gigacoaster2k

It just goes to show that you don't have to spend $95,000 on a camera with 496 settings and 82 removable lenses to get a good picture.

I was goofing around and holding my camera up backwards to see what kind of pics I would get. I love my new camera. Except for some of the indoor pics, I am very impressed with the quality.. not a bad camera for $99 at Walmart.

I got to Kings Island around 1:45ish to see that there were already several people there for the makeup tour. It was easier this time because I knew people from the Blues party. I kind of didn't like being in a huge crowd of people I didn't know (save for a few), but this time it was like meeting up with friends. It was cold and windy, but thankfully my camera (my new Sony Cybershot, to be exact) has auto focus. Once we started walking into the park, led by Don Helbig, it hit me how huge this monster really is. Don and Diamondback (and clbehymer and PhantomTheater). Zooming in on the station. I SEE TRAINS! (well, part of them..) On to the Diamondback photos that probably look just like everyone else's! But hey, I wasn't going to not post a PTR! MORE TRAINS!! I honestly don't know why everyone was snapping photos of the Wings Diner sign, but I did because I like how the first hill on DB towers over the building even when you're almost right under the awning. Here, we start walking toward the first drop. I was simply astounded by the size and the steepness of the first drop. I can not wait to ride this. Whoa. I'm on the left, and Danielle (keiko_coaster) is on the right. I don't remember who snapped this pic for us, but thank you. A rather vicious-looking helix (and Don and Trooper Mom). I can't wait to get thrown over this. MORE TRAINS! Backlot Stunt Coaster.. woo! (yes, I like it.. be quiet ) This is where I started thinking about angles and opportunities, rather than just snapping randoms of DB track. There's water in the splashdown! See, XGatorhead and Danielle? You two didn't mess up my pics at all by "accidentally" running into me! We started walking back, and I held my camera up backwards to see how good my backward aim is. I managed to almost get a clear shot of people walking behind me! Then Don led us to where we could get a great shot of the trains.. so here you go. It was raining pretty hard by this time, and strangely enough, my camera was soaked but everything turned out fine. I was also brilliant enough to have taken the zip-off hood off of my coat so I looked like a drowned rat. Danielle and I decided to grab a bite to eat at Eli's before she went home and I went to SOAR. We tried to get some more people to come out, but we ended up just having a good time chatting with each other and being in a warm, dry place with hot food. As I was turning back onto Western Row.. IT STARTED SNOWING. And I don't mean flurries or sparkles. I mean big fat quarter sized snow-blobs. At one point it seemed like it was mixing with rain and sleet.. I thought to myself, great, just great. I wasn't concerned about the tour for myself, but more for the fact that two of my friends from the Cedar Point area were driving 3.5 hours down for the event, and the last thing I wanted was the tour to get canceled and to see a disappointed look on their face. ACE check in started at 4:30. By this time it looked like a winter wonderland, so I grabbed my umbrella. I saw my friends from CP so I went over and chatted with them for a bit. We waited outside in the bitter cold and wind for half an hour before we started on our tour. I took some photos from the gate while it was snowing. I really like this one. And we were off to tour Diamondback.. hey wait a sec, didn't I just do this 3 hours ago? But seriously. Seeing Diamondback as is, and then seeing it in the snow, was more of a treat than I could have ever asked for. In all honesty, I feel kind of guilty for going on two tours when some of you have not been able to go at all. I had several people ask me if I was going to take any photos on the second tour. I did, but not as many. The snow falling and the stormy-looking skies provided a great opportunity. And we were off to the IR where it was almost impossible to find a seat. I ended up sitting in a booth with a couple others I didn't know, but quickly made new friends. A stormy DB shot from the IR (with light reflections.. sorry about that). When it was time to eat, we had pizza, breadsticks, salad, brownies, and Pepsi products. You say the word pizza, and I'm there. My new friend's friend came and sat by her, Ryan sat by me and we all ate, chatted and had a good time. Then it was time for guest speakers.. please forgive me because I am still rusty on the names of most of them. Bill Mefford was the first to speak. I really enjoyed his presentation about EnterTrainment Junction. These speakers' names escape me. I have no idea why this photo is so darn dark. I do remember that she was representing GWL. Tony Clark from Cedar Point. I seriously have no idea why my photos got so crummy toward the end of the night. The guest speakers were wonderful. I learned so much about so many parks that I don't even know where to begin. I like that they had a sense of humor too.. I hate it when people go up to the mic and just drone on in a monotone from their little notecards. I liked that these speakers were enthusiastic, friendly, and knowledgeable, not to mention very passionate about their parks. There were a lot of door prizes, and even an auction. I didn't win a door prize, but Tony said if anybody didn't win one, to come see him. I wound up with a 2009 Magnum 20th anniversary Cedar Point calendar, a CoasterMania! hoodie, and a Dragster DVD from 2003. I had a short conversation with Tony and Don, and chatted with my friends from CP before they left. I stayed and helped clean up after the event, and helped carry some things out. I can't just throw trash everywhere and leave like some people do. I deal with that stuff every day at work, and I don't feel right if I don't pitch in. It was great to see you guys again too. A BIG, BIG THANK YOU to EVERYONE who made these two events possible. I had a great time, and this isn't the last you're going to see of Giga.

