Other Cedar Fair Announcements

Carowinds:

Carowinds will be building their own WindSeeker in 2012 in the Carolina RFD section of the park (presumably in one of the lakes by Nighthawk):

WindSeeker will send riders soaring 301 feet above the park at over 30 miles per hour and provide dramatic views of the greater Charlotte region.

WindSeeker’s three minute ride begins when the ride’s carriage, featuring 32 two passenger swings, slowly rotates while climbing to the top of a 301-foot tower. Riders will experience a sense of weightlessness as the swings reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and the arms extend outward at a 45-degree angle.

Located in: Carolina RFD

http://www.carowinds.com/public/park/rides/thrill_rides/windseeker.cfm






























































Kings Dominion:

For 2012, Kings Dominion will also build a WindSeeker (presumably in the space occupied by El Dorado, which has been put up for sale) as well as Dinosaurs Alive (by Grizzly):

WindSeeker is a 301-foot-tall tower that spins riders nearly 30 stories above the Central Virginia Countryside. Seated in two-person swings that will allow their feet to dangle, riders slowly begin rotating in a circular motion as the swings ascend the tower. At the top, the swings reach speeds between 25-30 mph, flaring out almost 45 degrees from the tower.

WindSeeker will be joining Kings Dominion’s “300-Foot Club,” Intimidator 305, Drop Tower and the Eiffel Tower. These iconic and elite attractions help Kings Dominion stand tall above the rest as the Premier Amusement Park in the Mid-Atlantic.

Year Opened
2012

Location
Grove Section of the Park near Juke Box Diner

Ride Stats
Height – 301 feet
Diameter – 81 feet
Diameter with swing arms extended – 110 feet
Swing Arm Angle – 45 degrees

Seating
Number of seats – 32 two-person swings; 64 total riders
Restraint System – Individual over-the-head lap bar with interlocking seat belt
Capacity – 960 riders per hour

Speed
Rotation Speed – 25-30 mph (8 rotations per minute)
Ride Time – approximately 3 minutes

Cost
$6.5 million

Special Features
Arms are installed with an elaborate LED lighting package, which will make for a dramatic and exciting ride for riders and spectators.

On-board Audio playing 18 different music tracks during the ride

Manufacturer
Mondial, a Dutch-based ride manufacturer

http://www.kingsdominion.com/rides-attractions/ride-detail.cfm/ride_alias/Windseeker/ride_category/Thrill-Rides

Dinosaurs Alive! is a multi-sensory and interactive dinosaur park that brings inspiration, science and technology together at Kings Dominion. Guests also hear the sounds and see the movements of 36 full-size creations made to replicate nearly every feature of the dinosaurs.

Location
Old Virginia

Entrance
Near Grizzly roller coaster

Attraction area
6-Acres

Distance of walking path
3000 feet

Number of Dinosaurs
36

Interactive Dinosaurs
3

Types of Dinosaurs
Huayangosaurus Deinonychus Triceratops
Mamenchiasaurus Tenontosaurus Tyrannosaurus Rex
Ruyangosaurus Giganteous Hererasaurus Amargasaurus
Parasaurolophus Carnotosaurus Monoclonius
Ouranosaurus Baryonyx Dyoplosaurus
Olorosaurus Irritator Pachycepholsaurus
Pachyrhinosaurus Spinosaurus Albertosaurus
Kosmoceratops Allosaurus Yangchuanosaurus
Mojoceratops Stegosaurus Chasmosaurus

Scenes Pack Attack Predator Ridge
Fish Eaters Frills, Clubs, Platees
Predataor Trap Flash Flood
Kids Paleontological Dig Site


Dinosaurs Alive! is a pay-per-experience attraction and is not included with general admission or a season pass to Kings Dominion.

Manufacturer
Dinosaurs Unearthed
British Columbia, Canada

http://www.kingsdominion.com/rides-attractions/ride-detail.cfm/ride_alias/Dinosaurs-Alive/ride_category/Family-Attractions
























































Kings Island:

For next year, Kings Island will transform their Boomerang Bay water park into Soak City (like Cedar Point, Knott's, and Valleyfair):

The Kings Island amusement park in Mason announced a major expansion at its Boomerang Bay water park, changing its name to Soak City.

