TombRaiderFTW

Yeah, it's not working for me, either. Didn't the KI Marketplace have similar issues when it was launched?

^ To quote the poet Adele, "we'll set fire to the pain, watch it burn as we soothe our brains." Or something.

I've been there when the park closed early due to weather. I believe it was in late summer 2010. They announce it over the park's speaker system.

Good thing that those sorts of things were actually presented in the accident report, then. I don't think anyone can just say "oh, I think this ride hurt me one time" and catch any serious attention--if so, shouldn't nearly every ride at Kings Island be shut down because "my friend's mom's dog's groomer's babysitter's aunt rode this ride once and almost fell out"? We've got a thread for those sorts of things, after all. I agree with The Interpreter. If the manager has been unsatisfied with the ride experience and a guest comes forth with a medical issue proven to be caused by the ride, why would they reopen it? Management was discontent with the coaster, and the coaster proved their point. Operation beyond that moment is an obvious liability.

I'm not saying I believe or disbelieve Lip, but I think there's a significant tendency for disbelief involved when the park has been tight-lipped about the ride for nearly three years and then the new CEO shows up and divulges something like that to a regular guest. I don't believe that inherently says anything about Lip's credibility, as it's not like we know Ouimet's precedence for revealing Cedar Fair's plans like that, but it's a pretty sharp contrast from what we've known from Kinzel. Rather than condemn the guy, how about we watch what happens? At least he isn't finding mystic Son of Beast hints in the chainwide Thrills Connect commercials. That being said, Greg Scheid inviting people to the International Restaurant does seem to be in line with the significantly improved customer service and "best day of the year" focuses for the chain. I think that and the fireworks countdown are easily one of the coolest ways to do that--way to go, KI! I know, if I were still a kid (in the strict sense), those would be some of the best memories I could have at the park if I wasn't a regular visitor.

Man, that was so sad. I kinda wish there was some way enthusiasts, at least, could support "small" amusement industry businesses like that. I dislike how we don't hear about companies and small parks like this until they're going out of business.

I don't know that I'd accuse the regular top spin models of being reliable, but do also keep in mind that the giant top spin statistics were once higher on HUSS's website. Once upon the time when Paramount was interested in buying one, the model was capable of carrying 77 riders at once, which would have increased the PPH significantly. The standard people capacity lessened with the ride's modification for 2008, and now it hardly carries (carried) more than the average model.

Plus, I'm pretty sure this is the Mondial or Zamperla equivalent. HUSS's top spins do not move the arms independently of one another. Well, not intentionally, anyway. The model in the video is designed to move this way, as is apparent from the dampers in the center of each arm and the way each arm bends inward at the center when the arms aren't moving the same way. Based on my experience on a Zamperla Rotoshake, a vaguely similar model, I don't imagine the ride pictured would be very comfortable. Then again, I've never ridden it, so who knows?

So if there weren't any restraints on the pews, does that mean they were designed by Edward Vettel? (Man, I wish I could go to Kennywood tomorrow...) Congratulations, guys! Did they win the photography package contest faeriewench posted about here a while back?

Oh, the irony. FTW, not intentionally making these grammar-critiquing posts lately...

Pretty sure I'm the only one who likes Premier restraints, though I don't entirely understand the point of the foot restraint. I miss many things about the Paramount era, but not the way they neglected the theming of this ride. I very much liked getting to experience the water effects again at Kings Dominion, and I wish they'd return at KI. The ride is a solid, enjoyable experience, but there are several coasters with shorter waits that I enjoy more at KI, so I rarely wait any longer than 5 minutes for the ride.

Must... not... make... Theroy Jenkins joke... I don't care if people speculate about Son of Beast, but this is a pretty huge stretch. Quite frankly, I don't think Cedar Fair cares this much about being sly about their hints, where applicable. This is a few steps beyond the sort of thing the Busch parks would do, and I'd say they're the hint-iest of the park chains--Cedar Fair's much more direct when they want to get people buzzing. They create teaser websites (Leviathan), post signs in the park (the second round of WindSeekers, Diamondback), and drop little clues on main means of communication (Dinosaurs Alive). Not to mention that the coaster in that commercial is almost certainly GhostRider at Knott's Berry Farm, which seems to be CF's go-to wooden coaster for commercials. They aren't riding through a loop.

