TombRaiderFTW

^ Unless I'm mistaken, yes. He's basically just lost the power to okay his own plans in the board through the chairman position.

Err... from SavetheBigDipper.org: In reference to: That's the fairest opinion I've ever heard so far in any thread anywhere related to the Big Dipper. Thank you.

While her heart may have been in it, the effort was not there. There was nothing insulting at all. The effort was poor, at best. Just look at the website and updates (or lack of updates). it comes off as internet spam. What judgements were passed without facts? The effort was not there, and the project failed. You can call it "passing judgement"- I call it the brutal truth based upon the facts given (or not given) by the fundraising website. If you have more "facts" that have not been released, please enlighten us. Being an enthusiast does not entitle one for fundraising. Where can I acquire the ability to tell how hard someone works simply by looking at their website? Perhaps not a direct reflection of how "hard" somebody works, but definitely an indicator of how seriously they take the project. And couple that with the fact that donors were not directly contacted or thanked after making their donations, and it's easy to see a lack of planning and foresight in their efforts. Nobody is doubting their intentions. They made the classic mistake of applying emotional justification to a business decision without the necessary planning, procedures, or protocol. They claimed to own the ride when they didn't. They didn't even make the full, agreed upon, down payment. They lost any ounce of credibility with me when they proclaimed "the ride could run today if it had power." The ride had been sitting for several years, and the trains were sitting, exposed to the elements, in the exact same spot on the midway where they were on the day of the auction. Did you donate to the project? Did you completely miss that both Kat and Harold had no reason to believe they didn't own the ride at the time of the down payment, as per their agreement with Mr. Woosnam? Did you ever inspect the Big Dipper for yourself? Do you know how well its trains can handle the weather? Do you know for a fact that they've just been sitting all alone, by themselves, with absolutely nothing protecting them? Have you seen the land the ride's on? Have you talked to--or even met--Kat? Save for the last (and maybe the first) question, can any of us answer any of those with "yes"? And yet, the apparent majority here seem to know all about it and have the full evidence to be so sure that Kat is running a scam that got started carelessly on a whim with a random stranger she found online. What gives any last one of you the right to judge the true motivations behind the project or its leaders? I didn't donate to the project. I did read that Kat and Harold had reason to believe the ride was theirs. I haven't ever even been to the Cleveland area, let alone Geauga Lake. I have absolutely no insider information on the Save the Big Dipper project or the ride's . But I do know this: I have met Kat and talked to her multiple times. And she shared some of her coaster passion with me, of which she has a huge abundance. I don't know why she apparently didn't send a thank you to each person that donated, but I do know she had a drive to save a classic John Miller ride. It's exactly the sort of drive that inspired historic coaster funds like the National Roller Coaster Museum, etc. Whether you thought the ride was worth saving or not, Kat had a vision where the ride lived on to thrill families for years to come. And she was working to fulfill that dream, even in spite of some personal issues that required more attention than the Big Dipper project at times. She was doing what she could, and people like He Who Owneth TPR (who I'll not name, because he'd probably like that) worked in the name of a "joke" to knock the plan to the ground. Kat stuck her neck out for her dream, which takes a lot of nerve, in case those of you who are content to cut her down left and right comfortably behind your keyboard weren't aware. Those are my words, which came from talking to her over the length of fall quarter--not hers. And you know what? I supported this project when it started, and if it somehow manages to continue (a miracle, I'm guessing, now, as Woosnam seems to be double-crossing Kat and Harold) I will gladly donate at least $25 to the project and post my PayPal receipt here for all to gawk at. I won't say the project was perfect, because it wasn't. Thank-yous to donators were absolutely called for but apparently never showed, and I feel the legitimacy of the project could have been fleshed out more through photos and videos. I am just getting sick of how torn apart every last fricking detail of this project is getting by judgmental cynics and downright know-it-alls who know nothing at all, including He Who Selleth His Home Videos For Too Much Money, when all the project is doing is exactly the same thing a lot of people wanted when Geauga Lake was closing--saving the rides! Call me naive or immature for typing all that. Whatever. I'd rather be naive and happy than a miserable, judgmental "realist". Alex, who finds himself less of "a coaster enthusiast" (if there even is such a thing) and more of "a person who likes roller coasters" with each day this garbage rolls on!

#1 - Magnum XL-200 (McSalsa) #2 - Super Himalaya (KIfan1980) #3 - Maverick (HTCO) #4 - Wicked Twister (TH13TEEN) #5 - Raptor (thekidd33) #6 - Mantis (TylerRider) #7 - Top Thrill Dragster (jcgoble3) #8 - Millennium Force (TombRaiderFTW)

I was originally going to guess that it's for the new dive machine Krake at Heide-Park Soltau, but I'm pretty sure dive machine track is wider than that. Maybe it's Chang track, with primer already applied, getting ready for the green paint?

