After riding the coaster in every row we got a chance to get up close and personal with the ride by entering the restricted areas. We took this opportunity to sit on the track and take pictures. Afterwards, we were served a delicious lunch. It was a little disconcerting to see that as soon as we were done riding the maintenance crew showed up and started torquing some of the bolts on the supports. Final preparations had to be made before the official opening on Tuesday.

Sky Rocket packs a lot of action into a small footprint, the area of the park formerly occupied by the Turnpike car ride. The coaster stands 95 feet tall and was designed right here in America by Premier. This was Premier’s first LSM (linear synchronous motor) launched ride (their previous launched coasters used LIMs). This gets the two-car train blasting up to 50 mph in under two seconds. From there it is straight up and into the sky.

The open sided trains are very comfortable and the lack of over the shoulder restraints means freedom for your upper body and no head banging. However, I wouldn’t recommend sitting in the last rows of each train. The shin guard part of the restraints (which I am not sure why they are necessary) push your feet back so your knees are bent with your feet behind your knees. In the first two rows of each car there is plenty of room but in the last row the wheel wells limit the amount of space you have, especially for the taller riders.

The biggest surprise of the ride for me were the inversions. Normally, inversions on roller coaster don’t really do it for me; they don’t excite me. Naturally, when I first saw Sky Rocket’s inversions I thought, “Eh”. Well, let me tell you, Sky Rocket’s inversions are designed perfectly. You actually get airtime while you are upside down, even in the corkscrew element. Most rides you get pushed back and are pinned into your seat while you go upside down but on Sky Rocket you are suspended perfectly in midair. It’s a really cool sensation.

The other elements I was skeptical about were the holding brakes on the top hat and in the middle of the course. The placement of the brakes looked as if it would prohibit any airtime and kill the pacing. After riding Sky Rocket my opinion is now just the opposite; the holding brakes actually enhance the ride experience and don’t hurt the pacing at all. You also get quite different experiences going over into the ninety-degree drops depending on which row you sit in. Sitting in the front gives you a good long time to stare at straight down at the ground and sitting towards the back makes you go flying over the edge and out of your seat.

While it may not be the tallest, fastest, or most intense ride around, Sky Rocket is a ton of fun. It’s a great addition and a perfect fit for Kennywood. I believe the ride will satisfy a wide range of riders: young and old, the most experienced coaster addict and the beginner will all love it. This is a ride you can do over and over again without any problems.  It’s easily the best ride in the park (yes, it’s better than Phantom’s Revenge, and that’s saying a lot).  Sky Rocket officially opens to the public on Tuesday, June 29th and I would expect it to quickly become the most popular ride in the park.

Coaster101 would like to thank Jeff and Kennywood for inviting us to experience Sky Rocket and for putting on a wonderful media day event. Now go ride it for yourself!

Stay tuned for more coverage from Kennywood including:

-video of Sky Rocket in action
-trip report, pictures and video of the other amazing attractions at Kennywood

Updated: new video and pictures here

I think I spot a footer!

This looks like some heavy construction for such a small ride!

It looks like a lot of groundwork is happening in preparation for Mr. Six’s DanceCoaster!

And last but not least, the freshly painted track!

It looks a lot larger in person!

Unfortunately, this was the only time I would see Invertigo operate in the day. My main gripe with the park’s operations was the number of attractions not operating: Son of Beast (obviously), Invertigo, Flying Ace Areial Chase, and one side of the Racer (I’m a stickler for one-side operations). However, I understand this was opening weekend – hopefully many of these will open by the time the summer season really sets in, except Son of Beast.

Diamondback, the first ride of the day, can bee seen here protruding from the treeline.

I was pleased to see that Diamondback still had its new coaster shine!

Prepare for landing and…

…Splashdown!

I’d say that’s a pretty steep drop.

Planet Snoopy or a “Nickelodeon Universe with a new coat of paint.”

No, it’s not warm enough to ride the log flume.

I wonder if these could be recycled.

Don’t disturb the snake!

Who would’ve thought that Kings Island would have the world’s greateast funnel cakes?

