bkroz

^ Okay, the mystery is thickening. Kings Dominion switched from illegible Cedar Fair style to that GPS style a few years ago. The GPS style they adopted (like Carowinds) had no trees or three-pronged bushes... until last year, when it added the three-pronged bushes to the GPS style. Anyway, that's pretty scary. When Kings Dominion's switched from Cedar Fair style to GPS style, I figured it was just because the map for that particular park was so illegible in the former. But now that it's spread to Carowinds, I worry that they're going to switch to this GPS style across the chain. And it's no better than Cedar Fair style. If I could burn those three-pronged bushes, I would. Honestly, they just look stupid. Map might be better without them. Beast in a vacant lot is better than Beast in a prairie. Any way you slice it, neither the Cedar Fair style nor the "GPS" style are things I'd care to hang up in my home. Citigraph maps are. ^^ Interesting thing is, at least for the first few years, the maps "inflated" Son of Beast (and even the trees around it). Take a look at the scale of it in the map below and its position in relation to Adventure Express. The rose bowl extends way up around Adventure Express with the loop directly to the left. By the second map, the ride's been reduced to the scale of all the other park's coasters (including the trees around it shrinking back down to the size of all the other trees). Notice how its position and size shifted in relation to Adventure Express.

You bet! Can't say whether or not they're even still in business. Some parks still do use their maps, but it's not as wide-spread as it once was. Certainly looks like they don't update their site. However, parks like Universal Studios Hollywood have their maps updated well, which leads me to believe Citigraph is still at it.

Larger versions for those not on mobile: http://www.daytondailynews.com/gallery/entertainment/kings-island-over-years/gCKHJ/?photo_id=3308608#5091684

I can only find Winterfest 1991. http://www.themeparkbrochures.net/1991/pki1991.html And look at that new ride readying for a 1992 debut.

^ The artist must've been using reference photos of Kings Dominion's similar ride, Snoopy's Rocket Express, which has vehicles that look exactly like the ones on our maps. Seems like a much cuter way to ride. The "Paramount" style above that so many here seemed to enjoy (myself included) is by Citigraph. That's definitely my preferred look. Their website has some neat artifacts to look through as well as some interesting pricing information, which is something most of us probably don't consider. The way Paramount arranged the map, it highlighted major attractions with their logos, with the rest explained in the margins organized by land. The map was of Disney caliber, with gorgeous illustrations, differently colored paths for themed lands, easy to read, easy to navigate by, and collectible for sure. I was never ever a fan of the exaggerated, comic "Cedar Fair" style we have now. First of all, it very minimally even hints to the fact that there are distinct themed lands (which, to be fair, there barely are anymore. Maybe the map was the last hold out since arches and signs are gone and themes blur together). I also think it's a problem that the labels on every attraction make it really difficult to use the map for, you know, navigation. It's kind of a mess. It feels like they're supposed to look amateurish to me - exaggerated and cartoony, but not in a very pleasant or agreeable way. My biggest complaint when the map changed to Cedar Fair style (a change that I remember dreading) was that the maps had no trees. Zero. I mentioned it on Twitter and @KingsIslandPR wrote back that "It's a map of attractions, not individual trees." (Classy. The kind of interaction you'd expect from a Disney Park, right? For those of you who've been around for a while, I bring that interaction up often, because I won't soon forget it. Even small interactions matter.) My argument was that if you depict The Beast sitting in a sickly, artichoke-green field, you're not doing a very good job of depicting the attractions, either. Nature is PART of a park. Or it should be. Point it, the next season the map was changed and to this day is dotted with those delightful three-pronged bushes. It doesn't do any better of a job showing what the experience on The Beast or The Bat is like, but oh well. Maybe I'm just biased because I watched the gorgeous Citigraph map of Six Flags Worlds of Adventure become a visually repulsive Cedar Fair style map of Geauga Lake. darn fork-bushes. The Citigraph maps are works of art. I wouldn't care to have a large souvenir sized version of the current map hung up in my home.

That's what I've heard, too. Doesn't really matter if it's right in Montu's case or not, it still wouldn't be a satisfying reason in my mind to vehemently doubt that snakes will stick around. Sounds to me that, like Manta or Cheetah Hunt or Empire of the Penguin, they're plugging this as an integral part of the experience; their new version of an "interactive queue"; an animal exhibit paired with the ride. Unless the Interpreter knows more than we do, I don't see why we would think this experience won't last.

