jbt

There's a series of bank billboards (I think it's 5/3) around town with a roller coaster on it. So, coaster buffs, what's the coaster?

I'm surprised to read reports about the Voyage being a smooth ride. My first visit was Holiwood Nights last week and I thought it was pretty rough. Not quite as rough as Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa, though... ouch. Comparing Voyage to The Beast ride I had tonight, I'd say Beast is smoother.

Dollywood is a great park. What they lack in quantity of coasters, they deliver in quality. Haven't been to Six Flags Over Georgia, but I've been to Six Flags Over Texas. Given the choice, I'd probably choose Dollywood. Mystery Mine and Thunderhead are both top-notch. Wild Eagle was being built when I was there, so I'm looking forward to trying it myself. That said, I'm really interested to see how Carowinds compares to Kings Island.

I'm sure my confiscated Pogs are still in a teacher's desk somewhere...

Love the stock photo straight out of 1993. Check out that gnarly haircut (which, admittedly, I probably had at the time).

Geez, how bad is Disaster Transport? Seems like everyone is okay with seeing it go. When I read about it, that was one of the more unique sounding rides at the park. I hope to get a chance to ride it.

Any idea when Disaster Transport and Space Spiral are closing down? Cedar Point is finally on my list of parks to visit this summer and Disaster Transport was actually one I wanted to ride.

Sounds fun. I'll be there Friday evening and all day Saturday.

On the way home from Kings Island tonight, we were talking about Wild Eagle at Dollywood. Just as the conversation started, I looked up and saw a Wild Eagle billboard in downtown Cincinnati. Kind of a drive from here, don't ya' think?

Open today, FYI.

From a distance tonight, it looked like Diamonback was stuck at the top for at least 10 minutes. Someone in line in front of me on The Racer claimed to be walking past Diamondback when it happened.

In the first one, two kids stay in the park after it closes to ride The Beast. They befriend a ghost and time travel to a (fictional) park that existed on the same grounds 75 years or so earlier. It's worth the twenty minutes it will take you to read. In the sequel, the same kids accidentally end up on The Beast after the park closes when they visit the following year. Once again, they time travel, but end up as prisoners in a freak show about children from the future. It's pretty ridiculous, even compared to the first book. A long time ago, I heard rumors that the first book would be made into a movie.

So, who's read The Beast and The Beast 2? I'll confess to reading them both last year. I've had the books since third grade and never read them at the time. The first book was all right, but the time kids plot of the second one... yikes.

I think because I discovered Sparks around the time I started going to Kings Island.

All I'm saying is a haunted house goes a long way Seriously, can't wait to see what Coney comes up with. Even a coaster like the Tornado (Stricker's Grove) could really improve the ride experience at the park.

Any idea when some more concrete rumors will spread? Been itching to know the details.

I can't help but feel more fascinated by Son of Beast every time I go to the park. I never had a chance to ride it, but I'm drawn to the mystery structure from just about anywhere in the park. The most interesting glimpses are those from Adventure Express and Flight Deck. I feel like I should get some good pictures before it's demolished with an announcement after the fact. Not that anything like that has ever happened... (*cough*TheCrypt*cough*)

I heard Jungle Jim's was returning the monorail cars so Kings Island can use them on the new GrandSon of Beast. Well, that's what I heard! Seven.

Gotta agree with you there. That coaster wasn't much fun, at all.

Not nearly as bad as when they replaced with Worst ride? Mission Space, no contest.

I usually listen to a Sparks album on the drive to Kings Island. Just sort of always works out that way.

FYI, Drop Tower was running again today.

I'll be there. What's the best hotel around there? Santa's Lodge?

Got to wait out Friday's storm in the loading area of Diamondback. There were a lot of screams when that lightning cracked. The rain was coming in horizontally, which was particularly annoying when it hailed.

Hey, I heard it's haunted by werewolves - packs of them. Is this really true?