coasterrz

Yes, I think it would be an excellent perk for gold pass holders. I like your idea of having a decal on the pass. That way, you wouldn`t have to carry around any akward souvenir cups. It will be interesting to see if, and how, they implement the free refill program next season!

I found it odd that the meeting place is in the Festhaus and not closer to Boomerbang Bay. Maybe they decided that it might be cold and the Festhuas has heat. Or, like you suggested BeastFreak, maybe they will be showing the video. Or Jeff could have something else up his sleeves, that only he klnows about right now. I can`t wait till the 2nd, but that will be a sad day because it will mean the last of PKi for 5 months!

I recall a couple of weeks ago, wround the time that PKi anounced the details of Boomerang Bay that they would eventually be posting an animated video to their website. I think I heard this from Shaggy who said that the video and renderings were done by Badnitus. Anyone know if in fact the renderings were done by Badnitrus and if PKi will be putting the video on their website? I can`t wait to see more of the layout of Boomerang Bay like where Tasmanian Typhoon will be build and where Kookabura Bay will be built.

That`s nice to know that the parks are contributing to Viacom`s bottom line. Now if only Viacom could pump a little extra money into the parks to help boost the revenue even more, I would be a happy camper (B&M at PKI in 2005?) LOL! Seriously, its good to know that Viacom still considers them a significant source of income.

I was kind of dissapointed with the Gold Pass Meal Deal this year. It seemed like they only did this at the beginning of the season and that they didn`t have a wide variety of restaurants \in the park that participated. (I seem to recall only Mandarin Cuisine and LaRosa`s. Also, if I recall one of the deals was for a group of four people. If they bring this perk back, I hope they have more options, such as a meal deal at Skyline! Overall, I think they had a good idea though.

The ring of seats would not be moved down electronicallythrough the brakes if it was stuck there. The reason is that the magnetic brakes can`t completely stop the ring of seats. Magnetic brakes can`t stop a car completely. Instead, it slows the car down to a crawl. The car is then stopped by a couple of shock absorbers. (at lest thats the way I understand magnetic brakes).

I second that thought that one ride on SoB is enough for me, at least based on my last two rides on this monster. As far as the gold pass, I didn`t do any early ride times this year, not that I didn`t want to but because I was working at Coney so often this summer that I didn`t have time to get to the park for ERT. Isn`t it good that not a lot of people use them (shorter lines)! Anyway, in a recent season pass survey, PKI asked about what benefits should be added to the gold pass. One of them was unlimited, free refills on Coke for the ENTIRE season. Another was free towels and suncreen in Boomerang Bay. Sounds like they are paying attention to a small park nearby in Indiana, no?

Actually, the lights on IS were not removed because of safety, or at least thats not the reason I heard. I heard that they removed them/turned them off for the 2002 season. The reason I heard is that they couldn`t find replacement bulbs for them. If they did find replacement bulbs, they were very expensive and/or had to be cujtom made. Since the park didn`t want to do that, they decided that turning off the lights would be better than having only half the lights operating. Shaggy might know more. I do believe that the park was looking into adding a new lighting system on IS. IS feels boring at night now without lights on the buildings. Incidentaly, Magilla Gorilla`s Grill (back side of Oscar`s the employee cafeteria) at least earlier this year, still had lights on it. Also, for this season, all the signs for rides in Coney Mall that were lined with lights (with the exception of The Vortex) had their lights removed, probably for the same reason. I wish they wouldn`t have done this, but just redone the wiring to accept a common and current type of light.

I don`t doubt your story fyrfyter. (it actually makes me feel safer that people have trained how to get people off of the ride in an emergency and know what they are doing! However, I remember seeing the ride break down once at about the top of the brakes. When this happened they ended up slowly lowering the ring of seats back to the ground. I also remember seeing them drop the empty seat of rings from the top of the magnetic brakes. Now in some instances they might not be able to do that and would need to use the repellers. I would be terrified to have my bar unlocked 200+ feet in the air. Yikes.

Yeah, its not like they`re going to take the elevator to the top and be able to get people off of the ring if it is stuck at the top. I`m fairly certain that if the ride does break down with people on it, that they either drop the ring where its at, or they will slowly lower it to the bottom. Once there, everyone can safely exit.

I`ve seen my fair share of that when operating the Ferris Wheel at Coney too. Isn`t there a song that mentions a kiss on a ferris wheel?

Didn`t Brian or someone form The Beast crew post on this site? Or was that Ultimaterollercoaster that someone from The Beast crew posted a message earlier in the year and refered to themselves as "that lapbar checker." I know I read that on one site. I think his name was Brian and I think he was promoted to a sup this year. (You know when I know that much information that I`ve spent entirely way too much time at PKI this year, LOL!)

I think those spots you mentioned would be perfect for tunnels. I also think that they shoud add a tunnel somewhere on the hills before the lift, because they seem to be so slow paced. I know the ride was designed to have tunnels added. I just wish that PKI would add some to it so that it would be more like its father. That`s the one element I feel it is missing. Also, it would give me another reason to ride SoB. After the past two rides I`ve taken on SoB, I`ve had little reason to want to ride it again as I`ve been beaten alive on it!

