THe incline to the loop looks gradual. Disapointing.

^ seriously?? o.O

looks like they stayed late and got a 2nd section of track installed. Link to gallery

When this coaster is completed, I'd love to see someone create a fade in and fade out pic of a before (SOB) and after (Banshee) from the same vantage point - similar to those created for the "Standing within 3 ft of 1974" thread.

^^It may seem hard to believe now, but before we know it, that entire image will be filled with color...

That vertical loop will be completed by the end of the week easily!

Thanks for the update, David! I look forward to your nightly updates because most of the time I can't see what they're doing lol

^^ End of the week?! I was thinking Wednesday, if not tomorrow!

if only ki's last weekend was this one coming up. i wouldve waited to go then and see the lift loop in person. when i went friday i was so mesmerized by her first loop couldnt keep my eyes off her.

^^ End of the week?! I was thinking Wednesday, if not tomorrow!

Well yeah I was thinking that too, but said end of the week to be on the super duper safe side

If they get the second half of the loop up tomorrow, they could top off the loop by late tomorrow or Wednesday.

the supports are laid out for the other half of the loop....Yay!

Are they taking Clifford down? It's laying almost flat on the ground

i think Clifford found a penny

(removed pic)

Wow they've done alot of closing stuff already. Look down at the games & stuff...lots of things are already gone and cleared out. Looks like DT ismissing seats already too I see alot of yellow and not all black, dunno.

Man just to think a few days ago it was alive and busy..now the park's soul is gone until May...And something I won't see again for awhile...

Moving sucks man

Until April. It gets it's soul back in April

I like that the camera also shows Flight Deck, so we will see what goes on with that as well I am really hoping for a re-theming to The Bat but we will see what happens! In other news, as usual, I can't tell what's going on at the construction site

More loop installed!

what happened to that piece of loop track that was just up there?? o.O or was it only our imagination?? I should have gotten a screen shot... but right after upstop mentioned it, I looked and there was another piece up on the exit side of the loop, and now it's not there o.O

and now it's back.... I wonder if my web cam connection got screwed up? weird lol

The park is nearly naked. It has been such a very sad week. 178 days, 20 hours, 41 minutes to go.

Naked and Afraid.....after all there is a Banshee on the prowl as we hear it.

Loop supports are up!!!! Yay, two more pieces (as far as I can tell) after that for the loop to be completed!!!

edit: two or three pieces of track, the supports had a couple of pieces to them as well.

My guess is they want to try and finish the loop today because it's supposed to rain starting tonight and chance of rain through Friday.... 50% chance of rain tomorrow, 70% chance of rain Thursday, and 30% chance of rain Friday... so they may not get much work done after today!

^^ I think you are right...also, Clifford will probably begin to move towards the valley, and mud might cause a bit of a problem....Also, they just topped off the loop support!!!!

I haven't seen any activity for awhile on the construction site.... wonder what's going on. Starting to think vertical loop won't be completed today after all.

Here goes another loop piece!!! Yay!!! Its floating over the top of the coaster now.

Looks like clifford got another piece of track!

Edit: upstop beat me to it but I got a pic

should only be one more track piece left after this one!

IT'S OFFICIAL FLIGHT DECK IS BECOMING The Bat!!!!!!!!!!! :D

"Thirty-three years to the day it was first introduced in 1980, The Bat will fly again at [/size]Kings Island. The park is changing the name and colors of the Flight Deck roller coaster to The Bat. The change will take effect for the 2014 season.[/size]

“There was a lot of passion and enthusiasm around this name change by our guests,” Kings Island’s vice-president and general manager Greg Scheid said. “They tol[/size]d us this is a name they wanted us to bring back. We listened and we’re excited our guests will again be able to fly The Bat at Kings Island in 2014.

“The name also fits the characteristics of the ride. Similar to a bat in flight, riders soar through the air, swooping, circling and diving unexpectedly as they enjoy this ride.”

The newly named Bat is similar to its predecessor as a suspended roller coaster with the tracks above the trains. When the coaster train turns a corner, the cars are designed to swing out to the side, sometimes swinging the riders parallel to the ground.

The new color scheme for The Bat will feature orange track with two shades of charcoal for the columns and structure. Black will be the featured color of the trains.

Designed by the Arrow Dynamics Company, The Bat was custom designed for Kings Island when it debuted as Top Gun in 1993. Riders soar over the tree tops and through a hilly wooden terrain and a series of sharp turns on this seventh generation steel roller coaster. The attraction celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013, giving its 20-millionth ride in June.

The Bat is one of 15 roller coasters at Kings Island, including the new world record-breaking Banshee set to debut in 2014.

The original Bat operated for parts of three seasons from 1981 to 1983, giving 1.8 million rides."[/size]

[/size]

source: Greater Ohio Coaster Club Facebook page[/size]