Jump to content

Kings Island 2015 Discussion Thread


Nick_Plummer

Recommended Posts

If a coaster was required to be removed my vote would reluctantly be for BLSC, mostly because I don't have much history with it but it's still a fun ride that I wouldn't want to see go. The Bat on the other hand, I do have a lot of memories on and it is still one of the more fun rides in the park.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't really ride Bat or BLSC when I go to KI.

I'd like to ride BLSC at least once, because I never have.

Vortex I'd want to stay because it has a lot of memories and looks pretty, IMO, even though it beats me up. It's an iconic part of Kings Island.

The Bat, when I rode it as Flight Deck, just bruised me up and hurt my head. So I'd be fine seeing that go. Unless it has gotten smoother/had better maintenance since the name change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If a roller coaster were to be removed, my vote would also go to BLSC. It all has to do with its location. Simply put, it is the ugliest ride in the park (in my opinion), in what used to be one of prettiest, most relaxing areas of the park. I'd love to see it and all its crates and gravel leave the park in favor of more aesthetically pleasing rides and landscaping. Could be a nice area for a Ferris Wheel and other family rides. Or in a dream scenario, I'd love to see the area restored to its former glory with the Antique Cars.

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with it's appearance. It doesn't really fit that area of the park too well. Given it's backlot theming, even back during IJST days, I felt it seemed more suited to Action Zone. But I do enjoy the coaster a lot, and it's still semi-new so don't see it leaving soon. It still seems popular as well. But I wouldn't mind seeing it get re-themed to better suit the area.

I also would hate to see The Bat go since there are not many suspended coaters like it left. I see it leaving before BLSC as well just due to age and many like it closing down around the country. There is rarely much of a line anymore either. Though the area is less prime real estate so I think that will help keep it around more. There area plenty of better location to build new attractions and coasters.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guess would either be Vortex or Bat. I think back to Busch Garden's reasons for removing Big Bad Wolf. And I know it was Six Flags, but Great American Scream Machine was about the same age as Vortex today.

True, Big Bad Wolf was removed. But Iron Dragon and Vortex at Canada's Wonderland haven't been, and those, unlike Big Bad Wolf, are in the same chain as The Bat. And they are also both older than The Bat.

GASM was removed, But Corkscrew (of the CP, Valleyfair, and Michigan's Adventure varieties), Carolina Cyclone, Demon, and Dragon Fire are all the same make and model as Vortex, in the same chain as it is, and older than it is and are still around. Heck, even Nessie, in the same park that removed Big Bad Wolf, is older than Vortex and is still around.

If age were the ONLY factor, I think these would point to Vortex and Bat sticking around for a while. Bat has a little more going for it though. The land it sits on is not flat, is out of the way, and anything built back there would almost have to be custom-designed for that terrain (or lots of expensive landscaping would have to occur). Vortex has the disadvantage of being on a large, relatively flat (by comparison to The Bat anyway) plot of land in a prime location (right next to the midway). In my completely non-expert opinion, I think The Bat outlives Vortex. But I tend to doubt that the removal of either is in the park's plans for the immediate future.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the client, not the park... SIX just chose to have its rides replicated in several locations.

My point was that a potential new ride would be custom engineered to meet Rob Decker and crew's desires. Currently they prefer B&M, who has no "off-the-shelf" rides, but then Cedar Fair prefers custom coasters in its larger parks anyway.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're down to the final 72 hours until Opening Day!! It's almost here. Are you excited? Well you should be!! Banshee can't wait any longer for your arrival in 3 days.

9bb1e504f8848d49e8bde68fd810308b.jpg

Edit: Weather is looking very pleasant right now! Last week I said that it would be 64 degrees with some rain, then I saw 62 degrees and sunny, and NOW my Weather app says 75 degrees and sunny! But that can still change.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is rarely much of a line anymore either.

Just a reminder that wait time depends on capacity as much as it does on popularity.

The Bat was the 9th most-ridden ride at Kings Island in 2014.

Looks like it was a top 10 ride for the last 3 years. I have to say it only takes little to no time for that ride to cycle through riders. It seems that by the time a train stops in the stations, unloads, reloads, and then is dispatched the next train is already sitting and waiting on the brake run. For being a big fiberglass tub, it sure seems to load and unload quickly....

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neither The Bat nor BLSC are (in my opinion) for the hard core enthusiast that populate this site and others like it. While I'm not sure it was their original intent, they seem to fit a very key demographic in the KI market. The family that has young kids and is transitioning from Planet Snoopy to the collection of rides that require a 52 or 54" height requirement. For some family, that can be 2 seasons. Add The Racer and Adventure Express to that list (and personally I'd love to see a Fire Chase Express type ride added at the 44" mark to further compliment this demographic) There are many young kids that won't ride Vortex simply b/c of the loops, there are many who won't ride The Beast b/c of the roughness and perceived "scariness" of flying thru the woods and having no idea where you are heading to, on the flip side, there are many adults who won't ride The Beast b/c of the roughness nor The Vortex b/c is knocks the blank out of you (I'll ride it a couple of times a year, but my body can't handle that wonderful ride the way it did when I was a teenager). Tearing down either of those rides, really puts a dent into a key demographic. I'd venture a guess that this demographic is at or near the top of money spent inside the park per visit. Lord knows they're not getting a ton off the 12 year old season pass holder who is dropped off at the front gate and only wants to marathon Diamondback and Banshee in comparison.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's kinda fun to speculate (or offer views based on personal likes/taste) on what ride is a leading candidate to be removed/replaced, but...

I'm pretty sure CF has a way to translate number of rides to revenue generated. When a ride isn't profitable, or when the investment to replace it with one that will be (which is never a sure thing) makes good business sense, that's probably when a ride gets removed.

That being said, I'm very surprised Bat is the 9th most ridden ride in the park. I'm more surprised Firehawk is as far down the list as it is (I dislike the ride, but it seems to have a lot of appeal). I never would have guessed the train would have a higher ridership.

That surprise is tempered a little by my personal tastes, but also what someone referenced above about capacity and queues and how quickly a ride can load/unload a train.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...