CoastersRZ

The Racer is not a coaster classic because it had individual ratcheting restraints. Not to mention it received seat belts recently. However, I heard a while back that the status of an ACE coaster classic was changed to not include the seatbelt stipulation since it is a safety issue. The Beastie, I believe is a coaster classic because it still has the old buzz bars. As for the `Tiques, I have a feeling they may be coming back next seaon, possibly with new engines and definantly a new theme to fit in with the area in which they would be installed (Nick).

Well, I rode Son of Beast for the first time this year on Saturday. It was my 8th visit to the park, and I had ridden every other coaster in my previous trips to the park, except for Son of Beast. I decided it was time to ride it again this year to see if it was smoother than the last time I rode it last year. Unforunatly, I did not find it to be smoother this year. I rode in seat 1.2 and I was still shaken like a jack hammer hammering into concrete. This is one ride, that IMO, needs some serious TLC to make it a more enjoyable ride. I think it is by far the roughest ride in the park, a lot rougher than the original across the park. Now, I really enjoy the ride and the layout. But I just don`t want to ride on a ride that will give me a headache and not able to enjoy the rest of the park the remainder of the day. I find it amazing that I rode the Son 9 times in one day during the pawprint passholder ERT back in July of 2000 (all nine rides were within a 2.25 hour time frame too). I know PKI has spent a lot of money with trying to smooth out this ride and make it enjoyable. I think, as others before me have said, that part of the problem is the trains. They don`t track well through the ride, and shuffle a lot, resulting in the violent shaking. Hopefully, Son of Beast will become smoother and still hold its record and fame when it is 25 years old in 20 years like The Beast was last year. But I just don`t see it lasting that long without some major modifications of somesort. On a side note, I have heard rumors that Holiday World may be building a wooden coaster next year that will break The Beast`s record for longest wooden coaster. Say it ain`t so! Kudos to Holiday World if they do that because it will be one awesome ride!

It is my understanding that there will be another campground ready for next season. But, that can change depending on what PKI wants to do, and what they see as a wise investment.

Over at Motley Fool it states that Viacom will receive a 15% interest in the new lodge in exchange for the land that Great Wolfs will build the lodge on. So, will Viacom still own the land, or is the 15% the exchange (instead of cash) that Great Wolf is paying Viacom for the land?

I thought we had seen the last of that attraction that, IMO does not seem worth the money. On another note, it appears as if the laser tage in the old cinema building has closed this season, so maybe, just maybe, we will see another ride put on that plot of land there, which IMO, could really benefit from a large flat ride.

Yes, well said. In other words, PKI and Paramount Parks will now be a larger part of the company. Because of this, the success of the new company will rely more heavily on the success of the parks, which means more attention will be paid to them, to try and grow their revenues. Not to mention with less things to pay attention to, there will be more time for the executives at the new company to spend time (and money) on Paramount Parks. I only see this as a win win situation for PKI and Paramount Parks. Hopefully, some more capital dollars will be invested to try and grow the parks. But they will still get to use the Viacom licenses which over the past five years have become a vital part of the PKI as we know it today.

I too think it would be a cool concept, and it would be the second time that PKI has "saved" a classic ride and rethemed it to a Nick show and renovated it for future generations to enjoy. While it would not be the same Antique Cars setting, I still think it could end up being an enjoyable ride for people of all ages to ride. Only time will tell what in fact is the fate of the cars.

In response to your signature Scooby Doo. I have a feeling we are likely to see a variation of one of your choices at the park next year. Especially since the potential ride vehicles are already in the park, if you know where to look. Personally, I think it would be a great idea to bring this ride back into the park! Hopefully, in addition to the rumored Nick expansion/renovation, we will also get another flat ride (in Coney Mall!).

If they did a lock in, the logical place for the people to sleep in would be the Festhaus.

In the Drop Zone description it states "speeds over 61 mph." While technicaly not incorrect, the top speed on Drop Zone is listed on their website as 67 mph. They use the same terminology for The Vortex (speeds over 55 mph) but in that case, 55 mph is the top speed that they have listed.

I wouldn`t really count that as an error. However, when I was looking for the error, I did happen upon another error, also in the descriptions of the rides, and not involving the logos.

I don`t think it has ever been done at PKI, and for one reason. Money. Not to mention it would be hard to inspect the rides for the next day when they are running!

That is the one thing that was not mentioned in the article. I am glad to see that Paramount Parks (and Kings Island) will still own the land that the Lodge sits on. Hopefully, this will mean good things for PKI (and the return of winter fun at the park to keep those hotel rooms full!)

By getting rid of Hanna Barbera Land, they are refering to the retheming of the current HBL into a larger Nick Central, similar to what Carowinds did this season. While a couple rides might be lost in the conversion, its a safe bet that most of the rides will stay.

