johnjniehaus

Yes. I've asked ops for lights on for the last ride and they sometimes do it and sometimes don't. Actually the winterfest ops did it twice for me. During the normal season my experience is they say no or just ignore you. Yes I was able to go in during the ACE Spring Conference last year. Actually if you get a lights on ride, you can see some of the marked supports while you are stopped on the mid course break run. I believe they are on the left side of the train.

Marineland needs so much work it's just insane. However if someone was going to actually invest in that park selling some of that expensive unused property is a good move. Marineland as it is now is one of the WORST parks I've ever been to with the exception of dragon Mountain and it's dedicated crew - they are too good for that park. I would hate to lose dragon Mountain but Marieland needs to tear down all those old aquariums that are awful living quarters for their animals. I don't profess to be any sort of animals rights activist but the exhibits those animals live in at that park is beyond sad. I'm shocked the Canadian government has just shut the entire place down

Kings Island has posted pictures of FoF trains being prepared for the next season and also of The Bat trains being prepared too. I personally don't see Flight of Fear going anywhere. If you have ever gone into the bowl with the lights on, you can see the have replaced various supports and have them marked as to what still needs done vs what has already been replaced. Seems to be that it runs a bit rougher than it once did but I think they are trying to keep it around. I worry about The Bat more especially with it's more remote location - I think it would be missed less by the GP than FoF would be. However, every time The Bat seems to have an issue KI is always on it and gets it running again so I've been surprised before.

I personally would not be opposed to a straddle coaster like the one at BGW. I thought was a really fun family ride. However, I would rather see it go into the tomb raider building and possibly reuse some of those sets. Imagine whizzing past the goddess on a straddle coaster? Sounds pretty good and the que theming is still solid in there too.

Sounds like a bad deal all the way around. First Lakemont, then marineland and now Playland?! Hopefully they can resolve whatever the issue is and get the park back open

Wasn't Orion marketed as a family giga coaster? Mystic Timbers was a family woodie. I think the last addition we received that wasn't marketed to families was Banshee and that was over 10 years ago. Just slap family on it and they will come I think is the new marketing moto

I don't think it was meant to be cloned but if done properly I would not mind to see it cloned at other parks. However, parks like KD or Carowinds won't have the memories or nostalgia that KI fans have of the ride

https://www.coaster101.com/2025/01/22/mightier-canadian-minebuster-canadas-wonderland/ I'm happy to see Minebuster getting some much needed love and attention during the off season. I rode it in 2023 and it was definitely riding rough but the layout was great! I'd love to see them restore the original set of hills that was removed supposedly to make room for the water park. I'm not holding my breath though. Regardless it should be smoother and more enjoyable when they finish with it.

That's the issue/trick with innovation is you have to find a park to buy the ride ...

To me personally, X-Flight at Six Flags Great America has the worst vibration of any B&M coaster I've ridden provided I haven't ridden iron menace. Firebird at Six Flags America beats the crap out of your ears so I wouldn't even call that a rattle but rather an ear basher. By far the worst B&M I've ridden.

B&M - they are a great manufacturer but at what point do they fall into the trap arrow did where every park already has one? 10 years ago I was excited about B&M but these days, their rides are still good and reliable but they are not pushing the boundaries in the unique experience department. The trend of these B&M family coasters, reminds me of when arrow decided they wanted to build wild mice....

It would be a shame to remove the rapids ride because it was one of the best of it's kind in my opinion. Rode that more than some of the coasters during my visits. I understand rides must be removed for the future expansion of the park but announcements beforehand is always appreciated.

I started a thread last year titled "2024 Bucket List Parks" and we had some fun discussing our various trip plans and different parks we want to try to travel to. So here's a new forum for 2025 Bucket List Parks. Where does everyone want to go? What rides do you want to ride? Has the merger affected your travel plans due to having more parks included with all park passport? Have the recent ride closures across the chain affected your plans to visit certain parks? I'm just interested what everyone else is anticipating for this year My current trip plans: Feb: Las Vegas (Bucket List: Big Apple Coaster) Mar: Orlando - Sea World, Fun Spots, & BGT (Bucket List: Iron Gwazi seeing as it was closed during my 2023 visit) April: Carowinds, SFOG, Fun Spot Atlanta (Bucket List: Arieaforce One) May: ACE Spring Conference Virginia (Bucket List: Rapterra) June: Holiday World/KY Kingdom (no bucket list rides just wanna get back to those parks) July: Missouri Parks - SFSL, WoF, SDC (Silver Dollar City has been a bucket list park for me for 3 years now and I never seem to get out there) Aug: Six Flags Over TX (might not make it down there but I wanna ride shockwave again. I have heard the swirling rumors about it's end being near and I also spoke to someone who said ACE might be presenting it with a Landmark plaque this year however we know that doesn't always mean a Park still won't close the ride) Sept: California Great America/SFDK (Bucket List CGA - Berserker, Orbit, and Centrifuge - gimme those classic Schwarzkopf flats!) Oct: Universal Trip (Bucket List: Epic Universe) Nov: Magic Mountain/Knott's (Bucket List: Montezuma's Revenge - which will hopefully be open by then.... hopefully)

