Kings Island PTR - Closing Day, October 28, 2012

[VortexBFForever]

Over three weeks later from the actual Closing Day, I FINALLY start writing the PTR…

Here are some pictures of The Beach Waterpark (or should I say, “The Beach at Adventure Landing.”) that I took while whisking past on I-71 south, heading for Exit 25.

I arrived at Kings Island at around 3:50- a full 2 hours and 20 minutes after the planned “Tower Drinks meetup.” It was cloudy, and I was sure that the temperature was hanging out in the upper 40s, although the forecasted high was 52.

Once I entered the park for the last day of the 2012 season, I immediately proceeded left into Action Zone, where I found my first ride of the day, Delirium.

After one cycle length of waiting, I got assigned to Seat #36, just three seats down from the seat that I rode in on 9/05/2010 (seat #39). At this time my hands were FREEZING, and every attempt of mine to warm them was in vain. I had my hands in my pockets for almost the whole ride as cold wind blew in my face. It actually felt pretty good, maybe even almost as good as when I rode WindSeeker during that drizzle on Labor Day.

Invertigo came next.

Invertigo had a station wait. It was a one cycle wait for the backwards-first row in the 1^st car (a.k.a. Row 2). I was expecting a similar experience as that of my ride on August 13, and I got that same experience - along with chilly October winds. I did it without holding on to the handles on the harness, since I just thought it was nice, smooth, and forceful. It’s the thing about inverted coasters that Invertigo had practically taught me to really love.

I rode again, on the end row that went forwards first (a.k.a. Row 1), the same seat that I sat in when I rode Invertigo for the very first time on 6/04/11. Loved the forces, especially while going backwards through the inversions!!

After the fun on Invertigo, I went to my first Arrow of the day: Flight Deck. Once the station came into view, I knew I would be able to do some rerides because the station was virtually empty (other than the ops). There was a teeny tiny line for the first few rows so I made a beeline for the very back. Little did I know that the train I was about to board had KICers on it! As I stepped aboard (I never caught the train number! AAAAAAHHH!) into row 7-2, I suddenly heard someone say something that sounded like, “OHIOCOLTS!!” I immediately thought, “Hmmm. That sounded like ‘ohiocolts.’ I wonder if any KICers are lurking around here. I really hope so.” The train was locked, I pulled down and buckled my harness, and then: “Are you going to ride Sling Shot with me?” I looked at the exit, and three KICers —ohiocolts, malem and Beastie1980—were standing there. We had a short but plentiful conversation, including the fact that I am VortexBFForever from KIC as well as Beastie1980 trying Vortex again and liking it now. As the train left, malem said he and the others in the small group would be waiting for me at the exit when I arrived back- and now I was off on the first of two consecutive flights. I put my hands up like I normally did now as I was whipped through the turns and the soon-to-be-gone near miss with Son of Beast. When I arrived back, I stepped off, but I didn’t head for the exit, and then I said these words exactly: “I have a sudden and inexplicable urge to reride!” and then got back on the train, into row 7-1 this time. When the train had locked and I had secured my harness, I looked up and saw ohiocolts, malem and Beastie1980 scrambling to get into the seats that still had open harnesses, which were a few cars up in front of me. The train departed with all four of us aboard that time, and I enjoyed another flight through the trees, over the stream, and past Son of Beast.

On the maiden voyage back to Action Zone, I mentioned that it DID take longer to walk to Flight Deck than to ride an actual cycle on it, although I already knew it was true. We also found out that ohiocolts had reached Level 4 on FunPerks. I asked malem if one of the nametags he printed had my name on it. He said no and gave me a blank nametag to write my KIC name on instead, along with a blue marker to write it with. Believe it or not, my hands were so cold that I had to work hard to write each and every letter in “VortexBFForever” on that nametag. It wasn’t in my best handwriting, but I did it. We met up with ohiocolts’ mom, (DiamondAceExpress) who had been sitting by FD’s entrance while we were riding.

We headed to Sling Shot. Apparently ohiocolts was the one with the free ride voucher, so I had to pay $10 for myself to ride. It took me almost a whole minute for my cold hands to fork each of the $10 out of my wallet. They were just so cold! After I FINALLY got my ticket, I joined ohiocolts in line, with my hands (and my ticket) in my pocket. Two full Sling Shot cycles later, it was finally our turn. We were both excited, as this was the very first Sling Shot ride for both of us, so neither of us knew what the ride was like yet.

My mom took a video of the whole cycle. http://img211.images...ahbhjizwmih.mp4

Apparently during the cycle (unbeknownst to me) ohiocolts’ nametag flew off!! But mine stayed on… We were immediately told that by the others as we exited the ride. Beastie1980 had played a game somewhere and had won this gray and white stuffed puppy dog. We found jcgoble3 as well, and we had another informative conversation. I found out that Don had surprised the KICers with a behind the scenes tour of The Beast, and I had missed it. I was really bummed about that.

