Oldiesmann

https://thewilds.columbuszoo.org/ Just saw an ad for this on this site and am thinking of taking a trip up there at some point this summer, especially since it's only a 3-hour drive from here and it's only $20 for a safari tour. Has anyone here ever been there? I've never even heard of it before but it looks pretty cool.

But only if you subscribe to that paper apparently (or at least know someone who subscribes).

2014 was a "smashing success"? Really? Less than 700,000 visitors isn't what I would call a "smashing success" - especially when you have parks like KI drawing millions each season. And only 2 hours from Indy - so is another park that The Kingdom isn't even trying to compete with (because they can't?). Hart is going to have to reach much further than Indy if he expects to meet out-of-state-visitor attendance goals. I may very well stop by there on the way back from Holiwood Nights next weekend just to get whatever coaster credits I can before the park shuts down again.

The ERT and the talk on Saturday afternoon were my favorites. Dennis Speigel is quite a character I do wish they'd done a train tour on Saturday morning instead of Sunday though because I wasn't able to make it Sunday morning and I haven't gotten to do a train tour yet (I never got around to doing it when it was something we could pay for and missed out on the KIC one because I thought

The Chance Giant Wheel looks interesting, but I love the Eli Bridge Ferris Wheels (the model seen at Stricker's Grove and Coney Island among other places). It seems more like the "traditional" Ferris wheel than the Chance ones, despite having much lower capacity.

I remember it having green and yellow fluorescent lights on it at one point.

I heard that it's still not working properly but is still at the carousel. Hopefully the park will get it repaired soon.

This was clearly arranged by the tourism group rather than the parks themselves. I wonder how much each park gets out of the deal...

So basically the group that insured The Beach Club is separate from the groups involved with the rest of the park? This could get quite interesting.

Here's a very short clip of Up Up and Away that I found on YouTube. Nice family ride I guess, but definitely not something I'd go out of my way to ride.

I doubt we'll see any major overhaul of Monster this season. It looks like it's just a motor replacement, in which case it'll probably be back up and running within the next few weeks, depending on how long it takes to get the necessary parts and such.

The lockers by Banshee, Firehawk and Whitewater Canyon are not pay per use. For a small locker, it's $2 for the first two hours and $2 per hour after that. I believe the large lockers cost twice that, but I'm not sure.

While in line to get my stuff before ERT on Saturday morning, I heard a guest in front of me talking to a friend about some rides he liked, followed by "I like the ride so much I named my cat after it!"

He's not allowed to post here anymore (though I won't get into why here), but I saw him at the park yesterday and Saturday as well.

According to Devan (thedevariouseffect), the main hydraulic motor was missing as of yesterday, so it's likely just a motor replacement. It seemed to be running fine when I rode it on the 8th.

I had a blast as well even though I didn't get to the park until a little after 12:30 on Sunday. ERT was quite rewarding. Ride count for the final 90 minutes Sunday: Adventure Express - 3, including last train of the night (ERT for that ended at 9) Banshee - 2 Beast - 2 (also including last train of the night on that ride) Woodstock Gliders - 2

Someone else was snapping them during the ERT this evening. One of the ride ops even joked about "testing the limits" of the ride and "we thought we'd tested everything". Definitely fun to watch and experience, but doing it during a normal ride cycle with non-enthusiasts might scare people.

I'll find some excuse to get out there this summer. I likely won't make it to Balloon Glow for the first time in 3 or 4 years as I'm taking off June 21st for the Weird Al concert in Dayton and the 30th for my birthday, and with the 4th falling on a weekend this year we'll likely be busy that weekend at work. Sent from my LG G3 using Tapatalk

At Ride Warriors Weekend in 2009, all attendees were given free drinks both days (free drink wristbands). Obviously things are different now (different CF CEO, possibly different events/marketing people at KI, though Don is still in the same role he was in back then), but I wouldn't be surprised if we get free drinks both days this time around as well. Either way, I'd be happy just to have an event to go to. Getting a shirt, pin, two free on-ride photos and a souvenir cup on top of all that is more than generous.

I wish I could make the train tour, but with church on Sunday morning, it's not going to happen. It's too much driving and I'd like to actually be awake during the service. Sent from my LG G3 using Tapatalk

I honestly don't think it will be too bad. Even if all 400 attendees show up right at 8am, people will spread out and take advantage of all rides that are open for ERT. I plan to take advantage of Drop Tower and Delirium ERT as well since those rides typically have longer lines when they park is busy.

Thanks for the info Kat! I should be able to cram most everything I want to do into 4 days, especially with the alpine coasters being open after dark. The stampede sounds like a lot of fun, and I don't mind cheesy humor at all (I'm a big fan of Weird Al and Ray Stevens among other things, so that should be right up my alley). I plan on booking through Dollywood's website to save money rather than paying separately for the hotel, stampede and Dollywood. I don't know that I'd make it back down there for the Christmas show, so a season pass probably isn't worth the extra cost, despite the discounts and other benefits.

I'm assuming that's the 150k from the company that's managing the park... Definitely not looking good.

There's more than one alpine coaster in the area? I knew about the Smokey Mountain Alpine Coaster. I didn't know there were others.

I have to wonder if the current management has any idea what they were getting themselves into. Certainly doesn't sound like it. Sent from my LG G3 using Tapatalk