Well, first of all, Viacom may no longer be looking into selling the Paramount Parks, after the reorganization of the company into two seperate companies next year. Once that happens, Paramount Parks will be a strategic player in the slow growth company. Bonfante Gardens, as has been mentioned before is managed by Paramount Parks. Bonfante is also a not-for profit park. From all accounts I`ve heard, Paramount Parks has been a life saver to this park and has really turned it around. I doubt it will be changed to a Paramount Park unless PP purchases it. I do think PP will get a renewal to their management contract though. Paramount Parks also manage/operate Star Trek the Experience in Las Vegas and CBS Television City. They do not own Star Trek the Experience, they jointly own it with the Las Vegas Hilton and hence the reason why it is not included free with Paramount Parks season passes. Not sure if the new park being developed in China (or is it Japan) will be managed or partly owned by Paramount Parks.

I doubt they will add an Adams Family themed ride, because apparantly there was some sort of hold up with the licensing that prevented (or prevents) Paramount Parks from using that license.

First of all, I doubt PKI will remove the "baby" rides in Hanna Barbera Land. While they will be rethemed to Nick characters, I doubt it will be any different than when they renamed several of the rides in Hanna Barbera Land back in 1998. What I think will happen is the Nickelodeon Theater will be lost to make room for a couple of new kiddie rides. Prinicipally, I think the Antique Cars will return in some form, themed to Nickelodeon. There may be a couple of other themed childrens rides placed back by the Slime Maze also, which I think will not be around much longer. We could also see another flat ride installed in the park somewhere in Coney Mall. I just hope that whatever the park installs, it increases the overall capacity of the park (ie a new ride not at the cost of an existing attraction(s).)

I just got back from the park, and I rode it ten times today, plus once on Friday. I really really like this ride! And from what I`ve heard, the gp really enjoys it too! I have a feeling that queue will be full most days in the summer. I also would not be surprised to see IJST open up at the other three Paramount Parks in the coming seasons.

I only got one ride on it around 6:15. Had I known they were still giving out the reservation tickets until 7:30, I would have gotten another one (or had I known they opened it up to anyone who wanted to ride it at 8:30, I would have rode it again. Does anyone know if they will only let the first 2,000 pass holders ride it tomorrow and Sunday for the technical rehearsals like they did today? Or will they let the gp, or pass holders that don`t get to the park right away ride it and use the first 2,000 pass holders who get the Speed lane you the fast pass lane, while the gp and other pass holders use the (Disney term) stand by lane?

Yes, I rode it tonight too. I thought it was an incredibly fun ride. I`m sure it will be a hit with guests! Yes, I did not notice any rumbling effects tonight. The tunnel was completly dark except for right before the blast through the sign, which means the tunnel is completly disorienting! Jeff Siebert was by the ride all night. Despite the weather forecasts, the weather was pretty nice, with only two brief showers, one around 5:30 and one around 9:15. The crowds were non existant! II got 25 rides in during the time I was there. I just wish I could have ridden IJST again, having only gotten one Speed land ticket, I could only ride once since that is the way they did the technical rehearsal. And, they will try and fill the trains to capacity because tonight they were placing groups of three, single riders and and odd pairings together to maximize capacity. One problem was that they haven`t identified the six lanes yet (you will be given a number for your row in which you will sit) so there was a worker identifying the rows (1 is the front of course and 6 is the back). All in all I had a blast riding it, and I got off wanting to ride it again! I sense another hit at both PKI and PCW!

The reason that PKI would close, or not even open tomorrow, is because it is not supposed to be a quick, half an hour and its done storm. Instead, it is supposed to rain pretty much all Friday evening and night. Also, since the park is only open for Gold Pass holders, there probably will not be a lot of people there, which means not a lot of people buying food, pplaying games and buying merchandise. That means the park will be losing money by staying open. While it would be nice to say that is not how things are, PKI is a business, and they are aware of their bottom line. Besides, wouldn`t we rather see them close early on a bad weather day, save money and be able to invest it in future additions and expansions?

The questions are: A. Will they even open the park? and B. Will they even bother opening IJST in such lousy weather tomorrow?

Well intense or not, it certainly looks cool, and in a way odd!. It seems as if the turning radius isn`t small enough to require a 90 bank. Only time will tell. I hope for Gravity Group`s sake it is a big success.

Are you sure this is a new survey? I seem to remember doing a similar survey a couple months ago. Also, it states in the upper right corner "Guest Initiative 2004." However, notice how it asked about a Winterfest/Winter celebration! That might just become a reality at PKI this year.

While capacity does suck, I find Face Off to be a very intense, fun ride. If only it had a higher capacity, I would be able to enjoy it more. You have to remember though, that when they added Face Off they also added Drop Zone, so they added some capacity to the park capacity that season because they didn`t remove any rides.