Get rid of one coaster- The Poll

[SonofBaconator]

*Just to be clear I love all of KI's coasters, but I'd like to see other people's perspectives and true views.*

If one coaster had to bite the dust, which one would it be? This can be based on capacity, placement, or personal preference. I included all coasters on this thread to reduce bias. Please be mature and respect each other's opinions. This is meant to be a survey and a friendly discussion.

[VortexBFForever]

I picked Backlot because of its placement. I always wonder what it was like to be at the park during the ‘Tiques days (as I never went to the park until two years after Backlot came). I really enjoy Backlot as a ride, but I’m one of the folks who wish for it to have a different location.

[Sythe]

Vortex because it opens so much room for a future coaster.

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[IndyGuy4KI]

@VortexBFForever if BLSC was in say X-Base you would vote differently?

I enjoy FH on occasion, but if it was totally gone I am not sure I would miss it that much.

@SonofBaconator I miss your old Avatar!

[VortexBFForever]

[mention=8280]VortexBFForever[/mention] if BLSC was in say X-Base you would vote differently?

 

I may vote differently, but I’m not sure. I enjoy it on occasion (much like how you enjoy Firehawk on occasion) but it’s not as high on my favorites list as Diamondback, Mystic Timbers, Invertigo, The Bat, Firehawk and Vortex. It’s definitely something to think about.

 

 

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[Magenta Lizard]

I abstain from voting. I feel like our coaster line-up right now covers a wide variety of different qualities that different riders may enjoy. Even the coasters I like less than others, or ones that aren't meant to be for someone like me (Great Pumpkin, for example) do fill their own niche. I also feel there is room, without removal, to add coasters that would fill different  gaps in the lineup. 

If any coaster were removed, it would be /someone's/ favorite coaster, and that doesn't sit well with me.

So I vote not even one!

[SonofBaconator]

@IndyGuy4KI maybe Yogi will make a return

I voted Backlot for a number of reasons. While its popular among families, it still has one of the lowest capacities of all the coasters in the park at around 1,000 people per hour.

I agree with @VortexBFForever that the placement isn't the best as it takes up a lot of room that could be used for something bigger and better. If it was in a different part of the park I would reconsider my voting, however its currently placed right smack dab in the middle of the park. The ride only uses about half of the land it occupies but its placed in the exact spot where the other half of that land can't even be utilized. 

The fact that this ride was specifically designed around and themed to a Paramount movie doesn't help its case. Its an eyesore to see a helicopter and flames while hearing police sirens and flashing lights while waling around the park. Cedar Fair has done a good job "de-theming" the Paramount from the park, however BLSC will always remind me of Paramount's presence. 

[whengodsaysgo]

I'm with @VortexBFForever - It's a placement issue.  I enjoy BLSC.  I've not really ever been of the opinion that it deserves the centerpiece status it currently holds.  Ideally, it could be scooted to another spot.  Ideally, but not likely.

[BlondyRidesOn]

I chose Backlot Stunt Coaster. The placement is one problem I agree with. Another problem is the capacity. Because the ride launches 12 people per train, the lines are always long compared to other rides in the park. The location would be perfect for a B&M dive coaster in the future, with a pathway that goes underneath, connecting Coney Mall to Rivertown.

[spooky21]

I pick BLSC because placement, capacity, eye sore, and I hate the first helix it is so uncomfortable I grey out almost every time and its not a good feeling.

[Xdog42]

I'll keep Vortex because the ride looks amazing in the place it's in, I know its an unpopular opinion but I would remove AE. I feel like a nice, compact, coaster could go there. Maybe even an Intamin Blitz/ Low to ground launch coaster. I know people say its a nice family coaster and it is, But I feel like the space can be used for better things. Heck, I know it sounds stupid but could you put BLSC in the spot AE is in now? (Just a suggestion)

[Creed Bratton]

I also chose BLSC for placement. I'd place it in Action Zone somehow if I could. 

