bkroz

I suppose everything seems grander when you're 8. Thanks guys! Haha.

I went to Busch Gardens & Kings Dominion in May and in August, and both times was astounded that I saw not a single bug. I was never pestered by bees or by flies or anything. Maybe I just hit them at the perfect time, and I'm certainly not suggesting they have any sort of defense that Kings Island doesn't have... It just astounded me.

Most likely. I also think Kings Island was lucky to get the Boomerang Bay re-theme. Even though it's not attached to a movie any longer, the idea of an Australian themed water-park just seems to have more draw than a generic "Water Works" or "Splash Works." Australia = bright colors, fun music, kangaroos, etc. and people appreciate that. Plus, I have a few Australian friends who come here during the summer (their winters) to work at the summer camp I work at. Of course, we make it to Kings Island, and they find Boomerang Bay to be humorously stereotypical, but fun nonetheless. As for Kings Dominion and it's "forested-ness" that I keep touching on, here's a little example: Here's Kings Island's International Street in "full bloom." You can see the grassy slopes around the fountains, etc. Also notice that the fountains troughs are painted with "SeaWorld blue," as I call it - just a bright, bright blue that gives the illusion of cleanliness and pristine water. You can see in the image (and know from experience) that many of the trees are small, Probably 20 feet tall or so. Here's Kings Dominion's... And this image can't capture what it's like from the ground, because those trees are tall. Plus, the fountains are not in big "bowls" the way ours are, but spouting up directly from the water level. It gives it a natural, geyser appearance, especially when paired with the darker, more natural pool. You also must use your imagination to know that these trees continue completely through the park - almost every inch of the park is in shadow (it's a good thing, it's not depressing), while our trees taper off immediately past International Street in either direction. This picture of Kings Dominion's Eiffel Tower sums up how wooded that area is, and helps to demonstrate how the streets around their International Street area are slightly taller than the ones here

Is it just me, or did the fountains used to "dance"? As a child, I recall the fountains really getting their groove on, turning on and off, raising to different heights... Not necessarily in sync to the music playing on International Street, but they looked like they could've been. I also recall more colors... Today it feels like they're pink, purple, or blue. Didn't they used to be white and orange and red? Not all red... Some would be blue and some would be white, etc? Again, I could be making this all up. I'm just asking!

"Sometimes its the guns. Most times it's the targets." Doesn't inspire much faith... I am so pumped for the ride. But the lack of visible laser is the one thing that irks me. A couple of blasts of fog every few minutes strategically placed through the ride would probably help - but just having dots show up on the wall would be even better. I know there's not a "setting" for that or whatever, I just wonder why some parks have it and some don't? Why?

Kings Island has a better collection of rides, but as far as atmosphere, Kings Dominion eats us up and craps us out (no offense). It really looks like an Anheuser-Busch Park... Waterfalls, streams, mile-high trees... Their international street looks like ours, but built in the middle of a dense forest. Trees everywhere. It's really beautiful and incredible. And I cannot say enough good things about their Congo area - it has the brick paths we just received in Rivertown. The Crypt is surrounded by ancient carvings in the ground. They built a tiny little amphitheater if you will around The Crypt for folks to watch it from staggered levels. As with the rest of the park, trees everywhere. Plus, the entire Congo area plays literally, track-for-track, the score to the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. So there's drums, flutes, violins, all pumping out this adventurous score. Then, come nightfall, the entire area is lit up by flames shooting from The Crypt and Volcano, The Crypt is shooting geysers and blasting this really incredible synchronized music... Their Congo is easily the best themed area I've ever seen at a Cedar Fair park. Easily. The rest of the park is also beautiful. Old Virginia (their version of Rivertown, essentially) feels like Cedar Point's Frontier Trail - densely wooden, water rides, ponds, waterfalls, and much more. The Grove (their version of Coney Mall) is also very nice looking for what it is, though it has a very awkward empty plaza at the northern-most tip (vacated by Hypersonic and awkwardly filled with El Dorado and Americana from Geauga Lake). Even their kids area is just in the middle of the forest and everything feels very natural. The only complaints I have are their water park which, like Kings Islands used to be, is called "Water Works." It's very generic looking and sounding and, as any fan of Kings Dominion will tell you, was placed rather awkwardly and overtook one of the park's most picturesque features - Lake Charles. The only other problem is their Backlot Stunt Coaster's placement. Of all three, Kings Dominion's was placed worst, and it's not because it's "in the Congo area" (which is what so many people complain about - Though on the map, it is in the Congo area, it really is located in its own mini-car-themed area, which is quite clear when you're actually there). My problem is that it's tucked into the water park, essentially, so when you launch, you launch towards a water slide. That also changes the placement of the "parking garage" structure and looks odd. Not to mention, theirs has fallen from grace the most - no music, no water, no fire, and when I rode it at night, no lights. It's a shame, because BLSC is actually one of my favorite night-rides, with the fire and the illuminated highway signs surrounding you... It's an incredible park. And really, it had to be with Busch Gardens so close. I truly believe that if one averaged out Kings Island and Kings Dominion, they'd have the best seasonal theme park in the United States.

