bkroz

Doesn't the sale period end tonight? At 11:59? This will be a very important evening in the future of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company...

That link doesn't work ^ Fixed link. Should the deal go through at $11.50 per unit, Q Funding III will be at quite a loss. That being said, with 12% of the shares, the approval of this deal is looking less and less likely.

I believe it's safe to say that the Son of Beast trains have been found to be safe. That being said, it's the same "all clear" that a Top Thrill Dragster train receives moments before a bolt may come lose or a piece of plastic snap off... (not that that's happened, it's only an example). Nothing that has been "found safe" by anyone can be ridden without risk. That's why the state of Ohio has laws in place to prevent and protect certain folks from riding, and still more to protect those who ride and are injured by an event outside their control. Just because Maverick, or Voyage, or Diamondback is cleared each morning doesn't mean it cannot cause future harm. Do the Son of Beast trains have an impact on the ride's comfort, and guest satisfaction? I'd say so. Perhaps they lead to more injury complaints. Whether they're more safe or not, I don't know. They were replaced to save the ride's structure, and I suppose the fact that it's still standing (to the chagrin of some...) means they've done their job.

Yes, there's also http://planetsnoopy.com/kingsisland/ The web sites are, for now at least, devoid of information. Every link returns to the park's main site, and the map provided for each park is the 2009 map (clearly just meant to show the general location of the Planet Snoopy area and not the specific rides).

I find it odd that Boo Blasters on Boo Hill's logo has 'scary', serious looking ghosts, yet the ride's description seems to point to a connection with the Peanuts gang. Those ghosts don't exactly seem like they're part of the Peanuts universe to me... Also, a slight, miniscule, not-so-bad sort of kudos to Cedar Fair for actually taking their time and making better-than-mediocre logos. I guess... But it better not go to their head!

I think Orange supports, sky blue track would be nice. Or, sky blue supports and yellow track... Snoopy just doesn't scream orange and yellow to me... I feel like it ought to have pale, pastel colors. Orange supports, sky blue track, and red trains.

Tricky tricky! Hahha.

I can't help but point out that the first steel roller coaster Cedar Fair has had color-control over in the last five years that is NOT red is the one that actually should be.

I'm sure that, like any rule at the park, it's only enforced by certain individuals, and should you ride a smaller ride while certain associates are working, you wouldn't be told off. However, that doesn't make it right - much less safe. Like smoking, even if its not always enforced, it is dangerous, stupid, inconsiderate and wrong to do it.

I would bet on that - perhaps even the same building facade! You may say to yourself "Why would they get rid of what's already there just to downgrade it? Wouldn't they make good use of what's salvageable from the ride's previous incarnation?" You'd think so, wouldn't you?

They're also not advertising it as a 2010 map. No where on the page is even one reference to the map having any connection to 2010. Quite the opposite, those who examine it closely will still see Avatar. Not to mention, I imagine that the bright green color on the map will be replaced by a sky-blue of sorts (if we don't get the much maligned - on my part, at least - Cedar Fair style map). The Kings Island website still features Son of Beast on the attractions page, but I for one do not consider that a hint towards the ride's future. Frankly, I have no idea what will happen.

Kings Dominion is theoretically about an hour and half from Washington, DC. Remember, of course, that nothing is as close as it seems from DC, because rush hour is from 6am - midnight around the capitol. Also, every highway between DC and Richmond (the route to Kings Dominion) is being widened to create more HOV lanes. Anyone planning a trip to Kings Dominion from Ohio should plan alternate routes around DC that add a theoretical hour (and therefore take just about as long as the route through DC). But for people who are already in Washington, I guess there's not much you can. That being said, Kings Dominion is worth the traffic. Easily.

Oh I completely agree. There's hardly a committee, and most parks probably have the designers of their rides come up with such names... The Cedar Fair parks have no designers, as they has no themed rides. Assistant: "Mr. Kinzel, we've got to rename our four rides that used to be called Top Gun." Kinzel: "We do?" Assistant: "Yes, sir, at the new parks. The Paramount ones... They're airplane themed roller coasters." Kinzel: "Heavens, when did this happen? Well, hmm... Maybe... ****pit?" Assistant: "I don't know that that will work well, Mr. Kinzel." Kinzel: "Well what's the place where you sit and eat the meal on the airplane?" Assistant: "Most of us just get pretzels, sir, but you're thinking of the... cabin? fuselage? Err... flight deck?" Kinzel: "That's the one! Perfect! Have the generic-looking, clearly-mass-produced signs created at once!" I'm sure a similar discussion happened for each and every renamed ride. I, for one, will gladly be Cedar Fair's naming committee, for free. Anyone else think Drop Tower should be renamed "This One's a DOOZY" in big, comic-y font?