Why, though? Cheetah Hunt was built in conjunction with a new and expanded cheetah habitat. Mako is intentionally absorbing the Shark Encounter walkthrough into its plaza. A brand new aquarium with a hundred rays serves as the queue for Manta. The queue for Kraken contains the park's moray eels. A completely rebuilt and redesigned Penguin Encounter serves as the finale and post-show of Empire of the Penguin. In the same way, the queue for Cobra's Curse will double as a snake exhibit. Like Manta, I would expect that there will even be a separate path through it for non-riders. Seems like this is their new "thing:" a compelling thrill ride with a refreshed animal exhibit component serving as a compliment or even component of the attraction – the "edutainment" before or after the ride. Yes, the crocodiles beneath Montu's station were relocated elsewhere in the park. But what would indicate that the snake animal exhibit component of Cobra's Curse is any different from the cheetahs, sharks, rays, eels, or penguins that have all been nicely integrated into attraction pre- and post-shows?

My first thought was that it would finally loose that horrific yellow orange and red color scheme. But no, that was Thunderhawk at Geauga Lake (formerly known as Serial Thriller at Geauga Lake, then Six Flags Ohio, then Six Flags Worlds of Adventure) which was relocated to Michigan's Adventure as Thunderhawk, not to be confused with the wooden roller coaster Thunderhawk at Dorney Park or the HUSS Top Spin formerly at Worlds of Fun which was also Thunderhawk, the latter of which now has Steelhawk instead, formerly WindSeeker as at Cedar Point where Skyhawk is an S&S Screamin' Swing, not to be confused with Skyhawk coming to Canada's Wonderland. ... Firehawk.

Flight Deck, maybe. Now that's a compelling name! Plus, they already have a marquee sitting around somewhere.

Could be replacement pieces for Universal's Incredible Hulk.

Ding ding ding! Their marketing efforts recently have been to talk about what a great zoo they are. And SeaWorld is a great zoo, yes. That's fair. But even a fantastic, wonderful, awesome zoo doesn't deserve a day of my Orlando vacation and an admission price 5 - 6 times my local zoo. But a really great amusement park that balances thrills and theme? With some spectacular coasters? And some elaborate animal experiences? That is a park that I might visit. A balance - teens, families, thrillseekers, kids, animal enthusiasts. Manta and the less-trumpeted animal exhibits that accompany it are a great example of something neither Universal nor Disney can do - a blending of their strengths. On the merits of its "zoo-ness" alone, SeaWorld would not attract me away from Gringotts or Marvel Super Hero Island. But if it's a balanced, compelling theme park given a unique ecological angle with sincere animal rescue and rehabilitation efforts? I'm there.

This footage is must-see for anyone (mostly the Facebook crowd) who circulate petitions to re-open Geauga Lake. Re-open what? There's barely a shed standing. Literally any salvageable material at all is gone. It would be no easier to build a theme park there than it would be to open a fitness center and spa.

Perhaps one of the shortest lived effects ever. Literal weeks, right? Maybe a month or two? Even Tomb Raider's fared better than that.

From what I've heard here, the reason Scooby-Doo left at all is because Snoopy's a one-pooch-per-park kinda dog. That, to me, still doesn't explain why the ride didn't become a Great Pumpkin dark ride or even a ride through the holidays with the Peanuts. I don't know at all what I'm talking about, but here are some of the imaginary problems that I could theoretically see standing in the way: A) The licensing for the dark ride works differently. After all, the Cedar Fair parks were able to have Scooby-Doo even after the Hanna-Barbera license otherwise was over, right? The reason we cite for that is that the license was from Sally Corp. and not Paramount Parks / Cedar Fair (same reason Six Flags can have Scooby-Doo rides). Given that, perhaps Sally Corp. couldn't build a dark ride based on Peanuts without acquiring those rights themselves? In that case, creating a Peanuts dark ride might've meant it would have to come from in-house. B ) The owners of the Peanuts objected or would object to the notion of the "shooting" dark ride. I think would be reasonable to imagine as a possibility. Especially in a Great Pumpkin dark ride, there's no reason to be shooting or "blasting" or whatever PC term they apply to it. Dr. Seuss's wife was infamously protective of the brand, insisting that it would never ever be in a theme park. Only after Universal proved it could do the brand justice did she relent, and with absolute 100% last-say on oversight on every single element. Not even saying Cedar Fair considered it because they might not have, but it's entirely possible that the owner of Peanuts would say, "Nah, no shooting." C) Buying in bulk is important. Whatever Cedar Fair selected to replace Scooby-Doo, it would need to be cloned and exported to four of the former Paramount Parks. While our Scooby-Doo ride happened to be located near our kid's area, that's not necessarily the case at all the parks. At Carowinds, it's in the County Fair area. At Kings Dominion, it was in Kidzville or whatever, not the area that would be Planet Snoopy (though it is now). While making it a Peanuts ride would've worked for us due to the ride's location, that's not true at all of the parks. A more generic dark ride was needed across the chain. D) All are a bit different on the outside (a haunted castle, a haunted plantation house, a haunted manor, etc). It would be difficult to meld those all into a Peanuts theme or style. Just a few thoughts!

