McSalsa

On the topic of the picture...wow. I just looked at it again, in detail. It's amazing some of the stuff in that pic. Don Helbig is in there, for example...can you find him? Hint: He looks nothing like he does today!

^ Never been on one of those in real life, but it's in Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (say what you will about the lag problems, that game does have the best selection of rides in the series though), and your description (Terpy) of it is quite accurate- it's a Scrambler that goes 100+ feet up!

^Good idea... (UGH on Fast Lane coming to CP though...well, now we MUST visit on a weekday, my sister wants to go, or else...or just shell out another $100 for Fast Lane, or see if it comes in a bundle with a hotel, etc etc...) Back on topic now...

^ Wow...so much for 'limiting' the Fast Lane supply...let's see, Diamondback's advertised capacity is about 1600 riders per hour (normally, I'd question a rph claim like that but DB is a capacity monster). So, if the wait time doubled, that meant at least 800 Fast Lane users were in line for it to double the wait time. Yikes! Either 80%+ of the Fast Lane users in the park were in line for DB, or the park is limiting them at much more than 1,000 per day (which is what I thought they would do when they announced it, seems I was wrong)...granted, this was a Haunt Saturday...but now I've gone from OK with Fast Lane to "iffy" on it...and WHY THE HECK ARE SO MANY PEOPLE BUYING Fast Lane AT $50!?!? That makes a single-day Kings Island ticket, undiscounted, a massive $100+. Ugh...and this is just Kings Island. If they do this at Cedar Point, it's going to be a nightmare- 3+ hours every weekend (even May!) for Millennium Force, Maverick, and Top Thrill Dragster. As for TOPGUN1993...wow, that is one of the most epic pictures I have ever seen.

Upp...just thought of something: One, and perhaps the only, scenario I can see, even if Fast Lane is limited to 1000-'ish, is when the park opens- what ride are those Fast Lane people going to want to head for first? Let's see...out-of-town, and probably first (or a rare) KI visit...they are going to head to Diamondback first, as it is a big, red, eyeball-catching giant roller coaster (some might head to Beast, and maybe a few will head to SOB on accident, not realizing it is closed, but I'd bet most would head to DB). Now add in that you have tons o' Fast Lane users headed for ONE ride, as well as the normal guests...uh-oh. And then, after riders start to get off DB, Beast is probably going to be "raided". After Beast, perhaps they would start to spread out a bit more, some heading for Firehawk & FOF, others to Drop Tower & Delirium, some to Vortex & WindSeeker, etc. This is just a theory, but it does seem plausible: my suggestion, if this holds true: AVOID Diamondback AND BEAST UNTIL EARLY AFTERNOON! Beast, from what I've heard, doesn't run at its best anyway until it fully "wakes up" in the middle of the day and afterwords. Granted, the above was probably true even before Fast Lane...I visited KI on a crowded October in 2010, a Haunt Saturday. Me and my group o' buddies went to Action Zone and rode Delirium, Drop Tower, Flight Deck twice, and Invertigo...and a friend of my friend's he was texting with, who was also at Kings Island, texted us as we began to head for Beast..."'bout to get on Diamondback!". We texted back "have already been on 5 rides!". Here's that Trip Report for anyone interested: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22922&hl=&fromsearch=1

^^ I don't see how Fast Lane can turn a 1-hour wait for Diamondback into 3 hours unless Kings Island is somehow selling gobs upon gobs of them, and hundreds of people go to Diamondback/other fast line ride at once and basically "take over" so there is only one or two non fast-lane car(s) per train. AND HOW ARE THEY SELLING THAT MANY AT $50 APIECE? If they are, we are going to either see lots of park improvements in coming years (like, maybye, lower food prices or free drinks, etc) or new rides, or...KI employees wearing solid gold uniforms! Then again...weekdays (In May & Early June, Late August, and Sundays in October). Never been on one yet, but have seen via webcams and heard from people here that those days aren't at all crowded, as well as heard from here that those days are usually never crowded too much- when Firehawk's wait is 15 minutes, then everything else will be 10 minutes or less. If Fast Lane is that bad (and it was suddenly installed mid-summer, when crowds were at their worst, so we don't really know how bad it will be in May, etc) you can "avoid" it on these dates. And it will probably have some of its kinks worked out- perhaps expanding the ride list from 12 to 24 will "spread out" the fast-laners more this season, resulting in shorter wait times for all the riders who aren't using it (and even those who are). Or, if all else fails, actually put a limit on how many are solid (if they don't already- I'd say 1000 to 2000 would be a fair amount without cranking the wait times up too much).

