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It's not that a random number wouldn't be believable as much as it would be noted I missed by one of reaching the 12,000 mark. My rides were accrued in a non-consecutive fashion, so whether I finish at 11,999 or took it to 20,000, it's a mark that will never be broken for the most non-consecutive rides on the same roller coaster.

I'll keep this short and sweet for you guys. I noticed quite a few execs and supervisors walking around today. More than I have ever seen in one day, including some people with Kings Dominion name tags, and even Mr. Matty Ouimet. He was walking around with Greg Scheid around 11:30. I was looking at the construction site and I saw them there just looking at things and over the hill and into the valley. I saw them again walking on the pathway right in front of me while I was on Slingshot. I wonder what they were talking about? In terms of Project 2014, there was quite a bit of activity in the morning. It looks like there were new holes being dug, and there was a cement truck, which I assume was for new footers. These footers span a large area, from SOB's station to the tree line behind Adventure Express. This thing is going to be huge. You get a pretty good view of it from Slingshot (which is a new view for me!) I tried Hank's Burrito Shack for lunch, and was again disappointed with the quality. The chicken was dry and the tomatoes weren't good either. I don't think I'll be going back again, with so many other great options throughout the park. I made another child cry on Dodgem. I wasn't even trying to and I barely nicked the kid, so I think he just got overwhelmed or confused or something. I felt bad about it. There was a few storms that rolled through and shut down every major ride for about an hour each time. The park was not crowded at all, especially after the second wave of storms. I forget who mentioned it on here, but I tried the thing on Diamondback where you sit in the back and look behind you. It was pretty sweet to see on the first drop, but after that I got a bit of a headache from straining my neck. Oh well Reds HOF Grille was incredible for dinner. There are so many options on the menu that sound good that I never know what to get! The service was great, the food was great (I got the ribs), and there were no issues at all. A+ for last night, and I will be back. Every time I see a middle-aged man in a bro-tank I assume it is YoungStud. There was one last night that had a tank on that said "MY MONEY GROWS ON TREES." I'm convinced it was him. If you have any questions feel free to ask! Thanks for reading

Prayers to her family, witnesses, and the poor worker (probably a teen) who has to live with this the rest of his or her life. Imagine signing up for a fun summer job like that and this happens. Awful.

When I first read ERT on here, I thought it was a KIC term for "Everyone Ride Together".

I can't imagine the pain and grief her family is feeling right now. My thoughts and prayers are with all of those who are related to the woman, friends of the woman, who witnessed the incident, who work on the ride, park management and various others affected by this event.

https://twitter.com/KingsIslandPR/status/358356793103097857 Yes, Don. I get it. You're toying with us. I love it.

And people complain about ride ops enforcing Kings Island's two click policy. This is one of many reasons so-called "power hours" have always frightened me. A capacity contest is not worth a life. Ever.

My screen name has nothing to do with Patrick Swayze. You will be given a time to be at the park, as well as a location to meet. That's about it. I will not be posting an agenda on here at all. Isn't this FUN?

It's funny some random guy in front of us in line for Diamondback today was talking my ear off and said the exact same thing. He liked to talk to much so I just left it at that!

That's what I was thinking too. If I were him I would hate to not be on-hand to help with that whole scenario. Imagine that phone call... Also, the KD folks are sticking around today. Via Twitter: Kings Island ‏@KingsIslandPR2h Showing officials from @KingDominionVA our 12-time, award-winning kids' area, Planet Snoopy.

Many rides have specific loading instructions. That in and of itself is not a design defect. Now, if those manufacturer instructions were not followed, that's a whole nother ball of yarn. Terp is not engaged in the private practice of law in Ohio, the District of Columbia or any United State. Consult a competent attorney in your jurisdiction if you have, or think you may have, a legal problem. There is no specific legal advice meant for any particular client herein.

Corn doesn't hang on. Dummies don't hang on. Hanging on is unlikely. Reminds me of my mom trying to hold me back with her extended arm as we stopped quickly in that magnificent '55 DeSoto. No seat belts. And we always rode in the front seat. As a tot, I had a car seat. It hung on hooks over the bench seat. It's only purpose was to raise me up so I could see. As a 36" two year old, I rode roller coasters under a very high flip down bar. The airtime was phenomenol. I was hooked. But, by then, I'd ridden nearly three years before. Yeah.

Seat belts on water rides have always been somewhat controversial....

I don't believe the woman in this interview. She's embellishing.

Until the exact story of what happened is told - that is, if it is ever told (Cedar Fair and Intamin may not want to reveal things) - everything is just a big question mark. We hear rollbacks, overturns, etc - one thing that is true is that 7 people were treated for injuries in some way, shape, or form. Thank God no one was killed.

