TombRaiderFTW

I've ridden it at Fun Spot Orlando (when they still had one--I don't think it's there anymore?) It looks very nauseating, but it's a ton of fun. Zamperla Air Races are really great rides, and I'd love to see one come our way.

I think it might be a comparison thing. For many years around here, Red was pretty consistently praised as being the smooth side. And then Blue received that retracking, which is making Red seem rougher in comparison.

^ This guy gets it. The time I went to Wonderland, I got Fast Lane. That was still much, much too long of a wait for Time Warp. And it was like a 30 second wait. It besmirches the good name of Tomb Raiders everywhere. Linus Launcher is smooth and nauseating, and that's about it.

...High school algebra is one of your favorite movies?

I was just thinking about something similar--Italian Job and Delirium are literally the only late Paramount eras addition that are still standing. You have to go back to 1999 to find the next ones (Drop Zone, Face Off). And there was a LOT of money spent between 1999 and 2005 that ended up not paying off. And Delirium is the only one whose ride experience was sustainable. Love them or hate them, Cedar Fair's coaster additions have brought the park up to the modern era (as defined by timelines of other major parks) and will likely be around for a long while. This. I am *completely* making this up as I go, but if there is any validity to that, perhaps the height restriction is not uniform across the park? I've heard Kentucky Kingdom has that situation, though it was from enthusiasts and not from anyone official.

I'm suddenly having flashbacks to The Interpreter saying years ago that if KI wanted to build a giga, they'd first have to start by digging a hole. If I remember correctly, it was explained later that this had something to do with height restrictions due to the park being close to an airport or a runway or something. And now I feel like I get why Orion wasn't taller, and I don't feel like it's a coincidence that it drops into a small valley to reach 300 feet. Anyway, stats aren't super relevant for me, honestly. It does remind me of Leviathan, which I wasn't overwhelmed by, but that's not going to keep me from riding it. I really like the turnaround and that subsequent little hop, and I'm glad our giga has a signature element like that to distinguish it from the others. If we do take stats into account, though, I don't know that I've ever ridden a coaster that was 200 feet tall or more that was objectively bad. And having this one a little over an hour from home is something to get excited about regardless. I do also have to say that (The Real) Mike Koontz's words at the announcement about what the park has done over the last few years brought something to mind I want to take a moment to appreciate. I don't know if this is his doing, corporate's doing, or a combination of both, but for me, little touches like Area 72 and giving everything in the area a coherent paint job (plus whatever theming they bring) adds a lot of soul that the park has lacked during the Cedar Fair era for me. Restoring the Glockenspiel, revamping International Street, giving the far end of Coney Mall a coat of paint and details that make it feel coherent, hosting a limited-time event with a parade that people actually make a point of seeing, giving Mystic Timbers actual dynamic theming... I really like what's going on. Even if the little theme of "we scientists have actually been testing riders' limits to prepare for this moment" from last night doesn't get carried into Area 72, that's a touch of imagination that I haven't felt at the park in a long time. I really, really like that. P.S. Curmudgeonly old man warning: I'm also really hoping the KI coaster community will finally chill out and go back to enjoying whatever the park adds instead of rolling their eyes because it's not what the park "deserves" or "needs in its lineup" or whatever. Get off my lawn.

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. The cars also resemble Racer 75 instead of our Racer with those colored headrests. I wonder if some amount of the model came from a Kings Dominion rendering.

I'm not at all suggesting that you all could be wrong and the park is actually going to bring back recaR, especially since the park confirmed that there was nothing to that, but I do find that an odd choice to include it. I understand the concept of an Easter egg, but like... I remember back before the 2011 season, when the park dropped a quick tweet showing that some light theming would be added to The Crypt. I believe it was tweeted on April 1st. I suggested that perhaps it was a prank on the park's part because of the date since The Crypt's de-Tomb-Raider-ification was not terribly popular in the enthusiast community. Someone pointed out that the park calling "April Fools" would be equivalent to admitting that The Crypt was a bit of a failure as-is. This feels like it has parallels. Like, "Here's that thing you all have wanted to come back for over a decade. We've been in a habit of bringing back old things. But this one is just a joke, haha. Fooled you! Now go enjoy your forwards-only Racer." Again, I want to be clear that I do not think the park is secretly going to bring back backwards Racer. Easter eggs are just Easter eggs: case in point, "number 5 is alive" on a poster at Cedar Point has NOTHING to do with Orion. I just think this was a slightly odd Easter egg to choose.

CCI all day, baby. GCI and The Gravity Group are great, but neither are on CCI's level. Dennis McNulty is extremely underrated in the coaster world. Schwarzkopf is in an extremely close second.

^ I'm now realizing that would have been a great name for Firehawk. Flight of Fear and Fear of Flight. And then name X-base "Flights and Fears".

