DILinator

And so it begins... Look, that's not what I said, nor what was said to me. In fact, as I understand it, CP wants to open the coaster, and it's just a matter of defying Intamin's wishes. Frankly, I don't know if Intamin has ultimate authority here, but I doubt they do. So hopefully CP tests the ride, it runs fine, and they do what they want to do, giving Intamin the finger. As for the veracity of what I heard, I believe in the sincerity of the person who told me the information MORE than I believe anybody posting on TPR (besides RAWKIN, Turtle Wax, and Robb, who I've all met) actually exists, and isn't just an android posting from the moon! It's possible he got bogus information, or misunderstood, but I rather doubt it... In the future, rest assured I'll keep these things to myself, as clearly, it's too difficult for people to disseminate possible reliable intel, from BS intel, and in our hobby, there's so much BS intel, that's understandable. My mistake probably, bringing it up at all...

I would have actually loved that!

I'm suddenly planning on taking my older kids down to Dollywood sometime before they close this year, and was actually targeting doing so the day after Thanksgiving. However, I was wondering, from those who may have done this before, what kind of crowds the park sees that day, or around the Thanksgiving Holiday in general? I went in November last year, on a Friday, and it was not crowded at all, but it also wasn't the day after Thanksgiving. If there are other days in November you recommend I go, let me know that as well! Also, I noticed the "get in free after 3 the day before" promotion states that it ends in October. Does that mean they don't run it at all again in November? If not, that's a shame I'll miss out on that! Lastly, am I correct in assuming that since I haven't heard much talk to the contrary, that LR is running pretty consistently these days? That would sure be great if that keeps up through November!

Not an AT fanboy, and I've never been actually, but I still think this coaster looks pretty fun! Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not sure why all the negativity about it... *shrugging smiley that doesn't exist* I'll say this, even though I like Log Flumes better than most (not coasterbill obviously! ), I'd rather have this than a Log Flume at my local park! Especially since AT doesn't have anything else like it. I look forward to riding it, whenever I finally make it across the pond!

Well dang! I'm actually pretty bummed about the loss of yet another Rotor... Where are there still some of these great, classic flats, once this one is gone?

I just rode D-Back in the back the other night... Still didn't hear any stinking rattle! Now Banshee in the back... Well, let's just say it's still a great ride, even it there MAY be a slight rattle.

Yeah, and upon reflection, I realize that now, looking back at it! I can even laugh at it myself! I was actually just dealing with some sh*t back here when I first saw those posts too, and let it bleed into my initial response a little as well, so apologies for that... I need to leave my personal life at the door when I come to TPR, just like they say about work!

Thanks for reminding me... I have a beer in the fridge I've been meaning to drink!

^Yes... Upon further reflection, and looking at it from the BIG PICTURE you mentioned there, I am thinking that I should have probably not even posted what I did in the first place... I wasn't intending to stir up a big internet-wide enthusiast controversy, just address the topic on hand, but you're right... Given the nature of the beast, it likely will get out of hand, all things considered... lol

O...K.... Just ignore the actual substantive content of my post and make jokes... That IS the TPR way, after all!

I'm not going to say too much on the matter, because I don't want to "out" people who received information that may be considered "privileged", but I will just add here that this situation with CF, Intamin, and the accelerator coasters may actually be a lot more on the "dire" end of the spectrum, than most of you, or any enthusiasts realize. After a conversation I had last weekend with friend, who is in regular contact with - we'll just call them "people who would know", to avoid publicly outing my friend - at CP regarding the situation with TTD, it's become more of a political matter with Intamin. In other words, the coaster could actually run again, but Intamin isn't signing off on it, as they want CP to buy their newest model of catch car (which is quite pricey). I don't know if there is a similar situation going on with Xcellerator, but I'm beginning to think that the rumored "bad blood" between Intamin and CP isn't just a rumor after all, because it definitely seems like Intamin is trying to hold a gun to their head, and force them to spend a ton on money on these coasters they don't want to spend, to "fix" them, and get them operating again. Kind of a "Oh, you won't buy our coasters anymore? Well, we'll find other ways to force you to spend money with us!" Again, I don't know much beyond this, and it's second-hand information, from second-hand information. But I DO trust the person who told me explicitly, and he is somebody that I know has had established relations at CP for over a decade now. So this isn't just "dippin' dots guy" hearsay... Bottom line? We could see TTD open again by the end of the year, if CP gets their way. But if they are not permitted to by Intamin for some reason (I don't understand how these things work I guess... Can a manufacturer actually prevent a park from opening a coaster that otherwise can run???), according to my friend, this mess could stretch out into next season and beyond even. And I can't help but wonder if this applies to Xcellerator as well...