I wanted to ride Adventure Express (less talking, more riding…). Beastie1980 and I agreed to ride it together so we went ahead of the group. I think the number of the train we caught was #2. We rode in one of my personal favorite seats – row 1-3. I really enjoy the lateral forces on this thing, especially on those hairpin turns. I really enjoyed the tunnels as well, especially the last one. We both did the “tiki dance” or at least Beastie1980 did. I was doing a combination of the dance and having my arms straight up, so I looked like I was trying to do the backstroke while sitting upright in a coaster train. When we arrived back, there literally was NO ONE waiting in the station at all!! I literally screamed, “Look! There’s no one in the station!!”

What it also meant: there was no one waiting for the front seat either!! So both of us pulled up our lap bars and unbuckled our seatbelts, and headed for the front row. This was actually my very first front seat ride, ever, on AE! I got even more excited when I looked back and saw that the four other KICers had boarded behind us. The result: a KIC-only train! We were calling it the “KIC Train.” The train departed, but this time, I was the only one having my hands up for the whole ride. I kept looking back to see if anyone else did, but alas, I was the only one. Oh well. At least we still had fun!

The Racer was right next door, so it won out as our next ride. I rode in 5-2, the second-to-last row, on the Red side (of course, it was the only side running) in Train #1. Was whipped over the first hill, and playfully bouncing (it seemed like it ) up and down the hills, around the turn, and on the way back, I waved and said hello to The Beast, Vortex, WindSeeker and even the entrance to Dinosaurs Alive!! When we got back to the station, I was having so much fun that I couldn’t even believe it was Closing Day!

As we were exiting, Beastie1980 asked if I wanted to ride Vortex, and I immediately replied with an enthusiastic “Yes!” (Of course it’s a no-brainer that I always say yes to riding Vortex!). We went ahead of the group again while quickly walking down to the end of the Coney Mall midway, anxious about riding Vortex. We talked about Row 5-1 and how smooth it is, and I having no problem in riding in any row on the train. Upon our entry to Vortex’s queue, we suddenly got very excited at the sight of a very very short line present in the station (and yes, my hands were still FREEZING!) and ran up the stairs, over the bridge, down the stairs on the other side, and into the loading station. She and I chose Row 1-2 for our first Vortex ride of the afternoon, since I wanted to ride in the first car. I immediately mentioned to her how Row 1-2 was practically the bumpiest row on the train, but it didn’t wreak havoc on any of us during the ride. We had a lot of fun.

My mom took pics of us before Train #2 (yes, we ended up on my favorite train! ) left. It was weird: in one of the pics Beastie1980 would be smiling at the camera, and in the other pic I would be smiling at the camera. This also was the case on Diamondback.

After our ride in Row 1-2 we re-rode in one of my favorite airtime rows: Row 6-2. Again the ride was great. When the train exited the second corkscrew and had made that sudden directional change toward the batwing, I suddenly heard the riders around me (including Beastie1980) saying “Ow.” I was confuzzled – nothing hurt for me! – but then again, I’ve been riding on Vortex on every KI trip for 2 ½ seasons straight, so I’d learned what to experience, when to experience what, and how to experience it - as if it were a natural instinct. (I’m practically “immune” to headbanging, I’m sure! ) When Train #2 was back in the station, I faced a tough decision: I could either go with Beastie1980 to Flight of Fear right at this moment, or I could re-ride one more time and THEN join Beastie1980 en route to Flight to Fear. I gave in to re-riding; I mean, Train #2 was right in front of me, with Row 2-1 (another favorite) open – as if it were actually beckoning to me, “Come on, just ride one more time, and then you can go to Flight of Fear!” So I took the re-ride in 2-1 as a single rider and then continued on with Beastie1980 to Flight of Fear.

I wanted to ride Firehawk as well, but she told me she hated it, so we only did FoF. When we arrived inside FoF’s building, we were greeted with a pleasant surprise of a short line! Eagerly rushing through the pre-show area and the (half) saucer, we joined the line which almost extended into the saucer – the shortest line for Flight of Fear I’ve ever seen! If I’m not mistaken (it’s been almost 4 weeks!) I think we rode in either Row 1-1 or Row 1-2. Loved the launch like always, along with the inversions and how forceful that left corkscrew at the end is! Another good thing is that my hands FINALLY warmed up!! I made sure to keep them in my pockets for as much as possible while we were back outside.

After our FoF ride, there was only about 30 minutes left of the 2012 season, so we headed straight to Diamondback. We got the Red Train and rode in Row 13.

On the way up the lift hill, I knew that this was to be my last Diamondback ride of the season. The train crested, and we were off. Floater airtime is always something to love, especially while sailing over every single hill. During the splashdown, I looked back and gazed at all the water flying up into the air. It was amazing.

