Midgetman82

Wow, look at all of those trees they've added to the park map. The landscaping crew sure is planning ahead on keeping the park from looking like a concrete jungle in the upcoming years. I noticed last weekend that they've even started work under LR! Shot from last weekend. What was dirt under Lightning Run is now that fertilizer stuff you lay on top of the dirt to grow grass... I forget what they call them. And I agree on the placement of rides. Skycatcher is reeeally singled-out among the other dry rides. Like, it's basically in the water park now, haha. But they gotta to make-do with whatever available plots of land they have. Plus, I'm sure the view at the top from where it'll be would be pretty nice.

From last weekend @ Kentucky Kingdom. I promised myself earlier this year that I'd leave my 8mm lens at home more often... but decided to bust it out for this visit and ended up using it a lot. I know some photographers don't really care for them or hark-on about how much they dislike their effects, but it's just a really, really fun lens to use! It just puts a new perspective on areas you usually can't photograph very well or you're used to photographing. Plus it's a fully-manual prime lens, so I get a lot of control and the image quality on is super sharp! Lightning Run by Midgetman82, on Flickr Lightning Run by Midgetman82, on Flickr ^Here's a non-fisheye photo to save your sanity. I have another similar photo, only this one has a train in the shot and leaves on the tree.

I'd assume with the Zepplin ride being moved further north of the park, they'd place one of the flats in its old spot. Plus, the drag strip's tracks were removed when I last saw them from Mile High Falls, so there's another spot! So very happy so see a star flyer coming to the park. The one at the Kentucky State Fair was my favorite addition to the midway's lineup, so this taller version is sure to be a hit with families! It also adds to the park's skyline yet again!

^^Do my eyes deceive me? Is the original red paint color still under that layer of black after all of these years?! ^And I agree that it would look awesome in those two colors. It would pay homage to the ride's previous colors, and to nearby Uni. of Louisville's colors.

I was in the same boat, yet I was comfortable at a Starbucks when I began reading it. My love of the water park industry pretty much kept me going through the article, and it's safe to say it was worth it. Great article. It had many, many things I didn't know about the industry! It's also great to be able to learn more about its history, and hear more about the "pioneers" within the industry.

-I'm a strong laptop user, though between classes I carry my iPad around so I can surf, post, and view on the go (when wifi is available). -I don't comment on YouTube videos as much as I used to, mainly from when more brainless zombies began learning how to use a keyboard. It also made it not worth bothering scrolling through anymore once quantity overshadowed quality. Glad to see TPR is one of those channels anyone with a YouTube account that likes roller coasters is likely subscribed to. I go to certain parks (well, a recent visit to Kentucky Kingdom) and sometimes literally hear people talking about crazy park videos you've posted. This is GP speaking, too.

I love riding coasters in the rain! Lightning Run in the rain is absolutely nuts! The ride already delivers wild rides, but add water and it is on another level!

It's probably there permanently so workers have easier access to the magnets.

I assume it varies in different sections (topping off somewhere under 200 feet), considering they had to get the airport to shut down a runway to install a 121 foot tall water slide at the back corner of the park, yet they used to own a 180 foot SkyCoaster near the front.

Viper at Six Flags Astroworld. Far from home, and feels more like a dream than anything. I was deathly afraid of loopers at the time, and my oldest brother assured me we were in line for a non-looping version. Best lie I've ever been told.

Couldn't agree more. Better to have some overgrowth near the tracks than open flat concrete, piles of dirt, or parking lot, especially since it covers a lot of the urban areas outside of the park.

Suspended coasters are good when done right. Arrow made sure to deliver fast speeds and quick transitions with them, but I'm sure any modern company that would pick up the designs would have them gently swinging left and right instead as a family coaster, if not to pull a Six Flags move to reduce maintinence costs. Lets also not forget about Dream Catcher and Vampire, which aren't super fast suspended coasters as well.

Sounds prefect, actually! I don't really care all that much about the haunt, and I can survive without night rides (though admittedly, that would've been nice). It means I could make the day drive up there, ride the rides, and get home to get enough sleep before classes on Monday.

... oh. I should've check first. Might have to make it a Sunday trip then.

^It's going to be an all-day thing for me, from opening to hopefully close. I assume Friday morning would be quite fine.

I'm planning on visiting Kings Island sometime late September or in October. Would my best bet on getting shortest lines be on a Friday at the park, or one of the two weekend days? I'd really like to avoid getting any of the fast lanes as well.

They're out of the woods... for now.

Adding on: Drop towers either go really big, or get reinvented (rotates, pivots, slow climb before immediate release, vibrating seats, etc.). Sometimes, simple just isn't enough.

New Eden - Animals as Leaders

They did it, they're fully funded.

Well, even the older games had weird and slightly-obnoxious sounds whenever they operated. The ghost house in RCT 1 and 2 had a skeleton appearing out of the attic with a haunting echo twice, each later followed by two different screams. RCT3 had a funhouse with different parts on it making laughter, clapping of wood, and sirens. It wouldn't necessarily be unusual to the game.

Kings Island Dino, sometime in October of 2011.

Another plan for an insanely huge park in Dubai? The sheer number of giant parks planned and parks completed in the U.A.E. still leave me quite speechless. Hopefully this one falls through successfully, because it looks neat.

^Thia was my main worry with the possible sandbox mode. Creating monstrous, intricate, fully-themed-to-the-core parks with the maps available in RCT3 was fun, but immensely sizing down the map would be bringing the franchise a couple steps backwards, imo.

What about Best New Park of 2014...? These awards are definitely biased, if you ask me. I can't argue with some of the top contenders (especially considering I've never been to nearly half of the parks nominated), but it seems like some within the wood and steel lists could've been ranked differently. The latest reviews I've heard about Apollo's Chariot have mostly been complaints about some aspect of the coaster I can't remember, but I wouldn't expect it to top New Texas Giant. And The Beast over Outlaw Run? Edit: I'm not saying the awards are bad, though. It's still great to see parks that are't big-name chains receive prestigious awards!