Infact Mr.Kinzel is the one who made the decision to remove the organs... You might want to interpret things more closely...more than that I will not say, I have said more than enough already... Are you saying what I think you're saying right now, Terp?! Falfas resigned (or whatever Q wants to call it) and took the organ with him?!

Great blast from the past! I've gotten so used to Diamondback that I forgot how really pretty Rivertown used to be, what with Swan Lake and the trees surrounding it and Tomb Raider.

^^ Ah, okay. Thanks, Terp. The conversation about Volcano just before my post was a little confusing- I wasn't sure if, by 'vertical launch,' you two were referring to a launch like Top Thrill Dragster or, like you said, like Superman, if that's considered a coaster. Like you said, the distinction doesn't matter too much in the long run. I just wasn't sure which one you referring to at the time.

They are to pull the train further up the spike. It's the same effect as the second lift on Invertigo or any other Vekoma Boomerang, inverted or not. The train itself will not have enough potential energy to make the return trip, so the lift pulls it up to the original height and releases. Launching too quickly and using the LIMs to slow the train would, as an uneducated guess, be a hazard in the case of an electral blackout during a cycle. On that note... Are there any LIMs on the vertical (as in, after the initial, horizontal second launch) part of the second launch on Volcano? I'm just curious.

Just wanted to make everyone aware: they're going to announce the winner sometime today, presumably after 5pm.

^ I second this. Mad Mouse at Michigan's Adventure was one of my favorite, if not my favorite, coasters there. Seriously.

I partially agree with this in the sense that KI is still a lot of the same park it's always been- at least, for as long as I've known it. The one thing that comes to mind, though, is the degeneration of the themed areas (especially Oktoberfest and Rivertown). If KI tries to be Cedar Point, I honestly don't think it would work. CF isn't going to give us a TTD clone, at least with Kinzel at the reins. He's said before it was a huge mistake on Cedar Fair's part to install such a moody machine. Also, I'm personally of the conspiracy theory that, WindSeekers aside, he's not going to install anything comparable to his Cedar Point so close to home. Assuming the OP, by "put KI on the map," means "make KI a destination park," it's going to be by improving the theme to a Busch, Universal, or Disney level. It's the one thing we have over Cedar Point. Yes, they have the Frontier town area, but that's just the one corner of the park, whereas KI has theming parkwide. Though some here may argue that theming is unnecessary, consider this: what keeps people coming to Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure? Certainly not the coaster count or records as the tallest or fastest in Florida... There are a total of 5 coasters there, none of which exceed 125 feet tall. People keep coming for the experience, which is made great by the theming and staff, among others. And KI could just as easily be an equally immersive experience. Of course, improving the parkwide theming is incredibly unlikely. Cedar Fair, though definitely improving as of late, just doesn't "do" theming... Remember how Rivertown used to be wooded? How we were supposed to have a splashdown for Diamondback surrounded by trees and rocks? How The Crypt is... err... The Crypt? It's just not on their agenda, or at least it's not at KI. (I could speak volumes about the theming at KD, but that's for another post.) For now, we'll have to enjoy the park we love- which is a pretty great place anyhow.

+1.

Interesting... Any thoughts on the topic, Terp? Seems to me like this is a move to effectively get Q Funding and its supporters off the board's case, but I'm not sure I'm right. I get the impression that involving a third party is Cedar Fair's excuse for any mistakes the new CEO might make- after all, it wouldn't be like they hand-picked the new guy themselves. Blame that darn Korn and his giant top spin- err, Ferry.

^^ Which, to some, isn't exactly a bad thing. Ahem. -Alex, who is a junkie for mine trains...

Really awesome pictures. You're a great photographer.

^ Actually, I meant that I thought "Apocalypse" was cool name for any ride, especially a dethemed Terminator... though in relation to a GCI, I still find the theme a bit odd... if that makes sense. Sorry, I didn't realize how ambiguous that sounded until after I reread your reply.

I can trump you all. My 50th coaster was Howler at Holiday World. (I got nothin'.)

I've never been to SFMM (or any SF park, for that matter), so I don't know how the detheming will be handled... But that is by far the coolest ride name around, in my opinion. Makes me wonder what Six Flags would have done in CF's position with The Crypt.

Wow... that food looks AMAZING. Another great update!

Aw, I love it! Can't wait to read more!

Me, too... But they stopped selling merch with the Paramount logo on it a couple seasons ago.

^ I've heard about them being used on Chessington's Vampire as well. Anyone out there able to confirm this?

I know just as little on the subject of steel corrosion and wear, but I don't think water in any form is going to be an issue for coaster steel, regardless of upkeep on the paint job... Anyone else remember when Vortex's supports were basically white several seasons ago because the purple had faded and cracked so much? Nobody here is really concerned about Vortex's structural integrity...

Perhaps the queue will start on the other side of the bathrooms, where the ugly dome was, and loop around the bathroom to the ride. Seems like a logical suggestion to me, at least.