TombRaiderFTW

I'm always kind of afraid I'm going to come across as pretentious or like a know-it-all when I post stuff like that, as I don't mean to. I just enjoy explaining math to people (or trying to, anyway... Definitely doesn't always happen.) I've had jobs doing that sort of thing, and they were fun. Without turning this into a full-blown Calculus lesson, I'll say that distance over time gives you average speed. If it's 240 miles to Holiday World from my house and takes me 4 hours to get there, distance over time says I'm going 60 miles per hour. Thing is, I've got to go 55 (or less) for the first eighth of the trip, then 65 for an hour, then 35 for about 15 minutes when I inevitably and consistently hit traffic trying to leave Cincinnati, and so on. I guess my best answer to your question is that you would let the train travel for a specific amount of time (e.g. 1 second.) Every second, you measure how far the train traveled in that second. The distance the train traveled divided by 1 second would approximately be the speed of the train at that point in the track. Calculate that throughout the course, and you'll roughly know the speed of the train at any given time. If you start measuring how far the train travels every 0.5 seconds, then your calculations become more accurate. Make it every 0.25 seconds, and they become even more accurate. (The idea behind derivatives in Calc is that your chosen amount of time becomes infinitely small, so you know exactly how fast something is changing or moving at any given time.) So, are you saying that there's a certain point at which a speed measurement is not an average? Yeah, more or less. You can narrow down your averages so much that they come really darn close to being the real thing.

Without turning this into a full-blown Calculus lesson, I'll say that distance over time gives you average speed. If it's 240 miles to Holiday World from my house and takes me 4 hours to get there, distance over time says I'm going 60 miles per hour. Thing is, I've got to go 55 (or less) for the first eighth of the trip, then 65 for an hour, then 35 for about 15 minutes when I inevitably and consistently hit traffic trying to leave Cincinnati, and so on. I guess my best answer to your question is that you would let the train travel for a specific amount of time (e.g. 1 second.) Every second, you measure how far the train traveled in that second. The distance the train traveled divided by 1 second would approximately be the speed of the train at that point in the track. Calculate that throughout the course, and you'll roughly know the speed of the train at any given time. If you start measuring how far the train travels every 0.5 seconds, then your calculations become more accurate. Make it every 0.25 seconds, and they become even more accurate. (The idea behind derivatives in Calc is that your chosen amount of time becomes infinitely small, so you know exactly how fast something is changing or moving at any given time.)

The Oktoberfest theme is being maintained AND we're getting a full-service restaurant?! This is awesome!

From a physics standpoint: 1. A heavier train will be slowed less quickly by air drag than a light one, but it will experience more friction from the track. There's a balance somewhere in the middle that I'd bet is considered in train design. There's also aerodynamic considerations that can affect the drag, too. 1a. The number of riders in a train will affect the speed similarly. Empty trains likely run more slowly than full trains. 2. The more forceful the ride is, the quicker friction will slow it down. This includes positive, negative, and lateral G's. 3. The more pure airtime the ride has (meaning exactly 0G's in any direction--not negative G's like on El Toro, which fall under #2) the less friction from the track. 4. The smoother the track (i.e., the less variance in the track gauge), the faster the ride will go. I don't completely understand why that is (something to do with vibrations and natural damping?), but 's a side-by-side comparison from the Coney Island Cyclone's recent rehab for proof.5. The fewer trim brakes, the faster the ride will go. (You're welcome, dare-to-fly.) 6. If the track and train axles are properly lubricated, the ride will run faster. Too little, and there's increased friction. I don't know if roller coaster grease is like oil in a car, but if there's too much in your car, it will foam and fail to work properly. Since it's grease and not oil I'd guess there probably can't be too much, but that's a complete guess. I'm sure there's more to it, but those are the parts I'd guess primarily affect it.

^ This! With utmost respect to Holiday World's reputation, the nicest park employees I've ever met have been at DW. My family, who mostly doesn't care one way or another about theme parks, even noticed how nice the park staff there is when we visited last March. I'm just bummed I still haven't made it to the chicken restaurant. Basically, the best trip advice for Dollywood is to definitely make sure you visit Dollywood.

Kings Dominion does as well, but it's mainly used for international employees, from what I understand.

I originally thought Playlist Live was going to be some YouTube thing... I watch too many vlogs, haha. (There's a yearly event for YouTube personalities called Playlist Live: http://playlist-live.com/ )

The opening days I've been to at KI haven't been nearly as bad as in 2011. That day was pretty bumpy. It seemed like most of the rides went down repeatedly, and the attendance was definitely higher than in years past. Otherwise, opening day is usually one of my favorite days to visit--low to moderate crowds and great weather. I've always heard Cedar Point's opening days are pretty rough as far as ride closures go, but I've never been. Weather typically ends up being an issue.

Yes yes yes yes! Please! Just make sure you take plenty of pictures.

You people are killing me with this Great America talk... I got a pass for there this past Christmas, the wait is slowly killing me!

Oh my gosh, they're actually doing something related to theme of Oktoberfest. I do like this new Cedar Fair...

