jamesdillaman

^ just to clarify, I didn't mean instead of the usual TPR antics in the videos, I love those. I meant specifically for a podcast. It lends itself better to interviews, tours, etc. When I want to watch TPR antics at parks, I pop in the DVD's, which are a must buy for any fan of this site I might add... -James Dillaman

Well i got a phone call from my source today and he said be careful because he doesn't want things to get traced back to him, so I won't be saying much more. But I can safely say, as some of the footers have already been poured that way, that it will be speeding into the Beast woods, and behind the Crypt. All will be revealed soon enough, however I haven't heard a confirmed date for the announcement, yet. -James Dillaman

I always like seeing your "behind the scenes" tours and interviews with park officials, etc. Also videos of out of the way parks especially in Asia and Europe. Honestly, I wouldn't want you two to put too much on your plate and get burned out, because I love TPR the way it is, but that's what I'd love to see more of if you did start a video podcast. -James Dillaman

^ Stunt Coaster at KI opened without effects before the official opening. I would imagine that was guest relations speak for "the ride is experiencing technical difficulties." -James DIllaman

^ They can't soft open with no audio? -James Dillaman

I'm not hearing record breaker, although SoB MIGHT not be the tallest coaster in the park anymore... Seriously, If they were building another record breaker, it would have been at Cedar Point. The installation of Maverick proves that a ride doesn't have to break records to be a hit with the public. That opens the door for better quality rides, as Cedar Fair doesn't have to invest $25 million plus in just ride infrastructure alone. -James Dillaman

No beast. The layout won't really affect the Beast very much. It'll be back in the woods, but not really in the same vicinity. The Beast will still have the same feeling as before, but the view from the second lift hill will be vastly different. -James Dillaman

Not what I was expecting not pertaining to the ride mechanics itself, but more how the ride fits in to the rivertown area and interacts with other things. Already said too much... but rest assured it's better than I had supposed, NOT worse. -James Dillaman

You California people are funny. What's the overnight low going to be? 65 F? Joe, when I went to the Tatsu campout I thought the same thing, but it got pretty chily, I'd say lower fifties that night, and being outside without a coat was a bad choice. I would definitely bring at the very least a sweatshirt for when night falls. Rest assured that in the morning, when that sun comes up, it heats up quickly, though! Back on topic, I'd love to go if it was going to be like the Tatsu campout, but this doesn't sound nearly as much fun to me. Hope everyone who attends has a great time, though, and remember to represent TPR well so we'll all be invited back to things in the future! -James Dillaman

Got to see the plans today. It isn't exactly what I expected, but this will be a good addition to KI. I'll definitely be buying a pass next summer! This ride will definitely transform Rivertown, but in a way I think it will much improve the overall area. I'm going out on a limb and saying this may be Cedar Fair's best install yet. I wish I could tell you more, but I would get in a lot of trouble (I knew I should've put a false name as my avatar!!!) -James Dillaman

Let the judicial system work. If the guys and/or their lawyers prove that this was a radically unnecessary or discriminitory detainment, the judicial system can award damages. With all the arrests made daily, a percentage of them will be unwarranted. Maybe the guys were violating a trespassing or a no loitering posting. Details of an ongoing investigation will not be wholly disclosed. -James "I'm not jumping to conclusions, but this SOUNDS silly" Dillaman

If I owned King's Island I would liquidate the park and buy a house and a car and live the rest of my life with no mortgage payments or credit card bills.... ah.... But seriously, I'd enclose the Racer and pump in house music and disco lights. That'd be something... -James Dillaman

^ I'd like to see them get a eurofighter. Modest budget, high thrills, and closest one is 6 hours away in Dollywood. Nothing at KI would even come close, also, so it would be unique in the region. -James Dillaman

I need to get out there this summer before they completely destroy everything that made this park my favorite themepark... First HW goes corporate (in terms of feel), and IB is next? It's a shame that once parks get noticed enough to grow, that they lose that small intimate feel that most of us fell in love with in the first place. -James Dillaman

Did anyone else laugh at the video's dialogue when they said "Through a new and innovative mesh floor"!? Hahaha! Because there have never been floors of steel grating, like on our 100 year old Roebling Suspension Bridge here in Cincinnati -James Dillaman

Would be nice, but will never happen. -James Dillaman

There will be a helix, and the ride will come very close or interact with the helix finale of The Beast. Again, my source is very creditable, but more will be known once the pictures start pouring in. As far as the Crypt is concerned, there are plans in the works to improve the show building, in terms of lighting and such. Both Huss AND (interestingly) intamin people were involved in the reprogramming of the ride, and they were overheard talking about how the theming of the old ride (The ice field and the lava pit) and how the ride had to hit certain areas in time with the show, really limited what they did with the program. This explains why the new one is so much better! Who needs themeing when the ride is better? I'll let you know more if it isn't revealed before I double check my facts. I don't want to be giving out unverified information -James Dillaman

The program, when first run, was deemed too intense by 3 of the full-timers on staff at KI, but even the "toned-down" program is still way more intense than most other topspins around. Also, I have confirmed that the new coaster going in is definitely a B&M hyper. It's also going to be themed to Rivertown. Word is, the same station that Maverick has at Cedar Point will be used, or at the least the same style. The trains are 99% confirmed to be Behemoth-styled trains, or at least the same seating arrangement. There will also be points when the ride crosses over the midway, which is something rare at KI. Cedar Fair has also given headsets to the crews of the Beast, the Racer, and Delerium. More crews may be given headsets in the time to come, but this helps a lot with capacity and getting crowds into riding the different rides. All my information comes from inside sources who currently work at the park, but I can't reveal their names, for obvious reasons. -James Dillaman

As if traffic in Mason wasn't bad enough... I'll have to ask off from work on this day so I can stay home. -James Dillaman

^ Then what's your problem? If you're going to just post contradictory opinions and argue with everyone, that's not really contributing to the conversation, but that's my opinion. As far as I'm concerned, I love lazy rivers. My fiance and I have season passes to the Beach waterpark here in Cincinnati and on days that the park is crowded, we just get our free rental tubes (with the platinum pass) and sit in the lazy miami (Their lazy river) until we're pruiny and happy. This attraction sounds much more like the action rivers at sclitterbahn though than the traditional lazy river. If you like more thrilling things, I think this will deliver. -James Dillaman

^ There were many days when they only loaded the front and back rows anyway, and many empty seats because when loaded at full capacity, there was a lot of breakdowns. It sounds to me like they're trying to get a more reliable ride, which in this ride's case, could be much better for overall daily capacity than the larger ride capacity. -James Dillaman

Sorry I couldn't talk much when you called me, JZ, I've been super busy lately. Glad to hear there are changes for the better. Too bad about the Racer, though. Maybe it will get better with age... I have negative money with being in college again and all, but if you hook me up, I'll come and spend a day at good ole' KI with you sometime this summer. -James Dillaman

Great pictures! Lucky you got to ride Gemini when they were racing them! The last 5 times I've been to the park only one side was open, or like 3 cars on each train were chained off so you couldn't high five the other train -James Dillaman

I've never seen a commercial that gives the operating hours for a park on it. The only place I've seen that is on the back of brochures or on park websites, and they always clearly state when the park is open to the public and when it is not, in my experiences. -James Dillaman

?? Yeah, it's real. I've been there...