KI Kevin

Lakota goes back in one week. The 26th.

^Yes. I think this is the first time I've pulled a Terpy...Yay!

Did you ride it at Wonderland, Carowinds or Kings Dominion? Wonderlands was the first and has a capacity of about 23 people per hour. Carowinds was built in an old park theatre in the "Western" area of the park??? It's got a capacity of about 50 per hour. Kings Dominions was the last of the bunch to be built, and from what I understand get's a great capacity. KI's used the existing People Mover from Phantom Theater because of it's large capacity. However every other car was removed. We rode it at KD. I found the capacity to be about the same as ours. The only thing was that the queue was outdoor for the most part.

She's mistaken. Kings Island's (and Kings Dominion's) Eiffel Tower is only 1/3 scale. The US one that's half scale is in Las Vegas at Paris casino. Perhaps they did some magic to make both it and the one in Paris duplicates adding up to what was once the full scale Eiffel geegaw in Paris, France! If I'm not mistaken, isn't there also a restaraunt on the low platform of the one in Vegas along with the one in Paris. Also, was the one at the Paris Casino built by Intamin?

That is a good idea. I'd very much like to see a water coaster or a bowl. And wasn't Waterworks expanded to BB in 2004? Because I don't think that we've got anything since.

Gravity Group, GCI, or Intamin woodie. Filled with airtime. Hyper?

I can't wait untill Diamondback has grass around the splashdown! It will look beautiful but no matter what it still is. I don't think the splashdown is looking too hot right now with all that dirt in it...

^I agree on the guns. However, my dad and I rode Scooby and the Haunted Mansion (not Castle), and the guns were much more reactive. I got 1410. Plus, I like the layout more. Instead of the carriages, it's somewhat similar to a wild mouse car, two rows of two. Also, there are a few instances where you hit doors and the seem to open on impact. Not to mention the great theming in the outdoor queue. Overall, I like theirs much more.

^I definitely agree with Terpy on the subject of Volcano. It is by far the best coaster there, and is one of the finest inverted coasters I've ridden.The barrel rolls keep you plastered into your seat the whole way through. Do you count Maverick as a coaster, since that is one of you favorites?

^Very true. While Kings Islands' is wide and grand, I found KD's to be much thinner, like their fountains.

^And their FOF is in Congo too, and their Scrambler... Still though, that area is by far my favorite of their park. The best coaster (Volcano) and best flat (Crypt) in the whole park, IMO. Overall, I'd say Kings Island is better. Some of that has to do with the fact that I grew up here, but still the park layout is much better, and their wooden coasters are nowhere close to KI quality woodies. Grizzly's a good ride, but I found it to be extremely short, and pulling out of the station and going up the lift hill our car was actually rotating (yes, spinning a bit!). I'd take Hurler over Grizzly any day. And after riding Dominator, I realized that the whole "floorless coaster" deal was a bit of a gimmick unless you're sitting in the front. Volcano is a truly amazing coaster. If only they'd made it a bit longer. -Kevin, stating his opinions.

I stand corrected! I guess I couldn't even tell due to the overall intensity of the ride and awesomeness of it. I assume you rode it?

A good example of a Screamin' Swing is Skyhawk at Cedar Point. It's actually two swings each with 10 people on each side, and is just basically what it sounds like: a giant swing.

How did I know that was coming?

The outdoor Crypt you saw was the one at Kings Dominion, which is a regular Top Spin instead of a Giant Top Spin. The one at KD is far more intense. You invert 6 times (am I correct), and you are hung over fountains and fire. It incororates top spin moves (constant flipping of only the gondola. Overall, The Crypt at KI is pretty lame nowadays. It was brilliantly themed in it's days as Tomb Raider (that's when it had the lava and stalactites (sp?), and it was intense in it's early days as the Crypt. Too bad it's not very good anymore... EDIT: Oh and by the way. Those pictures you put were pretty funny.

Actual inverted (rigidly connected to the track, see Invertigo), or floorless suspended (like the ones wee have now, just floorless and from Vekoma)? The latter was done at Chessington World of Adventures on Vampire. Not sure if it has been done on anything else.

I was there both days. I actually got there around the same time that you did. I'd crowds weren't too bad but they definitely were'nt the best.

Screamin' Swings are FAR better than Giant Frisbees, IMO. The lapbars really do contribute to the ride. They provide good amounts of airtime. I think it would fit better in X-Base than Coney Mall though. Although, I don't think running costs for Screamin' Swings are too cheap...

^Okay, on topic: I dislike Ivertigo very very much. It is by far my least favorite coaster in the park, even behind the kiddie coasters. Every time I get off I have a huge headache and feel like I'm going to puke. My neck is always extremely stiff after it, and anyways, it's not even fun to begin with. I mean, Son of Beast does beat you up, but it's a lot of fun too. Invertigo makes you (at least me) feel horrible every time I get off and its no fun whatsoever. Just my thoughts.

Flight Deck from CGA seems short (height and length) for an invert. I'd much rather wait a few years and get a new invert from B&M. I certainly wouldn't mind it though. KI is definitely lacking a good inverted coaster.

I think Kings Island faces competition, just not competition as good as BGE. Holiday World and Kentucky Kingdom aren't THAT bad of a drive. And frankly, Kentucky Kingdom isn't much of competition to KI considering they haven't got a new (key word there) coaster that is still open (also key here) since Chang in 1997. From what I've heard, Holiday World is pretty awesome.

While I agree that KI won't be getting the record breakers (CF will want to keep Cedar Point as the flagship and major park in Ohio) - I think the rumored Giga at Kings Dominion points to the fact that if another CF park is going to get record breakers, it is likely to be KD as this park has competitive pressure from Six Flags and Busch relatively close. CF is planning to put KD on top of the East Coast. Even if they do build a gigacoaster, I think it would have to be the best coaster I've ever ridden by far for me to want to go to KD more than Busch Gardens...plus CF already has 2 other parks relatively close to the East Coast, don't they? I hope that KI still remains as a second franchise park with CF, but with KD clearly in the competition now, who knows what could happen? I mean people say that two thrill rides (one relocated, one new) in three years is a ton for KI, but KD has got a major relocated roller coaster, which in my opinion is better than FH, two relocated family flat rides, and possibly a new gigacoaster next year (which could very well be better than Diamondback, assuming it is executed well), it seems that KD could definitely turn into the secondary flagship park for Cedar Fair.

^I'd very much like to see a retracking, smooth it out. I agree with a lot of people. It was a REALLY good idea. The loop and everything. The approach could have been better though. If CCI or GCI would have done it (Gravity Group wasn't founded, and I don't think Intamin built woodies in 2000), it would have been a lot smoother. If it would have been more airtime based, like Voyage or El Toro, it would have been more eventful. Still a pretty good ride. The loop was awesome, too.