CoastersRZ

Well, it is nice to see the ride at Carowinds. At least a whole new set of people can enjoy them at their new home! Unlike the Antique Cars, RIP. Italian Job will create new memories for Kings Island visitors now! And from the pictures I`ve seen, IJST looks like it will be one fun ride!

I wonder if PKI and the other Paramount Parks will introduce the same general no smoking in the park rule that PKD is implementing this year.

It is usually weekdays, up to two weeks from when the park opens during the hours of 11-6, or something similar. Opening day is April 9th, so they should have the last week of Marh and the first week in April for pass processing. Check their website if they update it with the 2005 information and it will probably have the exact dates and times for pass processing.

As far as water fountains in Coney Mall, there used to be two (sort of). There was one located right outside the entrance to Coney Mall by the Ocktoberfest Gardens. It was removed and replaced with a potted plant for several seasons before the trees and benched by it were removed for the transformation to Bubba Gump`s Shrimp Shack. The other fountain used to be in the circle grove of Ginko trees by the Zephyer. This was the later of the two to disappear. In fact, the metal railing is still there, they just plopped a large planter on top to where the fountains used to be. (You can still see some of the pipes/ cutouts in the brick pavers.) The water tower in the Action Zone only shot out water when they did stunt shows on and around it. They have not done stunt shows since the year Action Zone was introduced, and I don`t even recall if they lasted the entire season. I seem to recall the park pulled the plug on the use of the fake guns because of the then recent rash of school shootings. I believe the show didn`t last long after that, not to mention it caused a huge bottlneck in the center of the Action Zone whenever a show was going on.

Indiana Jones was directed by George Lucas. As such, you may know that there is also Star Wars down at Disney World. He essentially has the rights to the movie properties and allowed Disney access to theme. Hence the reason there is no Indiana Jones themed ride at PKI or any of the other Paramount Parks.

The picnic groves are used for company picnics. I have been back there because that is where they had a stop for the Pumpkin Patch Express during FearFest 2003. They had all sorts of activities there. Also, for Nights of Fire, the park has in the past couple of years used the grove as the location for the season pass holder cook out. And as was mentioned above, druing the off season, the covered shelters provide protection for various coaster trains while they are not in the shop being rehabbed. Adventure Express, Vortex, Top Gun, Runaway Reptar, monster tubs and the former Eagles tubs used to be kept there in the winter.

Umm, I was expecting to see pictures or discussion of the tour at the link you provided, but all there is is a poorly written post. There are no links to pictures or the construction tour from that thread.

As has been said before, the thing that takes the longest is all the ground and prep work. Once things go vertical, the progress appears to move at a faster rate. I find it interesting the differences in the contruction of the one at PKI, where they are already painting the finished parking garage structure, but don`t have the center column supposrt for the track up yet. But at Wonderland, they have the central cupports for the track up in the garage area, but have not even begun to cover the parking garage steel with its veneer. Weather and scheduling on each site is probably the main reason.

As said before, PKI has an inverted coaster in the form of Face Off. Why would PKI scrap Top Gun, one of the best suspended coasters built by Arrow and still popular among guests? I really don`t see PKI adding a full circuit inverted coaster anytime in the near future.

I too thought at first PCW was being refered to, then I realised it was Cedar Point since they always have webcams following the construction of their rides. Technically, PCW is up north too.

I just hope they don`t ruin that nice shady path between where the Eagles used to be and where the restroom is. That path is always nice and shaded in the summer.

I too enjoyed the Eagles. But, things must change. I just wish they would have relocated them elsewhere in the park, like the former Flight Commander spot, rather than moving them down to Carowinds.

Nice picture Gabriel. Did you get to go up in the plane today or was there still no gas? The splash down area and entrance is going back by where the Eagles were correct?

In general, when I was at DisneyWorld this past summer, their fastpass system is very effective. The lines do not seem to be affected too much at the merge point of the fastpass and regular lines. I found Fastpass very useful for certain rides, or when you grab one, and say for example are eating diner or lunch. That there is the true reason in which parks install fastpass systems. Less time in line, more time on the midways to spend money. The only ride at Disney which seemed to cater to the fast pass line was Test Track at Epcot. It had an advertised wait time of 35 minutes. But I ended up waiting for more than an hour and a half because of all the fast pass tickets they had given out.

Well, it was the Octoberfest Gardens pond, and it happened back on a Sunday in June of 1991, the same say as the death on Flight Commander. The cause was an improperly grounded aerator pump.

Also, Kings Island`s Tasmanian Typhoon is the only Proslide Tornado slide currently in the Paramount chain. Canada`s Wonderland does not have one like TT at Kings Island, they do have a similar style funnel ride, but it put the funnel on its side, more like a toilet, for lack of a better example.

I know PKI has won the award for several years now. Who held the award before PKI did? or was it created and PKI won the inagural award for best Children`s Area. PKI`s kid area is nicer than PC, even with the addition to Carowinds version. I believe that Nick Central at PKI will receive an expansion/renovation in 2006 or 2007.

They used to use that theater a lot, but the last couple of years it has just been used for a large meet and great stage. The Slime Zone, while popular is out of place, since it require swimsuits and it is not located in Boomerang Bay. However, it does not take up a lot of space. Now if they removed the Slime Zone, and the theater and possibly Scooby`s Ghoster Coaster (I personally think this ride will not be around much longer based on its very limited capacity.) there would be a considerable amount of room for an expansion, but still not a ton of room for expansion, because of the picnic groves behind the theater.

Actually, the removals of the rides with the exception of Kenton`s Cove Keelboat canal, were not influenced by (as you say ratings) popularity. In the case of King Cobra, and possibly the Tiques, rising maintenance costs and issues led to their demise. The removal of the Eagles was not a PKI decision but a corporate decision.

They can slow the ride down so that it is physically impossible to snap the cables.

In all honesty, I think the park has been making many improvements over the past couple of years when it comes to cleanliness. Also, they have been spending money on more painting of lots of the buildings and rides in the past couple of seasons. But, they still have a long way to improve, to get to the level of Holiday World or Disney.

I`ve heard early to Mid-May is the slated time for the Grand Opening, although they may have a couple soft openings earlier for a couple of hours to get guest feedback and finetune the theming and sound effects. I believe the ride should be ready to go by the time the park begins daily operation around May 20.

The one thing that bugs me is QTV. When the park first introduced it, it was fine. But now the programs on it, IMO, has gone down. That and the fact that they now have commercials for bankfs, and car dealerships is disappointing. The whole point of the system was to make waiting in line more enjoyable. I don`t want to be watching commercials on it! Yes, PKI has done a good job with theming their queue lines, or at least making the majority of them be under shade, out of view from the horrendously hot summer sun. It will be interesting to see what they do with IJST`s line.

My guess is that it was the recently planted mulch in some of the landscaping beds around Delirium. Usually much (especially the dark brown/black varieties) usually has a strong odor when it is first put down.

Yes, PKI is pretty clean, when compared to the other Paramount Parks I`ve been to. Although when compared to Cedar Point, or the Disney Parks PKI pales in comparison. PKI could use some work with their bathrooms though!