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The build-up, the anticipation, the thrills of watching as whatever it is is revealed over time. Savor. And remember. This is the future's rosy past.

^ I agree- Leviathan is going along great, you're having an awesome ride...then it ends abruptly with that brake run when it can clearly go a few thousand more feet easily. Alas, the fact there is an old Arrow Looping coaster in the way may have been part of this...Kings Island, you do not have this limitation, so do not do this! If it is 7,000+ feet or longer, so be it! As I stated earlier in this thread, too, a twister-style layout would also be welcome in my eyes...and, seeing how the land is cleared, it may be such a layout, or at least feature some twister elements...like a giant helix with good laterals. (Oh, the irony if the ride does have a giant helix, given those where a main feature of the ride it is replacing...) And, if early reviews of Gatekeeper are to be trusted, B&M may have found their "make forceful" button at last...which I also hope makes it in this ride if it is a giga, which would basically create this duo: Diamondback -B&M "Hyper" Mega Coaster -230' tall, 215' drop, 80mph -Emphasis on Airtime -Weak-ish forces besides airtime so the GP can enjoy it easily -Stadium Style Seating, 8 cars per train, 3 trains -Splashdown Finale -Out and Back Layout -No Tunnels Rumored Giga "Banshee" -B&M "Giga" Mega Coaster -308' tall, 300' drop, 93mph (McSalsa's estimates, not real stats. ) -Good airtime, but greater emphasis on other forces like positive-gs and laterals as well, as well as a few high-speed low-to-the-ground sections -More forceful, still not to the point the GP will hate it, but enough to make the ride clearly feel more intense and aggressive than Diamondback -Classic 4-across seating, 9 (or maybe even 10!) cars per train, 3 trains -No Splashdown Finale (not really even needed, seeing where the brake run will probably be, it would hardly even be visible anyway!) -Twister Layout -Possible Tunnels (w/ Fog effects for extra night ride bonus? ) ^This is kind of what I'm pulling for, if it is a giga coaster...it lets Diamondback have a purpose (GP-friendly B&M Mega Coaster) and at the same time adds a monster ride that enthusiasts can enjoy (but the GP still can too) all while boosting Flight Deck, Drop Tower, & Delirium ridership in a manner similar to what Firehawk did for Flight of Fear. Oh, and another idea...I see the area where the water tower once was becoming a huge plaza with the ride's logo and shops around it, as well as Drop Tower, Congo Falls, and Delirium...similar to Leviathan and Gatekeeper. (Matt Ouimet did say he loves this idea of huge plazas for large new coasters)...in fact, I'd say this part will probably happen no matter what type of ride this is... Wow, I respond to a comment on Leviathan's brake run like this? Man, new coasters make my imagination run wild...

And makes the news in Colorado: http://m.gazette.com/sw-ohio-water-park-reopens-under-new-ownership/article/feed/5800

That'd be quite the Caddy Shack!

Guess what else shares the same colors as the teasers in AZ. So maybe they're just building a shack to buy fast lanes plus passes at.

Sometimes Freud was full of crap. I have much respect for some of his work but...

I see you actually read my post. Impressed Terpy.

Which were Action Zone's colors, see also Son of Beast entry, Action Zone restrooms, etc.

...And short, repetitive layouts.

That website isn't linked to from the actual website, this one is: http://apps.visitkingsisland.com/dinosaursalive/ Looks like an unfinished design like that 2013-season-passes one that someone posted a while ago. On a related note, I wonder if the cheese coney in this image might possibly be photoshopped...

I believe KI just showed their hand. I have never revealed my hand when KI speculation is running rampant... but there's a first time for everything. So here goes... I firmily believe KI will be installing it's own version of Wonderland's Leviathan for 2014. There, I've said it. It's a 300+ foot B&M. If it's anything else, then you can all laugh and point... but IMO the writing is on the wall. Shaggy

Reading your posts is not a problem. Divining what they mean, on the other hand, is often a challenge.

