jamesdillaman

Hey, I'd love to meet up with you guys at Kings Island, but I have a gig I'm playing at until about noon on the 12th, are you guys going back to KI for some night rides after hitting up the grove? -James Dillaman

^ At King's Island we always evacuated from back to front, and supervisors had to be present, as well as maintenence, and the power must be locked out completely. -James Dillaman

I just don't understand why you didn't enjoy Cornball. Did the ride op not let you queue for the back seat? -James Dillaman

OMG its go carts not the Indy 500! Wait a helmet? I never had to wear a helmet on any go carts my whole life. If I knew I had to wear a helmet on a go cart I wouldn't go on it in the first place. First off they dont go fast enough to require a helmet. Second I been in many bang ups riding go carts and I never once hurt my melon. I personally think wearing a helmet for go carts is overkill IMO. Even a low speed colision can do a LOT of damage. I remember on Rescue 911 there was a case where a kid was riding Go Karts, got into a crash with the barrier, and laserated (Tore, or cut, for people who don't speak Doctor) his damn liver-almost in half! Too bad he didn't have a helmet, then his liver would be fine...

Hey, aren't you hitting up Wonderpark at Cincinnati Mills to whore the Boa Squeeze? -James Dillaman

I don't recommend a TPR Russia trip after seeing the lax safety standards that must be in place over there. This should NEVER happen. The grates need to be checked more often than they obviously were. This is horrible and if I had a say the waterpark would be closed down or at least the managment fired and charged with manslaughter. -James Dillaman

This actually most likely means nothing for amusement park goers at cedar fair properties. Don't sweat it until something actually happens. Companies go "Capital shopping" all the time. I see this as a good sign for Cedar Fair, and investors do, too. The end of the article said Cedar Fair stock rose after this announcement. -James Dillaman

What seat did you ride in, because at timbersfest it delivered great airtime, and when tom (Shockwave) went, he also talked about the airtime on each and every one of the hills. If you sat in the middle of the train, though, you wouldn't feel it as much. -James Dillaman

It's definitely the ride operator's fault. And their could be legal action against the ride op or the park, depending on the laws and the facts of the case. -James Dillaman

Here's mine: 1991: Mean Streak (CP) 1994: Hurler (KD) 1994: Raptor (CP) 1996: Mantis (CP) 1996: Barnstormer (DMK) 1998: Shivering Timbers (MiA) 1999: Face/Off (KI) 1999: Big Dipper (MiA) 1999: Mad Mouse (MiA) 1999: Woodstock Express (CP) 2000: Batman Knight Flight (Dominator) (GL) 2000: Legend (HW) 2000: Millennium Force (CP) 2000: Superman (Steel Venom) (GL) 2000: Villain (GL) 2001: X-Flight (GL) 2002: Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain (IB) 2002: Wicked Twister (CP) 2003: Top Thrill Dragster (CP) 2005: Veggie Tales Sideshow Spin (DW) 2006: Kentucky Rumbler (Beech Bend Park) 2006: Tatsu (SFMM) 2006: Voyage (HW) 2007: Maverick (CP) This list doesn't include any coasters at King's Island (My homepark) -James Dillaman

^ I've also experienced bad employees at SFKK, rude and the only word for it is "dim". I'm sure they're not all like that, but the majority of them on my visit last year convinced me to not go back to the park again, unless of course they put in some unique coaster I have to ride -James Dillaman

^ I wish you had uploaded the photos to TPR the usual way, as only half of them load for me. I don't understand it, either, as I have a fast connection. Whatever, the half of your pictures that I can see (out of all the updates) look pretty good, and I've been at the park enough to imagine the rest of them I guess... -James Dillaman Did you get this pic? I love how the sun sets behind Maverick...

^ Paramount isn't building anything, they are only granting a license for their movies to another developer, who is actually doing the building. This is a paramount-THEMED park, not a paramount park. -James Dillaman

^ Yes, it doesn't matter if she preferred her left foot or her right, they were both severed. It isn't a political situation, just a very tragic accident that needs explanation. I wonder what the investigation will turn up. I always felt a little unsure about SFKK when I went. The rides seemed to be down way more than at other parks in the area. Maybe maintenence is a problem? -James Dillaman

Tear it down and build houses for the homeless in OTR here in cincinnati, that's the only good that could ever come out of Son of Beast. -James Dillaman

^ Yeah, It turned out to be fine, but you should try starting your day with the Guest Relations person telling you (Before you enter the park) that Raven and Legend will be closed, maybe opening late afternoon (Which is what she told us) It just makes for bad moods and bad crowds at the onset, which just left a bad taste that didn't really go away.

