PKI Improvment

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Ozzyhead said:
I agree, they have improved, but what I think they need is a really memorable steel coaster. I love FOF and Vortex, but there's nothing to write home about besides the wood, which they do have an excellent collection of.

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Mark W. Baruth said:

I read a lot of posts saying PKI needs this, that, etc. According to whom?

I said what I think they need. Yes, I know PKI is raking in the money with what they have now, and with the addition of TR:TR, they will continue doing so. However, Does PKI have outstanding steel? I know PKI specializes in wood, but I think you'd agree that a first class steel coaster would compliment their current lineup very nicely, no? Take for example SFGAm. The people going through their turnstiles seem content with what they had before Deja Vu and V2, and heck, even before Raging Bull. SF didn't need to add 2 coasters in one year, but they did because it would make a nice addition. And just like that, PKI doesn't need to add a steel coaster, but it would make a nice addition, and the people going through their turnstiles would appreciate it.

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Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society-Chicago Chapter

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Im sure Kings Island will add another major steel coaster, but probably not next year. They seem to want to improve on what they already have and make it better as well as add new rides. I have heard that 2004 will be a big year so just wait until then... Im sure next years improvements and additions will be very nice for the park as many people said they need more flat rides and well it seems like thats whats happening...

*** This post was edited by GhettoCoaster on 5/14/2002. ***

True, Ozzy, but I am not a follower of Locke-I don't think that parks build things just to make their current base of customers happy. They build things to increase attendance and average revenue per customer. And, according to the braintrusts at Paramount, what does that best in that particular market is a strong kids' area and building on the existing tradition.

Don't get me wrong-I'd LOVE to see a B+M hyper in my home state. I just don't think it's too likely.

Here's hoping they make me eat my words!

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Proud CB club member

Does anyone remember a little while back when PKI said they were going to start heading towards a theme park than an amusement park. I think our first look at this would be TR:TR. They also said that they were going to kindof drop out of the race for the most coasters or what have you because the competition in ohio is so great with SFWOA and CP just north 3 hours. I dont have a problem with this and to me it is kindof cool because they will continue to please there guest in a different way other than coasters. I can't see PKI building another coaster until 2004. They have invested so much recently they need a little break one year. Im sure they will do some improvements and a few small rides but nothing big. All together they have porbally spent around 140,000 within the past 4 or 5 years and they are probally going to take a break next year a bit.

I also think PKI did a good job over the off season. I do like the new brakes on Beast, and SOB does seem better. I think it would have been nice though if PKI did say the King Cobra will not operate this season. The reason I say this is because on PKI's last day of 2001 I was going to ride King Cobra but it was a "long" Cobra line so I though heck, I can ride it next year. Whoops it is dismantled. ONly a small thing though.

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Coaster Count:120
Favorate steel: Millennium Force
Favorate Wooden: The Beast

If they got Coney Mall looking like it did when the park first opened, I'd be a happy camper. A couple fountains couldn't hurt!

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smile...it's cheap, and people will wonder what you're up to. :)

Well no I have not been on it this season. But i'll take both of you guys word for it that Son of Beast has improve; I hope.

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I would find a terrain B&M very interesting.. not necisarily a trench coaster, perhaps a smaller non-looper. ALthough PKI is winning in cinci, there is always more money to be had.

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Texas Coasters... wow I'm lucky... IM me if you feel like talking about coasters.

PKI next year(2003) is adding a Double Impulse Coaster, and they are moving the slingshot over by FOF. The Days of Thunder is going to be destroyed to make room for the coaster. But in 2004....a giga B&M coaster is being rumored around the park---:)

BTW on Sonny ride between the axles. Vast difference. Kneemiester, Redman, Johnathon and Myself had a ride at CBConn that easily illustrated this.

Johnathon and I were in 4-2, great ride. Kneemeister and Redman were in 4-1 they about died. Other then this the quality of PKI's coasters have always been there but this year they have definitely improved.

Backwards racer is just amazing.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

An impulse ha, I doubt that severly, they wouldn't move the slingshot trust me, why would we get an impulse, KI wouldn't do that I really hope they don't especially when there are 3 impulses within 500 miles any way maybe more. What ever KI gets next well be a good themed ride.

I have to agree with Brent and Johnathan about Son of Beast. I have received better rides on it this year than I ever have in the past. Simply incredible at times. Riding between the axles is a must ... rides in both 4-2 and 5-2 have been fantastic. 5-2 actually delivered a small amount of floater air this year.

I spoke briefly with Jeff Seibert at CBuzzCon this year about the ride. He said that the park has been working every year -- first on the track and more recently on the trains -- to improve the guest experience on SoB. I applaud Kings Island's dedication to improving this ride, much as they did with FoF. (Especially when you consider that they really get very little return on investment for ride improvements ... advertising Sonny as "New and Improved" sounds a little like a soap commercial... ;))

To be perfectly honest, and many people will disagree with me, I like Sonny better than Papa now. But my favorite wood at PKI is still the Racer. The last seat on the backwards train continues to make believers out of my friends. I convinced one of my friends to ride it with me a few weeks ago, even though she had just been beaten into a headache on the Beast. She thoroughly enjoyed her time on Racer. As for myself, I believe I could stay in that seat all day...

Jeremy
-- Still maintaining that 7-3 is the best seat on SoB ... terrifically exciting, but be sure to hold on tight... ;)

Yea backwords is great, but forward really tears up my back, anyone else agree?

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Can we change the name of Top Gun to your mom so no one wants to ride your mom?

Racer forwards also seems to really go down hard after the first two little hills after the first drop. You drop down the first hill and then up the small bunny hill and when you go back down after the bunny hill and the little bit of air it provides it hits the track really hard and most of the time hurts. Anyone else notice this?

I read something in Amusement Today about GCI fixing up woodies that haven't aged well. They have already done 1 coaster in the Paramount Parks chain and I think they did a little work on SOB (lol SOB!). It would be great if for next season GCI built some rolling stock for the ride.

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www.EverythingRollerCoaster.com

Anyone know of any good close up pics of SOB's trains showing the axles?

CBCon was my first trip there (and fates willing, certainly not the last!), so I don't have any prior experiences to compare, but I foud the variety of coasters and rides in general to be very good.

Excellent wood is a highlight here. SOB was a bit rough up the turns (the cars shifting laterally along the first turn was a surprise), but an excellent ride that could use a little more room under the lapbar. I have to admit I was thoroughly impressed with Beastie and Recar as two of my favorites.

A good selection of flats (Drop Zone and TR:TR) helped make it a really enjoyable park. There are always reasons to want more of everything, but overall, I thought it was a great park.

A double impulse? I think that is a great idea. I was saying to friend just last week when I was there that that site would be good for an impulse. (it would have to stretch across the walkway leading into Action Zone) A dueling Double impulse would be very cool. Imagine getting launched in different directions toward each other. I also think that PKI should replace some of the flat rides that they have removed. ie. Skylab, Flight Commander, the other side of the old fashioned cars (replace with corvette style cars). I think that before a large coaster goes in a year with 2 or 3 new flat rides is needed.

FoF V2.0 and SoB (also V2.0, despite Siebert's denials...;)) show me that PKI is more worried about having GOOD rides than simply a lot of them....I commend PKI for their commitment to making every ride the best. They may not get any publicity for these moves, but the lines on FoF show that the GP catch on pretty quick......