Right, I know, I've been on it. But my point was, that means you pass the first and only two block breaks in the first fifteen seconds of the minute-and-a-half ride. It certainly doesn't increase the ride's ability to run more trains, does it? I mean, on most coasters, you can launch a second train once a train has passed the first block break, but by time Volcano's train passes the last block break, the other train probably hasn't even been boarded yet... I mean, I don't know much about this stuff, but what I'm asking is, does one train essentially have to complete the entire circuit before a second can be launched?

Am I the only one who remembers Subway conveniently deciding to offer only Coca-Cola products right around the time that all of their restaurants were retro-fitted with ovens to mimic the growing trend that was Quizno's...? And wasn't it days later that Quizno's conveniently set up a deal with Pepsi? And that's not even close to the only example of such behavior in the past decade.

A greyout is brought on by positive G-forces, and the brain rapidly losing oxygen. Sometimes people have it when they go from laying to standing up really quickly. It's just a moment where all you can see is gray, and you may feel dizzy. I, personally, feel a lot of pressure behind my eyes when it happens, almost like when a limb is asleep and it feels "tingly." Then your vision returns in a matter of seconds. Blackouts are when you actually "pass out," whereas greyouts are something that only happens to your vision. Other senses continue to operate normally. They characteristically happen on roller coasters during loops (for me, every single double loop I've ever been on, I gray out on the second loop, every single time) and helices. That's why Intimidator is really getting to people - that first helix is tackled while traveling at 92 miles per hour (probably the fastest helix on any roller coaster). Even on the Italian Job, the constant helixing in the beginning gravitationally pulls blood towards the core and away from the head, producing the same sensation even at lower speeds. Except for the fact that they are the "precursor" to blacking out, grayouts aren't dangerous. I haven't heard of anyone experiencing a greyout on Top Thrill or Kingda Ka... As the Backlot Stunt Coaster shows, it's not about speed or drops, but about gravitational force. And more specifically, positive-G's (the kind that make you feel heavier, and press you into your seat). Negative-G's, which make you feel lighter, are very much present on Top Thrill Dragster, and actually force more blood into your head (though not enough to induce a "redout"... So many terms!) Just gives you an idea of why the more forceful B&Ms are the ones developed before computer mapping was able to help determine what kinds of G's would specifically be felt and where - today, many rides are developed to be far 'tamer' than they would've been (and many times, were) before such specific technology existed.

I wonder what percentage of riders experience a form of blackout on Backlot Stunt Coaster's helices? I know I do, and my friends always rave about how that's the weirdest part of the ride... Shall we add trims? Backlot Trim Coaster?

Not to mention the ridiculous "rumor" selective posted that (and I quote, emphasis added): "Everyone still suspects Paramount rigged the park that day, cause no reasons could be found to explain them and immediately after it all happened the deal was made and Paramount took over." I know of no one (except you?) who believed Paramount somehow infiltrated the park, electrified some water in hopes that someone would touch it, then rigged an intoxicated woman to fall from a ride. The very notion is ludicrous, and even insulting to the families impacted by those events - that their child, father, cousin, friend - was "murdered" by a movie studio in order to own a theme park (I don't even know how those two things could possibly be connected). Sigh. It's insane, that's what it is. Again I point you to my last post in this thread - reasons were found why these incidents occurred. Attempts to make them seem "paranormal" or "unexplained" are outrageous, and you should know that they come across the same as any other conspiracy theory or middle-school-legend-about-a-headless-person-in-the-basement.

The lake: Just because a lightbulb is new and checked doesn't mean it won't short out? Any logic otherwise is absolutely laughable... The ride: And as for Flight Commander, I suppose your right. A woman fell out, but the ride was checked and "there was no possible way to fall out." So it must've been the Twilight Zone! And since it was the Twilight Zone, Paramount rigged it since they own the awfully-similar, but much-updated Outer Limits, because they knew that years later they'd own the park and have a ride themed to it so they sent in disguised (but for their Paramount name tag) Paramount spies to rig the ride, then killed off a couple guests* to ensure they'd own the park and voila! The rest is history! While you're facts all check out, the rumors are incredibly silly. I think you're trying to make it seem like Kings Island has some dark, unexplained, horrific things that have happened just to build up mystery. That, however, is not the case. All the things you've said about Paramount rigging the park to kill people so they could own it (what?!) and such are the kinds of things you hear kids say in line and you just sit back and roll your eyes as their little friends "oooh" and "ahhhh." Sorry. * My language here is intentionally blunt and disrepectful to mirror what's been said by others. I obviously have the utmost sorrow for the families involved. Just so no one assumes I'm that callous.

Sometimes it's easier to know what's going on by looking at which questions are not answered. Multiple times it's been asked if the lasers will actually work this year on Boo Blasters - as in, will you physically be able to see red dots on the wall where your laser is aimed (something that you can and could see at all of the other Scooby Doo rides). The fact that the question has been ignored, even with such buzz surrounding the new ride and many other questions about it being answered, speaks volumes.