Those questions and more have all been answered in the other topic you started. Read through that. And do your own due diligence by checking around the Kings Island website. You'll find the price of admission + the price of parking + $10 for Slingshot + $10 for Xtreme Skyflier + whatever you decide to budget for food and drinks + etc. etc. And really, don't stress about it. Does it help you to know that you sit down, slide into a vest that's anchored to the seat and snap it closed with a seatbelt-like lock, then a ride operator pushes a lap bar into your stomach? Probably not, because that's what people said in the other thread and you're still asking. Which is fine, but it means that you'll probably have to see it in person to understand it. I sure would, because words don't paint a clear enough picture for me. Just know that the actual putting-on of the restraints is nothing to worry about at all, but especially not six months before your trip. Click here for a video of people getting out of the restraint. Play it in reverse and you've got the loading procedure. See also, this Travel Channel clip.

Basically any itinerary benefits from knowing what to hit FIRST, what to hit LAST, and the touring plans others use. You're right to start in X-Base, and hit both of those roller coasters first. I'd end on The Beast (but do it during the day, too). I wouldn't write down the list you've written here and bring it with you and meticulously check them off in order. Even if you tried, that would go out the window when you get to coaster #3 and see it's got an hour wait. Basically, you want to get to all of the big attractions. If you're coming from Tennessee, this is probably a rare visit, so that's a good plan. But don't over plan. Know where to start. Get lunch before or after everyone else does. But you'll drive yourself crazy criss-crossing the park just to arbitrarily hit the rides in the order you've invented here. If you're going on a Saturday in June, it might behoove you to be ready to purchase Fast Lane just in case. It's really made for just such occasions - someone visiting from out-of-state who has only one chance to get on every ride they want.

I'm a BIG fan of the backlot coaster at night. The signs, the lights, the sirens, the flames... Really a cool time to experience it. Unfortunately, on very few nights can I get more than two sincere night rides. By summer, sun doesn't set until 9 and a true, pitch black ride is hard to find before 10. And then there are the times you wait and wait, time it perfectly, and they leave the work lights on!

Rarely would a business with a duty to its shareholders do something just for the sake of doing it. I have no clue what the short or long term plan is but I have no doubt whatsoever that there is one that this choice factors into.

Well, don't go back hoping to get your XLC credit and you'll be pleased.

As always, you wouldn't know it by looking at a lovely Cedar Fair map, which makes the park look like it's a county fair set up in a vacant lot. ... With three-pronged bushes. And now I've gotten too far off topic.

I enjoy your cryptic posts as much as anyone else, but for someone like me who has never been to Kings Dominion, can you (or someone else) actually explain the compare/contrast that you speak of? I think that International Street alone is a great comparison between Kings Island and Kings Dominion. Kings Island's is dotted with a row of nice, medium-sized trees flanking the Shamu-blue fountains with white urns. In contrast, Kings Dominion's is lushly landscaped with towering trees and dark fountains that almost appear like natural geysers (note this was taken before their fountains were painted even darker for the new nighttime fountain show). Compare the trees flanking the park logo in the two photos. Very different feelings to those International Streets. And that's to say nothing of their themed lands. The Safari Village one (formerly the Congo) is one of the best themed environments in Cedar Fair's chain with the massive trees, flames from Volcano and The Crypt, the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider film score (seriously!). Or Old Virginia, which is essentially their Rivertown, just still densely forested. The trees alone can make even familiar parts of Kings Dominion feel very, very different from their Kings Island counterparts.

Before riding Volcano, I always like to prepare friends by explaining exactly what a heartline roll is and why it differs from the similar looking manuevers they've likely experienced dozens of times. Even as people with little interest in thrill rides or parks, I usually hear them go "whoa..." when we pass through Volcano's first one. It's really a pretty unusual and incredible feeling.

Look at all those trees! Why, I see at least two or three. And then a few desert succulents. bkroz, feeling more and more like Pocahontas as the years go by.

Even relocating the skeleton town mechanicals from the train would've been something. Shoot the Rapids drifted at about the same speed as Pirates of the Caribbean or Small World, and with absolutely nothing to see along the way. Even simple animatronics of feuding hillbillies (as we were promised) shooting at each other from across the river with us in the middle would've been SOMETHING.

My second problem with STR aside from it just being a pretty bad ride is that, at least in my mind, a flume is supposed to get you the LEAST wet of the three big water rides (flume, splashdown, and rapids). The flume is for if you just want a misting and to cool down a bit. After meandering aimlessly along quiet canals, STR puts you down a drop and INTO literal high pressure nozzles spraying directly at your face from both sides. It wasn't "fun" in the sense of like, "Oh no! I might get wet!" You will get DRENCHED as if you rode the rapids and passed right under a waterfall. High pressure hoses aimed directly at you. Sort of takes the fun out of it.