bkroz

Here's my breakdown of the situation for what it's worth: Son of Beast will not open in 2010. No matter which camp you're a part of, there are good things on the horizon - the ride will either be improved by leaps and bounds and create an experience at least more akin to the one it was meant to have, or it will be torn down and removed from Kings Island's lineup of rides in its inferior state. Whether you love the ride or hate it, you must admit, it does not operate the way it is supposed to, and its very possible that it has potential locked inside of it. So pretty much, we get to "ride the sequel" the way we were supposed to, or the matter is over and done with and the weakened-state ride disappears. How can anyone be displeased with those options? I hope that, whoever is looking into these alternatives for the ride has a very close eye on Texas Giant. Even that, though, is a frightening thought - if Texas Giant works, perhaps Cedar Fair will elect to try the treatment at their pride and joy, Cedar Point, by applying it to Mean Streak. If they test that out for a year, we're talking four or five years from now when Son of Beast gets the chance - if left to natural forces and minimal human upkeep, I fear Son of Beast may be rubble in five years.

Can you say that on a family site?! Also, those pictures of Woodstock Express were posted a few days ago on here I believe...

As always, not to nit-pick, but "The park is not even considering tearing it down. End of story." is not necessarily true. It was briefly mentioned that there have been a few ideas considered about the Son of Beast dilemma, and that tearing it down wasn't one of the alternatives considered. First of all, that may well be a lie, as was mentioned. There are certain things that those within the park's operations cannot and should not say... Saying that the ride's demolition was considered is a sort of "admission of guilt" if you will, that the park is at its wits end and is unwilling to continue working with the ride. Whether or not that's how they feel, none of us can say - but they certainly have claimed to be more optimistic than that. Is it the truth? Who knows. Even assuming that they really have not considered tearing it down, that doesn't mean they never will. If the remaining two of three engineering firms have "unsatisfactory responses" as the first one had, the park will inevitably move on to a new alternative, one of which may be the ride's removal. Keep in mind, though, that tearing it down may well cost as much as some of the more modest fixes that may be considered, and like construction, destruction (especially of this magnitude) must be worked into the park's annual budget. Safely demolishing Son of Beast (think of how close it is to Adventure Express and Flight Deck) plus hauling and trashing the scrapped wood would be a project of unprecedented proportions... Literally. And of course, one day, be it in months, years, decades, or centuries, Son of Beast will be removed. The same can be said for The Beast, Diamondback, Vortex, and every other ride at Kings Island.

I heard (correct me if I'm wrong) that The Beast ran exactly once with passengers & without trims, before it was officially opened and on its first ride with the crew / designers, etc. Again, I could be wrong, but that's what I'd heard. The public, though, has never ridden it without trims.

Someone record it and put in YouTube! Us Clevelanders are so out of the loop!

I honestly would be angry, too. I know folks were bickering that it was so lazy of Cedar Fair to not add a few extra feet to the height (to beat Millennium) and how it wasn't fair about this and that, and how they weren't given enough backstage tours and all that... Imagine if we had people on here picking apart every inch of Diamondback and saying it wasn't as good as Behemoth and, even after being offered tours and this "tailgate party" thing the night before park opening, if people were still complaining that we weren't being given enough free things (keeping in mind how little of the parks actual clientele we make up)... I think admins on here would be upset, too. And as for the I305 vs. MF thing, I don't know what anyone expected... Could I305 been designed to blow Millennium out of the water? Probably - Imagine taking advantage of Dominion's wooded, hilly terrain, but instead it's much like Firehawk's location. Imagine taking advantage of the things they've learned from Millennium's... well... lack-of-Force as far as how to disappate some speed, but then really nail riders with airtime. But why on Earth would Cedar Fair, or even the coaster world, want that? I would say to you that Millennium is an enigma for many people who haven't ridden it, and in all fairness, probably shouldn't be beaten by a NASCAR ride in Virginia. Again, Intimidator looks like a great coaster, but I tend to believe that, when approaching Intamin, Cedar Fair might've said "Look, this doesn't really have to be better than Millennium as far as layout, airtime, height, speed, etc if you know what I mean..." Plus, in this economy, the low-to-the-ground track (i.e. short supports) saves on steel and provides an experience more akin to an actual race car.

Yes Shaggy, love this! Thanks so much.

The videos were taken in 1995 - see, Paramount Era.

Well I'm sure the answer-er is glad they do - it requires they only answer four questions a day since one is a gimme, and as the days go by the questions continue to get more and more complex, as more and more enthusiasts ask them.

