PKI 4-21-01 Good, but......
Associated parks:
None
Well, here I go with my PKI trip report. In general, it was a good day, but I was still diapppointed.
We started off getting to the park at a nice ripe 9 am time. We stood right at the gate to Coney Mall, in anticipation for the new Flight of Fear. After about 45 min., the gates were opened, and we rushed to the new Flight of Fear. Suprise! It was closed until later in the afternoon.
Vortex- So we went over to the Vortex, which was walk on at this time of the day. We rode twice, it was a great ride. Much better in the back. Not quite as rough as I remembered it.
Beast- Next we went over to the Beast, also a walk on at this time of the day. Still love the back. The Beast has really grown on me since last year. By the end of the day, I will have REALLY liked it. More on that later.
Son of Beast- By now the crowds were getting a little heavier, but not too bad. About a half hour. This time at the day I was really digging it. I like the loop a lot better, and the first drop is really amazing. The helixes lost a little flair on me for some reason.
Drop Zone- Next we zipped over to Drop Zone which was about a 30 min. wait. Wow. I liked this ride last year, but this time, it was just awesome. Free falling! Love it.
Now we had lunch at the Festhaus featuring La Rosa's pizza. Pretty good lunch, but expensive. What do you expect when going to an amusement park?
To let our food digest, we dicided to go to Runaway Reptar. The wait looked alittle long, so we didn't ride. Looking back on it, I regretted not riding. Oh well.
Flight of Fear- So we took the long walk over to Flight of Fear, which must have just opened when we got there, because there was barely a wait. Maybe 10 min. Wow. Not as smooth as I expected, but oh my god the lap bars rock. And without the block brakes? I though that train was gonna explode it was going so fast! The corkscrew was just so awesome. On the first cobra roll, there was a lot of movement of my upper body I was worried about, but then the lap bar, notched down on to me, and I felt, VERY secure. Two train operation, but later, I would ruin my day on Flight of Fear.
Racer- We rode the Racer backwards, which was only running one train. The Racer was down to one train on both sides at different times of the day. Terrible operation on the Racer. Earlier in the day we rode forwards, which was very rough. I had a crappy seat on backwards, but it was good.
7th Portal- After waiting for someboy to put stuff in the car, we headed over to 7th Portal. I really liked it, but everybody else in my group didn't really like it. Mainly because they had no clue what the story was. I sort of knew it. We also had crappy seats, front row corner. I wanted the third row, but we already waited long. It was better than I though it was going to be.
Bumper Cars- We al wanted to take a little break, so we decided to do the fun bumper cars. I gotta say, this was the crappiest bunch of bumper cars I have ever been on. They were SLOW. Our time was SHORT. The restraints are dumb and you don't even get jerked when hit. Not pretty.
Flight of Fear- I just had to get on Flight of Fear one more time, so we headed over there, and waited, where the outside maze was now full, but inside the mazes were not loaded up. While outside, we heard that the ride shut down, but I wanted to hold strong and wait. So many people left, we went from outside to the station, within an hour's time! I was SO sure that they were gonna get it up and running again though. Once I got up to the station, I heard the news. I proximty switch broke off. So the block brake sensor up there, it broke off, because the train kept tipping it. When the censor broke off, so did the metal that was holding it in. They were going to have to get to welder to put it back on. Over an hour it would take. Oh my god that ruined my day. I had a headache by then, and I knew that we had to leave very soon. (5 hrs. back to Michigan) That was ver disappointing. It was closed in the morning, open for a little bit in the afternoon, then probably never opened again for the whole day. I don't understand how the censor could have broke off, maybe a flaw in the train? Ug.
Son o' Beast- After a wasted 1.5 hrs. we would finsh off the day riding good ole Sonny boy. After about a 35 min. wait. We rode. I actually didn't enjoy it this time. I already had a headache and the roughness and intensity didn't help. We should kust have rode Face/Off or Top Gun. Ending on a bad note didn't help the drive home.