Face Off is lit up by spotlights I think The Vortex looks good the way it is with the chaser lights going up the lift hill. Racer also looks good with the chaser lights on the backward side running all the way through Coney Mall. In general, all the attractions in Coney Mall have decent lighting especially Zephyr. While I would like to see more lights (like on the International Street buildings) I think PKI has done a good job lighting their attractions.

Actually when I was volunteering there, there was a Subway official doing an inspection to make sure everything was up to subway`s standards. I worked it on a very empty day and there was still a line for a couple hours. My uncle who had volunteered at the same stand on a bring a firend free day said that the line stretched all the way across the midway. Its not very fast to peel off cheese and meat when wearing plastic gloves!

In the survey, it asked what additional benefits would you like to see included with you gold season pass next year. One of them was free, unlimited refills of a sports cup all season long. Hopefully, if they make you buy the cup, they either give it to you for free, or buy it at the regular price, and then just show your pass for free refills the rest of the season. If they institute that, I think it will be a very popular perk for having a gold pass!

Good thing you weren`t one of the unlucky ones Italianchef! BuddaH1994, I don`t believe that Tasmanian Typhoon wikll be in total darkness. You will start out in an inclosed tube, which maybe somewhat dark, but I`m sure some light will permeate through the tube. Also, the actual funnel and the highlight of the ride, will be in daylight. Does anyone know if PKI will have a viewing area like at Holiday World?

Yes, the Subway at PKI, which sits on the former location of the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream shop, is not exactly like a real Subway. Having worked there for a day when I volunteered at the park. (Luckily I was there on the Friday before labor day, so it wasn`t really crowded.) PKI`s subway only has two types of bread (white or wheat) and two types of cheese (American or provalogn). Also, they don`t have meatballs. Also, they only have 6 inch subs. Actually one time I ate at the Skyline in Coney Mall, and I had the best Skyline 3-way I`ve ever had. The worker put noodles then the traditional chili followed by cheese. However, the worker that day added another scoop of chili on top of the cheese and dumped more cheese on top of the additional chili. Very tasty 3-way indeed. I would recommend leaving the park to get food because it is cheaper outside of the park and you get free refills.

I was just checking out Coasterbuzz and found this in their news section. In keeping with tradition, all enthusiasts who want to ride The Beast for the final ride of the season need to meet at the entrance to The Beast at ten o`clock. Also, for those interested, Jeffrey Siebert will be conducting a construction tour of Boomerang Bay. Anyone enthusiats who want to participate in the tour need to meet at the Festhaus at 3. Sounds like fun! I plane on at least being there for the construction tour. This is just another example of how PKI goes way out of their way to please enthusiasts. Thanks PKI, you`re a special park!

I wonder how much money it would cost to buy the souvenir cup that is worth free refills for the rest of the season if they instituted it. Clearly, that would be one major perk for getting a gold season pass. Sounds like they might be taking a page out of Holiday World`s book with free refills. I still find it odd that at Paramount`s Carowinds` Wings Diner, near the Super Saturator, they have free refills while your inside!

GR has little to do with recovering lostg items. Items that are lost on a coaster could have been left in a seat and taken by someone else. Also, if they fell out midway throough the ride. Chances are maintenance will find it. If not, it will be hidden from view. I know earlier in the year, I witnessed someone loose their cell phone on TR:TR and it hit the concrete and split into three or four pieces. Bottom line while riding rides in the park is to make sure that you secure all loose articles as all the safety signs suggest. Then you won`t have to worry about recovering a lost item. A while ago there was an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer about all the lost items that are found in the park and never claimed. You might be able to still find a link on the Cincinnati Enquirer website (cincinnati.com).

You definantely shouldn have gone to The Beast and asked if they had found a phone. If not, you should have filled out the paper work. However, since you didn`t do that, I would do as fyrfyter said and call GR.

That price tag seems really high! I would presume since its so high, that the money will not come from the budget of the current 5 Paramount Parks. 125 acres is smaller than the amount of land that PKI uses. I believe that PKI has currently developed 164 acres, or at least thats the number I remember hearing somewhere. I also agree that spending that much money on PKI would be nice, but they wouldn`t see that much return for their money. By building a new park, they are hoping to tap into a new market to get more return for their money. It seems that Paramount Parks have been expanding lately. Since 1993 through recently, it was just the five parks and Star Trek the Experience in Las Vegas. Recently, they entered into management agreements with Bonfante Gardens in California and Terra Mitica in Spain.

I never thought that King Cobra was a painful ride. I miss the chance to ride a standup at PKI. Although Delirium is very fun, I feel the park should add another attraction to fill in the rest of the King Cobra plot of land.

I don`t recall if he was intoxicated or not. I do know that after the incident, King Cobra reopened with a seatbelt that connected the two shoulder bars.