Kings Island, which is owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment said it will add 3,000 square feet to its wave pool and make enhancements to its volley ball courts and lawn areas. It also will add 1,000 lounge chairs, more shaded areas for pool-goers and new family dressing rooms. The new improvements will be ready for the 2012 season, the park said.

The water park expansion is the latest enhancement at Kings Island, located just north of Cincinnati. The park this year added a swing attraction called Windseeker and the Dinosaurs Alive animatronic dinosaur park.

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2011/09/02/kings-island-to-double-size-of-water.html













Dorney Park:

Looks like Dorney Park has confirmed Stinger, the former Invertigo coaster from CGA:

Feel your heart pump with adrenaline after experiencing this scorpion's sting! Sit back and find yourself dangling from the scorpion tail seated face-to-face with your friends as you each sit witness to the others terror. You'll scream your face off as you are lifted up a 138-foot lift hill and then released to soar at speeds reaching 55 miles per hour through three inversions both forward and then backward.

http://www.dorneypark.com/public/park/rides/roller_coasters/stinger.cfm

Cedar Point:

Next year, Cedar Point will also build Dinosaurs Alive on Millennium Island (on the right side of the island, which contains part of Millennium Force and Shoot the Rapids) as well as a new water slide:

Cedar Point announced Friday morning that it will take the Sandusky amusement park back to prehistoric times.

Dinosaurs Alive! on Adventure Island will be introduced to the park in summer 2012, park officials say. The new attraction will be located on four acres on the wooded island in the lagoon area where the Paddlewheel has operated.

In addition to the dinosaur exhibit, park officials say a mat-race slide will be added to Soak City next summer.

The new dinosaur exhibit will cost about $1 million and will include 50 life-size animatronic dinosaurs. A Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit was installed at Kings Island this year, and has been popular, park officials said.

"We are extremely excited about introducing Dinosaurs Alive! to our guests next summer," John Hildebrandt, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point, said in a statement Friday morning. "Our guests will have the opportunity to visit the Jurassic Age up close and see some amazing creatures that called it home. Dinosaurs Alive! will be educational and fun, too."

There will be an additional admission fee of $5 for the Dinosaurs Alive! attraction.

http://www.sanduskyregister.com/sandusky/news/2011/aug/19/dinosaurs-alive-coming-cedar-point-2012

Of all the above announcements I'm most excited about, I'm excited about the two new WindSeekers the most (Worlds of Fun is also rumored to get one next year)! I really enjoyed the Cedar Point one, and I honestly wouldn't mind if one eventually came to the Sunshine State! =)

More Kings Island 2011/2012 Teaser Pics

These pics are getting daily. Check these out:

















Sorry man, you had your chance for some Vasebreaker. =/

















Some weird looking eye.

















Some dino claws!

As for more ride rumors, some people think that it is a new area with a new coaster, however, some people believe this will be something crazy like a Son of Beast rehab similar to what is being done with the Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, replacing wood track with steel track (though I still say this is a wooden coaster). It is true that there have been rumors lately of Son of Beast getting the treatment, but with the current hints (including the location behind Racer and the marked tree), I doubt this is Son of Beast-related (unless they were to move it, which I can't see). Meanwhile, others are keeping their expectations low, saying this will be some kind of walkthrough related to dinosaurs (anything related to this is not an option, since Cedar Fair doesn't do walkthroughs or animal-related things) or an Action Theater makeover (I really really REALLY doubt this, because in the first teaser video, Don Helbig says "in a spectacular outdoor setting" and the Action Theater is indoors, unless it is one of the scenes).

So yeah, I sense a Blitz coaster (or even better, a giga =D).

More Crazy Kings Island Teasers

Yesterday, three more pics have been added to the Kings Island teaser page:

















A backhoe behind the trees.

















A man looking at some interesting plans.

















And a shipping container in the parking lot (similar to the one in the smaller background image of the teaser page). What could be inside? Anyone care for some Vasebreaker? ;) Plants Vs Zombies FTW! =D

With that last pic, I wonder if this is really going to be from B&M, since B&Ms don't usually travel in shipping containers (from the nearby Ohio plant at least). Intamins usually travel in shipping containers as seen here:


















Intimidator 305


















Cheetah Hunt

Makes me wonder if this will be an Intamin Blitz/Giga. Both sound good to me.