[rcwizard13]

I was tempted to put Backlot for much of the same reasons above, but then I thought of it being gone and felt like I'd miss the experience. One experience, however,  I don't think I'd miss is Vortex. On top of that, I always wish it would take more advantage of the terrain it's built on. Other than the batwing, none of it really seems to come too close to the ground.

[rhyano]

I chose backlot for the same reasons everyone else did, while it's an okay ride and popular with families, the capacity is bad, and placement is bad, If this were to ever happen, I think me personally would like to see another family-style coaster go there, something like a Cobra's Curse or Firechaser Express. 

[goettablitz]

It was a toss up for me between backlot and Invertigo.  I dislike backlot for the poor placement, an ugly urban jungle right in the middle of the park.  However i voted for Invertigo because it is not rideable for me.  All vekoma boomerangs and inverted boomerangs must be killed with fire.

[IndyGuy4KI]

I know this was part of the rules of the poll by Bacon, but I feel bad for BLSC. It can not help where Paramount placed him or what it replaced. He is getting a bad wrap for things out if his control.

[VortexBFForever]

I feel a bit bummed that three of my favorite coasters (Vortex, Firehawk, Invertigo) have some number of votes for them...but that's what I get when I generally appreciate coasters for which many have mixed opinions!

-BFF, who is also crazy enough to say she's enjoyed the one SLC she rode (Mind Eraser at Darien Lake).

[Hmrapp]

 I have to agree that BLSC doesn't fit it's current location and plays a quite odd role in Kings Islands coaster lineup. I personally feel that BLSC is a strong coaster with a variety of forces, the first launch into the helix has had me seeing stars on a few occasions. Yet, it's something about the dilapidated theme and long lines that seem to repel me away from it's tacky and uninviting entrance. Kings Dominion's and Canada's Wonderland's BLSC's both look to be wasted space. I wouldn't be surprised if these clones were to get the chopping block sometime in the next 5-10 years. Now what would takes its spot? Due to the open, arid, grassy area in which BLSC lays I feel it would be amazing if Cedar Fair would experiment with a new method, artificially created theming (Taron at Phantasialand). Kings Island lacks an intense low to the ground coaster such as a Maverick, Skyrush or Intimidator 305. A Mack or Intamin multi-launch coaster with interactive theming (Mystic Timbers thrives in this category) would help strengthen Kings Islands lineup. Adjusting the entrance from the busy and crowded Vortex midway to the less densely populated path between Diamonback's splashdown and BLSC would also be a positive. All in all, it's not necessarily BLSC itself, however, the acreage it possesses is far to valuable.

- As for you BFF, you are truly a coaster enthusiast anomaly 

[SonofBaconator]

It's interesting that most the votes so far are pretty consistent like Firehawk, Backlot, Invertigo, and Vortex.

[Xdog42]

I personally like Firehawk, but most of the time the wait for it is not worth it. Again Vortex for me has been a hit or miss, sometimes the ride experience is ok and sometimes it's rather "painful", but I really like it for its appearance. Invertigo isn't bad I think its a decent ride, It just isn't re-ridable, I call rides like it "One and Dones" you usually ride it once when you visit the park. Like I stated Firehawk typically has the longest wait of all the coasters at KI. In Vortex case, like I stated the opinions on it is mixed, Some people could re-ride it and have fun while others can't. For Invertigo, It's alright but I can't say fun. When I ride Diamondback I'm thinking "Wow this is Great" while when I ride Invertigo I think "Wow this is very intense", NOT that Intensity is a bad thing. I also want to get it straight, I don't hate these rides. But personally, The rides just aren't my type, they aren't bad to me but they just don't have the "thing" that makes me laugh and have fun on coasters. 

[JubJester]

I really had three coasters in mind. The first one is Backlot. Like others above said the placement is terrible, but I think the ride is quite enjoyable. I know they probably won't do this, but if they did decide to remove it for some reason, I would hope/enjoy it if they kept it and moved it somewhere else. 