WOW. Epic picture. WARNING: RANT ON 'EVOLUTION' OF Kings Island AHEAD! Kings Island just doesn't do stuff like that anymore...which is a shame...the Kings Island of 1972-1987 was one of the greatest amusement parks in the world at the time. Great food, beautiful landscaping, great atmosphere, friendly employees, and the coasters that were added during that time were cutting edge, state-of-the-art (at the time) thrill machines that blew open new doors for the coaster world (even if The Bat failed, it still made an impact and paved the way for suspended and inverted coasters). Wait...Kings Island WAS BUSCH GARDENS!!! And that's a good thing. And then, in 1987, Linder came in. Did some serious damage during his short stay, causing KI to become run-down and "dirty". Paramount followed in '93 and began turning KI into a move park- they meshed it well early-on, but in the 2000s they went and ka-flopped with the removal of several fan-favorite rides, the "parking lot" transformation from Wild Animal Habitat to Action Zone, and the destruction of the peaceful area behind the Eiffel Tower with Italian Job: Stunt Track. Cedar Fair's has done a decent job overall, but Diamondback (as good a ride as it is) destroyed Rivertown and the fact that SOB and Crypt are SBNO is not very good for the park- and they seem to have found a knack for angering people here on KIC, either it be the transformation of the kids area into Planet Snoopy in 2010 or the "Fast Lane" debut in 2011...(even though I personally like PS more than NickU, and don't have too big a problem with Fast Lane myself- then again I have yet to visit the park since it was installed but don't see how it could reduce capacity on rides like Beast & Diamondback to the point where I'd be waiting more than 10 extra minutes unless their "limited supply" means 5,000+ passes, and even if that was the case...weekdays!). I hope Matt Quimet (or whomever is in charge of KI) looks through these pictures, sees what KI used to be, and begins to restore the park to its former glory- if that is at all possible. Kings Island is great now, yes, but seeing pictures like these...it was once so much more than just rides. End rant. Sorry 'bout all that...these pictures have that effect on me...even though I wasn't even born until Linder was in charge...and didn't visit KI until 2000.

Crazy Cheetahs...I was going to post a joke here, but I forgot it had a "bad" word while thinking about and autocorrect kinda ruined it. D'oh! Oh well, here's a joke: Never play a video game, board game, or gamble, etc. with a cheetah...they always cheat.

^ That looks fun...now enclose it, and it becomes even more fun...hehehehe...(and yes, there are actually enclosed "toilet bowl" waterslides in the real world, in fact, one I saw on a TV show played disco music in the bowl...that one has to be one of the coolest waterslides ever built, BTW!)

Umm, never mind the "Vortex was the tallest looping coaster in the world when it opened" comment now...I just found out about Dragon Mountain @ Marineland, in Canada...this ride has some pretty BIG stats... http://www.rcdb.com/185.htm Vortex MIGHT have been the biggest in the USA though...

As good as this thread is, I just "found" a cool classic KI picture I wanted to share, so...(this picture was on RCDB.com) McSalsa Bonus #1: Scooby Doo! (My apologies to TOPGUN1993 if he already had this picture and was going to use it...sorry if that was the case....I just thought this was cool)

^^ Vortex is 148 feet tall, with a 138-foot drop, a maximum speed of 55mph, and six inversions over a 2:30 ride...according to Roller Coaster Database. http://www.rcdb.com/71.htm Ahh, Vortex...my 3rd favorite ride at Kings Island, after Beast and Diamondback. First rode it in 2009, long after it first opened, and didn't like it all that much because I idiotically sat in the back row of a car (aka all cramped up). When I returned in 2010, I tried it in a front-row (of a car) seat and liked it a good bit more. Then, later that day, I tried 5-1 and Vortex passed Flight of Fear on my "favorite KI rides" list. Happy 25th birthday, Vortex...(to be specific, the ride's 25th is on 4-11, also according to RCDB) PS: If I remember correctly, Vortex was actually, for a brief peroid, the tallest looping roller coaster in the world when it opened. It was also the tallest roller coaster at Kings Island for 13 years, until a certain now-SBNO wooden hypercoaster showed up in 2000... PS #2: 1600 riders per hour...wow. No wonder the line moves so fast! (Just saw this on RCDB)...oh wait, that's probably just a claim...but for Vortex, that seems at least SOMEWHAT accurate if Diamondback is 1600 rph...