I wish PKI could have got their avt together on Flight of Fear. I actually heard that one train of people got stuck on the block break, and they had to turnon the lights, and they finished the ride. The Racer was down, and I saw Vortex stuck on the lift, and they they ran empty trains. Why don't they ever run three trains? After the brutal whipping I received on the Son, I really appriciated the Beast. It was smooth, and very fun. It is actually half pretty too. PKI is now a middle class park to me, but it was still a fun day. I probably won't be back at PKI until they get something major. I also couldn't see any of the contruction goin on near the KCKC, just it looked like a new paved road under the beast.
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Coasters- a little slice of heaven
We started off getting to the park at a nice ripe 9 am time. We stood right at the gate to Coney Mall, in anticipation for the new Flight of Fear. After about 45 min., the gates were opened, and we rushed to the new Flight of Fear. Suprise! It was closed until later in the afternoon.
Vortex- So we went over to the Vortex, which was walk on at this time of the day. We rode twice, it was a great ride. Much better in the back. Not quite as rough as I remembered it.
Beast- Next we went over to the Beast, also a walk on at this time of the day. Still love the back. The Beast has really grown on me since last year. By the end of the day, I will have REALLY liked it. More on that later.
Son of Beast- By now the crowds were getting a little heavier, but not too bad. About a half hour. This time at the day I was really digging it. I like the loop a lot better, and the first drop is really amazing. The helixes lost a little flair on me for some reason.
Drop Zone- Next we zipped over to Drop Zone which was about a 30 min. wait. Wow. I liked this ride last year, but this time, it was just awesome. Free falling! Love it.
Now we had lunch at the Festhaus featuring La Rosa's pizza. Pretty good lunch, but expensive. What do you expect when going to an amusement park?
To let our food digest, we dicided to go to Runaway Reptar. The wait looked alittle long, so we didn't ride. Looking back on it, I regretted not riding. Oh well.
Flight of Fear- So we took the long walk over to Flight of Fear, which must have just opened when we got there, because there was barely a wait. Maybe 10 min. Wow. Not as smooth as I expected, but oh my god the lap bars rock. And without the block brakes? I though that train was gonna explode it was going so fast! The corkscrew was just so awesome. On the first cobra roll, there was a lot of movement of my upper body I was worried about, but then the lap bar, notched down on to me, and I felt, VERY secure. Two train operation, but later, I would ruin my day on Flight of Fear.
Racer- We rode the Racer backwards, which was only running one train. The Racer was down to one train on both sides at different times of the day. Terrible operation on the Racer. Earlier in the day we rode forwards, which was very rough. I had a crappy seat on backwards, but it was good.
7th Portal- After waiting for someboy to put stuff in the car, we headed over to 7th Portal. I really liked it, but everybody else in my group didn't really like it. Mainly because they had no clue what the story was. I sort of knew it. We also had crappy seats, front row corner. I wanted the third row, but we already waited long. It was better than I though it was going to be.
Bumper Cars- We al wanted to take a little break, so we decided to do the fun bumper cars. I gotta say, this was the crappiest bunch of bumper cars I have ever been on. They were SLOW. Our time was SHORT. The restraints are dumb and you don't even get jerked when hit. Not pretty.
Flight of Fear- I just had to get on Flight of Fear one more time, so we headed over there, and waited, where the outside maze was now full, but inside the mazes were not loaded up. While outside, we heard that the ride shut down, but I wanted to hold strong and wait. So many people left, we went from outside to the station, within an hour's time! I was SO sure that they were gonna get it up and running again though. Once I got up to the station, I heard the news. I proximty switch broke off. So the block brake sensor up there, it broke off, because the train kept tipping it. When the censor broke off, so did the metal that was holding it in. They were going to have to get to welder to put it back on. Over an hour it would take. Oh my god that ruined my day. I had a headache by then, and I knew that we had to leave very soon. (5 hrs. back to Michigan) That was ver disappointing. It was closed in the morning, open for a little bit in the afternoon, then probably never opened again for the whole day. I don't understand how the censor could have broke off, maybe a flaw in the train? Ug.
Son o' Beast- After a wasted 1.5 hrs. we would finsh off the day riding good ole Sonny boy. After about a 35 min. wait. We rode. I actually didn't enjoy it this time. I already had a headache and the roughness and intensity didn't help. We should kust have rode Face/Off or Top Gun. Ending on a bad note didn't help the drive home.
