gigacoaster2k Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Tom (Tom76257) and I decided that since Sunday was Chang's last operating day at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, that we'd head out there. I had been checking my weather report and my radar all day, and saw nothing but rain and thunderstorms. Enthusiast as we are, we said oh well.. we packed a cooler full of food, grabbed our bags, jumped in my car, and we were off to ride roller coasters! It was rain, rain, rain the whole way down there. I71 was particularly bad for hydroplaning. (please pardon the crummy quality of some of my photos.. I did a cell phone PTR in the rain LOL) How I feel about driving in a deluge. This is how Tom feels about the impending roller coasters. My VZNavigator messed up, and I could not find the SFKK entrance for the life of me. I was getting angry (as I do when I get lost in an unfamiliar city), so Tom suggested we stop and ask for directions (a man who does that?? WOW!! haha j/k Tom) This nice girl with a thick Southern accent offered to let me follow her to where I was supposed to go. On the way out the gas station where we had stopped, I slipped and fell on the wet pavement and busted up my right knee. At this point, I was beyond mad and I stayed quiet for the sake of everyone around me. We were pointed in the right direction, and I felt so incredibly stupid for missing the entrance. We made it to SFKK around 11:30 am, and it was sprinkling. We went straight for my baby.. GREEZED LIGHTNIN! NOBODY was in the queue, so we rode.. and then I realized.. I COULD GET A ZEN RIDE! So I took my turn in the back seat, and Tom took his turn in the front seat! We both got Zen rides on GL in a little bit of rain.. w00000t!! We went to RoadRunner Express (yes, we like that ride) and overheard the ride ops talking about how they might shut the park down due to the rain. They told us it was 100% chance of rain all day. After we rode RR Express, we decided to head for Chang. On the way, we heard the announcement that they were closing the park at 12:30 pm (this was announced at 12:15, by the way.. THANKS FOR THE WARNING!!). We booked it for Chang, and got the second to last ride ever. I was going to buy my on ride photo, but the photo booth was closed. I was getting mad again. I realized as we were heading to the exit that Holiday World was only an hour west.. and we decided that was the plan. An employee had the nerve to ask me how my day was going. I gave her a thumbs down and kept walking. On the way out to the car, we ran into a group of people around our age who had driven up from TN to go to the park. One guy got so mad when he told him what was going on, that he threw his drink on the ground and flipped off the park. I'm sorry, but I really can't blame him. So I turned on my VZNavigator to get to I64, and we were off again! My feelings about what happened. Tom agrees. On the way to Holiday World, I saw a new Mustang slam on its brakes, swerve into the left lane, cross the median through the grass, and go the opposite direction. It was so idiotic.. I mean, really? HOLIDAY WORLD!! It is only one hour west of SFKK.. I was so happy to see this!! Raven, and HW's entrance! Such a relief to be at such an amazing park! On our way in, Tom got to meet Pat Koch, shook hands with her and told her thanks for a great park. Pat is a really, really nice lady. She will joke and talk with you like the two of you have been friends for years. Our first ride of the day? You guessed it.. VOYAGE! We got to the station, and it was DESERTED!! We got three rides in a row without getting off the train! They were running one train ops, and the train we were on wasn't even full! Tom wanted to ride Legend, and I was all for it, so we headed that way.. again, DESERTED station! We got two rides on Legend without getting off the train! We were hearing some vicious sounding thunder, and I suggested we duck for cover. The thunder sounded like a wrecking ball hitting a building. This photo does not do justice to how ugly the storm clouds were. They were a sickly bluish gray, and had some very bright lightning in them. We ducked into a gift shop and waited out the storm. It was very bad. The lightning was extremely bright, and the explosive thunder was instantaneous after the lightning. It got so dark that the midway lights came on. I ended up buying a blue Holiday World carabiner, and a blue and gray Voyage shirt that I found on the clearance rack.. they had a juniors size! I was so happy to get a Voyage shirt I could wear! The storm finally let up, but we were hungry from waiting out the storm. We went to the car and ate, and on the way I risked this photo yet again. I managed to get this photo without dropping any electronic devices in the fountain! This plaque is on the side of the Applause Fountain, facing the entrance. w00t, Cedar Point! On the way back, we took more photos! Tom's feelings about Holiday World! (even though it looks like he's yawning haha.. he was making an OMG face.. there is NOTHING to yawn about at HW!) I LOVE HOLIDAY WORLD!! I grabbed my Cedar Point poncho from the car just in case.. I am VERY glad I did.. you will soon learn why. We came back to hear Liberty Launch running, so we rode that! I saw that there were more storms on the way, and it was about an hour and a half before the park closed, so