gigacoaster2k

This can be any park that you haven't visited, a park that you have visited, or it can be something you're looking forward to that has nothing to do with amusement parks! My post is about parks, and it isn't. It's not so much about the rides for me anymore as it is the people, friends, enthusiasts I've met who have made a difference in my life. As far as new parks, I am looking forward to Busch Gardens Europe and Hershey Park the most. I have always wanted to go to Busch Gardens long before I became an enthusiast. I've heard nothing but great reviews about BGE, and now that I have the chance to go, I am beyond excited. Tom and I have both decided that Hershey will be a park we will definitely visit together. I love going new places with him. As far as parks I've been to, I have to say I miss Cedar Point worse than I've missed any other amusement park, even Holiday World. Cedar Point is full of memories for me. I have randomly met people there for the last 2 years that have ended up being some of the best friends I could ask for. It's close enough to home that I don't have to take vacation days, but far enough away for me to get away when I want to. I love driving the 3 hours up there with no notice and surprising my ride op friends at their rides, then getting texts a little while later telling me to come back or that they are on break. My heart almost burst with joy when I learned three of my dearest friends on my beloved Magnum XL-200 from the 2009 crew are coming back for 2010, along with a few others that are returning for the season on other rides. I rarely see these people, and knowing that 2010 will be just as full of amazing memories really has me practically counting the minutes until opening day. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Cedar Point has a magic, an energy I cannot describe. I can't wait to go back to Kings Island. This will be my 15th year visiting the park. I cannot begin to tell you of the love I have for my home park that is only an hour away. I've been there with so many of my family and friends over the years, from my first ride with my friend Abby on King Cobra to seeing the thrilled look on my dad's face on his first ride on Diamondback. The friends I have met from CP and KI mean more to me than anything else. Those of you who read my CP closing day PTR (or Tom, he was there with me) know exactly what I mean. I went to say goodbye for the season to my dear friend Scott that day, and when I got to Blue Streak, his friend told me he had gone home. That really made me sad. These forums and their members have shown me a whole new perspective of Kings Island that I had never seen before, and made me cherish it even more. So many of you have become the friends I've been looking for all of my life, and I wouldn't trade you for anyone or anything. I can't wait to see you all again.

My first post? What did I do? I went back and I didn't see any mistakes or spelling errors.. I'm so lost which isn't hard to do

Quarters? Nickels would certainly hurt a lot more. giga, who is feeling goofy tonight

Maybe Crypt is getting a downtown theme? It would be cool to see Manhattan scenery inside the building, but then again, it might hurt to get hit in the face with coins instead of water. XD

"So Screamscape has gotten to the bottom of the over-the-shoulder-restraint controversy. Early pictures and animations showed what everyone believed to be dreaded over-the-shoulder restraints. Lance called John Pagel from Kings Dominion and Pagel described the restraints as “over the shoulder straps”. Here’s a screen capture of the strap restraints on Intamin’s Tornado at Bakken. It’s a pretty new system so I can see why there was so much confusion. I don’t think these will be half as bad as real over the shoulder restraints. The main issue with those is of course the head banging. That doesn’t look possible with these straps. Lance also speculated a while back that using a different restraint system than Millennium Force’s lap bars may allow for more larger riders. No one likes to be turned away from a roller coaster. Especially after facing the insanely long waits Intimidator will likely have." http://www.thecoastercritic.com/2009/08/intimidator-305-giga-coaster-coming-to-kings-dominion-in-2010.html

People did not have to come up with problems for SoB. The ride has been a problem since day one, and I don't mean day one of operation. Exactly. I didn't have to "come up with problems." In my defense, the first time I rode it in 2008, I came off with a VERY bad headache, a few bruises, and my back was absolutely killing me. I had to take several painkillers, and the next day my back was screaming in pain and so stiff that I could barely get out of bed. Same thing happened the second time I rode it. I was 26 years old.. I am far too young to be in that much pain. The third time I rode it in 2009, I'd had a few beers. I rode in the front seat of the blue train, and it didn't hurt me at all. I loved the smoothness, and the wind in my face. I went back for another ride in that same seat. Then it closed. There are enough wooden coasters out there that don't put me in severe pain.. in fact, I don't see why anyone who has ridden great woodies like Voyage or Evel Knievel would even so much as give SOB a second glance. Voyage throws me around a bit, but good God in heaven, it's worth it. SOB seems to be like a red wine - you either love it or you hate it. I like a LITTLE roughness in my woodies, but not enough to where you feel like someone is jackhammering your brains and your spine out. I'm still convinced that it's the trains that are wrong for the track. A train shouldn't play ping pong with the edges of the track. That hard shuffling back and forth and slamming into the track at high speeds is just too much for me to take. I'm divided on the issue. If it reopens, Tom will be ecstatic. In turn, seeing him happy about that would make me happy, along with my other friends that enjoy it. If it doesn't reopen, that's less pain for me and the others who don't enjoy it. Unless it is rehabbed, or I am in the front seat and the front seat only, I will probably never ride it again.

