jynx242 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 ^ Wellllll - being the smart a$$ that I am - I noticed the odd looking statue of the kid and made the remark, "the reason you are by yourself is that your parents don't like you," or something of that sort. An employee right in the area told us that the statue is in memory of a kids who die of cancer. I promptly replied, "and I am going straight to hell. Not passing go. Not collecting $200" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonsaiisuperstar Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 They did a charity called "A Kid Again" in the spring for kids with life threatening illnesses. Some of the money donated was used to make the bronze statue you see there. It was placed in May or June if my memory serves me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 ^Thanks for the info. I've changed the caption. I think there was plaque nearby, but I didn't read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspaz1000 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 ^ Wellllll - being the smart a$$ that I am - I noticed the odd looking statue of the kid and made the remark, "the reason you are by yourself is that your parents don't like you," or something of that sort. An employee right in the area told us that the statue is in memory of a kids who die of cancer. I promptly replied, "and I am going straight to hell. Not passing go. Not collecting $200" Â Yeah, I think we all felt guilty for laughing that morning. Â They did a charity called "A Kid Again" in the spring for kids with life threatening illnesses. Some of the money donated was used to make the bronze statue you see there. It was placed in May or June if my memory serves me. Â See now that would have been neat to know about all of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marth555 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I like over-banked turns, don't you? Of course, I'm probably using the wrong term to describe this element; it's probably called a "mega-lateral positive G cutback with a twist of lemon," They call it a hammerhead turn and I enjoy it as well But I like firehawk I love this picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 A hammerhead by any other name . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firechaser Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I was surprised that you hated Firehawk so much because to me Nighthawk is a little shaky but is still a fun ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 I dislike "flying" coasters in general, whether they're made by Vekoma, B&M, or Zamperla. That being said, I do like Manta, Tatsu, and Sky Scrapper (China). For me, they're just uncomfortable, and I particularly hate the loops because the forces feel like an elephant standing on my chest. Â It's all a matter of taste, I suppose. I feel the same way about stand-up coasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I have ridden Firehawk (not Nighthawk, the better Carowinds version) ONE TIME since 2009 when I rode during an employee night and then this year because the line was short one day. And it's awful. Uncomfortable. It's ..I guess you could say forceful, but not really. It's just plain awkward and not fun. Screw the ride and everything that it is. I'd love to see it scrapped and anything else put in! Really, even a spinning mouse. Or a kiddie coaster. Or more lockers, or more Banshee ice cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geauga Dog Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Great TR so far, Chuck. Looking forward to reading about the rest of the trip. Â Like you I'm not a fan of the flying coaster concept. As for Firehawk, I used to somewhat like it when it was X Flight at Geauga Lake but when I rode it last year during Haunt I hated it. It felt very different from when it was at Geauga. Very uncomfortable but to me Flight of Fear is the worst coaster there with Firehawk not far behind. Â I still love Vortex, especially riding in the back seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekRx Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Anyone who knows me knows how much I used to hate Kings Island back when it was run by Paramount Parks. Long lines spilling out into midways, giant lines for food, lack of queues, low capacity rides, blacktop everywhere, terrible maintenance, etc. I hated the place so much I haven't stepped foot in it since 2006. But with the good reviews of Banshee, Cedar Fair offering Fast Lane, and TPR planning a Bash there I figured this was the year to break the cycle and am I ever glad I did. Sure, some rides like Vortex still have very little queue, but the park has really turned around everything from good staffing at food services, speedy dispatches, vastly improving and restoring The Beast, and just an overall nicer atmosphere all around the park. Before I was well ready to leave by lunchtime, but this time I was in the park for 17 hours and was perfectly happy being there every minute of it. All the extra work the park and the Alveys did like the behind the scenes tours and ample amounts of ERT (and Sam Adams), plus the Fast Lanes and good group of friends definitely added to that, but not only was this day my favorite ever at Kings Island, it's among the best park days I've ever had at any park! Â Oh yeah, and yay for serving local microbrews at the Biergarten! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterchitchat Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I dislike "flying" coasters in general, whether they're made by Vekoma, B&M, or Zamperla. That being said, I do like Manta, Tatsu, and Sky Scrapper (China). For me, they're just uncomfortable, and I particularly hate the loops because the forces feel like an elephant standing on my chest. It's all a matter of taste, I suppose. I feel the same way about stand-up coasters.  