we headed back to VOYAGE! We got 2 rides in a row in the very second seat, without getting off the train.. AND IN THE RAIN! That was an absolute total blast.. best water ride EVER! I will tell you one thing though.. those raindrops hurt my eyes on the first ride.. so I rode with my eyes shut for the full duration of the second ride. Voyage is terrifying with your eyes closed.. no, I am not joking! Tom tried it for about 5 seconds and agreed! It was starting to rain harder, so we checked Raven.. closed. We booked it to Legend, and sat in the very front. While we were in the station, we heard more violent thunder, and the rain was coming down harder and harder. We heard the phone ring, and feared we were going to get stuck in the station.. instead, the ride op smiled and gave a thumbs up, and out our train went into the deluge! That was one amazing water ride.. although painful, that was GREAT! It was about 5 pm, and the weather wasn't letting up.. it was getting worse and worse. We called it a day since the park was scheduled to close at 5:30, and headed to Mrs. Klaus' Kitchen for some of that amazing fudge. Tom and I were DRENCHED.. we may as well have jumped into the fountain. Me in my CP poncho that Voyage ripped. I got 5 pieces of fudge: a chocolate, a peanut butter chocolate, and a chocolate mint for me, a chocolate mint for Tom, and a sucrose free chocolate for my mom. You get 5 pieces of fudge for $10.. and the pieces are not small. As we left the park, I took a pic of Wildebeest track.. again, sorry for the crummy quality. STILL raining. Check out my shirt. Tom is passed out. I was doing fine in the rain until we got back into lower Kentucky. We stopped to stretch somewhere a few miles north of Louisville, and I forgot to turn my traction control back on when we got back onto I71. It was getting dark, and my highest wiper speed wasn't helping in the least. Then the unthinkable happened. I hit a deep puddle, and suddenly my car was fishtailing out of control and took a hard right swing toward a guard rail. I managed to get it back under control (while noticeably freaking out), but my adrenaline was WAY up.. that is the closest I have ever come to a major accident. I kicked myself for not turning my traction control on sooner, but I am thankful that there were no cars around me, and that nothing happened to Tom, me, or Stormy (my nickname for my car). I stopped to try and chill out, and get some gas. No sooner did I get out of my car than I saw a BRIGHT flash and the loudest BANG I've ever heard in my life. I saw a bolt of lightning hit a tree less than 1/4 mile away. That certainly did not help me calm down, but it was cool to see. I even heard the electrical snap from the lightning and saw sparks fly from the tree when the bolt hit it.. the hair even stood up on my arms! We finally made it back around midnight. I was driving through rain the whole way back, and wasn't going to risk almost wrecking again. We had a great time. I think my favorite part of the trip was the unplanned part.. and even though we didn't get massive ride counts in, we laughed it off and enjoyed our day and its randomness! My ride count: Greezed Lightnin - 2 Chang - 1 RoadRunner Express - 1 Voyage - 5 Legend - 3 Liberty Launch - 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkiboy Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Angie that last photo is Priceless . Glad you had a Great time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I too love Holiday World. It just has that homey feel to it, and the Voyage is amazing, so are Raven and Legend. Splashin' Safari is the best waterpark I've been to and Wildebeest is sure to be amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkiboy Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I too love Holiday World. It just has that homey feel to it, and the Voyage is amazing, so are Raven and Legend. Splashin' Safari is the best waterpark I've been to and Wildebeest is sure to be amazing. Voayge is even better at night after it rains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 Angie that last photo is Priceless . Glad you had a Great time. We did! You should have gone with us, it was rainy all day.. that means no bugs I had an insect-free day at Holiday World and you missed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 The only time I went, the park closed at 7:30, so sadly we couldn't get any night rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback FOF Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Great trip report. The photos aren't too bad. You should be ashamed to be taking pictures while driving. How unsafe. In the fourth picture (the one with SFKK in the background), what are the white supports that are sticking up in the center? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avatar Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Nice trip report looks like you two made the best of a rainy day. That must have been a nerve racking drive home though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 In the fourth picture (the one with SFKK in the background), what are the white supports that are sticking up in the center? That is their skycoaster. Jesse, it was indeed nerve wracking. I couldn't drive 45 mph in some spots without hydroplaning. I ended up just saying screw it and drove 30-40 mph with my hazards, wipers, and traction control on. It took forever to get home, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback FOF Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 It sounds like part of my weekend. We went to Tennessee to see my niece march in her band. It sarted storming, so the game got cancelled in the 2nd quarter. It was already dark out, and it was absolutely pouring! Even with the wipers on high and high beams on, we couldn't hardly see. Then, it started hailing. Luckily, it only lasted about 15 minutes in the drive (we sat in the parking lot at first). Then, on our wayh home on Sunday, it was pouring at different spots on the trip up I-71 to where you could hardly see in a couple spots. I like riding in the car while it's raining, but I know people don't like driving in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I've been going to Holiday World since before they had a wooden roller coaster and long before they had any midway lights to turn on! Pat Koch is indeed precious, and the pictures of you two drowned rats made me laugh! I swear I've been a bad influence on a lot of people. If a park isn't giving you fun...or it closes...go somewhere else. I have, many times, as many here can testify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI Kevin Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I've been going to Holiday World since before they had a wooden roller coaster and long before they had any midway lights to turn on! Pat Koch is indeed precious, and the pictures of you two drowned rats made me laugh! I thought you said you didn't like Holiday World anymore. Well at least I think I remember that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I didn't say that. What I did say is that the current day to day management of the park is not what it was when Pat Koch ran the park with help from her son, instead of vice versa. Meant that then, mean it now...Pat is one of a kind, and a true icon. She's authentic, warm, caring and a delight. Or you might remember my saying that I don't get Voyage the way others get Voyage. Voyage, Schmoyage. Give me Raven. Or The Georgia Cyclone. Or Tremors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan1980 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I laughed so hard when I saw the pictures on FB earlier and was imagining the "captions" that went along with them so really appreciate you sharing the story with us. While not a huge ride count day, it sounds like you had a good time and have generated some memories as well. In addition, you got to ride Chang on its final day at SFKK, got a Zen ride, and also got to ride one of your favorites in a washout downpour! What more could you really ask for? BTW, I hope Tom at least offered to help with some of the driving - on a day like that it gets very stressful and tiring. Glad you made it home safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom76257 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Nice PTR, Angie. I had a great time and REALLY want to go back and ride some of my favorite rides at amusement/theme parks. I actually miss Holiday World more than I do Cedar Point. Or you might remember my saying that I don't get Voyage the way others get Voyage. Voyage, Schmoyage. Give me Raven. Or The Georgia Cyclone. Or Tremors. Terpy, I know what you mean. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge fan of lats. I ALMOST enjoy The Legend more than I do The Voyage. In fact, for a few hours The Legend secured my #1 wooden coaster spot over The Voyage. I want to put The Legend back at #1, but I'm not sure. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to ride them both more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveStroem Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 We thought hard about joining you 2 for SFKK but after getting home from CP halloweekends at 3:00 AM we were in no shape to head south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Enjoyed your PTR Guys! Glad you had fun in all that rain and got back safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigacoaster2k Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 I HIGHLY suggest the fudge from Mrs. Klaus' Kitchen, I don't leave Holiday World without some of it! My favorite is the chocolate, but the mint chocolate and peanut butter chocolate were very good too. They even have sucrose-free chocolate and chocolate walnut if you are diabetic, which my mom is, and her eyes got very wide after one bite of the piece I brought home for her. It doesn't smell or taste any different from the regular fudge. Tom is a fan of the fudge too, and so is Kat. I have one piece of the chocolate fudge left.. and it's right in front of me. I don't want to eat it right now, because I know I will want more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveStroem Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I have one piece of the chocolate fudge left.. and it's right in front of me. I don't want to eat it right now, because I know I will want more! Posted at 5:17 PM So what's the over & under that this piece of fudge is still around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Uh, wasn't it a square not a round? Even though now it's probably goners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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