thegajone Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 TL:DR warning.... I had a very nice and fun visit to the park yesterday. I showed up for ERT and went straight for Delirium while the masses headed for Banshee. I was the first guest of the day to board Delirium, and as I entered the queue 2 guys in there early 20's applauded me for choosing Delirium over Banshee, much to my amusement. Later on in the day I saw them again near Vortex and they shouted "Delirium guy!", again to my amusement. I rode it with those 2 and maybe 3-5 others. Great start to the day. I wanted to hit up DT next but it wasn't running and about 5 park employees were standing at the bottom of it chatting. I thought it might be the crew preparing for their shift, but it turns out DT never ran at any point during the day (even though the marquee out front listed SR&R as the only ride that wouldn't be operating). So I hit up Banshee instead and rode in 5-1. That was the first time I rode in the middle of the train and I actually enjoyed that more than the front, which is a little too disorienting for me. I still haven't sat in the middle of a car, but I think I like the right side more than the left. I started heading towards X Base but it was still a few minutes before 10. I had no idea they played the National Anthem before opening the park. The only other time I've ever done ERT I think I was on The Bat right around 10 so I missed it. After the rope dropped I went straight for Firehawk as the vast majority of guests who also headed for X Base as the park opened opted for FoF. After riding Delirium, Banshee and Firehawk in about a 30 minute span I had to sit down for a bit. Not sure if it's just a sign of aging or if I need to see a physician or what, but I sweat like crazy while riding intense rides like those 3, especially in succession like that. Anyway after a short recovery period I rode FoF after a 3 train wait. Like I pointed out in another thread, it looked to me like the restraints were removed from the last 2 rows but I couldn't tell for sure, especially since I rode in 1-2 and didn't have a great view of the back car. As someone else pointed out on the main KI discussion board, it seems like it's a lot darker than it was earlier in the year. And this particular experience wasn't quite as rough on me as others for whatever reason. Following that I wanted to hit up the last low-capacity coaster of the day for me (wasn't planning on doing Invertigo) before the crowds hit, which of course is BLSC. I miss the antique car ride and Flying Eagles, but I still think this ride is fun, even if all the effects aren't in working order. Next was Beast, which was only a 2 train wait and was as fun as ever. It just doesn't get old. I planned on marathoning DB for a while next, but like I said on the main KI discussion board they were assigning seats, so I only rode once in 7-2 after a 5-10 minute wait. It was great as always but I think I like both the front and middle more. By now it was only just 11:30 and I had ridden 7 rides and taken a couple small breaks. I hit up Rivertown Potato Works for lunch and headed back to WWC to drench some guests while eating. Always a good time. Side note: I'm sure Coney Mall's Potato Works is exactly the same, but I will never order from there. It's just tradition for me to get Potato Works in Rivertown, and as such is the only one I recognize as a dining option. Following my meal and a bit of a break I headed back east to Vortex. I planned on riding in 1-1 but so did half the other guests in the park it felt like, so instead I waited only 1 train for 1-2. I actually think I like the front more than 5-1. WindSeeker would have been next but it was pretty windy yesterday so I didn't expect it to run much, and this proved to be the case (again, despite SR&R being the only ride on the marquee listed as not operating for the day). Racer was next, and I opted for Blue because I felt like being a winner today. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe the Blue track is shorter than Red, or maybe Blue is faster (doubt it), but Blue always wins, even though Red almost always leaves the station a second or 2 before Blue and has about a 1 car advantage going up the lift hill. Side note #2: walking around in Coney Mall and listening to the chain of The Racer lift hill just never, ever gets old. If I could some up KI in just 1 way, it would be standing in Coney Mall and listening to that. THAT, to me, is Kings Island in a nutshell and always will be. AE was next and had the longest line of the day for me to that point of just under 10 minutes. The Bat followed and had a wait of a little over 10 minutes, which coupled with the walk to and fro, added up to about a 45 minute wait (I kid, I kid). Following those 2 I got a Banshee Twist. Delicious, but I blew it and got a waffle cone. Terrible idea. Mess everywhere. Never again. After eating (and wearing) my soft serve while watching Banshee for a while in the former Action Zone circle target area, I decided to go up ET. I hadn't been up there in probably 15 years, but I really like going up there when it's windy and yesterday certainly fit the bill. I stayed up there for probably 20 minutes while soaking it all in. While up there I saw Congo Falls stop on the lift hill and all of the water shut off, then it cut back on a couple minutes later and started moving again. Not sure why that was entertaining, but I kept my eyes glued on it for the whole ordeal. By then it was 2:20 and I headed for the exit, having already ridden everything I wanted to. When I got to my car I saw that my swim trunks, towel, flip flops and sunscreen were still in my car from a 4th of July pool party. Impromptu Soak City visit time! I drove over to the Soak City gate and got a killer parking spot, which was ideal for my multiple back-and-forth trips to my car, which also acted as my locker. I hadn't been to the water park in roughly 10 years, maybe more. While I had minimal wait times in the main park, I waited close to 30 minutes for Mondo Monsoon. I had never ridden that before, but that was great and well worth the wait! I did a few more slides and the Splash River -- which is appropriately titled since I was splashed the entire time by patrons of all ages that felt the need to burn through a lazy river as quickly as possible -- before deciding to throw on a shirt and hop on the train to the main park to ride WWC and RFYLCB while still in my trunks and flip flops. WWC ended up being my longest wait of the day at the main park (15-20 minutes). Both were fun, but afterwards I decided that I'd had enough and jumped on the train back to Soak City and headed for the exit. Unfortunately it will probably be my final trip of the season to KI. Sadly round #3 with osteosarcoma is right around the corner, and recovery from surgery will very likely keep me out of the park for the rest of the season. It's a bummer for sure but my spirits are high and it makes me appreciate trips to the park like yesterday's even more than I would have normally. