King's Dominion Troika, Americana, El Dorado...operating next week?

Anyone know if El Dorado and Americana will be ready yet for next week? I'm going on April 7. I was also surprised when checking the park's website that I couldn't find the Troika (or whatever they call it there) under either Family or Thrill rides. They didn't remove it did they? That's my favorite flat in the park.

I do not recall a ride like troika that was supposed to be installed at the park, but I do know that they were going to install the octopuss ride from geauga lake but the plans were scrapped because it needed too much work.

El dorado and the wheel are supposed to open with the park as far as I know.

It wasn't an Octopus, but a Spider. And I find it bizarre it was in such bad shape considering it was virtually rebuilt in 2005 or 2006.

Edit: or at least I remember it being a Spider. Odd, how bad my memory is considering it was my 'home' park.

The Troika at KD is called "Triple Spin" and sets in the front of the TOGO standup coaster called Shockwave. A construction picture from the kdfansite photo album, taken this March, still showed Triple Spin on its site.

I don't know why KD left it off its web site. For some reason, KD is slow to update its web site compared to other Cedar Fair Parks. For instance, on the restaurant section, it still shows the 2008 cup deal. I assume that KD will tweek the site during the pre-season.

It is nice to know that the rides will be enjoyed by many more people! It is sad to know that the rides are not in my home park!

It was indeed a spider ride.

Here is a few pictures of it operating at geauga lake.

http://geaugalaketoday.com/Black_Squid.htm

Thanks, crazy. Nice to know I'm not completely deluded -- yet.

Kings Dominion use to have a Spider ride back in the Day!

^Indeed they did...first one I ever rode.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/fullsize/2056282540070495517OdMllz

Technically, it was a Monster. Eyerly made the straight-armed Octopus with 8 tubs, then 16.

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/octopus.html

The Spider is an updated version with the familiar black, curved arms and it holds 12 tubs.

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/spider.html

The Monster is the largest version with 24 tubs and rotating sweeps, adding a Scrambler-like movement to the familiar up and down rotating motion of it's predecessors.

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/monster.html

Just to clarify...

The Triple Spin is on the 09 map as well as the two new rides. I know that as of the March 19th KDFansite update, El Dorado had been testing and Americana was just about done having it's entire wheel "structure" finished.Knowing Cedar Fair, both should be operational.

Both rides should be up & running for tomorrow's opening day of the season,unfortunately Grizzly will be down till may for rehab/track maintenance so it looks like I'll be getting in a lot of laps on rebel yell tomorrow...as well as Dominator of course.

I was at the park yesterday, and El Dorado and Triple Spin (Troika) were operating. The ferris wheel, however, was not.

^I was there on opening day myself & they still had quite a bit of work to do on americana but it should be up by this weekend from what I heard.

RCMAC said:
Technically, it was a Monster. Eyerly made the straight-armed Octopus with 8 tubs, then 16.

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/octopus.html

The Spider is an updated version with the familiar black, curved arms and it holds 12 tubs.

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/spider.html

The Monster is the largest version with 24 tubs and rotating sweeps, adding a Scrambler-like movement to the familiar up and down rotating motion of it's predecessors.

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index%20Pages/monster.html

Just to clarify...

All correct. Now here's something I'll bet you didn't know...

The chronology of the rides is...

Octopus
Monster
Spider

I just learned that the first Spider was actually built about ten years AFTER the first Monster. I was shocked, but I also saw the advertising copy that explained that the Spider was developed after ten years of experience with the Monster.

The interesting thing about that is that the Monster has a hydraulic drive for the back-end shafts, while the Spider has a mechanical countershaft arrangement similar to that used on the Octopus. So while the Spider was billed as a refined version of the Monster, it actually has more in common with the Octopus.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I was there for Opening Day.. they Should have left El Dorado retired! The Ferris wheel did look very nice in it's placement!

I watched the vid of El Dorado in operation, and I must say it looks even slower than when it ran at Geauga! (If that's possible) It certainly looks cute in that particular area, kinda perfect, but jeez- it seems like they might've sooped it up a little as long as they were going to all the trouble.

And Dave, thanks for the info on the chronology of the Octopus. You're right- who'da thunk it?

El Dorado in action :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMhzspKpsvo

I saw that video and thought the same thing. It doesn't look very exciting at all. It slows down almost to a complete stop on every crest. You'd think that since the park is calling it a "new ride", they would want it to be somewhat impressive.

I rode it first thing! When they Told me i had to Sit in the Middle to Balance the ride out.. I was like Hummm.. I have Had better Trips Down Stairs than the ride itself. It was Very Slow and Seemed to hang in the air Forever before Coming Down. The line Que is Also very Short and will Spill out into the walk Way.. but that Part of the park Always Seems on the Little Side.

Uh... Why are you capitalizing random words???