Oldiesmann

Aaron, yes it was. It initially opened around 4:40pm and went down a few more times for wind. However, it was open pretty much nonstop after 8. I ended up getting 5 rides on it. As far as the wind speed, one of the ops said they weren't running it if winds were above 30mph. It is rated for 40, but they're being extra careful since it's new.

I'm hoping KI will do something special for their 40th anniversary. Historic photos would be great since the park has changed so much over the years. The only problem is that the 40th anniversary is the last Sunday in April (April 29th), so if the park opens on the last Saturday of April next year like they did this year, there's a possibility they won't be open to the public that day.

I think I'm going to have to plan a trip to Dollywood for next year...

I plan to ride WS tomorrow (assuming it's not closed due to wind, which it apparently has been for some time today), and will see if I can recognize any of the music.

This what you're talking about? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWnmCu3U09w

I wasn't too far from you. I was along the fence above the Lake Como boat dock, in between Scrambler and the mining town play area. I had to laugh at the poor ducks that scrambled across the lake as the fireworks were going off. On the way out, I heard a Coney employee (a security person I think) saying that the Coney Island sign used at the end was made by Arthur Rozzi in the 1950s and was dug out of a garage somewhere for the show. I had a great time yesterday, and am looking forward to my next visit to Coney in a couple of weeks (if all goes as planned, I'll be there for the Balloon Glow on the 3rd). On a related note, any ETA on when the bumper boats will be open again?

As far as Flight of Fear - I'd love to see that ride returned to its original glory (minus the OTS restraints that gave your ears a nice beating...). The one thing that annoys me the most about that ride now is the "bring the train to a complete standstill" brake on the MCBR. I realize that they need to slow the train down some, but why is it necessary to slow it down that much?

Did a little research on it... The ride was known as a Top Star Tour and was made by a company called Soriani and Moser, which was bought by Zamperla. Zamperla apparently made two sizes of the ride, but it's not listed on their website, so I assume it isn't made anymore. There was apparently an installation of the smaller version in the Myrtle Beach area at one time, but that park (Myrtle Beach Grand Prix) closed in 2006.

It would normally cost more than that (when I was there a few weeks ago, it was $8.19 for two slices of pizza and a large soda), but yes, it would be nice if KI's food prices were as cheap as Coney's food prices.

Found this on Youtube... See http://www.cetconnect.org/Television/Cincinnati_Reflections.aspx for more info on this series (I'm guessing this was originally a 3-part series, but the uploader had to split it up due to Youtube's limit on video run time). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmhVzQYtGOA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDpKzEboYL4

I swung by Coney after work yesterday (I had to work from 9-4, so I missed the opening of the time capsule), and really enjoyed the festivities. I got a free hot dog and two pieces of free cake (I got some around 5, then came back a few hours later and they were still setting out pieces, so I helped myself again). There were longer lines for the rides (at times, the line for the bumper cars was back to the soda machines), but I still got to ride everything, even doing three straight rides on Tempest (I love that ride). The $1.25 deals were especially fun - during a rain shower, I ducked into Larosas and picked up two slices of pizza and a 16oz Mountain Dew for $3.99 with tax. The nostalgic photos and other memorabilia in Lakeside Pavilion really made me wish I could have visited Coney in its heyday - the Dip the Dips coaster/log flume looked like a lot of fun. I was also surprised to see that there were plans to build a 3rd Island Queen.

I was in line for The Beast during the fireworks so I missed this. I did see it on the ground though and it looked beautiful. Some of the ride operators were doing practice with opening and closing the harnesses, they said they were hoping to open it up within the next week. I also got an upclose look at the testing dummies, and they said B@M on them so I'm assuming these are the same ones used on DB. I commented on that not long ago. If you see them more closely, "B&M" is crossed out with permanent ink marker and "Carowinds" is written below that (also with permanent-ink marker).

Adventure Express - fix the squeaky tiki guys and the ones that aren't working properly. I'd also like to restore the original effects on that ride (as I recall, the ride originally had fog/mist, but I can't find any videos from that time).

Apparently Platinum passes from Michgan's Adventure and Worlds of Fun don't work at KI either. I had to go to Guest Relations yesterday to get my gold pass straightened out (it had been voided when I reported it stolen along with the other items in my backpack a couple weeks ago), and GR had to print off vouchers for guests who had MA and WoF platinum passes. I find it odd that they're still having problems with passes 5 years after CF purchased the former Paramount parks...

Anyone else notice the new menu item at Coney Skyline?

It is also available through Blockbuster - purchase it for $16 (not sure if they charge for shipping or not), rent it for 7 days for $5, or rent it as part of your monthly subscription... http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/340094

Unfortunately, not everyone here has HDTV. Will check and see if it's available in regular definition though.

It might be pretty crowded, because most (if not all) fireworks shows in the area are on the 3rd, and, as with Memorial Day weekend, military personnel will get free admission that weekend (with $30 tickets for the rest of their family). However, the park is open until midnight that night, so you'll have an additional two hours to spend riding things if you decide to stay for the entire day. The only nearby festivities I could find for that day are up at The Beach Waterpark - a concert from classic rock group Denim Road from 2-3pm, Despicable Me showing in the wave pool at 8:30 (part of their "Dive-In Movies" series) and fireworks after the movie.

That video I posted is from 2010. The cars are faster and of a different design than those at KI. Interestingly enough, Wikipedia indicates that they did add a concrete island to that ride in 2005 (see the article on Six Flags Great America - the ride at California's Great America is apparently a copy of the one at the Six Flags park of the same name). I'm guessing that isn't a coincidence.

I hope not. The bumper cars at Great America appear to be much faster than those at KI, and they're a completely different design as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EqDgAANU_Y&feature=related

It looks like the local police had their hands full due to Phish... http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110606/NEWS010703/306060075/Phish-fans-arrested-Covington-hotel http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110606/NEWS010701/306060028/Seven-arrested-Phish-concert

It would have been a lot of fun to visit Coney back then, as it seems like the park was a lot bigger at the time. I realize that the 15 acres of land now occupied by Riverbend and PNC Pavilion were once owned by Coney, but the park has changed so much in the 40 years since it originally closed that it's difficult to picture where all of these rides and attractions were.

I had a lot of fun. I did find Rock-O-Planes to be rather painful though (not sure if it was just that particular ride or if it's the way it's designed, but the lap bar stapled me into my seat). The food prices were quite reasonable, and I was impressed with the selection (one wouldn't expect such a wide variety of food and snack choices at a smaller park like Coney). I only wish I'd seen the Montgomery Inn place before I settled on Larosas for dinner. It also took me a bit to get used to the steering on Coney's bumper cars. Despite the ride area at Coney being much smaller than the one at KI, I like Coney's bumper cars better - they seem to be faster and are much more maneuverable than the ones at KI.

Before Paramount, the park shared the local 398 prefix. 754 came along a few years after Paramount bought the park. So before the 754 prefix, it was the other Mason prefix 573. However, I do believe when I first started at the park in 1989 the phone number started with 398 so I'm going to say I'm still right and that you just expanded on what I said before! It was indeed 398 at one time: http://www.themeparkbrochures.net/1991/pki1991_4.html

On a related note, the test dummies that they're using on WS were originally from B&M but are now property of Carowinds... On the back of them, "Property of B&M" is printed in large blue lettering (possibly spray-painted on there with a stencil), but someone with a permanent ink marker crossed out "B&M" and wrote "Carowinds" under it. The B&M part makes me wonder if these are the same dummies that they use for testing Diamondback in the pre-season.