TombRaiderFTW

I am so sorry that you're going through such a rough time. If you need to talk, I'm here. Thank you for sharing your experience.

(Didn't mean for this to be so long-winded, and especially not in the Kentucky Kingdom thread. Apologies!) Different from what I expected, in both good and bittersweet ways. I was very much impressed by the ride itself, being the type of coaster that it is. It's not the most intense B&M Wing Coaster, but I think it has the most personality in the layout of the ones in the U.S. I think it's probably my favorite of the bunch because of that. There seem to be polarized opinions over whether the right side is better than the left, or vice versa, but I personally find that both sides have their pluses and minuses and neither trumps the other. Your mileage may vary. The zero-G roll seems to rotate significantly more rapidly than on the other Wing Coasters, to the point that there are laterals as you rotate (regardless of side), which I thought was interesting and unusual. The theming is much more well-done than I expected and looks like something you'd expect out of Dollywood, which I like on one hand but find out-of-place at Holiday World on the other. Both the ride and its plaza are different from the Holiday World norm, even from the rest of the Thanksgiving area. The plaza almost feels more like the New France area of Busch Gardens Williamsburg to me for some reason (despite the giant barn) than any extension of Thanksgiving, though it's not as detailed as that area at BGW. (There's some part of me that reads Terp's predictions about the place and worries that they're trying to make the park more appealing to Herschend.) The theming of the ride also has just enough details to it that I geek out over it, haha. The flickering lighting (both on the ride and in the queue) and LOUD booming thunder and wall of fog of the launch is such a neat combination of effects that I almost get goosebumps thinking about it. The only thing I could ask for is that the storyline of the ride be made a bit clearer. I'm with them on the Pilgrims getting lost at sea and then lead to the New World by the Thunderbird, but then it gets fuzzy. A farmer finds some key to harnessing its power or something because he's descended from the Pilgrims... and it gets loose in his barn and breaks out? Except the old "newspaper clips" in the queue make it sound like it's already loose. So what role does the coaster play in the plot? Are the riders playing the part of the Thunderbird, the farmer, or some crazy townsfolk or something? I feel like, for all the thought that went into tying the story to Thanksgiving, there has to be a complete thought about what part the coaster itself plays in it. It's just not apparent, unfortunately.

I wish I had seen this sooner. The weather forecast kept everyone at home today. (Yes, Terp. I know what post you're thinking of. ) I've never seen such an empty day at Holiday World than today. Honest.Coasters not named Thunderbird or Voyage ran one train and never managed to fill a full train while I was there. Voyage never filled one train in that time, as it was closed. Thunderbird, the brand spanking new $22 million B&M that's engulfed many billboards in Louisville, ice cream boxes in 20-something states, and TV commercials, was entirely possible to reride without having to get out of your seat on its first true public day of operation. It was surreal. Especially considering that it had a 1.5-hour line by the time the line was closed off for closing on the season passholder night just the night before. (Edited to correct wait time facts. I misremembered what time I got in line.)

I was questioning why now, nine years after the ride opened, the park decided the ride was too much for guests. The only reason I could come up with is them wanting to reduce maintenance costs. To be entirely honest, I'm not sure I can blame them. Voyage does seem like too much wood coaster for a small family-owned park. It does bring back the question of why the plug was pulled on the Timberliners... Unless they somehow increased maintenance costs, I assume that any change in the ride experience would be just as noticeable as what they're doing now.

According to some comments from media day attendees on Facebook in the Holiwood Nights group, this is not the case, although it appears to be a popular rumor. Voyage is allegedly running 6-car trains with no trims. Paula Werne has yet to respond.

I think it will be difficult for most anyone to accurately predict crowds. In my experience, Holiday World rarely has lines that early in the year, but I've also never been there in a year when they're opening a new roller coaster (and one unlike any other one they've had before, at that.)

According to this article on Kings Island's website, the petting zoo will not open until May 21.

They also had the audio from the former fog screen playing for the first time in a LONG time (that I've experienced, anyway), but the video screen set in the tombstone towards the beginning of the ride was shut off. The two skeletons in the bed weren't functioning, but their audio was. And there was a maintenance light turned on under the track throughout a good portion of the ride that was very noticeable in the loading area. I honestly can't tell if the park's done with the ride or isn't willing to put the money into keeping the presentation of the ride as good as it could be or just forgets to turn everything on at once. Or all three?

