Joncars05

I used to think how you could tell what will be what from footings but that was until I reread some of the conversations on TPR about the construction of Thunderbird earlier today (I know really nerdy). One person correctly guessed the launch, immellmann loop, and banked helix all based on what the footings looked like and how the rebar (if that's the correct term for it) was positioned. So there are people who can tell based off of footing what may generally go in a certain spot. I will agree with you. I think the shed will mostly be a transfer track and maybe a simple post ride show.

The sun peeking through Mystic Timbers, while construction workers continue their work! Side Note: I wonder how many C-Clamps the crew runs through in building a coaster like this!?!?

It is a crop sensor (Nikon ASP-C). I would love to move up to full frame but I don't have the money nor the time to invest in a FF camera.

I use a 55-300mm zoom lens. Its just the stock lens that Nikon gave me in the 2 lens kit bundle with my D5300. This photo was taken at 185mm according to the data on the file. I'm not sure what the 35mm equivalent would be.

Hammer time on Mystic Timbers!

Sure! If you want you can use my Instagram name instead of my KIC screen name. That is @coaster_bean Thank You!

The first drop is looking fantastic!

Thanks! It was a great day. We could've rode all day if we wanted but I think we were fine with just hanging out in the park! Thank you! I almost didn't post this trip report but I ended up posting it because I wanted to share the day with everyone.

Thanks, I really appreciate that! For my set up I don't use any lens filters while taking photos. I do use editing software that helps bring out detail and color of photos really well. The editing program I use is Color Efex Pro 4, it is part of the Nik Collection. It doesn't take RAW files so you must convert them to JPG or TIFF before you are able to edit photos. Its really simple to use. Lots of filters with sliders and control points. I usually use Detail Extractor, Polarization, and Pro Contrast filters and adjust the sliders to my liking. Thanks! I take photos with a Nikon D5300. It is an entry level DSLR. I usually shoot the coasters with a 55-300mm zoom lens. I have two other lenses, a 18-55mm lens and a 8mm fixed fisheye lens.

Cedar Point 8-30-16 My wife and I took a surprise trip Cedar Point. We took advantage of the cheap Groupon ticket. We arrived at the park around 11 am and the park was DEAD! We quickly went to Millennium Force and rode it once. We waited maybe 15 minutes. It was such a fun ride as usual. We then headed back to Maverick which we discovered was over an hour wait. We ended up heading back up to Top Thrill Dragster which had a 20 minute wait. This ride always surprises me how fast and powerful the launch is. After Dragster we rode Gatekeeper before heading out of the park for lunch. After lunch I went around and took some photos and rode Gemini, Top Thrill Dragster, and Rougarou. We ended our day with Millennium Force and headed out of the park around 7 to head back to Indianapolis. It was a great day as it was just me and my wife. It was a truly spontaneous trip as we both had very light schedules on Aug 30th and were able to head to the park to enjoy some time with each other. We didn’t ride much even though the longest lines were Valravn and Maverick were over an hour all day. Millennium Force was about 15-25 minutes all day. Everything else was basically a walk on. It was a great time with great weather. It was kind of nice to just hang out in the park and not rush or even really want to ride constantly. Even though this was brief, thanks for reading! Photos and ride counts are below. Ride Count: MF: 2 TTD: 2 GK: 1 Rougarou: 1 Gemini: 1 Definitely my favorite photo from the trip! Millennium Force TTD on the way down! Millennium Force Train Wispy clouds Cedar Creek Mine Ride I had to get this shot after seeing the teaser about Mean Streak getting the axe Maverick headed into the launch tunnel

^^ I'm not sure if its because it was a new experience to my wife and I or not but we thought Intimidator was a slightly more fun experience than Diamondback. Again it might have been because it was a new experience for us but we both thought the same thing. DB to us loses steam after the trim brakes after the hammerhead turn where Intimidator is solid until just before the final helix. Edit: Every ride is unique because people experience them different ways. They was and probably still is a rather large contingent that like Intimidator over Fury 325 in the Carolina area. IMO its absurd to even put those two rides in the same category but that's why roller coasters are so much fun. They deliver unique experiences to each individual that rides them.

Fury 325 has won the golden ticket for best steel coaster! Millennium Force came in second by one vote.

Lightning Rod has won best new ride of 2016.

During the two days I was there it stormed with lightning. They do the standard protocol of shutting down rides with lightning in the area. I think both times the park was shut down but they allowed you to sit outside like every other park and they opened the park after a 30 minutes delay and completing ride test cycles. As for rain only they let all of the rides operate. I will say it wasn't a downpour but it was a steady rainfall.

^^ During my first visit to KK, I was shocked at how large the water park was at KK. The variety of rides were very good as well. I honestly thought that the water park at KK is just below, if not even, to the level of HW. Like others have mentioned the only thing that separates KK and HW from both the wet and dry sides is the atmosphere. HW has such a welcoming and feeling of home while KK just lacks that super warm atmosphere. Outside of that, IMO, the water parks are very similar.

