BoddaH1994

PFFF I think not! They didn't just turn the train around for "fair raceing" or "old style". They did it for maintenance cost and insurance, its all about the money. I say on slow days you will only see one side running. I stand behind my words 100%. Their commitment is to have both sides open whenever it's necessary. So you may see only one side open, but no more often than they would only open one side when it was backwards/forward. As far as being "consistent" with other Cedar Fair parks, that's more of an operational thing. You'll notice that they intend to keep each park as a unique identity.

You know what? It doesn't.... it really doesn't.

When did you sign up? The last text we sent out was Thursday.

For both those who have joined the mobile group and those who didn't, please take our survey.

A special thanks goes out again to the many of you that have signed up for KICentral's new text messaging service. Since I've given everyone a taste of what it's all about, I was just looking for some feedback as to how you feel about the service. Additional open ended questions: 1) Was the content of the texts appropriate in making you want to read more on KICentral? 2) Was the time of day the texts were sent convenient and non-disruptive? 3) Would you add anything to the program that would enhance your experience here on KIC? 4) If you're not a member, why haven't you joined? Is there anything we could do with the service that would make it more tempting for you to join? For more information on the KICentral Mobile Club, click here!

Members of any accredited coaster club are invited to join in on the Ruth Voss Memorial Beast Walk Back in which they meet at the Kings Island Theatre daily at 9:45. After displaying their current membership card from an accredited coaster club, they are asked to sign in and are escorted to The Beast to get the first rides of the day.

I do not have an official answer to your question, but I will say that I find it highly unlikely.

Meet at the Kings Island Theatre at 9:45. Someone from marketing will be there to get everyone signed in and escort them back to The Beast. Remember that EVERYONE who participates must have a current membership card from an accredited coaster club!

I like the Paramount one myself, but hey... not unlike a person, it's what's inside that counts!

This is already being discussed here.

Shaggy, do you know how many hillbillies would be asking where the "other" theatre is if they spelled it that way?

You sure you aren't talking about Graveyard Shift?

The park was kind enough to send me some photos of the new signs for the Backlot Stunt Coaster, The Crypt, and the Kings Island Theatre. Click the link below to check them out! http://www.KICentral.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=216

Yep, the barrier was always there.

Many many years ago we were coming up with ideas for funny KIC t-shirts and one of them had a mural of John Allen and the quote, "Forward Racer - The way John Allen intended it to be..."

Yes, but I don't think that the "Uber Hype" blame can be placed on Ryan. He's passing on and imparting information gathered by the park. Now granted, these press releases are created more for the actual press than they are for enthusiasts, but I am not sure I see the need for a Press Release on items that have been common knowledge for months. Allow me to rephrase myself: I heard that it's running better than it has in many years, at least since the individual lap bars were put in. "Better than ever" was meant to be a figure of speech, not literally mean that it's running better now than it was in 1972. This info is coming from the many members of maintenance who rode it yesterday, not from Don... he hasn't gotten to ride yet. Now how am I biased? I got a press release and rewrote it to be in line with how we do the front page on KIC. That's about it. I both love and hate some of the things that Cedar Fair does, but when it comes down to it, if I focused on the negatives on this site, I wouldn't be very fun now would I?

It's not just that it's flipped around, they also did extensive retracking on it. Word from under the black hat is that it's running better than it ever has!

Apparently the view of Coney Mall is just incredible when riding on the former backward racer.... especially at night.

Notes: The photo earlier in this thread was from 2pm today. The divider between the stations is still there and will remain there.

Probably today.

The color of the track doesn't make a big difference.

I think the cool thing about it is how they're putting the different colored trains on each side of the track. I always thought it looked kind of dumb when they'd race two blue or two red trains. Weren't they supposed to be on the same team? ha ha Plus, now it's going to be a RACE. Having the forward Racer race the Backward Racer was like having the Reds play the Bengals in hockey. It just didn't really make any sense as far as a racer was concerned.

Here's a photo of the testing of the Red Racer:

I always put up an article and the actual press release, but you do make a valid point. I'm going to go ahead and close this, so you can still read it, but please make any comments in the link below. This is necessary because I imagine this will become a very discussed topic. http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry206678

Something Old Is New Again At Kings Island Trains on backward Racer side to run forward again in 2008 Kings Island, Ohio – Something old is new again at Kings Island, as the backward traveling trains on The Racer roller coaster will run forward again when the park opens for the 2008 season on Sunday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. The decision to run both sides of The Racer forward again after 26 years with one side facing backward was made in an effort to be consistent with other Cedar Fair parks. The Red Racer trains will be on the former backward side, with the Blue Racer trains on the other side. The Racer has been a mainstay at Kings Island, and with good reason. A lot of facts and figures have been bandied about concerning the coaster – top height is 88 feet, the course is three-fifths of a mile long, speed is 53.3 miles an hour and the angle of the first drop is 50 degrees. And if all that means nothing, The Racer is credited for re-igniting the coaster building boom in the early 1970’s, thus beginning the second golden age of the roller coaster. More than 91,000,000 guests have taken a ride on The Racer since it opened in 1972 with the park. In addition to being considered an important part of the coaster renaissance of the 1970’s, The Racer was the site of several world record riding attempts and is notable for its appearance in the Cincinnati Kids episode of the Brady Bunch, filmed at the park in 1973. On May 28, 1982, it became the first racing coaster to ever run trains backwards on one side of its tracks. In 2007, the American Coaster Enthusiasts named the ride an “ACE Roller Coaster Landmark,” making it one of only 14 roller coasters in the world with landmark status. Kings Island is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Kings Island, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, six water parks, one indoor water park resort and five hotels. Cedar Fair also owns and operates Star Trek: The Experience, an interactive adventure located in Las Vegas, and operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in Gilroy, Calif. under a management contract.