IBEW_Sparky

I have not yet had the pleasure of Knoebels or Dollywood, and I most definitely want to because of many good reviews I have gotten from Friends concerning the rides as well as the atmosphere those parks provide. I will also definitely agree with you on your account of WDW, as I too would put WDW above HW, mainly as you said for the amount of entertainment they offer. I really wish I would have been involved in Club Events when Stark Raven Mad was being held, as I have heard many say the same thing you did about it being the best special event they had ever been to. I think the reason people, myself included, have a soft spot for HW is the fact that they do things that a small park shouldnt be able to "afford to do" like the free parking/sunscreen/drinks they provide as well as going above and beyond the call in areas such as giving everyone a comp ticket to return to the park last weekend when a severe storm caused them to make the decision to close the park 3 hours early. Granted, I know as well as you do that those "free items" are built into the admission cost, but the point remains that they do things that multi-billion dollar Corporate parks SHOULD be doing as a way of saying "hey, we actually care about you people who dropped $50 to get into this place". Would I Love to see another World Class coaster at HW, possibly steel? Well heck yeah. Do I absolutely agree with you that HW isnt a weekend park, especially just the dry side alone? Heck yeah I do. However, I am definitely still pleased more than enough with the way the park is operated and the rides they do offer (IMHO Voyage stomps Beast up and down the tracks, and one B&M hyper does not a good park make) to make many a trip there every season. I really do enjoy reading your thoughts and opinions on things park and industry related, as with Terpy, I respect them greatly.

That was very cool, thanks for the link! You know, it would be nice for KI management to somehow find a way to contact the current owners of the property/rides and pick up those Eagles!!

Terp, Kelli, and Brad said it all right there..... living where I do, its not only easier, but a shorter trip distance and time wise for me to go to KI..... and there is a reason I have been to HW 8 times this year and have yet to make it to Mason.

I know this is painfully wishful thinking/likely never to happen/beating a dead horse, but I think Big Dipper would fit wonderfully in the lot beside Disaster Transport and along the beach... that would be so nice.

Looks to me as if he has about the same grasp of reality and/or truth as another "operations guy" we all know

I never rode Dragon, because when I last visited the park I was still incredibly afraid of coasters with any inversions, so I cannot pass judgement on that one... but Ive heard its horrendously rough. I never put a lot of thought into Outlaw being incredibly similar to a GCII, but now as I think about the ride and fondly look at photos I took of it when I was by the park in March, you are absolutely right.

I grew up just west of Des Moines, and went to Adventureland regularly until I, or some of my older Friends rather, were old enough to drive to KC and visit WoF. I visited the park on occasion after that, last time being 1997, and Outlaw is (or was, recent reports have not been so favorable) a nice little CCI. Im fond also of Tornado, the biggest reason being that it was th very first "big coaster" I ever rode. Before that, the largest was Super Screamer, a now defunct coaster similar in ways to Coney Islands Python. Glad I didnt post my Guess The Coaster pic of Tornado now like I was going to do and get ****y that only Terpy, Shaggy, or Monroe could guess it LOL.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I chose not to go because I just didnt want to contend with Holiday crowds... and now I REALLY wish I would have as opposed to blowing the night in Bloomington. We are going for sure next Wed though... it will make my 6th trip this season.

Tggr, we both forgot the best one of all..... Boot in the can of the current "operations guy". THAT one gets my vote, they do that, they can leave that wooden Albatros standing as far as Im concerned.

Yeah... plan "B" as in "Big crane with a claw on it!"

You can bet your last dollar it would be! The treatment the HW Staff gives their guests, and the ambiance and charm of the park in general both go a LONG way in increasing the level of understanding/forgiveness of guests!

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont know what your problem was, I had a beer too and was ready for another round of Tempest!

Jackson, I couldnt agree more. Admittedly, I count out the people in front of me so I can always be on the blue Voyage train, but I will ride it faithfully every time Im there! As far as the "if it works ten times, why wont it work another thousand" statement..... every state in the nation has requirements on how many times a ride must run before it can be certified by the state for public use. In the state of Indiana, that requirement is 1,000 cycles of a train, as well as other inspection requirements. There can be a myriad of issues that may need to be adjusted, slightly re-engineered, or otherwise addressed that very few if any people within this Forum can reliably speak of that have caused the delays thus far.

Timberliners Update: Our friends at The Gravity Group (Gravitykraft) are continuing their work on refinements to the new train design. Since we’re in full throttle with the season, we will not have sufficient chunks of time for testing until we’re back to weekends-only operation. We'll keep you updated with progress as we move into "weekends-only" after August 15. Thanks for your patience -- they'll be worth the wait! Meanwhile, The Voyage is running great using the original trains. :0) That is the latest update from the HW Facebook page. To be honest, I read this as "We are going to make sure they are 100% perfect and roll them out to the public in 2011." Its all good, still my number 1 woodie BY FAR, just callin it like I see it

I now have info and a design for the shirts made.... anyone interested PM me for details.

Personal thoughts on this, and what I did when I used to frequent KI. If I am going to drop $10 to $20 on food per person, I am going to Ruby Tuesday just up the street. GREAT food across the board, really good service, and as long as you dont order a Filet Mignon and a Grey Goose martini, you will come in for the same price or less than you would at the park. Now, with that said, if I WERE going to eat in the park, it would certainly be Backyard BBQ only.

And if one references the link to the website I posted, they will see that Coaster Club members, including Coasterbuzz, can purchase a 1 day admission for $28.95. As Terpy said, one will not find admission cheaper than using a club discount.

This may be a stretch, or wishful thinking on my part, but could it possibly be that they have decided to relocate Big Dipper from GL to CP? I have been saying since winter "Wouldnt it be nice to see CF relocate Dipper to the area where Demon Drop was located, and possibly save a little face and get some positive PR?"

The article (or bird cage liner as I like to call it) was posted on HW's Facebook page, with Paula simply saying in response "Excuse me? Vultures?". I dont know the Koch Family that well as I have only been in contact with them since early May, but I cant agree with you enough, Terpy, that Will was, and Paula is a class act in every way. I have never been treated more kindly, or made to feel like a Park Management staff actually WANTS me there like I have been every single time I have walked through the entrance gate of Holiday World.

I would be much more inclined to believe that the Heart shaped fireworks were one of three things. A)A way of saying "We Love You" one more time to Will B)A way of saying "Thank You all for Loving Holiday World" to the many patrons that day. C)Something included in the display that park ownership/management thought would make a nice addition. I am betting choice C is the most likely, followed closely by choice A, then B

And that is the LAST interview Joe Arnold, or anyone from news 11 would get from me ever again if I were in Holdiay Worlds shoes. Where is the "And in Ohio, The Beast is feasting on former SFKK patrons" or "Diamondback has been venomously striking former Kentucky Kingdom customers all summer". Journalistic integrity indeed.

http://www.holidayworld.com/clubs/

A new CEO... or maybe more. A Q that remains to be answered.

I KNEW I forgot to do something... I totally blew off the screenprinters. Rumor_Smasher, I am going to get a design made tomorrow and go talk to them Monday, then I will get with you about price and whatnot and just get with you the night of the event outside the park.

Oh I absolutely agree... I researched all of the possible charges and consequences WELL right after GL closed... which is why I never got the in-park pics I wanted. Definitely not wise by any stretch of the imagination, and incredibly expensive after its all said and done.