BoddaH1994

Diamondback has already beaten that. The auction has already raised over $50,000 and is going great! KIC gets mentioned in a Kings Island Newsletter article about the auction: http://www.visitkingsisland.com/news/detail.cfm?item_id=835

What would someone bid for the ACE stone that used to be located on International Street

The thing that really killed the Purple People Bridge climb was the cost of insurance. I wonder how the insurance is on this...

Full press release http://www.cedarfair.com/ir/press_releases/index.cfm

Looks like Diamondback is preparing to make a splash!

As Adam stated, Jess is arguably the biggest B&M fan in the world. He's been pushing for Kings Island to get one for many years now. I'd say that his opinion is more than qualified to be in the blog. The train has been stopped on the lift several times during the testing process, and likely will be stopped again countless times until the testing concludes and the park opens on April 18th. It's really nothing to write home or email the park about. There are many reasons why the train could be stopped. Please don't forget that during the testing processes, the operation of the ride may seem unorthodox in comparison to how we may imagine it will be run while the park is open.

Only a Bobcat till March 20th. ...then I'm a "norse?" Just like Boddah1994! I'll be transferring to NKU. Any dumb Ohioan can tell you what a bobcat is, it takes a Kentuckian with full access to Wikipedia to tell you what a Norse is.

The topic can be about Action Theatre closing even if it's no closing... I guess. Plus, at what point does what rides have been added constitute how much attention a park has gotten? I kept telling you guys that we aren't getting "nothing" in 2008 and many of you made fun of me for saying it, but looking back, I think we can argue that 2008 was one of the best years to be a fan of Kings Island. Not only with special events, but new shows, a cleaner park and better amenities.

I don't think the risk would be the train hitting a solid block of ice in the splashdown, but rather the water getting into the filtration system, freezing and bursting the pipes. Same reason that fountains aren't run in the winter.

Granted, the test dummies don't scream (except maybe that bald one featured on Visitkingsisland.com) but it was really odd -- the only noise you really heard from the ride was from the B&M roars. It'll be interesting to see how it unfolds.

I'm sure there's some sort of anti-rollback mechanism. I was certainly within a similar distance in which I could have heard it from other rides. I know that Chang is very loud, so my only guess is that this is some sort of different technology.

It's a typical chain lift system, from what I could tell but you can't hear the anti-rollback chain dogs as you can with other coasters. I was worried that the noise of the lift hill would interfere with the International Showplace, but my apprehensions were allayed.

Workers prepare the splashdown finalie of Diamondback, Kings Island's 230' steel coaster set to open in April.

Yeah, I noticed that during testing. The ride really wastes no time at all. As soon as you leave the station, you're going up the hill, and that's coupled with the fact that the lift hill is really fast. I think train dispatch intervals will be really small.

Certainly Diamondback will attract many people, thus those are people who won't be standing in other lines. However, it will also likely attract many visitors to the park, who will ride other things in addition to Diamondback.

I believe FoF was going to be renamed MTV's Soundwave according to a survey they had. Maybe, maybe not. It's possible that they could have rethemed it, but it's also possible that they could have been testing the concept to either move FoF and retheme it or just building a new one with that theme elsewhere.

If you write to the park and get a response that you think needs to be shared, do it. But do it in your own words. It's just disrespectful and could be argued as an invasion of privacy if you post peoples' emails. Just use your best judgment.

People - If you exchange emails with the park please do not post them on the forums. Let's show a little respect. Emails are between two people, not between one person and the entire world. Posts containing emails from the park will be deleted. Thanks, Ryan

I realize that you're coming from quite a distance, but if anyone is local and intends to get their passes processed before opening day usually it's the earlier the better. Typically the first few days are a quick in-and-out but the days leading up to opening day have longer waiting periods.

Well..... funny story. As I posted in the thread that someone created as a poll for this tidbit, what was old and will become new again will be the return of Bubba Gumps Shrimp Shack. Since then, plans have changed and we'll will see the amazing continuation of Outter Hanks. So what's old becomes vintage, I suppose.

The first test run was yesterday (Thursday) at approximately 4:41p. We were not present, nor was any member of the media. No one knew that they were going to test on Thursday until the last minute, hence many of you getting the "you're not missing anything" responses when you emailed Don Helbig. Trust me, we considered it. That's the beauty of it -- from my take of it, you can clearly see the train slow down a little at the MCBR, but it's very graceful and will likely be unnoticed by the rider. You have no idea... hearing that train rip through the turns with a sound emitting from it that is only comparable to what you'd hear during an F5 tornado is incredible! That's the reason why I didn't doctor the video up at all... I wanted you guys to hear it too! The test dummies are actually water dummies -- they can be filled to different capacities with water to represent persons of different weights. As they tested the ride, they moved the water dummies around every once in a while between cyclones to represent that random nature of the distribution of weight in the train during typical operation. At some points, they entirely removed the dummies in certain seats to represent vacancies. FYI Please note that if you want to take photos of Diamondback testing, please limit yourself to the passenger pickup area unless you have specific permission to be anywhere else on the property. Otherwise you will be trespassing.

With April just on the horizon, Diamondback - Kings Island's new 230' steel hypercoaster, has begun its first phase in testing. Loaded with water dummies, this steel beast is scheduled to cycle trains every afternoon until the park opens to the public on April 18th. KICentral was the ONLY fan site granted special access to bring you coverage of Diamondback as it comes out of its shell! Click here to see up close and personal photos of Diamondback being tested and to see an exclusive video of Diamondback making her first rounds! Every year Cincinnati's unique publication CityBeat hosts their "Best of Cincinnati" poll. KICentral.com is currently in the running for best web site in Cincinnati! Please show your support by following this link and voting for KICentral.com as best web site in Cincinnati! Kings Island, in cooperation with A Kid Again, formerly known as Adventures for Wish Kids, is holding an auction for the first rides on the new Diamondback roller coaster that will appeal to philanthropists and coaster-enthusiasts alike. Beginning February 2, the park will auction off a minimum of 96 seats to the highest bidders, who will be the first official riders on Diamondback – the tallest, fastest and meanest roller coaster to ever strike Kings Island. Bids can be placed until April 15 by visiting www.kiDiamondback.com/public/auction/ or by calling Kings Island at (800) 288-0808. A winning bid will include the inaugural ride on Diamondback, a commemorative first rider ticket, a special gift from the park and an admission ticket. Following the inaugural ride, each event ticket holder will be invited to stay and play in the park until closing at 10:00pm. The official opening of Diamondback, including the top bidders supporting A Kid Again, will take place on Opening Day, April 18. The highest successful bidder will select their seat on the first train while all other successful bidders will be assigned their seats according to their bid amount. Minimum bids begin at $50.00. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction will go directly to A Kid Again. Founded July 6, 1995, A Kid Again is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing fun-filled outings and on-going support to children with life threatening illnesses and their families from the day of diagnosis until the children reach the age of 20. Because A Kid Again is a 501 © (3) not-for-profit, the donation from top bidders is tax-deductable to the fullest extent of the IRS tax code. A Kid Again currently has over 1,380 children with life threatening illness enrolled into its programs. The organization includes the entire family on its adventures, thus serving over 6,500 hurting people annually! Diamondback is the 15th roller coaster at Kings Island. The ride stands 230 feet at its highest point with a first drop of 215 feet at a 74-degree angle and will snake its way around 5,282 feet of track in excess of 80 miles per hour. Guests must be a minimum of 54 inches or taller to ride Diamondback. Diamondback first rider information: A minimum of 96 bidders will be seated. Bids must start at $50.00 and may be increased at any time until bidding is closed. Bids will not be posted until they have been secured by phone with a credit card to assure legitimacy. The bidding process will close the morning of April 15, at 8:30am. It is our intention to keep you informed through this website. To bid, simply go to www.kiDiamondback.com. Also, the top bidders will be listed so you can check the status of your bid. The official opening of Diamondback, including the top bidders supporting A Kid Again, will take place on Opening Day, April 18. The highest successful bidder will select their seat on the first train while all other successful bidders will be assigned their seats according to their bid amount. A diverse range of job opportunities are available at Kings Island, as the park announced today plans to hire more than 4,000 seasonal associates for the 2009 operating season, which begins April 18. Associates are needed in all areas of park operation, including admissions, call center, cash control, entertainment, food and beverage, games, guest relations, lifeguards, merchandise, rides, security, sweeps and warehouse. Anyone 15 years of age or older who wants an exciting and rewarding place to work this summer can learn more about the different departments and opportunities at visitkingsisland.com. Apply online, and then come out to the job fair for an interview. Kings Island is an Equal Opportunity employer. For more information or questions regarding employment, please call (513) 754-5748 or visitkingsisland.com. Do you want the latest information sent directly to your cell phone? Sign up for KICentral's official mobile club and receive text alerts with the latest news and information about Kings Island! Signing up is fast and free! Click here for more information about KICentral's official mobile club! Are you an avid Kings Island fan or do you casually visit once a year? It doesn't matter! KICentral.com is the site for you. Why not register on the forums of KICentral and tell us about your thoughts and experiences involving Kings Island! Registration is fast, FREE, and easy. Don't forget to keep checking KICentral.com for the latest news, rumors and information about Kings Island amusement park! Regards, Ryan

Anyone who posts the pictures of the Eiffel Tower in Paris under construction will be banned from KIC for life... maybe even longer. Sorry, it's just old.

I was just informed that plans for 2009 attractions currently include Spongebob 3D in the Action Theatre.

There will be a new and innovative place for extreme thrills this summer in the Cincinnati area! Located in Fairfield's Joyce Park, Wake Nation is derived from a concept that is still sparsely known throughout the globe but is quickly evolving into a phenomenon. This watersports complex will be situated on an 8 acre lake and will use an innovative cabling system that was invented by Bruno Rixen of Munich, Germany to tow thrill seekers as they do incredible tricks wakeboarding, wakeskating, water skiing and knee boarding -- all without the use of a boat! This system allows the rider to begin from a standing position and can tow them at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. It's perfect for everyone from beginners to experienced watersport enthusiasts! Wake Nation will open in May 2009 and will offer rates in increments of 1 hour, 2 hour, 4 hour, all day, week and season passes. We'll see you out there! For more information visit Wake Nation's Official Web Site! Here's is an example of some experienced cable wake board thrill seekers at work!