I wish PKI could have got their avt together on Flight of Fear. I actually heard that one train of people got stuck on the block break, and they had to turnon the lights, and they finished the ride. The Racer was down, and I saw Vortex stuck on the lift, and they they ran empty trains. Why don't they ever run three trains? After the brutal whipping I received on the Son, I really appriciated the Beast. It was smooth, and very fun. It is actually half pretty too. PKI is now a middle class park to me, but it was still a fun day. I probably won't be back at PKI until they get something major. I also couldn't see any of the contruction goin on near the KCKC, just it looked like a new paved road under the beast.
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Coasters- a little slice of heaven
I ventured out there yesterday also, I was planning my first trip of the summer to SFWOA on may 5th but me and my friend just couldn't wait! So we left Michigan about 5 am and drove down, BTW Craig where do you live abouts? Then we got there about 9:30, made great time, rode the Beast first, what a great way to open the coaster season, just as good as ever, next we went to the Vortex, still a good ride, the Outer Limits, BROKEN!!! went and got some food, STILL BROKEN, oh well I was hoping it wasn't gonna be broken all day, last year I went to PKI on the 28th of April, for one reason SOB, and it was closed most all day and I never got a chance to ride it. Went back later in the summer, and rode it though. This time i went for one reason, yes the Outer Limits, I couldn't wait to ride it with no restraints! So After eating went over to the SOB, had a nice chat with a lady from PA very nice, talk about a lot of coasters. Still this ride does not impress me, the loop is amazing, but other then that, nothing im sorry! After this we went for the Outer Limits one more time, finally open, what a ride, such a good addition to the park, then we went and road the 7th Portal, WOW if you go to PKI RIDE THIS RIDE!!!! I agree with craig that they didn't really give you a good story behind it, but it was still amazing! At the end with that glitter stuff, woha! It blew BOND AWAY! =) After that we went over to the drop zone, the line was very long so we tryed the Face-Off, my favroite ride in the park, well it was down too, so after that we were so tired of the park we just took off, it was a 5 hr ride back and there was a lot of construction on the way back, so we headed out. Overall a good day but still PKI manages to disapoint me every time I go.
Well Craig...I am sorry your time at PKI ACE DAY was not as good as mine was. But here is my TR for 4-21-01...AKA: Ace Appreciation Day.
Right before the ACE walkbacks Jeff Siebert...(PR of PKI) gave us all a little...err uh...not so little...hint of what is coming in 2002. He stated that Beast will be getting a new neighbor in anticipation of PKI's 30th anniversary next year. He did not go into great detail....but he did say that they are starting on it so soon because it was going to be BIG...and he really stressed that. Oh and KEEP YOUR EYE ON PKI's WEBCAM as it will be facing that area of the park shortly. Then the ACE'rs were given the choice of Beast of Flight of Fear (FOF)for the walkback. I did take the ACE walkback to FOF. I had to find out how nice the lapbars were. I actually got lucky and got on the FIRST train launched out for ACE'rs. OH MY....worth every ounce of anticipation especially with the new lap bars. From there I went right to Sonny. I must warn ANYONE who might be taller than 6'4"...you may be too tall to ride...due to the lapbars. I thought Sonny was the smoothest woodie I have EVER ridden. I really enjoyed this ride and was worth having to wait a year longer than I wanted to in order to ride. Then went to Topgun....It actually felt smoother this year than last year. There were alot of track marks in the mud below the ride and a lift truck under the turn at the top of the lift. Wonder if they did some minor work on Top Gun. Then went on Face/OFF. This is the most intense and disorienting inverted I have ever ridden. Thankfully for once the ride did not breakdown at all while in line. In previous years I have been on it the ride broke down numerous times. After we did lunch we actually rode some flat rides....something I have not done in years. It was a nice change of recent pace. We also rode Adventure Express....Still my personal favorite mine train ride. Then went to 7th Portal....Very nice 3d motion cartoon. If you like cartoons you will enjoy this. If not you might not. Then went to Runaway Reptar. Very nice...not very smooth...But enjoyable kiddie inverted coaster. I must say that it is a must ride (only once though) for any coaster freak. Off to the Beast. As reported by several people the mid course brakes are on hard. However it does not take away from the ride too much as Beast quickly pics up speed out of the mid course brakes. All other brakes on the ride appear to be completely off. We made it about 1/3 way up the second lift before the chain kicked in. Oh and they have PAVED the little access road that they built under the final break run and lift of the Beast. After leaving the park for a few hours for dinner I came back for some final night rides. I took on Sonny first row. Now I must say that is extreme. But it was well worth waiting for the front row. Next time I go to PKI I will take up the last row. Just for kicks. I must recommend that if you can ride Sonny at least try front row once. I loved ever tearful second of it. The speed induced tears in my eyes because it was just so fast. Still it was an experience to behold. Oh and I had to follow Sonny up with dear old dad....Beast. Now everybody nows Beast is the ultimate in nighttime rides....so I just had to end the day right. And worth the almost hour wait. Unfortunately I did miss out on riding Racer and Vortex. But for what I did get out of the day...I am now happy. Coaster season has just begun once again.
