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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/25/2017 in all areas

  1. 5 points
  2. FYI, A lot of you are very interested in Kings Island's history. This season, I'm honored to be blogging for the park on their website about the origins of the park all the way up through all the current rides. The first full installment was posted today. Here's the direct link: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2017/april/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-rides
    5 points
  3. I went with my friend Stephanie despite the weather warnings-- and we ended up having perfect weather! We arrived at around 5oclock, and I always go counter clockwise around the park. We hit Planet Snoopy first, with a ride on Boo Blasters and Surf Dog. BB was in fairly good condition. The targets weren't very responsive, but the animatronics worked overall except for Sha--I mean the tourist. I didn't remember the 2nd Boocifer screen! We headed to MT next, and I was happy with our wait. We were in line for about an hour, but the theming helped pass the time quickly! I wish they'd turn off the FunTV's so you could suck up that environment more! The ride itself is magnificent. I had watched POV videos and was still surprised at some of the turns! Truthfully I was more impressed with the Shed than I expected to be. The screens used for the monsters were a great effect and we haven't seen something like this in the park for a long time! I'll finish up my report later! I'm on my lunch break!
    4 points
  4. Chris hit it! Bring in more once a year visitors, they ride MT and see #whatsintheshed. They hear about more things in the shed. They ride again later to see what is different. They get off excited and buy MT swag, ride a few more things, get an extra meal for the day. Then they might as well stay to watch the fireworks and get the kids light up toys. Get some candy/fudge on the way out. In park spending for that family was more than doubled/tippled for the day. I have had co-works and friends that rarely/don't visit KI ask about the shed. They are curious enough to get them talking and want to experience it. In that regard it has been hyped the way they wanted it to. The above scenario is exactly what you want as an enthusiast. If the marketing works as expected, we are then that much closer to getting another big ride for the park. Everyone can have an opinion about the shed, but saying it was due to being to "hyped" I feel they set their own expectations to high.
    4 points
  5. If you are refering to my post, I never said marketing can't be wrong or can't be criticized. That was not my point at all. What I am saying is I don't think their maketing strategy can be contributed to a persons opinion or expectation of the shed. To say it was to "hyped" I would call an excuse to a person being let down or expecting more. I will explain my thought process below. Looking back at the whole offseason up to opening day, we only saw a hashtag that said #Whatsintheshed. Yes it was promoted and used a lot all offseason. Maybe some can critisize its overuse? Now tell me how using a hashtag for 6 months with no clue to the contents by the park somehow set any expectation for anyone other than there is "something" in the shed? Anyone who wanted to think about its contents came up with ideas in their own mind about what was in the shed. That is where the expectation was set. If it was just a shed with a handful of plastic snakes from a dollar store, that would have been a "something." Would that not have meet the crteria of the hashtag and park? I am not asking anyone to not have their own opinion, or not to (respectfully) criticize what is in the shed. I just respectfully disagree with the statement. "I was let down or expected more because it was to hyped."
    3 points
  6. Here is an article from a Holiday Inn magazine in 1972 plus the 1972 Guide Book. Ah the good old days....
    3 points
  7. Been reading through the back and forth "debate" and I'm going to throw my two cents in just for the heck of it. My opinion? There's nothing wrong with joking around of having fun, however, you can still maintain some level of professionalism while doing so. I don't think the problem is the joking around, but the deliberate spewing of "fake" or incorrect facts/stats. I'd like to think that the average park-goer would know better, but my faith in the general public isn't that strong. For those visiting who are not enthusiast (which I would think would be a pretty big number), they might actually believe the fake facts being given. I know we all find it funny when we hear someone in the park make a claim about a ride or attraction that isn't true - just read through the "Guests say the darndest things" thread and you'll see any examples of it. However, I'd hate to think some of that incorrect knowledge stemmed from the park employees themselves. Let me tell you a little story. Back in 2004 I was visiting Disney World with some friends. One day, while visiting Hollywood Studios, we decided to take the tour of the animation facility. For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge animation fan and have been studying animation and its history since I was 5 or 6 years old - a good 30 years now! I also wanted to be an animator for Disney, so I pretty much knew everything there was to know about Disney animation. Well, while on the tour, the tour guide began to spew one incorrect fact after another. He was also answering guests questions with incorrect information. As an animation enthusiast, this irritated me to no end! I just kept saying to myself, "What is he saying?" The thing that bugged me the most is that the other guests didn't know any better - they accepted what he was saying as the gospel truth. I don't know if this guide just didn't know any better, or if he was just doing it to be funny. Either way, it appeared he was uneducated and unqualified to be acting as "Animation Tour Guide." I was so irritated, that I literally wanted to stand up and correct him. However, I was just another guest and who would take my word over the official employee with the badge? See the problem here? So yeah, I can totally see where Shark is coming from. For enthusiasts who are passionate about a topic, hearing wrong information given in any form - whether jokingly or not - when it's coming from a so-called "professional," can be irritating. Not because we don't want to have any fun, but because we know just how ignorant the general public is and we know that they'll walk away with these incorrect facts and keep spreading them around. Why would they want to do this? You can still have fun and joke around without spreading false info. I know Disney's Jungle Cruise was mentioned in this thread, but I don't know of anytime the captain of the Jungle Cruise gives false info. It's not like they're floating around saying things like "Because of the success of the movie, Splash Mountain will now be referred to as 'Zootopia Flume' " or some other ridiculous piece of info. It just doesn't make sense. Yes, have a spiel, joke around, have fun, but leave the fake facts out of it - they're unnecessary. Come up with something else original and unique and your spiel will benefit greatly from it, and so will the guests listening. And that's all I have to say about that.
