Shaggy

Interpreter knows the secret at CP! Chuck Wagon, is by far, the best place to eat at CP. It's tucked away at the very back of the park and if you time it right, you can eat in a virtually empty place that's nice and quiet and clean. Try to be there before noon or after dinner hour. I too have suffered through a meal or two at CP's Midway Market. "Yuck" doesn't describe the half of it. However, I can sum up my personal negativity toward most buffets with one word. "Aaaachooo!" Well, I suppose that's a word... ;-)

You know, I think age may play a role in tolerance of it. That's not a criticism, rather an observation. I recall waiting hours to ride Big Bad Wolf, White Water Canyon, Anaconda, and Vortex etc etc etc all when they opened. I was a teen then... but now, I just don't have that sort of drive. Sheesh, years ago, when OL:FOF opened, I was (if I have done the math right) 24 and I readily waited in line for 3 hours the day it opened. It was single train operation and kept going down numerous times. I recall when I entered line it snaked all the way down to Flight Commander. There were temporary queues set up in the plaza in front of Hanger 18 and once I entered the building I thought I was home free. Imagine my surprise when I entered and saw that endless warehouse of zig-zags. It was awful. Yet, I persisted and eventually rode that day. Now that I am pushing 36, I doubt you'd catch me waiting that long for any coaster. I just don't have that kind of tolerance I guess. I attribute a lot of that impatience to frustrations over temperamental new coasters... specifically FOF, TTD, and SOB. Shaggy

"Firehawk may open late with limited capacity" Par for the course at KI. I love the park, but MY GOD every single new attraction seemingly has this type of issue at first. Some of it's understandable... anything new has to be broken in. However you name it at KI and it's had major opening issues... FOF, TR, SOB, IJST, Drop Zone, Face/Off etc etc etc. What amazes me is that CP can completely rip out an entire element on Maverick, replace it, and still manage to open the BRAND NEW coaster within a weeks time with 4 trains running. Yet KI is struggling to maintain single train operation on a pre-operational coaster. Quite honestly, I fault brands and not the park. I think that KI has continually gone sub-par with their ride manufacturer choices. Premier, Vekoma are not companies I'd personally seek out for quality attractions. However, I also agree that parks really should not open an attraction until kinks are worked out. It's far less frustrating to attend a park knowing a new attraction has not yet opened to the public, than it is to arrive at the park only to find out it's operating sporadically. Shaggy

Re: Year round haunted house... You know, haunted houses always scare me... and not in the way you may think... Many years ago, several people died in a permanent haunted house attraction at Great Adventure. It was terribly gruesome and horribly sad. Also, fires are not uncommon in stand-alone haunted attractions. I can think of a handful of news stories right off the top of my head where people were trapped by fire in haunted attractions. I've never been a fan, mostly because haunted houses are too predictable (oh here' comes a dark corner... wonder what's going to happen?) But the older I get, the more concerned I get about putting myself in a fire trap. (Hint... cargo netting, fenced in corridors, dangling muslin, smoke machines and hot light bulbs are a lethal combination.) I always wonder about the insurance concerns a haunted house attraction raises. Shaggy

Cedar Fair is big on theme music in the station of it's coasters (MForce, Xcelerator (sp?), TTD) as well as nighttime theatrical lighting. I would suspect that's the extent of what we'll see on Firehawk. I doubt we'll see elaborate theming, fog or special effects. Shaggy

Here's a link to a pic of Firehawk in it's previous location. http://rcdb.com/ig920.htm?picture=9 The pic shows the former dual loading station from afar. One could assume that the new station at KI will be a duplicate, or similar. BTW, it's actually pretty cool to see the track flip. Here's another link to a pic of what's left of the X-Flight (soon to be Firehawk) dual loading station. http://www.geaugalaketoday.com/XF_Removal_3-7-07_6.htm

Try the grey stuff, it's delicious! Don't believe me? Ask the dishes. They can sing, they can dance After all Miss, this is France And a dinner here is never second best!

Ick! Lock the freak up and throw away the key!

