McSalsa

Hey, TOPGUN1993, could you show us the entire 1985 park map? Looks interesting given this small area. Thanks.

Wow, didn't think this thread would fire up like this yet again, but I'm pretty glad it did. As the guy before me, jcgoble3, already stated...keep the tips coming! McSalsa, whom hopes that this CP trip doesn't crumble apart like the last one and that 2011 can surpass 2010, which was a great year for me as a coaster lover!

Indiana Beach just happened to be the very first amusement park I ever visited, and it has been a long time since then. I last visited in the summer of 1999, August I think... McSalsa digs deep into memories bag... FOUND THESE MEMORIES: ...riding the Hoosier Hurricane 3+ times in a row with my dad...yet, one year later, a ride on The Racer at what was then PKI would make me scared of roller coasters. There was NO LINE for the coaster back when I visited, and I could hop on front-row without waiting. ...my sister freaking out on the Giant Ferris Wheel they had...and on the Viking Ship...forgive her, she was only 8 years old... ...riding Superstition Mountain and freaking out when the train emerged at the end. It wasn't a coaster back then. ...riding some Airplane ride... ...riding their swing ride that goes over the water...I thought it was cool. I love swing rides, even today. Can't wait to try WindSeeker! ...Eating a very tasty Chilli Cheese Dog on a riverboat restraunt. ...attempting to play a game of strength using my ride-all-day wristband...it didn't work, of course... ...the big, fat fish that ate anything that fell in the water...I wonder if they still exist today... ...riding their train. ...getting soaked on Log Flume. That's about all I could dig up from my memories. It has been 11 years now, almost 12...I really should go back and see what has become of my once-beloved Indiana Beach, and to try their "new" coasters: Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain, Steel Hawg, and of course Cornball Express...for those of who whom stayed put and actually enjoyed reading my rambling here, have a smiley face: Thanks.

For anyone who is interested in what the KI skyline might look like from the parking lot when Wind Seeker is added, out of boredom, I made this in MS Paint. Beware, it is very fake and cheesy (at least Wind Seeker appears so, the rest of the rides look real because it is a real photo). If you are drinking soda, you might want to swallow first... Yep...I used the apparent height of Vortex (which I know is 148 feet) to determine about how big Wind Seeker might look from this location. Also, original photo is not mine.

Well, it has now been 20 picks since my last pick so I can pick again...and I choose... 1. Maverick - Cedar Point (beastfan26) 2. Millennium Force - CP (coasterguy15) 3. Diamondback - KI (Indyguy4KI) 4. The Beast- KI (McSalsa) 5. Prowler - WoF (thekidd33) 6. Top Thrill Dragster - Cedar Point (Centurey) 7. WindSeeker - Kings Island (jcgoble3) 8. Intimidator - Carowinds (Coney Islander) 9. Magnum XL-200 - Cedar Point (LordSkippy) 10. Intimidator 305 - KD (TombRaiderFTW) 11. Dominator-KD (TylerRider) 12. Silver Bullet - KBF (KIfan1980) 13. Xcelerator - Knott's Berry Farm (TH13TEEN) 14. Big Dipper - Geauga Lake Park (PhantomTheater) 15. Flight of Fear - Kings Island (RingMaster) 16. Raptor- CP (Diamondbackcmh) 17. Behemoth - Canada's Wonderland (sethdawg17) 18. Son of Beast - Kings Island (stephatron) 19. Shockwave - Kings Dominion (XGatorHead 8904) 20. Shivering Timbers- Michigan's Adventure (Unrealsk8er) 21. Power Tower - Cedar Point (HTCO) 22. la Rosas Pizza - Kings Island (rcfreak339) 23. Patriot - WoF (Corn4ahead) 24. Way Too Much TV!-KI (muppetfan1999) 25. Renegade- Valleyfair (McSalsa) I can pick again at #45...and why are people drafting food and shows!?!?

OK, I wanted to wait until at least #5, but time restraints force me to pick now: 1. Maverick - Cedar Point (beastfan26) 2. Millennium Force - CP (coasterguy15) 3. Diamondback - KI (Indyguy4KI) 4. The Beast- KI (McSalsa) Sorry I went 1 early guys...

