KIfan1980

Three park trips since DA opened and still haven't made it through. I'm sure I will somewhere along the way.

Is it really still videotaping? Seriously just wondering if there is actual tape used anymore?

I wouldn't get overly excited. I passed Don and the crew walking through Rivertown. It looked like a tv news crew (one had a shirt with I think an NBC logo), but I didn't recognize the W??? letters.

On Kingda Ka (Terpy's getting park sick already), it's called theoretically impossible. TTD has done it at least twice. As my boss sometimes tells me - "say more". How is it theoretically impossible. I'd assume that any top hat ride would have the theoretical capability to perfectly balance (there has to be a point at which there is equal weight on both sides), even if there was something designed to ensure it never physically happened. What am I missing?

Most local schools are now out.

While it may be early for a 2012 coaster, what other option exists as it is a little late for a 2011 coaster.

So somewhat back to the topic of WindSeeker - I "learned" from my son at dinner tonight that while testing last night, two of the seats fell off. One of his friends was there and saw it. I'm somewhat surprised that this was a topic of conversation in a class of second graders - many of whom are too short to even ride it.

While funny, also understandable - finding the queue entrance for it was not obvious to me from the park map. Edit - unless this was asked while at KI, then it's just plain silly.

I enjoy the reaction I get when sharing a thank you. At GR one day last year I went in and asked for a comment form and got a "tell me what happened" response from someone who had obviously heard nothing but complaints all day. When I said that I wanted to share a kudos for a DB ride op, you could see the shock on their face - it obviously doesn't happen often enough. Now, like you, I just tend to comment it in from the website when I want to say thanks as it is easier and can be done on my time. I did the same thing for a couple of cast members after my trip to Disney this Spring also. They actually contacted me via phone thanking me for my input and letting me know that the information would be shared. Kudos to you for sharing the positive comment with the park and thanks for telling us about it here. I hope it inspires others to say "thanks" at least as often as they would share a "concern".

Love some of the stories so far - thanks for sharing. For me, a brown 1979 Chevy Malibu brought me to Kings Island the first time. It was 1980 and my Dad had gotten discounted tickets for GE day. I don't remember all the specifics of that first trip, although I do know that it wasn't the coasters that made me come back. Sure I rode them (including The Beast when I finally built up the nerve!), but it was the other rides (of which many are now gone) that I have the best memories of riding with my parents - Monorail, Tiques, Rotor, Bayern Kerve, Wheel of Fortune, Giant Slide, Flying Eagles, and KCKC along with Monster, Scrambler, and the Kings Mill Log Flume. Note to self - I need to dig through my Dad's slide collection someday soon. What has kept me coming back over the years has changed a lot. When I got to Jr High/High School I bought myself a season pass to ride coasters - especially King Cobra and then Vortex. When I moved back to the area after college I returned for the atmosphere. Now that I'm older and a parent myself, I return to share the joy of the park with my kids and keep myself young at heart.

Was also at the park with my boys today for a Boomerang Bay kind of day with a little dry park thrown in as well. While the place was very crowded - as you said by 10:45am, there was not a seat to be had in BB (and parking lots were very full also) - if you worked opposite the crowd, it was a short wait kind of day. While everyone else got started at the wave pool and Coolangatta Racers, we headed back to Sydney Sidewinder and Snowy River Rampage followed by a short wait at The Racers. After some water play in Jackaroo Landing and a quick lunch, we headed for the dry side as the crowds and lines descended on BB. We stayed wet on the dry side also, with Congo Falls, White Water Canyon (longest wait at ~20min), and a few runs through Snoopy's Splash Dance highlighting the fun for the boys. They also hit a couple of other rides before we went back to BB for the lazy river (long line but moves fast) and wave pool (crazy full, but still fun). Like you, we had a lot of fun on a hot day!

Via Screamscape. While I understand that this is yet another modification to the WindSeekers and likely further delays opening at KI, if I ran a website trying to share accurate information, I guess I'd try to verify it first. Is there any evidence that "one of the ride gondolas had been removed"? The picture does not show a seat removed, it shows a worker grinding (as Jesse pointed out) a piece of metal Why would they think this is a "photo of the welder"? Welders typically wear more protective equipment (gloves, helmet, etc...) and don't allow onlookers (other worker or photographer) close by due to the dangers Quick Edit - GYK, this is not aimed at you. Thanks for sharing the info you found.