^ Like I said, we rode all the coasters, that was fine, but the crowds in the rest of the park suffered with two of the three main ride's open. That's 66% of the adult-sized coasters in the park, comparing that to Cedar Point would be if TTD, MF, Raptor, Maverick, and Mantis didn't open until an hour or two after the park opens. If you have seen that at Cedar Point, then you have seen something I have not. We didn't wait long for the coasters, either, but that's because we chose NOT to wait in the Legend line when the park opened. We did wait almost a half-hour and then gave up on Thunder Bumpers, and we didn't even attempt the water rides. In the waterpark, we managed to get on The new slide, the "Action river", Zoombabwe, Otorongo, and Jungle Racers, with only waits over a half-hour on Bakuli and Zoombabwe. I understand maintenence, especially having worked on the Beast at King's Island. But don't attempt to devalue my OPINION that I was dissapointed with my visit to Holiday World, only because of the standard I hold them to, as I like them very much. Of course I'd expect waits of over a half-hour at Cedar Point, and line jumping at cedar point, etc. I just was shocked to encounter it at Holiday World. It just sucks that we were in the park over 8 hours and didn't get to ride everything, especially since there aren't a lot of rides in the park.... The crews on the coasters I will say were doing an awesome job with cycle times, and although I was stapled BADLY on Raven, I understand, having attended SRM 2003. I don't understand why you just can't accept that I didn't have as good a time at Holiday World this trip than I have had every other trip there. Indiana Beach was way more fun, and every ride opened with the park! ^ Also: When we opened Cedar Point, MF and Maverick were open at 9:00, and TTD opened promptly at 10:00 when the park officially opened. Every other ride was open except one side of Gemini, which opened an hour later. So I guess Cedar Point doesn't experience that EVERY day... -James Dillaman

Yeah, you must've gone on an off day. The food at Plymouth Rock when we were there was great, and I don't even like food more than coasters, but this was good. We got on the things we really wanted to get on, but didn't get on Frightful Falls (The log flume) or the White Water Raft ride, both of which we would've loved to go on. We also like the bumper boats, but that line was crazy every time we went by it. The only flat ride we ended up doing was the roundup, because it never has a big line. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a self-proclaimed Holiday World fanboy, but I wasn't impressed with only 1 coaster opening with the park, even if there was some bolt-tightening going on (That should go on in the middle of the night, to be ready to open.) That didn't explain why Raven was down, too. I just think they can do better, because I know they can, I've seen it. I will be back to holiday World, but I hope someone reads this, because the park can improve, and needs to if they continue to grow like they have been. -James Dillaman

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced such large crowds at Holiday World? -James Dillaman

Glad you enjoyed ST, I've always liked that coaster. You should have went and checked out the wavepools at the far end of the waterpark, though. They are the most insane swells I've ever experienced at a waterpark. The wavepool is rated a 5, but it deserves it. The undertow alone was too much for my fiance, who only ways around 90 lbs, and was pulled under! Excellent Trip so far, and can't wait for more. -James Dillaman

Nothing can top being on the Skyride at Indiana Beach, looking up, and seeing this coming at you the other way. Completely unexpected! -James Dillaman WTF?!? I didn't know the park mascots were allowed to ride the rides!!!

^ You're my new hero, Ted. Seriously, why don't they just give up? After riding meanstreak, and being jackhammered to oblivion (and not the fun dive machine, either!), I just don't think SoB has any redeeming qualities worth saving. -James Dillaman