I enjoy new coaster speculation purely for Terp's cryptic mannerisms.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Other times, not so much.

One thing is clear from all the legal pleadings. Keeping the park in the family while paying off if Lori was required to sell was going to be a stretch for Dan. As things are now, Dan owns 40 percent while Will's estate holds 60. When and how the estate is to disperse its assets to the beneficiaries could affect the future of the park as well. If Lori prevails, what goes to her kids and when could drastically affect the park and family. Pat's quite noticeable withdrawal from the park is at best very disturbing. She is a good woman, and a mother and grandmother. This all is just extremely sad.

Well guys I just left the park but i didn't take my phone this time because I knew I was going to ride Firehawk. There is a lot of new concrete work going in that you can see through the gate. I also saw a ton of surveyor stakes on the hill leading away from where the go cart track was. So hopefully soon we will see some footers in this area. Also on the service road behind Great wolf lodge there was a bunch of construction vehicles and portolets set up like they are getting ready to have a larger amount of construction going on. Now Great wolf lodge is getting a new roof put on so this could have been for them but it would be a considerable walk and I think it's Kings Islands property..

Another stupid guess: Inverted launch Giga woodie BTW, Leviathan is by far the best B&M I have been on. I agree with people that the ride could have been longer, but how expensive can that be? I love the drop into the tunnel. The head choppers and twists are quite enjoyable.

Neither Pat nor her voice were at the park. The re-recorded announcements didn't feature Lori. (Didn't see her there, either.) In general, there seemed to be less management walking around the park. I only interacted with one director all day. This can't be a good sign, at all.

It's A Small World After All!

Whoa whoa whoa. I don't want the pre drop to be trimmed. That defeats the purpose. Apollo's Chariot flings you over the first drop because it gains speed after the pre drop. I couldn't care less about the views.

"This is my question. Was Diamondback's construction, (before the track arrived), anything like what we have seen so far?" I believe, as with most other B&M installs, Diamondbacks transfer track footers were among the first poured. B&M's typically have the final brakerun/transfer track installed first so those, coupled with the station footers are among the first poured. Here's Leviathan's first poured footers: First track raised for Leviathan Station/Transfer construction for Leviathan

As I said, the guy who asked me about KIC had a nametag that said _____ and IIRC identified him as a supervisor. That fits with what you said, since _____ would be a common shorthand for _____ . Indeed it was _____.

