DJSkyFoxx

Not that this really bares any significance, but I do find it pretty funny that they did remove Vortex from the ride line up, however, in the opening paragraph right before you see the coasters in detail, Vortex is still mentioned in there.

I went later in the day yesterday having a feeling that the park would be a madhouse with a combination of nice weather, season pass renewal perks and of course the final day to say goodbye to an icon. The amount of cars parked in the lot, foot traffic and the LINE for Vortex sent a clear message that this ride wasn’t just another structure existing, but something that held great significance to many. I saw so many parents with their children talking about their first ride memories. It was bittersweet to know that these kids would get to ride it with their parents, but won’t get the same experience of passing down the memories to their own kids. I came down from Indy knowing that my only ride may end up being Vortex. That turned out to be true. But I had a nice drive out there and got a ton of meaningful pictures thanks to my girlfriend. She also took a video clip of me riding in the front seat ( my favorite spot on there ) getting dispatched for the last time. I gotta say that was one of the best rides I’ve had on it. All of that alone was worth it to me. Now I will say I do hope maybe they’ll do some kind of limited sale of pieces from Vortex like they did with SoB. Or even something with those sweet banners.

Personally I have found all of the new B&M installations to be rather shaky and rattly. Their track and transitions are smooth, but the trains do not feel solid going through them. I'd take the company's older trains any day of the week as I feel they are built better. To each their own though. I just usually opt for the front seat on the new Beemers since I find the least amount of discomfort there.

I think the thing that everyone can agree on is that this is just, sad. Plain and simple. Whether you loved or hated the ride in its recent years, at some point this was a favorite for most of us. And it was definitely a first big coaster for a lot of us ( myself included ). I definitely plan to make a point to come down and ride it on the last day. I will miss this majestic beauty. They just don't make coasters this visually appealing anymore. Definitely did not expect to see another coaster go away so soon, let alone an iconic one. When you say Kings Island, you think Vortex. He's an old friend. One that might give you some tough nudges, but loyal and steadfast. Yes. I am a sad Foxx. Another big loss for the year for me.

Horses are incredibly strong animals, but too much weight on their backs is definitely a bad thing. Proper fitting of tack as well as proper rider posture/weight distribution is super important. Proper riding attire for the rider themselves is also key. I realize this is a pretty cool experience that a lot of people may not get to have otherwise, but my biggest issue is that these types of attractions simply don't belong in amusement parks. Horses are not just recreational vehicles for our entertainment and these attractions don't teach people the whole experience that is involved with riding and caring for a horse ( basic horsemanship/etique, grooming, tacking up, riding, cooling down, un-tacking, etc ) I also realize that many people may not care to learn these things, they simply wish to get on a horse and ride, but I feel that since these are still animals, large ones at that, they deserve respect and understanding as well. It is an honor for a horse to let you borrow their bodies for a moment of freedom. I just wish more people would take the liberty of going to a stable or horse farm to learn about these animals if they like them so much. Gives you a much better appreciation for them. Surely some of you might disagree or think I'm being negative, but as a horse owner of over 20 years, I care deeply for these animals and it makes me sad how many untrained people just think you hop on and go when there is so much more involved....even if in these cases there is someone holding a lead rope.

I love Monster. This is without a doubt one of my alltime favorite classic flat rides. There is just something about the idea of riding a piece of history that makes the park feel more like home. A familiar old friend. Not to mention, I enjoy all the little quirky things about this old guy. All the sounds it makes, the insanely intricate looking mechanics that go into it ( and considering how old tihs ride is just makes it that much more impressive to me ), and oddly enough-the smell. The ride experience is always fun with nice little pops of airtime and not to mention a great way to cool off on a hot day with a nice breeze ( also a good way to get a little sun when you're stuck at the top while the other arms are unloading ) So moral of the story is, I hope whatever they are doing ultimately leads to the rides return to service. A trip to the park isn't fullfilled for me without a spin on Monster.

