homestar92

That depends - Could a situation occur within a reasonable realm of possibility that would put you at a high risk of a dangerous situation? Ultimately, there are different levels of almost every disability. And if your case of scoliosis is bad enough that riding the rides at Kings Island puts you in harm's way, then you probably shouldn't. But your case is different than some that we've discussed, particularly the more severe mental disabilities. Ultimately, Scoliosis is purely physical, having no effect on your cognitive process. You know the risks and you understand what you're getting yourself into. And ultimately, if you get on a ride that could be hazardous given your condition, then you would have only yourself to blame if something went haywire and somehow escalated your condition. Mental disabilities are a bit different. Depending on the severity, the cognitive process might be affected. And at the very, very least, Kings Island NEEDS to make absolutely sure that anyone with a disability (or their caretakers in the case of a very severe mental disability) knows and understands the risk involved in riding. You are an adult who understands your condition and can make your own decisions accordingly. Not everyone with a disability is fortunate enough to be able to say that.

I personally draw the line on what people can and cannot ride at the point at which a ride isn't 100% safe under any plausible circumstances. People who have back problems shouldn't ride anything, because it may damage their back even worse. People under 54 inches shouldn't ride Diamondback, because the restraints may not be sufficient. People who are mentally unable to cope with potentially being trapped on a lift hill should not ride anything with a lift hill, because it could always break down. People with Achluophobia should not ride Flight of Fear, because they'll be stuck in the dark for 2 minutes. People who are heavily intoxicated and thin enough to wriggle out of restraints shouldn't ride Flight Commander. If the first four examples didn't hit home, I would certainly hope the last one did. That's where I personally draw my lines. If it is totally safe for someone to ride no matter what circumstances may arise, then I am all for making any and every accommodation to allow them to do so. And while I'm all for freedom of choice and social Darwinism, the fact of the matter is, if riding a ride will put someone in a dangerous situation, then Kings Island needs to tell them they can't. Because if the unthinkable does happen, we live in an age in which a lawsuit is sure to follow. And if that happens, and it's bad enough, we could be left with no more Kings Island. Now ultimately, it isn't my decision. Kings Island and its lawyers will decide how to handle any given situation. I'm not trying to be hard on people. I want everyone to have an enjoyable day at Kings Island. And while I feel that every ride at KI is 100%, totally safe for me to ride, if you have certain mental or physical conditions, it may not be safe for you. And as much as I LOVE roller coasters, I would never in a million years put my health or safety on the line to ride one, and I would be even less likely to encourage anyone else to do so.

I have conclusively narrowed down what we're getting to one of two things. We are getting either: A) A purple B&M Invert with flame decals, lap bars and no seat belt, themed to the musical Cats or B ) Something other than what I said in A. Leaning toward B at this time. Although the idea presented in option A WOULD make for the most horrifying roller coaster ever built, for a wide variety of reasons.

Yeah, I already PM'ed Department 47. I grab extras now. So in a few years when someone's looking for a KI map from 2013 or beyond, I can hook them up. Or 2013 Cedar Point maps. I have bunches of those. EDIT: Now, if anyone has Disney MGM Studios from 2004 or Camp Snoopy (the one in the Mall of America) from 2003, I'd pay decent money for those. Those are the others that I'm missing from my collection.

I'm sure this has been said numerous times before in this thread, but to be honest, here's my $0.02 on the matter: If a person has a case of autism (or ANY mental condition) that is so severe that waiting in line can cause them to have a meltdown, what happens when a ride malfunctions, and they're stuck on, let's say WindSeeker. Imagine it. A person with that sort of a mental condition, stranded 200-300 feet in the air for 10, 15, 30 minutes. Maybe even a couple hours. When the ride comes to a stop, the likelihood of a panic attack would logically seem to be exponentially multiplied. A panic attack that high in the air poses a safety hazard, not only for the person next to them, but especially for the person suffering with the condition. Now, I don't want to say the park should ban people from riding, but realistically, for certain rides, maybe it would be alright in the name of safety. I know many young children under 54 inches who are very upset when you tell them they aren't allowed to ride Diamondback. But in the end, it would be unsafe for them to do so. A less extreme, but more relatable example, it is frustrating if you wear flip flops that you must try to hold them to your feet on Diamondback. But if you were to be in a situation where you have to evacuate, having those flip flops is a necessity due to the potentially hazardous terrain on which you'd have to walk for the evacuation. Parks don't make rules just for the heck of it. And the fact of the matter is, unless a ride is 100% safe for you in any tangible situation that may occur, you really, REALLY shouldn't be riding.

So, I collect park maps for every amusement park I go to, and every season I go. I was going through my collection and I realized that I'm missing a 2011 Kings Island map. Does anyone have a spare that I could buy off of you or the knowledge to point me where to look?

Pick a relevant major and it probably would. I consider Computer Science to be a relevant major, possibly one of the most relevant you can choose in today's world, and I can assure you we do not ever touch on this. As it happens, I know a lot about this sort of stuff from working in QA for a company that develops accounting software. But I certainly didn't learn anything of the sort in college.

It's worth noting that if we do indeed get an invert, then it is quite possible KI will have successfully clenched 3 of my top 5 spots in my favorite Steel coasters list. Which, as it happens right now are Vortex, Magnum XL-200, Gatekeeper, Flight of Fear, and Afterburn. I could see a nice invert pushing Afterburn out of that list. Though Raptor failed to do so. We shall see.

