Beast1979

No problem, Sparky. I've ridden Thundered and Kentucky Rumbler, and Voyage. So any opinions I have on ride experience from those coasters. The GCIs ive ridden tend to be smoother and more re-rideable, while Voyage is rough and tough to do multiple times. Voyage is very intense and for the extreme riders only, while the GCIs are not too intense but not too mild, the perfect ride for thrill speakers and moderate riders. Not to mention that from my understanding, GCIs have less downtime and maintenance costs. As great as Voyage is, I think that GCIs make better additions overall.

Have you ridden any GCI's? IMO, they're the ideal company. Reliable, relatively inexpensive, not to intense but not to mild, and just plain fun. That's what I would like to see at Cedar Point in 2011. A beach side GCI woodie. Yes, yes. I would like that a lot.

"The Near Future." My experiences with Cedar Fair have taught me to hate that term.

I have heard that B&M will not build over 300 feet, but I could be wrong....

So, KI, KD, CW, WOF, Carowinds, Valleyfair and Dorney got Planet Snoopy, and Cedar Point got cookies. I know several members here who would rather take the cookies.

Well, they said on Facebook that they would open up the box at 2pm to show everyone. So far, not a peep from the park. You try to go to Cedar Point's website, it's been down since 2. Maybe this is Cedar Point's way of saying "LOL jk." EDIT: And now their site is working again, with nothing changed.

Can you really even fit a haunt maze in there? Club Blood, which is really relatively small, I believe is still much bigger then SoB's station. When you think about it, you could probably only fit one or two rooms in there.

...No. Those slides have awful capacity, very little draw, and aren't very high value. Can you imagine how many more season passes they'd sell if for 2011 they added a..... burlap sack slide? IMO, they have their place in smaller amusement parks, but KI does not need one.

If they get the kind of remodel that Kings Island and Carowinds got, then Dorney Park and Valleyfair! are in for quite a treat next year. I find myself both happy and sad that Cedar Fair is starting to make this a chain wide thing. Happy, because for one thing it calms my OCD and the Planet Snoopy theming is spectacular, but sad because I hate to see when chains make each park cookie cutter versions of each other.

What should KI get in 2011? I ask for that. Again. And it wont happen. Again. Sigh.

I took out the ones where I haven't ridden both. "SMALL" WOODEN COASTER (Woodies under 90ft) The Racer vs. The Raven MILLENNIUM WOODIES (Both opened in 2000, both have "dips" before first drop!) Son of Beast vs. The Legend SIGNATURE WOODIES (This one is obvious...) The Beast vs. The Voyage DROP/LAUNCH RIDE Drop Tower vs. Liberty Launch SWING RIDE Zephyr vs. Hallowswings SCRAMBLER BATTLE KI Scrambler vs. Scarecrow Scrambler CAROUSEL BATTLE Grand Carousel vs. Star Spangled Carousel TRAIN BATTLE KI & Miami Valley Railroad vs. The Freedom Train SHOOT-EM-UP DARK RIDES Boo Blasters vs. Gobbler Getaway KIDDIE COASTERS Great Pumpkin Coaster vs. The Howler STAFF (Overall Performance, includes friendliness and efficency) KI Staff vs. HW Staff PARK "LOOKS" (Which one looks better? As in scenery, theming, cleanliness, etc etc.) Kings Island vs. Holiday World VALUE (Get-in-price, food prices, etc etc...) Kings Island vs. Holiday World OVERALL Tally up all the points and declare winner. Kings Island - 4. Holiday World - 9. Holiday World wins.

This was at the entrance to Cedar Point's Planet Snoopy today, about 100 feet from Ocean Motion, where there are 4 or 5 red flags and tons of red dots on the ground. Speculate as you will. Didn't Cedar Point say they were going to have a mid-August announcement?

I was there on Thursday and didn't see a thing. The dirt looks minor if anything. There was nothing going on in the station, I looked from Flight Deck's ride, queue, and Drop Tower. That's what makes me question Lance's sources. And why I made the joke about us pulling his leg.

Sigh. http://www.screamscape.com/html/kings_island.htm I thought we were all joking about sending Lance B.S. news?

I can back up the statement that closing your eyes makes it worse. On the Turkey Whirl at Holiday World, I felt sick so I closed my eyes, and it only made me closer to a protein spill. My dad has vertigo and said that it's a similar feeling.

