Outdoor Man

help me out here... what does GC stand for?

one opinion wwhy the park may not have that "maintained" look would be because the trees look overgrown..... which isn't to say that they are not maintaining them. Young landscaping always has that "clean" look to it. The problem here is that back in the KECO days these trees were still relatively young <15 years old.... some are now on the broad side of 30 years old and are considered mature trees. You can't prune them back for a "clean" look without just having stumps. I remember back in the day and if you look at old pics, the landscaping was incredible... but plants get old and unmanageable at some point in their growth and you have to choose whether to replant or go on to something else. I'm glad they put thousands into other things than 1980's nostalgia landscaping. It was neat but I don't go to the park to ogle at the trees. As far as cleanliness. I've done a few of the Volunteer work days and must say that the attention to cleanliness is outstanding (at least with the places I've worked). I've been to several parks before.... and really, outside of Universal Orlando I've not been to a cleaner park.... and again, Universal Orlando is just 10 years old.... young landscaping.

OK- humor doesn't play well on these airwaves... Les... whatever the rest of the name is. Most of that post was in good humor. I could car less what the rides are called. But someone did bring up a good point- Paramount has not shown good strategy in cross-promoting their brands. Bringing in the CBS brand entertainment or any other Viacom franchises could have only helped in various park shows. NBC-Universal does do the best at this. that might be helped by the fact that the parks were always Universal property and were not previously themed after something else. Now, really did you think I was suggesting to rename the rides after TV shows. yea, like they would listen to my opinion anyway. But, thank you for your character opinion of "idiot" - much appreciated.

so... we had access to the CBS franchise all along? I like the prospects of new ride names: IJST renamed to reflect the line wait.... like "60 Minutes, the Coaster?" The entire Fear Fest could be themed CSI, KI? Because of it's extreme roughness, SOB could be re-themed Survivor. Racers, renamed- "The Amazing Race"- oh, I forgot- they don't "Race" half the time. actually as a serious mention. If they have access to the CBS library, why don't they/didn't they utilize that relationship as well? They could have set up a venue for shows- ie, the Price is Right. Could have had actors play cast members and call Audience members forward... for actual prizes, not cars or anything... but KI items.... etc,... MGM Studios in Orlando does this with "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."

any of those helix runs is as close to a beating... if the track used more of the terrain and ran more a straight course maybe it would be as bad.... but even as fast of The Beast goes in the helix...... it's not as bad.

I hope they can... for all the investment they have in it, not to mention real estate consumed by it.... a coaster of that stature ought to have a 2-hour wait in the middle of November. I love coasters, and not to complain..... and maybe I'm just getting too old, but I just can't ride SOB. It's just too rough.

interesting about someone thinking that they ran a Racer train on it... is that true? I am very unqualified for an opinion on this, but I have always felt that the absolute terrible ride was the trains and not the track. Because the trains were especially bumpy even on the moderately slow parts. just a thought...

honestly, they change the name.... they change the name. Life goes on.... but for the love of ....... please, please something a little more intelligent than "Fairly Odd Coaster."

surely they wouldn't insult the intelligence of the pki community by re-theming The Beastie to "Fairly Odd Coaster." Paramount Parks has another coaster named that somewhere... and I have to say it is the stupidest name for a coaster.... or anything creative for that matter. Wasn't The Beastie named "the Scooby Doo" many years ago... pre-beast days? Anyway, i say leave it alone.

FOF by far. Huge rush of all that speed in the dark. But, the severe lack room for the lower half of your body and all of the consequences that brings is another issue. But still the winner. probably in this order: 1. FOF (awesome from start to finish) 2. Vortex (soon to be classic) 3. The Bat (rest in peace) 3. Top Gun (not too many around. Much better than Iron Dragon at CP) 4. IJST (kinda lame, but unique to these parts) 5. face off (disorients me and makes queezey.... getting old)

Dollywood was a 1-coaster park when we went (2002). At least that is all I thought there was. The steel coaster I remember being pretty good for a small park like DW. It almost felt like the train stalled at the top of a loop and had a pretty neat "rush' as I remember.... but the rest of the park was pretty forgetable. Or maybe that's because I didn't get to ride too many rides because of seeing EVERY stinkin show they had. I could stomach 2-4 shows.... but if they had a dozen of them.... we saw them ALL..... 100%.... and, yes- I am bitter.

oh.... forgot about my unfortunate experience going to Dollywood. ugh, I really hate Blue Grass and Southern Gospel (real southern gospel). I am a Christian and enjoy the likes of Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, David Crowder, etc.... but "Blue Grass / Southern Gospel" is the equivalent of dragging your fingernails over a chalk board to me. And followed my wife and I followed her parents around like sheep dogs to EVERY stinkin show at the place... they even had the schedules worked out to hit them all.... and all I really wanted to do was ride their lone roller coaster (at the time) repeatedly. If you've never been... it's a good one to skip. Regards to Dolly.