Kings Island 2012 Update

The main page has been updated once again, showing a new background (where the "Something Big Is Coming" is): a shipping container.
















And... a goose (maybe it is random XD):


















I also did some more research on what is going on. It seems that people are thinking that this may have a connection with the removal of the old Lazer Trek building (as of February 26, 2009) adjacent to the WindSeeker site. And check out this video:



Pay attention at 0:44-0:46 behind Racer (March 8, 2011). It looks like some kind of crane in the Action Theater area... which to me looks like something is indeed going on here.

Also, in some WindSeeker construction photos, it seems to not show the old Lazer Trek lawn (as pointed out by TOPGUN1993):

http://www.kicentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23493&view=findpost&p=418352

However, a little glimpse is seen in the land adjacent to it, the abandoned "Coney Potato works food stand along with the abandon Flight Commander queue line", and it seems that the fencing is removed.

I also remember reading when they announced WindSeeker in August, that it was part of bringing some life into the Coney Mall section of the park, which is where the Lazer Trek lawn is. Hmmm...

Anyways, I'll keep ya'll updated. Again, this could be for anything. Why?

Because I'm CRAA-! Ahem... my apologies.

Park Updates #9

Despicable Me Update:

From Screamscape:

2012 - Despicable Me & Kong 360 - Rumor - (3/11/11) I’m hearing rumors that either Universal will not lose the rights to use Jimmy Neutron until the end of the year, or that they may have struck an extension deal to allow the ride to continue to operate a little longer. Either way, the rumors about a 2012 replacement attraction, still thought to be themed to Despicable Me, is going strong.
(2/18/11) In case anyone was wondering how much Universal may really want to have a Despicable Me attraction in their theme parks, consider this little tidbit. Sales of the Despicable Me DVD’s allowed Universal’s to show a 38% increase in their Q4 report.
(2/17/11) While I still don’t have any more solid info on the opening of a Despicable Me attraction for 2012, I did uncover that Despicable Me 2 was in production for a 2013 release. Adding a theme park attraction for 2012 would make perfect sense to see the characters alive and in the public focus for the year ahead of the new film’s premier. After all, Universal did the same thing with Shrek 4D, by opening it a year in advance of Shrek 2 hitting the theaters, and hyping it as the official story to bridge the gap between the two films.

I've come to the conclusion that I will just wait and see what Universal does. I trust them, and I'm ready for something new.

Don't get me wrong viewers, JNNB is a great ride at USF, but if it goes for a better attraction (Despicable Me), you got a deal! But if the rumor gets cheapened (Disaster), horrible (Fear Factor), or something bad (Miss Congeniality comes to mind), then just forget it: SAVE JIMMY NEUTRON!!!

So I will just wait and see what Universal does.

Cheetah Hunt:

Well, recently there was a fuss about the Skyride cable clearance and the airtime hill over the Skyride. It seems that the solution is to lower the towers around the coaster area:

(3/3/11) After yesterday’s big fuss over a possible miscalculation on Cheetah Hunt, I’m happy to report that I was able to get in touch with the park for a statement on the issue, which they report to be false. False as in there was no miscalculation… they have known all along that the they were going to lower the Skyride towers in that area to allow for Cheetah Hunt to jump over it. Here is the statement from the park below…
“…part of what makes Cheetah Hunt such an amazing addition is its use of an interaction with existing park elements. To make that happen, of course it has been necessary to make major changes to several park landmarks like Rhino Rally, the Clydesdale Hamlet, the Crown Colony and the Monorail Station.
Some of the more subtle changes include raising the floor in the Monorail Station, cutting back the waterfall outcropping in Rhino Rally canyon and moving some of the Serengeti Express’ train tracks. Some of the more major changes – many of which are immediately noticeable to guests in the area – that are taking place include building new guest bridges and pathways between Nairobi and Edge of Africa, building a seating terrace in front of the Crown Colony, replacing the Clydesdale Hamlet’s wooden stalls with secure “bedrooms” for the cheetahs, and, indeed, lowering certain Skyride towers near the area where the track “jumps” the cable.”
While we’re on the subject of Cheetah Hunt, check out the latest construction update over at BGT Nation and RCPro this week.
(3/2/11) The big rumor coming in from several contacts and sources over the past 24 hours is that a couple of big issues have come up with Cheetah Hunt. First of all, several people are saying that the work in “Trench 2” has hit a snag as the digging down there may be having a problem with water seeping into the trench that has to be addressed. (It’s hard to dig too deep in Florida before you hit the water table you know…)
The second and larger issue of note has to do with that “leap” over the Skyride. The big rumor going around this week is that a serious miscalculation was made here and that there is going to be clearance issues between Cheetah Hunt and the SkyRide. I attempted to get a statement about this rumor from Busch Gardens Tampa today, but as of this writing, they have not gotten back in touch with me with a comment.
Having said that, one has to wonder where the error was made. Did the surveyors make the mistake long before the construction started, or did an error come from Stengle’s layout calculations, the track fabricators or even Intamin itself? We can’t just point the finger at Intamin here and say, “Look, another Maverick” as there really are simply too many piece of the puzzle right now to know where the fault came from.
In the end, it sounds like either the coaster is going to have to be altered or the SkyRide itself. Don’t think that it would be simply to try and “shorten” the SkyRide towers however, as there is a lot more involved than that. They would have to get a new shorter cable for the ride, and then likely have to adjust the whole counter-weight system that maintains the tension on the cable at all times. If they used the same old counter-weight, it would likely put too much tension on the cable and could damage or even snap it.
Of course manufacturing new track for a higher jump over the SkyRide may not be a viable solution either if the coaster’s layout does not allow for the train to have enough velocity to achieve the higher jump at that point in the ride. In this case, they could be forced to return to the original idea, as seen in the animation, where the track simply goes under the SkyRide once again.
In the end, I’m really hoping the rumors are wrong here and that we’ll see Cheetah Hunt open as promised for Memorial Day Weekend. More as I find out…

Vertical construction has restarted today with the 130 ft. drop into the second trench going up.

http://www.bgtnation.net/2011/03/cheetah-hunt-tower-drop-started.html

And it seems that the trains are on site (they have been painted recently):

http://www.bgtnation.net/2011/03/cheetah-hunt-train-on-track-station.html

They look very cool... perfect for hunting with cheetahs! =D

Invertigo On the Move:

Looks like Dragon Coaster, one of the rides by the old Laser site getting removed, is going up at Valleyfair for Planet Snoopy (it has been reported on February 18). Meanwhile, more evidence of Invertigo going up at Dorney Park is appearing in the form of deliveries (this also includes recent Invertigo deconstruction updates):

February 14, 2011 - A crane has appeared by Invertigo.

February 18, 2011 - Some track from the spike is gone.

February 22, 2011 - Invertigo's cars arrive at Dorney Park.

February 25, 2011 - The spike supports/track are gone

March 8, 2011 - Invertigo track pieces have been discovered in the Dorney Park parking lot.

And from Screamscape:

2012 - Invertigo - Semi-Confirmed - (3/7/11) A local area reader snapped a great picture of a piece of Invertgo track leaving CGA on it's way to Dorney Park this week. This has been followed by two more pictures sent in showing off two entirely different trucks carrying different Invertigo track pieces crossing the country, which is kind of amazing coverage to have all in one short weekend. Way to go to the Screamscape readers for keeping their eyes open and camera phones at the ready!

This information pretty much confirms Invertigo's final destination.

Kings Island 2012:

From Screamscape:

2012 - New Attraction - Rumor - (2/22/11) Kings Island has been teasing their facebook fans for a couple of weeks now with strange drawings of a twisted red-line. At first I was thinking it was some kind of walk-around path, created by a GPS style tracking system, but now others also believe it may be a topography map that could show off a possible expansion to the X-Base area of the park. In any case, this seems to be the start of hints for what’s to come in 2012 to Kings Island. You can catch the latest image and some comments posted over at KICentral.