"I wonder if maureen really rode x-flight before. Or maybe just borg?" Maureen has definitely ridden X-Flight. How do I know? I was present during her 1st ride on the coaster. Actually, Jeff Seibert, Maureen, two Martketing interns and myself spent the day at GL 2 years ago. I have to say, that day was an absolute blast... and Maureen's reaction to the initial "flip" on X-Flight was priceless ;-)

Bravo Tomb Raider Nick! Dead on. Hit the nail right on the head. Kudos! Bottom line... it's gone... it aint coming back... it was junk falling apart when closed... it's a memory... move on. SDATHC is currently making new memories for tons of little ones just like Enchanted Voyage/Land of the Dooz etc. did for me as a kid. Let them enjoy it. I am personally happy to see a line for this attraction, PT NEVER had one. All too often little ones were terrified and had to be calmed by parents when entering Phantom Theatre. I have never been a proponent of scaring a child away from rides. Oh and someone mentioned something to the effect of Enchanted Voyage, Smurfs, Gulliver, Winnie Witches Cauldrons etc being on par with Disney. Well, I am sure Uncle Walt just sommersaulted in his grave (or at least his head spun around in the jar) Nothing... and I mean NOTHING at KI has ever been on par with Disney. KI is my favorite park... however it's ride quality is that of a seasonal park. Disney rides have always been backed by an immense floodgate of studio money so they are built to reflect that. Shaggy

Now see, my vote would go to Mean Streak, TTD or Iron Dragon for worst. ;-) Shaggy

The most intense part is the first time it flips, and the force exerted on your chest at the bottom of the first drop. The restraint system is uncomfortably tight. Your first time on, it will feel like you are dangling by your ankles. But heck, my attitude is, if your on it, you might as well stick your arms out and fly like Superman. If the restraint fails, your a dead duck no matter if you are holding on or not. Ha ha! Shaggy

It wasn't. Actually under Paramount KI was slated to no have a new install of ANY sort in 2007. I learned that direct from the park itself. Actually, it would have likely LOST a ride. I was told that KD's FOF was closed and removal to Carowinds had already been planned. When Viacom decided to sell the parks, the plan was put on hold. KI's FOF was slated to close after 2007 and be relocated to Wonderland. Shaggy

"refurbishing every year, doesn't get any better..... whoa.... are you talking about the wood coaster at Gauega (or however it's spelled)? 'cause I could have sworn you were spekaing of SOB. " Ge-au-ga. I am definitely talking about Raging Wolf Bobs at GL. I have ridden it several times over the years and have not seen any major improvement. I was not a fan of the ride to begin with, nor have I become a "changed man" as many others proclaim to be. I am glad others find the "improvements" worthwhile, or think that it's a great coaster now. I don't. The layout has never been a thrilling one, and IMO the switch from PTCs to Gerstlaurs is not inspired. I mean Gerstlauer trains are HORRENDOUS. Speaking of which, there's a bad rumor floating around that CF is looking at placing Gerst trains on Sonny. God help us all if that's the case. Bottom line, a bomb should have been dropped on Sonny about 2 years ago. Shaggy

Hmmmmm... painting it before they assemble it and in the dead, freezing cold of winter. Can you say touch ups? Oh, and does anyone remember what the "touch ups" looked like on Face/Off when the sun "chalked" the paint after it's first year? It resulted in a Dalmation effect. You know what baffles me? How come parks and ride manufacturers don't use Auto paint? Call me naive, but I've never seen a car's paint fade as fast as coasters seem to. Shaggy

"In addition, the Raging Wolf Bobs coaster has been completely refurbished" My God how many times are they going to re-do that coaster? It's been "refurbished" about 10 times over the years... and never gotten any better. Shaggy

Those poor, unfortunate construction guys. It is bitterly cold! Shaggy

"It has been how many years since KI has built on previously undeveloped land?" Not that many. Boomerang Bay used undeveloped land to the left of the wave pool. Here's a Post article that sheds a bit more light as well as has a construction pic. Kudos to Connie, you can always count on her to be the first to get info out there. (She loves KI.) http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...02050372/-1/all

Too bad we cannot call WCPO and tell them to move their webcam about 2 inches to the right. ;-) It would be the perfect shot! http://www.wcpo.com/webcams/pki/