Arabian Coast Across from Mermaid Lagoon is Arabian Coast. The entire place reeks of curry, but otherwise it’s fantastic. Parapets and minarets everywhere, massive arabesque domes, incredible stone work. Just yet another environment that’s so incredibly thoughtful. I commented again and again that I could’ve spent all day at DisneySea if they didn’t have any rides. That’s the feeling you get here. Pictured above is the two story Arabian Carousel in the center of town. This is the entrance to one of the park’s family dark rides, Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage. In a sense, it’s similar to It’s a Small World with hundreds of audio-animatronics figures along a slow-moving boat ride. There’s even a repetitive song written by Alan Menken, the man behind Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, and more. It didn’t start out that way, though. Originally, the ride was called “The Seven Voyages of Sinbad,” and while it still had Small World style figures (albeit with INCREDIBLE fluidity and realism, especially for their size), it was actually very dark. The scenes were intense and even scary. In one particular scene, absolutely terrifying, manic monkeys with black eyes prepared to throw spears and roll boulders off of cliffs to smash you. The ride was closed, retooled as a family ride with the new charming song, and re-animated. Now the monkeys shake instruments (not spears) and smile (though still terrifyingly); an evil whale becomes a smiling happy one; an enormous intimidating roc bird got lipstick; the evil sirens luring you to your doom become helpful mermaids pointing the way; an evil giant who used to dangle Sinbad’s soldiers over the water decided to play a Middle Eastern violin and sing along to “Compass of your Heart” instead. And of course, in the new version, Sinbad is accompanied by his faithful tiger friend, Chandu, who has become a symbol of DisneySea along with Duffy and Shiriki Utundu. Even if you’re not interested in the great song or the cool story, it’s worth it to watch a clip of the ride just for the figure animation. They’re so small, but move so astoundingly! And for anyone who wants to compare it to the , sans Chandu, plus goatee on Sinbad. And who wouldn’t want a steamed bun Chandu Tail afterwards? There’s also a Japanese language Magic Lamp Theater in which a really cool, smooth-talking cobra sets up a story about the Genie (he’s one of the seemingly random characters that the Japanese can’t get enough of – he’s in every single parade and makes appearances in crazy places, along with Stitch of all people). It’s a 3D movie and was very well done! I just couldn’t understand what they were saying. Oops. Along the streets of Agrabah there are restaurants and stores, including a little area of “midway games” that fit in perfectly, like getting the ball in the whicker basket. I’m stealing this picture, but the credit in on there – Abu hangs by his tail over the game and swings back and forth with one of the prizes in hand, like he’s going to steal it. (And big surprise: it’s Stitch.) Another borrowed image, but this is what I mean when I say that the character references are tasteful. Why wouldn’t Jasmine be represented via tile mosaic on the streets of Agrabah? She’s the princess! This cracked wall stood out to us... We wondered if local visitors would notice anything odd about it, too? Mysterious Island Best for last. The central port at DisneySea is Mysterious Island. Based entirely on the work of Jules Verne and true to his novels about Captain Nemo’s hidden volcano base, Mysterious Island is by far the most impressive land I’ve ever seen in a Disney park (and make no mistake, it looks EXACTLY like the concept art, down to every fountain and lava flow. Absolutely zero budget cuts here). As you can see from the concept art, the port is located entirely within a caldera of Mt. Prometheus, so as you walk on the oxidized copper paths along the outer edge of the caldera, you’re literally surrounded in rockwork. Literally, 360 degrees. The volcano and caldera, by the way, were designed by the team who would later reassemble for Cars Land’s Cadillac Range and Magic Kingdom’s Little Mermaid ride. As evident as the lava flows are from outside the volcano, they’re even more detailed inside, seeping all the way down to the water and yes, they steam all along, including constant hissing where they touch they water. The water, by the way, bubbles randomly, heated from the geothermal vents beneath which, according to the books, Nemo uses to power his devices. Every once and a while, huge geysers erupt from underneath. A full-scale replica of Nemo’s Nautilus is docked, and you can walk down ramps to peer inside. The only way into or out of Mysterious Island is through long, dimly-lit caves through the caldera walls. The land contains two rides. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a dark ride that follows in the spirit of Magic Kingdom’s ride of the same name and Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage, but without the costly, prohibitive, low-capacity underwater subs. Instead, you take the spiraled ramp down to the water’s edge and enter a cave inside the volcano where the subs pictured above are hanging over bubbling water. The ride is actually a suspended dark ride, no different from Peter Pan’s flight except for the double-paned windows you look out through, which – though totally disguised in the station – contain a sheet of water. As your sub “dives” (a convincing effect due to the fact that you’re at the water’s surface in terms of height, and that the dark ride track dips) bubbles are released into the pane and remain throughout, adding a layer of realism to the world. The ride is absolutely stunning. A family ride, but I’d call it an e-ticket. Incredible effects, beautiful scenery, a few terrifying moments, and a cool finale to explain your sudden ascent to the surface. It’s a multi-million dollar attraction that would be a staple at any other park, but here it’s just a great family ride. Photographs are impossible. Video is impossible. During the ride, a joystick controls a small light affixed to the outside of the sub so you can explore, but literally, I’ve never seen a video that shows anything. Literally, anything. At all. It’s just pitch black. Here’s their promotional image. And yes, there’s a squid encounter. The second ride on Mysterious Island is Journey to the Center of the Earth, often heralded as one of Disney’s greatest rides ever. The ride uses the same technology as Test Track or Radiator Springs Racers – a slot-car style vehicle (in this case, disguised as a deep-earth drill) that travels through the tunnels bored into the mountain by the massive drill seen perched on Mt. Prometheus. Official promotional photo. First of all, the space constraints inside the volcano make it literally a miracle that this ride exists at all. The course is so convoluted with incredible and unexpected elevation changes. For a very long time, we were convinced that the ride is actually located on the second floor of Mermaid Lagoon. I think it really might be. After walking through the queue filled with Nemo’s blueprints of his inner-Earth explorations, you enter a “terravator” elevator that simulates a very deep descent into the Earth with perfectly orchestrated lights and sounds. And yes, the elevator really does change elevation. When the doors open, you’re in the loading area – a massive cave with the clear markings of that drill from the mountainside and huge cogs and presses that expel steam into the chamber. The ride itself follows the plot from the novel magnificently, including a crystal cavern, an underground jungle of bioluminescent creatures, and a massive ocean under the Earth’s crust. Of course, an earthquake diverts the course into an unexplored cavern full of real bursts of flame, oozing lava, and giant gooey eggs with spidery-creatures inside. Suddenly, you see a massive spidery leg start striking at the walls of the cavern you’re in and the rocks around you begin to crack. You speed off deeper in the cave and, of course, come face-to-face with the molten creature who spawned those spider-eggs, and she’s not happy. I would safely bet that the Lava Creature is one of Disney’s most sophisticated animatronics ever, and the energy it takes just to power her has got to rival Animal Kingdom’s Yeti. Especially because the Lava Creature activates every 12 seconds. Because I don’t want to spoil her for those who don’t want it to be spoiled, I’ll put a photo here and a video of her . If you think you’ll make it to DisneySea, I suggest against watching it, because she’s so massively impressive that you’ll hate yourself if you’re not surprised. Of course, if you’re the kind of person who hates spoilers, you probably stopped reading long ago. Immediately after she lunges at the car, you accelerate to the ride’s full speed (maybe 50 miles per hour?) and accelerate in an increasingly tightly banked spiral up the cone of the volcano before you blast out of the side in a moment of SENSATIONAL airtime that you literally feel when watching the video, then accelerate around the caldera’s ring. So that’s DisneySea in a nutshell. It’s the kind of park you want to explore. Every nook and cranny contains some detail; a beautiful fountain; a puzzle... It’s the kind of park we haven’t seen built in a long time, where every element is considered. For people who like white knuckles thrills, it won’t satisfy. But in my opinion, DisneySea lives up to the hype as one of the most beautiful, intricate, and impressive theme parks ever built. It’s truly a marvel! I’ll leave you with this collection of murals painted inside the dome of the Hotel MiraCosta’s Duomo recreation. They’re the spirits that represent each port of the park, complete with the port painted in the background. It’s worth zooming in to explore.

