Kings Island (KI) Discussion Thread

[Diamondbacker27]

Go around and ask the GP why they won't ride Diamondback or what they think of it. And then you will know why they have seat belts added.

[OrlandoGuy]

Go around and ask the GP why they won't ride Diamondback or what they think of it. And then you will know why they have seat belts added.

 

well we know that *now* they wont ride it because theyre too stressed out about sitting down with those seatbelts that are so in the way

[Diamondbacker27]

I'll still ride, I just don't like seat belts.

[cal1br3tto]

^It's all been mentioned a million times, and people keep bringing up that they're afraid this will happen to the rest of the hypers, but there's no way it's some coincidence that only the new trains have gotten them and there have been none of the old ones - of which there are a lot more - with them added.

I still think it could be coincidence, unless there's some Cedar Fair B&M hyper I'm forgetting about. I think they're either not on Leviathan because they're more difficult to install but will be later when they finally find the best way, or there's a remote chance that it's more of a "test," with Canada's Wonderland being the best place to make direct comparisons.

 

Or am I just completely missing something here that everyone else is getting?

[PhantomNick]

^^ Okay, I'm just gonna ask it -- how on Earth will you manage driving a car?? Oh wait.....you might be okay, since the seat belts are on the side.....I don't think even you could sit on those ones!

 

Seeing these pages upon pages of worry over seat belts led me to chime in, since we just visited the park on Saturday. I rode Diamondback twice, so let me confirm what some others have said already - the ride experience is EXACTLY THE SAME!!!! Great floaty airtime just like before. There is seriously no difference whatsoever. Quite frankly, I didn't even notice the belts at all during the ride. I did get pretty lucky though, looking back, as I somehow avoided sitting on those tricky things. Phew! As for dispatch times, they were maybe a smidge longer, but if they were, it really seemed minimal. The line seemed to be moving at a steady clip just like it did the last time we visited in 2009. Sometimes they'd stack a train, sometimes they wouldn't. Overall, the point I'm really making is this is nowhere near the big deal that some folks are making it out to be.

 

Other random notes from our visit:

 

* Banshee still kicks all sorts of ass!! It might even be my favorite invert. The pacing through and between elements really is perfect. And I so love how steep that first drop is! Also, I got a night ride on it (the park was awesome and reopened it after a breakdown at about 10:15, which was technically past park closing, so people waiting could still get their night ride in!), and it was INSANE. Flying through the course, and the forces after the drop down the hill were VERY strong!! Love, love, LOVE this coaster!! Seriously folks, get out there and ride Banshee.....it won't disappoint!

* This park really does have a lot of good and fun coasters! Racer is great, Flight of Fear is a blast, and I even have a soft spot for Backlot Stunt Coaster and Adventure Express.

* Had easily the BEST ride I have ever had on The Beast, and the first pitch-black one to boot! I'd say that ride elevated it a smidge for me. It was tearing through the course and was very smooth. That ending helix is still money! Still not a fan of the brakes that randomly break up the pace though. But overall, I'd say it bumped up to a 9/10 ride for me.

* Seriously, if you're coming (like us) from out of town on a weekend, Fast Lane Plus is the only way to go!! Waits for most major coasters were at least 90 minutes throughout the day, and many hit 2 hours at various points. Our longest wait (not including a couple breakdowns) was maybe 5-10 minutes for Beast. Absolutely 100% worth every penny!!

* Still missing the Invertigo credit, as it suffered a fairly long breakdown when we were looking to ride it with riders stuck at the top of one of the lifts. I'm not sure how long they were up there, but it was at least 15 minutes while we were in that general area. So, apparently it's not just Stinger at Dorney with problems like this regarding this ride!

 

All in all, it was a picture perfect and gorgeous day with a nice leisurely pace and plenty of riding (thanks to Fast Lane!) as we enjoyed the park with some friends of ours. I really have to say that I am a pretty big fan of Kings Island. I never visited the place under Paramount, but I can't help but think that Cedar Fair has done some great work on the park and made it just a notch below Cedar Point for nicest park in Ohio.

[rcjp]

Go around and ask the GP why they won't ride Diamondback or what they think of it. And then you will know why they have seat belts added.

I've never been to KI but if I think of other parks with B&M hypers I would imagine that the reason would be the fact that it is "very big and tall" and not if they feel it's safe or not. Maybe you would hear people saying (which I have) things like: "Oh and the restraint is only on your legs" but I still think of it as they being scared by the lack of a place to grab and not exactly because of the thought that they are unsafe.

At least that's my impression.

[Coaster19]

^^ Okay, I'm just gonna ask it -- how on Earth will you manage driving a car?? Oh wait.....you might be okay, since the seat belts are on the side.....I don't think even you could sit on those ones!