Not sure if this is proper board posting etiquette, however it’s worth a shot. I have been downsizing in life quite a bit of late, and as a part of that have decided to part with quite a chunk of my coaster and amusement park related paraphernalia that I have acquired over the years. I threw the items up on Ebay since I figured many coaster fans may enjoy having them. There are many things up for auction right now that may be of interest to folks here. There are rare PKI, Cedar Point, Six Flags, etc etc etc pieces that may be welcome additions to collections. There’s also a TON of really unique and rare Son of Beast items that I bet many of you have not seen before. I posted this on this board not to necessarily seek a profit, but I'd rather they go to the homes of friends and fellow enthusiasts that may enjoy them as much as I did. Here’s direct links in case you are interested. Also, my Ebay seller name is Shagscooby and you can find them all listed by that. Thanks! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1 Shaggy

On the flip side, it's bad from a PR standpoint. Would the park really want to showcase the fact that many, many, many rides have been removed? Shaggy

Vortex DOES lose wheels from time to time. Well, actually, it loses it's "tires." The wheels are coated with a rubberized polyurethane that over time wears and can strip off much like a blown tire on the road. When I worked at PKI years ago, and was on Beast crew, we would occasionally hear one blow or hear the sound of a running train that had a blown wheel. When we heard it, we'd simply call The Vortex station and they'd cycle off the train for maintenance. Shaggy

Do you honestly think that Michigan's Adventure can support a coaster as complex as X-Flight? I cannot see this at all. Michigan's Adventure does not have an abundance of steel coasters, especially ones as technically complex as X-Flight. KI on the other hand, has a staff that is very well versed, and very well trained on highly complex and computer driven coasters. Heck a few of them even helped oversee the installs of Stealth (and then later... Borg.) IMO installing X-Flight at MA would be on par with installing it at a park such as Knoebles, or Holiday World. It's leaving GL because it was too much for too little of a park. Placing it at MA woudl create the same issue all over again IMO. Now, I may eat crow on this... but my money is KI. Shaggy

Captain Nemo said: "I love all of these tiny clues. As you can see it seems we are going into a Cedar Fair way of hinting new rides.' Well, that's not a new "Cedar Fair" touch. KI has "hinted" at new attractions for ages. Are we forgetting the likes of: "Dropping in Next Season" (Drop Zone) "Getting ready for a New Adventure" (Wild Thornberries) "Discover New Thrills at PKI" (Tomb Raider) and "Pardon us as we stir up dust." (Delirium) just to name a few ;-) It's pretty obvious that X-Flight is headed to KI. It will be a good fit. And they'll get it open in 2007. We need only look at the turnaround time it took for Borg to be installed at PCow. Ground prep is the hard part... well that and the electrical portion. They had Stealth moved across country, painted installed and opened in 6 months time. My guess would be that the park's target is to open the coaster in time for full season hours. KI has never really been "on time" with past installs either. This will be no different. I do think that they probably have a goal of opening the ride also in time for the ACE Coaster Con. That way they will no doubt use it to spur media attention. (i.e. "Hundreds of members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts converged on King's Island today to try out their latest scream machine. Details at 11") Shaggy

Sonny cannot run "off the shelf" trains. Stadard wooden coaster trains... no matter M Flyers or PTCs, would have to be custom built. The reason is, the gage for SOB's trains is wider than typical wooden coasters. I would suspect, that if they have yet to contract new trains from a manufacturer, then SOB will not open with the park in the spring. The loop removal is nothing but a side effect of having to change trains. The trains (along with the overly intense rose-bowl) have always been the main issue with the coaster. From a ride quality and enjoyment standpoint, the wisest thing would be removal of the rosebowl and replacement with an out and back jaunt. But this step is just another "fix" to the ride, that will not produce a more enjoyable experience at all. SOB has, as predicted, suffered the same exact fate as it's predecessor... The Rattler... at Fiesta Texas. It was built prior to SOB (by the same company) and suffered the same exact fate. The Rattler still exists, but is one of the least noted and least enjoyed wooden coasters today. SOB will follow suit. Well, correction... it will live on in legend. SOB will go down in history as yet another "Bat." Which people will be talking about 30 years from now. Mark my words... the tide will turn and people will begin to recall "fondly" their rides on SOB "back in the day." Shaggy