TombRaiderFTW

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.

I know I tend to be anti-Cedar Fair, but I really like what they're doing for 2011. Beast rode this year like it was in need of some retracking, and we all know about Flight Deck's paint. Beast is being retracked, and FD's getting a long-overdue repaint. Coney Mall's asphalt got pretty nastily hot during the summer, and now it's being paved with bricks. And, while I confess that I'm not overly excited for WindSeeker, that end of Coney Mall needed an addition badly. Way to go, CF! ...Yeah, can't believe I just said that.

Another thing that might be kinda cool: have a Foursquare sort of thing where forum members can check in at rides and shows. Granted, any iPod users using the Starbucks wifi might be excluded, but it would be a pretty cool thing to have regardless, in my opinion.

Aaaah! So many that I want to choose... Can we have, like, all of them? (In the end, I voted for restoring TR:TR. Try not to act too surprised, everyone.)

"Come on, little guy! Fulfill your destiny..." Man, we seriously need a new movie...

Viking Fury doesn't (and neither does Berzerker: The Asthmatic Experience at Kings Dominion), but River Runner at Coney does. I know this because you suddenly stop feeling the jerk of the tire beneath the ship (not to mention because my stomach suddenly decided motion sickness was a good replacement for butterflies that day). (I didn't ride it, but the kids' swinging ship at Indiana Beach appeared to as well.)

And when you hit the MCBR (which will bring the train to its obligatory momentary pause), they'll try to pay you far too little to let someone else in the control box.

^ Wait... What does it mean when the fun factor's in the negatives? Instead of you having fun on Mean Streak, Mean Streak is having fun hurting you? (I kid.) Of the Summers coasters, I've been on Mean Streak and Wolverine Wildcat. Mean Streak is... well, Mean Streak, so the nod goes to WW. Besides winning by default, Wildcat also has that really awesome double-down. I've been on Tornado at Stricker's Grove (albeit only in the front car), and it's my personal opinion that Tornado doesn't even know the meaning of "cliff" compared to WW's double-down in the last row. The upstops smacking the track made my ears ring... Happy sigh.

^ Go for it, Terp! You really oughta go for a spin on I305 and Volcano (and The Crypt, of course) for me, especially since homework has pretty much squished any chance of me riding a coaster tomorrow.

I'm with giga on this... I can't just declare one park that was hands-down the worst. Every park I've been to so far has had its own redeeming qualities, so I'm going to divide it up like she did. I've been to Kings Island, Cedar Point, Stricker's Grove, Coney Island Cincy, Michigan's Adventure, Indiana Beach, Kings Dominion, Holiday World, and Nick Universe at the Mall of America. Dirtiest park: Indiana Beach. I don't think I ever saw a not-full trashcan there. Rudest employees: Michigan's Adventure and Indiana Beach. Both had a couple people who really liked their jobs (I'm looking at you, Wolverine Wildcat and Steel Hawg), but most just had an attitude of, "Oh, crap... More people want to ride. Wouldn't you rather just, like, go eat a taco or get a snow cone or do anything else ever besides ride this ride?!" Worst food: Michigan's Adventure. Wasn't really thinking Cedar Fair heat lamps could be turned down, but then I got a $9 basket of greasy chicken and fries so cold they were shivering in their wax paper at their Coasters diner. Eww. Worst layout: Either Indiana Beach or Holiday World. The bridge end of IB was pretty good, but the opposite end, namely surrounding Steel Hawg, was sort of confusing in the sense that you're not sure where the park ends and the housing begins. I honestly have to wonder if security ever finds confused guests late at night wandering around those buildings. Holiday World, on the other hand... I love HW dearly, but there is no straight line to anything, save for (maybe) the Thanksgiving section. It's all walking left and right and left and right down and up hills if you want to go anywhere besides Christmas, making it a little frustrating on my first couple visits to try to get from point A to point B just about anywhere in the park. I've basically got it down-pat 5 visits later, but still. Worst capacity: Either Indiana Beach (who's getting razzed a lot in this post despite actually being a pretty decent park) or Nick Universe. Like I said before, IB's employees really weren't excited about life when I visited this summer. This included their energy in checking and sending trains. The park was positively empty the day I was there (walked on Steel Hawg 4 or 5 times), but when you take literally 4 or 5 minutes to check restraints on Cornball Express, there will be lines. Not to mention that the most communication the staff ever had with anyone was an angry glare. I honestly found myself wondering at times if the ride was down, only to unexpectedly- and wordlessly- be sent out of the station. It almost felt more appropriate to tell them, "I'm sorry. I really am. I just wanted to try this coaster because people said it's good and stuff..." On the other end of the spectrum, Nick U's staff wasn't too bad- it was the rides. They were fun, but nothing in that building, by my uneducated guesstimate, got more than ~600 pph. It was tempting to exclaim when the lines would actually move. Seems like, being located in a travel destination, you'd want something that can push people through. Maybe that's just me.

Gonna be honest here... That probably would sit really well with me, minus the "remove the Antique Cars" bit. I'm just saying. FTW, who reserves the dot-dot-dot treatment for... Vekoma Inverts. Or at least the ones he's been on.

On that note, I want to be at CP's closing day SO BAD. But with homework and lack of money working against me, I'll honestly probably be lucky to make it to KI's closing day. Nothing's out of the question, though, so if you see a guy in a red Intimidator 305 t-shirt, say hi!