TR - Media Day 4/17/09

[Maestro]

I realize this is about a week late, but here are a few thoughts and observations.

First off, what an amazing day! The weather could not have been more perfect, the ride was running great, and Kings Island did a fantastic job with the event. I have been to several of these events over the years, and I do not recall a year with more media / press folks in attendance. It was very clear that Diamondback was a hit.

I arrived around 10:45am, was checked-in, and was walked back to the Rivertown area. The general improvements to the area looked great - clean, fresh mulch, well landscaped - everything looked fresh and new. The entrance/exit area and the station fit in great with the theme. I can imagine this area will be very popular this season, and it was nice to see an abundance of tables, chairs, and benches around the entrance/exit area.

I grabbed a quick drink (left over from the morning breakfast) and took a look around the gift shop, which had a good layout and was very organized. Let me tell you, if you want Diamondback merchandise, this is the place to be - you would be hard pressed NOT to find something you liked in that store. I found a spot outside the shop to watch the official ribbon cutting ceremony, which took place around 11:15am.

First up was Don Helbig, who welcomed everyone to the event. After saying a few words, he introduced Greg Scheid (General Manager) who did a nice presentation on the ride itself, as well as the auction (which raised about $102,000). He also introduced Walter Bolliger (from B&M) who was on-hand. The ribbon was cut and the ride officially opened!

I am not going to go into details about the ride, as there are plenty of trip reports on the specifics. The ride is everything I hoped it would be - fast, smooth, and full of air-time moments. It makes excellent use of the terrain. I rode in a variety of places throughout the day. This may sound strange, but my favorite seat ended up being in the middle-to-back of the train. I can't really explain it, but the forces and airtime that you experienced there were crazy. I am not one to shy away from re-rides on most coasters, but after a while the positive/negative forces this thing puts on your body caused me to turn in the towel.

I decided to check out the food and take a rest. The lunch buffet they put on was very tasty - chicken, pulled pork, salad, chips, and plenty of desserts to go around. The new Rivertown Junction looked good, and it was definitely a different experience eating at an amusement park on white tablecloths with real plates, glassware, etc... I grabbed my first rider t-shirt, press kit, took a few more pictures, and headed out.

Thanks to the folks at Kings Island for an amazing event. They are a class act, very accommodating, professional and organized. You can tell they are very proud and excited to have such a great addition to their park.