OK, on 1-14-2010, I created a poll where KIC users chose rides from Cedar Point, then drafted them. I expected it to last at least a week, given CP's huge selection of rides. But I was wrong and after a few days it slowed to a crawl. So, I did some thinking, and now I have decided to create a new, much larger draft. A draft where any and all rides currently installed at Cedar Fair parks are all eligable, making a much bigger selection. And I have decided to make a few rule changes: -Your first picks are still first-come, first serve, but after 20 people have picked after you, you may pick again if you wish. So, if you took Pick #1, you could pick again when #21 came up, etc etc...or, if you waited too long, you could still pick again if it was #22 or later, as long 20 people have picked since you did. -A ride cannot be chosen twice. -Clone rides, such as the Drop Towers, Invertigos, etc etc. still count as Individuals. This gives you several Drop Towers, Invertigos, and Flight Decks to choose from. -Specify the "home park" of the ride you're drafting from. -No Defunct Coasters or rides still. There should be PLENTY of operating rides to choose from. SBNO coasters are OK, so Big Dipper @ Geauga Lake and Son of Beast here at KI are still choices... -New for 2011 rides are selectable, and new for this poll, you may draft waterslides from waterparks, so Geauga Lake is still a choice. OK, and here are all the Cedar Fair parks, thanks to their main site: http://www.cedarfair.com/ NOTE: If you are drafting a ride that is SBNO, it may not appear on the web sites. Enjoy the poll. If you dislike, click back. And this time I'll wait until at least Pick #5...I hope the ride I'm planning on choosing isn't gone though... PS: Changed the name a bit to help this poll stand apart from "Cedar Point Draft".

Awesome pictures. Now, if you will excuse me for a moment... (Leaps into time machine and travels back to 1950!!!) BWA HA HA! Now I can go visit Coney Island Ohio, and ride the old roller coasters that have since been destroyed LOLZ! And then I can go to Rye Playland and ride the Aeroplane, and then I can go to Coney Island NY and ride Cyclone, Thunderbolt, AND Tornado! This gonna be fun... OK, JK, I wish I had a time machine...

Thanks for being so nice and waiting. Much appreciated. TIP FOR UPCOMING DRAFTEES: DON'T LOOK FOR PICS! IT COULD KILL YOU...SPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE SLOW INTERNET!!!

OK, and just like last time I take Round 1 Pick 1...BWA HA HA...but I choose... MAGNUM XL-200!!! BWA HA HA!!! DRAFT THUS FAR (Please copy & paste this for future people draftin'...) #1- Magnum XL-200 (McSalsa)

Uh-Oh. It's a sequel poll! A year or so ago, I made a poll called "Kings Island Draft". In this poll, we got to lay our claim to any 1 KI ride, and it was on a first-come first-serve basis. Those who showed up late ended up getting lil' kiddie rides. It ended up being quite popular. And so, the sequel: THE Cedar Point DRAFT!!! Now, the rules are the same, but there will be a difference: the rides are different. For those of you who don't remember the rules: -You get ONE pick. -First come, first serve. -If a ride has been chosen, you cannot pick it. Choose something else. -Trades are allowed. Here is Cedar Point's website, just in case you need to know what they have and for some reason don't know their website: www.cedarpoint.com (Click on rides!) Now, this could end up being even more popular than the KI poll, since KI has 14 coasters and 65 rides and CP has more- 17 coasters and "over 90" rides. Anyhow, enjoy da poll! If you dislike, click back. PS: McSalsa smiles upon those who keep track of what's been drafted... Double PS: Just like last time, no defunct rides, so no Chaos, Demon Drop, etc etc. Sorry. However, Ocean Motion isn't dead yet, so it's still a choice. And Wind Seeker...you can take it! If no one else has already...

Thanks yet again, Terpy! Very helpful advice.

