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So I am surprised I am the first to post these.... Anyway I passed KI earlier and snapped a few quick shots. Looks like they've started tearing down the first hill after the initial drop. Sorry about the quality and the tree in the way. I was in a hurry and figured I'd keep you guys and gals in the loop.

^ Really? It goes down every time I ride it...

^ No one's been in the loop since 2006, silly. In particular, I will not miss that turn. The helices were bad, but I don't think any coaster's ever thunked me back and forth like that turn did. It wasn't like jackhammering; it was much slower. It was like the train couldn't decide which rail it wanted to sit on, so it changed its mind every 0.5-1 seconds by rocking back and forth. In retrospect, the natural sway of the structure probably had something to do with that, too. At its worst (meaning before 2011*), Mean Streak has a similar but much milder effect on the big, swooping turns. *I'm assuming, of course, that MS hasn't returned to its old ways this season. I haven't ridden it this year, but I haven't heard much about it being horrible the way it once was.

People afraid of clowns must be freaked out by your house. Got that big inflatable one right there in your yard. HEYOOOOOOOOOO!

That'd be the shortest haunt ever.

It can't be the best without a Dirty Dan or Hash-slinging-slasher reference. Ok, now it is the best.

I was able to attend the media event for the opening of haunt. Waking in the gates and down International street was already looking awesome. I was very excited for the atmosphere of Haunt and all the props set out. The fog was already very thick! Pumpkin Head! ET! I meet up with jlopez and CoastersRZ for dinner. We were able to attend Madame Fatale's Dead Inn Feast. It was a very fun dinner with Madame and other members of the Inn coming around and joking with us. The food was very good. For us KI enthusiasts, it was also very fun to eat inside The Crypt building. This is something that you will want to experience! I was able to get a picture of Madame. After an enjoyable dinner jlopez (Jennifer), CoastersRZ (Robbie), and I decided we wanted to hit up The Beast. It was about 6:30 and the park was not very busy yet, but with rain in the forecast it was probably keeping some people from coming. We got in a great ride on The Beast, a few fog machines along side The Beasts tracks was a nice touch! We then headed to DB for a ride, and then a second ride. The Beast and DB are always worth the 2 hr drive from Indy to the park. Got a pic of new flags that we saw in the DB queue! We headed towards BLSC and got a fun ride on it. Robbie and I got front seat and you always get a little air there. We then went and got a ride in on Vortex. After getting off Vortex I took a picture of the dinosaur in front of DA who looks like he is going to fly off to fight some bad guy! I was starting to get some pictures of characters that were starting to come out for scares! We then decided to take a ride on The Racer. I really liked this prop! This picture came out really cool even though it was not intentional. It was now getting dark outside and we ready to stat hitting up some haunts! We meet up with BoddaH1994 (Ryan) and headed towards Madame Fatale's Cavern of Terror. It was a very fun and interesting haunt. We went through Mysteria, I was expecting them to be a little more interactive in this maze. We also went through Carnevil, which is one of my favorites and still proved to be a fun maze. We went through Holiday Horror which had not changed from last year, but still a very well done maze and a lot of fun. I got a few more pics as we were walking around. This one came out sort of eerie! We then went through Urgent Scare! Got another character while in CM. I was a little disappointed the sign had not been converted to Coney Maul! We hit up the rest of the haunts over the next few hours and really enjoyed all of them. It was nice seeing Sam the butcher in Slaughter House. Tombstone Territory was a fun adventure as always. We got to see Blood Drums perform over in Action Zone. I got to say, this was a very fun performance and a must see when you go to haunt! Here are a few pics! The grinders were a lot of fun! We then hit up Wolf Pack and Corn Stalkers. At this point it was about midnight and Robbie and I wanted to get a night ride in on The Beast and DB. When we got in the queue for DB at about 12:30 it was starting to sprinkle. By the time we got on the train and was starting up the lift it was stating to come down pretty good. We got pretty wet on that ride. We then headed towards the parking lot to end our evening. Luckily the weather held off, thanks to KI for another fun filled evening. I hope you are able to enjoy haunt this season!

Two words: Kentucky Rumbler. The wooden coaster is the main draw for the park. It's like a scaled down version of Thunderhead (Dollywood), with some excellent air time. One of the smoothest wooden coasters I've ridden. Crowds were minimal on the final day of the season, allowing me several walk-on Kentucky Rumbler rides. Re-rides are not allowed, except for the final ride of the night. The path to get on/off the ride takes longer to trek than the ride itself. I'd compare the park to an expanded Stricker's Grove. The park is primarily filled with the kind of flat rides you'd expect at a county fair. If flats rides are your thing, Beech Bend Park definitely delivers. If Michael Jackson also happens to be your thing, you are in luck. The park's Sea Dragon (swinging ship) ride was purchased from MJ's personal amusement park. Next to the loud speaker blaring Michael Jackson music, there's a sign showing where the pop legend himself sat on the ride. The actors targeted me as a participant for both the magic and cowboy show. The magic trick involved stepping in a tent and switching jackets with a tied-up assistant in a matter of seconds. I'm forever bound by secrecy as to how this was accomplished. If you haven't been to Beech Bend Park, you can't say you've ridden every operating coaster in Kentucky. Actually, if your first visit happened to be on 9/23/12, you probably still can't say that. Unfortunately, Wild Mouse was down. Maintenance crews were working on it, but I never got a chance to ride. Guess I'll have to go back next year!

Perhaps it is a marketing ploy? Pics of SoB's destruction get updated, continually drawing interest from those who are wondering what is coming next. So they keep coming back to check..... and check..... and check....... and check.....and talk...... and check.. etc.