1,250 Feet...Holy Cow, now we are putting Kingda Ka to shame.

Awesome video. That SOB replacement is MASSIVE...I'd estimate it's over 400+ feet tall, based on how it appears compared to the 218' SOB...so much for Diamondback, eh?

WOW. The new website for Kings Island is very, very nice...and the park map is VASTLY improved over last year's, thanks to some error fixes and...TREES! And the map is STILL very easy to use for navigation because the trees aren't huge. Nice job, KI! As for Crypt...ouch. There goes ANOTHER $20,000,000 Paramount-era ride that was very hyped up possibly down the toilet. At least Son of Beast now has a friend in SBNO land. Perhaps Cedar Fair has something planned for these two, perhaps not and they are both to be demolished to make room for new rides...

^ WOW. Nice classic pictures thus far... On The Vortex Pic: That line looks awfully long...but if Vortex's capacity is anything like it is today back then, that line isn't as bad as it looks. Like the Diamondback line on opening day 2009...was supposed to be 6 hours, was only 3-4'ish. On The Beast Pic: I'm guessing this was shortly after the ride was first completed. I like that version of the "DO NOT STAND UP" sign better than the one the ride currently uses. I think it looks better.

Sadly I've only been on a few woodies, but I made a ballot and sent it in anyways...here's what it looks like: *=Did not ride this coaster in 2011. #1-The Beast @ Kings Island, Ohio #2-The Voyage @ Holiday World, Indiana My Favorite Steel: Diamondback @ Kings Island, Ohio #3-The Legend @ Holiday World, Indiana #4-The Raven @ Holiday World, Indiana #5-The Racer @ Kings Island, Ohio #6-Hoosier Hurricane @ Indiana Beach, Indiana* #7-Woodstock Express @ Kings Island, Ohio* (When I rode it, it was still The Beastie...) ^ And you thought you had only been on a few woodies...LOL.

^^^^ (4 posts up) What kind of coaster is that supposed to be? It looks cool... Things that could replace The Crypt (and I would approve of): #1-A brand new, suspended Top Spin...indoors our outdoors. Possibly like Kings Dominion's. #2-Shoot The Rapids-style water ride. Possibly with huge drop. In fact, I'd enjoy a huge drop! #3-Intamin Blitz Coaster (Maverick, Cheetah Hunt, etc are examples) #4-A B&M Invert, Floorless, or Wing Rider (there is actually a lot of room back there if the entrance is placed where Crypt is now) #5-S&S Screamin' Swing #6-Possibly several other options I would NOT approve of an indoor Wild Mouse, for capacity reasons. You think the line for Firehawk moves slow? That would be even worse!

An awesome video of Coney Island. Wonder what year that was...it was certainly long, long before I was even though of, though. And the profile the video is on is a GOLD MINE for classic KI videos.

Yikes! Well, the good news is, no injuries or deaths. Or destroyed roller coasters that force the park to close, like what happened to Idora Park in 1984 (for those who don't know, their #1 signature coaster, The Wildcat, caught fire and was badly damaged and could not be repaired, and without it their attendance dropped drastically to the point it forced the park to close). Nonetheless, it's going to cost some $$$ to re-build that Corn Dog Stand...

^ Thanks, that is actually cheaper than the site I found... UPDATE: D'OH! Just added a "cheap" hotel for the 14 days and it comes to over $1,500... 2nd UPDATE: Found a website that lets us build our own vacation packages, and some of them are coming up with good prices actually...I just found a Seaworld, Busch Gardens, and Universal Studios package with a 5-day hotel stay for $663! SWEET. 3rd UPDATE: Oops! Forget 2nd update...I made a mistake a forgot to add Universal Studios...BLAGH. But it still comes up to only about...$1,037...not bad!

