Steel Coaster Time at Kings Island?

[The Interpreter]

As you may know, Mitch Hawker's 2007 Steel Coaster Poll results are up:

http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelrollerc...results2007.htm

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12325

Let's see how this poll, widely seen as perhaps the fairest, rated the Kings Island steel:

# 148 Flight of Fear

# 176 Top Gun nka Flight Deck

# 191 Firehawk

# 195 Italian Job: Stunt Track nka Backlot Stunt Coaster

# 247 Vortex

# 250 Adventure Express

Here's Cedar Point's steel:

# 4 Millennium Force

# 10 Maverick

# 23 Top Thrill Dragster

# 40 Raptor

# 46 Magnum XL-200

# 103 Wicked Twister

# 156 Gemini

# 198 Mantis

# 279 Iron Dragon

# 304 Cedar Creek Mine Ride

# 334 Arrow Corkscrew-any park anywhere

By comparison, and just for sake of argument, here's Great Adventure's steel:

# 9 Nitro

# 50 Medusa

# 61 Kingda Ka

# 116 Superman Ultimate Flight

# 131 Batman Chiller

# 142 Robin Chiller

# 263 Great American Scream Machine

# 264 Skull Mountain

# 311 Runaway Train

And, if you wondered, yet again the #1 steel in the poll was Superman: Ride of Steel at Six Flags New England in Massachusetts. The top rated Cedar Fair steel was Millennium Force at #4, Dueling Dragons-Fire was Universal's top steel at #19 and California Screamin' at #64 was Disney's top rated coaster...

[WooferBearATL]

And still all, just basically personal preference.

I find polls, such as this, to be just as valuable as the "Golden Ticket" award.

[The Interpreter]

One difference....anybody can vote in Mitch's poll, and it takes quite some time to do so properly. Golden Ticket ballots are distributed only to those that the sponsor sees fit to send them to.

[KIBeast]

With those low rankings, it appears that it is about time KI added some new steel to the skyline.

[Cory Butcher]

These polls may not be as scientific as one may hope, polls always have some error. Mitch's poll seems to be fair though, and I would say is a very good indicator of what people out there think regarding roller coasters. If anything, I am sure most of us on here, look at those results and they only confirm what many of us think. It is time to add some signature steel, sometime in the near future.

Argue park enthusiasts only follow this sort of thing all you want. But nearly everyone I ever hear talking at an amusement park at one point of time when they get off of a ride will compare it to their favorite at another park. These same people will decide whether to visit the park again or influence other people to come to the park, based upon a deduction of "Is it worth it?". Do they have enough for me to come back, or allow me to tell others to come here. If someone is coming up to visit family in Mason from Tampa, Florida; and they go to Kings Island only to find that not a single roller coaster compared to Kumba or Montu. Or, if they feel that the shows do not compare to the great stage production of Katonga, they will tell their friends they are better off just staying at BGA. This is an extremely simple and glorified model, but it does happen. You want people to enjoy what you have and come back and tell others. This poll no matter how scientific does worry me. It looks like Kings Island still has some building to do!

Amusement Parks most certainly are not exempt from the "Quality/price" reasoning found in consumerism. When it comes down to it, they are a product. If the product doesn't satisfy you in some way either as a want or a need, you should not purchase it.

I certainly hope Kings Island adds a nice steel coaster in the future, it can only help.