It could be very interesting to see what Cedar Fair would do with the KC park if they purchase it. In my head, the park is so tied to the Verruckt incident that no rebranding is going to clear its name. I'd sooner expect to see them purchase it IF its individual assets can be sold off at a profit. It feels like it has too many parallels to Son of Beast (the name and physical presence is associated with danger) to continue as an operating waterpark. I also wonder if Kansas waterpark regulation has changed since the park last operated. Given the park's alleged issues with most of the slides not being approved by the state on opening day 2017, I'm wondering if there are elements of the park that would need to change in order for it to even operate.

I could have sworn that I replied to a thread about this once. If I did, it must not have been this one or the one linked on the first page... Anyway, I'm actually not sure. It was definitely at Kings Island and definitely sometime in the mid-to-late 90's. A very likely candidate is Beastie, though Scooby Zoom and Scooby's Ghoster Coaster are also possible candidates. Adventure Express also happened around that time for me, but I doubt it was my first--the thing terrified me, so I wouldn't have ridden anything else afterward, and I know I at least rode Beastie and SGC back then, too. I really didn't enjoy coasters in those days. Then, something happened in the temple of the Triangle of Light in Rivertown...

I'm so glad you had a good time! I always love reading about people's first Holiday World trips. It's such a nice little park!

I wonder if it would make sense to introduce a "Platinum Pass Plus" tier where, for an additional $53, you can visit their premium waterparks in Texas. Disney does something similar with their ticketing. But perhaps that would get confusing with how many Cedar Fair waterparks are not separate gates.

The Eleventh Comma... Oh wait, I actually like this one.

^ Listen... I used to love VF. I always made a point to ride it. Then I worked on it.

If you get there at opening or within the first few hours, don't head to Raven first. Everyone does, and that ride will pull a long line because of it. Work your way from the back of the park (Thunderbird/Thanksgiving) to the front (Raven/Halloween). By the time you reach Raven, the line will have calmed down a little bit. If it's still busy, come back in the mid-to-late afternoon. Alternatively, if the waterpark is your goal, be in there as soon as it opens and hit up Wildebeest and Mammoth ASAP. They'll get and keep lines all day if it's even kind of busy, but you can beat the crowds if you stay ahead of them. Or, if there's a different slide you want to do first, head there. But if you're curious at all about those two, I'd recommend getting there first. Liberty Launch and Gobbler Getaway are both kind of underrated, in my opinion. They're both unique to the parks that people from this site typically hit up (although there's a similar ride to Liberty Launch at Indiana Beach--and no, Power Tower at Cedar Point really isn't the same, in terms of ride experience.) Have fun!

I'm not sure that the park would appreciate me explaining why (if someone else wants to go into those details, feel free, but I'm not going to), but VF will also go 2-9 Weather on days where it's been very sunny and very hot for an extended amount of time. Basically, VF is capable of going down for any weather for a variety of reasons, haha. It'll come back up eventually--just give it a few hours. Toss in the unwritten but mandatory seating requirements, and I feel like it's a little more understandable why I always disliked working Viking Fury. (Seriously... PLEASE be nice to VF ride ops.) I might throw a party the day it closes for good.

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Ooh, I really like that idea. I don't know that Premier has any spinning models, but Backlot kinda does have a great layout for a spinning coaster since it has all those laterals and turns (plus the helix!) That would be a cool retheme, too. Gonna be daydreaming all day now about the MCBR and following tunnel being themed to, like, a wolf pack finding you and chasing you through the deepest part of the forest or something...

No there isn't! Yeah... I'm looking forward to announcement day so this place chills the heck out again. For the newbies: traditionally, once a new coaster is announced, you'll have a few days where this place explodes. The new coaster will be hailed as one of four things: 1.) the best addition in park history and your entire state is now buying a pass, 2.) the worst addition in park history and you're publicly burning your pass, 3.) begrudgingly okay but really should have been [insert industry trend that fits your idea of the "hole in the park's lineup"] bUt Kings Island wIlL aLwAyS bE bEhInD bEcAuSe Cedar Point, or 4.) disappointingly and tragically not related to Son of Beast in some obscure way. That'll linger for about a week, and then the 1's, 2's, more irrational 3's, and a smattering of 4's will generally disappear or simmer down and this place will go back to being civil and fun again.

If it's a renewal, I believe you should be okay. I renewed my pass in fall of 2017 and used it in April 2018 at Knott's (before KI's season started) without issue. If it's a new pass... I want to assume you'll be okay, but Cedar Fair's pass system works in mysterious ways.

Warning: you're bordering on violating the Eleventh Commandment.

IAAPA is an incredibly interesting and fun, if exhausting, event to attend. If you haven't been and have the ability to go, go. If you're thinking in any capacity about working in the industry, GO. The Celebrates event on (Thursday?) evening is always a memorably great experience. I've had some of my favorite memories with industry folks made at those events. You don't often find yourself waiting 10 minutes for Flight of Passage with Vekoma employees ahead of you, a past president of La Ronde making conversation with you, and Fred Grubb and Alan Schilke behind you.

I just had a flashback to the trauma of riding Desert Storm. My ribs remember.