Surely. Perhaps 0.00044% If that much.

I wonder if everyone attending HoliWood Nights were to wear a T-Shirt that said Dan's The Man would Lori deny entry or make them change? That or just not going would be a way to show support for keeping family in Holiday World. There's plenty of "We Back Pat" shirts down here in Knoxville different lady though but definitely as good of a woman.

http://holidayworld.com/holiblog?page=8 The Holiblog, right now on page 8, explains the train switch.

Sometimes an itch is just an itch. It's time to scratch it.

And Faceoff/Invertigo's original colors and are Delirium's colors, as well as being present on Drop Tower. But I suppose your "etc" probably covered that.

On Friday, May 3, I overheard them telling someone else in the Reds Grille that they were not selling alcohol until 5:00 pm due to all of the kids in the park for the Education Day. Which I think is a smart move.

They were checking bags more thoroughly than before Haunt at Kings Island. Even my tiny camera bag was thoroughly searched upon re-entry. At times, there was a sizeable line at the bag check tables. If these measures were necessary to prevent safety threats, it would indeed be commendable. Somehow, though, I get the impression it's control freak management instead of expert security consultants. As a guest, I certainly don't want to look at several bins full of wasted food/drinks when entering the park, nor do I want to wait in a security line that's longer than it needs to be. Customer service needs to be a top priority, even for security.