Recently there has been crazy rumors spreading that Kings Island will get something big for 2012 (their 40th season). I remember posting a rumor that Flight Deck (Arrow Suspended) was getting removed in 2011. The rumor then was the 2012 ride. As of November, however, the ride is getting repainted, so it seems it could be staying for a few more years.

Now the 2012 rumor (as seen on Screamscape) seems to involve a forest behind Racer (as seen on the "Planning" from February 14, 2011):


















Other teases from the park include:

January 28, 2011 - A picture of a dinosaur footprint in the snow.

February 4, 2011 - A strange picture of a red outline is posted on KI's Facebook page.

March 7, 2011 - A picture of Don Helbig (president of Kings Island) doing some work on the 2011 park map and covering the Son of Beast area and the stated area (I'm not sure if this is a teaser or not).

March 9, 2011 - Something weird appears on Kings Island's main page, showing the words "Something big is coming. You're history. 3-18-11" (hinting an announcement six days from now). It returns to normal later.

March 11, 2011 - The weird tagline appears again as: "Turn Back The Clock On Thrill. SOMETHING BIG IS COMING TO KINGS ISLAND." "3.18.11"

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/public/park/mud/index.cfm

And today, a little more of the page is revealed, showing a hilarious teaser video of the "announcement" (which is censored):



XD And other goodies include some pics:

















^A marked out tree.

















^Some really muddy water.

















^Some dirt with tracks on it (probably from construction equipment).

What could this be? Rumors seem to be out of control from a new section of the park (probably themed to prehistory), a new section of the park with a new coaster, or a new coaster. I doubt this has anything to do with Son of Beast, so we can rule that out for now, though some rumors state that the coaster will be getting a Texas Giant-type makeover (all depends on if the new Texas Giant is successful or not, which it seems so).

Anyways, I think the 2nd choice seems the most logical. As for the type of coaster, I think we could be dealing with one of the following options:

1. B&M Inverted Coaster
2. Intamin Blitz
3. Intamin Giga
4. B&M Dive Machine
5. B&M Wing Coaster

Any one of these sounds good, but I sense that this could be America's first B&M Wing Coaster, like Raptor at Gardaland and LC12 at Thorpe Park.

Either way, this looks like an interesting project to look, though this can be for anything (I still have a wild guess this is a B&M Wing Coaster). Why would I say something like that... well...

Because I'm CRAAAZY!!!!! Haha, just had to put it there somehow (I'm not just a coaster fanatic... Plants Vs. Zombies = HEAVEN TOO!!)...

Son of Beast Update #2

From Screamscape:

Son Of Beast Status - Closed Until Further Notice - (11/24/10) Is there a glimmer of hope for Son of Beast? Well… not for 2011, but according to an anonymous source who was at IAAPA last week, they claim to have overhead a conversation between someone from Cedar Fair and the Rocky Mountain guys about possibly doing work on Son of Beast in the future. Of course this may be every coaster fanboys dream rumor being talked about as well... so take this with a grain of salt until we hear something more serious.
(8/13/10) We’ve heard from several sources that the work taking place in the Son of Beast station building is indeed for a new Halloween Haunt attraction and not part of a covert effort to get the ride running again.

Is there still hope? Oh I hope (not a pun) so... maybe it's not "Doom and Gloom" after all! =D Just keep your fingers crossed!

The Updates of the WindSeekers #1

So, this starts a new series, similar to the Update of the Intimidators, but this time with WindSeekers! Let's see what's going on:

Cedar Point:

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/fun/webcams/index.cfm

The webcam is now up (November 4, 2010), and it seems that the removal of the Ocean Motion flat ride has started. As of today, the Ocean Motion looks gone, and land clearing seems like it has begun.