Other rides have been built that do this at Cedar Fair parks, so it isn't unreasonable to think it could happen. Mean Streak and Cedar Creek Mine Ride do this, and I think there's another at Cedar Point alone.

On the last day of construction, I really hope someone says, "Mr. Helbig, tear down this wall!"

Three-for-three! Well then, I guess my coaster count is 43 after all!

Except for when Mantis is running one train. That was very annoying. But I understand that things happen, and I had no trouble riding everything in my two days there, so all's well that ends well.

The 7:00 show was delayed. One of the fellows at my church was talking the next day about how much he liked the show, though he was frustrated that it was delayed. They were told that Ed Alonzo was "held up in a meeting". When he told me that, I grinned slightly.

I went to Cedar Point not long ago with my dad. He's your height and a little bit smaller. He fit on Magnum, Mean Streak, Blue Streak, Corkscrew, and Iron Dragon. I'll tell you that the ONLY rides with shoulder restraints you have any chance of fitting on are Flight Deck, and MAYBE Vortex, but it'll be REALLY close if you do fit. You will not fit on Invertigo or Firehawk. I would place money on that. Adventure Express is pretty accommodating generally, I see no reason to believe you wouldn't fit on it. The woodies (Racer and Beast) use the same trains that my dad fit on at Cedar Point BUT their restraints had a lot more precision in their "notches" so it was very easy for him to get the two or three he needed. You may have a hard time on Racer and Beast, as two notches is quite a lot on those. I have no idea with Diamondback, but the size of your legs would be the factor there. A big belly wouldn't matter as much as big legs I don't think. I've seen big people fit on Backlot surprisingly, so my gut tells me you might be fine there, but those cars are NOT roomy, even for a little guy. Same trains and same rules on Flight of Fear, except it has a seatbelt that has to connect to the restraint, so it'll be a little bit less "fluffy friendly". I think that covers the major coasters. As for flat rides, Delirium and Drop Tower are the big ones, and I don't think you'll fit on those, the restraints are not accommodating. And WindSeeker... I don't even know... It uses a lap bar that pulls down from over your head, so I want to say you'll be fine, but I've never seen a big person even try, so I really don't know. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'd hate even more to have you spend a bunch of time and money to not get to have any fun on the rides. Though having said that, the park does offer fantastic shows (Particularly Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus. Great show, and a great guy). And of course, blue Ice Cream, which is a KI classic. So while I think you could still have a good time, I don't think you'll be able to do a whole lot of riding. :/

Those rocks you saw were the covers for the outdoor speakers in Dinosaurs Alive. We saw them on our Firehawk tour on KIC day Saturday.

Depends on the coaster. Generally, I'm happy to take the front or back, but I don't typically care much for the middle, with the exception being Invertigo or other Boomerang style coasters.

I'm the guy screaming like an idiot with his arms in the air on Scrambler and side-swiping everyone on Dodgem

You must, however, wear shoes to ride Diamondback. No bare feet allowed. Why does Diamondback require shoes anyway? Sorry in advance for double posting. If I had to guess, state law is the reason. In Ohio, amusement parks must follow manufacturer recommendations for rides precisely, down to the last detail. If I had to guess, this is the reason, as Intimidator (same exact make and model, different state) does not require shoes. It could also be due to potentially unpleasant terrain in the event that you would have to evacuate at the MCBR for any reason. EDIT: Looks like TheCrypt beat me to it

And Racer has three bins per side, as either malem or jcgoble3 pointed out to me on Saturday. I don't remember which of you it was, lol. And I truly haven't the foggiest idea why, as it only needs two. Also, happy 300th post to me!

It would be pretty lame to use part of a ride that hasn't operated in years as a "near-miss" element. Oh wait...

Definitely one of the more memorable days I've had at Kings Island. I really enjoyed all of the events, but I think the best part was meeting so many cool new people. I'm definitely looking forward to the next event, whenever that may be. Also, has Don posted our Beast picture anywhere?

You know, Terp, you remind me of my favorite English teacher from my High School years.

KI only really has two "Up and Down" coasters that come to mind, namely Racer and Diamondback. And B&M has proven via Gatekeeper that they can build VERY intense rides that are anything but up and down coasters. So even if it is B&M, don't rule out other track layout philosophies, because they are more versatile than they appear. And I noticed you only have 11 posts, so welcome to KIC! Same for any other newer members who are reading this.

Previous experience would dictate that the track is painted before leaving the plant.It kind of makes you wonder if Invertigo was painted in that alternate color scheme so it would go better with these colors as seen from the KI skyline. It's a stretch, but anything's possible. I would say that it's very likely. With the removal of Son of Beast, Thunder Alley, and the Water Tower, as well as the repainting of Invertigo, I think Action Zone has a re-theming in store for the near-ish future. I would not be inclined to say there'll be a name change like in 1998, but I see the predominately red and yellow color scheme going away. Save for Delirium, it's more or less gone other than the yellow and red that is present (but not dominant) on Drop Tower.

Keep in mind, while Gas prices have gone up, so has the minimum wage. In fact, I'm currently 21 years old. The minimum wage in Ohio has risen nearly (or possibly even more than) 50% since I started High School. I remember it being somewhere in the $5.50 range around that time. Now it's practically $8. And if certain politicians have their way, it could become $10 if I'm hearing rumors with any merit.