Dueling Dragons is now #1 on my list of favorite defunct coasters, interestingly enough, bumping down another coaster with a "dragon" theme, "Drachen Fire". Such a shame... Such a pity...

This isn't a 100% certainty, but I may be making my first ever trip to CP for "Closing Day" this year! That's surprising, considering I've been going to CP my whole life, and have been to many Opening Days. But I don't believe, at least to my memory, I've ever attended a Closing Day before... At any rate, it's not a for sure thing, but if I go to an amusement park again this year, it'll be CP on the 29th!

The Beast @ Kings Island, last ride of the night on Friday!

Diamondback at KI! Just went on Friday, and that coaster still kicks SO much tail, especially in the back!

Expected among enthusiasts or people who should know better? - Yes. However, that doesn't mean it's acceptable. There's a difference between expected and acceptable. Thanks, this was going to be my basic response too! As we said, it's unacceptable. However, none of what you said really surprised me, not even from Cedar Point, I place I typically love, when it comes to this time of year. it just doesn't. I have found that contrary to what some new age hippie types would like to believe, the world is not getting better, people and situations are continuously deteriorating all around us, and it's not surprising that CF's business model, and customer service standards, at least when it comes to Halloweekends and FastLane administration, are slipping as well. That would explain why you have found this year's version to be worse than previous years'. I just know when I went ages ago, it was bad enough I swore I'd never go back on a Saturday, and I haven't! I bolded the fact again, for emphasis, that yes: the current fast lane program IS a blatant money grab on Cedar Point's part! It does NOT exist to make your day at Cedar Point better. When it did, it was free, and was only good for use twice a day per person, and was a great program from a customer service standpoint, and was very well regulated, and utilized! While I don't doubt that they probably DO limit how many fast lanes they sell... I'm not going to straight out call them liars... If they CAN sell as many as possible for $150 a pop, don't you think they're probably going to? Especially when they have built queues for the fast lane that are long enough to accommodate a healthy line? So I'm in total agreement with you on your point! However, I'm not sure how this is really anything new or earth shattering, since it's pretty much S.O.P. for CP and CF in general... I mean, I feel for you, and your family man, I do! I can't STAND to spend money, and feel like I'd have been better off just burning it! But that's why I don't go to CP except for at certain times these days... (Hint... Hint... Come hang with me mid-week in May when I'll be riding Steel Vengeance with sub-20 minute waits and no Fast Pass! )

I totally get after Labor Day, and also maybe the first week or so of the season. But honestly, as somebody who attends CP virtually ONLY during the month of May, I have experienced very little in the way of poor operations most of the month, outside of Opening Day, and maybe that first week. Generally, it's an awesome time to go to the park, and I HIGHLY recommend it! Please don't take me for being a straight up @$$ for the following comment, because I'm really not trying to be... but... You went on a Halloweekends Saturday. Towards the end of the season. I mean... I pretty much could have told you that you would have experienced virtually everything you experienced ahead of time. As for greed? HECK YEAH!!! CF is ALL ABOUT $$$ Let's be real here... When they cared about customer experience, they had a free hand stamp, one for each hand, that allowed you to utilize a skip the line feature twice a day. Fast Lane is 100% about greed, and 0% about giving you a better day at one of their parks... Don't get that twisted! Now, if you happen to have a better day at one of their parks in the process (like Prozach reports at KI, or KD), then everybody wins! But that certainly isn't CF's #1 priority, nor concern. Not trying to sound cold, nor uncaring, just being real about it. And I'm saying that as a lifelong CP lover, and attendee, who will practically live there next May! Greed is just what CF has become all about... The bottom line. *shrugs* And yes, Halloweekend Saturdays are living, breathing nightmares that need to be avoided at all costs, and I've been telling all of my friends that for well over a decade now! I just don't understand how that could be fun for anyone, coaster fan or not. Wait... What??? Are you saying you never went to an amusement park before the advent of this insipid (IMHO) thing called fast pass, or that you never had fun there if you did? Dude, that's how us "old school" peeps did it all the time! That was simply the amusement park going experience! Sure, I've now learned how to avoid having to do that at CP, and in my "old age" don't care much for waiting in those kind of lines if I can avoid it (but I won't waste my hard earned money on skip the line passes either when I can just go at a time when I'll wait 15 minutes for Valravn Opening Year.) I'm just surprised by the notion that waiting in a long line for a coaster, without paying for a skip the line pass, is now suddenly such a foreign, or outdated concept! lol I've waited about 3 hours for Raptor before, in its early years, and probably the longest I've waited for a coaster at CP is TTD, opening season, including breakdowns, about 4-5 hours... Yeah... Baked and burnt that day!