Gasp! Never! Cedar Fair would never do that to a ride, much less do that to a ride as they approach bankruptcy. Even in this tumultuous time, I'm sure Cedar Fair will show the care and support they've always shown to theme. No worries, I'm sure! [/sarcasm] I love the way some big review of Kings Island that's circulating the site from Roller Coaster Philosopher put it: Instead of infusing the rides with their own new personality, they simply provided generic versions of the old names. So people don't say 'Oh, this is Flight Deck'. They say, 'This used to be Top Gun." What I, for one, hear more than anything else is "This used to be Paramount" instead of "This is Cedar Fair." Castle Blasters The Haunted Castle Adventure Boo Blasters Ghastly Blasters Ghost Attack! (Done in friendly, comic book style signage with Howl-o-Fest characters.) Howl-O-Blast Charlie Brown & The Haunted Castle Boo Blasters of Ghastly Manor Great Pumpkin: The Ride! Pumpkin Blasters Snoopy's Trick-or-Treat Adventure And I completely agree not to point out a problem unless you have a solution (*cough* Son of Beast haters, yelling "tear it down" doesn't help *cough*). I have always offered alternatives when I mock some of Cedar Fair's more ridiculous names. Boo Blasters on Boo Hill is the same. Make it generic it if you must, but if Flight Deck, Drop Tower, Boo Blasters on Boo Hill, etc. is the best you can come up with, have a fan-submission contest and vote on the top 10 choices via the official site, etc. The prize for the winning submission could be a simple season pass. There ya go! A good name with no spill on the financial record. Cedar Fair may be bad at themeing, etc. but there's no reason to be bad at naming. Truly, if they had a poll that said "What should Top Gun be renamed?" that particular ride would NOT be named Flight Deck today, and one of us might feel as if we had a real say in the park's transition! If only they would realize this. And for God's sake, if Flight Deck, BBOBH, Back Lot Stunt Coaster, etc. are the best you can come up with, that's fine! Admit they're not the best and ask for help from the fans. And really, fire the naming staff! I still laugh at the thought of a group of folks (or even one person with any creativity!) sitting together, and Flight Deck is the honest-to-God best they can come up with by the end of the meeting. If that's the case, there needs to be a major staff transition at CFHQ.

Plus, imagine The Crypt retrofitted with laser guns and re-themed to "Tomb Blaster!" Hahhaa. The world's first interactive top spin? Sounds like a Merlin-thing to me!

Not to mention, in my humble opinion, Blackstone is dealing with high-income, high-popularity parks that are world-renowned. And while the former-Paramount Parks were debt-free (right?) at the time of their acquisition, the fact of the matter is, I can't see Blackstone owning SeaWorld and some of Cedar Fair's lesser performers... Busch Gardens Europe and Valleyfair having the same owner? Or SeaWorld and Great America? It's just a bit far-fetched to me, but who knows! Now, that being said, if/when the parks are sold off individually, I think it would be very realistic to say Blackstone may snatch up some of the more highly themed and lucrative parks, say the King parks, Knotts, Carowinds, Canada's Wonderland, maybe? I think Kings Island / Dominion could fit nicely in the well-themed, but still thrill-laden former Busch parks family. But things like Great America and Valleyfair and Dorney? While they're fantastic parks, they don't exactly exude an aura of "I'm fit to be SeaWorld's sister park." Not as they are now, anyway. I think that, while it's the same sort of thing, the parks would fit well under the Merlin banner. Much like Alton & Thorpe & World of Adventures, the parks are lightly but efficiently themed and contain many thrill rides. And I have no idea about legal issues and what's possible and what's not, but I could certainly imagine seeing in the news that the board of directors of Cedar Fair (headed by Kinzel) have elected to continue running Cedar Point independantly as the other parks are sold. I have no idea if that's even possible, but it just strikes me as something that would happen long before it gets sold to Six Flags, Merlin, etc. Just my thoughts!

Make that one of five!

