gigacoaster2k

This is why I wore layers and layers and layers and layers and layers to CP on closing day. Ask Terpy, he saw me. I was wearing 2 layers of socks, 2 thermal shirts, a hoodie and a pair of gloves. Not to mention there were virtually no lines because of the cold. It was a great day. (700 posts already?? I just hit 600 posts 2 weeks ago! )

It's all good. The only people I recognized right away were Ryan and Avatar. It was my first event.. I was looking around the lobby like "I wish I could put a screen name to a face right now!" So I just started talking to random people.. I won't be such a n00b next time, I promise!

I second that. I'm glad I'm not the only one from the area who has yet to visit Coney Island. I've always been fascinated with history in general, and I too will be making a trip (or more) out there this year.

I'm staring out the window at DB while Don Helbig was speaking.

Were you the one who turned around and asked if anyone had extra AA batteries?

I always have dreams about CP. Milly, Maggie, and Raptor are always prominent in my coaster dreams. I had a dream about CP once that I went with a friend of mine who was a ride op there last season. The park was closed, but for some reason all the rides were running. The ride ops told us they were test runs and that we'd have to sign a waiver in case we died.

It was wild just to go to GWL and a KIC event, meet everyone, and see KI in snow.. ALL for the first time.. and to see DB for the first time since October. Everything was so new to me. I loved it. I honestly thought I'd be sad, to see no rides running and to see KI all bleak and covered in snow. I was more in awe than anything else.

bahahaha!! I love that first pic of me! Thanks again Avatar!

I was the redhead in either the white down coat or the I <3 COASTERS shirt, for anyone I didn't talk to. I tried my best to mingle with everyone. (I just reached into my coat pocket and found my PayPal receipt.. oops )

I just posted my PTR too.. glad you had fun! I certainly did!

I took a ton of photos, and I remember mostly screen names instead of real names, so bear with me! I left my house around 1:15, wasn't sure how the roads were down that-a-way. I got to GWL around 2:30. We walked as a group from the lobby to a conference area (?), met the GWL people, and we were off to tour the GWL. Avatar, pkiboy, and Ryan were the only ones that recognized me at first. VERY NICE place.. and much bigger than I had expected. We were taken on a tour of some of the rooms. A view from one of the upper rooms: I liked this wall deco in the next room we went into. Their rooms are spacious and beautiful. The tour guide (?) was very helpful, nice, and informative. We were all amused by this unique towel setup on the bed. I'm not sure who it was, but someone went to pet it and knocked its head off. We then walked down a long hallway, where we were told something interesting about the lights. The deer and the wolves carved into the lights are actually facing in the direction of the lobby. We walked into a room with bay windows overlooking the water park. It's HUGE! (forgive me for sounding like a tourist.. it was my first visit to GWL) Here is a photo of one of the lights I mentioned earlier. We were taken downstairs and through a huge arcade.. by way of elevator. This was the only part I did not like. I am claustrophobic and I started panicking even before the elevator doors shut. Once we were all downstairs, Ryan led us all outside and informed us that this is where it gets interesting. He gave us a choice to either walk to the International Restaurant, or to drive. The walk to the IR from the GWL, though long, cold, icy, windy and snowy, provided a great opportunity for everyone to chat on the way. Robbie (CoastersRZ) led the way, and was trying to show off by walking backwards.. I told him if he slipped and fell, I'd help him up after I laughed and took a picture. Photos from the walk. I believe this is PhantomTheater on the left and windshawne on the right in front of me. Diamondback. IS. GINORMOUS. Photos do not do it justice, I don't care what anyone says. I couldn't stop looking at it. Robbie is still walking backwards.. that is, until he saw the gleaming sheet of ice. It was fun walking (or trying to walk) on this. But it was so worth it. Jasper, this one's for you. It was the closest I could get. Walking to the IR, I had to take another pic of DB. The IR has huge windows where you can look out and see the park. I grabbed a seat by the window, and KIfan73 agreed about the view and sat down at my table. This is the view I had for over 2 hours. One of my favorite photos. KIfan73 said "Someone needs to take a picture of me." So here he is. That's Dane in the blue shirt in the background. My half-eaten sandwich, Cheetos, and Mountain Dew. The food was great, and there was plenty available. While in line for food, I met XGatorhead. Avatar took some photos of me and clbheymer in front of the window with the Eiffel Tower, because our cell phone cameras weren't working with the light too well. Ryan was first to get up and speak. Nick Lacastro held a Q&A session, and I learned a lot about Boomerang Bay. Then it was Robbie's turn. He gave an amazing presentation on the transformation from Coney Island to Kings Island. Another shot of DB from where I sat.. check out the second hill shining in the evening light. Don Helbig stepped up, and presented us with some very interesting facts about DB. When asked if we could see the trains, he showed us a photo of the railway train. It was hilarious. We didn't actually get to see a photo of the DB trains.. darn him. While everything was getting cleaned up, I hung back with some of the others. I talked to Ryan, Robbie, Jackson, Kawana, Ronny, and quite a few others. Then it was time to go, and I walked back to GWL with PhantomTheater (who wore SHORTS! are you crazy?!) and XGatorhead. Regardless of the fact that there was no park tour, and no DB tour, I had a great time. I learned a lot, met some awesome new people, and got a lot of great photos. I was excited to be there, and happy to be a part of a KIC event. It was amazing to see KI in the snow. The presentations, tours, and guest speakers were all very well put together. I will definitely be attending more KIC events in the future. Thanks to everyone who made this event possible. You all did a fantastic job.