^ yeah, definitely hit up IB if you have the chance, I have never had a dissapointing visit there. However, Holiday World... That brings me to the last stop on our trip. Now I would consider myself a Holiday World fanboy, and anyone who knows me would think I consider them as incapable of doing wrong, but.... Part of it is our fault, going on a Saturday, so I knew it would be crowded, I wasn't prepared for BOTH parking lots to be full by 10:15, with people forced to park in the grass and in the campground to be shuttled over. Bad news. Not to mention when we get in the park we find the only coaster running is the Legend. The Raven didn't open until 11:30 and Voyage didn't open until after 1:00!!! This means no rides besides coasters for us on this trip, as every line was well over an hour, even for liberty launch, with the single-rider line even out of the queue and onto the midway! We decided to go to the Waterpark, because as everyone knows, you hit that first, and then when everyone else wants to get wet, you go back and ride the rides. Well everyone went in because apparently they opened the waterpark at 10:00 with the rides park. That was fine, and a good move by them, and we were able to get on Bakuli after only a half-hour. We then rode Jungle Racers, Ron and Go of Otorongo, and waited 45 minutes to ride Zoombabwe. We skipped zinga with over an hour wait... By sheer chance I saw Voyage send a train up the lift while trying to take a picture of the empty lift hill for this TR, so we booked it to Thanksgiving. We waited 20 minutes for the block tests to be completed and then got to ride in the front two seats after only a 10 minute wait. Again, this was by chance, because after we got off the wait was 45 minutes. We ate at the Plymouth Rock Cafe, GREAT food at an astonding price! and then hit up Legend. By this time most people were in the waterpark, so we got on Legend and Raven and even managed to catch the dive show. The waterrides, which I thoroughly enjoy, were both over an hour wait, so we didn't get on them, and every other ride was rediculous, so after riding Raven and playing a few games, we left for home. Now we got the coasters done and the new Waterslide (which i LOVE), but my main dissapointment was that only 1 coaster was open even an hour into park operations, and they were not handling the crowd well at all. With the amount of people pouring into this park, they need to expand their rides area again, and it seems they may even need a fourth coaster to keep waits down. They wanted over a million, and they got it, whether it's a good thing or not.... On to the limited pictures, as we were so hot and tired from waiting in lines we didn't shoot many... -James Dillaman Julia won this game, and because there were more than 5 other people playing, she got a "jumbo prize" Sorry for no more photos. Seriously, the food saved us from having a pretty rotten day. Who can be too angry when you get Thanksgiving in June?!? Julia finally smiles because the food is so good. The AMAZING thanksgiving feast at their new cafe. A must and great for only 6.99! Hmmm, burger at KI or all this??? Voyage is still a great ride, even if it doesn't open with the park. it just wants to be like it's Six Flags rival, El Toro.... Sea of people going into the waterpark at 10:15 AM!!!!!!!

About 5 hours, depending on how fast or slow you go. Mapquest says 4 hours, and We made it in a little over 4, even with the insane traffic in Pittsburgh. Here's our photos from Indiana Beach, one of my favorite parks ever. We only stayed for the first ride session (11-6), but got everything in we wanted to do and then some. This is the last park I have a lot of pictures from, since Holiday World was interesting, but I'll get into that later. On to the pics! -James Dillaman Isn't it beautiful? Goodbye Indiana Beach, thanks for a great day! A ride on the Shafer Queen provides a nice opportunity to see the park from out on the lake.... yeah... Awwww... cute couple on the skyride. Cornball's first drop rules your life. While we were on the chairlift, This trouble-maker passed us, causing immediate bouts of laughter from the unexpected sight. LoCoSuMo!, and those who call it otherwise aren't "in the know" The entire park from the ferris wheel Here's my favorite picture from the new pirates theme stunt show, it just looks so wrong... In mid-flight, wheeee. Going Up.... Amanda had never done a skycoaster, and Indiana Beach's is fun, so we convinced her to go on with her beau. Chad was driving, with Amanda next to him, and apparently he doesn't even have to look where he's going! Some good views from inside the circle of Lost Coaster of Superstition Mountain, phew, long name! So we decided to ride the antique cars, as they're built on a wooden boardwalk all their own at IB! I love seeing the water under the track when sitting in the front seat. Hoosier Hurricane was always a ride that looked better than it actually was, but was running well when we rode it. The reason to come to Monticello, Indiana Beach! Park for free and walk the suspension bridge, it's the law! WTF? I must've taken a wrong turn on the way to IB, as I've somehow ended up WAY too far south

Day two was spent riding the Meh coasters at Cedar Point, of which there are many. Here are just a few pictures from the parking lot, etc. as we were leaving. We didn't take the camera into the park this day. Day Three: Indiana Beach, will be up tomorrow, as I gotta turn in right now. Enjoy! -James Dillaman Chad and Amanda slept again on the way to Indiana Beach. Oooooo sexy. I still love MF, even after Maverick. You just can't beat that smooth, sexy drop! Last picture of Maverick, I promise. It's a great ride, all around it breaks my top ten! Best at Cedar Point if you ask me. Checking the route to indiana beach... Mmmm, still one of my favorite Coasters. Let the flaming begin I don't care! I love Maggie! Gemini is Racing, but when we rode it, the trains were too far apart for any high fiving... That's a big erection. It's the biggest I've ever gotten to ride... no Ka credit for me.