PKI Rides might not be ready on time!

In an article that appeared in a local, Cincinnati newsapaper (Forest Hills Journal)there was an article about PKI`s new 2001 rides. The last paragraph, Jeff Siebert said that the rides are expected to open in the spring but may not be ready for opening day on April 7!

These late construction starts might be something we'll have to get used to based on recent history. For me, last year is was Superman Ride of Steel at SFA and this year it's Batwing, also at SFA. I'm just happy they're building something. They'll just have to extend the season into November to make up for it:)

Weather has been alright. I guess the shipments were late. It would be kinda neat to see a coaster half built in person. But thats just my opinion...

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tom
Webmaster@ http://www.islandguide.8m.com

Some of us who spent the early season at Kings Island last season know only too well what it's like to see a coaster only half-built...

Not to worry...Kings Island has a long, long history of not having their new attractions all ready for opening day. This is nothing new for them. They're usually not as late as they were last summer, but that was a special case...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I posted something like this in another forum, but I think Vekoma is slightly behind. Parts are just getting to the parks for the Invertigo's. X Flight parts began arriving Dec 26th.

I think they will have most of Reptar done within a months time, but the testing procedure will take much longer.
*** This post was edited by john peck on 2/23/2001. ***

john peck is right. Vekoma has had quite a busy winter fabrication wise. With all the Super Invertigos and Flying Dutchman going in this year, who can blame them for bumping back production of their inverted Skaters.

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Scott W. Short
scott@midwestcoastercentral.com
http://www.midwestcoastercentral.com

Didnt have a chance to make it up to PKI till about late July, so I havent seen any half-built rides yet. This happens about every year, xcept this one.

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tom
Webmaster@ http://www.islandguide.8m.com

PKI certainly is building a bad reputation for new rides!

Bat- Construction Problems, dismantled
SOB- Construction Problems & Late
Reptar- Late

I applaud PKI's innovation, but how about a ride that isn't late!
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X-Flight @SFWoA!
This flight won't be cancelled! *** This post was edited by Zero-G on 2/24/2001. ***

Hey, Zero-g, how about FOF, DZ, and Scooby's Ghoster Coaster. They opened late, too.

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Bill Yost a.k.a. THE BEASTmaster
www.geocities.com/byostie

Can you take me higher? (CREED) *** This post was edited by THE BEASTmaster on 2/24/2001. ***

I hate when the new rides are not ready when the new season will begin. Parks must decide earlier what kind of ride they want and place the order early in the year, so that the construction work can start in August and that the ride can be tested before the winter.

Hey Beastmaster AND Zero-G....
How about a little less PKI bashing? What difference does it make if they open late?

SOB was completely built opening day last year. It just had some small problems. And all the rides you two mentioned were new advances in rides. PKI does not have a bad rep for this. Whoever said Reptar was supposed to open opening day anyway? Maybe it won't. Maybe it will. I don't think you guys would want anyone to be hurt or killed on these rides for opening too early would you?

Koaster King, while Son of BEast may have been built by opening day, it was not ready for its scheduled April 8th debut to ACE, and April 9th to passholders and April 14th to the general public. BTW, the rides are not advances in rides, 7th portal and Rugrats Runaway Reptar are, but Wild Thornberry`s River Adventure is a very old ride that is being renovated and having lots of theming introduced to it. My point is that, PKI should have started construction on Nickelodeon Central sooner than they did, especially since the log flume was closed all last year and construction on it did`nt start untill late July or August. PKI can`t open any ride untill it passes Ohio Departement of Agriculture inspection.

Er, sorry, Koaster King, but Son of Beast was NOT completely built on opening day last season. Some of us who were there that day have some interesting photos of incomplete bits of the ride.
That said, Kings Island's season starts extremely early in the spring, and ends very late in the fall. The short off-season is often combined with bad weather. They frequently schedule their new attractions to be open in mid- to late-spring rather than at the beginning of the season. Sonny is the only ride in recent memory I can think of that was actually significantly late. Sure, Ghoster Coaster, Outer LIMits and Drop Zone were all late, but they were also announced for 'late spring.'

--Dave Althoff, Jr

Flight of Fear opened in late May or early June, and had a lot of problems its first year. Actually, when I talked to a PKI spokesperson last spring about the SoB troubles he said that The Beast was down a lot its first year too.

So RideMan, we were testing the trains on the track without it being completed? No wonder we could never figure out why all the trains weren't working on the track. Too many were falling off. (all sarcastic)

PS-I was an operator on Top Gun since the beginning of the season and I know it was completed. I have a video from April 6th testing to show it. Sorry RideMan.

Coasterz, you two didn't mention the Wild Thornberry ride to begin with. But, like I said, no one has set a date for these rides yet. Therefore, they're not late.

Well, Zero-G, I found a few things wrong with your info. First, The Bat was complteted on schedule. Second, SoB was just barely late, but then closed due to a lightning strike severly weakening the already weak structure. Third, you can't say Reptar is late untilit actuall is. *** This post was edited by Everdred on 2/24/2001. ***

SOB's computer was fried by the lightning strike... get your facts staight.

http://www.coasterbuzz.com/news/news.asp?NewsID=186

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

I really don't see what the issue is. If a ride opens late, so what?

The issue is why didn`t PKI start construction earlier. The Log Flume was closed all last year, and the area where Rugrats Runaway Reptar is at was available after August. Why did they wait to start building the coaster untill after October?