I have gotten rides on Diamondback where my restraint only clicked twice. I'm so tiny that I never touched the restraints once. I can see exactly what Terpy means. The back of the seat caught me every time. Diamondback doesn't have any ejector air so it's not throwing you out of your seat. The airtime is gradual and you basically float with the train. The only way I could see myself falling out is if were to somehow get stuck facing downward on a hill. Your body is never moving faster than the train is.

My God....how traumatic for the family to see and have this happen right in front of their eyes....I feel so sad for those kids....I pray for all of those involved.

Regarding the eyewitness account... there's contradictions the statement she gave the press: Carmen Brown of Arlington was waiting in line as the victim and her son were being strapped in for the ride. “She was right in front of us, but we weren’t on the ride,” she said.“The lady basically tumbled over.” If she wasn't on the ride, she couldn't have witnessed her tumbling over during the course of the ride. Brown said the victim’s young son was in the seat in front of his mother. “We heard her screaming. We were, like, ‘Did she just fall?’” If they were in the station - which no doubt was loud and noisy, how did they hear her screaming? Also, if they were next to get on the ride, wouldn't they have been busy loading into the train? I have ridden the old Texas Giant, but the New Texas Giant has the same set-up. The train leaves the station facing AWAY from the course. It makes a 180 turn to the right and onto the lift (the same as Mean Streak) it then ascends the hill and the course is located to the far left of the station (on load side.) Brown said she didn’t believe that the woman had been secured in her seat correctly. Subjective Brown said the victim expressed concern to a park employee that her harness only clicked once when it was lowered into place, unlike the multiple clicks heard when others were strapped in. “He was basically nonchalant,” Brown said. “He was, like, ‘As long as you heard it click, you’re fine. Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn’t feel safe. But they let her still get on the ride.” Investigators were interviewing witnesses on the ride, some of whom reported that the woman had been thrown from the roller coaster as it rounded a turn. This confuses me. Because of the high sides to the train, I wouldn't expect that she fell to the side. It would seem more likely that she'd fall forward or backward... and the witness even elluded to it "The Lady basically tumbled over." None the less, time will tell. However I don't think we will gain accurate information based on such eyewitness accounts. Any NUMBER of things could have gone wrong. And often, such horrible tragedies are a result of several mistakes, errors or circumstances.

All I can think of, with a bit of assistance from a Wikipedia article on defunct rides: Wheel of Fortune - Relocated to DelGrosso's Amusement Park King Cobra - Trains relocated to Kings Dominion for spare parts on similar coaster Screamin' Demon - Relocated to Camden Park, since demolished Zodiac - Relocated to Wonderland Sydney Bayern Kurve - Relocated to Wonderland Sydney Flying Dutchman - Relocated to Kentucky Kingdom Flying Eagles - Relocated to Carowinds Huck's Hot Rods - Relocated to Coney Island (???) Antique Cars - Cars relocated to another Cedar Fair park Monorail - Trains relocated to Jungle Jim's

Wow. The Bier Garten looks really nice from the tower.Sorry :/ Carry on decoding!

I believe it was at the 2012 Coasting for Kids event where he told us. If I'm not mistaken, it has something to do with the number being more believable in his obituary. The theory is that no one would make up the number 11,999 because a liar would want to say that they actually got to the multiple of a thousand. Numbers like 12,000 or 12,364 (or even "over 12,000") would be less believable because they might sound like a number that somebody would make up. Therefore he stopped at a number that no one would lie about. Now my memory is not very good, so all of this could be a figment of my imagination causing me to remember a conversation that never took place, but if my memory is actually working for once, now you know.

He also knows where to stop. He's proven it many times.

Let me say this about that. No one at Cedar Fair, Kings Island or any Cedar Fair affiliate has told me the first thing about Project 2014. I wouldn't ask them, and they know that.

That story reminds Me if the day before the major Son of Beast accident. I was at spirit song and it was in between shows I went out to use the restroom. As I was leaving timberwolf a guy was on his phone and I heard him say "Son of Beast crashed?" I went over there and it was shutdown but not got crashing. The very next day it would have it's accident and lose its loop. As for this accident, if she ready was making a commotion about not being secured wouldn't another op e stop or even not send the train? I'm sure it takes multiple ops to send a train. I was working in Action Zone, sweeping around Top Gun's entrance at the time of the SOB 2006 incident. There was a lady ride op sitting at the entrance of SOB and the phone rings, after she hangs up puts a can in place and went running for the station. Was not a fun afternoon that's for sure. Thoughts and prayers to the lady's family. :/ I hate tragedies like this.

