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King Cobra Returns?


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Chang rocks my friend! Its truley an awesome ride! And I am aware that Chang was a last minute addition to the park, in fact I remember the goofy radio commercials for it when they built it, and I went there shortly thereafter and had a blast that time. It was before the six flags name change anyway, not sure if they owned it yet. But I used to have a Chang shirt and it had the old red classic logo I miss that read "kentucky kingdom: the thrill park". Twisted twins was there at that point too, but wasn't open yet, still under construction.

My problem with six flags is its seamed like since they've bought KK, they stopped expanding it, and what you have is one world class roller coaster paired with 5 other coasters that really aren't in the same league. And they got rid of the Vampire and I loved that ride! Pretty much just like face off except in a Vortex style train. They replaced it with Six Flag's old "tidal wave" machine and renamed it "greased lightning" and thats really not near as intense of a ride as Vampire. And there really just hasn't been anything new since. T2 is cool but dated... in fact I believe it is the very first of the inverted type coaster.

I don't think I'd complain if I lived right next to KK, in fact I'd probably buy a season pass just to go ride chang, and play in the waterpark all summer long. Just seems kinda lame in comparison to say Six flags great America or Kings Island.

anyway I do have to admit something about the Cobra. I miss the ride merely for nostalgic reasons. Honestly, being among the first of its kind, it was kinda lame, lets face it. One loop, and a bunch of small hills. I'd much rather have a new standup, or an old standup thats newer than the cobra relocated to KI, then for them to ever rebuild the Cobra. But I do miss the days of going to KI to ride the "big 4" (Vortex, Beast, Cobra, and Racer)

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I wouldn't be opposed at all to a new coaster being built or transported from another park and using the name of King Cobra.

There was such a cool marketing campaign behind King Cobra. I'd really like to see it brought back. The ride itself had a mystique about it that few others had. I dare say, I heard more "King Cobra" horror stories growing up than any other coaster. "Did you hear that some kid got decapitated on King Cobra last summer?" was a typical story often quoted as being true. These myths alone were enough to instill fear into most around the schoolyard. Then when we got to the park and saw it in person...with it's green and yellow snake-like appearance (not to mention the awesome sign that greeted riders to the wait line)...the image of an intimidating coaster was complete. Few coasters capture this. Even if it was unwarranted, Cobra had it. I'd like to see that return. A ride that people are afraid of even before they go on it.

Growing up in the 80s, it just feels like Kings Island isn't really Kings Island without "King Cobra" in the park. As someone has said, it was part of the "big four". I know K.I. has been around longer than that, but to me, this was sort of the "golden age" of the park. Of course, I probably wouldn't actively campaign to get the Smurf ride re-built. :)

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Regarding Chang...I live in Kentucky, so I've been to Kentucky Kingdom a few times. A repainted Chang as King Cobra would be...painful. My first and only experience riding Chang ended with me holding my stomach, and walking bow-legged through the remainder of the afternoon.

Regarding other Kentucky Kingdom coasters...I miss Vampire. It wasn't a great ride, really. Way too short, but it remains the only coaster to this day that has ever made me dizzy. Starchaser was a much cooler ride, and I have no idea why they got rid of it. It's so much better than Flight of Fear...and doesn't make you feel like you've been in a prize fight after riding it, as Flight of Fear does.

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The peices and trains are now housed somewhere in the feilds outside the FoF Dome, for further location details check Virtual Earth, and go to Birds Eye.

Is this a live arial shot or put together from arial photos taken a while ago?

If it's live, there do appear to still be several pieces of green and yellow track remaining behind a wooden coaster and to the back right area of Flight of Fear. There are also several large signs laying about, but I can't make out what they say. I also spot a few colorful airplane looking objects, possibly from a children's ride. And, good lord...how many old tram buses has Kings Island apparently gone through? wow.

What other former rides' bits and pieces can anyone identify from this "graveyard" area?

I find this stuff fascinating. Thanks for the link!

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Vampire wasn't that intense I agree, and it was kind of short, but it was fun, and it gave the park a more "complete" feel. Regardless I'd really like to know when in the hell Six flags ever plans on putting a new coaster in Kentucky Kingdom! It just seemed like the park started with so much potential, and then it just haulted when Six flags took over.

I think I do remember seeing pieces of the Cobra track in '05 when I went to KI. The ride has been scrapped now I believe to make room for Firehawk. It sucks that King Cobra's gone, it really does, but Its still nostalgia for me that I miss, not necissarily the ride. Its just like the same reasons that I ride Adventure Express and Top Gun everytime I go. I think they both suck, but I hit 'em up to make a "complete KI experience" lol.

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WesReviews, that was answered in the post right after the one you quoted:

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=207971

It's not there any more, so that cannot be (and is not) a live webcam...

Guess the Paramount sign should've tipped me off as well. :wacko:

How sad, though. :(

Anyone recognize any of the other items in the Virtual Earth pic?

Also, does this mean the train cars from KC are no longer stored in FoF as well? Is everything from KC now gone from Kings Island? I found a pic on the net a few months back of a girl touring FoF and she managed to take a picture of the original King Cobra sign. I believe a train car or two was still there at the time, but I have no idea when the pics were taken or if these items still exist. Anyone know?

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Vampire wasn't that intense I agree, and it was kind of short, but it was fun, and it gave the park a more "complete" feel. Regardless I'd really like to know when in the hell Six flags ever plans on putting a new coaster in Kentucky Kingdom! It just seemed like the park started with so much potential, and then it just haulted when Six flags took over.

I agree. Vampire gave the then young park a signature, flagship coaster to market and build around. It was the "leader", so to speak. Without it, I guess Thunder Run became the flagship, by default?

I still have a Vampire mesh cap around here somewhere. Maybe a button, too.

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Lets clarify:

I would never ride Cobra again if they used the original track. Laden with metal rot due to using Japanese steel (not as resiliant as US steel) as well as TOGO going out of business, which drove the cost of parts up, its not worth building again.

And yes, Cobra MIGHT return again, as pop cans.....

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I disagree. Neither of those have a stool that goes right up in your groin! I've only rode TR:TR one time, but I don't remember it being comfortable, and I've never found Firehawk or Face Off uncomfortable either. Never rode delerium and I don't think I can even fit on Runaway Reptar so I can't say

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Weird. I wonder why they moved it? such a shame.

I know that they moved it from Japan to SFKK because the Japanese thought it was haunted, im not totally sure why it moved from SFKK to SFNE though...

Uh, no. Vampire was never in Japan. You mean China. It was Boomerang at Nanhu.

http://www.rcdb.com/pd683.htm

http://www.rcdb.com/id174.htm

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I don't see what SFKK lost when they removed Boomerang. Having ridden multiple boomerang models by Vekoma, I can say they really aren't all that great, in fact, they flat out suck. I'd much rather ride a ride like Super Saturator at Carowinds than ever ride a boomerang. I loathe the park that ends up with Geauga Lake's former Vekoma toy.

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