dr_humor

Nothing beats Lighthouse Point. Lake side view, walk into the park, individual cottage, grill..

The campsites at EHSP (East Harbor) are not significantly smaller than the other parks around...we've stayed there many times as well. It does get very crowded, but that particular campground would get my nod.

Well said, and we are in total agreement here. In fact, that is exactly how I am looking at the situation. What would be the most cost efficient and long-term beneficial to the park as a whole? That is the answer to what is going to happen to SOB. I'm not so sure I would call myself a SOB enthusiast, it's probably just the opposite. And to use a real number not pulled from anyone's ass, New Texas Giant cost approximately $10 million to complete, so that is a ballpark of how much this type of work costs. The real "unknown" in the equation is how much money it would cost to demolish SOB. Whether this would be included/rolled over in the "purchase" of a new ride or not, the cost would still be there.

Really? Just wondering what precedence there is for such an idea. It would (more than likely) not have the same name, have the same layout, the same trains, or anything (other than part of the structure) related to the old ride, aside from symbolism. Just curious where you came up with that. And I do not think goodyellowkorn182 was speaking out of his ass...that was quite rude. His point is that removing SOB would be enormously costly. That is a fact. I think he put it quite well, from a logical standpoint. What makes more sense? Spend X to have a blank slate, and then spend Z to build a brand new ride in its place. This would take at least 2 seasons. Or, spend X + Y to use what's there to have a brand new exciting ride experience, with X + Y costing less than X + Z, and only taking up one season. I would argue that spending X + Y, and spending only 1 season to do the work, makes much more sense.

Not to sound like a broken record, but the current layout has little to do with the equation that would factor into a "TG" style rehab. It would change. New Texas Giant's layout is significantly different than Texas Giant's was.

I guess I learned to relax on things like this quickly by "growing up" with the late Tony & Tyler blog for CP. They would often post something that nearly everyone would look into WAY too much. Until the park makes the hint more than obvious, it isn't a hint.

National "wear red day" was yesterday. And yes, Terp, very sorry to hear that.

Of course not, but that is a risk with any ride, anywhere. In this case, where the whole point behind this technology is to revive wooden coasters that don't cut it anymore (Texas Giant, Mean Streak, SOB, the late Hercules), I think that is a risk worth taking. I had never thought of this angle before, but it does make sense. Who would want to touch SOB, or want "their" stuff attached to it? But I think this analogy is flawed here, because the ride would no longer be SOB... that is the assumption that is the foundation of my logic here. Making the SOB great? That would be the single biggest RC news of the decade. A new company with the technology to do it would jump at the chance, risk be darned...that sort of risk is necessary to make your mark, and yes, someone would pull the trigger.

In this case, yes, because it would cease to be the pre-existing coaster. It may share some body parts, but it would be an entirely new ride. New profile, new layout...new name. Texas Giant is now "New Texas Giant", so I would imagine the SOB would get some cute little name change as well...holding on to some of the old while embracing the new. I would think said company would be proud, and excited, to say they revived two of the world's most well-known wooden coasters.

Just two things: Q: Is the name Son of Beast worth being revived? Yes, in my opinion, and here's why. All of us here know about SOB's woes, as does everyone in the coaster community...in fact, many people who live (regionally) close to KI know. However, I would bet a lot of money that if you polled people in the state of Ohio, the vast majority would have absolutely no clue. While we are important to the park, the coaster community (and the rest of the folks "in the know") represent a marginal, very small fraction of the people that visit the park. Most guests are probably still surprised when "whatever that big wooden coaster is" is not operating. So, in summary, I think the reputation of SOB is overstated. It's well known here, but not across Ohio, and certainly not to out of town guests. Just open one of the "crazy things guests say in the park" threads...that's your general public community's level of knowledge. That said, is it worth being revived? Of course. To those who were only semi-informed or not informed at all, it is simply a brand new ride, and to the rest of us...the ones that actually do "know", it is a totally new ride. If SOB gets redone in TG fashion, it will not be the ride you know now. It will not be a re-tracking with steel...significant portions of the layout will be completely re-profiled (like TG), and it will only symbolically be a reviving of SOB. The new Texas Giant is to old Texas Giant as Robocop is to the old "Murphy". Same by name, and there may be some similarities, but they are two qualitatively different things.

But don't forget, TG's layout was altered quite a bit. They did not just replace the wooden tracks with steel, rather, there are sections where the ride layout was changed.

So the wood can settle?

To end the circular "is it steel or wood" argument in the all-important "rankings" that exist ...why doesn't the entire coaster-enthusiast world agree to make a new category..."world's greatest hybrids"... Adventure Express # 1!

Sometimes when a new building is built, part of the old structure is used...because of its history, beauty, or in most occasions, both. I'm a proud alum of Ohio State University...take a look at their new library: http://www.osu.edu/watch/45ak7FEQjxqBY The building has had two major renovations, and on each occasion, much of the old structure was left intact...but clearly it is an entirely new structure today than it was. This is the same principle.

Luckily, do to new advances in science and technology, researchers have discovered that trees can actually grow back.

I just wonder what their timetable is here. Logically, I would think that they know by now...so much time has passed...unless they really are waiting to see what happens with the Texas Giant rehab. Just strange...I really thought there would be some type of announcement by now. 2011 operations-planning is in full swing for all the regional parks, and plans have already been made

What's wrong with promoting Hell? Go back to church, and come back to Kings Island in the spring. For Christ's sake, if you don't like it, don't go...then in your little closed mind you can pretend that they canceled it.

Well, allow me to elaborate. There were 12 phobics in the group, and they were divided into 3 groups: 1) Students who have either never ridden, or not since early childhood, any coaster at all. For this group, even something like the Mine Ride (or The Beastie) is a "big deal"...and was in fact the only goal. 2) Students whose phobia revolved around something specific, like going upside down or wooden coasters (or coasters with a wooden structure like Adv. Express). 3) Students whose goal was to ride Millennium Force and/or Top Thrill Dragster...the extreme heights is the source of the phobia. I agree that for someone who is just "scared", ripping off the proverbial band-aid may be the answer...but their is a difference between a fear and a phobia, and decades of research and therapy has shown that going "all in" is simply not a possibility, and rarely effective. That said, this was also not a long process at all. A few weeks of therapy, some cognitive and relaxation exercises, and then it was off to CP to face their fear. In addition to the gradual exposure to greater heights, the group modality (knowing they were not alone in their irrational fears) and the fact that there was no pressure on them (this was all purely voluntary) were the keys to this being successful. All I can tell you is that all 12 reached and/and or surpassed their goals. It was an incredible experience, and CP really helped out a lot...we're already planning Face your Fear 2011 together...and Kings Island is not out of the question as a laboratory in the future.

For those of you interested, my program at Mount Union was a success! Here's an article the Plain Dealer had about it yesterday... http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/09/psychology_students_use_exposu.html We'll be back again next year!

The clues are pretty simple. It's a Mondial WindSeeker (not a StarFlyer). Windmill: Wind. Dinosaur: The name is Strato"soar" Side-by-Side: You sit in pairs Diaper: It's scary enough to make you piddle 64 Crayons: That's the capacity: 64 people at a time.

Maverick was never going to be an aquatrax. Just for fun, I have sent ScreamScape several ridiculous rumors via email. 100% of them were all posted on the site within 48 hours as coming from an "anonymous source". It's ridiculous. Fish in a barrel.

Well said. Both fear and phobias are propped up by irrational beliefs; in the case of roller coasters the belief is typically "I have a good chance of being the one man/woman this will happen to"...much like the a phobia of flying. To eliminate the phobia, you need to start picking away at the irrational belief. Now, the deal with coasters creates a paradox; part of the enjoyment (and rush) for many that like roller-coasters is in fact the fear or anxiety created; that rush that some feel is the "relief" or release of all of that adrenaline that your body just pumped out and your body resetting itself. So I guess for some it's not about getting rid of the fear, but learning how to experience and process that fear in an enjoyable way.

Just throwing it out there... I'm a therapist as well as Psychology professor at the University of Mount Union (Alliance, OH). This fall (September 26th) I am taking my abnormal psychology class to Cedar Point where I will be treating individuals wanting to overcome roller-coaster phobia on the spot. It's a research project called "Face your Fear"... Good luck! -KJM

Time for a frickin' announcement about the ride already.

.