If only I lived closer to Atlanta or had time to travel there. I've always wondered what it's like filming these sorts of things. The link makes it sound dull, but I think it'd be enjoyable.

Vekoma's a bit of an oddity. I don't know this for a fact, and it sounds a little out there, but I've read that their invert trains are actually suspended--they've just got very, very strong dampers that keep them from swaying. The reason cited for this is an alleged patent by B&M on true, rigid invert trains, so that's how Vekoma supposedly got around it. I don't know how much I believe of that, but it does explain the very shock-absorber-y looking pieces on Vekoma SLC trains. (They're the black cylinders between each pair of seats in this picture. There's a joint allowing rotation where they connect to the chassis, so I don't really know what to make of the claim.)

^ Maybe not in that specific spot, but allegedly CP's teased having something big for next year. Either speculation or some hint from Kinzel has several people believing something will be mentioned at this year's CoasterMania. Plus, what does it actually mean to be the "Coaster Capital of the World," anyway? If they don't have the highest number of coasters, couldn't they just go on about the awards their rides have received?

Not gonna lie: Wildcat's probably my least favorite Schwarzkopf that I've ridden, so I'm not exactly heartbroken that it's leaving. I'm a little bummed that another older coaster is going to the scrap heap, but there are several more charming rides that actually fit Cedar Point's atmosphere that could easily replace it. (Even another Schwarzkopf, though I doubt they'd buy any coasters with the mileage of most Schwarzkopf rides these days.) Wildcat just always seemed like the sort of coaster you'd find at a larger county fair--wasn't it even the portable model?

They must have deleted the Arrow video, because it definitely was on my favorites list on YouTube. EDIT: Found it!

Vekoma's got a unique way of naming their rides--they name all their coasters where the track is above the riders "suspended." I've read around the Interwebs something to the effect that B&M owns the rights to proper "inverted" coasters, thus causing Vekoma's Suspended Looping Coaster trains to be designed as suspended coasters that are very highly damped, but I seriously doubt that's the case.

^^ ...I didn't even know Dollywood HAD a log ride. Where do you board this thing?

Holiday World: The Voyage Indiana Beach: Tig'rr and Steel Hawg Michigan's Adventure: Mad Mouse Nickelodeon Universe: Spongebob Squarepants Rock Bottom Plunge Cedar Point: Magnum XL-200 Coney Island (Cincinnati): (at the time Pepsi) Python Kings Island: Adventure Express Stricker's Grove: Tornado Hersheypark: Storm Runner Kennywood: Thunderbolt Dollywood: Thunderhead Kings Dominion: Intimidator 305

Well, The Crypt stayed in one mode of operation all day, which is probably a first...

I watched it yesterday, too. The 3D is probably the highest quality of 3D I've seen, but the film itself (a highly abbreviated history dinosaurs, with CGI dinos running around real landscapes) wasn't my cup of tea. Guess I'm just not as into dinosaurs as I thought, which is why I was also a little bummed that the ThrillSeekers shop is now almost entirely full of dino stuff (with a rack or two of Beast shirts somewhere by the register). Besides that, I must say that yesterday was still easily one of the best opening days I've been to!

Glad I'm not the only one who saw a bunch of Doo. It's very curious... You'd think there was a licensing issue with that. If they want to keep going and put some TR:TR memorabilia on a shelf or two, though, I'm entirely okay with that.

I used to have one of those, too. Great phone, although mine overheated frequently. Never tried taking it through the detectors, though--I always assumed it would make them go off. Guess my suspicions were correct!

I'm entirely okay with it being cold and rainy on opening day, as long as it stops occasionally so the coasters will operate. If it's cold and rainy, the park will be empty!