Canada's Wonderland:

On September 9, 2010, the Jet Stream flat ride was up for sale, as it seems that WindSeeker will replace it. On October 10, 2010, Jet Stream closed, and on October 16, 2010, six days after, signs saying "Future Site of WindSeeker" and the station/queue cover is gone (and the wings on the ride were clipped). As of October 24, 2010, Jet Stream was gone. I think there is some construction now. Here is the latest:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38407&start=1570#p958813

Kings Island:

On November 2, 2010, it looks like the Diamondback webcam went offline. IDK if this is involved or not, but I sense they could be moving it to show WindSeeker construction. This version also is now under construction, though not much yet. Some trees have been removed on November 8, 2010 in the middle of a path (see this link for info):

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150116472123368&set=a.226729858367.174830.155893938367

Knott's Berry Farm:

So far this seems to be the only version that has yet to start construction. The Sky Cabin is still sitting there dormant (at least as of the latest update). But I sense that construction will start soon, as the others have already started.

4 WindSeekers Confirmed!

Cedar Point:

http://www.freep.com/article/20100824/BLOG20/100824062/1437/Cedar-Point-swings-on-beach

Cedar Point has announced a new ride for 2011 -- a giant 30-story-tall swing on its Lake Erie beach.

The $5 million ride will evoke the park's history, because for many years Cedar Point had a huge swinging ride actually IN Lake Erie. Old photos show riders in bathing costumes swinging around, over and into the waves.

The new ride, Wind Seeker, will be nearly as tall as the Millenium Force roller coaster, said spokesman Robin Innes. It will be 301 feet tall. Each swing will have two people in it, feet dangling. At its top spinning speed, it will go 25 to 30 miles per hour.

The ride replaces Ocean Motion, which will be torn down at the end of this season.

Mondial is the manufacturer.

Canada's Wonderland:

http://www.680news.com/news/local/article/92803--canada-s-wonderland-to-debut-new-ride-for-2011

TORONTO, Ont. - Canada's Wonderland plans to soar to new heights in 2011.

It's unveiled plans for its newest ride called "Windseeker."

Canada's Wonderland spokesperson Dineen Beaven shared the news during "Breakfast Television" on Citytv Tuesday morning.

"It's a 301-foot tower ride, which is essentially a swing. It's a lot of fun, we cannot wait to premiere this. To put it into perspective [...] currently our tallest rides are Behemoth and Drop Tower [are] at 230 feet," Beaven said.

She said it will be the tallest ride at the park.

Construction on the $5-million ride will start this fall.

Knott's Berry Farm:

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/windseeker-thrill-ri-7426/

The 301-foot-tall WindSeeker promises to change Knott’s Berry Farm’s skyline when the spinning swing ride debuts at the Buena Park theme park in 2011.

WindSeeker will carry 64 riders in twin-seat gondolas to the top of the tower, where the ride’s metal arms will extend out at a 45-degree angle and spin for one minute at 30 mph.

The $5 million WindSeeker thrill ride replaces the venerable but aging Sky Cabin, a 225-foot-tall gyro observation tower built in 1976 and painted in patriotic red, white and blue. In recent years, the sedate observation deck has become better known for getting stuck in mid-ascent than for its commanding views. Knott’s removed the nostalgic Sky Jump parachute drop from the tower in 1999, leaving only the Sky Cabin.

The WindSeeker tower will retain the Sky Cabin’s signature Knott’s “K” at the top of the ride.

WindSeeker will be just a bit shorter Knott’s 312-foot-tall Supreme Scream turbo drop ride, touted as the tallest freestanding structure in Orange County when it was built in 1998.

Cedar Fair, Knott’s parent company, will install identical WindSeekers in 2011 at Cedar Point and Kings Island in Ohio and Canada’s Wonderland in Ontario.

The ride’s Dutch manufacturer, Mondial, is embroiled in a bitter patent dispute with an Australian competitor over the ride’s design. FunTime’s Star Flyer looks like a classic wave swinger ride with seats suspended from chains while Mondial’s WindSeeker features steel arms designed for higher wind conditions.

WindSeeker had been an open secret on theme park websites like Screamscape and Westcoaster before FunTime spoiled Cedar Fair’s surprise last week by taking their patent infringement claim public.

So you think that's all??? Haha... forgot to post yesterday... Kings Island will also get a thrill ride for 2011 (this was confirmed in the news yesterday)... and it will ALSO be WindSeeker:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100824/NEWS01/308240026/Kings-Island-s-new-ride-WindSeeker

MASON – Kings Island calls its new ride WindSeeker, and it’s no ordinary swing set.