The problem with Firehawk is that aside from the first drop and the horseshoe turn right after it, it uses conventional elements that aren't designed specifically for flying position, so it ends up being a real pain. Manta uses swooping, graceful turns that would normally be boring but since you're on a flyer they're more entertaining. Thanks! I like SeaWorld too, the fact that they take the initiative to do more outside of just being an amusement park means a lot. OMGZZZ I KNO! The stadium wasn't being used when we were there, thanks for pointing that out. Thanks Dave. It was hard, but I got through it. I had to keep telling myself to wait for the line to die down. Getting Kraken done early kept me at least somewhat satisfied for the day. Joe appreciates it! Thanks Terp, from me and Joe. LOL. That's awesome! During the show the person chosen to come up was actually a kid from Ohio! We cheered for him....then realized he was wearing a Michigan Shirt. Thanks!

Yes, the dome went up before the ride itself.

Awesome Trip Report! The pictures were very good, and Bizarro looks incredible! Congrats to Nancy on her first Floorless, it looks like her and Joe are in the same boat together! Look forward to the rest of the trip!

I thought it was worth mentioning that the the phone was an Android phone. Joe's stylin' an awesome hat. Eatin' Time! Almost. First we have to wait. Alright. NOW we can eat. Basically, there are 3 levels of tables, right next to the aquarium, second level booths, and 3rd level booths. We got a table right next to the aquarium! OMFG! SHARKS!!! The food was about TGI Fridays quality, and we had to wait forever for it. Though, it was worth eating at Shark's, because the ambiance was awesome. Time to see "Believe", the SeaWorld show! Talk about a stadium! I spy roller coaster. The stadium did not fill to capacity, but it came close. Unlike Blue Horizons, Believe had 4 big screens with these trivia to keep you entertained before the show starts, and the trivia is usually pretty comical. Eventually this guy came out. He basically said that the Orcas did not feel like performing, so the show would start late, if they could even convince them to perform. The orcas are not forced to perform, they are asked, and if they say no, they aren't punished. The humans went back there to give the orcas a bit of a 'Pep Rally' of sorts. Meanwhile, they showed us a cheesy video about marine animals, the environment, and what you could do to make an impact. Eventually they got some of the orcas somewhat motivated. They still were kinda moody, so the show wasn't going to be as big and spectacular as normal. The orcas in Believe did similar tricks that the dolphins in Blue Horizons did. We were smart enough to stay out of the Splash Zone. Woo! I always knew I could fly! With all of the tricks they do, they look like they're half working, half enjoying themselves. Like a football player. I still wonder about how they get the animals to stand up like that. "Shamu do good? Shamu can haz treats?" This is their way of waving to the audience. This is why we stayed out of the splash zone. There is a deep, personal relationship between the trainers and the animals, and it's very clear from watching the show that they get along. The trainers actually ask the animals what to do through hand signals and example. If you look to the right you can see the trainer giving an example of what the orca should do. After Believe (Which was a great show, I think I might like Blue Horizons better though) we headed to Shamu's Happy Harbor. Joe and I played in the big play place for a while (Which I think I'm outgrowing ) Then we rode their kiddie coaster, Shamu's Express. It's as good of a ride that can be expected from a kiddie coaster, but it leaves a memory in my mind for being so quiet! The ride uses friction wheels to propel it up the lift, and a pair of magnetic brakes to slow the ride, so it is almost completely silent! A blind man could stand next to it and not know there was a coaster there. It was starting to get late, so we headed to Manta to get our last ride in on the day. Mom takes in the beauty of the park. Kraken? Check. Manta? No check. We walked over the floating wooden bridge to get to the other side of the park (Similar to Geauga Lake's floating bridge) Time to ride. Manta was a fun ride overall. The queue was basically a giant walk-through aquarium, which made the 40 minute wait easier to handle. It's a 20 minute wait from the station though, the duel load-unload station does not work the way it should IMO. Once you get going however, it's a very enjoyable ride. Much more comfortable and graceful then Firehawk, the swooping turns and graceful element flow are more flying like then Firehawk's by far. The problem with Manta is that none of the elements are very spectacular though. Aside from the Pretzel Loop and splashdown, the ride is pretty basic. I like Kraken better, but both are fun. After Manta, we bought some T-Shirts and a hat and headed out. Sea World is a fantastic park, with great shows and exhibits, awesome rides and spectacular landscaping. I suggest anyone who has the opportunity to go, go. You won't regret it. I had an awesome time, thanks SeaWorld! Thanks for reading!

