CoastersRZ

Yes, take Interpreter`s advice. The ride itself isn`t that bad, but that first drop can pack quite a punch. And the braking can be rather abrupt too. The ride also has a very conservative block system. If the train isn`t advanced from the unload area of the station to the load area by the time the other train crosses immediately over the station roof, the ride will set up the blocks, with the other train getting stuck right above the station. The only way for the ride to get unstuck is to have either maintenance or a rides manager come out with a key and unlock the air brake release valve for that brake. That actually happened tonight, when a guest was slow to disembark the train in the unload area. I actually am the opening rides manager tomorrow, and maybe working all day.

Sadly, I have never been to SFGamerica. In fact, the one Six Flags park I have been to (when it was actually a Six Flags park, I went to Kentucky Kingdom the year Chang opened, prior to it becoming a Six Flags park), is World of Adventure, aka Geauga Lake, which is of course no longer an amusement park. One of these days, I hope to experience SFGAm. But time and funds are limited at the moment. (Saving for a house requires a lot of money). One of these years I hope to get to a Six Flags park. Although, I`m not certain that park would be the top on my list. SFoG or SFGAdv would likely be my bets to visit first.

Nice trip report. Glad to hear you had a fun time. I love going to Cedar Point. It is just a fun park, and has so much to do. That park seems so much bigger than Kings Island, in part because it is more elongated than Kings Island.

Wow! All I can say is WOW! That was REALLY impressive. I especially liked the "rock tilting" effect that the lights had on the mountain at about 4:45 into that video. A really nice show, and rather unique. Seems like something Disney would do, to be honest. Now if only I could make it up to Canada`s Wonderland sometime this year. Unfortunately, I don`t think I`ll have the time (or money) to make it up there this season. Not to mention I do not have a passport... The same technology likely wouldn`t work quite as well on the Eiffel Tower at Kings Island, simply because of the fact that the Eiffel Tower isn`t a full canvas, since it is a lattice work of steel beams and girders. I am happy that Kings Island is now lighting the front side of the Eiffel Tower again this season. I was disappointed when only the back side was lit last year. It just wasn`t the same with the front side dark last season. Especially with the amount of people that view the nightly fireworks from right inside the front gate area.

And don`t forget that those scooters originated at another Island! Diamondback and Intimidator at Carorwinds are slightly different beasts. I like Diamondback a little bit better, in part because it has a better setting than Intimidator, which skirts Carowinds` parking lot. I absolutely adore Afterburn. It is one awesome invert from B&M and among my favorite inverts I`ve been on (out of Raptor, Afterburn, Dragon Challenge, and Montu). Carowinds is definitely a nice little park. Depending on the crowds, you should be able to get most of the rides in during a seven hour visit.

Yes, while it is sketchy, people obviously fell for it. It seems like this sort of story comes up a couple times a year at various amusement parks.

When are you going to be at Coney? Keep in mind that July 3rd is THE busiest day of the season at Coney! That being said, there are lots of fun and unique activities going on at Coney that day, from live music to hot air balloons to Rozzi`s Famous Fireworks over Lake Como. If you plan on attending, get there early. Crows usually aren`t that bad early in the day, and parking goes up to $10 (from $7) at 2pm in the afternoon!

Not to mention they use polyurethane wheels, like steel coasters. The similarities are too similar to steel coasters to deny. The same thing can be said for the new Texas Giant. Man, its been a while since I`ve posted on here. I`ve been a little busy working two jobs and nearly 65 hours a week the last month or so!

And who says they must fix it before adding a new coaster?

I haven`t heard anything estimated opening date for Bumper Boats yet. They are still working on making some modifications to where the ramps for the dock attach to the shoreline.

It was a fun time yesterday. Things got a little busy in the afternoon and evening. I didn't ever figure out exactly what was in the time capsule. The memorabilia display was really cool, although I didn't check it out that much. I will say they had security positioned at it all day. The fireworks were short, buy awesome, as Rozzis always are. I got a nice view of them from the Bumper boat dock (which is still closed btw), just another perk of being a manager. The weather today forces Coney to close at 5 instead of 9!

Excited to see Graveyard shift come back. Although it will be interesting to see how the change of venue from the Kings Island Theater to the Festhaus will affect the show. I`m kind of glad Hot Blooded is back for a third season. I think the show is great, and I still like that water effect!

Well, I have witnessed a long back up at the south gates this year. I went on a Friday evening back in early May. I arrived around 5:15 and proceeded to be greeted by a long back up. The reason? They had only two people stationed out there, and one of them was having computer issues and thus could not scan passes. I understand about having computer issues, but only having two people out there to begin with was a little unreasonable.