^ On a side note: the wild mouse is gone, too. It's at Six Flags New England with the world's longest coaster name ever. The Gravity Group was apparently willing to refurbish Mega Zeph, complete with Timberliners, as a part of a proposed SFNO/Jazzland renovation from a while ago. I wonder if something similar could be in the works for Twisted Twins.

I couldn't give you an exact reference, but I seem to recall one of those parks qualifying GoPros as loose articles. I have seen a helmet-mounted camera be rejected by ride ops at Kings Island within the past year. As always, your best bet is to contact the parks.

Nothing any of you say will detract from my love for Adventure Express! NOTHING! (Okay, yeah, it's a little weird, haha.)

^ For some reason, I can't see KI's information. I do like the improved information on the general Coasting for Kids site, though!

I've known some park owners who dropped angry guests into the lake. Count your blessings. I didn't say it was a real park.

Well heck, I'm excited about the Haunt topic, anyway. Yeah, it's a little unorthodox to talk about it this early, but it's still something to be excited for pertaining to the upcoming season. It's not like the guy is asking what you plan to do next off-season. Sheesh! Even though Nightmare Alley was a little weak in terms of static theming, I 100% loved how Haunt stretched to all areas of the park last year and would have no qualms about it looking exactly the same this year. Gone are the days of the occasional awkwardly bare paths--with the exception of the Eiffel Tower-Rivertown path, there was something going on everywhere you went. (Of course, as the season went on, the number of actors diminished, but that's the norm. For me, the fact that they at least tried to maintain Haunt atmosphere throughout the park is a great step forward.) For 2013, if a Haunt is changed or removed, I'm putting my money on Cornstalkers. I'd like to see it pull a Cemetery Drive and become a scream zone. I don't know if they'll actually remove anything, though; I'd sooner expect a new trail, perhaps in Timberwolf. As I've said before, I'd love to see Tombstone Terror-tory get a breath of fresh air in the form of new props/theme, but they've stuck with the same general idea for so long that it must work well enough. (Man, I'd love to help design the new haunts...)

According to Coasterbuzz, BeastBuzz is making its return on August 10, 2013! Link. No details have been released yet besides the date, but the fact that it's happening is exciting enough!

^ I LOVE that! So refreshing compared to the original. Really hope it ends up looking like that.

Never thought I'd have a use for this picture... (Taken while leaning against WindSeeker's fence.) Easy: anything in Rivertown. Hard: a photo taken on closing day. Expert: a photo of mid-deconstruction Son of Beast taken on closing day.

Thanks for letting us know! Here's how my list turned out this year: 1. Abrupt Airtime 2. Lateral Forces 3. Sensation of Speed 4. Positive G's/Loops 5. Out of Control Feeling/Directional Changes 6. Floating Airtime Top 10: 1. The Voyage, Holiday World/El Toro, SFGAdv (Favorite Wood Coaster Any Park Anywhere) 2. Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion, VA 3. Storm Runner, Hersheypark, PA 4. Magnum XL-200, Cedar Point, OH 5. Millennium Force, Cedar Point, OH 6. Batman The Ride, SFGAdv, NJ 7. Dominator, Kings Dominion, VA 8. Volcano: The Blast Co, Kings Dominion, VA 9. Adventure Express, Kings Island, OH (Fav Arrow Mine Train Any Park Anywhere) 10. Skull Mountain, SFGAdv, NJ Honorable mentions: 11. Fahrenheit, Hersheypark, PA 13. Great Bear, Hersheypark, PA 16. Flight of Fear, Kings Dominion, VA 17. Flight of Fear, Kings Island, OH 18. Wild Eagle, Dollywood, TN Bottom of the pile: 50. Anaconda, Kings Dominion, VA 51. Thunderhawk, Michigan's Adventure, MI (Fav Vek Susp Loop SLC Any Park Anywhere) 52. Sidewinder, Hersheypark, PA (Fav Vekoma Boomerang Any Park Anywhere) 53. Superman – Ultimate Flight, SFGAdv, NJ This year, I gained a new least favorite coaster (S:UF @ SFGAdv) and had two new rides make it into my top 10 (B:TR and Skull Mountain @ SFGAdv). Ironically, since I didn't go to Cedar Point or Kings Dominion this year, I haven't ridden 6 of my top 10 in over a year.

I was homeschooled during middle school, so I had yearly school trips (involving all the school staff, no less--my parents went, too. ) There was some sort of deal our family would get on day-specific one-day tickets annually, so that's when we would go.

^ As I never rode King Cobra due to both fear and lack of height, I love that picture! I've never seen KC's queue or station in much detail, so it's awesome to see that perspective on it.

Anyone else feel like we're going to show up at the park in April and something besides Thunder Alley and Son of Beast will be missing? That's all the more sense I can make of this diversion stuff.

^ ...Cried the binomial multiplication. (I'm sorry. I have a thing with math jokes. I'll stop.) As always, I love the photos, TOPGUN. I wonder if the park's ever considered restoring the flume/trough/gutter/whatever system with a small water system that would be contained just to that area. No ponds or anything; just have the water at the bottom run into a pump that would push the water back to the top. The pump could be disguised with a bucket, etc. to blend in.