You'll probably see a lot of me there then, because that's when I'm going to be there frequently, as I am every year! But I'll be there even more than normal next year, thanks to Steel Vengeance! And I can assure you, from my experience, they are FAR from a myth, my friend! Mid-weeks in May are the only time to go to CP, in my opinion, and I have ZERO problem pulling my kids from a day or two of school to take them there to capitalize on that! Oh, definitely go with KI! It kicks @$$! Can't wait to be there tomorrow night once again!!! (And drive two hours farther than CP to do so!)

Does anybody know if the 10ckers at the front entrance of the park are the kind you can rent all day? Or if they are only for a couple of hours, like the ones at Banshee, and Firehawk? And if they are for all day, what do they cost? Thanks in advance!

Depends on what you want. KI is open an hour later and has more Haunt mazes and better Haunt mazes. Didn't see any shows at Halloweekends when we went but the shows at KI are great. Also: Beast, Diamondback, Timbers, Banshee, Bat, Adventure Express,... are all amazing at night during Haunt. Personally, I think KI has a better atmosphere during Haunt than Cedar Point does. Of course, you don't get Maverick, MF, and the others (except Dragster) but you can go on a summer night during ERT (or CoasterMania!) for the night ride experiences if that's what you're after. But yeah.... after going to Halloweekends once last year and once this year and KI Haunt many more times, I highly recommend KI Haunt over Halloweekends. Of the few mazes at CP, there are only a couple I'd really say are worth waiting a long time for, if any. Let me just +1 all of that, as somebody who is a lifelong CP fan, and die-hard! When it comes to Haunt, or Halloweekends, whatever you want to call it, KI wins easily, in my opinion! RAWKIN gave you a great run down of the reasons why, and I put my money where my mouth is, getting my Platinum Pass for next near through KI, so I got my free visit there this year! I'll be going down this Friday night, and enjoying Haunt for the third straight year. It's SO great!

I can't help but think this is going to be another time that NSL fires a shot across CP's bow, and snipes their records from them, a-la Steel Dragon and MF back in the day. I could see them turning White Cyclone into a hybrid coaster just enough to best Steel Vengeance in all major categories: height, speed, inversions, length, airtime, while maintaining the 90 degree drop. Just a thought. The timing of the announcement seems to scream that to me as well... I guess we shall see!

I enjoy it too! Part of that is because there aren't any in Michigan, so it's a novelty when I travel. But also, it's so dang cheap, and I find the food good, and it's really hard to F-Up breakfast food in general anyway!

Probably because to the untrained eye it looks like a bunch of dirt. Personally I never give a sh*t about coaster construction until it starts to look like something that resembles a coaster. Ditto! I mean, people keep posting pictures of the site in this thread, and I'm like "It's the same dang picture over and over!!!" Very, very true! Well played!

Man, I need to get to this park one of these years... Every year I plan to go to PPP, and every year I don't make it! Well, NEXT YEAR IS THE YEAR!!! (I mean it this time, for realz! )

Ha Ha! Same here! Great minds think alike I guess! My new FB Profile Pic, too... (Which you know! lol) Methinks maybe I'm obsessed with this coaster...