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I've not heard many people say that they don't like B&M's. They seem to really have their stuff together. Wouldn't surprise me if they ended up with a stranglehold on the coaster industry. Like me, I probably prefer B&M over any other coaster company that I have rode one of their coasters, even though it's a small list. Except Maverick. I just really love that ride, front row preferably. I've wanted to take a trip to HW, really want to ride Voyage. Thunderbird will be a great bonus.

As much as I love B&M, and while they do seem to have their stuff together, if somehow they got a pure strangehold on the steel coaster industry (IE all the other companies ragequit or something) it could be bad as then you'd have a Monopoly and then B&M could just make lame rides and parks would pretty much have no choice if they wanted steel coasters. Thankfully, there are still a few companies like Mack & Premier (and others) that can still give B&M a run for their money depending on what the park wants (B&M offers a lot so far but not EVERYTHING). Though B&M is likely still going to be first on the list of what the park thinks about when deciding on a new coaster, unless the park wants something B&M doesn't make (like a Wild Mouse type coaster, or a Water Coaster, etc- B&M has yet to try those coaster types) or some other company shows Holiday World something that looks really, really cool and the park gets on board with it (which can happen). Though to be fair, one of my ideas for a ride Holiday World could add- and they still can- would be a Mine Train coaster (Arrow may be gone but Vekoma still makes them), if simply to see how they theme it- that park goes a bit crazy with themes at times.

Actually, I just found this. S&S-Sansei Technologies breathes new life into the tried and true Arrow Mine Train Coaster popularized by Disney in the ‘60s and ‘70s with a new body style that is lighter in weight and an exciting layout the entire family can enjoy. From the first drop over the hill, the Mine Train delivers belly-tickling drops and hills, speedy curves and exciting banked turns. Link: http://www.engineeringexcitement.com/product/mine-train/

I REALLY miss her. She was THE voice of Holiday World. The TV/Radio spots are just not the same these days.

You can make a strong case that the Intamin era in the US really only lasted from 1999 (the Supermen: Ride of Steel megas) through 2005 (Kingda Ka). If you take a look at Intamin rides built in the US after 2005, they've built an average of less than one coaster a year here - 7 in total. Also note that they have not built (or announced) any coasters in the US since Skyrush opened in 2012. When Thunderbird and Fury 325 open next year, B&M will have built 7 US coasters since the beginning of 2012. Cedar Fair alone has built one B&M coaster in 7 of the last 8 years, the cheapest of which is still over $20 million! Parks now are simply not going to make large capital investments in this day and age without knowing exactly what they're getting in return. Even Six Flags largest single investment since 2007 - X-Flight at $15 million - was a B&M (the Drop Towers and the RMC conversions/Goliath ran around $10 million each). Parks just got a lot smarter about how they're allocating capital, particularly for the larger coaster installs.

Except that the only reason B&M has Cedar Fair in their "grasp" (beside the fact that most of the recent installations reside in the former Paramount Parks) is because the last coaster manufacturer to have said chain in its "grasp" had a history of mechanical issues and post-installation changes that spanned the majority of the last decade. And if we're only looking at the poster child for the entire Fair, there is a 17-year gap between B&M installations.

If I would've created something this bad for work (which I have before), my boss would've called me into his office and yelled at me (which he has before) lol. I learned real early to step up my game and not to take shortcuts - which looks like what happened here. Something like this would not pass at my work, and I work for a small, locally-owned, family company. The standards for KI should be MUCH higher than were I work.

If you had, I suspect it would rock your world!

Much like Frozen is being incorporated into the parks, it seems like Disney has been having a great run with Big Hero 6. I can easily see some BH6 tie-ins with Future World (Innoventions?). Perhaps Marvel or the Muppets can breathe new life into the Imagination or currently SBNO Wonders of Life building. Stark Industries would be a great fit for the WOL pavilion with a D or E-ticket type ride inside.