News article posted on the 125th celebrations: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110616/NEWS01/106170316/Coney-hosts-125th-birthday-party?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE Additionally, Sunlite Pool will remain open until 9pm this Saturday! Additionally, admission after 4pm is just $5.95 per person for rides or Sunlite Pool. A combo ticket will be $9.95 after 4pm. Not a bad deal, considering the longer hours the park is open, and the festivities. In addition to free birthday cake (while supplies last) there will be free hot dogs from John Morrell from 4-7pm near Lakeside Pavilion, and free chicken sandwichs from Chik Fil A from 4:30 to 6:30 near Lakeside Pavilion. So what better way to spend a Saturday? And in case you were wondering what the oldest amusement parks in the country are, here they are: Lake Compounce, Bristol, Conn., 1846 Dorney Park, Allentown, Pa., 1860 Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, 1870 Idlewild Park, Ligonier, Pa., 1878 Seabreeze Amusement Park, Rochester, N.Y., 1879 Coney Island, Cincinnati, 1886 I`ll be working the middle shift as rides manager on Saturday, but plan to see the memoribilia display and catch the fireworks on Saturday. Hope to see some of you there.

I wouldn`t count on seeing the Eiffel Tower repainted. It was just painted back in 2005. (Although, since I`ve been at Coney, the helicopters have now been painted three times since I`ve been there (three times in ten years), while my favorite ride to run, the Eli Bridge Ferris Wheel has not been painted once...)

I certainly can`t wait to take this ride for a spin at Kings Island! Especially at night! I`m really excited to ride it. Hopefully it opens within the next two days. (My Saturday is busy with working down at Coney and checking out their 125th anniversary festivities in the evening).

Yes. Originally, KECO owned KI, but when Lindner acquired KECO, he kept KECO around to manage KI. The last season, he announced that he would be selling KECO, and not KI, and that KI would no longer be managed by KECO. But then of course Paramount bought the parks including KI. Had CBS lasted longer owning the Paramount Parks, they could have given Lindner`s care of the park (or lack thereof) a run for its money.

Its not just PTC trains that are like that. The trains like Diamondback are called articulated. Essentially, two cars share the same wheel assembly (like in the Diamondback illustration). The wheel assembly acts as the front wheels for one car, while simultaneously serving as the back wheels for another car. This necessitates a lead "zero" car either in front of the train or the back of the train. Flight of Fear and Backlot are not set up like this (neither is Adventure Express). There, each car has a front and back set of wheels. Millenium Flyers, Timberliners most Vekoma, B&M and Intamin creations all have the "zero" cars.

Per request, here is the link: http://www.cedarfair.com/ir/press_releases/index.cfm?current_root=15&mode=story&story_id=308

I`m not sure how I would feel if Coney were to be owned by the owners of RD. Remember, originally, the race track was developed by Coney`s owners. But problems amid gambling issues forced the owners to quietly separate themselves from the track. As it is now, Coney is owned by a single owner, the wife of the late Ronald Walker. The Walker`s have owned Coney since 1991, so for twenty years, which is quite a long time.

I`d say do not expect it to open this weekend. That just seems a little unlikely to me, but stranger things have happened.

A new feature has been added to Coney Island Central, detailing the 125th anniversary of Coney Island. Check it out here: http://www.coneyislandcentral.com/125_anniversary.php Additionally, scores of new historical photos (more than 50!) have been added to the historical galleries on Coney Island Central. Check them out here: http://www.coneyislandcentral.com/photo/index.php?cat=35 And finally, the official 125th anniversary celebration at Coney will occur one week from this Saturday, on June 18th. Some highlights planned for that day include: -After 4pm Super special pricing: Sunlite Pool $5.95 per person, classic rides $5.95 per person, or Pool and Rides Combo ticket of $9.95 per person! -Q102 will be live from 6-9pm, and will be giving away hundreds of birthday prizes. -$1.25 concessions specials all day long -Free Hot Dogs from John Morrell from 4-7pm near Lakeside Pavilion -Complimentary birthday cake, while supplies last. -Historical Memoribilia display inside Lakeside pavilion, including the Centennial Time Capsule items -Coney`s rides will stay open until 10pm, and Sunlite Pool will stay open until 9pm (the pool area will remain open for fireworks viewing). -At 10pm, Rozzi`s Famous Fireworks will celebrate the event with a spectacular fireworks display over the banks of Lake Como. Enjoy the updates, and I might see some of you on the 18th if you can make it out. I don`t know if I will be a manager that evening or not yet. I kind of hope I`m not... I`d like to see the historical stuff in Moonlite Pavilion.

I know that when I came into work on Sunday afternoon, there was quite the crowd in the gate one lot. (I had to park pretty far out). The rides were open until 8pm (the ones that weren`t closed for Summerfair), so I actually didn`t end up leaving until close to 9pm. I will definitely be working late shift on July 3rd. That is one of Coney`s biggest days of the season!

There are reasons behind why it is closed. But you won`t catch me talking about those reasons. So how did you enjoy the park? What was your overall impression?

I`m just kind of surprised that his resignation is effective so soon. Ie, in about two weeks!