Though I passed on taking a spin on “The Crypt,” my friends did not give the ride high remarks. Their complaints were that it was too short. Who knows?

I feel this is a great shot to advertise “Ride Warriors.”

Backlot Stunt Coasters, with newly-disguised cars.

Vortex was an enjoyable Arrow looper, far from the worst I’ve been on!

The corkscrews weren’t nearly as bad as some of Vortex’s sisters.

The ride has a spiffy logo as well, what more could you ask for?

The Beast changed everything I thought I knew about the wooden coaster experience. And after riding it in the dark, I can say with confidence that it is now my number one wooden coaster, bumping Dollywood’s Thunderhead to the number two spot.

She doesn’t know what’s about to happen.

It’s definitely unchained… except for the lifthill. It has a chain.

I’ve always had an interest in Backlot Stunt Coaster – I was excited about riding it and while I wasn’t expecting much, it turned out to be a pretty fun little ride.

This coaster has been Snoopified.

X-Base. Firehawk and Flight of Fear were both great rides but I don’t have a burning desire to reride either of them.

Firehawk is a very photogenic coaster, or that’s what it wants us to believe.

I was assuming it would be similar to the B&M flying coaster but the significant amount of “laydown” time really made this a unique ride experience.

The loop sure threw me for a loop.

Slingshot wanted $20 from me. No thanks.

Vortex seemed to get more orange as the day progressed.

This ride brought back the “holy crap why did I do this?’ moment for me. At what I’m guessing was the 200 foot mark, I began to tell the ride that it was alright to stop. I then realized I wasn’t on Giant Drop or Acrophobia, I was on Drop Tower, and while it might have a painfully generic name, the shock of being 315 feet in the air is not generic at all. Side note: do your feet hurt when you step off the ride or do I have a serious medical problem?

This was a sad sight. It looks like it has the potential to be a fun ride. Hopefully Cedar Fair can pull a miracle and turn it into greatness someday.

After the untimely closure of Big Bad Wolf, I made it a priority to ride one of the few remaining Arrow suspended coasters in the country. Flight Deck was a short but sweet coaster.

Delirium dominates this area of the park.

The sun begins to set over the park and that means it’s time for rerides!

Diamondback was definitely more powerful later in the day!

The Backlot Stunt Coaster was one of the last rides of the day, before another couple of nighttime spins on The Beast.

Overall, the day was a total success. Despite missing a few rides, I felt like I covered all the major parts of the park. The staff was friendly and, for the most part, seemed prepared. I’d say it was a smooth first day of the season, from a guest’s perspective anyway!

Feel free to share your own Kings Island experiences either in our forums or in the comment section below.

Construction on the newest and most exciting addition to CoCo Key Water Resort’s portfolio of water resorts and hotels is set to open in April of 2010. Located in Orlando, Florida at 7400 International Drive, the adventure-filled 54,000 square-foot canopy covered and outdoor water park will be the only of its kind in the area and is set to attract families from across the globe.

CoCo Key Water Resort’s colorful décor and atmosphere reflect the tropical appeal of historic Key West and attractions including three adventure water slides – the Boomerango, Surfer Splash and Over the Falls will offer thrilling rides for excitement-seeking guests. Palm Paradise spa, and Parrot’s Perch interactive play island will offer water park fun for families looking for a quieter experience and the new Orlando CoCo Key property will also feature attractions including Minnow Lagoon toddler pool, CoCo’s Beach, and a teen pool, Coral Reef Cove.

The resort will feature various food and beverage outlets including TradeWinds, a full-service restaurant, Callaloo Grill, a food court area in the water park, and Gator’s Grab & Go, a convenience store and gift shop. In addition, guests age 21 and older will be able to enjoy a beverage in the tropical bar along the wharf. The Key Quest Arcade will feature state of the art games for everyone in the family and Parakeet’s Playhouse will offer a multi-function space for parties, events, and more!

A six-foot-tall plush version of “CoCo,” the resort’s fun-loving famous parrot mascot, will entertain guests, make special appearances, and pose for pictures. Conveniently located to all major attractions, CoCo Key Water Resort and Hotel will include 392 completely renovated guest rooms and family suites, the new Gator Grab and Go coffee and convenience shop, health & fitness center and new restaurant/ food court.