PKI Cedar Point Disney Land Disney World Universal Hollywood Universal Orlando Busch Gardens Tampa Busch Gardens Williamsburg .... oh, and "sandbox3.rtc" (my RCT 3 park)

yea, absostinkinlutely gotta have our sugar fix. any word on the whereabouts of these stupid $4 cookies, fill us in.

there was a French themed (or at least I thought it was) building down just to the right of the Eiffel Tower... the spot now occupied by Starbucks. During the summer they had these large pastry cookies "caked" with icing on them in the form of a smiley face. During FearFest, they were pumpkins, Frankenstein's, ect... Alright, in planning a trip to FearFest for my wife and I.... we want to know where those cookies are located now? Does Starbucks sell them, are they elsewhere, or no where.... ... little help?

sorry... meant pay that much for the BBQ, not wings.

Don't care what happens to the theme or really the wings... If I'm going to pay that much for wings I'm going to the boathouse down on the River anyway- not at PKI. I don't typically think of BBQ when I think of KI anyway... more like the traditional junk food associated with a park. My only request, keep the building and it's AIR CONDITIONING for the rest stop on the hot summer days.... and now apparently the HEAT for the cold Winterfest days.

OK- I've never really started a topic before (at least not that I remember)- so if this is in the wrong area, for the wrong topic, for the wrong whatever, or if it has been discussed already- i'll apologize up front. There is (or I guess was) an Arrow (like our Vortex) roller coaster named Shockwave at 6 Flags Great America in IL. that was dismantled in 2002. rcdb.com of course has tons of pics of this... does anyone know why it was removed? It didn't appear to be in distress, and looked in good condition. They have it listed as "in storage"... why would a park dismantle a large investment roller coaster only to leave it sit... like Drachen Fire at Busch Gardens.... In KI's case with King Cobra I can understand because of a defunct company and high maintenance, but Arrow coasters are pretty common unlike Togo was. Again, just curious.

i'm actually very glad that everyone seemed to ignore the political banter. I'm sorry I commented, I should have just looked the other way as well and stayed on topic.... my apologies.

this should be interesting... a park enthusiast site debating politics. I'm not going to say much on this because it is wayyyyy off topic. But I find it so interesting that 99% of the US on 09/12/2001 said "GO GET 'EM"... we're tired of screwing with Saddam.... "get him." what has changed so much in 4 years? Read the history books, the Revolutionary War (7yrs) was not a popular option, the Civil War (6 yrs) was not a popular option, getting involved in WW 1 (8 yrs)and WW2 (5 yrs) was very unpopular... until WE were attacked. During the Cold War (50 yrs)and the Cuban Missile Crisis, protesters picketed outside the Kennedy White House with "Better 'Red' than dead" signs ("red" being another word for Communist). Any time there's a loss of life it's never popular... unless we are the ones that get broad-sided- then it's time to kick @##... and do it fast because in a "quick-fix" society we need to have our wars over in days or it will lose our unwavering support.

speaking of '06 rumors.. just have a question.... how many of you really knew (solid) about rumors such as WinterFest before it was announced. I mean really, some of you who work at the park- were you really in the dark as to why misc locations had Christmas decor on them in June and why various locations were Christmas-y decorated during fear fest last fall? I'm not trying to be sarcastic as facial and tone expression are difficult to relay in email/computer form- but I'm just curious. I knew of the 99% possibility of Winterfest in April only because I know someone who works in the Park adm offices and they had been working on the advertising for it all spring. I have no affiliation with the park at all (other than being a repeat visitor)- but I was just curious if those rumors are really so tight-lipped that regular employees do not catch wind of them prior to press conference announcements. As I said, I'm not trying to be sarcastic, really- i'm just curious.

so, if that means that HBL is saying bye-bye... what becomes of SDATHC, and other remaining HBL themed rides?

you couldn't pay me enough money to ride those things. To me there are much better ways to die. My wife video taped Scream just to show what it did, then did the service of panning the camera over to me, in which my mouth was dropped to the floor... couldn't realize why anyone would intentionally ride that. I'm pretty adventurous, but ugh... i could never ride that. If I ever wanted a shortcut to a heart attack... there I would be. Now for someone else... you want to ride it.... be my guest. You have my admiration and vomet bag from the plane.

go to this website and surf... they have mpg commercials and webcams. http://www.stratospherehotel.com/las_vegas...here_ride.html# the rides names are Big Shot... the reverse-drop zone. High Roller is the roller coaster (obviously) Scream... is the free fall coaster over the side Insanity is the swinging ride. just view the website and watch how those rides work.... Didn't ride them.... but i could seriously see how riding any of them would put some serious hair on your @##.

yes, went there in February. The Roller Coaster is pretty lame. but then again, there's not much you can do in a restricted space at 1000 feet. It pretty much just goes around the top a few times. Now, there is a ride just scared the #$@W# out of me just watching it. I didn't ride it; didn't feel the need to put myself through that. You sit in a rollercoaster-like car on a 30 foot long track that dangles over the edge, and it appears to free fall over the edge... where it seems there is nothing between you and the open air. It must give the riders a huge rush... i guess. But I had no interest in putting myself through that. They opened another ride up there. It hadn't opened yet when I was there, but i think you sit on "swings" hung by an arm that swings away from the building. Then theres the ride that blasts you into the air (reverse drop zone).... again, no desire to put myself through that.