All Clear

Disney, schmisney. Your hair kicks ass. So very Duran Duran.

I save little stuff like parking tickets and entrance tickets/armbands. I also have a guidewheel and and upstop from The Legend. They make a nice little coffeetable centerpiece. I don't have anything as awesome as a tiny bottle of stink, though.

I just now started to post that I was glad that I got up there this year, as I had never been before. But then I remembered that I'm not particularly glad. I mean, I guess I'm glad in that, "At least I know for sure that it was an overall 'meh' experience with mostly sucking rides and very mostly surly staff" kind of way. But I'm not glad that I drove all the way there to get the experience that I got. Note: I don't do waterpark stuff. My comments only reflect my ride-side experience. I might feel a bit different if Geauga Lake was my home park, but I doubt it. I don't mind traveling a bit for a good park experience and I don't think I would continue to subject myself to a mediocre park experience for the sake of convenience. Case in point--King's Dominion has sucked this year in both operations and ride performance. It's only 20 minutes from where I live and I can't seem to motivate to get up there any more this year. If they announced tomorrow that they're going to taer it down, I'd not shed a tear. If I were geographically in a similar situation with Geauga Lake, I would much rather drive a little further and get King's Island or Kennywood or Cedar Point.

The whole end of The Legend is like that, in a way that would support the "lateral forces" arguement.

This made a nice desktop for a while... I have a better quality one on a disc somewhere. I don't know why this glitchy gif is all I could find on my HD. Knoebels' Twister, waaaaay oversaturated.

Fixed.

Awesome pictures! I tried to take my first trip ever to Cedar Point just a few days before you guys went. You know, the weekend where the weather report said "heavy thunderstorms with possible flooding?" I didn't even see the inside of the park, taking sad and pathetic to a whole new level. I did get to hit Geauga Swamp, though, to test-ride Dominator. I hope we get a better logo, too, as well as a paint-job.

Hmm. That doesn't sound like a thing where they'll miraculously finish up and have it running later tomorrow.... I think I'll be skipping Carowinds tomorrow and just plan on trying to get another trip in later this year. Edit: WAIT--they had to work on the footer? Does this mean that Carowinds is sinking now just like Cedar Point??? Thanks a lot, Cedar Fair.

Every time I go to King's Dominion it seems a bit worse than the time before. The main thing that gripes me is the employees. Simply put, they're a bunch of slackasses. In one visit, I saw the bar checker on Rebel Yell pushing the green button with one hand while noodling around with his cell phone with the other. About 4 employees were taking their break in the Hurler operating booth. The checkers were giving the all clear for about 20 seconds before the operator looked up from his conversation with an off-duty employee to see that it was time to dispatch. Meanwhile, the checker at the front of the train was yelling for him--not to tell him to dispatch, but to ask if he could go on break. The ops on Grizzly were paying so little attention that there were numerous no-nos as far as people exiting on the wrong side and re-entering (in front of other guests who were waiting), I saw a train go out where a guy in the back seat was talking on his cellphone as the train rolled out of the station. A guy who had just gotten off the ride was trying to reride, sitting with a single rider. The lapbars were already locked and half of them checked, but they went ahead and got the key (adding ages to the checking process, since the op threw the key to the checker, who missed, etc...) to pop it for him so this clown could go again. Cellphone usage is atrocious. It seemed like 2 out of 5 employees had one pressed to the ear. There was much more trash than usual, which I noticed after I walked by a girl who had a broom and dustpan in one hand and a phone in the other, up against her head, and she was looking up toward the trees, smiling and having a lovely conversation with the dude on the other end, but literally walking by wadded up napkins and empty cups. I only had two positive interactions with employees that day. The sweet girl who got me a coffee at CinnaBon made my day with her smile and courteousness. And the guy at guest services was very nice when I asked for an email address to which I might send some comments about my day at the park. As far as ride performance, Rebel Yell is a misery now, even in the front seat. Grizzly was shuffle city and there is a new jolt that I had never noticed before as you begin to climb after the first drop that gave me Villain flashbacks. Hurler--are you sitting down?--was the nicest ride of all three woodies. I didn't ride anything else but the adult wood coasters that day. I have a friend who has a relative in upper management. She said he used to get a bunch of comp tickets and stuff for friends and family. Not only does he not get those kind of perks anymore, but he also took a pretty significant paycut. My last visit was so bad, that I actually got the impression that they probably have some plans up their sleeve to make improvements, but that they just aren't bothering to implement them until next season. It's like they're just trying to finish up this year without the place burning down and then they'll really try in the spring. At any rate, I'm done with KD for this year and I'm still up in the air as to whether I'll get a pass for next year. Fortunately, I've got BGE down the road the other way, which has been knocking my socks off all year with customer service and operations. I'll be getting my crisp autumn park fix there, thanks.

I wouldn't have caught it if I hadn't seen it on this board. Instead of posting stuff like that only on the rides page, they should put a note on the calendar like they do for special events. Robbie "considers Borg to be credit whoring" Crockett

I have never done the whole flyers thing. But for you, I will try. My trip to Carowinds is officially back on, Top Gun or no. Robbie "to be honest, flyers scare me" Crockett

Because they suck? I'm glad you posted that. When I check a park website before going, I usually only look at the calendar. I would have been supremely annoyed this weekend if I hadn't known beforehand that TG would be closed. Now it's a little up in the air about whether I'll go or not. I'm missing a couple of credits from there (including backward Thunder Road, which I see will also be closed)... Top Gun is really the only ride I was truly looking forward to.

Mrs. Koch and I were text messaging back and forth the other day and she was all "i needz aquatrx plz kthxbai."

.... Just havin a wee bit o fun. ... As was I. No harm intended, none done? I should have thrown in one of these . Cheers.

I'm just glad someone finally said "Aquatrax." Because that one never gets old. I hope someone else will say it soon. Maybe someone could start keeping track of how many time they say it and then start a thread telling everyone when they've reached eleven million.

CEDAR POINT WEBCAM??? OMG where'd I put thoes tissues???!!1!

Winner.

Worst: Driving all the way to Cedar Point (9 hours) only to be rained out and never even see the inside of the park plus being evac'd from Breakers Express in the middle of the night. Best: Voyage ERT after dark plus fudge.

^A boomerang can also be used to beat the crap out of someone.

These just don't appeal to me at all. Not even a little bit.

I think it's hilarious you noticed that. Actually, we all worked at KD at some point in the past, that's how most of us know each other. And by hilarious you mean pathetic? I went way too many times a couple of years ago and usually rode Rebel Yell in the front seat several times each time. Once when I went with some friends, one of the security guards at the front gate asked where I had been, that he hadn't seen me lately. My friends still bring that one up from time to time.

Starliner at Lakemont was really great when I rode it in 2005. Then I went back in 2006 and it was a very different story--lots of jackhammering and shuffling. Cannon Ball at Lake Winnie was fantastic. Not a wild ride by any means, but highly enjoyable.

Well, I'm withholding judgment until they finish it and I'm able to get there in person with my very own protractor and measure the angle of descent myself. Then and only then will I decide if this is going to be a fun amusement ride or not.

And what with the peninsula sinking and all--the weight of one more coaster would take Millie down within just a few more months.

I go all the time and I have never. seen. Hummel Boy. (In person.) Do I have to turn in my platinum pass?