It's so weird. I think what we're seeing right now is the prologue before the resort-wide refresh that so many Disney fans have been waiting for. Epcot is getting Maelstrom (divisive, but at least it's movement) plus strong hints of a Soarin' expansion that'll prep it for the eventual shift to Soarin' The World or whatever its name ends up being. At this point, I think it's fare to assume that Epcot could be in line for a "New Future World." The Imagination and Energy pavilions are in pretty bad states and Innoventions is still pointless. The whole identity of Future World is so jumbled. The architecture is so 1980s. The style is so cold. Hollywood Studios, though, is almost certainly going to get a giant, park-wide refresh like Disney California Adventure (though I don't think it'll match that scale). Their timing is a little odd. Close half the park, but with no immediate plans or announcement made public... Why? But we're well on our way. Let's hope this develops as I think it will. Toy Story Playland (the rumored expansion for the Studio Tour plot) is a "cheap and cheerful" installation, but its something.

I agree with you 100%. You have to have competition. I guess i should've said stranglehold for the foreseeable future. Although I prefer B&M over other coasters, I still like other company's coasters. And you know somewhere, someone is working just as hard as you are, to out do you, at what you do. When someone comes out with something new that's mind-blowing, which sooner or later, will happen, then the parks will have to get their hands on it. All in all, it's kinda like music. If all music was the same, then listening to music would really suck.

Wow. I know the coaster is only just over 3,000 feet long and all and so far the weather has been nice, and they started early, but to think it (this part of construction) is finished so soon...I know it's a B&M and they are famous for finishing projects on time, but I can't help but be impressed. I could see Thunderbird start testing, weather permitting, as early as February. Maybe even January but that'd be a stretch due to weather (January=Supah Cold). I am 99.9% sure it will be ready by late April when Holiday World opens. Great job Holiday World & B&M. But now, the vicious cycle has begun. Thunderbird will likely open to rave reviews from the GP, and Holiday World will like it and make money off it, and so they will decide to build buy ANOTHER B&M at some point for their 2nd major steel coaster (I could see HW building a Invert or Floorless at some point in the future)...and the cycle starts over...heck, B&M seemingly already has Cedar Fair firmly in their "grasp"... make a product that pleases your customer, and your customers will keep coming back to you so long as the product is good...

This morning on Twitter..... .......Oddly enough there were no more updates today stating that the full track work had been completed...... @HolidayWorld on Twitter: "Thunderbird's final track piece - #77 - is ready to fly! #OrangeIsTheNewTrack #OpeningDayApril25" Photo : Holiday World via Twitter Following this tweet.....there were no more updates?......So it was ready to fly......But maybe it couldn't get the wing power?....

Man, that hill looks awesome. For sure will be taking a trip down there next year.

@mikefehnel on Twitter: "Here is a view of Intimidator taken from #FURY325. What a view! FURY should top out tomorrow!!!" Photo : Michael Fehnel (Carowinds GM) via Twitter "I just had a birds-eye view of the 250' level of #FURY325. I can't wait to ride this coaster! Don't look down!" Photos : Michael Fehnel (Carowinds GM) via Twitter

They have released a new hard hat chronicles video. They state that there are going to be new near miss elements added to the ride. I am hoping that they extend the last barn element with the in line roll for the right side. That side is really missing the near miss element. Also they are moving a ride to the plaza of Thunderbird. They will announce that move next week. Things just keep getting better and better for this ride! I cannot wait for Holiwood Nights next year!

Ah, maybe one of these days. I feel fortunate enough to get to go where I'm going next year. It would be nice to get to go to one of the Busch Gardens, or a Six Flags, If it never happens, Then I still have my CF pass. And that's just fine with me. But, really, I was talking about the 3 B&M's up on the big lake, I should've been more specific. Gotta love rookies.

The In-Line-Roll on Thunderbird should be very interesting considering the close proximity between it and the brake run..... To be honest though, I guess it does sound pretty fun to spiral into the brake run! The 2015 park season just can't come fast enough! What a year '15 will be in the amusement industry!

Kumba? Terp, who likes to ask questions.

I think that the most exciting thing, for me, is the Disney Vault programming that they're going to be showing on TCM. I love those old Disneyland and Wonderful World Of Color shows.

Posted on Holiday World`s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152598503709538

Models of Face/Off and Delirium are currently being offered on Craigslist. I'm tempted to buy Delirium and wrap it in Christmas lights since I donated my tree to Goodwill last month and haven't gotten a new one yet. It's three feet tall! Kings Island Face-Off Roller Coaster Model 195 http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/atq/4776484517.html Kings Island Delirium Model 150 http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/atq/4776485173.html

I found this video on youtube and I thought it was a cool interview. It is short but it has Mike Fehnel from Carowinds kind of explain the difference of the two rides and other things. Some of you may have seen it or may have already known the difference but I just wanted to share. (Video made by Brian Mitchell . I inculuded his channel link which you can access by clicking his name.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrXDDAytA04 Also it seem that there wasn't a lot of work done today on fury 325. I think those workers deserved a day off (But it did look like they started to prepare for finishing off the lift hill. (Image from Carowinds' Webcams)

I suddenly feel very, very ancient.

