KI Kidd

Cedar Point: Millennium Force's 1st drop Kings Island: Drop Tower Holiday World: Voyage's triple down Michigan's Adventure: Shivering Timbers drop out of the turn around Dollywood: Wild Eagle's 1st drop Universal Orlando: Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit's 1st drop IOA: Hulk's first drop Disney World Resort: Everest's drop out of the mountain

^The mice at MiA, VF, and CGA are all Arrow Mad Mouse coaster which I have found to be far superior to other manufacturer's models. Glad you had a good time!

MiA is, more or less, what it is. It is never going to be Cedar Point, heck it will probably never be Dorney but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The water park is the draw and so that's where the money goes. Would it be nice to see some thrilling flats and a new coaster? Of course. But the fact is that for the vast majority of MiA's market it is the place for this type of entertainment. While this board isn't necessarily the best representation of this, most families would choose the 45 min drive to MiA over the 3+ hours to SFGAm or CP so that's who they cater too. As has been stated, the park is doing very well financially. They don't have 11 coasters because they don't need 11 coasters. There is a breakdown of CF park profit margins floating around from 2012 (I think) that shows that MiA is one of the most profitable parks in the chain.

Great report! I wish more parks had TRs like this one.

I don't know about the walk back but your platinum pass will get you in at 9am.

The concept art looks awesome! I think this looks like a fabulous addition for both the whales and the guests.

KI's does launch at full speed like KD's.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit was far and away the biggest coaster let down I've had. It looks like such a fun ride with some cool theming. My two rides were absolutely horrible though.

Alrighty...first of all this sounds like a great trip! Lots of great parks and coasters to hit! I'll give my advice a park at a time as I have been to all of them except Conneaut. Holiday World: Plan on getting there at opening if possible and make a beeline for Voyage when the park opens you should be able to get in 2-3 rides with little or no wait. Gobbler Getaway (shooting dark ride) is right there as well and is a fun ride. If you are planning on hitting the water park be at the entrance when the park opens and head directly to whichever of the Mammoth/Wildebeest/Zinga/Bukali quartet that you are most looking forward to (I would personally suggest Wildebeest) and then afterwards get in line for your second choice. Since it is a Saturday there is a possibility of a pretty packed Splashin' Safari. The lines in dry park really start to thin out after lunch (even on weekends) and you should have no trouble getting multiple rides on all three coasters if you so desire. Liberty Launch is a surprisingly fun S&S tower but is really the only stand out flat ride. I suggest riding Raven in the very back, Voyage in either the very front (smoothest seat) or very back (more out of control feeling), and Legend wherever as it is more about the laterals. Kentucky Kingdom: Ah good old Kentucky Kingdom. First piece of advice, don't wear a speedo, breastfeed, or be disabled. (Just kidding). Lightning Run is the star of the show here. It is great the Thunder Run is running again (and running better then I remember it running ever before) but the new kid on the block steals the show. I went on a weekday and really had minimal waits all around. Lightning Run's restraints are very restrictive to bigger riders so if you or anyone you are with is on the hefty side I would advise them to take advantage of the test seat. (As a point of reference I have a 38" waist and just barely fit.) I didn't spend any time in the water park on my one visit this year so I can't help you there. Kings Island: Monday should be a good day to be there and unless marathoning Firehawk or Backlot Stunt Coaster is your plan you can get everything done without Fast Lane. I would be there at opening and head back to X-Base and get in line for either Firehawk or Flight or Fear and then ride the other once you get off the first. I would then suggest going to Backlot Stunt Coaster. Everything else except Invertigo has pretty good capacity and shouldn't have waits longer than 20 minutes. Beast, Vortex, Banshee, and Diamondback are all have great capacity and really can be ridden at anytime. Drop Tower, Delirium, and WindSeeker are the big flats and especially Drop Tower shouldn't be missed. The Cirque Imagine show is incredibly good for a show at a Cedar Fair park. Coasters that are best in back: Banshee, Diamondback, The Bat, and Invertigo. Coasters to ride in specific seats: Vortex ride in 5-1 and only in 5-1 (this is crucial), Racer and Beast are both best in the second to last rows The rest can really be ridden wherever. Banshee and Beast are absolutely fantastic night rides if you are going to be there after dark. Cedar Point: There really isn't a 'wrong way' to do Cedar Point, because its Cedar Freaking Point. If you have a Platinum Pass or are staying on site take advantage of the early entry and get a few rides in on Maverick and Millennium Force before the crowds get there. Both of these rides can have long waits on otherwise slower days. Just before the park opens to the public go and get in line for Dragster. This will take your three longest waits out of the way early and open up the rest of your day to do as you please. The rides at the front of the park (Raptor, GateKeeper, and Blue Streak) have much shorter lines in the evening. Many suggest starting at the back of the park and working forwards throughout the day, while this strategy is a sound one if you get the big three out of the way early there won't be too many rides with crazy long lines. Coasters to ride in back: Millennium Force, Blue Streak, Corkscrew (surprisingly forceful pop of air on the camelback), Raptor, GateKeeper, and Wicked Twister Coasters to ride in the front: Maverick Coasters with specific seats: Magnum in 3-1 The rest can really be ridden wherever. Waldameer: Not a whole lot of planning necessary on this one. Its a fun park but not really an all day one. Crowds were very light when I was there in 2011. Ravine Flyer II is incredible in the back but is really the only 'must ride' in the park. If you are a real credit whore there is a Tivoli at the Indianapolis Zoo if you have time to hit it. I hope you have a great time, I hope this helps, and I can't wait to see your TR!

