Assuming there will be soft openings for Firehawk, what date would be your educated guess they will start? Or does anyone out there have better than an educated guess?

I doubt there will be any "soft openings" for Firehawk. It will open Memorial Day weekend. The ride will likely open to the media (by invite only) a couple of days before that weekend. They still have a lot of work to get done on that ride over the next four weeks!

Besides finishing the paint job and the station and testing, what else needs to be done? I went today and it looked like the track was all together.

Besides finishing the paint job and the station and testing, what else needs to be done? I went today and it looked like the track was all together.

I'm sure that there is a lot of finish work that we can't really see that needs to be done. Painting needs to be done, testing and inspections, landscaping.....

Besides finishing the paint job and the station and testing, what else needs to be done? I went today and it looked like the track was all together.

I'm sure that there is a lot of finish work that we can't really see that needs to be done. Painting needs to be done, testing and inspections, landscaping.....

True. I was just trying to get around the crowds on Memorial Day Weekend. It looks like all is for not...

I was going to head up there for the opening of Firehawk but then i realised that it was Memorial Day weekend and the crowds are going to be heavy so i figured it was best to avoid.

4 words... Gold Pass Speed Lane!

KI has advertised about skipping the line on the new FH! Now's a GREAT time to get a season pass! -Hauntguy

Yes, there is a lot that still needs to be done. Besides the painting, I`m sure they still have some electrical work to finish wiring up the ride. They still have to assemble the queue rails, do landscaping, install signage, get the trains on the track, cycle the ride and test it, and finally, they will have to get the ride certified by the state of Ohio. That takes time. Keep in mind that they have been painting the ride for several weeks (several months if you include the time they`ve been applying the primer to the track).

Has KI advertised skipping the lines on Firehawk? I don`t seem to recall them doing that...

I do think I have seen it, of course I could be totally dreaming! HAHA...

It would be wise of KI to put in a speed lane though since all of the newest rides/attractions have them! -Hauntguy

The information about speed lanes do not mention anything about Firehawk though it would be nice.

I seen a lot of wires behind the fence next to Racer today, probably for Firehawk.

And it should be remembered that, although it is far more likely than not, there can be no iron clad assurance that Firehawk will open Memorial Day Weekend. There is the possibility that something may delay its opening. It is not expected to, but things sometimes happen.

Put another way, if you are banking everything you have or putting everything you have emotionally into the coaster being open that weekend, there is still the possibility that it may not.

Note that the park is NOT running big advertisements saying: "Firehawk Opens Memorial Day Weekend." They know that until that is certain, it's best to have a nice big surprise. . .instead of a disappointment.

Yes, it will PROBABLY open when they hope. No, it is not a guarantee. Yes, stuff can happen still.

Just a word to the wise. . .

Very true. They may run into some unforeseen obstacle that takes a week or two to remedy, which could push the opening of the ride back by the same amount. Until the ride is test running, the park can`t be certain when exactly they will be able to run it. And even then, they may not know for certain.

The information about speed lanes do not mention anything about Firehawk though it would be nice.

I seen a lot of wires behind the fence next to Racer today, probably for Firehawk.

It would be nice if somehow, somewhere on the park map they would indicate which rides had the Gold Pass speed lanes (like Disney with FastPass). I tried to look for something like that on the map I had but I could not find anything.

The gold pass speeds lanes are:

Italian Job, Wild Thorn Berries, Scbooby Doo and the Hantued Castle, Beast then you get to pick between dropzone or Delirium.

The gold pass speeds lanes are:

Italian Job, Wild Thorn Berries, Scbooby Doo and the Hantued Castle, Beast then you get to pick between dropzone or Delirium.

That list is oddly disappointing. Why the serious lack of coasters? Could they not rearrange anymore of the queues? It will come in handy with The Beast but I will be flabbergasted if Firehawk is not added to that list when it opens.

I don't see any public soft openings like there was for IJ. They are goint to want to let that paint dry as long as they can.

The paint won't be a reason for not opening a ride. There is testing to do, and that is done after the painting! Also, last I heard, it rains...even in Mason, Ohio.

Yeah, it was raining there today. Are they ever going to paint the supports?!? It's still the old faded black from X-Flight.

They have a lot of them painted a metalic silver.

They were painting some of the supports Saturday morning.

I thought I heard the lift hill running Saturday but I could be wrong about that.

I'm sure testing will begining very shortly. As early as this week maybe or next?

The sooner, the better

I will be going Saturday from around 10-3 and will make sure to hang around Firehawk to see if there's any signs of testing.

Atleast we know that there won't be any delays due to track replacement. I agree that you shouldn't make plans now expecting it to be open. Even if it is open, that might be one of the only rides you ride all day!!! I'm expecting to hear about 5+ hour lines. I could be wrong, but I'm not going Memorial Day weekend, maybe the next if its open.

Yes I imagine the lines for Firehawk will be too long. I will wait until later in the year to ride it. No hurries for me!

Where did the one train rumor come from? According to everything that has been mentioned, everything is on schedule.

Considering that the ride is not new, only removed and rebuilt, I cannot see why both trains cannot operate Memorial Day weekend.

Both trains?

I thought there was going to be three.

^It was my understanding that SF used the third train for spare parts.

I could be mistaken though.

You are correct, the 3rd train was parted out by Six Flags. Firehawk will only run 2 trains. I don't think they could ever get 3 trains running right anyway.