Talking about getting work done! (image from Carowinds webcams )

Pat Koch should join a coaster club. Things could get really interesting.

To my knowledge, they haven't released any details about media day yet. However, knowing HW, I would be a bit surprised if coaster clubs weren't invited.

^Donating you tree is awesome! We've was talking about getting a new tree this year, which didn't happen. That had never crossed my mind. We give 90% of our kid's outgrown clothes, among other things, to a local church here at home. Now I know what to do with this one when it's time for it to come down. Thank's for the idea! EDIT: Just checked out those models. They would be neat as heck to have. If I found one of King Cobra, i'd be all over it.

Facebook is a registered trademark. As such, it is always capitalized here.

Looks like they're about ready to top off the lift hill.

There may just be something new at Coney in 2015. You will have to wait and see.

and Mr. Peabody and Sherman.

Bullwinkle even more so...

The Flintstones was an early evening show geared towards adults. It was also a cartoon parody of the sitcom, The Honeymooners. It was sort of like the Simpsons of the '60s, therefore it had better scripting and was more off the wall in it's commentary.

^Some of the stuff they say, is just off the wall. I would have never caught some of the stuff they said as a kid, but as an adult, wow.

I love the Flintstones, they floor me. They are funnier to me now then when I was young. All the men wear dresses and I just accepted it, along with the idea that there was blue fur to make a tie.

Thank you for posting this. my dad loved this show.

Welcome to KICentral, I hope you have an awesome experience.

From my understanding the only updates will be in the preshow and queue and then once the new areas of the park go online they will take it down for a major update. The park cannot afford anymore attractions offline right now, which is why they are slow rolling this.

I got into the habit of thanking the guests for supporting us on the parks Facebook page every year since i started working at the park.

With the rate its going up, it feels like they'll be finishing really, really close to when it is supposed to open, especially considering how much track they still have left.

Wow! Nice progress today! I didn't watch the cams at all because generally construction crews have Sunday off, or at least, when building coasters, it seems that they always do. The time schedule for Fury 325 erection must be very strict.

Another Fury325 Update: (Via Carowind's webcams - https://www.carowinds.com/online-fun/webcams )

Hubby and I just drove by CSF again and saw two track pieces for Fury 325 on a truck. Didn't get any photos because I would have had to trespass in order to get any photos. He's driving so I was able to turn around and see the track pieces

Should be so blessed to have these additions: To a great Park already and a Park that beats out in the Universe the best Kids Park, that in many ways is beyond awesome.

So what's the point of this being a water slide again? To me, loops are only beneficiary when you can actually tell if you're upside down. Here, you're in this confined, claustraphobic rig going through an enclosed tube. It might as well be a roller coaster. Also, where does the water go? Does it just collect on the bottom of the loop? The upper half of the loop won't have water either. Overall, this just comes off as silly to me.

Am I reading it correctly that really the only changes are to the films in the preshow and end of the ride?

I feel like these new rides will give that area a more lively feel for sure. That area always seemed like the more barren side of Planet Snoopy. The attention Kings Island pays to the kids area is fantastic. It's something a lot of other parks take for granted. You always want to make the children happy, a memorable experience as a kid is going to make you want to come back when you're older!

After digging a little deeper, it doesn't look like this is going to be a body slide, it appears that riders will be secured in some sort of semi-enclosed raft-like contraptions with a restraint. That should at least eliminate concerns for hitting your head against the top if you go airborne inside the slide. I'm guessing (or hoping anyway) that riders being restrained in a ride vehicle means that it won't finish in a splash pool and will be more like the racing slides at Soak City, ending in a long section of slide meant to slow you to a stop.

Hello All ! I haven't been as much of late but I do want to say that the new improvements sound awesome. I will miss Nickelodeon Splat: Green Slime Zone, But I guess some of you weren't aware of the early days of Nickelodeon in the park. Or maybe you do. I had lots great memories.. on with the new. But I will admit I HATE Starbucks. YUCK!