TombRaiderFTW

As fun as it would be to blame Johnny, parks can and will test rides throughout the night... Sorry, guys.

Thanks, standbyme! My arms got tired, so sorry for what shakes there are. Also, I'm about 50% sure I saw Ed Dangler from Cedar Point's maintenance department around the ride. I'd be more sure, except I've only seen Ed approximately once in my life.

^ I swear I'm not trying to come down on you, RaptorGuy, but how do you know the trains have sat out for two winters? It seems more logical to me that Cedar Fair would at least have the trains under some shelter in case they might be usable for another ride, should SoB be torn down or otherwise no longer in need of the trains. Same for if the track would need replaced... How do you know? I'm sincerely curious.

In case anyone was interested, here's a video I took of KI's WindSeeker testing last night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCwiZp1l-9U

As I (vaguely) understand it, there are several sensors along the track that "count" the number of cars that pass alongside them using optical sensors. (On most wooden coasters, these are the green blocks you see in the middle of the track .) Fins beneath the car--I presume they're the brake fins--break the light beam between both sides of the sensor, allowing the ride's computers to tell when a full train has passed. In Maverick's case, the sensors would presumably count to three to make sure that other trains weren't being launched into an occupied block. I'd believe it when they say those lights messed with the sensor--as I remember, there were also some strobes, so I'd bet they caused some miscounting now and again. But, it also begs the question: can't they just move the lights or something? They were bright, but it seems like something could be done so they don't interfere with the sensor(s), even if it means putting a physical barrier between the lights and the sensor(s). But this is Cedar Fair we're talking about, so just shutting them off is the best solution we'll probably get. This is all based off guesstimations I've made combined with an experience while waiting in line for Raven last year, so I may be wrong. As the ride op explained, the sensors were miscounting the cars, so the computer only read that there were five cars on the train. The computer would then assume that the sixth car was still waiting in the station and send the ride into a two-train mode, in which it would slow the lift chain considerably and then bring the train to a complete stop on the brake run as it waited for that last, nonexistent car to leave the station. Maintenance had to repeatedly come out and reset the computer system... Turns out even computers have trouble counting to six. It turned a 15 minute wait into a 45 minute one, but it was educational, so I guess that evens it out?

I'm glad to see WindSeekers finally start opening. Can't wait for KI's to finally get there, too! I've got to wonder, though, what the deal is with the chairs getting as close as they do in the CP video. I kind of assumed from the renderings that they'd be constrained to only swing towards and away from the center of the tower... I thought it'd be more like the swinging motion of Arrow suspendeds crossed with the spinning of Zephyr. Maybe the WindSeekers are a little more like Zephyr than we originally assumed?

I've heard that both Cornball and LoCoSuMo are back up. Do be sure to ask around anyway, though. And if they are indeed up, be sure to ride LoCoSuMo backwards for me! As I recall, IB's food prices aren't too different from the usual fare at Holiday World--reasonable, and you get a decent amount for the price. I visited in the middle of July last year, and the longest line I waited in was a one-train wait for Hoosier Hurricane. I want to say that was on a Wednesday, though, and it was approximately several thousand degrees outside. Can't say much for how the weekend shapes up, so sorry!

Welcome to the boards, DBInternational! I don't know about all the former Paramount parks, but I do know that Kings Dominion does not have a former Paramount Story area. It's the only other Paramount park I've been to.

I'm not saying that this isn't legitimate; however, I would like to point out that there are time-wasters online where you can create criminal drawings that look very, very similar to the pictured one. There's always the chance that some lady with a pretty thick 'stache is on the run, though!

^ Purely speculation, but I'd guess insurance costs are a factor somehow. Then again, I don't know much on the subject. By the by, Hulk's launch system was done by Premier. B&M themselves still have yet to make their own launched coaster.

I'll admit Wildcat fills a good niche at CP, but it's not my favorite Schwartzkopf. I'm much more interested by Tig'rr at Indiana Beach. Still, if Wildcat was removed, I'd probably miss it. What is up with the ride's brakes, though? Two brake-related accidents in three years!