The entrance to Luna Park will pay homage to the original Luna Park, which was one of the first amusement parks at Coney Island.

Another ride coming to Luna Park.

From the concept art posted, it seems as if the rides will be themed which is

Alton Towers Resort is to launch “the scariest ride in the UK” next year.

Thirteen, built on the site of the old Corkscrew rollercoaster, aims to combine physical and psychological fear and will be dubbed a “psychoaster”.

The £15 million ride will be restricted to 16 to 55-year-olds only and visitors limited to one ride per day “due to concerns about emotional maturity and physical health”, resort bosses said.

Visitors will also be required to sign a waiver which assures the resort of their physical and mental health “to avoid any resulting lawsuits”.

Alton Towers’ latest secret weapon comes after the successes of Nemesis, Oblivion and Air and will be based on the discovery of an unearthed ancient burial site in an area of unexplored woodland known as the Dark Forest.

A spokesman said: “Visitors will be invited to take a petrifying ride on Thirteen, venturing into the seemingly living and breathing Dark Forest. There they will face an unknown horror that has been unleashed from the ancient crypt.”

Built on a burial site that is part of the original Alton Abbey, one of the main features will take place inside the unearthed crypt.

Morwenna Angove, Alton Towers’ sales and marketing director, said: “This new ride will be a shocking, never-experienced-before rollercoaster and we’re excited that once again the Alton Towers Resort is able to offer visitors the chance to experience something unavailable in any other part of the world.

“However, just as we take physical health and safety very seriously, Thirteen demands that we also consider our visitors’ emotional health, and as such we’re not afraid of introducing necessary measures to ensure riders are fully prepared and healthy enough to brave Thirteen.”

The new ride took a team of 35 people nine months to build and will be launched in March next year.

It’s still a mystery just how those riverfront rascals, Tom Sawyer and his sidekick Huckleberry Finn, got lost on the mighty Mississippi. But this past summer, that’s exactly what happened. And much to their astonishment, their unexpected detour up the White River landed them at Silver Dollar City!

The pair was desperate to repair their raft and get back home to Hannibal, when they stumbled upon an abandoned paddle wheel operation. In no time, Tom had hatched a plan to make a little money and a whole lot of mischief.

Drawn by fantastic stories of majestic steamship tours, folks have come from far and wide to take the trip of a lifetime. There’s just one hitch – there’s not a grand sailing vessel in sight! Instead, Tom and Huck will take you on a REAL river adventure!

Passengers and spectators alike are armed with super soaker water guns, waging an all-out water war! Take aim against aqua-armed adversaries and targets all along the action-packed waterway. But watch out, they may shoot back! It’s America’s Biggest Water Battle – only at Silver Dollar City!

Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia has announced that it will add a new family-oriented roller coaster to its offerings in 2010, bringing the total number of roller coasters at Magic Mountain to 17. This will keep them tied for the title of “roller coaster capital of the world” according to Roller Coaster Database.

The newly announced roller coaster has not been named yet, but is expected to open in early summer 2010 at the northwest corner of the park, adjacent to Terminator® Salvation™:  The Ride. Six Flags Magic Mountain has also announced lower Play Pass (season pass) rates for 2010, priced at $54.99 with no blackout dates.

The logo and name for the new family coaster are expected to be announced in November 2009. This coaster will join rides like Canyon Blaster that are designed for parents and young children to enjoy together.

Why is this important to Santa Clarita residents? Well, first off, the Magic Mountain theme park is one of Santa Clarita Valley’s biggest employers. In addition, the threat of a sell-off of the park to residential developers seems to be completely laid to rest, with the addition of this new roller coaster as well as the recently opened Terminator® Salvation™:  The Ride.

From Six Flags Magic Mountain’s website:

“A new family coaster is coming in early summer, bringing the coaster count to 17! Joining the world-renown collection, the new coaster will be located in the northwest corner of the Park, near last season’s newest innovative thrill ride, Terminator® Salvation™: The Ride.”

See the entire article here.

Click here to see the website!