And if they don't know yet, how hard is it for them to get out the film for Spongebob and slap it on, or keep the theater closed on opening day as they order a new film? Or keep the whole thing closed altogether all year! Of course, if they chose to re-use the Spongebob film, they should be careful when putting the film in the projector - it's an antique.

He said we'd get a new map - it may not be Cedar Fair style. In fact, there may be no "Cedar Fair" from which the style may be derived! I find this to be very unfortunate either way. I am something of a park map connoisseur, and Citigraph maps (used by most of the Paramount Parks, Six Flags, and for a time, Universal) are easily my favorite style. I don't think guests get tired of seeing the same style map, because most probably don't care. And those who are around often enough to see a map every single year probably don't use one...

Hahha! Too true! But yes you make some very good points newsguy, and I agree with them all! Again, I want to make it clear that my point, however convoluted, was meant to show that the smaller parks should not be thought of a a waste of rides the way that Geauga Lake was, but that the smaller parks are good at being smaller parks.

I have to disagree. Sure, I am completely and totally of the persuasion that Cedar Fair might've said to Intamin, "You know this doesn't have to be as good as Millennium, you know?" (a plan that, if true, seems to have backfired). But I don't think Cedar Fair spend money (perhaps more importantly, time) by adding a trim break to the first hill. If they would close the ride and bring in Intamin and have a new break installed there, I doubt "letting Millennium Force win" would even be in the top ten reasons why. Graying out doesn't kill people, but folks have different thresholds. I mildly enjoy the sensation on Backlot, for example. But at 92 mph? I'm not sure. The comfort of the guest is far more important than keeping the ride "intense." I haven't been on Intimidator 305, but from what I hear, I hope they don't add a trim. My point was that, if they do, it's most certainly not just because of Millennium. Cedar Fair loves their records, yes, but not at the expense of time & money.

The reality is, closing a few of the parks (maybe, Michigan's Adventure, Great America, and Vallyfair) would save the company a lot of money and free up some incredible rides that could do absolute wonders at parks that are actually busy on a day-to-day basis. You know *I* wouldn't mind getting my paws on Valleyfair's suspended top spin, or some of Michigan's Adventure's waterslides for Boomerang Bay... Then again, it's an attitude like that that closed Geauga Lake - seeing the not-so-grandly-performing parks as a waste of money & a waste of rides rather than what they really are: a tradition-filled, inspired, meticulously cared-for and cultivated family-favorite attraction... In other words, while people at Kings Dominion may only know of Geauga Lake in passing and because of Dominator, for many of us here in Northeast Ohio, Batman: Knight Flight was the best thing to happen since sliced bread, and our summers are a lot different without it. Let's not forget that, should Valleyfair close, we may get a new ride, but many many lives will be changed. I'll never know how different my kids might've been if Geauga Lake would still be open in 15 years, and I don't know what I would be like had Geauga Lake closed 15 years earlier! Even small "under-performing" parks are incredible experiences for those who grow up near them.

The maximum heights have always existed, even if they weren't on the map last year - they were advertised at all three attractions. One of my taller friends often stood by the ones at Invertigo and Drop Zone just for fun (he's 6'3", and I believe the maximum is 6'5" or 6'7"). Pretty much any ride with over the shoulder restraints will have a maximum height limit.

Where? I mean, the first launch is right out of the station and into a giant helix, and the second is the vertical launch through the volcano... Certainly not even a quarter of the way through the ride, and not enough time to fill, or even empty, another train... And I don't know where else on the short layout a block break would be...

Does Volcano have a MCBR? It's such a short ride, doesn't it only have the final breaks anyway?

Festhaus is not a show, it is a restaurant venue that plays shows. The shows that play within Festhaus are listed on the Shows page, and the venue's main use (a restaurant) is the one listed on the interactive map on the site. The physical map you recieve at the park, however, has Festhaus labed as a restaurant and includes descriptions of the shows that play within. I wouldn't say "This needs to be fixed!", because honestly, it's not a big deal... The show that will play within Action Theater, though, is not listed on the 'shows' page. This is likely because we're not supposed to know what it will be yet, and also because the "shows" page is also labled "live entertainment," which the show within Action Theater will not be. The other parks list it under 'family rides,' and I'm sure ours will be there soon (here's hoping this site is updated and maintained regularly, or at least more regularly than the last one -- I think it will be). And it is closed towards the end of the year because one of the haunted houses, Urgent Scare, is set up within. Plus, by the end of last year, the Spongebob ride film was really on its last leg, very grainy, almost colorless, and not in 3-D. I don't believe it was ever directly closed for that reason, but it's something worth noting.

^ Of course, if I absolutely had to break it off with a significant other, taking $6.5 million of their money wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, either.

I understand that, and my point was to use Scooby instead of Snoopy - why do all of the Cedar Fair parks have to share the Peanuts when the parks are not and never will be cut from the same mold? Some can use Snoopy, and some can use Scooby, just as some Six Flags use The Wiggles, others use Thomas the Tank Engine, most use Looney Tunes, and many use a combination. Still, though, you're right. But I sort of find it hard to believe Cedar Fair even bothered looking into it. I could be, and oftentimes am, wrong!