Delirium13

I voted for an Intamin. Whether it be a giga, a blitz coaster, or a wooden similar to El Toro, I'd love to see an Intamin roller coaster at Kings Island.

Very sad. I did not know her personally, but know many people who did from UC and they all have nothing but good things to say about her. Rest in Peace, prayers are with her family and friends.

Wow, what a wonderful, non-biased article. Seriously, I hope that was in the opinion section because the way the article was written did not read like a news story reporting facts, it was an editorial. Should a professional news article really have a subheading of "Cedar Fair gave some of its top executives a nice Christmas gift, all in the form of contracts."?? And since when does $850,000 + $50,000 = $1,000,000?? I think he deserves to be making more than that (or at least as much as Kinzel was being paid) for the job he has done already in his short time with the company. As others have said, I'm tired of people demonizing CEOs for making a lot of money when they truly don't know all the hard work that goes into the job. As for complaining about the seasonal employees making minimum wage... I don't want to sound like I am ignoring the fact that the ride ops, food associates, admissions people, etc. work hard for long hours, but those jobs require some training beforehand and that's about. You don't have to go to college to operate a roller coaster, you can't do that with a CEO. Sorry to ramble on, but this kind of stuff gets to me. I can ignore ignorant comments by readers, but the way the article had such an obvious and unprofessional spin just bothers me. Why do some people feel the need to demonize success? Mr. Ouimet didn't just walk into this position. He was chosen after years of hard work in the industry, working his way up in the Disney Co. and he deserves what he is being paid, which I would assume is less than what other CEOs of similar size companies are making. I know there are cases of CEOs who are grossly overpaid even while their companies aren't doing well, but this isn't one of them. Mr. Ouimet has a lot of people optimistic about the future of a company whose future wasn't looking good just a short time ago. I say good for him on a job well done.

A couple days late, but I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

I remember finding out that one of my favorite attractions at the time, King Cobra, had been demolished while reading the story about Tomb Raider: The Ride in the Enquirer in April, right before the park opened for the year.

^ Yes, it was at the top of the Eiffel Tower for Winterfest 2005.

I know the fate has already been announced, but I selected other. I think it'll stay where it is until it gets in the way of something they want to put in its place. I know that's about as vague and obvious an answer as there is, but I said it so there.

Very cool photos, I live really close to the Dent Schoolhouse, but unfortunately wasn't able to make it there this year. During the nights it's open, from my deck I can hear the people screaming as they run out the exit, sounds like the screams are coming from the woods behind my house... kind of eerie. But the Schoolhouse is a great haunted house and the owners seem to put a lot of time and effort into it. I see them up there pretty consistently, just the other night I drove by and all the show effects were on. Anyways, thanks again for posting these, I've always wanted to go on a lights on tour of a haunted house!

That's all wrong, it should say: Let's get that thing updated!

^ I think in this case, he's referencing the maintenance costs of the attractions that fog was used on, not the fog machines. Wear and tear/accelerated rusting of coaster track, etc.

Just found something that I thought was interesting. I went over to Valleyfair's Facebook page to read the obligatory Dinosaurs Alive! complaining, and under one post by someone who claimed they wouldn't visit until a B & M was added, in the long list of comments someone posted: And Valleyfair liked the comment, I found it funny, but I do have a strange sense of humor sometimes.

Wonderful trip report, enjoy those trips with your family. I miss the years that my family always made at least one trip to the park together, but as we've gotten older it's harder to get everyone together to go, so it's been a few years. Great pictures thought, seeing the decorations for Haunt has me excited for October. Question since you mentioned a bee landed on your plate, how was the bee situation in the rest of the park? When I went on the 26th they were everywhere, especially bad at the Ice Scream Zone in Action Zone (it was really unappetizing). Just wondering if they had taken any steps to remedy the situation over the week they were closed because the problem was extremely bad in multiple areas of the park.

Great trip report so far. As someone who won't be able to make their next Disney trip for a few years, living vicariously through trip reports makes the wait a little easier (and harder in some ways). I hope we get to see the rest of the trip soon.

^ I know we're all entitled to our opinions but... What exactly looks boring to you about these two coasters? iSpeed: http://rcdb.com/4147.htm Maverick: http://rcdb.com/3570.htm Also neither of these rides features multiple launches as Maverick's first "launch" (I'm guessing that's what you were referring to) is its lift hill. Of course, I don't think multiple launches is a bad thing. Go ride Maverick in the front seat and see how bored you are. Back on topic, I vote for a Blitz coaster or an Intamin Plug N' Play.

I've only been to one Six Flags Park, Six Flags Over Texas, and as someone said earlier both chains have their strengths and weaknesses. I'll explain briefly... Going into my visit back in 2007, I was expecting to enter a very bland and generic corporate park with lots of rides but little to no charm, as a lot of what I had heard about Six Flags parks was similar to what has been posted by some in this thread. I was very surprised with what I found. The park itself was beautiful and I would have to say it was more of a theme park than Kings Island is, as for the most part the rides all fit their respective areas, even if I didn't care for some of the themes (ex. I prefer Congo Falls "theming" over Aquaman for a splash ride and I think Zephyr is a much better looking swing ride than The Gun Slinger, etc.). The rides were good and I had a great time, of course I was also dropped off and didn't have to pay for parking. My day at Six Flags Over Texas left me wanting to get to more Six Flags parks, something I've yet to do, but hope to change soon. Six Flags and Cedar Fair are both good park chains, do I wish Six Flags owned Kings Island? Not necessarily, but I don't think it would be the end of the world and they would probably do a lot of things I'd like, as well as some that I wouldn't (advertising wraps on coaster trains anyone?). I was one of the people who, after hearing CBS wanted to sell the Paramount Parks, was keeping their fingers crossed that the parks weren't made into a package deal and that Kings Island would've become a Busch Park (now SeaWorld Parks). When I heard Cedar Fair purchased the parks I was a little disappointed, but they have surprised me and done a lot of great things for the park, as well as some questionable things. I've gotten a little sidetracked but my point is that you shouldn't overgeneralize about park chains, they all have their strengths and shortcomings, their strong parks and their less than strong parks. The end.