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dtk1376 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 That makes me happy that Adventure Express had the longest wait at the park, it's one of my favorite rides at the park and doesn't seem to be well loved by some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 That has way more to do with timing than anything. Remember, I rode Delirium, Banshee, Firehawk, FoF, BLSC, Beast and DB all before 11:30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dtk1376 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I know, but I still like to think there is some love for AE that it would get a 10 minute wait, that means people are riding it. I need to get up there early some time, especially with summer in full swing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Great report! You might have seen some KICers in X-Base right after rope drop; we did FOF first and then Firehawk. If you saw someone in a blue Holiday World raincoat, that was me. Drop Tower did open shortly before closing, in time to run a few cycles. Sorry to hear about your medical issues. I pray that your surgery goes well and that you have a speedy recovery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 8, 2014 Author Share Posted July 8, 2014 Thanks! I don't recall seeing you but I did see one young man who looked to be around 13 years old in a KIC shirt, so I figured I wasn't too far from your group. If you saw a random guy sitting on a bench next to the Firehawk photo booth, then you walked right past me! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malem Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 ^ ohiocolts was the one in the KIC shirt, and he was with the group of about 10 of us. You should have said "Hi"! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiocolts Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 ^^Thank you for calling me 13 and not 10 or something . And thanks for the report too! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoraX Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 You're taller now. It makes you look 13. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 I am very happy to report that I am already on the road to recovery, and it looks like this trip will in fact not be my last of the season! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoraX Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 That's great! I presume everything is going as well as it possibly can be? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 Yeah it's just a really weird situation to be in. Once osteosarcoma metastasizes in the lungs, there isn't anything they can do other than take out the mass and hope it stops coming back. This is the second time they have had to remove a mass from my left lung, and hopefully the last. Only time can tell though, and that is one agonizing waiting game. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Sounds like everything's going as great as possible! Here's hoping you can make it back before the end of the season. If you don't mind me asking, is there any specific length of time following surgery after which they can reasonably assume that the mass won't come back? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 Sounds like everything's going as great as possible! Here's hoping you can make it back before the end of the season. If you don't mind me asking, is there any specific length of time following surgery after which they can reasonably assume that the mass won't come back? They say 5 years is the magic number. My first lung mass showed up 1 year after chemo and this one showed up roughly 1.75 years after the last lung mass was removed. As long as they can keep getting to them everything is OK because the procedure to remove the masses isn't terrible by any means, but eventually one of 2 things will happen: it stops coming back or it comes back in an inoperable location. I'd put myself through whatever it takes to get these things to stay away for good if I could, but there just isn't a plan other than "wait and hope", which is a tough plan for my wife and family to deal with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Well, let's stay positive and hope for the best! I'm sending prayers your way. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Unfortunately I am back in the hospital with pneumonia Hopefully I won't be stuck in here too long and will be back to normal in no time. In the meantime I have enjoyed reading posts covering a wide variety of topics on here, it really helps keep my mind off of things while I'm sitting here awake in the middle of the night with not much else to do. This is my favorite message board by far to peruse these days so I appreciate the free entertainment! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoraX Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Is pneumonia normal? I would think you'd have an increased risk of it. I hope you're feeling much better very soon. When you are ready and able to go back to Kings Island maybe a celebratory meet up should take place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegajone Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 It's not too uncommon, and I'm feeling OK, there's just some fluid built up on the right side and they are being as cautious as possible. I am definitely looking forward to getting back to the park when this is all over with! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creed Bratton Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Unfortunately I am back in the hospital with pneumonia Hopefully I won't be stuck in here too long and will be back to normal in no time. In the meantime I have enjoyed reading posts covering a wide variety of topics on here, it really helps keep my mind off of things while I'm sitting here awake in the middle of the night with not much else to do. This is my favorite message board by far to peruse these days so I appreciate the free entertainment! Get better soon! My 82 year old grandma was just released from the hospital today from having pneumonia. Get lots of rest! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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