No joke. I'm a member here, an ACE member, and a platinum passholder. Looks like I'm going to have a very promising summer!

I rode in the very front on Wicked Twister. I didn't see what was so great about it. Then I rode in the very back, and I have been hooked ever since.. on the backward launches, you are pretty much 209 feet in the air looking straight down. And if you sit in the second to last seat on the right, you get a completely unobstructed view when looking straight down. It's enough to make me yell not-so-nice words.

Oh and regarding the entrance. When the park is closing, PLEASE open more than one gate, instead of funneling the entire crowd through ONE open gate through the main exit.

The main thing I (and several others) would like to see return to Kings Island is never going to happen, so I won't bother posting it. I agree with needing a new entrance. I would really like to see more enforcement of the queue rules. I get really sick and tired of line jumpers, and people smoking in line next to little kids. Also, the area between Festhaus and Viking Fury is almost pitch black at night. It creeps me out when I walk through there as I'm leaving the park, it's like walking through a dark alley. I went last year with three other females, and they all agreed with me. Please put a few lights there.

Officially 11.5 inches of snow recorded here.

I never noticed a problem this year with monsters jumping at people outside of the haunt areas, at CP or at KI. I will say this: I hope they never get rid of CornStalkers or Club Blood. They both made me jump out of my skin. This is coming from someone that does not scare easily and is not a big fan of haunts.

The Skyride at CP scares the garbage out of me. I just do not like the idea of swinging from what feels like a weighted bucket on a string that high in the air. I have this horrible vision of that cable snapping and everyone falling to their death. I made myself ride it last year because I don't like being afraid of things, but honestly, it makes me anxious. I think it stems from my previous fear of Ferris wheels. I was on one of those ones where they stop it and pick a random seat to swing back and forth.. well, they picked our seat, and this was before seat belts and door locks. I slid out of my seat and almost fell out of the ride, and it scared the living ____ out of me. I'm fine on Ferris wheels now, I made myself get on the Giant Wheel at CP. It's worth a ride.

Maverick's single rider line is hit or miss, as far as I'm concerned. People abuse it a lot. I was behind a group of 6 one day who claimed they were all riding separately. When it came their turn to ride, they jumped in front of everyone else waiting in the regular line. The ride op did and said nothing. However, there was one day when I ran all the way up the stairs and got on the next available train (while some guy from the regular line was yelling "hey sweetheart, I'll ride with you" ).

Here's my plan: Go. Ride. Go to bed. Get up. Ride. Go home.

The forecast for Mason on Saturday is showing as sunny with temps in the high 20s to low 30s. Trust me, I've been monitoring it for days.

I am not sure if I am the only one who has noticed.. Diamondback Construction Thread (Updated 1-23-08) ?