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What is life without it's ups and downs
Right before the ACE walkbacks Jeff Siebert...(PR of PKI) gave us all a little...err uh...not so little...hint of what is coming in 2002. He stated that Beast will be getting a new neighbor in anticipation of PKI's 30th anniversary next year. He did not go into great detail....but he did say that they are starting on it so soon because it was going to be BIG...and he really stressed that. Oh and KEEP YOUR EYE ON PKI's WEBCAM as it will be facing that area of the park shortly. Then the ACE'rs were given the choice of Beast of Flight of Fear (FOF)for the walkback. I did take the ACE walkback to FOF. I had to find out how nice the lapbars were. I actually got lucky and got on the FIRST train launched out for ACE'rs. OH MY....worth every ounce of anticipation especially with the new lap bars. From there I went right to Sonny. I must warn ANYONE who might be taller than 6'4"...you may be too tall to ride...due to the lapbars. I thought Sonny was the smoothest woodie I have EVER ridden. I really enjoyed this ride and was worth having to wait a year longer than I wanted to in order to ride. Then went to Topgun....It actually felt smoother this year than last year. There were alot of track marks in the mud below the ride and a lift truck under the turn at the top of the lift. Wonder if they did some minor work on Top Gun. Then went on Face/OFF. This is the most intense and disorienting inverted I have ever ridden. Thankfully for once the ride did not breakdown at all while in line. In previous years I have been on it the ride broke down numerous times. After we did lunch we actually rode some flat rides....something I have not done in years. It was a nice change of recent pace. We also rode Adventure Express....Still my personal favorite mine train ride. Then went to 7th Portal....Very nice 3d motion cartoon. If you like cartoons you will enjoy this. If not you might not. Then went to Runaway Reptar. Very nice...not very smooth...But enjoyable kiddie inverted coaster. I must say that it is a must ride (only once though) for any coaster freak. Off to the Beast. As reported by several people the mid course brakes are on hard. However it does not take away from the ride too much as Beast quickly pics up speed out of the mid course brakes. All other brakes on the ride appear to be completely off. We made it about 1/3 way up the second lift before the chain kicked in. Oh and they have PAVED the little access road that they built under the final break run and lift of the Beast. After leaving the park for a few hours for dinner I came back for some final night rides. I took on Sonny first row. Now I must say that is extreme. But it was well worth waiting for the front row. Next time I go to PKI I will take up the last row. Just for kicks. I must recommend that if you can ride Sonny at least try front row once. I loved ever tearful second of it. The speed induced tears in my eyes because it was just so fast. Still it was an experience to behold. Oh and I had to follow Sonny up with dear old dad....Beast. Now everybody nows Beast is the ultimate in nighttime rides....so I just had to end the day right. And worth the almost hour wait. Unfortunately I did miss out on riding Racer and Vortex. But for what I did get out of the day...I am now happy. Coaster season has just begun once again.
