jamesdillaman

Well, when they put seatbelts on it, it pretty much guarantees stacking trains, but still if you've been there when there are only two trains on the ride, you'll be waiting in an empty station. The way the blocking is now (Block 1: end of station to top of lift 1, Block 2: Top of lift 1 to top of lift 2, Block 3: Top of lift 2 to safety brakes, Block 4: Ready brakes, Block 5:Station) is the main culprit. Since the train can no longer be stopped in the brake shed in the woods (Where the magnetic trim is that everyone hates), they have to treat that as one large block. The first year I worked there (before the seatbelts), we would have a train ready to dispatch and one SLOWLY crawling up the lift as block 2 wasn't vacated yet. Then the train would stop at the top of lift 1. Once the other train went off of lift two, we'd restart lift 1, and you could then finally dispatch the train in the station. With a good crew this would happen all day. Constantly setting up a train on lift 1, restarting the lift and then dispatching a train from the station that's been ready for 20-30 seconds. Like I said above, though, if you've ever been there with 2-train operation on the Beast, you'll still notice a wait 90% of the time for a train to come in the station.

^ What he said. If you want to check out a ride in its inaugural season mid-May is definitely not the time you want to go. Either June or better yet in the late summer, early fall when the crowds die down a little and the kinks have hopefully all been worked out.

Never mind, it does appear permanent. My bad, I thought I heard "For a limited time" when they were first promoting it, but I can't seem to find anything like that. Guess I imagined it.

^ I was under the impression that Dinosaurs Alive was a one-year limited time thing, and they were just moving it from KI, where it's at this year, to CP next year, then it will move on again. Did I interpret things wrong?

It doesn't matter. If you have any indication they're doing this, put it in the rumor/speculation thread. There is no evidence that CP is even considering a ride in that location, and until there is, it makes this thread hard to read with pages and pages of you bickering with everyone who sanely points out that the ride's footprint isn't the only thing that matters. When you spy markers in dragster's infield, bring it back up. I like a sarcastic joke more than most on this site probably, but I think you've made your point. Others are allowed to disagree.

This. I just don't think rewarding the parks monetarily for slow operations is always the best idea. It all depends on how the system is implemented, though. If q-bots are only sold when the park reaches a certain capacity, then I'd be for it, but when I visited SFNE a couple years ago there was almost nobody there and they were frantically trying to sell me a gold q-bot at the front gate. If I hadn't been astute, I could have easily wasted money on an unnecessary convenience. Also, if I'm in park management and I know I get more sales if lines are longer, and it costs more in wear and tear to run two trains than one, why should I run two trains on every coaster on a weekday? It saves me maintenance costs and makes lines longer, leading to more q-bot sales to only run one train. Sounds good to the people who buy q-bots, huh? To those of us who barely have enough money to pay $10 to park and $50 to get in the front gate, let alone $3 for a drink and $10 for a hamburger, the added lines just don't seem worth it to me.

^ I only go to Kings Island once every two years or so, and I've never had a problem getting on everything there in a day, except on SUPER crowded events days like bring a friend free or Spirit Song Weekend. I just was wondering if they'd OFFER fastpass on Firehawk and Face/Off (Invertigo) because the waits are already super long due to ungodly capacity. Think how pissed off a guest would be to see 3 hour standby waits on Firehawkdue to fastpass users...

^ Yes, but like I said, what rides would really be worth it to include in a fastpass option? The only two I can think of that really make sense are Diamondback and FoF in addition to the Kiddie coasters. Face/Off (Invertigo) and Firehawk are too low capacity as is and the other waits don't normally ever get over an hour anyway. It isn't hard to get all your credits in one day except for Firehawk and Invertigo due to their low capacities. I'm not thinking in terms of an enthusiast but in terms of a business from a cost/benefit analysis. How much goes to the park and how much would go to lo-Q? I think it makes much more sense at Cedar Point, where they can have it on TTD, MF, Maverick, Raptor, Wicked Twister, DT, Mantis, Gemini, and on crazy days Magnum, Meanstreak, Blue Streak and possibly Corkscrew. There are just more rides with decent capacities that get longer waits frequently at Cedar Point than at Kings Island, that's my only point. Even before I was an "enthusiast" Kings Island was always a half-day to one day park, and Cedar Point was a one and a half to two day park. I just think they'll sell a lot more fastpasses at CP than at KI.