I personally voted more for what I think could round out the park's lineup. It would be awesome to have a Dive Machine this close to home, but I'd rather see the park try to bridge the gaps in intensity between their rides. For instance, there's a pretty glaring gap, in my opinion, between Howler and Raven. There's not much of a stepping stone between the two, whereas at KI the kids can start in Planet Snoopy, then build their confidence with Adventure Express, Backlot Stunt Coaster, etc. Because of that, I voted for something along the lines of one of Vekoma's floorless suspended coasters, e.g. Dream Catcher at Bobbejaanland. Can you imagine one of those starting in the Thanksgiving section, climbing back into the trees and hills parallel to Voyage (though not visible from Voyage, because its foresty settings is part of why I like it) and swooping through all the terrain? It works for HW, in my mind. I have no idea what they'd theme it to, though. A second, more enthusiasty idea I had was a ride to bridge the smaller intensity gap between Legend and Voyage... I'm thinking something like Maverick, Fahrenheit, or Storm Runner. But now I'm just hyping myself up.

Even some curious SOB non-lovers want the story on your "clue"...

^Do bear in mind that the video doesn't show that you're being held into an essentially sideless seat by a simple lapbar. I think that's where a lot of the thrill comes in--it's psychological. And as far as this gyro drop controversy goes... Who really cares? They're still both the scariest things I've ever done in an amusement park!

^ And yet no one was injured, and no one who's talking can say that guest safety was in question. I guess I don't really see your point. P.S. There are in fact coasters with inversions that have only lapbars. See also Greezed Lightnin' at the former Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, Dare Devil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia, or even Son of Beast before its loop, due to unrelated circumstances, was removed.

^ If we're basing longevity on part availability, then KI's Arrows will be around for quite a while. S&S Power, who bought Arrow's assets* after they went bankrupt, continues to make parts for Arrow coasters. *I don't know if "assets" is technically the right word... I don't speak Corporate Takeover. Basically, most everything that used to be Arrow's became S&S's, as I understand it. EDIT: Delirium13 beat me to it! Meh, I tried.

Great pictures, guys! I gotta admit that, even though animatronic dinos really aren't my thing, this looks really well done. If only the trees around Diamondback could have been as sparingly removed! Now, for the million dollar Haunt question: does the DA path intersect the ToT path at any point?

I've only noticed the old Paramount signs on the inside of various telephones--namely, ET, WE, AE, SoB, and WWC, to name a few.

Haha, I like your enthusiasm, McSalsa! Great trip report. I also liked your pros/cons list there at the end--creative! So far, just about every day the park's been open has been jam-packed. I'm willing to guess it's because the park is having various events involving school choirs until this week--I know opening day was full of kids in shirts representing various choirs. In the past few years, Saturdays haven't seemed to be too bad until schools let out for summer/the park hosts events like this. But since the park opened unusually late, we haven't gotten the good old little-to-no wait weekends that the early part of the season usually provides. *insert wistful sigh*

The "other" would be Mike Graham of The Gravity Group. The Gravity Group designed The Voyage. As far as ownership making you above the law... I know no facts, but I'm doubtful that's the case.

Hark! The Voyage footage in question: From Holiday World's "Holiblogger" YouTube account.

Ha! That's nothing. At Kings Island last year, they had most of the park shut down for most of the day for the July 4th fireworks!

Two for me: KI PP and Holiday World. If I somehow make it up to Six Flags Great America this year, I'll probably snag a Six Flags pass, too.

I can't really choose just one. The highlights are wooden terrain, racing, LIM/LSM launch, and giga. I'd say floorless, impulse, and Arrow hypercoaster, but I've only been on one of each. It doesn't seem fair to say I like them--it's like saying one band is your favorite after hearing only one of their songs.

Do bear in mind that the "U" shape, as well as the lights, are nothing more than an added pair of eyes and the wires thereof, secured only with the finest... duct tape.