Kingda Ka Questions

I know on Dragster, they let you wear sunglasses if you have them attached to a cord around your head...is this true for Kingda Ka?

Also, how was CM on the 21st? Was KK open?

They stop anyone who has anything. Even glasses which had to either go in a locker or a zipped pocket.

Erm... they allowed me to ride with secured glasses, though a cord around the head was not sufficient; something like Croakies were required.

I rode it 4 times yesterday and I wore my glasses with my CP glasses band on. They said any loose articles that don't fit in your pockets are prohibited and must be stowed in a locker near the entrance or left with a non rider.

While I was waiting for my ride this morning, I noticed some people that came back into the station wearing glasses without any kind of straps on them. I guess they can't police everyone.

After riding KK i was a little dissappointed, here is why:
1. Who puts breaks at the peaks causing there to be no weightlessness?
2. What makes it any better then TTD? I mean the second hill is pointless due to the breaks.
3. Supposed to be more reliable? HaHa!

Uh, before everyone starts going "I told you so" over the downtime, you have to remember that the ride has been open for less than a week... even the simplest rides have glitches that come up during the initial period of operation.

I waited in line for 45 min or so and then it was shut down :(

To address as many questions as possible that have arisen in this thread, beginning with ready2coast's:

1) Once inside the entrance gate to the ride, there is a path to the queue on your right, monitored by at least one or two employees. They look you over for loose articles -- which must be secured in either a zippered/Velcro/buttoned pocket or in one of the lockers to the left -- before you are allowed on the ride. As for the sunglasses thing, loose glasses of any sort are not allowed, though I did see two people ride wearing sunglasses with an adjustable strap. So as long as the glasses are firmly secured, they'll let you ride with them.

2) I'm not sure what "CM" means, but I had a friend go to the park on Saturday who said that when they arrived (about 1:00pm), the line for Kingda Ka was estimated at three hours long. This is much better than what happened today, when the line was 5 hours long by noon, and I'd heard several reports from other guests throughout the day that the line was 4-5 hours long.

Now, onto CPRocks' questions:

1) I'm not quite sure where you rode, but having ridden in the last row and in the second row, I felt airtime in both instances -- though the preliminary reports were correct when they said you feel the air much more the closer you are to the front of the train.

2) Where is the basis of your "useless second hill" argument? First of all, if there is any weightlessness sensation, then the element clearly isn't "useless," whether or not it was designed to be an element or simply a way to slow the train down. Either way, you don't feel those BRAKES until you are well down the hill -- easily on say the last 50 feet or so. If you didn't realize this while on the ride itself, take a look as a train runs the course and tell me where the train starts to look like it's finally slowing down: it's not until at least the second half of the downward slope.

3) I don't recall the reliability of Top Thrill Dragster when it first opened, but TTD wasn't open for CP's opening weekend this year (as a three year old ride, mind you); meanwhile Kingda Ka not only operated fairly consistently on media day, I've heard reports that it ran fairly consistently on Saturday -- and except for the late opening and early closing today (it operated from approximately 11:00am until 5:00pm), the only time the ride wasn't launching was when the rain started to pick up. So while it's still too early to say anything with certainty, KK's got a pretty good track record starting out.

--Dave, who thinks the naysayers need to let the you-know-what envy subside a bit.

But...But...But...

Dave! Stop it! Top Thrill Dragster is the Biggest Thrill ON THE PLANET at the best park ON THE PLANET! Thirty Six whole feet isn't much and 8mph is just pathetic. Cedar Point did it first, Cedar Point did it best, and no one will ever top what Cedar Point did. I mean, look at the brand new, one of a kind, only one like it ride they got this year that broke records! You can't get thrills like that anywhere else on this earth!