Hmm.. Did Matt say that, 100% without a doubt, all 11 properties would receive these installations? Plans, think? He doesn't guarantee it. So.. They've either got 9 of these things in the 5-year plan, or Matt was simply saying that it is his intent to deploy more Amusement Dark installations. He doesn't guarantee that this will happen, and it sounds like they haven't even figured out what they might do for at least some of the parks. Might this end up happening? He seems to want it to. Just keep in mind it's hardly set in stone. This isn't a hint of anything.. Anyone who knows much about the chain knows that there are some parks with empty land and others with empty buildings of a size that could fit one of these things. Knott's is currently putting one into an empty building. Doesn't mean KI will.. I see your points, and yeah, you make sense. I misspoke. I apologize.

His point is that the CEO indicated that the WMG ride system would find its way to all 11 Cedar Fair properties, regardless of whether or not they currently have a dark ride. Whether you see the ride system going to Kings Island or not is somewhat irrelevant, because the CEO has already more or less said that it will. And because this post comes off sorta harsh and I don't want it to, I'm adding the obligatory forum smilie face:

^ So did Canada's Wonderland, and it still got Wonder Mountain's Guardian.

^^ I haven't ridden it, but it's my understanding that that first drop off the lift is the only true coaster part. The rest is powered by drive wheels or some other electric drive. Spoiler for the last scene: Apart from some theming around the station, it's entirely screens. For Halloween Haunt, the park changed the screens to a zombie-themed program, which is related to what Ouimet mentioned about changing the program with one button (or something to that effect.)

Awesome article. Thanks for sharing. I really, really like the "world underneath our parks" bit. It makes me happy that they're adding depth to the existing parks' themes. The only thing that concerns me is the really, really vague story of Wonder Mountain's Guardian--even by modern shooter dark ride standards, there really isn't a story there. A shooter dark ride without a story is basically a video game. I'm curious to see how Knott's dark ride develops... I'm optimistic that the future inclusion of Garner-Holt will mean that the stories will be fleshed out. Also, "empty boxes," huh? Is there any more prominent of an empty box in Cedar Fair's chain than The Crypt's?

I just about squealed, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Thank you so much for posting about it!

Oh, you. I do like the poll series, though! It was a nice way to stay occupied and engaged during the off-season. Personally, I think it kept the typical off-season bickering at bay, too--the polls started the good types of discussions that typically only happen during coaster season. Also, my four must-dos of the year: Kings Island, Six Flags St. Louis, Islands of Adventure, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I've already been to SFStL this year, though there was no Boss and no Justice League involved. I'll have to go back--it looked like Boss had some nice retracking this year. And I have plans for the other three, which makes me very happy!

Wow, I was way off on that one. Not only is KK's an ARM Vertigo, but Holiday World's is from Zamperla. This is what I get for making assumptions that early in the morning. If you would, educate me while I'm down: is there a particular reason the ARM variation isn't a wise choice for Kentucky Kingdom?

Wait... Y'all have lost me. It's a Funtime StarFlyer, much like what exists an hour down the road at Holiday World and at multiple Six Flags. Apart from my personal preference for WindSeekers over them, I'm not seeing an issue... Anyone care to fill me in?

I'm being anal, but the article's actually about SFStL, not SFOG. Speaking of which, SFStL had this happen last year, too. Twice, if I remember correctly. I wonder what's causing it.

I don't think I saw this before, and I haven't seen it mentioned on KIC: according to the Live Entertainment page, Cirque Imagine opens May 23! For those of you wondering, that's the weekend after Coasterstock. I think I'm just about as excited for that show as I am for roller coasters to reopen. They seriously wouldn't have to change a thing about that show for this year and I'd be over the moon about seeing it.

Terp. Don't do this to me. Don't do it. I haven't gotten over the loss of this ride. I don't know if I ever will. Don't go dropping random hints to make me pointlessly optimistic all over again. Just don't.

I don't know how I managed to miss this, but wow, am I sad to see Tower Gardens go. I really did like that area and would have been so happy to see it get repaired. Hopefully there's a good reason (meaning something not related to Haunt) that it's gone.

Kings Dominion. It's the Paramount-era theming I like without the "we haven't painted/fixed/looked at the theming since we bought Paramount Parks" feeling that Carowinds had when I went last. I've been to six Cedar Fair parks: Kings Island, Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Worlds of Fun, and Michigan's Adventure.

I'm partial to this video of the testing of Green Lantern: First Flight at SFMM, in which the water dummies' caps either came loose or were never properly attached, resulting in the water dummies launching water every which way and a long, drenching waterfall when the car momentarily stops at an MCBR: But that's me!

March 30th, if you didn't already know!

I stayed in the Best Western in Kings Dominion's parking lot last summer. It doesn't have great reviews online, but I thought it was stayable. It was clean and comfortable enough, but it wasn't a Ritz-Carlton by any means (and it doesn't pretend to be.) Depending on when you go, it can be a decent deal or ridiculously expensive. I will consider it an option next time I stay in the area.