I think DA really was and still is a great extra attraction at the park and offers a break from the lines and rides as well as the hot sun, but like most of you, I am afraid that this attraction is showing early signs of fatigue. Nothing seems to be made to last anymore. There is so much potential for this attraction to flourish to keep people wanting to come back to it ( pass holder or not ). Either way, if DA is on its way out at any given point in the future, I hope the land that the attraction currently occupies can be transformed into something else that utlizes the peaceful serentiy of the woods.

Honestly I would pick a giga, but I just get the feeling deep down we would be getting a B&M giga since that seems to be the trend here recently within Cedar Fair. If we got an Intamin giga or another make of giga, I would honestly be shocked. But I would go with my gut and believe the idea of a B&M giga would be more likely. I wouldn't complain though. I would just want to see use of the land with an aggressive layout that takes advantage of the park's geography. Something a bit more wild and different from what I have seen in the other two B&M gigas. But I guess this all remains to be seen. Just dreaming

So no opening day for this Foxx, but going Sunday instead because tomorrow is going to be a wash weather wise. No point in driving all the way there and not ride anything. Sunday is great though. I am excited. This will be my first trip ever to HW believe it or not. I guess I never had the desire to go when KI has always been closer and had more coasters, but this year is the year that has drawn me in thanks to T-bird. I am looking foward to going and I hope to make another trip down when the water park opens. It will also be a bonus since I'll be with Sparky and my girlfriend, both of whom have been to HW before so I will be the guinea pig of the group hahaha.

Sonny will be the urban legend of this generation as The Bat is to my age group....even though Sonny lasted longer than the poor Bat, I will be giggling to myself another 10yrs from now when I hear someone speculate or ask questions in line about what used to partially stand on the grounds where Banshee stands today ( especially thanks to the beautiful tombstone that stands there today in memory of the big rebelious Son of Beast )

Son of Beast before he was neutered. Of course, if it were possibly to TRULY bring back a ride, today Sonny would be a much different ride in a good way; a ride that could hold the test of time and actually be built correctly. But alas I sit here with the knowledge of owning a piece of his track mounted to a plaque stored away safely in my closet still in the bubble wrap. Sigh.

I guess it could have been even more ridiculous than electric tape....like a selfie stick...

Well if the cable broke during any sort of testing thats better than if there were people riding it. I feel like this coaster, even for its age, is one of the more mechanically complicated rides in the park and therefore makes it more prone to down time. Then again, it is also a Vekoma. I used to be a fan of them and I still respect their vision they once seemed to have. I hope they get it back up and running this year. I am probably one of the few who likes this coaster.

So who all will be attending opening day at the park? I will be there!

I love both parks for different reasons and they both give you a different experience. I feel like when I am at Kings Island, I feel like I am "home" but when I am at Cedar Point, I feel like I am visiting a long distance best friend who I only get to visit maybe twice a year but we make the best of our time together. They both have a great collection of modern and classic rides but they also offer their own unique scenery ( woods/coastal ). And when one has a Platinum Pass they can enjoy both experiences as often as their time and gas money allots

I would love to go, but I don't think I want to drive almost two hours to the park by myself so I am just opting for opening day. I just hope that the weather will hold out because I won't be attending either day if it's raining.

I personally found the Twitter backlash hilarious. Just saying. I also still find it sad that the park still can't answer real questions. Instead they were "spambotting" back with their automated responses. If they could just take like 50 of the real questions and concerns and just answer them HONESTLY that would be great, but they still seem to be trying to cover their behinds from Blackfish, which in turn is not making them look very good. As some of you may know, I am not a fan of SeaWorld or any marine park for that matter. I am allowed my own thoughts and opinions. And I have felt this way long before Blackfish came on the scene. I just can't understand the human mind sometimes and how disposable people can be of animals. I am NOT speaking for the trainers because I already know some of you might bark back with "but the trainers love their animals". Sure they do. That's why they put their lives on the line to be near these creatures, however the actual companies that own the animals are to me, no better than the horse racing industry or the greyhound racing industry. Its a disposable industry of innocent lives.They take what monetary gain they can get from them and once they are washed up then they move on to the next one. Its no different than how the entertainment industry treats other people in some ways, except people are free to choose their fate while animals are at our mercy each and every day. But again just my thoughts. I love animals and always want the best for them.