 

Seeing these pages upon pages of worry over seat belts led me to chime in, since we just visited the park on Saturday. I rode Diamondback twice, so let me confirm what some others have said already - the ride experience is EXACTLY THE SAME!!!! Great floaty airtime just like before. There is seriously no difference whatsoever. Quite frankly, I didn't even notice the belts at all during the ride. I did get pretty lucky though, looking back, as I somehow avoided sitting on those tricky things. Phew! As for dispatch times, they were maybe a smidge longer, but if they were, it really seemed minimal. The line seemed to be moving at a steady clip just like it did the last time we visited in 2009. Sometimes they'd stack a train, sometimes they wouldn't. Overall, the point I'm really making is this is nowhere near the big deal that some folks are making it out to be.

 

Other random notes from our visit:

 

* Banshee still kicks all sorts of A$$!! It might even be my favorite invert. The pacing through and between elements really is perfect. And I so love how steep that first drop is! Also, I got a night ride on it (the park was awesome and reopened it after a breakdown at about 10:15, which was technically past park closing, so people waiting could still get their night ride in!), and it was INSANE. Flying through the course, and the forces after the drop down the hill were VERY strong!! Love, love, LOVE this coaster!! Seriously folks, get out there and ride Banshee.....it won't disappoint!

* This park really does have a lot of good and fun coasters! Racer is great, Flight of Fear is a blast, and I even have a soft spot for Backlot Stunt Coaster and Adventure Express.

* Had easily the BEST ride I have ever had on The Beast, and the first pitch-black one to boot! I'd say that ride elevated it a smidge for me. It was tearing through the course and was very smooth. That ending helix is still money! Still not a fan of the brakes that randomly break up the pace though. But overall, I'd say it bumped up to a 9/10 ride for me.

* Seriously, if you're coming (like us) from out of town on a weekend, Fast Lane Plus is the only way to go!! Waits for most major coasters were at least 90 minutes throughout the day, and many hit 2 hours at various points. Our longest wait (not including a couple breakdowns) was maybe 5-10 minutes for Beast. Absolutely 100% worth every penny!!

* Still missing the Invertigo credit, as it suffered a fairly long breakdown when we were looking to ride it with riders stuck at the top of one of the lifts. I'm not sure how long they were up there, but it was at least 15 minutes while we were in that general area. So, apparently it's not just Stinger at Dorney with problems like this regarding this ride!

 

All in all, it was a picture perfect and gorgeous day with a nice leisurely pace and plenty of riding (thanks to Fast Lane!) as we enjoyed the park with some friends of ours. I really have to say that I am a pretty big fan of Kings Island. I never visited the place under Paramount, but I can't help but think that Cedar Fair has done some great work on the park and made it just a notch below Cedar Point for nicest park in Ohio.

 

 

WAIT YOUR TELLING ME THAT THE SEAT BELTS DID NOTHING TO THE RIDE?? Wait I heard that when they added them they also made the ride length shorter and the lift hill about 100 feet shorter. - I'm done.

 

As mentioned earlier about making a segment on "fun tv", I really which amusement parks almost made it a tv channel. As an example: have extremely absurd instruction videos, have a pov, have a mini series come up, possible even throw in a park challenge or something (not the quizzes)

 

Ok now that we have this seat belt crap fully discussed about the ride experience, can we please get back to the good stuff? Like how Banshee is awesome, or future park expansion, or the thoughts on the daily meal pass?

[Diamondbacker27]

Go around and ask the GP why they won't ride Diamondback or what they think of it. And then you will know why they have seat belts added.

I've never been to KI but if I think of other parks with B&M hypers I would imagine that the reason would be the fact that it is "very big and tall" and not if they feel it's safe or not. Maybe you would hear people saying (which I have) things like: "Oh and the restraint is only on your legs" but I still think of it as they being scared by the lack of a place to grab and not exactly because of the thought that they are unsafe.

At least that's my impression.

Yes, for the most part.

"Only small latch!"

"Gonna fall out!"

"It's not safe!"

"Have you seen Final Destination? That can really happen!"

" It looks dangerous!"

"Way to tall, and it's like nothing is holding you in!"

"No seatbelt!"

 

Things that swirl around my communities and others surrounding Kings Island.

[rcjp]

^Ok, I got it

[ajfelice]

Go around and ask the GP why they won't ride Diamondback or what they think of it. And then you will know why they have seat belts added.

 

Yes, for the most part.

"Only small latch!"

"Gonna fall out!"

"It's not safe!"

"Have you seen Final Destination? That can really happen!"

" It looks dangerous!"

"Way to tall, and it's like nothing is holding you in!"

"No seatbelt!"

 

Things that swirl around my communities and others surrounding Kings Island.

 

You can't be serious, or your sarcasm sucks.

 

All I hope is that B&M stepped in to require these belts for some reason or the other as there is really no other evidence to justify them. Suggesting Diamondback has a ridership problem? Are you cracked?

Edited April 30, 2014 by ajfelice

[Diamondbacker27]

If you have any sense of sarcasm, you would know that I was joking a little bit.

It's not nice to say my sarcasm sucks, I was begin serious for the most part. I have actually heard some of those numerous times.

I wasn't sure it was gang up on Diamondbacker27 week.