Here are pictures I took this past Wednesday. KI Construction 7/17 (Mobile-friendly Version)

Bummer about your challenge coin; If it's still like it was when I was in, you should be able to buy or order a replacement Airmen's coin at your BX.

sorry, texas giant. The threads are running together.

For Shoot the Rapids? What if that would have delayed or made impossible escaping an overturned boat?

I had the misfortune of being at Geauga Lake (for the first time ever ) the day the Raging Wolfbobs derailed. I had ridden the coaster earlier that day in the black train in the last car. I had circled the park and was coming back towards the coaster, when there was as popping sound like air brakes. POP POP POP POP . I looked upwards and saw the black train rolling backwards down the turn around and valleying out in a dip. You could easily see the last back car being pulled over the inner track supports. I was stunned. I wanted to go help them but my friend said to let the park security/maintenance get there and that we would only be in their way. I stood and watched, as the people were led, one by one from their cars. Needless to say, I was kind of in a state of shock...I couldn't fathom what had just happened and it affected the rest of the day. Although this was an accident and no one died on the Wolfbobs, the Texas Giant accident is far worse and more traumatizing. Not only were the family exposed to the trauma, so where the guests and staff....I'm still upset about this this morning. I pray for that these folks find peace.

Continuing with what Terp said, launch coasters need to be able to roll back into position. If it stopped on the hill because of anti-rollbacks, there would be no method of getting the train over the hill (except for manually winching it). Maverick example:

Flight of Fear has footage of crop circles in the preshow...

They don't use that non-stop loading process, they switched it back to the normal way this year.

Was Texas Giant still using the non stop loading or had that already been abandoned? If the train still moving during loading I could definitely see where an op could've neglected the unfortunate rider

I feel so horrible for the family of this victim. What a horrific thing to have witnessed! I was the newly-named Regional Rep for ACE when the tragedy occurred at Holiday World. I stayed with the ACE PR Rep in HW after it was evacuated following the incident. The devistation I saw on the faces over that tragedy is something that still upsets me. Following that incident, I still witnessed "enthusiasts" trying to get away with single clicks, or complaining about being stapled. It soured me on the "fun" of avid coaster riding, I left ACE immediately and I stopped going to enthusiasts events. Now, this woman was a regular park goer... but the fact remains that the multi-click rule exists for a reason. I beg everyone reading this to observe ALL rules at every park... including not holding hands up... and I encourage each of you to also pay attention to those that may be placing themselves in harm's way. Be careful folks.. these are machines... big, dangerous machines.

From the manufacturer's own representations of their testing, as relayed at IAAPA.

There have been multiple deaths at many parks, including Kings Island. One is too many. Safety is first priority at EVERY park. Period.

They also blew that one, badly. We all knew exactly what it was long before the ride was announced, and then a few days prior to the announcement, they idiotically put up a Gatekeeper page on their web site that everyone saw. So, when the ride was actually announced, few were actually suprised. The Kings Island Project 2014 is going along much, much better as far as keeping it under wraps is considered.

Unless you are in a Gentlemen's Club! Yeah KI blew $40.5 million dollars on Crypt and SOB. That doesn't include the removal prices as well.

Send in something besides concrete

Not unless they Send in the cranes... There ought to be cranes....

Another one of my great epiphanies..... No track spotted at Batavia yet?....... No problem!......... B&M's latest concoction - the track-less coaster, And King's Island is getting the very first one, a prototype, if you will, called LEVITATION. With no visible track, riders have absolutely no idea what's coming next. It's extra thrilling in the dark - it will make you scream like a Banshee!

Shaggy said "Huh? I didn't know B&M trains were advanced enough that a computer monitored each and every restraint. Firehawk does in-station... but I always assumed B&M's went by the "click" rule - thats the reason for those guidemarks at the base of the restraint pole. I've never heard of ANY coaster E-stopping if a restraint fails. Seems like this would require a ton of diagnostic equipment on the train itself. ___ It's two clicks in the station, once you leave the station, you're on your own.

I think if I were you and I heard that, I'd do a little research to see if it did happen. I wouldn't go around saying a maintenance worker fell to his death unless I know it did happen.

I am sure when b&m builds a ejector hyper it will have a seat belt.

Where specifically did you read that here? His injuries were NOT life threatening. How is INTAMIN responsible because he fell from the ride while maintaining it?

. To his death?Really?

Which safety mechanism on MF failed?

Did you see the Sandusky Register picture?

Not fixing a problem (improperly balanced boats) will come back to bite you, as it did today. I hope this is the last straw for Shoot the Rapids.

You might want to read the last line of the post above yours.