kenban

I wonder if there is enough money left in the budget for another 2017 coaster project. The expansion of Breakers express is likely at least 6 million plus a couple of million for renovations to the rest of the hotel. But the new wing of Breakers will likely be 30+ million. 100k for a hotel room is normal for cheap hotels, Breakers is likely $200k+ per a room and the wing will have 158 rooms. There is another 5 million for the sports complex. A few million for the water park and Cedar Point is already over $30 or 40 million for 2017 depending on how the cost of Breakers is being spread across 2017 and 2018 capital budgets.

If I remember correctly this work would be next to the water park? Could it just be the Thunder Falls slide complex being moved from Wildwater Kingdom.

The difference between New Jersey and Ohio is that Ohio has a law which to my knowledge no other state has which requires parks to follow all manufacturer recommendations. I do not know that B&M does have a minimum temperature. It is very possible they just have guidelines such as needing brake heaters at a specific temperature. I would bet this is a problem which the park can work around. But Kings Island will need permission from B&M for Diamondback or Banshee.

^^ It is actually easy to check. PTC provides a list complete with pictures and dates on what trains have been sent back on their website. They currently have details going back to 2011. I do not remember Kings Island ever running any of the coasters during Winterfest in the past. With the event 15 months away the park has plent of time to add additional attractions. If the park wants they can run the coasters when it is below freezing if they add brake heaters and heaters below the station to keep the wheels and lubricants on the train hot. Assuming they can get permission from the manufacturers. Ohio state law requires parks to follow all manufacturers guidelines.

Kings Island does the PTC maintenance in house. Cedar Point sends the trains off.

^^ I largely agree except I recommend jumping between the large chains for example Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, and Hyatt based on the promotions. Earlier this year Marriott was running a promotion where you got a free night if you had two seperate stays, so just make two one night stays. I earned the free night at cheap Fairfield Inns and used it at a hotel next to Magic Mountain charging $200+ on a weekend.

I think it is important to point out the park never announced the flat rides. Cedar Fair announced the purchase and where they would go, without a time for when it would occur. Something could have changed between then and now which might have reduced the number of rides, maybe corporate decided one would be better at another park. I suspect this really is just the park formally announcing four flat rides. Nine flat rides just seems like it is too much.

The employee from GCI claimed he does not know, so either that is a lie or it cannot be part of the coaster track itself. It almost has to be a show scene of some kind.

The general manager of the park just announced that the park has a second major announcement for 2017 which will be occurring later. So there is more than just this GCI coming.

Just an FYI the track out front is from the original coaster.

Here is my prediction. GCI 110 ft. high 3300 ft. long 55 MPH top speed Metal support structure like White Lightning If I counted correctly will cross over WWC 6 times. I want this to be an RMC, but the realist in me looks at the overview of the layout and it just screams GCI. Still have zero explanation for why the park would build the ride here because Cedar Fair is not in the habit of building rides above each other. If this is an RMC, I think it will be a fun layout with barrel rolls over WWC, a stall over the reservoir, etc.

I just read the contract again. I was wrong on one item. Disneyland cannot use Marvel in any way in the park or advertising. So if they do decide to build a Marvel section they will have to call it something generic or just not give it a title. Here is the section which allows Disney World to build the ride. Basically a park east of the Mississippi is limited to using characters not used by Universal Orlando in an attraction or major marketing. Which includes Guardians of the Galaxy.

Somewhat the companies hands are tied in most aspects but there are small loop holes. The contract is just slightly more narrow then your making it out to be. Disney World cannot use the name Marvel, they also cannot use characters or plots which are part of X-Men, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, or the Avengers. The contract is very specific that these are the families they have the rights to which is because that is what the four rides are based on. Also if Universal removes a ride or changes the theming they loose the right to that family of characters. So if they remove Storm Force for example they loose the rights to X-Men. The Avengers is the biggest problem since just about everything tends to interact with them at one point or another. Basically this leaves Guardians of the Galaxy and other largely stand alone super heroes. Disney World has already used characters from Guardians of the Galaxy a year or two ago at an after hours ticketed event. Basically as long as Disney World works within the limits of the contract Guardians of the Galaxy is possible. Also it is always possible Disney will just offer a pile of cash to get out of the contract. Disneyland actually has a problem as well. They can only use the name Marvel west of the Mississippi, so they have to watch advertising to make sure they either only advertise west of the Mississippi or not use Marvel in marketing. But I cannot see this ever happening in Florida. The reason that Tower of Terror in DCA is changing is largely based on its location. The ride will be the gateway into the new Marvel land which will be built on an existing parking lot. They are trying to take a small parking lot and turn it into an entire land and it just required more space then it was possible to make. So instead they are converting an existing ride.