I LOVE when the station access is restricted. Not necessary assigned seating, but it's such a relief to arrive at the Millennium Station and find that you don't have to wait through six cycles and try to get lined up with friends and such... But, it doesn't really happen anymore, does it? :\ It's MUCH less stressful, and makes the line seem shorter.

A full ride-through video. NOTE: The drop portion is probably between ten and fifteen feet. HOPEFULLY, that chamber will be filled with special effects, etc. Even projections screens around you that simulate an even greater fall would certainly be impressive and disorienting. As it is now, the entirety of the "dark ride" section takes about fifteen seconds... I find it very odd that, after all of this build-up, they literally revealed the secret on TV, with night-vision, for everyone to see... Sure word would've gotten out, but hand-held POV videos and word-of-mouth couldn't precisely describe what it's like... Now, one needs only to view a YouTube video... I am happy, in a way, to see that I was right - it's a mid-sized, family coaster at most with some fun effects. I'm sure that, had so much publicity and hype not been built up, this would be a fun little ride. EDIT: Just from the look of it, I believe there will be lots of special effects / props during and after drop - there is a more extensive portion of ride after the drop than I had originally guessed.

Well, what else would they say? "No, it won't be that diffferent - we're just taking out the Scooby Doo figures."

If only it would have an impact, or even make a knick, on the wall that is that man's ego. If Kinzel offered to give up even a quarter of his "golden parachute" to divide among the shareholders (I don't know how much he stands to gain or anything, but this is just me thinking aloud), at least there would be an evidence of "good faith" from Kinzel. It wouldn't even make a dent in his fortune and, while it would make very little impact on the actual dollar amount for the shareholders, it would mean something of importance to the folks who are so at risk because of his actions. Unfortunately, I don't see him realizing how simple it really is to say "sorry" when it's due.

Coincidence, I'm sure!

All I ever hear from my friends is that many of the cars have had their guns removed, still more have inoperable guns, and the cars that do have guns do not emit a visible laser, or even a visible red dot on the wall, thus making targeting near impossible. Perhaps it's that that Sally Corp is being brought in to change, and not the themeing so much? After all, as far as I've heard, ours is the only of the Scooby rides that was literally falling apart one gun / prop at a time. Having ridden Kings Dominion's just last year, I found it to be really incredible and for the first time realized we really did get gypped. Perhaps the tables will turn?

I find "inescapable" water effects to be more annoying than anything. Now, on a river rafting ride when the raft is spinning towards a waterfall, that's alright - it's fun and you lean and scream with joy and try to get away from it and get it to hit the other side of the raft (plus you're aware that you will get sickeningly drenched before you get on - it's an intrinsic part of that style of ride)... But in instances like the CG video of Shoot the Rapids, passing under an inescapable waterfall, or the elephant on Wild Thornberrys?... What's the fun in that? If, once the ride actually begins, the waterfall shuts off just before you reach it and you just get a little bit dripped on, that's alright because it's refreshing. But to just go right through a curtain of water with no way to avoid it to the point where you're just freezing and dripping for the remainder of the day? There are plenty of rides that offer that sensation... When I ride a log flume, it's not what I want. There's a difference between getting wet and getting drenched. If I wanted to get drenched at Kings Island, I'd ride Congo Falls or White Water Canyon. There should be alternative where you just get "misted" or "mildly wet," enough to cool off. That's what log flumes are good for, if you ask me...

Haha very appropriate! I think I read somewhere (on here?) someone saying they should name it "Two Millenniums and a Decade Force." So, gigacoaster2k+10 would also work well as a username!

I would maintain that none of us know. The point of people saying that was, if Cedar Fair is on the verge of a massive change in funding, even in leadership, the very last thing on their to-do list right now is to pour time and energy into doing anything (constructive or destructive) to one roller coaster at one of their parks. They're not even sure how much longer they'll own the parks. So much as yet to be decided internally within the company. Say you owned a successful, but indebted, pizza business with a dozen locations that was attempting to undergo a massive and unprecedented buyout or face inevitably bankruptcy. Now say that one of your dozen pizza locations sold one particular type of pizza that was hit-or-miss. Some liked it, some hated it. And many called for you to re-evaluate its recipe, scrap all or most of your ingredients for it, relaunch a new ad campaign, and start over fresh, costing hundreds of dollars. During such an incredibly transitory time where quite literally anything could happen to your business as a whole, you would probably say, "Can't it wait?" In the meantime, you might just stop selling that particular style of pizza for a while. Then, you can regroup later when you have more time and money. But it's certainly not top priority now, and it's near impossible to say what actions may be taken later (if there is a later). Now that's an extended metaphor!

