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So after going 3 days this week I have to say they don't seem to have the staffing issues they had the past 2 years. More restaurants are open, all rides were running except ones down for maintenance. Even the kiddie areas the rides were all up where in the past some were down due to low staff. Even barnstormer was running both sides which I haven't seen in awhile. Lots of trams running all day long. Overall the staffing levels seemed pre-pandemic. Also, Lightning Rod was up all day today.

They've had such good luck with RMC that it's no wonder they hired them to do the track work on BF.

Serengeti Flyer now has 2 different ride modes, a milder version and the standard version. I got to the park around 30 minutes too late to try the new milder ride but hope to try it soon as the original version made me dizzy. For this time of year crowds were really low. Iron Gwazi was only a 2 train wait when I got to the park and had a posted 5 minute wait when I left. There were also multiple breakdowns today. Sheikra was closed when I walked past it but did reopen later, Kumba closed a little after 2:00 and never reopened. Cheetah Hunt was closed when I was going to stop at the ride before leaving. This was my first time riding the Log Flume since it reopened after the refurbishment and I think they did something to cause less of a splash. You used to get soaked and both times I rode today, I barely got any water on me almost like Coal Cracker at Hersheypark.

Since 2018, they have been opening new rides around Memorial Day weekend. The exception being Candymonium with the park not opening until the end of June/beginning of July that year.

The skyline sure looks different today than it did yesterday...

Though many think the infamous Bat at Kings Island was the first modern suspended coaster, that wonderfully violent machine was preceded by the equally bizarre and short-lived Alpen-Flug. Designed by German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmidt with calculations supplied by Werner Stengel, Alpen-Flug premiered at the 1975 Oktoberfest in Munich. Utilizing five 6-car trains, Alpen-Flug was an incredibly thrilling ride experience, performing far better than anyone expected. But at the end of the fair, it was found that the ride suffered from severe structural damage, especially in the area around the turns. This design flaw was a direct result of the deliberate under-banking of the track on the turns – a cost-saving measure chosen by Messerschmidt and vehemently condemned by Werner Stengel. So upset by Messerschmidt’s decision to ignore his very specific advice to bank the track per his calculations, Stengel left the project. During my interview with Stengel, when he supplied these images from his personal collection, he described the ride as very, very thrilling and intense … particularly in the lateral swinging in the transitions. Still, he knew the ride couldn’t survive since Messerschmidt ignored his instructions on track banking. Alpen-Flug, along with a duplicate that was already under construction, is another strange ride lost to history. I wish someone would come forward with film of this intriguing ride in operation. It must exist somewhere … Until then, enjoy these beautiful images of one of the oddest roller coasters ever created. Train #2 struts its stuff! Train #2 showing wheel assemblies and connectors. How minimalist is this? Did IKEA build these trains? Train #2 with headlights blazing plows into an unbanked turn. Hang on!!!!!!!! Train #2 ascends lift. Note lower fin guide rain has been added. Train enters unload platform. Test train (sans roofs) heads toward lift. Note fins beneath cars that will be propelled by friction tires (bottom left) onto lift. Train # 2 awaiting more sandbags ... err ... passengers. From the construction crane, unload platform is on the left ... main station is dead ahead.

RIP Lighting Rod single rider line.