I decided to head right back to Vortex for the last ride of the season, while Beastie1980 stayed at Diamondback. As I began my last journey back to Coney Mall, people were flooding into Diamondback’s line. I looked at my watch and it said 6:55! I started to speedwalk as I walked past Diamondback’s drop and The Beast’s entrance. By the time I passed Shake, Rattle & Roll I had sped up to a jog and I started to sprint once I entered the queue line. By that time it was 6:57. I was hoping to squeeze two cycles in, but as it turns out, I got only one. By the time I had boarded Train #2 in the front seat, it was 6:58. As #2 climbed the lift hill for my last ride of the season, I watched the chasing lights and repeated a statement I had said when I rode Vortex for the very first time: “At least those lights are going faster than me.” I also looked at the rest of the park below, lit up in the night. At the top, I spread my arms and took in all the cycle had to offer, including the fact that it was after dark, just like my very first ride was. When I arrived at the final brake run, I knew it was too late for another cycle, since they were sending Train #1 out empty. I looked at my watch, which said 7:00. I felt like saying, “Just one more ride! Pwease?” but I knew it would do no good since the park had already closed. I clung to my harness as #2 glided into the station. I was reluctant to get out, but of course I had to so I slowly pushed my harness up, stepped off the train, and ceremoniously pushed the harness back down. Meanwhile, two ops had started pushing the other open harnesses down, so basically I helped them.

I gave Train #2 one last hug, and then I finally exited the station for the last time until 2013 – when I would be 14 and Vortex would be 26.

The link below goes to a part of a soundtrack from Happy Feet 2 called “Tappin’ to Freedom,” in which that part kind of seemed to narrate the moments when I said bye to Vortex for the season (except for that small opera part at 4:20 during the song). I made the link so the video would start playing at 3:40 and go to the end.

I lingered around in Vortex’s vicinity for a few more minutes. I found out that the train behind mine, which was Train #3, carried two passengers, who turned out to be the last Vortex riders of the season (I hope they realized that…) and I was on the SECOND TO LAST train of the season! Hey, at least I was one of Train #2’s last passengers for the season.

Since the camera I was using had been used a whole lot of the day, it took no-flash pictures at a really slow shutter speed, although it took pics at a normal speed if the flash was on. Thus, a lot of the following pics are a bit blurry. (you can sort of tell which ones had the flash used and which ones didn’t.)

+Delirium: 1

YTD: 3

Overall: 10

+Invertigo: 2

YTD: 3

Overall: 7

+Flight Deck: 2

YTD: 11

Overall: 17

+Sling Shot: 1

+Adventure Express: 2

YTD: 9

Overall: 17

+Racer: 1

YTD: 4

Overall: 7

+Vortex: 4

YTD: 60

Overall: 135

+Flight of Fear: 1

YTD: 3

Overall: 9

+Diamondback: 1

YTD: 11

Overall: 71

[The Interpreter]

An awesome read.

Almost as much fun as being there!

Thanks!

[Charlie Gold]

Sorry you didn't make it for our Beast tour. maybe next time.

[fanofFirehawk]

Wow Beastie1980

Not loving your opinion toward my coaster.

Well, well I don't like wood stock express( beastie ).

[ohiocolts]

Great trip report VortexBFForever! It was a great day. And thanks for riding Sling Shot with me!

[Original]

Lots of enthusiasum. Thanks, looked like a good time!

[Beastie1980]

Wow Beastie1980

Not loving your opinion toward my coaster.

Well, well I don't like wood stock express( beastie ).

The one and only reason I don't like it is because it feels like you're going to fall out.....IT SCARES ME....

[malem]

That was an excellent and detailed trip report - it's obvious that you had a great time. Thanks for sharing!

It was great meeting you at the park; I'm sorry that the bigger group meet-up time didn't work out for you. (Next time, hopefully!)

The one and only reason I don't like it is because it feels like you're going to fall out.....IT SCARES ME....

Once upon a time, one could ride The Beast with that style of seating.

[TheCrypt]

How. Did. I. Miss. Meeting. You.

Sounds like you had a great day. Thanks for sharing.

Quick sidenote- is that Beastie's hood with the scales and ears? I can't believe I missed that too...

[fanofFirehawk]

Wow Beastie1980

Not loving your opinion toward my coaster.

Well, well I don't like wood stock express( beastie ).

The one and only reason I don't like it is because it feels like you're going to fall out.....IT SCARES ME....

Exscuses, Exscuses.

Just kidding

You really should try it again, just relax and trust the restraints. And if you do plum it down to earth, you can say " I told you so " or I'm sure SomeOne else will do it for you.

[standbyme]

Thanks for taking the time to post your report...it was a fun read!