^ WOW. All that for only $1,150...umm, well, we'll need to see how big this tax check is but if it's big enough...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Got a bit exicted there for a second...where did you get this vacation package from, anyhow? It sounds like a steal... UPDATE: Is this the package? Doesn't seem to include the hotel, however: http://tickets.visitorlando.com/Multi-Park-Tickets-Orlando-FlexTicket/

Hello again everybody! Once again, I'm asking for some advice for what may be a future possible trip. My sister will be getting a big tax check this year and wants to visit a Flordia Theme Park- Busch Gardens and Universal came to mind, since Disney is known for being uber-expensive. Since Seaworld Orlando is also down there, I was also checking out combo packages of it with BGT, but then... I found what seems to be a GREAT deal (it's a vacation package) that includes: A 3-day *** hotel near Busch Gardens, tickets for each day, a free day "All-You-Can-Eat-For-Free" Pass (for everyone in the group? I'm not 100% sure how this might work...) for around $500 (a bit more or less, depending on how many people go). This, in my mind, has put Busch in "1st place" right now. Alas, no Seaworld combo. But, of course, I have some questions. #1- How crowded are these parks (Busch & Universal) during...February? Would we need fast-passes? (Although Busch Gardens, from what I checked, is VERY reasonable on their fast-pass prices...why must Kings Island be $50 if BG is only $32?) However, considering the schedule says they close at 6PM...sounds like they don't expect huge crowds that time of year. #2-Universal lost some ground as I was checking out their on-site hotels, and then found out they want over $250 PER NIGHT. Yikes! Are there any cheaper hotel options worth looking at? EDIT: NEVER MIND, just googled it and MUCH cheaper hotels came up. Crowd levels may be a factor, though, if we need fast-pass (included with uber-expensive hotels) #3-If we go for the "it looks good & affordable" BGT vacation package, does that "Free Food" pass go to EVERYONE in the group or just one person? Thanks for any advice. While I'm not 100% sure if this trip is going to happen (Cedar Point '11. Never happened. Although we did go to Holiday World and my sister does want to visit CP this year...) any advice is still VERY welcome. General tips, of course, are also welcome. My sister would appreciate it, as would I.

^ True- and with the fall of TR:TR and SOB, Diamondback, Firehawk, and WindSeeker were more than welcome additions. Imagine if Cedar Fair had not added any of those 3 rides to the park today, and The Crypt and Son of Beast still had their "downfalls". Yikes! Kings Island's lineup doesn't look so good all of a sudden... On the other hand, imagine if Son of Beast never had it's 2006 accident and actually "behaved" well- was not ultra-rough, was reliable, etc. and still had its loop and somehow Cedar Fair managed to keep TR:TR in its "good" form. Suddenly, Kings Island's lineup has at least 5 "world-class" and record-breaking attractions: Beast, SOB, Diamondback, Drop Tower, & The Crypt. (As well as all the other rides, even if they would be "under-rated" against such competition) Oh well, we can dream...

Wow, during the Paramount Years, it does indeed seem Tomb Raider and Son of Beast were huge, signature attractions at Kings Island and had considerable fanbases to show for it...It would seem Son of Beast's rep, prior to the loop's removal, was actually not terrible, and then came the '06 accident and 80-90% of the "Son of Beast ROCKS!" comments became "Son of Beast SUCKS!". And, TR:TR was also sounds like it was amazing...then it became The Crypt, which at first wasn't that bad since it did 8+ flips but...we know how the ride is today. 2 rides that, under Paramount, were the star attractions at the park...Paramount sells Kings Island. Cedar Fair gets KI. Son of Beast has accident, closes, loop is removed, re-opens without loop for a while, then closes again possibly for good. Tomb Raider becomes Crypt, intense ride cycle wears itself out, and then becomes "Lame" Crypt. Wow. While I'm pretty sure these rides had their problems during the Paramount years, Paramount did a good job of "hiding" the problems...Cedar Fair, kind of stinks at hiding problems... Well, this was just rambling but I felt the need to ramble. To make up for this, here's a video CoasterImage.com put on Youtube of Kings Island...Paramount's Kings Island, 2005. Kinda shocking to think this was just 7 years ago...