I wish people would wait until they ride a coaster before they rank them. I find that Storm Chaser is actually the worst RMC I have ridden, this includes Goliath. The RMC ranking thread seems to agree with that assessment as well. It is still a good coaster but it is not a great coaster.

^My recommendation for dinner is just eat in the park. It will be more expensive than fast food but it is very good and I never felt that it was unreasonable. Plus if your girlfriend is a huge potter fan I bet she would love the chance to eat at the Three Broomsticks or Leaky Cauldron. For example the Rotisserie Chicken Platter at the Three Broomsticks is $10.99 and comes with corn on the cob and roasted potatoes. Most of the meals range from $10 to $15. I will warn you now that if she is a really big Potter fan I would not be surprised to see her wanting a bunch of other stuff when she is at the park. Wands are popular, and expensive, and some of them allow you to interact with objects around both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. The Butterbeer is fantastic and who can pass up an ice cream from Florean Fortescue's. Which if you decide on the rib dinner at the Three Broomsticks at least consider the dining plan. You could then use the snack credit for either Butterbeer or ice cream. But the Rib Dinner is about the only good use for the dining plan.

I am guessing the purple area is where Secret Life of Pets is likely to be located? I have been hearing conflicting rumors of where the second phase of Harry Potter will be located. The first is the upper lot replacing Water World, which is what Screamscape keeps reporting. But many other sites have been reporting it will be on the lower lot. To me those 4 sound stages together looks like the most logical location to build London. They should be able to fit Diagon alley, Gringotts, and a Hogwarts Express. The Hogwarts express is the most difficult attraction to build. It is just a very large height difference so either it will be steep, or require a switch back.

^I expect a bridge similar to Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer. I doubt this would add a lot of cost to the ride. From a logistical stand point they need a maintence road. There needs to be a way to get the trains on and off the track. Once they build the ride entrance I do not see how they could do it through the park like Diamondback. Also the new entrance to WWC blocks one side. The more immediate problem is construction equipment, my understanding is that the tree clearing services are already using this as a road to get in and out of the area. Also I have seen stakes on the banks of the water close to the middle. Why else would the park clear those trees? From appearances this will not be wide enough to run two sections of track next to each other. Plus there is an existing maintenance road and this would just extend that.

^ I could be wrong but I do not think we are seeing the path of the coaster. This looks like a construction/maintence road. I believe the coaster will pass over the water and not really be very close to the train tracks.

Panic table?? I wrote that on my cell phone. Makes me wonder just how bad it was before auto-correct. I did a much better job back when cell phones had physical keys.

Anyone have a picture of the track bending machine GCI uses? This is when the machine showed up at Worlds of Fun for Prowler. Kings Island posted a picture to snapchat and while it was labeled a panic table it looks like a machine table.

^^They also confirmed it is a retrofit of an existing ride. Most likely Hurler at Kings Dominon. The ride is SBNO and the park announced it would be getting a retrofit before reopening next year.

It closes for around an hour but if the park closes at 10 then yes it would be 9:30. You should be fine jumping in line at 9:45.

It can be hard to get multiple night rides on The Beast. Part of the problem is that the ride shuts down 30 minutes early due to the fireworks. The line stays open so you can still get in line up to closing. Then around 30 minutes after the fireworks once they are certain the ride is not on fire they reopen the ride to finish running the line. It is easier to get multiple night rides in the fall when the sunset is earlier.

Sorry I guess I was not explicit enough. The free upgrade for fast lane is gone. It no longer exists at any Cedar Fair park. Last year it was only available at Cedar Point. There is no harm in asking but unless the park reinstated it in the last month it is no longer an option.

The free upgrade on fast lane for platinum pass holders was not continued. It disappeared from the website not long before the start of the season.