    3 points
  8. Yes! The Racer: Millions upon Millions Served! Congo Falls: Over 783 Served!
    3 points
  9. Oh I could see KI adding one... Cedar Point did. IMO, if KI were to "re-invent" Octoberfest, Adventure Express would be ripe for a total re-theme. It could very easily be altered to a Bavarian theme - which it should have been back in 1991. I'm not sure what will become of Octoberfest. I hope for a huge re-do eventually. For years, the signs have pointed to it going away completely - yet it manages to cling to life season after season. It has always been the most neglected area of the park - long before Cedar Fair, Paramount or even KECO. Fact is, when the park opened Lion Country Safari (now Action Zone) in 1974, it completely land-locked Octoberfest. For 43 years it's been sandwiched between two large, and more interesting areas - that limitation greatly affected how it's stagnated for so long. I personally love Bavarian theming - so I hope it remains and becomes a more viable themed area in the future.
    3 points
  10. What an exciting opening weekend for Kings Island. Now that Kings Island is open for the 2017 season, we had a chance to talk with Don Helbig about opening weekend. We will be talking about the Media event through opening day as they unveiled Mystic Timbers. Let's start off by talking about Media Day. Not only did you have the media there, but ACE was invited to the event as well. What kind of feedback did you receive from enthusiasts at the media event? Let's break it down into two parts, theming and the coaster experience. Members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts know roller coasters and are very particular about the ride experience a coaster delivers. From the ACE members we had an opportunity to speak with at the Media Day event, they absolutely loved Mystic Timbers. They knew it was going to be a great ride and yet it still exceeded their expectations. The three words we heard most from them in describing the ride was awesome, great and winner. They really liked the theming as well. How did the working media who may not ride coasters as often as the enthusiast react to Mystic Timbers? We received the same feedback from members of the media as we did from the enthusiasts about Mystic Timbers. They found the ride to fun and thrilling, an attraction they could ride over and over again. Does the media have a different perspective of coasters than an enthusiast group like KIC or ACE? The media isn’t as particular with all the details of a coaster but they enjoy the ride experience just the same. Let's talk about the first rider auction. How many people participated in the first rider auction? Approximately 300 people participated in the First Rider’s event on Mystic Timbers. How much money was raised for the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation? A total of $60,000 was raised for the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation. We saw on facebook that Andy Dalton got a ride on Mystic Timbers. What was his reaction to Mystic Timbers? Andy enjoyed his ride on Mystic Timbers with the top fundraisers for the event. Friday night was a very busy Season Pass Preview night. I am assuming the park has an expected attendance for a particular day/event. Between great weather and the anticipation of Mystic Timbers how did season pass preview night compare to the parks expectations? Mystic Timbers had garnered a lot of attention leading up to the Gold Pass Preview Night. More so than any ride over the past 30 years. When you combine that with summer-like weather in April, it brings people out. They want to use their Gold Pass. The line for Mystic Timbers grew very quickly, (and was very well organized) did you expect to see a line of up to 4 hrs. for Mystic Timbers? Mystic Timbers is one of the most highly anticipated new attractions in the amusement and theme park industry so it wasn’t a surprise that’s where many of our guests headed to first. To see how many guests after a lengthy wait got right back in line to ride Mystic Timbers again spoke volumes of just how good this ride is. With a line that grew to 4 hours, how does the park prepare and coordinate a queue to accommodate that many guests? Our operations team was well prepared for the opening of Mystic Timbers. They spent a lot of time leading up to the opening of the ride going over where the line would begin and what the route for the queue would be. Another busy day for the park was on Saturday for Opening Day. What was the general feedback you were getting about #Whatsintheshed? The majority of our guests who have ridden Mystic Timbers have enjoyed the shed component of the ride. Some have told us it’s their favorite element on the ride. The overall feedback has been good from those who have experienced Mystic Timbers. Some feedback on social media stated that #Whatsintheshed was to hyped and they were let down. What is your response to that? No matter how many times you ride Mystic Timbers, it’s always a mystery as to what you’re going to see in the shed. That’s what the #whatsintheshed campaign is about. We noticed a new LED light package on Dodgem. Are there any other light packages new this year? Dodgem is the only ride to get the light package this year. Are there other rides slated to get an LED package in the future? There could be some other rides in the future. Winterfest The new general manager, Mike Koontz, confirmed that we will see Mystic Timbers running during Winterfest. Can we anticipate seeing other coasters like The Beast and Diamondback running as well? You won’t see The Beast and Diamondback running during WinterFest. Mystic Timbers can run in colder temperatures. Diamondback and other steel coasters can’t. In regards to The Beast, it’s literally a beast of a project over the offseason to have it ready for the start of a new season.