Hey that's a cool piece of information. Thanks for sharing

WindSeeker will be removed in the next 5 years Our next major coaster will be manufactured by Vekoma

I might try and go to coasterstock however after the ACE Spring Conference, I'm not sure if there's much at the park I haven't seen in terms of BTS tours they offer Now if it's trimless night rides on The Beast? Count me in!!

Actually now that I think about it, has Kings Dominion made a formal announcement yet about anaconda or have all the news articles just been going off of the public knowledge of demo permits? Does anyone know if KD has made a formal statement concerning their closures like Carowinds did or have they been waiting until after winterfest ends to announce anaconda and berserker closures?

At this point nothing this chain does makes sense to me. You just announced anaconda closure so why didn't you announce the berserker closure at the same time if that is the current plan? Seems like they are purposely not allowing anyone to have final rides now.

While I don't see how Coney Island has much nostalgic connection for the folks in Chattanooga, I am glad it's finding a new home vs just vanishing into history without a trace.

I'm not on X but for the fun of it I'll post my votes here - Best WF food item: Holiday Meatloaf Burger or Cranberry Pull Apart Bread Best KI Family Ride: The Log Flume (whatever name it goes by these days) Best KI Department: merchandise (public relations/communication when Done was still there) Best KI Event: Winterfest (I'm not much on haunted mazes) Best Winterfest Show: Tinker's Toy Factory Best Summer Show: Country Crossroads Best KI Rollercoaster: Diamondback Best KI Restaurant: International Street Restaurant Winterfest Buffet (best of the regular season is Coney BBQ)

I would love to see the Coney display find a new home inside a Kings Island restaurant or a gift shop however that'll never be the case. Second best would be if jungle Jim's acquired it and kept it on display to the public. If course union terminal has a Coney display but I think the one at entertrainment junction is slightly bigger and better.

It's an interesting thought and something that makes alot of sense from a corporate standpoint. I personally would not want to see Banshee themed as it's pretty well themed already with the graveyard and everything. I could see repainting Delirium to joker colors or Wonder woman colors. If this is the route they go, I envision a new standout coaster in the Invertigo/Congo, Timberwolf plot and a new flat or two in the Drop Tower/extreme sky flyer plots. If The Bat bites the dust, I don't think we will see it replaced. It is too far removed from the rest of the park to be high on the priority list for replacement keeping in mind we have prime real estate at the end of Coney Mall that is vacant as well. If The Bat goes, the path will terminate at the bathrooms down past Banshee. Now I am not saying I want 4-5 ride closures in Action Zone or that I want a DC Universe retheme. I'd prefer something a little more original and to see investment in the aging attractions however that is not the current climate of the chain and if I could settle for a new standout coaster and two unique flats, I'd trade Invertigo, Congo, Drop Tower, and Sky flyer for that .... The Bat hardly counts as an exchange because I think there's a less then 10% chance it gets replaced because of the investment cost and the poor location in relation to the rest of Action Zone.

Interesting move. I definitely see Action Zone getting a revamp over the next few years with alot of ride removals on the horizon. I honestly never gave WindSeeker much thought as to potentially removing that. I don't love WindSeeker but I would miss it as the end of Coney Mall already suffered from Vortex being gone.

Hoping for a good season. I'd like to see some updates to the park app this season as well as ironing out any post merger issues. River racers will be good for the water park visitors of which I am not one. I'm thinking we will see signs of the family thrill attraction with an announcement later in the season. Also, if they are planning any ride/coaster removals at the end of next season I hope they take final rides and fans feelings/memories into consideration. Vortex and Firehawk both had good send-offs and we understand that certain circumstances result in ride removals (few coasters last forever) but I would be thankful for a last chance at riding anything that is potentially being removed

If our 2026 "family attraction" is Phantom Theater 2.0 with animatronics and physical sets, I will retract many of the negative things I have said about the park management this season concerning investment and new ride additions.