abovethesink

We got our first trip to King's Island as a part of our road trip about a week ago now and I think it might be my new favorite park. The operations were outstanding, the park itself is well maintained all around, and there is legitimately not a bad coaster built for adults in the park right now. Mystic Timbers is just below the top tier of woodies, awesome ride. Diamondback is probably my favorite B&M hyper now. Orion might be the weakest of the three B&M gigas, but that still makes it a top 25 coaster. We also made what turned out to be the right decision to wait for dark to ride the Beast for the first time. Not only did we get an amazing experience that was one of the most fun coaster rides of my life, but while in line we lucked into a great view for the fireworks/drone show which was great too. I left the park with zero complaints.

It is always sad news to here of a park closing. On the bright side for me personally, we are making our first California trip next year from the east coast. While it was only supposed to be LA and San Diego, obviously CGA is going to need to be worked in before it abruptly closes without notice after one of these next 11 years.

Does anyone know if they are running Flying Turns this year? I don't think it opened at all last year. I am planning a road trip and that is the difference of adding Knoebels or passing it by since I have never succeeded on getting on it. I mean I know even if they are running it sometimes it will be closed a lot of the days anyway, but we love the rest of the park and it wouldn't be the end of the world.

A clone of what they are putting in down in San Antonio would be a pretty great addition. I'd rather see the launch or modern wood niches filled first, but hard to complain about a B&M in a Six Flags in 2022. Also, just throwing this out there: While by far the most likely addition is a clone of Dr. D (IF that is what they are even hinting at with the ride ops in the steampunk-like outfits on opening day), they could also just be re-using the theme and not necessarily putting in the same ride. Six Flags does that quite a bit.

Yikes, I somehow missed this news until getting caught up on threads here. You gotta figure the negligent seeming accident and ongoing litigation caused this sale. I still will get out there one day, but I can't imagine it will keep growing as well as it had been under this unfortunate new ownership situation.

We have a road trip planned to hit Indiana Beach, Holiday World, Kentucky Kingdom, and King's Island from upstate NY, my son and I. We have only previously been to Holiday World in that group. My whole family has also talked about renting a camper at Darien Lake late summer since the last time we were there my son was really little. I'm also hoping to finally hit up Kennywood, but haven't broken that to the wife yet so we will see. We have twins on the way but I go the road trip wife approved at least!

I think two assumptions here are the most likely to pan out: 1) This is a year round location, as people have pointed out. Obviously you don't open in late 2022 if you're not. This means far south or indoors. 2) This is not going to be located in a "major" park as the initial tease would come from them and not the manufacturer. Either of the Florida Fun Spots have any room left? Is Alabama Adventure open year round? They were hinting at something on social media not too long ago. Could be so many places that speculating feels kinda ridiculous at this point to be honest, even as I do it.

Nice addition. I am really glad I decided to give Jersey Devil a second ride later in the day back in August after not caring for my morning ride much. I loved the second ride. It's a good coaster. Also, it is pretty hilarious to watch my fellow coaster nerds on social media complain about a cloned ride 2,700 miles from its original. As if even 1% of the guests at Magic Mountain will even know this, let alone feel anything about it. Good, smart move by Six Flags.

It is just a good year for wasps and particularly yellow jackets, I think. I've never previously found any on my property and I found four different nests this year. I destroyed three of them and let one be that I thought was far enough out of the way.

Yeah, its sticky stuff, but I wish it wasn't. It isn't really a subjective topic. Two different government agencies track that data. Example: It is also very relevant to the conversation of when it is safe for kids to be away from parents. The country is objectively safer when I was a kid in the 90s. I don't know how we have this conversation without data. But if we shouldn't have it, it can be closed. I won't be offended. Not trying to drag this place down. It is all good. Love talking coasters with people here.

Is that true? Isn't the world much, much safer now than it has been at any point in modern times? Aren't basically all violent crimes way down in number?

My responses: 1) I was probably allowed to be in a park alone, or usually with my younger cousin, around 10 years old, definitely by 12. 2) We had to check in every few hours if we were at Darien Lake with the attached campground. If we were somewhere else, we had to meet up with my parents at set times during the day. 3) We just started the smallest kinds of freedom for my eleven year old this year. For example, at SFGA's water park we relaxed in one spot and my son (and his 12 year old friend) go to one ride and then report back on their own. We didn't limit them in terms of distance, just that they had to do one ride and report back after. I also let my kid take a couple laps on the small wooden coaster at tiny little Quassy Park while I browsed separately in the small gift shops. I'll probably let him have complete freedom around 14 if it complies with park rules, otherwise whatever age the parks set. 4) Time related check ins. 5) What's different? Honestly, I think it is just social expectations. The world is statistically a lot safer now than it was even when I was a kid of the 90s, but letting an 11 year old have complete free reign would have a high potential of causing some sort of outrage that it wouldn't have caused for my parents. I'd probably trust my kid next year to have quite a bit of freedom based on his maturity and experience level with amusement parks, but it just wouldn't fly with someone at some point I am sure.

First, apologies if a general thread like this is inappropriate. Delete it and I won't do it again if that is the case. Second, the topic. I am interested in your answers to a few specific questions. I am a father to an eleven year old and my wife is currently pregnant with twins. 1) At what age were you personally given freedom to roam a park without adult supervision? 2) What, if any, restrictions were put on you when you were allowed to first do this? (I.e. check back at certain times, cell phone check ins, etc) 3) At what age did/would you allow your child(ren) to roam a park without your supervision? 4) What, if any, restrictions do/would you put on them? 5) If what you were allowed to do and what you would allow your kids to do are considerably different, why? What has changed or what is different about you versus your parents? Thanks!

My gut says the Dorney coast is irrelevant for two reasons: 1) I am not ruling out Cedar Fair delaying the coaster a year or two rather than outright canceling it and 2) I don't think the costs for an abandoned wooden roller coaster project are nearly as high since there isn't the same level of track fabrication. There is the design costs, of course, but at the end of the day you order lumber and supplies as needed and build the ride. I'm not sure there would be some huge discount for this park to take advantage of in a case like that. I like the South Dakota RMC Raptor suggestion a lot better. If RMC had any of that track actually fabricated, there would be a heck of an incentive for them to try to get it up somewhere at a discount. Plus, it would just be an awesome addition to a park like this one.

That is a specific law aimed at a specific issue. You are correct in pointing out that exceptions due exist, but they are specifically legislated for specific reasons. I am not aware of any law that would make a ride operator the specific target of any lawsuit, but then again I have (sadly) never even been to Colorado. I wouldn't know of any specific laws in the state. At the same time, I would be very surprised if one existed. The example you helpfully provided is a clear attempt at righting a social issue in drunk driving. I don't think there is a similar motivating factor that would make specific ride operators at amusement/theme parks liable. Again, I am speculating though. Furthermore, laws are laws until the justice system says they are not. You can always try to ignore them in the judicial system. Even if there was a law like that, I would expect the family would try to sue the park anyway over the operator. Given that the ride op was probably a low wage worker, there is nothing to gain there. I really don't think a law like we are hypothetically talking about exists, but I say this to point out that it might not even matter if it did. The family would sue the park anyway over the operator and then a judge would need to rule on the constitutionality of the law and then the case. This would lead to a ton of appeals, probably, but it is how it would go.