This reminded me of my night ride on Shake Rattle & Roll on Friday. Here we are a few weeks into the season and the cars on that ride look like a padiddle convention. I love the park when all the lights are working - it just adds to the experience.

Avatar - That last post made me laugh and there is some truth to it. But give Robbie a minutes or so and I think he'll have caught you Also thanks for the report on DA - while I'm not anxious to go through it, I'm sure the boys and I will at some point this season and it seems like a good addition to the park.

I wonder how much "setup" there is on coaster trains/wheels and how much difference might come from which maintenance guy is doing the work. Is there any adjustability in the distance of the side wheels to the track? Edit to add - FD and Vortex haven't felt any different to me this year. Flying Ace on the other hand ...

Paging McSalsa, paging member McSalsa.

There looks to be some work going on at the theater. Tarps are covering the entire front of it just about.

Don't know any rules, but wasn't there a video of people riding Timberliners on voyage with water dummies also on the train.

Did you forget this somewhere on the way ... to the beach?

Once my kids found the ride last year, it became a must visit attraction. When we were talking about opening day this year - it was one of the rides they said "let's ride". Some day, you'll have a family. $7 will turn into $28 for the 4 of you. Your kids will want to go see the dinosaurs/movie more than once so $28 will turn into over $100 pretty quickly. If you have an extra $100 lying around looking for a good cause - count your blessing and look for a charity that can help those less fortunate than you to support. Exactly the point that frustrates me about this. Yet another family friendly attraction that has been removed from the normal admission at Kings Island. This was a ride that I could ride with both of my kids (one over 50", one under 48") - there are not that many of them. As for those that talk about the business side of this - yes, I understand that things change. My fear with this approach is that it continues a slippery slope of paying for "extra's" (anyone remember when bags, food, pillows, blankets, window seats, etc... were free on airplanes?). What does that have to do with KI - well so far we've begun with: New for 2010, 3D effects on Boo Blasters, with an optional $1 charge to see New for 2011, new 3D Dino Movie, with a required $2 fee to watch Could the following be next? New for 2012, improved sound and lighting in Festhaus and the KI Theater and a $2 charge to enter and watch each show New for 2013, upgraded train service to Boomerang Bay for a small $1* fee (*one way) New for 2014, better views from the Eiffel Tower, visible for only $3 OK, so those might be far fetched, but if I'd have told you last year that you'd have to pay $2 ($7) to watch a movie in Action Theater without the motion seats - you might have called that far fetched also.

I have no problem with them charging $2 for this movie - as has been said, people will either pay or not - it will either be empty or not. My issue is with them removing a ride that had been part of the park and part of the base admission for many years (I can list too many examples of this over the years). My 5 and 7 year old enjoyed the 3D ride experience, I'm willing to bet they will be a little disapointed over this - although they might enjoy the movie (once).

Is all the gushing over Jesse done yet Seriously, I'm happy to see that Jesse is willing to invest some of his time to this site and that those who run this site are willing to entrust it in part to him. I truly believe that this site is special - and opening day last weekend reminded me a little of why. I saw more than 25 friends at the park that I've gotten to know through this site, there were another 10 or so there that I felt guilty because I missed them, and there was yet another group that were unable to make it to the park for one reason or another. There are also people I'd consider friends from here that I have never met in person (to my knowledge). And all this coming from a common love for Kings Island, Roller Coasters, and/or Amusement Parks in general. What is disappointing to me is that many of those people don't post here anymore, but there is still a lot to be learned on this site and it continues to evolve and move forward in a positive way. I'm sure the new guy on the staff will help continue that.

Simple - B&M invert. I could ride Silver Bullet or Montu all day long.

If only it hadn't been so windy on my last trip to Vegas, I'd be able to tell you what it was like - although like RZ, I would have to swallow hard to drop that much on such a quick ride.

Thanks for posting Brad - good to see you and hang out with you (I can't really say ride with you ) on Saturday. Love the photo's - can't wait to see/ride WindSeeker at night. Wow!