The problem is, unless you have children (Their Kids Area is top notch), Kings Island just isn't a full day park with lo-Q. The only thing that ever makes it a full day park is ungodly long lines. The only rides really worth it are Diamondback a FoF. Firehawk has such low capacity it would be silly to put fastpass on it, Invertigo is the same deal. The Racer, Beast,Vortex, Flight Deck, Adventure Express,and backlot normally don't have over a 60 minute wait anyway, even during the summer weekends. I just don't actually see the draw of this unless they come up with a couple more quality coasters. Hell some of the longest waits in the park are for the darkride and the kiddie coasters.

^^^ Diamondback Developed a rattle? You mean an additional rattle from the quite noticeable one it had since its first season...?

I'm hoping it's just growing pains with the new owners, but it hasn't had the same charm on my visits there since the change. I'm still waiting for that spark to come back at my favorite park, though!

OH I never said it would be as good, but I'm 100% sure I've had meat on sticks in Ohio. Heck even kabobs count as meat on sticks, and those are everywhere.

They could call it Big Shiny Coaster for all I care, as long as it's a good ride. Honestly, the name of the ride isn't going to matter at ALL to me while I'm on it. If it bugs you, stay away, one less person in front of me when I go to ride again.

Solid like a brick wall, and rode like one, too. If KI does for some outrageous reason decide to do this, they should rename the ride to avoid the bad publicity it's had for years. My vote: "Money Pit"

As long as their use of the name doesn't infringe or diminish the Harley-Davidson product, Dollywood is free to use the name under US Trademark law. Trademarks only apply to specific or similar goods and services. For example: the Sirus Sportster 5 Satellite Radio. This is using the same name as a line of Harleys, but it is an entirely different product and therefore not covered under the trademark. This is a common misunderstanding.

Tried an asian restaurant lately?

"Forcible Fondling" of a boy in a King's Island restroom. Police are looking for a suspect with a composite sketch. The story: http://www.wlwt.com/news/28173887/detail.html

You know, I may not be very popular for saying this, but I have never lost a child. I don't even have children, but I've lost a friend before. Losing that friend was pretty horrible to say the least. I was angry with the world! She died kicking a soccer ball in the front yard with her fiance. 20 years old. Slipped on the ball and hit her head on the driveway. When I saw the look on her parents' faces at the funeral, I nearly lost it in sadness and empathy for them. I hope beyond all hope that I will never have to bury a child of mine, it isn't supposed to work that way. It isn't like the family set out to make money by telling her to get out of the gondola and then they planned on suing. If your child was taken away from you, wouldn't you like to think something good came out of it? Placing a restraint system on a ride that saves another parent from the ultimate pain and suffering that you've experienced is a small victory. Plus funerals cost a lot of money, and you know at age 11 she didn't have life insurance! I don't agree with frivolous lawsuits, but this kid was 11. 11 may be "old enough to ride alone" but this is not a rational adult age legally by a long shot. My wife always hates me because I empathize with the other's viewpoints when she's arguing a point, but unless you step into their shoes, you can't understand what their motives are. I don't think they're trying to make a quick buck, I think they're frantically searching for anything that will make their pain go away. The saddest thing of all to me is most likely nothing ever will, but lawyers are telling them what to do, and saying they'll make the park pay for letting their precious child die, and when you're grieving like this, you're up for anything that seems like it would make the day a little easier to bear. Oh, and everyone has a right to disagree with me, I've just trying to make an argument for the other side.

^ Depends on how he counts the Russian Ice slides, if they melt a little, is that a new credit?

^ They make seatbelts you have to unlock with a metal key (It's more like a little pin). Instead of a buckle with a button, there's a small hole in it. If memory serves me right some Flyers have this system...

^ Or just quit your job.

^ Yeah, It's been too long. You can finally meet Julia, too! Can you believe it's been 5 years since you met me at LAX? It's amazing how time flies. We're looking forward to this event. It's our first full bash, too, since the SFMM was a media campout and the SFGAm event last year was just a TPR day...

Sweet! I'm bringing my wife and the Jizzman with me! It'll be good to see you again, Chuck!

^ Zach, You're welcome to the floor in our hotel room (we have 2 couples) if you'd like...

Registered! Julia and I and our friends Chad and Amanda! Got 4 tickets. SO worth it! I can't wait!