I was told on opening day by our bartender that the Reds Grille was planning on getting a liquor license soon, but until then only beer and wine. We asked because the only time we drink at the park is on the fourth of July when we get a hotel and a cab or shuttle.

Never feel it necessary to apologize for being a hick. Ever. Harry Caudill would not be amused. Nor Jesse Stuart. Terp, proud to be a hick in the DMV. (DC MD VA area). The thread that runs so true...

If it is a B&M Giga, I hope it doesn't have that insanely high-up final brake run. It looks ridiculous.

As I said, the guy who asked me about KIC had a nametag that said _____ and IIRC identified him as a supervisor. That fits with what you said, since _____ would be a common shorthand for _____.

As long as the layout is different from Diamondback, I don't think a giga will hurt DB's reputation at all. CP has three coasters taller than Magnum and it is still a popular ride.

Music in the Parks was a fun day for me, glad to know you made it fun for you, too! By the way, on the note of the Express seperator, it was probably _____. I saw him too, not too long after you.

I would guess that Friday will be less busy. Why? The Bradys are a one-day event; everyone that wants to see them must come on Sunday. On the other hand, the military free admission is for the entire Memorial Day weekend, and since Friday is a work/school day for many, I would imagine that most will wait until the actual weekend to take advantage of the deal. Now, this is purely a guess, and I could be way off, so take it with a grain of salt.

I'm inclined to agree here. The 308' teaser, the fact construction has started so early, and now this...if it's anything but a massive B&M Giga now, I'd be suprised...so, if this is true, what does it mean for the park? (Assuming this is something along the lines of Leviathan, it could be a very different layout...) Well...Diamondback may be screwed if the Giga is too similar. Another gentle, out-and-back style coaster but 70 feet higher would seriously hurt Diamondback's image. The whole marketing ploy for DB this far has been "tallest, fastest, meanest coaster" at Kings Island. How do you market that when a 300' giga coaster rises up on the other side of the park? (Granted, the park may already have figured this out, as on the www.visitkingsisland.com thrill rides main page, it does state how high and fast DB is, but no mention of tallest, fastest, or meanest...another clue a giga is coming? ) Given that a B&M Giga would also be pretty close in many areas to Millennium Force (height, speed, smoothness, etc) and that this one would also be in Ohio, as long as B&M doesn't screw it up, we could also be looking at a challenger for that #1 steel coaster spot in the Golden Ticket Awards, or at the very least a Top 5. Granted, these are biased and hold no real weight to coaster enthusiasts...but one more fun fact, looking at the Mitch Hawker 2012 steel poll, 47 people rode both Leviathan and Millennium Force...Leviathan was the one more liked, in a close 26-21 victory...but MF finished a few spots higher overall. (Leviathan even placing in the Steel Golden Ticket poll was also quite a feat, for it is from Canada...) And the Kings Island B&M Giga should be even better, as B&M has now got Leviathan under their belts to learn from... Of course, if this is an invert or something, this is all just a load of bull speculation. And not the El Toro kind.

Five years ago, or more, I was in line for the then Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England. In the station, one of the ride ops pulled me aside, obviously concerned at what he thought was my superannuated state (old age), to warn me this was a very violent, vigorous roller coaster and that mostly younger people ride it. I suddenly felt very ancient. And, mind you, this was five years ago, or more!

...so to speak. The Great Shaggy Has Spoken.