Yes, true, it's not closed, the entrance is just re-routed through the exit. I don't believe it's expected to close at all, and there's really no reason for it to - the station is filled with Potter construction walls, though, so there's lots of work going on. If it does close, there will certainly be notice on the official website under ride closures or some such thing. For trip planning its notable that, from the point they split off, Ice leads directly into the station and fire wraps around the exit area to enter the station from the other side, so if the line for both appears the same length from the line split, Ice's wait is about 15 minutes shorter because it enters the station directly.

Technically, Kings Dominion has not. They've only released the generic names given to their former Hanna-Barbera rides. For example, Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster is just "Ghoster Coaster" and Top Cat's Taxi Jam is just Taxi Jam. So they've announced how the old HB Land is melding into KidWorkz, but not how Nick is becoming Planet Snoopy.

Ironically, I think that it was supposed to be clever - Dorney Park (perhaps other legacy parks, but Dorney is the one I'm sure of) call their Howl-o-Scream Boo Blast, and Cedar Point's Halloweekends features a kid's haunted house called Magical House on Boo Hill. While I'm certainly not saying the ride's re-name is related to, or based on, either, it sure is funny. But again, think on the bright side: Perhaps within the year (or, month) Merlin or Blackstone will come snooping around, looking for legitimate, popular parks to purchase. Then along comes this smartly designed, intelligent Ohio park that is bubbling over with potential to be, as was once claimed, The Universal of the Midwest. And for that matter, I would die of happiness should our beloved park be rebranded Universal's Kings Island. Comcast and Vivendi and all that crap aside, Universal Parks & Resorts knows how to handle a theme park. I have this gut feeling that any legitimate theme park owner with an eye on Kings Island would be quick to reverse the damage done by such Cedar Fair gems as "The Drop Tower," "Flight Deck," "Back Lot Stunt Coaster," and the newest member of the family "Boo Blasters on Boo Hill," to name a few... And that is most certainly something to celebrate.

Notably, it appears that Kings Dominion's Planet Snoopy names will go live any minute now, based on the web-page that just uploaded on the Rides & Attractions page. Of course, knowing our dear owner's penchant for online updates, it may also be a few months (or years). http://kingsdominion.com/attractions/category.cfm?ac_id=70

Oh... My... Lord... It's worse than I feared... So much worse... Even for Cedr Fair... Wow. Just one more name to add to their Hall of Fame that contains such gems as Flight Deck and Drop Tower... I don't think there's a single ride anywhere on Earth gutsy enough to use "boo" twice in the name. This is a new record.

Not to mention I doubt Planet Snoopy's color on the map will be "slime green." Hahha I would love to return to the Paramount map colors, and often wonder why the time was taken to change them to begin with? International Street was a cool mint green (probably changed to differenciate it from Nick U), Action Zone was actually a bright, action-oriented yellow instead of a pale canary, etc. Also, one has to wonder... Is there a reason they went back and re-drew the perspective of the Eiffel Tower only?

I'm not sure if anyone else ran across this in the past, but it's now "official" so I'll post it: For what it's worth, Kings Dominion's official Planet Snoopy announcement on the homepage redirects to www.planetsnoopy.com/kingsdominion/. Through much, much, intense and unyielding experimentation, I've found that a similar page can be reached by (surprisingly) placing the word "island" in place of "dominion" in the provided URL (random, isn't it?). Note that both pages are the same except for the name and the park map, and neither reveals anything about the ride names (every single link returns to the park's main page... Sort of a useless website.) Even the map is last-season's for all of the Planet Snoopy parks with a big Planet Snoopy logo pointing at the former Nickelodeon areas.

Poseidon's building is visible, but not from immediately in front of the attraction, which is something I really value - it's almost magic how it disappears behind the facade, though the show building is much larger. And while I'm extremely excited about Potter, the fact of the matter is, there's only one new attraction, still... I don't mean to downplay Hogsmeade and stuff, because it looks (and inevitably will be) fantastic, but after all the park's promises, it really does boil down to one new ride. Perhaps Islands suffered from the same issue as Six Flags Worlds of Adventure, just in a different way - overexpansion. Too much too soon. It opened as the perfect park, but then seemingly had no budget (well, enough for a kids coaster and a teacup ride), thus leaving it essentially unchanged for 10 years. The difference being, Islands was so far ahead of its time, it could weather the lack-of-new-rides and still come out an above-average park. Worlds of Adventure installed everything all at once, but then quickly faded into the background with its lack of budget.