Jenn's Pumkins: Daytime: Nighttime:

Demolition in a less than slow way? Winter's coming. And there's much to be said for getting this done and out of the public eye expeditiously.

The Almighty knows.

The monsters probably won't actaully attack/eat/harm you. If you use an alarm clock to keep yourself awake, it will feel similar to that when the monsters jump out at you.

But the end of the train stops at the same time as the rest of the train. If we want to know that very last person to ride SoB, wouldn't it be the last one to get out of the seat after it stops? They would be the last one riding... or if the ride is officially over after the train stops, then: It would be the last one to sit down on the very last ride...everyone else had already started?

This year I am using a radioactive/haunted house/nightmare idea, with spiders that are over grown, spider webs, and barrels (One may only wonder to whom that may reference to...) with radioactive material signs on them. Images of the setup/theme may be posted soon. (Also since I know someone who loves a certain RIP ride at Ki will ask, there will be hints of BB in my set up this year, like always)

I'm happily too old to even know what a review sheet is! Terp, whose handouts were mimeographs with purple ink and smelled wonderful!

Review sheets give me the willies

From looking at his/her signature, I'm suprised Boss wasn't the answer. http://rcdb.com/616.htm

I'm in the -2% then.

I'm so sorry for going way off topic, but I just have to share this with you guys since we're talking about Spongebob. (talking about with friends recently and still can't stop laughing). Anyone remember this awesome hidden message?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNSpNj5g0yw

I would like to see more terrain wooden coasters like The Beast, not more inversion on a wooden coaster.

I think Drop Tower is not down a lot, but a good bit of the time. I definitively would not call it reliable.

Here is a review by the Cincinnati Enquirer of Madame Fatale's Dead Inn Feast: http://masonbuzz.com/2012/09/26/we-tried-it-kings-island-introduces-high-end-spooky-feast-and-horror-maze/

Happy Leif Erikson Day.... Hinga dinga dürgen!

"The sash wringing... the trash thinging... mash flinging...???"

Anyone that knocks KI Extreme did not know the site it in it's prime...which was the problem. No matter how much great content they added, they couldn't seem to draw a big audience. There was/is no justice. No Kings Island fan website ever had more of an enthusiast heart than KI Extreme. "Don't let it be forgot. That once there was a spot. For one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot."

If you have a WindSeeker cup you should hang on to it 'cause it may become a collectors item soon.

Then there's Terp's strange elusive references that fly right over most. Say Good Night, Gracie!

College dorm room. Ahhhh!

Bigger is not always better. Terp, cross threading. (Donkeys, anyone?)

There are certain mental pictures I'd rather not even imagine.

That's all wrong, it should say: Let's get that thing updated!

I doubt what, if anything happening in the future is dicating the speed at which they're demo'ing SOB. They're going to tear it down as quickly as safely possible with their current crew so as to get equipment in and back out as quickly as safely possible.

Wow that's really all i can say. I saw the Pic with the tear down of the mcbr but to see the skyline start to change really makes it real...RIP Son of Beast you will be missed.

The brake malfuctioned in that it locked and they had to release it so they could lower the ride down. It didn't fail as in not stop the ride. It stopped the ride, and then wouldn't release.

^^Well, thats your opinion. Mabey some people were really, um, atached to it....

I think that number is a little different now: WindSeeker- 00 riders, Starflyer- 24

I doubt the "Space Spiral Treatment" could work universally. Take Kings Island's WindSeeker for instance. There is a 6 times inverting roller coaster, a 40 year old double classic, forest, a theater of action, and a whole lotta bricks. All in the vicinity of WindSeeker. Not all parks have unused space to plop a steel rod.

It's not just you. To my knowledge the SIX rides have had no brake issues.

Time to let Sam out to play!!!!

You'll beee back! (evil laughter)

My wonderful denizens of the theater, do me proud.

Top haunts at CP this year: Eerie Estate, Cut Throat Cove, Cornstalkers & CarnEvil. Blood on the Bayou was not as good this year, and we didn't wait in line for Eternity Infirmary based on our opinions of it last year. We did go through everything else though. Eden Musee was fairly good, a lot of "statue scares" as you could predict. There was one set piece where Mrs. Gator thought the man was real so she waved her hand in front of his face, but it was actually the girl that was real and got her good. In several haunts, and Eden Musee was a major culprit, there were too many people shaking noisemakers in your face. Sure, this can get you once or twice, but over and over again gets old. PhantomTheater, there were a couple of times I thought someone might have been you, and the one I thought most likely was towards the end. It's so hard to tell with those masks / makeup. We came through shortly after 8:00 on Saturday. I love the giant snake head, that really got the girl in front of us!

Heard the Blood Drums guys rehearsing last night while we were getting ready to get our scare on and I gotta say they sounded awesome! I am stoked they are playing right next to our house so we can hear them every now and then.

But it is ONE family! Fine. If it must be one character, Boo Boo. Maybe a baggage claim, with that.

That's not ONE character.

I remember opening night last year with Jesse, Brad, and two others that I can't remember off the top of my head. We did every maze, except I missed Club Blood while trying to catch up with them. At the end of the night we began discussing personal favorites and worsts; all five of us had different favorites, and some people's favorites were other people's worsts. So it truly is "in the eye of the beholder".

Few park chains buy four prototypes their first year out!

"How strange! I'm getting rained on, and there are no clouds to be seen..." - Knott's Maintenance Staff

I hope nobody was like: "Wow, only 15 people, this should be a walk on... I'll just take care of this nature call AFTER this ride"...