DBru

Thanks for the tip! Too bad Mr. Toomer never took one of his rides for a spin, himself...

Vortex can be seen from all over the park. It towers over the midway, and sports a dark blue color that fades quickly and is easily noticeable. Flight Deck sits in the back corner of the park, where (for the most part) only guests who go back there to ride the coaster notice how it looks. It has a gray-ish color scheme that can go quite a long time without showing much wear. Granted, with rust starting to appear, it is definitely time for FD to start getting some touch-up love. However, there are clearly understandable reasons as to way one coaster seems to be "treated better" than the other.

^^So then, what exactly are you saying? Edit: Ah, got it.

Terpy, why do you prefer 5-1 to 7-1 on Vortex?

It seems to me that, most rides today are built with enough technology to help them stand the test of time. Unless space becomes an issue, I can't see many of KI's current major rides (with the exception of SOB, FD, The Crypt, and Vortex) being removed within the next...well, I can't even make a guess like that. I really have no idea. But I hate the thought of any of my current favorites meeting their maker.

^Actually, both S&S and Vekoma seem to be working with modern versions of suspended coasters. S&S with their FreeFly concept and Vekoma with the (fairly) newly announced "kneeling" coasters.

Great trip report! I'm sad to hear that The Beast's tunnel lights are still on...I hope someone realizes this, soon (and shuts them off).

^You honestly think Adventure Express has higher negative/positive g's than Drop Tower?

5@5 hasn't lied about anything else so far, so I don't see why you think they would be fibbing about this...

I agree. I can't count the amount of times I have heard guests (including the people who visit the park with me) comment that, "If they aren't going to race it, they shouldn't call it The Racer." And they're right.

But the Coney Island Cyclone's trains have a TON of padding, while Son of Beast's have next to none. Hmm...

^It seems to work pretty well for The Beast.

I'm glad they finally got around to my question about the tunnel lights.

I remember there being some speculation about power issues with the FoF rides a few years ago...but I guess those rumors turned out as fraud.

^Oh, trust me, I am happy that we still have FoF! I was getting worried for a while, back when KD's version went its a long hiatus... I just wish the park would take every measure they could to increase capacity and provide every guest with the best experience possible. BTW, is FoF running any smoother this season than it did last? The ride seemed unusually shaky to me (in the rear of the train) throughout the entire 2009 season.

So, for the last three weeks, I have been planning on visiting Kings Island on Saturday, May 1st for the first time this season. But now that it appears a monsoon will be sweeping through the park tomorrow, those plans are being thrown out the window. Now, I am scrambling to find the soonest possible date that I can make it out there. I live about 3 hours away from KI, so visiting on a Friday is out of the question. This leaves me with the choice of going to the park on May 15th or 16th. I visited the last Saturday in April last year, the second weekend that the park was open, and lines were quite bearable (for me, anyway). However, I'm not sure if going three weeks later in the year would warrant similar crowds. I know it largely depends on the weather, but, assuming the weather is fair, how reasonable would you guess crowds will be, based on past experiences? The other option would be to visit the park on that Sunday...however, Kings Island closes at 8pm that day, which means I would not get to experience the awesomeness that is The Beast at night. I live for those rides. Also, going on the 16th would cause me not to get home until around 11pm. BUT, how do you think lines on Sunday would compare to those on Saturday? Would it be worth giving up the dark rides and getting home late on a school night? (I am a pretty patient person...but I don't want to visit the park on a day that is ridiculously crowded.) Any advice you have for me is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Yep, I know for a fact that FoF used to run with 6-car trains. It also used to run more than 2 trains at one time... With as long as the lines for it are, I don't understand why people at the park feel like "there's no reason to make a change back to the way the trains originally were on that ride..."

According to the park's website (under Park Info) they DO offer a military discount at the gate.

Ride it again in five years when every light has burned out, then report back and let us know if you notice. Lets say you're stranded on a island with five sandwiches. After eating one sandwich the first day, every thing is fine, right? I mean, you still have four sandwiches. And you might as well eat one the next day...heck, you still have three sandwiches left! You eat another the next day, and the next day, and then one more the day after that...suddenly, you're out of food, and with no one around caring to help you...you starve.

...because the ride is called, Racer?

Sigh... For some reason, I actually thought the park would look into some of the simple suggestions for this ride that have been presented to them. I guess I need to stop getting my hopes up.

Bumping this because I have a question that falls under this topic: In theory, would crowds be much heavier on the second Saturday in May than the first? The second Saturday would be more convenient, but if the lines would be much lighter on the first, it may be worth it...

Those are all unfair comparisons. None of the above (with the exception of FoF, whose trains ARE detailed) are centered around theme; Backlot Stunt Coaster is. Do you honestly think the coaster would be anywhere NEAR as fun if it weren't for all the special theming elements? If so, you're kidding yourself. And decals are expensive? Headlight stickers and windshields that were installed on the ride by a different company over half a decade ago are expensive? Hmm.

It's hard for me to have fun at a park whose character is completely depreciating. When management shows me that they actually care about their product, I will start to enjoy it again.