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Sounds great! The Windseeker lighting packages are really something else. I'm glad they look after the lighting in the park, as that really adds a lot to the night atmosphere.

Apparently the park is also receiving a kiddie coaster. The name, Wild West Express Coaster, didn't give me any clues as to its origin. Miner Mike, maybe? But the most important question is: will it allow adults?

I think if they market it well, a length record could work. Besides, I could see people forgetting exactly what they'd heard, and thinking of it as the "biggest" coaster, and then that could turn into a rumor that it's the tallest or fastest. So in the end, what matters it's that it's any record that isn't too gimmicky.

I can't get enough of that. I don't know how it will ride, but it sure looks appealing...

The Hurricane is a pleasingly action-packed compact coaster layout. Some are tame, but I've ridden a couple more intense ones featuring not only the infamous Death Drop, but also a section so jerky it practically felt like an inversion. I might have to make a full Colorado park tour some year, since this is a bit out-of-range for a quick Denver trip. After all the rumors, I'm glad this coaster really has a future. Sounds like the park is developing into something really interesting. Hopefully more enthusiasts will take note now that there is a (commonly counted) credit.

Thanks for sharing the specifics of what happened. I'd been wondering, since there's a big difference between asking something commonly considered acceptable (if the tone is appropriate) like "Are you crazy?" versus using terms that are widely considered offensive or could hit too close to home. I think this falls into the latter category. About the trip report, I thought complaining about closed rides was pointless and illogical, to say the least. I'm glad to hear that the parks actually did share some tantalizing tidbits of information about new attractions and improvements. I hope Knott's will follow through on new Ghostrider trains (if they'll truly help) and a dark ride!

Requirements aside, I thought it seemed pretty obvious that someone could both need (or strongly benefit from) the lift and be qualified to ride the coaster. I'm glad that is now understood in this thread.

I didn't really notice the ampersand resemblance myself until the last few updates, but now, it almost seems like it was intentionally designed that way. Looking at that artful helix actually gives me pause, as some of the massive B&M Mega turns still unnerve me. The dive out of it looks like great fun.

^While the restraints are comfortable and eliminate headbanging, I think a lot of people felt The Great Nor'Easter at Morey's was still very rough and jerky. I'm all for adding them to more Vekomas, though!

Can't wait to see that view with completed theming and a train in it. Looks like something I'd want to frame on my wall.

I'm looking forward to seeing that helix complete, and seeing some trains run through it, too. What a neat design.

Awesome, awesome and more awesome. Are there any other car-cars out there that look this good?

I noticed a couple positive reports on Ghostrider. Is this just a temporary result of a recent rehab, or has it been improved in ways that might be lasting? I did enjoy it during WCB 2010, although it was rough.

^The same thing has been happening on Portland public transportation lately. There have been several incidents where people took photos or video of crimes or threats, but nobody contacted security or emergency services. In some cases I could be sympathetic (if it's ambiguous whether a situation is dangerous, or if there is reason to believe adequate help is on the way), but in many cases, it's just perplexing.

Some things are best kept private.

Wow, that looks seriously impressive. I admire both the theme and the level of detail. It should add a lot to the ride!

I'm still confused by this. How would you explain it? I feel like I've heard both that they're two different kinds of music, or that "rap" is a music genre whereas "hip-hop" is a culture that encompasses rap music. Either way, there are a few artists I would characterize as only one or the other, but otherwise I can't tell the difference. Is there supposed to be a lot of overlap?

^Oh, they actually updated them? When?

Seriously, I know the new restraints cost a lot of money and aren't highly marketable, but I wish more parks would go ahead and go with them anyway. Those headbangers look even uglier now that I know what else is out there.

Sad to hear all this bad news about Green Lantern. I know this sounds harsh, but I almost want to hope the general public doesn't like it either, so the chain isn't inspired to install more butchered versions. Then again, when it's partly a matter of comparison to the foreign ZacSpins, that might not be likely. It still gets long lines, right? On the other hand, I'm still clinging to a faint hope I might manage to like this. Even if it doesn't flip, perhaps it will have some sort of appeal to my sometimes quirky tastes. I certainly like the sound of the better-run ones.

^Wow, the aqua actually looks really nice with the faded red (though I'd imagine it would look bad in person). I wouldn't mind if they intentionally paired the aqua with, say, a bright coral.

^I've tried to do some research on that, but I couldn't find anything more helpful than RCDB, which states it's still operating, but nowadays only during a fair. Hopefully that's still accurate (you know, on the off-chance an enthusiast actually decides to go there). I was having trouble finding recent pictures or documentation of the ride.

That has a nice ring to it, and I think "Boardwalk" is such a classic term to incorporate into park names. I agree that it would be nice to add a real boardwalk somewhere in the park (I'm assuming there is none), since I find it a bit odd that Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, as far as I know, is all concrete... I know people can be very protective of names, in some cases refusing to switch over to new ones, but doesn't Kentucky Kingdom have a bad reputation to shed? I'd think a name change could help with that.

Off-topic, but I absolutely agree. I used to be deeply perplexed by the people who rate it highly and speak well of it, until I realized it used to run much differently. Personally, I found it easily very close to the worst coaster I've ridden in the back seat, with only a single redeeming (and pleasantly surprising) pop of airtime in the front seat. I think at least a half-dozen of my lower-ranked woodies are significantly tamer (and, in some cases, also rougher) than they once were. From what I've read, High Roller at Valleyfair and Comet at Hersheypark are some of the more infamous offenders apart from Thunderhawk.

Well, hopefully it was one of those grandiose proposals that never would've stood a chance under any circumstances, rather than a sound idea blocked only by the city. Or, better yet, hopefully they do manage to find some success.