Coming from someone with very little engineering knowledge, I have always wondered if they were to reprofile and reinforce some of The Beast's turns and put some lighter, more modern trains on it, the ride wouldn't need the trim brakes (or as many at least) anymore. I guess if it were as simple as that, they would have already done it by now...

I don't think they would be too worried, Cedar Fair is also a real national operator, and they operate quite a few waterparks. If this plan does come to fruition I could see it being good competition for both waterparks leading to improvements for both. Of course, Boomerang Bay coasted by with no improvements from 2004-2011 and did fine so we will see.

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/281-is-kings-island-haunted/page__hl__Haunted The 25 pages of that topic should keep you busy for a while. Fun fact: that topic was the first topic I ever read/how I discovered this site. I can't believe that it's been over 8 years now, but I digress...

Does she know what they're doing with Son of Beast?!

I'd suggest editing that again or you're likely to have another one of Terpy's signature responses.

FAMILY RIDES (15 rides & attractions) Backlot Stunt Coaster Zephyr Monster Adventure Express Scrambler Shake, Rattle, & Roll Congo Falls Viking Fury Eiffel Tower Dodgem Boo Blasters on Boo Hill White Water Canyon K.I. & MV Railroad Grand Carousel Thunder Alley ($) My Score: 15/15 THRILL RIDES (15 rides & attractions) Diamondback The Beast Delirium Drop Tower Firehawk Flight of Fear Invertigo The Racer: Red The Racer: Blue Vortex WindSeeker Flight Deck Sling Shot ($) Xtreme Skyflyer ($) Son of Beast (SBNO) My Score: 15/15 Planet Snoopy (18 rides & attractions) Surf Dog Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown Flying Ace Aerial Chase Peanuts 500 Kite Eating Tree Joe Cool's Dodgem School The Great Pumpkin Coaster Peanuts Off-Road Rally Snoopy's Splash Dance Charlie Brown's Wind Up Woodstock Express Woodstock Whirlybirds Sally's Sea Plane Linus' Beetle Bugs Snoopy's Junction Linus' Launcher Snoopy vs. Red Baron Character Carousel My Score: 17/18 Soak City WATERPARK (16 slides & attractions) Note: Link to KI Soak City page for pictures to help determine what is what as this may confuse some- I am aware most people don't remember waterslide names: http://www.visitking...-city-waterpark Aruba Tuba Breakers Bay Tidal Wave Bay Castaway Cove Splash Landing Coconut Cove Lookout Lagoon Pipeline Paradise Mondo Monsoon Zoom Flume Paradise Plunge Thunder Falls Rendezvous Run Tropical Twister Pineapple Pipeline Splash River My Score: 12/16 Dinosaurs Alive! (2 attractions) Dinosaurs Alive! ($) Dinosaurs Alive! 3D My Score: 1/2 Total Score: 60/66 rides, slides, & attractions BONUS!!!: DEFUNCT RIDES Phantom Theater King Cobra Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal Tomb Raider: The Ride/The Crypt Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle Antique Cars Flying Eagles My Score: 7 Total Score with Bonus: 67

I beg to differ, I find Top Gun/Flight Deck to be short, but packs a punch. It is also a good family ride that I would bet will outlive Son of Beast.

How is a ride that has been SBNO since 2009 still "on top" of anything?

^ Actually capital s 'Sie' is the formal word for 'you'. It can also mean she as you said but that will be lower case and a different verb form. For example: 'Wo wohnen Sie?' Means 'where do you live?' vs. 'Wo wohnt Sie?' Which is 'where does she live?' I took German as well... also grammar is spelled grammar.

So you wanted to see the Theater did ya? While I enjoy the competition you can have with friends on Scooby Doo/Boo Blasters, neither attraction is on the same caliber as Phantom Theater. When I look at the queue area in this video and see the Maestro playing the organ and turning around to taunt guests, it's sad knowing that that has since been replaced with flat, cardboard cut out ghosts that move side to side or up and down. The ride was superior to the current inhabitant of the building in every way. It was more immersive, starting with the sound of howling wind and a crow cawing as you walked down the pathway to the building, to the maestro playing his organ as you enter the building, and onto the ride which was made up of animatronics and actual props, not just flat black light cutouts where you can see the walls of the building. Even as you walked out the exit you'd hear the Maestro calling "You'll be back...". I'll end my rant by saying the biggest thing I miss is that on Phantom Theater is that you actually felt you had entered an old abandoned theater, rather than on Boo Blasters where the feeling is that they decided to put a ride in a big empty building, you can see the walls and at one point a large service/garage door is visible, I don't recall that being the case on Phantom Theater. I know the chances of Phantom Theater coming back are slim to none, but it would be nice for a dark ride of the same caliber of Phantom Theater and Enchanted Voyage to be put into that building. Time will only tell, but for now, I'll just be happy we still have a dark ride at all.