^Plus it is usually a much shorter wait in the evening, as is Raptor. I see a lot of people talking about doing GateKeeper during early entry but every time I have been at CP the last few years (admittedly always during the week) it has never been more then 20-25 minutes at most in the evening. I think your early entry time is much better spent on MF and Maverick and getting in line for Dragster then on GateKeeper.

I spent a couple days at the park this past week on my family's annual Michigan vacation and I have to say that the park was looking great. Very very clean. Timbers was also running amazingly well. They just need one thrilling flat to bring the dry side together. A Screamin' Swing or an S&S tower would do wonders.

I would agree that it seems to make the most since that this could be for the Wonder Mountain type installation.

^^ Ride Cornball Express as many times as possible!! ^Galaxi has already been removed. All that remains is the ride entrance sign.

Looks like a great trip! Thanks for sharing!

Same here. A lot of the hotels in the area were booked and they are having the spirit festival. I'm thinking Fast Lane is a must... Should I just go ahead and order it now? It is very likely that this could be one of the few weekends that Fast Lane sells out. The park is an absolute zoo during Spirit Song. I would highly recommend going another weekend if possible but Fast Lane is a must if you are going any of those three days.

Just registered! It will be my first TPR event!

It is actually the front row of the 5th car that is the 'magic seat' on Vortex. Much much smoother than the rest, plenty of airtime on the first drop, and great hang time in the corkscrews.

Here is what Don posted on KIC: Link

^It's supply an demand. I would expect them to continue to rise until they find find a price point that is no longer maximizing profit for the park. GateKeeper is usually less then 15 minutes on weekday evenings anyway.

^Thanks for posting that!

Who manufactured the trains for Coaster?

I find it interesting that Coco Cruiser is a Zamperla family gravity coaster, one of the worst children's coaster there is. I would rather have seen them get a reguar wacky worm than this. Yeah all the kids were b*@!&ing about it too! I heard things like "Zamperla sucks!" and "Great Pumpkin Coaster is so much more intense!"

I just Excel for mine. I have a year by year list with ride counts for each park I visit that year and the another worksheet in the same workbook that I keep an overall total on.

Kings Island has one in Action Zone this year and I believe I read something about Cedar Point having one this year too.

Tony being Tony or something to talk about? New markings at CP.