UPDATE: Ignore previous update, trip is now back on. Topic name will however stay the same. OK, here's the deal: me and my "family" (my mom, friend, and his dad) are planning a trip to Cedar Point sometime in 2011. As you may know, I have never been and thus could use a little "pre-trip" advice and knowledge. Here's my questions: QUESTION #1: Is a weekday in May a good time to visit? If so, what weekdays are best? We are visiting for 2 days since CP is...well...huge. At least, it looks huge from the pictures I've seen. QUESTION #2: Most important question here. We are staying for 2 days, as stated above. Thus, we'll need some kind of place to stay. We have tents and have considered camping due to its affordability, but would not rule out a reasonably priced hotel. Note: reasonably priced means under $100 per night, etc. Any tips on good, affordable campsites and hotels? And that's pretty much it. Any other general CP advice, like, "do this first, then..." or "ride Magnum XL-200 from seat 5-1..." and stuff like that is also very much welcome. Also note, Season Passes are great but not an option here, in case anyone was going to leave that tip, Any "wait times" would also be welcome, in particular for these attractions: All Roller Coasters (OK, perhaps not the kiddie ones I'll have no interest in...) maXair, Power Tower, Skyhawk, Wind Seeker, thrill rides, etc etc... Thanks for all advice. PS: This may be a bit early but...oh well, more time to plan & prepare! BWA HA HA!!! (McSalsa is spotted running away with his Beam O' Mass doom!)

So, its sister rides, such as Shockwave and Skyrider were made of better steel, and thus why they are still around? Just asking. If so, interesting...

OK, here's something new: A poll that some of us might have actually dealt with in real life in one way or another! You and some of your friends are hanging out. Someone mentions Kings Island, and one of your buddies says "what's Kings Island?". You respond: "An Amusement/Theme Park in Ohio." The person then responds: "Is it any good? Why should I go there?" Now, things branch out. You can choose which person this guy/gal is, and how you "sell" KI to them: #1: This person has been to several amusement/theme parks, but somehow has never heard of KI, and has ridden and is not afraid of big roller coasters. #2: This person has never been to an amusement park in their life and might be horrified of The Beast, Vortex, or Diamondback...how do you sell KI to this one? You can also do both if you wish. So, how would you do it? Enjoy the poll. If you dislike...I will fire my Beam O' Mass Doom!!! Just kidding, if you dislike, click back.

BZZZZT. Nope. The helix tunnels weren't even added until after the first season. Sigh. Oops. My mistake...wait, so one of the best things about the entire ride (the helix tunnels) wasn't even there when the ride opened...unusual.

In 2012, Kings Island will turn 40 years old. For the most part the park has done well, but I came up with another poll- which is actually a 2-in-1 poll. What do you think are the worst "mistakes" KI has ever made are, and the opposite- what are the most brilliant moves KI has ever made? For example, here are some of my opinions: Brillaint Move: Building The Beast, 1979 Created a world-class wooden roller coaster that put KI on every thrill seeker's map. Blunder Move: Hiring RCCA to build Son of Beast, 1999/2000 They had only built a handful of woodies before and those didn't end up well, so why did KI even think they could design a world-record breaking looping wooden hypercoaster? It boggles the mind...and now we have a giant wooden SBNO coaster for it that cost over $30,000,000... Hope this is simple enough to understand. You can put more than 1 thing under each category. Enioy the poll. If you dislike...you know what you must do!

For comparison purposes... The Beast testing prior to opening in 1979: (From KICentral's Youtube Page) Note: The ride's helix tunnels are still under construction and the brakes before the final helix were a last-minute installation prior to opening. The Beast in 1999: (For some reason still "official" POV) http://www.youtube.c...h?v=KlK5Znry_5U The ride still has the original brakes from '79 as the "new" trim brakes were installed in 2002. The Beast in 2010: (From Coasterforce) The Beast as it operated in 2010, ala last season. Cedar Fair has slowed down the first lifthill so that the train ahead of you can climb the second hill and drop into the helix before you "begin" the ride, probably to improve capacity.Hope this clears some things up.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Sorry, overcome with joy...) Looks like Flight Deck will be staying with us for at least a few more seasons!

When I made this poll, I forgot about them and they weren't an option, so they obviously won't have as many votes unless the early voters come back and hit the "delete my vote" button or more people vote...that is, if they choose that option!

