Aurora, OH’s latest roller coaster will be getting a new home within the next couple of years. Workers have already begun dismantling the Vekoma Flying Dutchman. This decision comes after another lackluster season for the park and it kind of surprises me that they would rather move it to another park in the chain and brand it as a new coaster. As to where it will go they have yet to announce it.

Along with Dominator, that coaster was the parks flagship attraction. Hopefully they add a bigger attraction or have something planned to help the attendance issue. I’d hate to see that place get shut down.

I never liked the name of X-Flight, I do hope they change it to something a bit more appealing.

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A wonderful bit of news here. Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers Inc. is designing a roller coaster together with Hard Rock Park for a tentative opening when the entire park opens in Spring 2008. In a quote from IAAPA, the coaster “takes the audio experience to the next level by truly choreographing the entire ride experience to an incredible Hard Rock classic.”

This should make for a unique and incredible experience. I wonder if parts of the ride will take place indoors and what type of Beemer it will be. It is possible it may be a floorless because Kraken appears in some of the artwork the park has released, but who knows. This coaster is sure to be the star attraction at Hard Rock Park. Can’t wait.

Apparently, the Son of Beast roller coaster at Paramount’s Kings Island had a bit too much fun with its riders. After one of the rides drops, a large jolt was felt that caused these injuries. You can read more here.

Cedar Fair has recently completed the purchase of Kings Island — not to mention the rest of the chain — and this is what happens. I really hope Cedar Fair can come in and fix the overly rough ride Son of Beast gives. When a ride is so rough that it leads to something like this, there’s no telling what else it may be capable of. Let’s be thankful that nobody was killed.

Today in a Toledo Blade article, CEO Dick Kinzel has stated that Cedar Fair is considering buying CBS Corp’s Paramount’s Kings Island.

“After the meeting, Mr. Kinzel revealed Cedar Fair is considering buying Kings Island, an amusement park near Cincinnati that was put up for sale by its owner, CBS Corp. That park is one of five in CBS’ Paramount Parks division.”

This is very interesting news and I won’t be surprised if it ends up happening. Cedar Fair has recently bought out Michigan’s Adventure and Geauga Lake which they have turned around in the last few years. With the purchase of Kings Island, Cedar Fair would own all three of Ohio’s major theme parks. This is very good news for me and my Cedar Point season pass. I just wonder how they would go about with themeing and renaming rides they do not have rights to.

The 2006 season is finally here. Cedar Point has opened Skyhawk to the public, and who would have thought that it would break down the first day of operation? Cedar Point had to order a part to be able to fix her up, so until then Skyhawk will not be running. Hopefully this will take care of all the possible problems, but with a new ride of such caliber it is really hard to say.

Construction is also underway at the park for the 2007 attraction which looks to be a coaster and possibly more. There is currently a piece of — what appears to be — red Intamin track at a staging area by the Breakers Express hotel a little ways away from the park. This is a very interesting development, so who knows what “Maverick” will actually become. Maybe an Intamin Aquatrax coaster? Maybe there will be two coasters and maybe they will be two different kinds of coasters. As more clues come out from the park, “Maverick” will reveal itself to us, but until then this is all we have.