Let me know the next time around so I can be prepared

[coasterbill]

I don't buy that you were being sarcastic at all... I think you're just saying that now since people jumped on your post.

 

And it's not "gang up on Diamondbacker27 week", but when you make posts like that and the seatbelt thing then people are going to make fun of those posts.

[Diamondbacker27]

I was joking a little. Just because you can't see that doesn't mean I wasn't.

I made posts that were IMO. not yours.

[RCjunkie]

And it's not "gang up on Diamondbacker27 week", but when you make posts like that and the seatbelt thing then people are going to make fun of those posts.

 

Exactly.

[Diamondbacker27]

Like I said, it's my opinion not yours

[Guy T. Koepp]

Like I said, it's my opinion not yours

 

Got it!

 

And in my opinion, based solely on your previous posts, you're sarcasm is poor at best. It seems to me what you just said implied that the GP in the area is prone to believing every urban legend that passes their consciousness. Which is kind of insulting to the locals. And, the way you described it is that there are so many unsafe rumors about Dimondback, (completely unfounded I might add) that no one rides it in fear of losing their lives. And that it repeatedly had no wait in years past because of previously stated fact. So in order to get people to ride it again, they added seat belts to alleviate all of the local morons concerns. So now, the new complaint is that they slow down operations for those individuals who are passive restraint challenged. Sounds to me like Kings Island is facing a lose lose scenario here. They should just close the park and turn it into a huge parking lot for the Great Wolf Lodge. But now I've heard rumors that the slides are unsafe and GWL will be adding seat belts to their mats and tubes for next year.

 

Which takes us back to square one.

[ajfelice]

^Now that was a work of sarcasm art!

 

If you were to portion off the fraction of a fraction percent of the GP in the park each day who actually believed that Diamondback was unsafe without seat belts, you would probably find yourself a group smaller than the amount of fingers you have. Pleasing this tiny group of people is simply not financially justifiable. And remember, most guests who say a ride is unsafe is usually saying that with a degree of sarcasm. I maintain hope that these seat belts were a mandate from B&M (which must be enforced by state laws), in which B&M is the true expert behind the safety of their rides when they operate correctly.

[JonnyRCT3]

Anyone who thinks these rides are unsafe wouldn't pay for admission.

[Password121]

Anyone who thinks these rides are unsafe wouldn't pay for admission.

Exactly. They stay home and voice their opinion through Yotube comments on POV's.

[linearinduction]

^Now that was a work of sarcasm art!

 

If you were to portion off the fraction of a fraction percent of the GP in the park each day who actually believed that Diamondback was unsafe without seat belts, you would probably find yourself a group smaller than the amount of fingers you have. Pleasing this tiny group of people is simply not financially justifiable. And remember, most guests who say a ride is unsafe is usually saying that with a degree of sarcasm. I maintain hope that these seat belts were a mandate from B&M (which must be enforced by state laws), in which B&M is the true expert behind the safety of their rides when they operate correctly.

This whole thing wreaks of a Management Decision, not a Safety Bulletin from a Ride Manufacturer, as that would have required the Safety Belts to have been installed and in use before the ride opened to the public for the Season.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Now that was a work of sarcasm art!

 

Why thank you sir.

 

Sarcasm is my canvas, and your appreciation is the only coin I desire.

 

But an artist needs a muse, and in this thread I have found it in Diamondbacker27. So kudos and huzzah to this connectivity challenged young man. He is truly the gift giver here. Whom without, I would have long past this thread after the Banshee media day. He is the one we should be giving thanks to for entertaining us long past April 17th. Long may he reign here in this thread until whence time Kings Island installs a new thrill.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are loved and appreciated.

 

Truthfully, I harbor no ill will. You are entitled to your opinion. And I do honestly respect that. I just can't resist. The gremlin in my psyche doesn't allow it. What can I say? I'm evil. Honestly, I mean you no harm. Apologies if I have at all overstepped my jest. I do not want to drive anyone away, and hereby end my chiding.

[linearinduction]

^ Overstepped Your Jest? That would be a VERY Sad Day Indeed!!

[DBru]

I maintain hope that these seat belts were a mandate from B&M (which must be enforced by state laws), in which B&M is the true expert behind the safety of their rides when they operate correctly.

This whole thing wreaks of a Management Decision, not a Safety Bulletin from a Ride Manufacturer, as that would have required the Safety Belts to have been installed and in use before the ride opened to the public for the Season.

 

Yup.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^^Facts being what they are, I have been known to walk the precarious line of what is punishable here at TPR from time to time. Not that I'm bragging, it's just that sometimes I don't see it until I go overboard. So I am going to take the initiative this time and show restraint.

 

And now I return you to your regularly scheduled programming. Kings Island.

[cal1br3tto]

I hope this didn't come from B&M, since that would guarantee all their other hypers would get them eventually. (Unless there really is some invisible difference between the train types that would make them only necessary on the staggered ones, which obviously I highly doubt. And we already believe it's more likely a go/no-go indicator than an actual backup restraint, so it's not like the newer trains are less safe.)