^ Essentially, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, sans building. That's Xpress (formerly, Superman) at Walibi World. The only difference between it and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is that "Xpress' layout is a bit more spacious to compensate for a higher speed launch due to the trains being lighter without the musical hardware." (Source.) In many ways, it looks similar to Flight of Fear... The launch immediately entering a half-loop sort of maneuver. But ours is a cobra roll, & theirs is a rollover(?), etc. That big banked turn that stretches out of their "spaghetti bowl" looks very fun to me...

Three of the questions were asked by the same person! And mine never get answered.

I would argue that, at least for myself, I would not have wanted to hug a gorilla when I was young... I probably would've cried.

It was funny though! Every answer is very text book, very coorporate, and then yesterday we get "Next question!" and "You know somethin' about Snoopy, people LOVE him." Haha. Very funny.

I'm always confused about that... I believe you, but the only thing I ever read was something along the lines of: "Blah blah blah, five of the parks will be getting Planet Snoopy.... Blah blah blah... Three other parks will be getting our Starlight Experience that was a smash hit at Cedar Point." The way it's phrased is like, "Three other parks will get Cedar Point's Starlight Experience..." Like, three additional parks on top of Cedar Point. I'm sure I'm reading it wrong or it was more directly stated somewhere else, but in the Kings Island 5@5 they said the map was being finalized and information had to be added about a "new nighttime show." Someone asked if they were changing the fireworks and they said "No, the fireworks have been a staple at Kings Island and will continue to operate on nights when the park closes at 10" etc etc. So they are working on a new nighttime show. The question is, is it just a normal show, except at night, or something unique... ?

I can think of a lot of rides that have more downtime in one season that that particular launched coaster has had in its entire life... I think you all can, too. And they did highlight the special effects in the promotion (and rightly so - they were incredible for a seasonal park), but it's almost painful to see all of this hype about Thirteen... It would take an incredible, amazing, and actually terrifying roller coaster to live up to its expectations. Terrifying in that, it literally is frightening and might cause some people to have emotional breakdowns... Imagine what would have to happen on that ride to live up to that! Even if there is a drop portion, word will get out quickly. It will be fun, I'm sure... But will it be the worlds first psychocoaster? That might require a hidden drop, live actors, a walk-through portion, etc... I just don't know. And it's Intamin, right? So if there's a new technology like an elevator drop, or even a launch... I shudder to imagine the downtime...

As far as my understand of the ride (limited) it will be a nice combination of dark ride & surprisingly intense "family" roller coaster, a la Revenge of the Mummy, or Backlot Stunt Coaster. I think it will be a fun, storyline-and-effects-intense little ride! My fear is that this will be another Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Of its own merits, an exciting, even a stand-out, ride. But when the resort needs to draw in visitors (in Universal's case, visitors who might otherwise put the trip off until Harry Potter opens) and the ride is not operating the way it's supposed to even as opening day draws near (see, THIR13EN), they just have to continue slapping it with promotions and hype... The problem is, too much of that and the ride ends up being... Less-than-desired. See, for an example of how to do it properly, The Italian Job: Stunt Track. It was marketed from the beginning as a family coaster. A launched coaster, yes - but a family coaster. Videos were released beforehand showing it from realistic angles, showing kids and families riding it. Thank God. Imagine the backlash had it been touted as Kings Island's newest E-Ticket, one of the world's wildest coasters with a crazy-out-of-control Hollywood spirit and multi-million dollar special effects and over-banked turns and an unexpected splashdown, and it was so large and so intense one needed to sign a waiver beforehand and no re-rides allowed because it was just too stressful and you really felt like you were on the run from the police, and the darkness was so mind-boggling that the entire ride was likely to cause emotional breakdowns....! Pretty soon, enough hype piled on promotion in a sandwich of emotional language can cause even the most fun little ride to be a tremendous let-down. I consider BLSC to be one of my top five coasters. That being said, if the wait is over 10 minutes, I won't ride it. It's fun for what it is. Luckily, that's also what it claimed to be. The Mummy, on the other hand (which I assume will share many aspects with THIR13EN), billed itself as the "world's first psychological thrill ride." Lucky for it, it did live up to that in many ways, because it's a fantastic dark ride and a fantastic roller coaster. I'm not sure THIR13EN can accomplish the same thing...