Announced Tuesday, the ride is a 301-foot-tall tower that will spin 64 riders in two-person swings at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, flaring out 45 degrees from the tower.

WindSeeker will open for the 2011 season in the Coney Mall section of the park near the Vortex roller coaster exit, according to park officials.

Kings Island spokesman Don Helbig said the new ride will add to a left-to-right panorama of tall attractions as viewed from Interstate 71 – Drop Zone at 315 feet tall, the Eiffel Tower at 313 feet, Diamondback at 230 feet and WindSeeker.

The ride also adds some pizzazz to a classic area of the park. Home to the Racer roller coaster, Coney Mall's old-fashioned feel and ubiquitous white wood is a nod to the venerable amusement park on the Ohio River where Kings Island has its roots.

“That’s one of the things our guests have said over the years, ‘We’d like to see more attractions in Coney Mall,’” Helbig said.

And here are some pictures of WindSeeker (first one's Cedar Point. Second is Canada's Wonderland. Third is Knott's Berry Farm. Last is Kings Island):









They all look so cool... GOOD NEWS: There is a possibility that we could be going to Knott's next summer, which possibly means that I will ride the Knott's version! =D

Anyways... time to start a new series... "The Update of the WindSeekers."

=D Can't wait for next summer!

Son of Beast Update #1

From Screamscape:

Son Of Beast Status - Closed Until Further Notice - (8/2/10) The new land clearing behind Son of Beast is real it seems, and can be seen from the tower’s observation deck if you look through the gap where the loop used to be to the land beyond. Even more interesting are the reports from those riding Flight Deck who claim to have seen workers pounding/sawing away at stuff in the SOB station, along with the sound of power tools. I’ve got to wonder, are they working on something in the station for the ride… or planning to turn the station into a Halloween Haunt?

Son of Beast News!

From Screamscape:

Son Of Beast Status - Closed Until Further Notice - (7/28/10) I’m told that some new land clearing has actually begun behind Son of Beast. While I’m not sure what this may mean, another reader has pointed out that the former SonOfBeast.com website is now auto-forwarding all visits to the Intimidator 305 page. Odd… very odd…

Uh-oh... um, I said it once, and I'll say it again...

DOOM AND GLOOM!!!!!

Good News and Bad News

Good News:

From BGTGuide:

http://bgtguide.com/bgt/images/stories/gallery/2011/eoa-permit.jpg

Looks like the walkway from Edge of Africa to Nairobi is happening. It doesn't come as a surprise to me IMO. Some markers saying "Path" just screamed that the walkway is happening.

Bad News:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/files/5.bmp

Son of Beast is not on the 2010 Kings Island park map.

Ummm... it's official... DOOM AND GLOOM!!!!

Son of Beast a No-Go for 2010

http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/oxford-news/son-of-beast-wont-open-this-season-607408.html

"MASON — The Son of Beast will remain idle for this season, Kings Island announced Thursday evening, March 18.

The world’s tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster has caused trouble for the amusement park since it opened in 2000 and has cost nearly $30 million for construction and subsequent repairs, according to the Kings Island vice president and general manager, Greg Scheid.

When the park opens April 17, park goers will find Planet Snoopy – a new kids’ area themed to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the PEANUTS gang – and major thrill rides but no Son of Beast.

On June 23, 2009, the coaster was abruptly shut down for the year after a 39-year-old Mason woman reported she had a burst blood vessel in her brain as a result of riding the coaster.

Scheid said he’s not ready to give up on the major investment just yet. Structurally, he said the ride is sound but he is not pleased with the thrill ride’s performance.

Since the roller coaster opened, six incidents involving injury have been reported. After each incident, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which oversees all amusement park rides in the state, has inspected the ride and cleared it for reopening.

Scheid said he has asked three engineering firms to submit proposals for a long-term fix. One firm’s proposal was unsatisfactory, he said, and he is waiting for the others.

Last fall, a forensic engineer provided video testimony in a civil lawsuit that Kings Island was “negligent” and “put passengers at risk” by using a Band-Aid approach to fixing the ride.

Jennifer Wright of Defiance sued park owners Cedar Fair after she and 26 others were injured on the ride July 7, 2006.