I mean, I think it would be sort of amusing. I think they should give it a whirl maybe for one season and see what people think. Offer a guest poll in the park of what they think and go from there. And even if it only ends up being a one season gig, at least one can say they saw a "king" wandering his island. Could become some sort of urban legend lol hahaha.

Hopefully they will actually invite some coasters clubs at all...I mean they may end up foregoing any coaster clubs all together. But I am hoping for a chance to attend and hoping that GOCC will be one of the clubs invited. Anyone order any Thunderbird gear yet from the Holishop?

No need to get nasty about it. I was just making my own personal statement... This is the kind of attitude on this forum here lately that just makes me want to stop posting. The unnecessary attitude that comes across when just trying to have a friendly conversation and speculation on roller coasters.

I saw that Cedar Point's FB had changed their cover photo to that of a black and white picture of Mantis and the "getting squashed" quote and October 19th date. I would think that if the ride were to be demolished, I just can't see them making a fuss over it in this manner. I mean if that were the case, wouldn't one think they would do the same for SkyRider? That ride is nearly 30yrs old and didn't receive near the attention Mantis has ( production quality video and cover photo change ). My hopes are with new trains, color and name. The layout is still fun and I think would be better enjoyed with new trains that don't hurt your body in some way. For me, it hurt my legs. I would love to be able to ride this coaster without pain because I know other than the shooting pain in my legs after a lap around the track, the ride itself I found to be smooth. Never had head banging or anything of the sort and I always had my hands up! Anyways, this will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

You know, I usually keep my mouth shut on these matters, but in this case I simply cannot. I read far too many comments like the ones posted above and I just need to say something. There is no "gay" life style. I do not drink "gay" coffee. I do not eat "gay" food. I do not take a "gay" shower. I do not go to "gay" work. Etc Etc I just wish people would stop saying "gay lifestyle". I don't do anything differently than anyone else when it comes to living my life. I do everything like anyone else as far as trying to live my life and survive in this world, which isn't done in some special "gay" manner as many like to think. Life is life, save "style" for clothes and hair please. Also, even though you may not hate anyone, you going out of your way to say you don't hate the LGBT community makes you come off sounding entitled. My love is not a sin. I am in a committed relationship of almost four years now and have been faithful to her and I truly LOVE her. I didn't wake up and decide to be a lesbian. Just like you didn't wake up and decide to be straight. I just made the choice to be happy and be myself...because you're right...life is too short to hate anyone or give them grief for who they love. It's this exact mentality of saying "love the sinner, hate the sin"...that perpetuates the religious community as better than anyone who so happens to seem different than themselves. And the only time one ever seems to hear that overused quote is toward the LGBT community. Anyways, that is all. No one has to agree with me and I'm not asking for pats on the back.

It has been up and running every time I have been at the park. Honestly any park I go to, the coasters I see running the best without complaint are the B&M coasters and the old reliable Arrow coasters. If they are ever down for any reason it is usually because someone puked or some minor error that doesn't keep them down for long. I'd say Banshee has proven to be a hard workin' gal thus far and will continue to be a reliable machine and worthy investment

If you have an Amazon Prime account, many of the old shows are actually available to watch with your subscription. I take full advantage of that! Just a few of the shows they have on there I can think of at the moment are Doug, Rugrats, AHH! Real Monsters, Hey Arnold, Rocket Power, The Wild Thornberrys, Danny Phantom, My Life As A Teenage Robot, The Fairly Odd Parents, Hey Dude! Ranch, Kenan and Kel, All That, Clarissa Explains It All...yeah thats about all I can think of right now...but there are many more trust me. Its great. They are all the originals and they have all the seasons for each show! Its a marvelous trip back in time!

Nickelodeon isn't worth a darn anymore. The shows are worthless. Then again this is my opinion, but I think anyone who grew up with the old Nick knows that it just isn't worth watching. I know things change, but why not for the better? I have seen a lot of the cartoons that they put out now and I just can't wrap my head around it. I'm sure there were those who thought some of the shows of my generation were ate up ( Ren and Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life for example ) but as ate up as they were, I can say from watching them as an adult they were far better executed than a lot of the stuff I've seen that kids are watching now! I'll take the old over the new any day. Quality is key!