TombRaiderFTW

Great blast from the past! I've gotten so used to Diamondback that I forgot how really pretty Rivertown used to be, what with Swan Lake and the trees surrounding it and Tomb Raider.

^^ Ah, okay. Thanks, Terp. The conversation about Volcano just before my post was a little confusing- I wasn't sure if, by 'vertical launch,' you two were referring to a launch like Top Thrill Dragster or, like you said, like Superman, if that's considered a coaster. Like you said, the distinction doesn't matter too much in the long run. I just wasn't sure which one you referring to at the time.

They are to pull the train further up the spike. It's the same effect as the second lift on Invertigo or any other Vekoma Boomerang, inverted or not. The train itself will not have enough potential energy to make the return trip, so the lift pulls it up to the original height and releases. Launching too quickly and using the LIMs to slow the train would, as an uneducated guess, be a hazard in the case of an electral blackout during a cycle. On that note... Are there any LIMs on the vertical (as in, after the initial, horizontal second launch) part of the second launch on Volcano? I'm just curious.

Just wanted to make everyone aware: they're going to announce the winner sometime today, presumably after 5pm.

^ I second this. Mad Mouse at Michigan's Adventure was one of my favorite, if not my favorite, coasters there. Seriously.

I partially agree with this in the sense that KI is still a lot of the same park it's always been- at least, for as long as I've known it. The one thing that comes to mind, though, is the degeneration of the themed areas (especially Oktoberfest and Rivertown). If KI tries to be Cedar Point, I honestly don't think it would work. CF isn't going to give us a TTD clone, at least with Kinzel at the reins. He's said before it was a huge mistake on Cedar Fair's part to install such a moody machine. Also, I'm personally of the conspiracy theory that, WindSeekers aside, he's not going to install anything comparable to his Cedar Point so close to home. Assuming the OP, by "put KI on the map," means "make KI a destination park," it's going to be by improving the theme to a Busch, Universal, or Disney level. It's the one thing we have over Cedar Point. Yes, they have the Frontier town area, but that's just the one corner of the park, whereas KI has theming parkwide. Though some here may argue that theming is unnecessary, consider this: what keeps people coming to Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure? Certainly not the coaster count or records as the tallest or fastest in Florida... There are a total of 5 coasters there, none of which exceed 125 feet tall. People keep coming for the experience, which is made great by the theming and staff, among others. And KI could just as easily be an equally immersive experience. Of course, improving the parkwide theming is incredibly unlikely. Cedar Fair, though definitely improving as of late, just doesn't "do" theming... Remember how Rivertown used to be wooded? How we were supposed to have a splashdown for Diamondback surrounded by trees and rocks? How The Crypt is... err... The Crypt? It's just not on their agenda, or at least it's not at KI. (I could speak volumes about the theming at KD, but that's for another post.) For now, we'll have to enjoy the park we love- which is a pretty great place anyhow.

+1.

Interesting... Any thoughts on the topic, Terp? Seems to me like this is a move to effectively get Q Funding and its supporters off the board's case, but I'm not sure I'm right. I get the impression that involving a third party is Cedar Fair's excuse for any mistakes the new CEO might make- after all, it wouldn't be like they hand-picked the new guy themselves. Blame that darn Korn and his giant top spin- err, Ferry.

^^ Which, to some, isn't exactly a bad thing. Ahem. -Alex, who is a junkie for mine trains...

Really awesome pictures. You're a great photographer.

^ Actually, I meant that I thought "Apocalypse" was cool name for any ride, especially a dethemed Terminator... though in relation to a GCI, I still find the theme a bit odd... if that makes sense. Sorry, I didn't realize how ambiguous that sounded until after I reread your reply.

I can trump you all. My 50th coaster was Howler at Holiday World. (I got nothin'.)

I've never been to SFMM (or any SF park, for that matter), so I don't know how the detheming will be handled... But that is by far the coolest ride name around, in my opinion. Makes me wonder what Six Flags would have done in CF's position with The Crypt.

Wow... that food looks AMAZING. Another great update!

Aw, I love it! Can't wait to read more!

Me, too... But they stopped selling merch with the Paramount logo on it a couple seasons ago.

^ I've heard about them being used on Chessington's Vampire as well. Anyone out there able to confirm this?

I know just as little on the subject of steel corrosion and wear, but I don't think water in any form is going to be an issue for coaster steel, regardless of upkeep on the paint job... Anyone else remember when Vortex's supports were basically white several seasons ago because the purple had faded and cracked so much? Nobody here is really concerned about Vortex's structural integrity...

Perhaps the queue will start on the other side of the bathrooms, where the ugly dome was, and loop around the bathroom to the ride. Seems like a logical suggestion to me, at least.

I know I tend to be anti-Cedar Fair, but I really like what they're doing for 2011. Beast rode this year like it was in need of some retracking, and we all know about Flight Deck's paint. Beast is being retracked, and FD's getting a long-overdue repaint. Coney Mall's asphalt got pretty nastily hot during the summer, and now it's being paved with bricks. And, while I confess that I'm not overly excited for WindSeeker, that end of Coney Mall needed an addition badly. Way to go, CF! ...Yeah, can't believe I just said that.

Another thing that might be kinda cool: have a Foursquare sort of thing where forum members can check in at rides and shows. Granted, any iPod users using the Starbucks wifi might be excluded, but it would be a pretty cool thing to have regardless, in my opinion.

Aaaah! So many that I want to choose... Can we have, like, all of them? (In the end, I voted for restoring TR:TR. Try not to act too surprised, everyone.)

"Come on, little guy! Fulfill your destiny..." Man, we seriously need a new movie...

Viking Fury doesn't (and neither does Berzerker: The Asthmatic Experience at Kings Dominion), but River Runner at Coney does. I know this because you suddenly stop feeling the jerk of the tire beneath the ship (not to mention because my stomach suddenly decided motion sickness was a good replacement for butterflies that day). (I didn't ride it, but the kids' swinging ship at Indiana Beach appeared to as well.)

And when you hit the MCBR (which will bring the train to its obligatory momentary pause), they'll try to pay you far too little to let someone else in the control box.