What an odd role reversal! Airborne! Hi Ho Silverfish? Gasp! How!!! Oh. What majestic animals. Time for the birds! I know us humans have a strong desire to fly, but really? Whatever, it was about showing off the acrobatics. Trooper Mom enjoyed the acrobats, I found myself saying "I like the Dolphins better." It was cool though when they had some birds fly all over the audience. Then these scary black birds came out, And they had a giant black bird fly over us. More acrobatics... And then the grand finale. Dolphins and birds fly together as the music crescendoed into a big finale. The birds are thinking, "I Can Haz Cracker?" Overall, Blue Horizons is a great show, full of awesome acrobatics and amazing animals. More Manta yumm Off to the Penguins! The exhibit itself wasn't much spectacular, but it did provide some much needed AC. The exhibit is powered by Southwest, so I wonder what this plane is doing here! There's actually a slow moving sidewalk here, so take your pictures while you can! See Penguin Swim! See Penguin stand around and do nothing! Above and below water. After that we found our way to the Sea Lion exhibit. This bird was just asking for a picture. Sea Lions actually do bark! "I'm going to work on my tan." "I can haz lunch leftoverz?" Still great landscaping. "I knew this modeling gig would pay off!" We still had a good hour before our reservation, so we did the sky tower. I was annoyed at the $4 admission, but for the AC and this roomy interior, I think it's worth it! While we were up, we were listening to "W-E-E-T, Waterfront Radio" Basically elevator music with a pre-recording of someone pointing things out. Eye-Level with Manta Eye-Level with Journey To Atlantis (The slides behind it are part of Aquatica, SeaWorld's waterpark) Kraken still has a great paint job after 10 years. It's odd...B&M Doesn't usually do those pre-drop turns.... The SeaWorld lake. On the other side of the lake is Shamu Stadium, Shamu's Happy Harbor, and Wild Arctic. To the front is Shamu Stadium (I'll give you 3 guesses as to what that's for) and behind it is Shamu's Happy Harbor, with a play place and the kiddie coaster visible. Can't remember what this stadium is for. Manta. You can see the midway it's built over. Into the Pretzel Loop. Kraken. Joe said his favorite element was the diving loop. Mine was the zero-g roll. Joe didn't just ride Kraken, he loved it! (Since then he's ridden Beast, Vortex, Flight of Fear, Invertigo, Diamondback, and Drop Tower. I think I've made a Ride Warrior out of him.) So which came first? Port of Entry at IOA, or Waterfront at SeaWorld? More in a second....

Hey everyone, a little over a week ago our family went to SeaWorld Orlando while we were in Florida. While we were there, we saw dolphins, sharks, penguins, orcas, and my little brother Joe conquered Kraken and Manta! It was a great time! There was quite a lot of information that we needed to get our SeaWorld trip to work, so I ended up writing it all down. Thanks to Delirium_Guy for all the helpful advice! Looks like Mom and Joe are excited to go to SeaWorld! You can't go 2 miles through downtown Orlando without passing an Amusement Park poster. We saw at least 8 Disney, 5 Universal, 3 SeaWorld, and one Busch Gardens. Is that....a roller coaster I see? SeaWorld! We got to the park at about 9 am, and low and behold, the line to get into the parking lot was jammed. It was 3 weeks since I had ridden a roller coaster, so Manta's twisted goodness was quite an inviting sight. I knew almost right away that SeaWorld wasn't going to be a Theme Park with animals, it was going to be a Zoo with roller coasters. After waiting a good 15 minutes to get into the park, we got a park map and headed to Shark's Underwater Grill to get our lunchtime reservations. They didn't start taking reservations for another 45 minutes though, so we walked back at a leisurely rate, stopping to take pictures of Manta! There were a lot of things that surprised me. The vivid landscaping around the ride, the still clean water in the splashdown, and the fact that the splashdown effect still works! Manta has lots of graceful, swooping turns, unlike Firehawk, which feels more like you're getting yanked through the course. The train comes close to the water, and a bunch of jets are synchronized so that they spray to make it look like you're grazing the top of the water. A great effect that many thought wouldn't happen when it was featured in the concept art! To get to Shark's the quickest, we went through the Waterfront section of SeaWorld (Apparently the guy in front wasn't to excited to be featured in the picture!) All of the Busch Parks have dibbs on Sesame Street, as Cedar Fair has Peanuts and Six Flags has Looney Toons. So, Trooper Mom couldn't resist getting her picture with Big Bird! Joe wanted his picture too! Orlando is a landlocked city, so to create more of a "SeaWorld" effect they have a giant lake to the right of the park. The Waterfront area is obviously, the area near the waterfront. The theming reminds me of Port of Entry at Islands of Adventure, it's very good! The Sky Tower, a $4 double deck observation ride, sits in the water, just off the midway. Think Sky Tower at Cedar Point. We finally left the Waterfront.... To find that the area we wanted to get to was closed off until 10am. Apparently they wouldn't even let you back there until they started to take applications. The entry to Shark's Underwater Grill has a pool of Manta Rays and small sharks outside it. We got a reservation for 1pm. It was a little after 10am when we left. We walked towards Journey To Atlantis, and saw Manta on the way. Manta is in the dead center of that area of the park, and it's visible from almost everywhere. As was recommended, we rode Journey to Atlantis first. And as was said, the line was short! A good 5 minutes for the ride, Joe and I sat in the back, trying to avoid getting completely drenched. I've heard that the Orlando version of this ride is the best of the set. This one is the only one I had ridden, so I couldn't back up that statement. However, I did find it to be a pleasure of a ride. The ride is about 70% dark ride, 20% water ride, and 10% roller coaster. However, it's clear that it's all 3 when you ride it. The ride has a fuzzy, if not hard to follow plot, but the theming is superb, the effects are top notch and the level of detail is fantastic. It's clear when you ride it that SeaWorld cares about what people think when they ride it, not like *cough*cedar fail*cough* and their Boo Blasters ride being half gone before the first season is over. The ride was very fun and Joe and I barely got wet! As I described it to mom, it was 'Very Not Bad!' While we were in that area of the park, we decided to do Kraken. Joe had never been on a coaster so tall, so fast, or ever been upside down. But he decided he'd do it. Kraken does not have the level of theming that Manta or Journey to Atlantis have. It is a fantastic ride though. The pacing of elements is great, the forces are all there, it's just fun overall. I would rate it higher then Dominator at Geauga Lake. (I did not ride it at KD.) I literally said "WOW" out loud going the Zero-G roll, and the Cobra Roll and turn after are full of positive g's. The mist filled tunnels are a nice effect too. After Kraken we moved on to other things. Manta is built over existing midways, so it's quite visible from below. I like this shot. Are we in the Shark exhibit? No! We're at Dolphin Cove! People are crammed shoulder to shoulder to try and touch one, and none of them do. I'm quite satisfied with having seen them. Splash! The dolphins love to play! They have an artificial wave machine, and the dolphins will play in the waves all day! (Oh, and I spy Manta) Did I mention they have great landscaping here? Off to the Stingrays, right next door! They have a GIANT sanctuary pool for the stingrays, and people can walk right up and touch them! So....who wants to touch it? "Sorry, I have my camera. You can touch it if you want!" Apparently they feel leathery.... Manta was to be the last thing we did, so it was teasing me all day. Weee!!!! Next up, the Blue Horizons show! The popular show with dolphins, birds and acrobats! Again, Delirium_Guy was spot on when he said that this place would fill up. The show started at 11:30, and we got there at 11:15. Time for the show to start. Apparently it's about this girl, who's dreaming about these animals, and they become real. Eh, it wasn't about the story. It was about the animals. Each time the animals did a trick, they were rewarded with fish! More in a second....

At this point I wouldn't mind if they just closed this topic until an announcement is made....

One must remember that Cedar Fair is dirt poor right now before assuming new attractions... Ok, when is this pun going to end?

As far as the "Cleared land" behind Son of Beast, almost all of it is hidden when you're on Eiffel Tower. If you ride Drop Tower you can clearly see all of it, but it still isn't too impressive. I would trust Don on that one. Can you think of all the things that need to go into running Kings Island? Now try and put Son of Beast on that. I can see how they don't want to deal with it.

Prowler: $8,000,000. Voyage: $8,500,000. Balder: $9,000,000. So, using GYK's calculations, Son of Beast could be renovated for $12,000,000 and have to risk another failure, or it can be removed and replaced for $16,000,000. For just $4,000,000 more then a renovation, they can get a coaster that is almost guaranteed to work and please guests. If I'm Cedar Fair, I cut my losses and ditch the ride. Replace it with something that won't leave a black spot on Kings Island.