More embarrassing to myself than anyone else, but at one point, I was at the park alone, getting in line for 5-1 on Vortex as I often do, and so I go to put my stuff in the bin and I come back and another single rider has taken the other seat. Which I didn't mind one bit. So I realize that this lady is wearing a Linux T-shirt. Linux, for those who don't know, is a semi-obscure computer operating system that a lot of nerds (like myself) enjoy using. Oh, and did I mention that this young lady was drop-dead gorgeous and we WERE both single riders? The embarrassing thing, of course, is that I didn't seize an opportunity to talk to a pretty girl (and likely a single one too, as she was a single rider) who enjoys Linux and 5-1 on Vortex while she was literally strapped to a chair next to me. Well, that last sentence could have been worded a WHOLE lot less creepily...

B&Ms are nice, but I'm not here for a larger version of Diamondback. I would rather have an Intamin than another sit down, non inverting B&M coaster. Maverick is my all time favorite coaster with Millennium Force behind that. So I would say Intamin>B&M

What do Cedar Point overnight accommodations have to do with Kings Island's Dinosaurs Alive?

Ok - we stopped and took in the new restaurant last weekend. Gotta say, the wait time was reasonable, and having the pager deal worked great. The waitstaff were fine, not exceptional but most are new to this (sit-down) format. My critique - meant as constructively as possible: - food came very (too) fast and was tasty, but not 'fresh' as advertised in the menu. We had fried pickles, a burger, chicken wings, and the kid-meal chicken fingers what were really 'chicken chunks'. Nothing was bad, but nothing was hot either - ie it sat under a heat lamp. Fresh-made trumps fast in my book, but there's no reason it can't be *both*. - some of you know I like a frosty beverage, but the pickings are slim. Bud, Bud light and Stella (for a dollar more). The rest are bottles. Sheesh - Hanks and the waterpark have splendid selections and half the bar space. Why not the same at the Grill? - souvenir cups - you can't refill them in the restaurant? Really?? My kid had to leave the place and go over to Funnel Cakes to get his cup filled. That's just nonsense. - high tables for three - nope. I prefer high tables and I thought that would be fine, but the table we had was wobbly and just doesn't seat three unless you're just having beers. Three meals, three drinks and an appetizer does NOT fit. - decor - TOP NOTCH, love the stats, history, and drama of the Big Red Machine. Flat screens everyplace are positioned well, and having a Reds game while were were there, well it just completes the picture. - other - somebody positioned some kind of server 'station' right behind a bi-swing door into the kitchen. The door cannot swing back because it'll hit the person back there, and it creates a logjam right at the entry to the kitchen. That needs to be fixed so the waitstaff can move faster. Right now they just don't have a chance. Overall, we'll go back after they have some time to iron out the bugs, but it was not a $50 experience - yet. I have high hopes for this place though!

^ Dive Machines, named so because they can drop over 200' straight down at a 90-degree angle. Often with a holding brake on the drop, for added suspense. And they usually have more than 1 drop, and also have included inversions and splashdowns.

Beech Bend is a great park, (something for sure disappearing in America), sad indeed. I've been on bad days to Cedar Point, Kings Island, and drove elsewhere, and had great days. Rides are going to have problems. However Beech bend does its best, and heck the owners built the rumbler, instead of Retiring, great story. If you are a lake cumberland fan, beech bend is not far to bowling green, also try a smal Somerset water park Somersplash: So to beech bend:

Thanks guys. Oh, and I'm sorry about the "y'all" in my original post. I am from far Eastern Ky, I try not to type the way I talk but it's hard I sound like a pure hick, but I promise I am actually a college educated, IT support/computer repair person. One of very few females who go into that line of work around here. I've been going to KI since I was a little girl, really wish I lived closer. I am thinking I will probably go on Friday 5/24. Maybe I will see some of you there.

Great report and photos! Was he by any chance a supervisor named _____ If so, he asked me the same question Wednesday. I asked him if he was on here, and IIRC he said that he just reads KIC a lot. This is an awesome description of the ride!

We ended up taking a lot of similar pics. I was so happy when the sun came out at around 5:00!

I was standing on the pathway in front of the Showplace talking to former marketing guy Scott Hartman and went to point to something on the stage and cracked another guest in the face. lol