OK, it's time for yet another poll. There have been many, many suggestions to improve what "already exists" at Kings Island. So, from the list above, if you could choose ONE thing...what would you choose? Remove Beast's trims, allowing it to reach incredible speeds and restore its old thrills? Re-Open and smoothen Son of Beast? Restore The Crypt to its former glory? One of the other things? Here's the catch though: YOU CAN ONLY CHOOSE ONE. It may not be so easy... Enjoy. If you dislike, click back. PS: Update- I have read some comments and added some new choices, such as "Bring back Winterfest" and everything below it. There is also now a "I choose...random!" for people who cannot decide.

Awesome Video. They got Drop Tower (then Zone) dead-on and really made me want to at least try Son of Beast. I do hope the ride can be "fixed", but I also hope it stays wooden. But now I wonder...does EVERYONE cry after riding Son of Beast? (The lady from Premier Rides got tears in her eyes and so did a guy who's username is Ohio1221 on youtube who did a SOB POV) PS: Here is that POV for all SOB fans. This probably was taken in 2008, so the loop is gone and Diamondback hasn't yet been built. I have yet to find a high-quality POV of SOB when it had the loop...

Ahh, Kings Island 2010...I only got 2 trips this year but so many good memories...plus, 2 trips is more than I've ever had before... Riding Delirium, Drop Tower, Firehawk, Adventure Express, and Invertigo for the first time... Hanging out with my friends and sister at KI... Visiting Halloween Haunt for the first time... Riding The Beast several times...and not having one bad ride...but one where the helix tunnels lights were on at night. D'Oh! Eating LaRosa's Pizza for the first time in 10 years. Good memories! And that doesn't even count my first HW trip came in 2010 as well... Kings Island 2010 TOTALS FOR MCSALSA (2 Visits- 5/8/2010 and 10/16/2010) The Beast x4 Diamondback x1 (Yeah, only rode it once...lines during Haunt visit were HORRIBLE here!) Firehawk x1 Vortex x3 Flight of Fear x1 Blue Racer x1 (No Red Racer in 2010!!! DA DA DUM!!!) Flight Deck x3 Invertigo x1 Adventure Express x2 Backlot Stunt Coaster x1 Delirium x2 Drop Tower x1 Monster x1 Shake, Rattle, & Roll x1 KI & MV Railroad x1 Eiffel Tower x1 Snoopy Surf Dog x1 Boo Blasters x1 Kings Island 2010 FINAL GRADES Steel Roller Coasters: A Wooden Roller Coasters: A+ Flatrides: B Park Appearance: A Staff: A Value: B (Kroger $30 tickets good, $4 soda bad!) Overall, Not Average: A+ (How could me not?) That sums my 2010 KI trips up. I enjoyed them very much. Looking forward to 2011 and Wind Seeker!

The B&M Inverted Coaster is a coaster that people just keep demanding as KI's next coaster, now that we have the "big tall fast steel monster" covered via Diamondback. But, while KI has yet to get a B&M Invert, there are still several parks in the USA that do have them. Including a LOT of Batman clones. The topic for this poll? Which B&M Invert, located in the USA, is the best? (I've decided to keep it US-only so you wouldn't be overwhelmed by choices). Simple, right? Enjoy the poll. If you dislike...click back.

OK, that didn't take too much time...MOAR PICTUREZ!!! Flight Deck...I really hope the park realizes what it has and keeps this ride! The Eiffel Tower's base at night. It was beautiful in person, but the fog kind messed up this picture. Drop, Drop, Drop Tower! I am so glad I overcame my fear and rode it! Here's another view of Drop Tower as seen from Invertigo. Club Blood is visible to the left in this picture. The Beast AWAITS YOU!!! Is Son of Beast doomed? Or does this even mean anything? I'll let you decide. Well, at least we know what happened to Hercules, Texas Giant, and Rattler! Adventure Express, a fun family coaster. Vortex again. Finally, here is the "Master" behind Halloween Haunt...sorry about the quality. Hope you enjoyed the pictures!!!