TheKlockster Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Just didn't feel like taking photos. I think my grandma took a few, but I haven't looked at them yet. I was at the Creation Museum for the better part of the day Saturday, so I was already tired when I got to the park. Anyways here's my two cents if anyone is interested. I got there around 11:00. The line for season pass processing was huge - out into the handicapped parking area. But I figured it was going to be bad, so I just got in line and enjoyed the nice weather and thought about whether or not I would be able to fit on any rides (having not visited the park since Cedar Fair took over) and whether or not I had lost my nerve and would even be able to handle the rides. I think I got into the park at around noon. Headed to Express first and got in line. I had mental pictures of me having to do the walk of shame, but the restraints hadn't changed at all, and the belt was not an issue. I actually ended up in line behind Dane, Robbie and Bill. It was a lot of fun, and the ride ran quite nicely. Next I headed to TOP GUN, because I figured I'd rather find out I couldn't fit on the OTSR Arrows there, than wait in line for my favorite coaster in the park and get denied. Also I think that TOP GUN is an amazing ride. I actually fit with a little slack in the belt - if the belt is taut I actually have enough room between myself and the restraint to get a little air. Ran into the PKIC staff again here, and said hi. TOP GUN was running very fast and very smooth, just as it always had. Seriously love that ride. With that concern behind me, I headed down to the tail end of Coney Mall, to ride the best flat ride in the park - Troika (known to most as Shake, Rattle and Roll). I noticed that strange smell still by Happy Days Diner or whatever they call it these days. My old supervisor Tim was running Troika, and I talked to him a little, and rode. Very fun ride as always. From Troika I got in line for Vortex. It was running two trains, and had its station queue open. The line ran to The Vortex sign, which is about 25 minutes or so. Vortex is definitely the best ride in the park - even if it is 21 years old. With 2008 being its 21st birthday, and with me not sure I had the nerve to ride in seat 71, I rode in seat 21. Vortex ran very fast and smooth, and after 18 months without going to Kings Island, it was very good to be back. About this time it started raining lightly. I headed to Son of Beast to see what it was like since they neutered it. This line was the longest - about 40 minutes. I was very sad about what they did to my ride. The new trains are awful. True they have more leg room, but the restraints are extremely uncomfortable. There is no padding on them, and as you shuffle around they beat up your legs. But this wasn't the worst part of it. As soon as the train pulled out of the station, I could tell it was going to be a rough ride. I held my hands up on the amazing first drop, but I found it physically impossible to hold them up through the entire ride. Both passes through the bottom of the rosebowl I couldn't even hold my head up. The entire ride was so rough, it was like riding on those rumble strips you see on the side of the road, but with flat tires, and at eighty miles per hour. I used to be a real big Son of Beast fan. Back in the fall of 2004, I rode it eighteen times in a row (getting off and walking around each time). And that was with the old trains! It was smooth as glass, and really really fun. Now I feel like I'm being strapped into a chair and beat to a pulp by some huge guy named Hoss or something. I think I will wait a while before riding this ride again. Even if it does break in and get smoother, I think they killed it when they removed the loop and put these ridiculous trains on it. By now it was raining, and my head hurt so bad from that SOB of a SOB ride that I could barely walk. So I headed home. It must have been around 3:00 or so. Not a big deal; I have a season pass and will return to the park many times over the course of this season. I didn't think it was too bad of a visit. I was glad to find out that I can still ride some of the rides with the new seatbelts. And I'm sure by the height of the summer I'll be able to ride Beast and Racer again. Maybe even Flight of Fear. I still haven't been on Firehawk - but I'll go on a day it isn't so crowded. Only thing worse than being told you don't fit on a ride is being told you don't fit on a ride after you wait 2 hours in line to find out. So that's my opening day trip report. After 18 months, it was nice to get my roller coaster fix. I can't wait to go back and ride some more stuff - hopefully on a nicer day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Sucks you didn't like SOB. I like it alot better with the old trains and loop, but i still like it alot now! I recomend riding Firehawk right before the park is going to close, usually the line is shorter... and it's alot funner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveTheSmurfRide Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 I haven't ridden SOB yet this year, but after last season I don't think I will again. It's just not fun to me. I think since it was built I've had 2 rides that didn't give me a headache and 20 or so that did, or worse. I have never seen an improvement. I can only see myself riding it now if every ride has a 2+ hour line and SOB somehow is walk-on. Even then I'd have to think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbubbles513x Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 i noticed they moved the onride camera to where right after the loop used to be. anyone else notice that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corn4ahead Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 For SOB i recommend waitng the extra 10 minutes for the front seat...SO AWESOME...Thats the only way I will ride that ride anymore...very smooth too...wouldnt it have been awesome if they replaced the loop with an airtime hill...wouldve been a much better ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 At the time I rode Son of Beast yesterday, the front seat was not an extra 10 minutes....more like an extra 45....One thing I don't like about the new trains is the removal of the middle seats of the cars...not over any wheels... And is it just me, or is the red train far smoother than the blue one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 I found my rides on the red train yesterday to be very smooth. Maybe my best rides on Racer I can remember (at least my nearly 35 year old back thought so). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Uh, yeah, but I meant the red train on Son of Beast seems far smoother than the blue one. On Racer, the track on the red side has been refurbished to a far greater extent than on the blue one....while on SOB both trains ply the same track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor66 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 For SOB i recommend waitng the extra 10 minutes for the front seat...SO AWESOME...Thats the only way I will ride that ride anymore...very smooth too...wouldnt it have been awesome if they replaced the loop with an airtime hill...wouldve been a much better ride. Call me crazy, but I really like the back seat for the fact that it is very rough. The thing is that it just doesn't hurt me, I just like the feeling of being tossed around like a rag doll going 78 mph! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesv7 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 I road SOB in the front seat of the red train yesterday and it was smoother than The Beast witch really surprised me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Uh, yeah, but I meant the red train on Son of Beast seems far smoother than the blue one. Yes, i get a smoother ride in the red train everytime! While im in the station i make sure ill be in the red train, if i end up getting the blue train ill let people cut me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Am I reading this right...there are now seat belts on Top Gun/Flight Deck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropZone99 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Am I reading this right...there are now seat belts on Top Gun/Flight Deck? Yes, there has been since last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Yes, but there were last year, too. They extend from the bottom of the restraint to the top of the seat bottom...and are very unobtrusive.... EDIT: Angryemobeaver and I replied at the same time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Uh, yeah, but I meant the red train on Son of Beast seems far smoother than the blue one. On Racer, the track on the red side has been refurbished to a far greater extent than on the blue one....while on SOB both trains ply the same track! Sorry, I was asleep at the wheel on that one. Still have a fatigue "hangover" from yesterday... I just said "no" to SOB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKIVortex Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 I rode SOB in 6-1 in the Blue Train. I actually felt it was a little smoother. But it was very forceful in the rose bowl, but I managed to hold my hands up for the entire ride. But I have noticed the red train is smoother then the blue train. Still like that this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnrealNightmare Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 I haven't ridden SOB yet this year, but after last season I don't think I will again. It's just not fun to me. I think since it was built I've had 2 rides that didn't give me a headache and 20 or so that did, or worse. I have never seen an improvement. I can only see myself riding it now if every ride has a 2+ hour line and SOB somehow is walk-on. Even then I'd have to think about it. Really I thought it was way smoother than before. I actually loved it! i noticed they moved the onride camera to where right after the loop used to be. anyone else notice that? Yeah I was watching the train while waiting in line and saw flashes in the new spot. During the MCBR I looked over at my mom and said get ready for the picture. I then stuck out my tongue and threw up two metal signs my usual pose for ORP's lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbubbles513x Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I also find the red train to be smoother. Off topic: Interp, I saw a licence plate today that said ms interp could that be your wife? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnrealNightmare Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I also find the red train to be smoother. Off topic: Interp, I saw a licence plate today that said ms interp could that be your wife? lol maybe it means misinterpreted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbubbles513x Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I also find the red train to be smoother. Off topic: Interp, I saw a licence plate today that said ms interp could that be your wife? lol maybe it means misinterpreted well, yea thats prob what it means, but i thought it was funny, and it did make me think of interp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 If it was my wife with that license plate, I'm in a LOT of trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormaster Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 you gotta ride the SOB towards the front. The back sucks! I mean its redicolous beating. I rode the SOB 5 times when I went last august, and I tried the very back one and well I'll never try that again. The Front, however ain't too bad, not really bad at all. I do wish there was a way they could make the ride a bit more smoother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Be careful with that "towards the front" stuff. As PKIVortex has pointed out, some of the worst rides he has ever had have been in 2-1 (the front seat of the second car of the train). My experience is likewise. Before the redo, it was 4-1 that delivered the roughest rides, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormaster Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 yeah when I rode in the back last august it felt like someone was hitting me on the head with a baseball bat the whole ride. I put my arms down and just prayed for the ride to be over. But it still doesn't change the fact the SOB is one of my favorite rides in the park Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabelogan99 Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 So the red and blue Racer... which one is which? What color is the car that got turned around, the one that used to go backwards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjkjkj Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Red is the old Backward Racer, and they did alot of retracking on it, it is very smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ki Man Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Smooth, but no airtime. It's boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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