TombRaiderFTW

Awesome pictures! I'm still insanely jealous I couldn't make it to this event, especially since you apparently saw just about everything I'd have wanted to see. (Therefore, here comes an avalanche of questions... ) How was the party? I heard Mike Graham was going to be there, but were there any other parks/companies that presented? What were some of the other prizes? And finally, the million dollar question: any news on Son of Beast?

I've always been a little curious as to why the park got rid of the slide. I never rode it (as I think it was removed before I was born), but it seems like a good attraction for young guests that wouldn't cost too much to maintain. There must have been more to it than meets the eye. As always, the pictures are great, standbyme! They've really helped the off-season go by.

Right at first, I thought your angle was really off, standbyme. Then I compared the position of Scooby Doo to Woodstock Express, and it's actually almost perfect. That area of the park's just really different! I never knew the entrance to Enchanted Voyage was where it was, too. I figured that path was put there just for CarnEvil. As always, thanks for uploading these!

Thanks! I bet IS is pretty cool in its own right... I'm dying to see it someday. And yeah, it would be pretty cool to see an entire park. The ACE tour pretty much stuck to the train tracks from Millennium to Maverick and back, through the Frontier Trail. I'd love to see more of Cedar Point during the off-season in the future. And thanks! I can see why you'd feel that way. If I wasn't as interested as I am in the behind-the-scenes stuff, I'd be the same way. Then again, maybe I'm just in the "excited" stage you were in... Who knows? Glad I could share them, and thanks!

^ I'd love to see the TR:TR one!

EDIT: Whoops, misread something. Please delete this post.

Compared to what they used to be circa 2008, I don't think the tunnels are too bad. They're on their way back to what they were, though.

It's definitely an experience I'll remember. I thought a dead silent park was more likely to seem creepy than anything, but Cedar Point was really serene. And thanks, Terp! Ding ding ding! We have a winner. How'd you guess? The location?

Hey guys. I got a chance to go to my second coaster enthusiast event, ACE Northern Ohio's Holiday Party, yesterday. I'm not an ACE member, but the experience seemed like a fun birthday present for myself (as I had a birthday on Black Friday). It's the first time I've ever been inside a park when it's closed, and it was a really neat experience. There's something oddly peaceful and equally interesting about an entirely silent, closed park, and I really hope I get a chance to experience it again sometime soon. (On that note, I'm incredibly bummed I can't make it to GOCC's KI event this weekend... I bet KI is just as interesting in its own way.) I don't know how I'd write an actual PTR for this since it was just CP's Bryan Edwards leading us around Millennium Force, Maverick, and the Frontier Trail answering questions, with a meal and presentations later at Kalahari, so I'll just share some photos. Enjoy! Some of my favorites: Man, I miss Blue Streak. Shot of the lift hill base from under the station. They must have removed the catch car, because I couldn't see it anywhere. Artsy shot of the CP&LE RR. Short lines today. The ride's final hill, from the side you don't usually see inside the park. Under the lift hill. Not an angle you usually see if the lift. I thought it was cool, though it would look better with a train, in my opinion. Then we walked along the train tracks to Maverick. As you can see, the sky was perfect for picture taking. Maverick's heartline ro--no, wait... The first drop, which looks, oddly enough, more intense from underneath than from the midway. Probably one of my favorite shots of the day. Again, I feel like it could be improved with a train, but c'est la vie. I don't think I could exactly have asked them to send a train. The world needs more solar flare. Also one of my favorite shots. Bonus round: for ten points, can you name what ride this is? There are several more pictures to be found on my Flickr, so head that way if you'd like to see more. I've got several more shots of Millennium, Maverick, Snake River Falls, Shoot the Rapids, and the Frontier Trail. I had a blast. Hearing representatives from CP, Waldameer, Kennywood, and Kalahari was a whole lot more interesting than I'd bargained. I even scored a flag off the lift hill of Ravine Flyer II! (Guess that means I finally have to get around to visiting Waldameer next year... Man, they just had to go and twist my arm like that, didn't they. ) Hope you enjoyed the photos!

^ Haha, knew someone would say that. It actually kinda does sound fun! It also would be completely terrifying... Can you imagine trying to dodge things like the multitudes of queue lines, handful of Pepsi stands, the entrance to Splashin' Safari, and the show stage? Especially on that turn in front of the Raven... Pretty sure that'd be more intense than the Voyage. Hahaha.

To me, it seems like making the park safe (i.e., not a liability) for guests in the winter would be pretty difficult. If it snows, you've got a lot of paths to clear. If it ices, you've got a nonstop sled all the way down to Thanksgiving.

Not to mention that the calendar doesn't usually make its appearance until January or after, and I think I remember the site saying "soon" before that time last year, too...

^ Yep, which is why I'd like it to come mid-April again... The first few weeks used to be a lot more empty than they were this year. Of course, this year wasn't a great time for anything to be open. I think it rained every day in April and May except April 30th.

That'd be cool if they released it sooner, because I'm curious if they'll go back to opening the third-ish week of April (i.e. for 2012, that'd be April 14 or 21). Then again, that does remove part of the excitement that usually comes in January...

Interesting tidbit I found on the Gold Pass VIP Benefits page just now: (Bolded for emphasis)Hmm... I do wonder if this year's bumpy opening day caused this. I wonder, too, if the rides side will be included. The main page says there will be two exclusive days... Thoughts?

^ Lady Gaga meets superthick fog? Can't wait for next year. Actually, I'm just kidding. I did like Mysteria. Wasn't perfect by any means, but it was definitely entertaining.

I wish I'd taken the chance to ride KCKC... It was one of my parents' favorite rides, and as much as I loved Tomb Raider, KCKC fit Rivertown better. The internet doesn't seem to have a great record of its existence, so I love seeing your picture, standbyme.

^ I think Rattler already got its topper track this year, unless you mean it's getting more?

Not saying it wouldn't happen, but Mean Streak also closed early last year for "retracking work"... which was just, in fact, retracking work. And before someone tries to mention something about a fire, all that did was hasten its already early closing that year.

This. Again, cool pictures! I really like the look of Adventure Village, even though it apparently deteriorated later. If it stuck around, it would have been a cool place to put Tomb Raider/The Crypt.

Oh my gosh. I want one so bad.

In a twist (err...) today at IAAPA, Great Coasters International, Inc. announced a new model, the "Big Fun". They posted this video afterward: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pee7s7cbWm8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I'm curious to know what everyone's thoughts are. I think it looks like a really fun layout, and you can definitely see the CCI influences (which is definitely a good thing, in my opinion--love me some CCI and GCI). I can't really see Kings Island or Cedar Point installing one, but it'd be neat if somewhere like Coney got a Big Fun. TRFTW, hoping you group will see the gravity of this announcement... and trying to make you all grona lot.

No no, it's management's secrets you're supposed to be stealing, not money...

I love the fact that there are still things like those stones that haven't changed since opening. It seems like KI's history is constantly being ignored, which is a shame. Can't wait for the next pictures!

Can't really choose one thing. I miss the park's atmosphere, but I also very much miss having the ability to spontaneously take one of my passholder friends with me to ride coasters for the heck of it. Spontaneous KI trips pretty much make my summers.