I know that decrease in state fair attendance is not good but it truly was due to weather. The Indiana State Fair experienced a 20% drop in attendance from 2015. I know I usually go to the Indiana State Fair multiple days of the 2 weeks its opened. I only went during one day this year because it was either rainy most of the day or it was 90+ degrees with high humidity. Attendance numbers could've been even lower if it weren't for the last day of the fair. The day I went to the Indiana State Fair was the day everyone else went as well. It was the last operational day and the weather was picture perfect. Low 80s, partly cloudy, and almost no humidity. They set a new Sunday attendance record (83,000 people came through the gates) most likely due to the fact everyone stayed away because the weather was awful the entire time the fair was opened. I don't believe the 6% drop for Kentucky is as gloomy as everyone is trying to make it seem. Especially when another state fair only 2 hours away saw a drop in attendance 333% larger than what was seen in Kentucky. Honestly one could say that maybe KK was the reason why there wasn't such a drastic drop in fair attendance because they attracted people to their park and the fair. http://www.wthr.com/article/rainy-weather-hurts-attendance-at-2016-indiana-state-fair http://fox59.com/2016/08/22/state-fair-closes-with-record-attendance-sunday-overall-attendance-down-nearly-20-percent-from-2015/ http://wishtv.com/2016/08/21/indiana-state-fair-wraps-up-with-day-of-sun-fun/ http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/08/22/weather-punishes-indiana-state-fair-attendance/89092768/

How do you know? Sorry I meant to use the words "may have not" instead of "wouldn't". Because I'll be the first to claim that I don't know what happened. That's why I was waiting until the official findings are released before placing blame anywhere.

Why should they? The just had a 10 year old boy DIE in their park, on their ride! To top it off it was a legislator's son that passed away. You better believe they won't say a word until the investigation is done.

I agree with you. He may be knowledgeable in the field of ride safety. But he is talking about restraints on a ride he admittingly has NEVER worked on, NEVER consulted for, NEVER built, NEVER ridden, and has NEVER even seen in person before. Dennis Spiegel is a highly respected person in the field of amusement parks. I was at Coasterstock where he basically mouthed into the mic that KI was going to get a giga coaster for 2017... He had no idea. Same where he though Diamondback was going to be a dive coaster in 2009... Way off the mark with that as well. Just because you hold a high position in a certain area doesn't mean you know exactly what is going on in a park that you are not directly involved with. Here's a kicker, what if the problem wasn't with the restraint? What if the restraint worked perfectly and held the passengers in the boat just as it was designed to do? That still wouldn't have prevented the injuries that killed the boy and injured the other people in the boat. I'm not trying to be rude or anything I'm just saying I'm in a wait until the official investigation is done and official findings are released so we have a true idea of what happened.

I did. I still am going to take it as word of mouth and not accurate. Eyewitness statements are rarely accurate and I find her statement fishy to begin with as she was supposedly able to have a back and forth conversation on a previous ride after noticing a strap came loose in less than 15 seconds... Its just so much information is coming in from so many different sources that I've taken a 'wait and see what the final investigation says' position before I make a true comment on what happened. Its just a delicate situation and so unfortunate that a young child lost his life on a day that was supposed to be safe and fun. Me personally I just can't take eyewitness quotes with any seriousness just because of how many "eyewitness stories" from people I know seeing multiple people "die" on Son of Beast. Same with The Crypt and it being closed because people fell out of the ride and the eyewitness was on the ride and saw it themselves when it happened.

The thing that bothers me about this is how this person, no matter what his position, who hasn't been on the ride, took part in its construction, or has even seen the ride in person can make a judgement like this: Ken Martin, a Richmond, Virginia-based amusement park safety consultant, questioned whether the straps were appropriate for what he called "nothing more than a roller coaster with water." Although he has not seen or ridden Verruckt, Martin said a more solid restraint system that fits over the body - similar to those used in roller coasters - may have been better. "I think we have a serious issue with the restraint system. Period,” he said. He hasn't even seen the ride in person yet knows which exact restraint the park should have been using? It just adds sensationalism and pseudo facts to an already unfortunate and muddled situation.

Apparently the cable for TTD broke last night at Cedar Point. https://twitter.com/vtrim_/status/762488393167015939

I jokingly call it by its full name Top Gun AKA Flight Deck AKA The Bat!

A great way to judge if the park is crowded or not is on Kings Island's webcam. They give a great peek at how long the lines are for Diamondback and Banshee. The link is below! https://www.visitkingsisland.com/online-fun/webcams-7315_34349

Although Ripleys Aquarium is fun (I just went during our week long trip to Gatlingburg), you will definitely get more bang for you buck at Dollywood. Lightning Rod is fun but I don't even consider it the best ride in the park. Also they have so much to offer outside of rides. The food is amazing and the atmosphere is outstanding. But if riding Lightning Rod is your ONLY goal I wouldn't even worry about going there this year. It was frustrating when it was down for the majority of the 3 days I was there but it was merely a footnote as our family trip was incredible w/o Lightning Rod.