The jury awarded Wright $76,364 in compensatory damages, and then park officials struck an undisclosed settlement with Wright on punitive damages, before the jury could hear the engineer’s testimony.

Scheid said the park hasn’t talked about tearing down the ride.

“It’s more of a how do we make it right,” he said."

Scratch that, now it's...

DOOM AND GLOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Son of Beast could open 2010 after all

From Screamscape:

"Son Of Beast Status - Closed Until Further Notice - (3/18/10) While the last news article to touch upon the fate of Son of Beast seemed to imply that there was little chance of it opening again, this alternate article actually says that the park hopes to reopen the coaster later in the season and that the park is currently in talks with companies about long term fixes to the ride."

Hopefully that's the case.

No Son of Beast for 2010?

FROM SCREAMSCAPE:

"Son Of Beast Status - Closed Until Further Notice - (3/17/10) Kings Island reports that as of right there are no plans to reopen Son of Beast for the foreseeable future. KI’s GM, Greg Scheid commented, “Eight days after I took over, the accident occurred. We have struggled with it ever since. We have smoothed out the ride. Most people will say they are comfortable with the ride, but I am not comfortable with the ride.”"

No Son of Beast for 2010?!?!?!?!

Umm... all I can say is...

DOOM AND GLOOM!!!!!!!! D=

Son of Beast Jeopardy Timeline

Let me summarize...

May 31, 2009 - A woman has suffered a head injury while riding the Son of Beast wooden coaster at Kings Island.

June 16, 2009 - The woman reported the injury to KI officials, and Son of Beast was closed.

June 24, 2009 - ODA inspectors traveled to Kings Island and conducted an investigation on Son of Beast.

July 2, 2009 - Son of Beast will remain closed Independence weekend.

July 5, 2009 - The Kings Island website listed Son of Beast as temporarily closed. All merchandise for the coaster has been pulled out from KI stores.

July 30, 2009 - Son of Beast was cleared of all charges, but the coaster is still closed.

August 7, 2009 - Kings Island has been selling a plethora of Son of Beast T-Shirts for just $2.50.

August 8, 2009 - A Toledo man dies while riding Firehawk.

August 10, 2009 - Even though Son of Beast was cleared of all charges, Kings Island announced that the roller coaster will remain closed for the 2009 season. The Kings Island website listed Son of Beast as closed for the remainder of the 2009 season. The Son of Beast logo has been removed from the crate at night. Firehawk reopens.

August 12, 2009 - The other signs at the entrance are removed (including the entrance sign, height check signs, wait length time, safety warnings, etc).

August 16, 2009 - There is no merchandise left for Son of Beast.

August 21, 2009 - The exit gate is screwed in and the entrance gate is zip-tied.

August 22, 2009 - The Son of Beast sign is inside the sign shop.

September 17, 2009 - Testing is occurring on the coaster.

October 4, 2009 - The red train is being dismantled.

October 18, 2009 - The Son of Beast trains are in the gravel area by Adventure Express.

November 9, 2009 - KI revealed that a problem occurred with the coaster during construction, when a snowstorm damaged the superstructure, thus making people deem it unsafe.

November 16, 2009 - News stations are reporting that Son of Beast may possibly never reopen.

February 17, 2010 - The park stated "Guests can check out the park's 14 thrill-inducing roller coasters, including our newest, tallest, and fastest one ever, DIAMONDBACK." The park counted 15 coasters last year, while they're now counting 14 coasters, hinting that Son of Beast may not reopen in 2010.

February 19, 2010 - This was reported on the Math & Science Days at Kings Island:

"A preliminary list of operating rides is as follows: (subject to change)
Diamondback, Firehawk, Delirum, Drop Tower, Invertigo, Racer, Beast, Flight of Fear, Viking Fury, Dodgems, Eiffel Tower, Vortex, Adventure Express, Carousel, The Crypt, Zephyr, Congo Falls and Flight Deck."

The Math & Science Days are April 30th, May 7th, May 14th, and May 21st, 2010. This hints that Son of Beast may not reopen in the 2010 season. The subject may change, however.

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Things aren't looking good for Son of Beast (please stay, please stay, PLEASE STAY!)...