Invertigo was one of the two rides (other one coming up) I debated about voting for. I think you could do something better with that space. I do enjoy Invertigo but not as much as the other coasters. Michigan's Adventure could take it if they decided to reuse it. Looking on Google Maps I believe you could put a coaster in that space and go behind Congo Falls and the amphitheater. What kind? I think a Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster, like HangTime at Knott's, would be fantastic there. With a similar lighting package HangTime is getting, it would look absolutely fantastic at night from the parking lot and the highway. Maybe without the holding break, would rather have a B&M Dive Coaster. Could also make it longer, taller, and even more spaced out than HangTime. Here's the space I'm talking about and HangTime's lighting package:

^ From Google Maps

^ It would look fantastic in my opinion. Walking to the gate would be a different experiece as well. Photo credit: Knott's Berry Farm

You could also even move Backlot there into Action Zone, would maybe have to get rid of/move Congo Falls though. 

Finally, Firehawk. I think Firehawk is in the way of potential expanding of X-Base. I ended up voting for Firehawk, because I really don't ride it a lot or even go into X-Base for that matter. I think a brand new plaza would be great and would accommodate a potential giga coaster. Especially with Dinosaurs Alive! going away. The warehouses and maze buildings would probably have to go away to really go all out. Could add some flats as well with the plaza.

[MDMC01]

I chose Backlot. It's sort-of a fun ride and the launch is intense, but it's kinda the lowest coaster on the totem pole for me (but apparently, I rode it more than Flying Ace and Invertigo this season (among others), so I'm not sure what that says...).   

EDIT: Also, why all the fuss about Firehawk? I personally love the ride as well as the history behind it (as those who have ridden it with me know); it was pure joy to see it open on "Closing Day" and I think it should be kept as it's a very unique coaster (only 2 others like it!) and is a relic of the early 2000's, when designers dared to push the limits on thrills.

-MDMC, waxing poetic on the great avian of the new millennium

[rcwizard13]

Alright who voted Diamondback and Mystic? I'm genuinely curious what your reasons are.

[SonofBaconator]

@rcwizard13 Trolls?

@MDMC01 I think a lot of it has to do with the capacity and the over all experience. You wait in line forever then when you finally board you're layed out to face the sun. If the lift hill was flipped where you face the ground instead of the sky, I'm sure you'd get a much better reception. 

[MDMC01]

I get that. To each their own, I suppose. I try to avoid it when the line's long, though.

[SonofBaconator]

In all honesty, I prefer B&M flyers as opposed Vekoma Flying Dutchmans 

B&M

Vekoma

 

[Arrow]

I'm somewhat surprised from these results lol

 

I like all of KI's coasters, and really wouldn't want to get rid of any of them. But if I absolutely had to choose, I'd go with Backlot. And for the same reasons as everyone else. I guess I'd also rather see something better in the middle.

[SonofBaconator]

20 hours ago, BlondyRidesOn said:

The location would be perfect for a B&M dive coaster in the future, with a pathway that goes underneath, connecting Coney Mall to Rivertown.

I thought of that idea too, however the more I thought about it, its location right next to Diamondback might not be as ideal as it would in, say, Action Zone or even X-Base. 

[BlondyRidesOn]

9 minutes ago, SonofBaconator said:

I thought of that idea too, however the more I thought about it, its location right next to Diamondback might not be as ideal as it would in, say, Action Zone or even X-Base. 

That's true. Another possibility I thought of would be to add an RMC topper track wooden coaster in this location. It would really round out the park's collection of wooden roller coasters. 

[Legofan237]

I choose Backlot because:

1. Lots of room- you can easily fit a Euro-fighter in there, as Kings Island should get one in the next few years. You can probably squeeze in a flat ride or two and maybe some shops/restaurants

2. Special Effects- This seems someone unlikely, but Kings Island might remove it because the special effects might become costly. Plus, some of the special effects don't work now when the ride first opened (RIP Adventure Express . (They could also just remove the effects and make it stay)

3. Not much a good coaster- Sure, it just a family coaster, but you have Adventure Express in the same park. That is more thrilling (just a little) than Backlot. For me, it's just a little too slow for me. Plus, this coaster is EXTREMELY short.

Those are my reasons.