Great photos, as always! You are in fact the person who inspired me to start writing better PTRs. Keep up the fantastic work. I'm working on my PTR.. the photos are still uploading. I took them with my new Sony Cybershot. They are significantly more impressive in quality than the ones taken with my cell phone.. it's nice to have a real camera. ~Angie, who was first to write her Blues PTR but it seems she will be the last to write her KIC Tour/Winter SOAR PTR..

It probably would have been easier if we hadn't worn our hair down, mine was sopping wet forever after that! At least we found a warm dry place to get food afterward.

Thanks Gator. I wasn't aware that there was already a topic about this.. sorry guys.. it's early and I have a headache.

Two separate times in the last month, I have gone here only to find myself logged out. This is strange because I have been logged in since I registered last August, and being logged out has only happened recently. When I went to log in, a 403 error page came up with this message: Forbidden You don't have permission to access /forums/index.php on this server. Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Apache/2.2.11 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.11 OpenSSL/0.9.8i DAV/2 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 Server at www.KICentral.com Port 80 I went back to KICentral.com, and everything was fine. I wasn't sure if it was the server, my browser, or something else. I figured I'd let you guys know what was going on, because this is the second time it's happened.

I agree. Maybe a girls tank top or something? I like the jersey shirts and ringer Ts from cafepress, as I have bought them before. I'm a rather small female, and I don't look good swimming in a 5XL tshirt.

Congratulations on getting married! I wish you the best! I will wait for DB no matter how long it is. I've waited 3+ hours for great coasters before, and I'll do it again. I will say that every time I went to KI this year, the coaster crews I noticed that were the most efficient were (not in this order): Vortex, Beast, and FOF. The lines just kept moving. I also noticed that every time I looked at Xtreme Skyflyer, it was moving. Those crews did a fantastic job.

I don't mean when there is pouring rain all day. I definitely won't visit a park in those conditions. I meant when there are scattered/isolated showers/thunderstorms. They seem to occur just enough throughout the day to scare the GP off.. and in between those small storms and rain showers, I can get some serious ride time in. It happened to me at CP one day. I saw black clouds on the horizon, and next thing you know it was raining and storming for about 45 minutes. I got something to eat with a friend while a good percentage of people were running toward the exit. After the sun came back out, it was sweet silence in the park.. we got 6 rides in a row on MF in about 1 hour.

I don't have a personal Beast record.. however, on a really slow day last year, I rode Drop Tower 8 times in a row for a total of 13 rides that day. The ride op actually high-fived me, it was hilarious.

I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification, Robbie.

EDIT: Post deleted by user.

I love going to parks when the weather is supposed to be crappy.. I went to KI one day and was next in line for Vortex when it started storming, so I just hung out in the station until the storm passed.. afterward, walking through the park, you could hear a pin drop.

Diamondback is not the only coaster Kings Island has to offer, and coasters are not the only thing Kings Island has to offer. I'd hit Drop Tower, Beast, Slingshot, FOF, Delirium, Invertigo, BLSC, watch some shows, try out some new food, and attempt to find other KICers. Things happen. Millennium Force broke down on Cedar Point's platinum pass ERT night and no one in line got to ride. But the next morning I only waited 10 minutes to ride because of morning ERT.. my point being, like many others have said, there will be plenty of chances to ride DB.

Same. My platinum pass cost enough, I'm not spending 5 car payments to get on the first ride when there will be ERT every morning. I'm still going to donate to the organization, though. I think it's great what they are doing. No line for Drop Tower, Beast, Slingshot, and FOF.. on opening day? I wish. I have no idea what my exact game plan is yet. I know that I am definitely riding DB.. but I want to hit those four too.

I forgive you. I met you in person at the Blues party, you're all right.

Details schmetails.. all someone had to do was mention ERT and what time to be there, and my calendar was marked.

I've been counting down since I got home on closing day. /obsessed coaster addict

Oh well. It was worth a shot.. I don't exactly have a money tree growing in my back yard.

I'm looking forward to that momentary feeling of pure terror in my stomach when the latch on Drop Tower releases.

I am NOT getting knocked off that board.

haha, same. And I'm smiling in every one.

I also bought this black hoodie with a silver maltese cross logo that has silver flames around it, and a pretty wicked looking Kings Island logo in the middle.