presto123

Sounds like you prefer gigas to inverts as well.

Does anybody thin that with the 24 million investment, KI would have been better served building a giga highlighting a new entrance to the park (which is sorely needed). That's what I wanted them to do, but I can't put down Banshee because I've never been on it. I do prefer high gigas with airtime to rides that do multi inversions though.

I wish it was though. That launch at Dollywood looks incredible. They were having problems keeping the coaster open. Haven't checked lately to see if they got the bugs worked out.

Lightning Rod looks incredible, but I say no way is this a launch coaster.

Seems weird being a newbie. I'm probably a member of at least a dozen message boards with posts on a lot of them of 5,000 plus. I'm not a post whore, just been a member for a long time on those boards. Interpreter.....I don't think I've ever seen someone with 60,000 posts who doesn't have an avatar pic

The wood could be for the station or staging area too. Doesn't tell us it's definitely a wood coaster yet. On second thought, they probably do those areas last though, I would think. Maybe you can tell I'm not a coaster construction nerd like some are. LOL!

Fair enough. I did just join the forum yesterday. haha! What did everybody on here say as far as KI needing a transition type coaster? I mean this thread is 233 pages long!

Let me guess. Your avatar has something to do with those free tickets:)

I'm not late to the party. I was just pointing out a guy with an engineering background that predicted steel structure since Interpreter brought up steel. Didn't know if everybody had seen that video. Those guys were kind of arguing with me that KI needs a transition coaster. I disagreed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXIfOJ1Dg6w One of these guys has an engineering background and in this vid they breakdown the original leaked blueprints. This guy did predict steel structure because of the lack of lateral supports. They also predicted a relatively small to medium size coaster that is low to the ground. I hope the second part isn't true. I don't think KI needs another "transition" type coaster. A bridge between small and large. At any rate it will be neat regardless going through the woods. Love that part.

Just a lumber delivery guy taking a quick coaster ride on his lunch break. Nothing to see here.....

What is your fav invert?

I haven't been to KI since before they added Banshee, so all of you that are veterans give me the rundown of your experience. How does it rate among the KI rides and how does it compare to other park's rides? What was your first ride like? Is it a top 10 like coaster? Has it slipped with you after all the initial excitement wore off? Any info appreciated:) I hope to make it to KI soon to experience this and hopefully the new coaster...

I think lumber is the correct term:) haha Do people go to the lumber yard and say "yeah....I need some wood"..... On the other hand, I've never heard the term lumber coaster either...

Sorry for the double post.... At the Banshee announcement they should a virtual ride of Banshee and also sold the new Banshee gear directly afterward So I assume they also give the specs as far as height, length, and speed?

So exactly how much do they reveal when they make a coaster announcement?

Looking at another perspective, look at the daily flights leaving Cincinnati (OK I know it is in Northern Kentucky. Actually it is in Boone County and is run by the Kenton County Airport Board which has a Cincinnati address lol) and compare it to the flights at Charlotte. You are hard pressed in Cincinnati to see anymore at night 8-11 planes lining up in the skies making their final descent into the airport (lucky to see 2 now), yet watching the skies at Carowinds reminds me of what it used to look like here. From 1997 to 2005, Cincinnati averaged over 20 million passengers yearly. We are now down to about 6 million passengers per year. During that same time period, Charlotte also averaged over 20 million passengers yearly. Yet today, they have averaged over 44 million passengers per year for the past several years compared to our measly 6 million. You invest where the people are. Many companies have relocated from Cincinnati to Charlotte, or expanded to Charlotte. Chiquita was one that relocated (although they have since left), while Cincinnati Insurance Company and Cardinal Solutions have opened up offices there, as has TQL. The weather is "better" there and the park can stay open more days. Countless other reasons I am sure can be added. While I would love to see KI get the investments, it truly is a smart decision to expand Carowinds and make that the CP of the south. Let's just hope they don't forget about giving KI some love. Almost every theme park ranking list I've seen has KI above Carowinds. Carowinds still has a way to go to elevate above KI.

Believe me, I hope that's not the case. Some idiot on youtube kept arguing with me that it was so I didn't know what to believe.

Well, it can't be height right? I've heard from quite a few people that KI has a height restriction on rides. Is it like 360 ft. or something?

So, what is the purpose of the retaining wall? Only for safety reasons? To keep guests from seeing everything? A permanent wall that will remain up after the ride is finished? Other?

Exactly. You can't reason with someone on the verge of panic though:)

I got my brother who sometimes suffers from panic attacks on Diamondback and the whole time up the first hill he was talking about how small the restraint was and how he didn't know if his restraint came down far enough before locking or if it was locked at all.(there was a little play in it) I tried to reassure him that these restraints are fine and never come open, but he was white as a ghost when he got off that ride. LOL! He was definitely uncomfortable with the restraint system. I thought the seats were the most comfortable I've ever experienced.

Thanks so much. I've been really enjoying reading this thread in particular. The Beast is one of my fav rides, so another coaster through the woods is something to get excited about! Great topic.

They all talk in the same reflections and same annoying tone. Nobody talks like that in real life. Do they actually "train" (pun intended) these people to talk like that? I think they have been talking like that since the 70's.