TombRaiderFTW

^^ 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.

As far as I'm concerned, it was worth every cent last year when I went for the first of (what I hope will be) many times.

I'd personally advise that it come down to whether you value big rides over theming (or vice versa.) If theming's your thing, get yourself on the KD/BGW trip ASAP. With the uncertain status of SEAS, I would not hesitate visiting BGW before the theming maintenance budget takes any more hits than I'm sure it already has. It's really an impeccably themed place with a selection of (in my opinion) above-average coasters throughout the park. The food is delicious and unlike anything you'll find outside of Florida. And Kings Dominion, in my opinion, is always worth a visit--it's the cleanliness and operations and big rides of a Cedar Fair park with the fun, themed areas that you won't find at Kings Island. Great Adventure isn't anything to sneeze at by any means, and it has both theming and big, good rides. El Toro really is worthy of all the hype, and this is coming from someone who's typically bored by out-and-back coaster layouts. And almost all the rest of the coasters are NOT to be ignored, especially the Arrow Mine Train. What food I had there was very good, but it wasn't anything extremely out of the ordinary as far as offerings go. (Compare: I had chicken parmesan and spaghetti at BGW and a taco salad at SFGAdv, albeit a very good taco salad. Of course, I've eaten a grand total of one meal there. I'm sure someone--especially Terp--can better describe the food there.) As far as Hersheypark goes... I don't know. I guess I don't really get that place. I find it pretty vanilla and really don't anticipate ever craving to go back there. The rides are objectively good, but the park as a whole didn't blow me away. Your mileage may vary. I very much like Great Bear and Comet and Fahrenheit and Storm Runner, but I don't think it's worth the 8-hour drive unless I'm already going to be in the area. Again, you might love it--it's all in what you're into. I hear Skyrush is pretty great!

It told him he'd already made a purchase earlier that day, and the cashier promptly escorted him from the premises.

That "accidental" picture of Outlaw Run sounds exactly like Tony playing with enthusiasts' imaginations, which he has been known to do before on many occasions.

Oh my gosh, they're rebuilding Tomb Raider: The Ride at EnterTRAINment Junction. Clocks? Escape? Adventure? All the signs are pointing to it. You heard it here first.

Thanks for the great PTR! Someday, I've got to get out to California. I have to ask: did you not ride GhostRider?

New Jersey's Finest Theme Park. It's a nickname (or maybe a former advertising catchphrase? Not sure) for Six Flags Great Adventure that Terp introduced here.

1. Tomb Raider: The Ride - Kings Island 2. Turtle - Kennywood, back when they were new 3. Bobs - Coney Island in New York 4. Batman and Robin: The Chiller - NJFTP 5. Villain - Geauga Lake

The park may have "classic woodies covered" but we still lack a GCI type wooden roller coaster. I'm not complaining though, I do LOVE all 3 of the woodies at Kings Island, I just wish we had a nice GCI at the park to REALLY draw me. Six Flags St. Louis has a PERFECT example of a quality and diverse wooden coaster lineup, as I've stated on this site before. The Boss. Screamin' Eagle. And last but of course not least..... American Thunder. THAT'S a diverse wooden roller coaster lineup. FTW, resident SFStL fanatic and strong believer that that park is severely underappreciated.

I appreciate the fact that the KI rep acknowledged the rules listed on the website. I want to see what actually happens when people try to use their meal plans at 3:30. For me, it's not hard to imagine the site changing, then being told by a food cashier between 2:30 and 4:30 that the meal deal won't work. Reversing the policy is great if that many people were upset about it, but it would be nice to know that employees know the current rules, too. I'm waiting to see how it works once the season starts.

goodyellowkorn182: The thing is, though: is it actually "crystal clear?" Yes, it's spelled out on the park's website, but honestly, if it weren't for this site, how many would actually think to re-check the rules of the dining plan before taking a trip to the park? The new rules don't ruin my day by any means, but I find it somewhat annoying that something that already seems hit-and-miss in execution is going to add designated times for you to eat. In theory, yeah, that's hardly a big change. If you wanted to, you could even eat two hours apart, which is closer than the final iteration of the plan let you do last year. It's more the fact that another layer of complexity has been added onto something that seemed to have struggles already. If the past is precedent, there won't be signage in the park, nor will there be indication (apart from an unceremonious text change in the website) to anyone who's purchased it already that the rules have changed. If past is precedent, food employees may or may not know about the change. Cue angry passholders and exasperated managers attempting to apologize for non-communicated changes. (I could write a book about trying to use an all-day dining plan at Carowinds last year.) I come across way more passionate in this thread about this than I intended to, haha. My feathers aren't ruffled by this. It just feels like more of Cedar Fair's "get a discount when the planets align appropriately, as long as the employees happen to know what the heck you're talking about"-type deals like the Interpreter quote in your profile mentions. It's a little wearisome, and I dislike it enough that I'm not going to rush out and embrace it this year. I'd love to be wrong. EDIT: Not to mention that the Busch Gardens' one-day meal plans work similarly and successfully: one lunch ticket to use before 4, and one dinner one for after. Except the rules are actually printed on the tickets and don't rely on the cashier having successfully received the message through the grapevine. And the plan doesn't have a history of changing after you've purchased it. It's a well-executed program.