Hello! 36 Feet is Five whole stories! That is not pathetic. 8 MPH faster is not pathetic either. you can feel the difference.
Plus SF went over the top on theming. Look they even have animal faces carved into the trees! and animals and all sorts of other great theming.
Face it Six Flags outdid Cedar Point all the way. All Cedar Point does is decorate TTD with a few checkered flags and then decorate the rest of the ride with concrete. and the ride still breaks down every two seconds!
Yes Cedar Point did built the worlds tallest coaster but now its all in the history books. now Six Flags built something that is taller, works better, is prettier and has mucho better theming.

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PhantomTails said:
Uh, before everyone starts going "I told you so" over the downtime, you have to remember that the ride has been open for less than a week... even the simplest rides have glitches that come up during the initial period of operation.

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For all the hard core CP fan. Does that statment before? Not saying it will, but sure it is a new coaster, new coasters come with problems. "They'll be resolved by summer", lol!

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Cs6153 said:
36 feet is five whole stories.

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Next time you insult a CP fanboy, get your facts straight. Even though we have a little obsession with a greatest place in Ohio, we aren't dumb. :)

And can you tell me when TTD brokedown 5/21? Or 5/9, because I didn't catch that either? Anyway don't give out false information.

And...that'll be all of the of course CP is better out of me for today. ;) *** Edited 5/23/2005 12:13:09 PM UTC by gomez***

That second hill is not useless.

I rode k k3 times in a row on coaster celebration.

You are going faster longer with that hill then on ttd.

I had air on the top of that hill to.

It depends on the launch wich does vary.

I got so much air my last time on that when we went over the second hill i got slammed into the otsr on the bottom of the hill.

That hill does make a big difference.

Also the prob they have been having is not with the launch system it is with the transfer track into the holding tracks for the trains and with one of the trains themselves.

also you do notice the brake at the top. IF you are in the front car (both rows are the same since the second row of each car sits a bit higher then the first) you get stuck looking down at the tower for a couple of extra seconds. *** Edited 5/23/2005 12:23:51 PM UTC by majortom1981***

no matter what you say or any CP Fanboy for that matter is that KK will always be 36 feet higher than TTD. and KK is now the tallest roller coaster on Earth, the tallest Coaster in the Milky Way Galaxy and the tallest Coaster in the Universe.

Are you sure of that? I'd heard that there was a coaster on Sirius V that is more than 500' tall. Of course, with the smaller mass of that planet it only achieves a top speed of 44 MPH, but still... :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

:)

Ok, the last shut down was launch area related as we walked down the handicapped entrance after they announced the ride was going to be down for a long time I saw at least 4 mechanics in the area where the train sits for launch. I didn't care where I rode KK it is an awesome ride whereever you sit. Yes I have ridden TTD and KK EATS TTD like a fat kid loves cake. The speed is incredible. The air was there at the top and a little on the bunny for me in row 7! Not Nitro Air but air. The brakes on the down run are smooth and i didn't feel them too much. I would definitely wait 3 hours for KK. And BTW I almost laughed at the guy when he said to me it would be a 4 hour wait at 2 o'clock when I got in line. Since the line was shorter than when I got in line for my first ride and I got on in less than 3 hours that time.

Yes, the speed is incredible on BOTH KK and TTD, I don't see where one ride "eats" the other. They are basically the same ride, with KK having a bunny hill and TTD having more comfortable restraints. Take your pick of what you like best.

That said, I wouldn't wait for either ride for more than about 45min. They are fun rides, and an incredible rush, but I would rather ride Magnum multiple times than wait for hours for a 20 sec. TTD ride. I do enjoy TTD a lot however, on those days or occasions when the ride has a short wait.

Both me and my friend (6'+ 250 lbs) found the restraints on KK not offensive in anyway. Actually they are very comfortable. Plus some people who you would look at and say no way are they gonna make it in the restraints of TTD and MF made it in KK so I would say the new restraints are better in that respect. *** Edited 5/23/2005 3:11:30 PM UTC by dragonoffrost***

I was at Six Flags monday morning(5/23). Signs at the front gate indicated Kingda Ka being down all day. It's supposed to rain some this afternoon, so we went home. We'll try again another day.