There you go again, almost making me choke on my food. As for the site needing an update: I know that the admins and mods have very busy lives. I'm really not worried about the updating of information because of that. I'd rather see a clean website like this, than a spam-riddled forum with trolls dominating the boards. Some of you probably have no idea how it stresses them out when the boards get hit with spam, hate, or porn. I imagine it's a much higher priority to keep KIC a welcoming place to meet new friends and discuss the one thing we all have in common: a love for roller coasters and amusement parks. The way it is now is fine by me, but if you guys need a helping hand with information updates, I'd be happy to help.

Not having the time to go to certain parks doesn't fire you from being an enthusiast. Money can be an issue too, as is school, transportation, and employment. I'm 27 and have only been on 56 coasters.. don't feel bad.

I rode TTD in the front seat a couple times. My contacts actually moved to the sides for a second when it launched. Millie also almost blew one of my contacts out once. Ryan (BoddaH1994) and I rode Flight Deck at night in a downpour once. That thing was HAULING.. it was ouch, but WOW I've never felt it fly like that! Voyage at night feels like insanity.. fast doesn't begin to describe it, you have to ride it and see. I rode it once when it was sprinkling, and closed my eyes because the raindrops were hurting them. I actually got scared. Tom tried it, and said the same thing. Voyage with your eyes closed is downright scary.. this coming from an enthusiast who has this prestigious woodie as #1 on her top 10!

Tom76257 and I got that glory. I don't remember what day it was, but we went to SFKK last year and the park was so empty you could hear a pin drop. We both got single rides on Greezed Lightnin. Nobody but me, the train, and the track. It is indeed an unbelievable feeling. As for times I like to ride, I enjoy riding in the pitch black night, and/or after the rain when the track is wet. I also love the added rush of riding during an approaching thunderstorm.. I LOVE thunderstorms.

Apparently someone has not been to Cedar Point.

I really don't see the point of planning to go to both Carowinds opening day and KD opening day, unless you live close to the parks and/or have a lot of money, or if you're planning to spend at least a week down there. It makes no sense to me to make two trips all the way down there if you're planning to go to KD opening day and it isn't even open on the first trip. The opening days are a week apart.. why not just wait?

I'll be there! I'll start the roster 1. gigacoaster2k (Angie)

Well it started in 2008 when I was at CP with my friend Ben that worked there. We were in line for seat 1-1 on Millie, and it was a blazing hot day. This dude in front of us was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and he stunk like armpit. Every time the train blew past the station, it blew the stench around. Ben said "eww, he smells like old Cool Ranch Doritos." So I basically brought an inside CP joke to KI and turned it into an inside joke there too.

I didn't feel like wearing my contacts to CP once, so I wore my glasses with a $2 strap I bought. One of the TTD ride ops (who must have been new, my strap is bright blue with a CP logo) was like, "Are you sure those will stay on?" My response was, "Honey, these stayed on even on Maverick and Voyage. I don't think they're going anywhere." She left me alone after that. XD

Last year at RWW, Brad (Indyguy4KI) and I were kind of hyper late in the day, and we were totally pumped about having free drink wristbands. We went to give each other a high five, and I decided to high five with our wristbands instead so I smacked our wrists together and I yelled "WRISTBANDS, HOOAH!!" There is also another joke between Ash (Ashers), Kyle (kjkjkj), and I. Ash and I had been drinking, and we smelled something really bad so we started joking about how bad our group smelled (we didn't, but it was funny). I told Ash she smelled like old Doritos, she told me I smelled like taco seasoning, and Kyle announced that he had used bacon instead of deodorant that morning. There's probably a million more, but I can't remember them all right now.

I was talking to an old friend I hadn't seen in a while, and we got to discussing amusement parks. I told her SFKK closed, and she was upset because she and her fiance had wanted to go. I told her about the lease, and her reply was "That was their excuse? Don't most amusement parks OWN the land they're on? That sounds like it wasn't a good idea to begin with. It sounds like the park was temporary, like it was doomed from the start." I hate to say it, but I see her point.