I don't really like them, but I need to ride more before I can give a final verdict.  Yes, Chuck, please make sure that TOGO shoots themselves in the head. SkyRider at Canada's Wonderland was HORRIBLE. B&M Stand Ups are a bit better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillseeker4552 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I actually enjoyed Firehawk quite a bit. I thought Flight of Fear and Vortex were much worse. But to each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Â Oh yeah, and yay for serving local microbrews at the Biergarten! Â That was a very pleasant surprise, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodie Warrior Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Yeah, my sister and I really enjoyed Firehawk on our visit, it's my least favorite flying coaster, though. I thought it was just as smooth as the B&M ones I've been on, but the restraints/vests were just really awkward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrismTx Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Yeah Banshee Bash was a great time, had a blast. Really hope to do it again sometime. Â Yeah, I don't really like FireHawk either, I've ridden it 4 or 5 times over the past 7 years, just awkward and uncomfortable. Adventure Express is still as jerky as ever, there was a lady and her 3 kids in the 2 rows in front of me and I heard her groan towards the end of the ride and when we got near the station I said to her "I think the ride found us guilty before it even started" lol had a good laugh. Â Vortex, always ride 5-1, keep your head out and centered, cant go wrong imo, always ride that at least once every time I come to KI, its the coaster that awakened the enthusiast in me, always a soft spot in my heart, rode it 4th of July 1997 with my older brother for the first time when I was 16. Â The Beast, DiamondBack and Banshee, the mighty trio, especially Banshee, been waiting 15 years for KI to build a B&M Invert, was 110% worth the wait, love it, ridden her 99 times so far, going back for P&G Day to hit ride #100 and beyond ! Â Poor Flight Of Fear really needs some TLC, been a rough year for em this year, pretty good ride towards the front or in the front imo, otherwise you will get thrown around alot, rode it in the back a month ago and it felt more like Pinball Machine : The Ride because I'm pretty sure I was full tilt when I got off of it that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 ^You've summed up Kings Dominion's Flight of Fear this season, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSum1_55 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I actually thought that Firehawk was perfectly smooth, almost B&M smoothness. I tried it in both the front and the back row, each time on a different train, and never noticed any of the roughness people were talking about. Its neighbor, Flight of Fear, was much more painful for me. The Flying Dutchman at Carowinds, however, is a different story. I thought most of the ride was okay, but the corkscrews made me wish I was on New York, New York. Also, my last visit to Kings Island was three years ago, so maybe Firehawk has gotten much worse since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 I actually thought that Firehawk was perfectly smooth, almost B&M smoothness. . . . Also, my last visit to Kings Island was three years ago, so maybe Firehawk has gotten much worse since then. Â If you rode it today, your opinion might change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike541x Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I still don't undstand how KD can get rid of their train ride, but KI still has their's. Â Great TR as always, Chuck. Having ridden Batwing last year I'm very curious to see how much different it is to Firehawk. For the record I don't recall it being a bad ride. But yeah KI's FOF doesn't sound any different than it's sister on the east coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 ^I don't recall Batwing being all that bad, either; of course, I last rode it about six years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithPlus1 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I actually enjoyed Firehawk quite a bit. I thought Flight of Fear and Vortex were much worse. But to each his own. Â I agree with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfoot12 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Banshee Bash definitely was a highlight of this trip and I really enjoyed my first trip to KI. A few notes on what's been discussed... --I rode KD's FoF a month before KI's and was surprised by how much rougher KI's seemed. --I rode Batwing in 2006 and 2008 and liked it a lot. Firehawk seemed slightly more rough but I enjoyed it overall. Nighthawk remains my least favorite of the Vekoma flyers by a country mile. --So happy to finally ride the Beast after growing up hearing about it from relatives. I did make the mistake of putting my hands up during the helix of death. Rookie mistake that caused me some pain. --Vortex blew. I rode GASM in 2008 and I thought that might be preparation enough. Rookie mistake = pain once again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 ^For me, Beast is definitely a "hold on to the bar" ride--fun, but . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertrooper Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 --So happy to finally ride the Beast after growing up hearing about it from relatives. I did make the mistake of putting my hands up during the helix of death. Rookie mistake that caused me some pain. Â You're lucky you weren't dismembered. I've hit my fingertips on the side of the tunnel when sitting on the left side, and you're a lot taller than I am. I still put my hands up, but no quite as extended since "the incident". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts