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Starting to Decode 2014


BoddaH1994

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I just want a coaster...as long as one goes in I don't care. A B&M giga to me would be exciting because I haven't ridden Levi. at CW and I would like to see the outcome of this, plus it'd really put KI up there w/ the big boy parks. However, the park is in desperate need of an invert IMO, plus B&M inverts can be quite exciting for how they're done. But like I said, my speculation is done for awhile, the new signs & all tbh just seems like creating buzz & hype over the new stuff but nothing is really in development there. From opening day to now, not much has changed yet, so I'm not going to hold my breath & wait just yet

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I don't think the point is being made that there isn't a coaster with inversions but there are so few that do. The only inverting rides in the park are the four you just mentioned. That's not a whole lot comparative to the 80+ other attractions.

I know. I guess my sarcasm was not good enough. Sigh, old age must be creeping up on me.

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If it is an Invert I would be very disappointed. I would rather have a Giga or Wind Rider or even a Dive coaster.

I agree.

I third that. Doesn't anyone else think inverts are outdated? And head swirlers? :wacko:

From a realistic standpoint, I'd say the Giga coaster itself is "outdated". In the thirteen years since the debut of Millennium Force at Cedar Point, only one other Timmy Giga has been built (305), along with a single Morgan (Steel Dragon 2K), and one B&M (Levi). Whereas in the thirteen years since the debut of Katun at Mirabilandia, thirteen other inverted coasters have been built, and that's not even counting the nineteen before Katun.

Sure, Millie has continued to rank at the top of the Golden Ticket Awards for Best Steel Coaster, and Leviathan is B&M's first Giga of their own, but why is Steel Dragon the only Giga outside of a Cedar Fair park? Why didn't Six Flags try for a Giga, even after 305 (Kingda Ka notwithstanding)? Why, in the ten years in between Millie and 305, where there no other Timmy Gigas built, but instead a mish-mash of Hypers, Stratas, and other Launchers?

It would be very weird that Leviathan be the only Giga from B&M, so I would assume more will be churned out from them over the coming years. But, to me, it doesn't look as if Gigas aren't as big of a crowd seller as the enthusiast community would desperately like you to believe. Otherwise, there would be at least seven more that were already built by whomever, instead of the focus now being spent on third-party companies like Gerstlauer, Mack, and Zierer, or the next new gimmick, like the B&M Flyer, Dive Coaster, and Wing Rider.

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Whatever coaster we get, I just hope it doesn't have a name that the coaster enthusiasts can tack an 'ie' onto it like 'Millie' or 'Timmie' or 'Maggie'. I'd blow my brains out haha

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But, to me, it doesn't look as if Gigas aren't as big of a crowd seller as the enthusiast community would desperately like you to believe. Otherwise, there would be at least seven more that were already built by whomever, instead of the focus now being spent on third-party companies like Gerstlauer, Mack, and Zierer, or the next new gimmick, like the B&M Flyer, Dive Coaster, and Wing Rider.

I believe the reason we haven't seen more gigacoasters is twofold. First, most of the bigger parks already have at least one hyper in their lineup. Second, they're very expensive, and that takes all but the largest parks out of consideration for building one because of return on investment considerations.

I would argue that Cedar Fair going with B&M for Leviathan (as opposed to Intamin who had already produced two for the chain) speaks volumes. It tells me that Cedar Fair isn't afraid to spend good money on projects if they think they'll be good investments. It also tells me that they believe the economy has improved. A lot of other parks must feel the same way because even Six Flags is starting to spend money in bigger projects now (the two Rocky Mountain makeovers and X-Flight) when they hadn't spend considerable money on a project between 2006 and the Texas Giant makeover in 2011.

Perhaps I'm reading a little too much between the lines here, but look at the coaster installations Intamin has created for Cedar Fair since 2002:

Xcelerator, Wicked Twister, Steel Venom, Top Thrill Dragster, Maverick, I305 (six total)

Every installation on that list has had noteworthy issues of some kind stemming from the initial engineering or ongoing reliability. Of those coasters only two have been built within the last nine years. Also of interest is that all but one of those coasters involves a launch. On the B&M side we have the following since 2002:

Silver Bullet, Hydra, Patriot, Behemoth, Diamondback, Intimidator @ CW, Leviathan, Gatekeeper (eight total)

To put that in perspective, there have been only nine full-circuilt Intamin coasters total built in the entire US during that time. IF this construction is for a coaster and IF this is for a big (i.e., expensive) ride I would be positively shocked if it was anything other than B&M. Kings Island needs a reliable, super high-capacity machine and a three-train operation B&M coaster fits the bill on all counts.

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I got to do The Beast tour last year which Don ran, and in my group, he was asked what kinds of rides Kings Island would add under Cedar Fair. His response was pretty much towards reliable rides. The philosophy- waiting in line for an hour only to have that ride break down is time lost to the customer. That pretty much speaks volumes to the rides we'll see at Kings Island in the future. Just look at the history the park had when Paramount was in charge from 2000-2006. Most of those rides are either gone (Son of Beast and Crypt) or have downtime issues of some kind (Delirium). Yes, Firehawk has downtime, but 1. it was initially built by Six Flags and 2. Kings Island technically inherited it. WindSeeker is another story altogether.

With that, if this is a major steel coaster, I'm willing to lean towards it being a B&M by a lot.

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Whatever coaster we get, I just hope it doesn't have a name that the coaster enthusiasts can tack an 'ie' onto it like 'Millie' or 'Timmie' or 'Maggie'. I'd blow my brains out haha

The worst I've heard is CGA fanboys calling Goldstriker, GOLDIE or GOLDY. Makes me wanna scoop out my eyes reading that!

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KI needs a reliable coaster after the past decade+ known as the SoB debacle.

While they are not "perfect", there is a no more reliable coaster out there than a B & M.

But let's not get tunnel vision. The current area that is being modified could possibly be used for more than one ride.

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There needs to be space for some kind of concession stand because (here comes that infamous quote) "Hey, you gotta eat".

And, if my prediction holds true and we get a terrain hugging contraption, reliability should be pretty good - no major hills to climb!

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According to Screamscape http://screamscape.com/html/kings_island.htm and in the past there predictions have always been right! On the other hand I don't know where they get there resources but I like to believe they are correct!

Did that really just happen??

My heart belongs to a terrain style coaster. With multiple launches. Crossing my fingers hank is right.

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May I respectfully ask....why are many people so hung up on getting a giga? We already have Diamondback which gives you enough speed and airtime. Yeah, it's a hyper, but the point is we already have a decent steel coaster that provides a similar experience of going fast over some hills. Wouldn't you guys rather see us get something which has some inversions we don't yet see on ANY coaster at KI? Why do other parks get all the prestige of having one? Why did Wonderland, Kings Dominion and Carowinds ALL have inverts while KI only got a suspended coaster? Why do many other parks have stand-up coasters with multiple inversions, and yet we still don't have one. Come one, what's the fascination with dropping over 300' and flying along a track at 90+mph? Isn't that boring? I want something that is more interesting than that, and if we were to get a giga, I'd be extremely disappointed. I sometimes think people want a giga just for the sake of saying we have one. Big deal. Are some of you that much of a thrill junkie? What would happen after you got tired of the giga? Then would you want KI to build a 400' coaster? WHERE would they put it? And then after you got bored with that, would you want another one that goes 500', heads out toward I-71 and speeds along the median of the expressway, passing up cars before dropping into a tunnel and coming up into a loop over the interstate lanes? What 'high' is going to be enough for you?

If it is an Invert I would be very disappointed. I would rather have a Giga or Wind Rider or even a Dive coaster.

I agree.
I third that. Doesn't anyone else think inverts are outdated? And head swirlers? :wacko:

No, I don't think inverts are outdated. If that's the thought process, why did we even get Diamondback to begin with? I mean, by the time we finally got it, hypers had already been around for 20 years. Magnum opened in 1989, and look how long it took for KI to finally get a steel hyper. Not only that, but why do they still build wooden coasters? Aren't they outdated by now?

No, wooden coasters(if executed well) and hyper coasters are not outdated because they are still every major amusement parks' biggest attractions. Inverts...not so much.

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According to Screamscape http://screamscape.com/html/kings_island.htm and in the past there predictions have always been right! On the other hand I don't know where they get there resources but I like to believe they are correct!

Did that really just happen??

My heart belongs to a terrain style coaster. With multiple launches. Crossing my fingers hank is right.

You already have it: stunt track.

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But, to me, it doesn't look as if Gigas aren't as big of a crowd seller as the enthusiast community would desperately like you to believe. Otherwise, there would be at least seven more that were already built by whomever, instead of the focus now being spent on third-party companies like Gerstlauer, Mack, and Zierer, or the next new gimmick, like the B&M Flyer, Dive Coaster, and Wing Rider.

I believe the reason we haven't seen more gigacoasters is twofold. First, most of the bigger parks already have at least one hyper in their lineup. Second, they're very expensive, and that takes all but the largest parks out of consideration for building one because of return on investment considerations.

I would argue that Cedar Fair going with B&M for Leviathan (as opposed to Intamin who had already produced two for the chain) speaks volumes. It tells me that Cedar Fair isn't afraid to spend good money on projects if they think they'll be good investments. It also tells me that they believe the economy has improved. A lot of other parks must feel the same way because even Six Flags is starting to spend money in bigger projects now (the two Rocky Mountain makeovers and X-Flight) when they hadn't spend considerable money on a project between 2006 and the Texas Giant makeover in 2011.

Perhaps I'm reading a little too much between the lines here, but look at the coaster installations Intamin has created for Cedar Fair since 2002:

Xcelerator, Wicked Twister, Steel Venom, Top Thrill Dragster, Maverick, I305 (six total)

Every installation on that list has had noteworthy issues of some kind stemming from the initial engineering or ongoing reliability. Of those coasters only two have been built within the last nine years. Also of interest is that all but one of those coasters involves a launch. On the B&M side we have the following since 2002:

Silver Bullet, Hydra, Patriot, Behemoth, Diamondback, Intimidator @ CW, Leviathan, Gatekeeper (eight total)

To put that in perspective, there have been only nine full-circuilt Intamin coasters total built in the entire US during that time. IF this construction is for a coaster and IF this is for a big (i.e., expensive) ride I would be positively shocked if it was anything other than B&M. Kings Island needs a reliable, super high-capacity machine and a three-train operation B&M coaster fits the bill on all counts.

I believe that you hit the spot with that post, and really put it in perspective. Hopefully some of you who are convinced it will be an Intamin coaster or that Kings Island will recieve the "very visible" peice of green Intamin coaster track on I-71, decide to read gad198's post

According to Screamscape http://screamscape.com/html/kings_island.htm and in the past there predictions have always been right! On the other hand I don't know where they get there resources but I like to believe they are correct!

I thought we already discussed Screamscape's reliability for the past 2 or 3 pages? Is there any more to discuss about that besides the fact that it is one of the most un-reliable theme park information sites on the web?

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