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What is life without it's ups and downs
I'm really sorry you had a bad day Craig. Yesterday(Sunday 4/22) was the third time I've been this year and like the 500th time ever and I never get bored, disappointed, etc. PKI is doing something extraordinary this year as the only time I had a line over 20 minutes was one time on FOF and 7th Portal. Yesterday we got to every single coaster minus SGC and TCTJ by 1:30 also riding Scrambler, Drop Zone, Monster, and Shake, Rattle, And Roll. I know PKI has their act together on FOF and obviously they can't help a breakdown. Just be glad every ride was open. (FOF was open all day Sunday with walk-ons all 5 times we rode at 3 different points in the day). One of the backwards trains broke down early Saturday morning during testing and had to be removed. Again, be glad they opened one side. They could have been like SFKK when a Chang train got stuck on the lift during test run and all of the ride ops decided to leave a full queue just waiting there. That's sad. PKI is a top class park and wouldn't be closely tied to CP as the most visited park in Ohio for several years. I've never been when more than 1 or 2 rides were broken down all day. And Relic, don't kepp coming back if PKI continues to disappoint you. Go to almost any Six Flags park and see how great your experience is.
Koaster King is right. I never get disapointed at PKI. Except when I have to hear people constantly complain, which is the most annoying part of waiting in a line. Paramount has also done something to Flight Of Fear that no other park has done, and you should expect long lines on that ride since people like it now. It has become the NEW ride for 2001.
Koaster King,
I was also at Paramounts Kings island on Sunday. I was there for the ACE walkback, except the park got their time mixed up and thought the ACE walkback was for 9:45! Oh, well, I still got two quick rides on the Beast and eventually rode every coaster by about two, (wanted to ride Reptar but the rest of my family wanted to go) So far, I have been to PKI four times this year! (last year I went 28 times and Im hoping to go even more this year!)
Relic,
Son of Beast WAS open on April 28, 2000! That was the third Friday the park was open and the first night that Son of Beast was open. It opened at around 7:15 and I rode it on that day. It was later closed the next day and the next couple of weeks after that due to rough track.
PKIs webcam from its current position can already get KCKC!
I was also at Paramounts Kings island on Sunday. I was there for the ACE walkback, except the park got their time mixed up and thought the ACE walkback was for 9:45! Oh, well, I still got two quick rides on the Beast and eventually rode every coaster by about two, (wanted to ride Reptar but the rest of my family wanted to go) So far, I have been to PKI four times this year! (last year I went 28 times and Im hoping to go even more this year!)
Relic,
Son of Beast WAS open on April 28, 2000! That was the third Friday the park was open and the first night that Son of Beast was open. It opened at around 7:15 and I rode it on that day. It was later closed the next day and the next couple of weeks after that due to rough track.
PKIs webcam from its current position can already get KCKC!
I also made my way to PKI Saturday, it was my first time there. All-in-all I was impressed with only one major disappintment (back to that in a sec). FoF was absolutely awesome. I never rode it prior to the lap bar alteration but this one is up there with the big boys as far as I'm concerned. The launch is awesome and the layout is relentless, hardly letting up at all.
Now on to my disppointment. Son of Beast is nearly worthless to me. I took the advice of some PKI junkies and took a second row seat for the smoothness. The ride was surprsingly smooth alright but the trains are god-awful. I'm 6'1" and I was completely wedged in the train. This had nothing to do with the height of my lap bar either. It had everything to do with the raised floors in the cars. I felt especially bad for my 6'4" friends with me who really got a beating. I would absolutely love the ride if it had more roomy trains. Anyone have similar problems with Sonny?
Now on to my disppointment. Son of Beast is nearly worthless to me. I took the advice of some PKI junkies and took a second row seat for the smoothness. The ride was surprsingly smooth alright but the trains are god-awful. I'm 6'1" and I was completely wedged in the train. This had nothing to do with the height of my lap bar either. It had everything to do with the raised floors in the cars. I felt especially bad for my 6'4" friends with me who really got a beating. I would absolutely love the ride if it had more roomy trains. Anyone have similar problems with Sonny?
Logan, I'm 6' and dread SOB every time only because of the floor. You're completely wedged in, but if this can be fixed, it would be 100% more comfortable. It's one of my fave coasters, but that ruins it a little. Always tell Guest Relations if you have something you don't feel is perfect. How do you think FOF got to it's current state. :)
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