 2000 season, then was replaced with Tomb Raider: The Ride. Rivertown Pizza Shop remains, today known as LaRosa's. I don't believe Kings Island served LaRosa's pizza initially, but I cannot find a definitive answer either way. Anyone know more? 42-43 - Last two pages, highlighting even more new-for-1973 additions: Flying Dutchman, a swinging suspended ride. After it was removed in 1990, it found a new home at Kentucky Kingdom, where it still operates. Powder Valley Nature Trail, a 1/2-mile walking path in Rivertown. Remnants remained into at least 2007. International Restaurant, featuring the panoramic view of International Street. The restaurant was originally intended to operate year-round. Back Cover - And finally, the Back Cover. Whew... that was a lot But Kings Island grew a lot between its first and second seasons. 1974 was also big, although a lot of that expansion was focused in a single area. I'll try and upload that at some point too, but hope you enjoyed the look back at 1973's guide. Feel free to leave any comments or questions, and please don't hesitate to correct me if I said anything wrong.
    1 point
  45. Always enjoy reading your posts @TombraiderTy and I am looking forward to more "installments!" To answer your question, the park has always served LaRosa's. I've attached an ad from the 5/26/1972 Cincinnati Post.
    1 point
  46. Being one of the people who began to enjoy KI back when Racer was the big boy in the park, I've felt the pain of loss of quite a few good rides. Saying that, I think Cedar Fair is doing a fantastic job with the park. I was not much of a fan during the Paramount years though. I miss The Eagles and original Bat the most. The Eagles are still my favorite flat ride ever. Absolutely love them and like I've said before, I still have a hard time walking past that stupid and annoying basketball game knowing what was once in that spot. The Bat, in the first year, was a wild ride at the time. Especially going down off the second lift hill through the trees...I remember it well. Not being designed correctly made for a wild swinging ride when it first opened. I really miss Kenton's Keelboat's too as well as the original Enchanted Theater. Also The Demon...walking up the stairs as the train going along the track rattled the whole structure is a fun memory. Son of Beast was impressive to look at, but I certainly don't miss it much. Banshee in that spot is light years superior in my opinion. Kind of miss King Cobra. It was such a groundbreaking style of ride when it was opened and I did get a bunch of rides on it through it's years. Being a little older, I've seen quite a bit come and go at the park to say the least. It's still my favorite place in the world through it all.
    1 point
  47. This would be the fourth removal (KC, SOB, Firehawk, and Vortex) since I have been following the park closely. King Cobra- When I first got on the innerwebs in the late 90s there were rumors even then about it being ready to close down and later that it was for sale. I only rode it one time which was enough for me. While it is always sad to lose a coaster, I always joke that the people who miss King Cobra most are the ones who never rode it. While that is not completely true, Delirium has been a popular and successful replacement. Son of Beast- The hype and potential for the ride was amazing. Watching this massive structure start growing in the summer of '99 will always stick with me. It was the first time I really followed a coaster being built and I looked forward to it so much. Unfortunately it wasn't a great ride but the structure itself was amazing to look at. I was disappointed to see it go but Banshee and Mystic Timbers more than made up for the loss. Firehawk- I remember watching Quicktime animation for Stealth (now Nighthawk at Carowinds) and there were strong rumors we were going to get a ride like that @Shaggy has a great thread on here detailing this process well. Eventually we did get it and I finally rode it in '17. I enjoyed Firehawk but it was never a must do and I figured whatever was replacing it would be better and I expect Orion will be. Vortex- This one is tough because it was my first looper. Over the past couple of years I have ridden it more due to trying to get rows 5-1 or 7-1 where it is more enjoyable. The popularity overall with people has seemingly dropped lower and lower every year though. I can see why the park didn't want to throw a ton of money at it if it is metal fatigue. I am excited to see what comes though I think it will be 3-5 years down the road before we know.
    1 point
  48. I remember there was a lot of outcry (online) about the Eagles, but I don't recall much about King Cobra (to be fair, I live in the Detroit area and this was before KIC time, I believe). But it wouldn't make me too surprised if the reaction to King Cobra was like the reaction to Vortex -- a lot of people claiming that the ride ride was ground-breaking and historic, but wasn't really that enjoyable anymore (I think Vortex after 33 years is much more fun that Cobra was after 17). There might be the difference that King Cobra didn't have the aesthetic benefit that Vortex has; you lost it, but you weren't losing one of the great parts of the park's skyline or a prime photo position. That said, we all have likely gotten upset over various removals. To this day, I miss Smurfs Enchanted Voyage because it was the first ride I fell in love with as a kid (even Phantom Theater served as a poor replacement, in my opinion). Likewise, I miss Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canals because I have strong memories of riding it with my grandfather and I loved the way that ride looked in Rivertown (I'm also upset that its replacement is now just a big metal box...although we likely wouldn't have gotten Diamondback either). And I know it's not really a ride removal, but I still hate that Woodstock Express is not called The Beastie (a change that happened way back in the Nickelodeon days)...except that my kids both call it The Beastie :-)
    1 point
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