They are very different rides. Top Thrill Dragster is, by comparison, a thing of great grace and elegance. The launch is smooth and the entire ride, though very intense, is flowing.

Kingda Ka, by comparison, surges its way up the hill with a sense of great power and does so with great force. If you want at all a smooth ride, you will want to ride in the front seat of a car on it...the backs can actually jackhammer...it does not ride like Top Thrill Dragster. Also, its restraints are the same as Maverick's, which bothers some people...

Oh yes, Intamin's signature OTSR's. But how come TTD has lap bars KK has OTSR's?

Certain incidents that happened on other INTAMIN rides and New Jersey's strict insistence on safety standards to the Nth degree. As a matter of fact, Kingda Ka is REQUIRED to shut down once each day DURING THE DAY for inspection. Many riders leave the line when it does...

That inspection typically takes about 20 minutes...but the time when it happens varies from year to year...

I guess that explains why just like Intamin's 2nd Strata Coaster, They added OTSR's instead of lap bars to their 2nd Giga Coaster (I305) or maybe for some other reason.

I305 opened with lapbars and still has them....only later were the soft over the shoulder restraints added, replacing the hard OTSR's it opened with....

Look again at the Maverick restraint design...it combines lap bar with OTSR...

http://www.rcdb.com/4520.htm?p=26965

http://www.rcdb.com/3570.htm?p=19568

http://www.rcdb.com/2832.htm?p=12397

Even though he has already been to Cedar Point? Go back to somewhere you have been rather than going somewhere you haven't?

I don't understand...and KI Fanatic37, have you even been to Great Adventure?

Just Askin'

(You DID notice he was the original poster and this was his first trip to Cedar Point, right? Better to re-ride TTD than go try Ka? Better to ride Mean Streak again than go try El Toro? And pass up on any chance on Nitro just to go back to Cedar Point? My head hurts)

Oh gosh I'm sorry I didn't read enough. I'm sorry, to both of you.

And NO I haven't been to Great Adventure...

Well....that explains a lot! If I had not been to Cedar Point or Great Adventure, even *I* would select Cedar Point first. In fact, I did...more than 20 years ago...

^ Yeah I'm sorry. What good rides are at Great Adventure?

What does OTSR mean???

OTSR is over the shoulder restraint.

Nitro, El Toro, Batman: The Ride, Bizarro, Rolling Thunder (be quiet, pkiboy!), Skull Mountain...and the park's original roller coaster, the ONLY coaster there opening day, Runaway Mine Train...and tomorrow only, Great American Scream Machine...(no, I did not mention Superman....nor am I likely to)

Ok thanks. Now does that include restraints like Vortex and Flight Deck or just Intamin restraints?

OTSR is the term used to apply to any restraint that goes....wait for it...over the shoulder, so yes, it includes restraints like those on Vortex and Flight Deck...and Drop Tower and The Crypt, for that matter...

Thank You for clearing that up!

I just rode Maverick for the first time Saturday and I liked the restraints. The only complaint I have is that I was stapled by rides end. Why does everyone hate them?

Not everyone does hate them. At least one person here likes them and has no problem with them. Those who don't like them find the over the shoulder restraints do a number on their heads, from what I have heard and read.

Personally, I enjoy OTSR, as it makes me feel more secure in my seat. I also do not mind being "stapled" as it also gives the feeling of more security when riding. I don't like sliding around in my seat on a ride, as it freaks me out way too much for the ride to be considered fun.

^Don't go to Kennywood then, none of the three woodies staple you. In fact Jack Rabbit has no movable lap bar, and on Thunderbolt your partner is part of the restraint. PhantomTheater, who enjoys classic bench seats that allow a little sliding around.

Went to Great Adventure yesterday. Much cleaner than CP and areas like Plaza del Carnaval, Golden Kingdom, and Frontier Adventures are all beautiful, not to mention Toro, Bizarro, Nitro, and Kingda Ka are all really fun. Lots of stuff for the kiddies too. I would choose GA in a heartbeat.

Can anybody who's been to Kings Dominion before tell me what it's like at KD?

I took my first trip on the same day!

I'm still waiting to read your trip report!

Can anybody who's been to Kings Dominion before tell me what it's like at KD?

I've only been once, and from reviews from people who go alot, I went on one of the most busy days ever. I still loved Kings Dominion! The best way to describe Kings Dominion is that it's pretty much Kings Island how it used to be, but it also has alot of modern rides. Meaning they have alot of stuff Kings Island once had but doesn't anymore, and they also have tons of stuff Kings Island never got, plus some similar things such as Flight of Fear. Kings Dominion is my current favorite major amusement park (I liked Holiday World and Indiana Beach more though). I only got to ride about half the coasters, I almost always had to wait in a huge queue when it was super hot outside, and I lost my phone on Intimiadator 305, but I had an amazing day! The main attractions there are...:

Intimidator 305- Look at my signature, it's my #1 steel coaster! I rode it the day it opened so I got to experience it trim-free (well besides the small one), it's the most intense out of control roller coaster ever. The only thing that comes close is Voyage!

Flight of Fear- Just like ours, didn't get to ride it though.

Anaconda- Similar to Vortex only a little smaller and two less inversions, it also has an underwater tunnel.

Backlot- Just like ours, didn't get to ride it though.

Drop Zone- It's a little smaller than ours, but the ring goes up higher making the actual ride experience higher and faster, it doesn't spin though.

Shockwave- Pretty much King Cobra, didn't get to ride though.

Rebel Yell- Most people on our trip liked it better than Racer, I didn't though.

Ricochet- Mouse coaster, but this one has a drop, I liked it alot!

Hurler- Same as the one at Carowinds and similar to Thunder Run at SFKK, didn't get to ride though.

Grizzly- The layout isn't like Beast, but it's kinda their version of it, it's a woodie in the woods, very good! I liked it better than Beast!

Flying Eagles- Not a major ride, but I love it!

Eiffel Tower- Same as ours.

Dominator- Used to be a Geuaga Lake, it's a B&M floorless coaster, very nice!

Avalanche- Mack bobsleigh, didn't get to ride it though.

Volcano- AMAZING Intamin invert, it launches you twice, and is just amazing!

^Don't go to Kennywood then, none of the three woodies staple you. In fact Jack Rabbit has no movable lap bar, and on Thunderbolt your partner is part of the restraint. PhantomTheater, who enjoys classic bench seats that allow a little sliding around.

Sorry, I should have been more specific on the "stapling" preference! It only pertains to steel coasters. Woodies I am all for a little sliding as well. And I've never been to Kennywood, but that was my dad's home park when he was a boy and has many fond memories from Jack Rabbit.

I went to Kings Dominion a week and a half ago with my brother and a couple friends and it is my favorite park I have been to. We rode all the coasters and the longest wait we experienced was for Flight of Fear because it went down. Most coasters were walk ons or had a 10-15 min. wait. It was awesome.

The highlights was their version of Crypt, Volcano, I305, and Dominator

The worst part was their Flight of Fear. The train seemed smaller and less comfortable and it went down so that didn't help. Its still a good ride though.