    2 points
  11. Bathrooms in X-base... currently it's x-bathroomless.
    2 points
  12. The thing I struggle for the overhyped train thing is that it's not for those who go to Kings Island a lot...it's not for the season pass holders or even the regular GP visitors....it's for those who get to the park once. It's a tag line to get folks into the park that wouldn't go to the park prior to seeing/hearing the campaign.
    2 points
  13. Tilt-a-whirl in the old Flight Commander location. No ground work needed and fits perfect in Coney ride lineup!
    2 points
  14. Thanks!! So, part 2-- After MT, we hopped over to The Beast. Unfortunately, out of everything I got to ride, I thought this was in the worst shape. The ride itself was alright, the new signs on tops of the hills. The queue was what disappointed me the most! One of the "warning" signs fell down while we waited, the old water mill thing is falling apart, and overall it felt kind of in disrepair. I could see Haunt props in a little tiny storage room in the queue, and I saw the barrels from Phantom Theatre. I think the rides queue line could really use some TLC soon. (also I must have been in line with every teenager in the park so I was super cranky then) We also caught rides on The Bat, Racer, BLSC, and Adventure Express. Adventure Express was in pretty good shape! Although the big ending drummer guy wasn't moving, there were some new effects I had never noticed before that were neat! I always have issues with The Bat's queue line. I really, really hate seeing the buildings for Haunt attractions so clearly labeled and there's two things I can see in this line alone. I really feel like it sticks out like a sore thumb. The time that the park is open-- the majority of it isn't Haunt. I just wish they'd cover the signs so they'd blend in with the park more. It looks like they just didn't clean up, and it bugs me. We caught one last ride on MT at nighttime and truthfully-- it's giving Beast a run for its money. I only had to wait about 45 minutes, but the ride is just so mind blowing in the dark. I absolutely recommend it! We got The Bat ending, and the snakes!! Although we weren't there for long, I enjoyed looking for Easter eggs from the past in the park. Like as much as it annoys me that in the Bats line, I can still see the American flag and stars... I secretly like seeing that last touch from a past attraction.
    2 points
  15. Also, while the pay might be lacking, this is the best time of your life to make money. No bills, no debt, no kids, nothing like that.
    2 points
  16. A couple small things that I think coudl ahve a big impact woudl be to theme Hank's exterior to a more Bavarian feel liek Festhaus and more general German decor around the entire building and patio. Then move Slingshot to X-Base as JArrett mentioned, this woudl allow them to expand into the remaining space King Cobra used to occupy that Delirium didn't take up. Could easily fit 2 or 3 small flats in that area with a German vilage them, maybe have it centered with a large maypole in the middle. This would expand the area and give us some more flats as well This along with a little additional sprucing up would go a long way for the area. Would love to se the glockenspiel on the Festhaus fixed as part of a renovation fo the area too
    2 points
  17. I hate them! Got bit on the butt by one in High School for walking too close to a nest that I didn't see....the goose chased me and well...it bit me.
    2 points
  18. ^That's similar to what I was thinking. "Action Zone" is no longer a theme. It is just generic amusement park. I would have made Banshee as part of Oktoberfest. All of Action Zone being annexed into Oktoberfest or the rebirth of Adventure Village with Oktoberfest expansion is more than fine by me. It seems that theming of areas hasn't really taken off as many of us who thought it would under Ouimet. P. S. I want to see the Coney Mall sign back. Why did they take it down?
    2 points
  19. I still say it could be cool to annex AZ and parts of Oktoberfest into Adventure Village (which could incorporate the German theming with other adventure-themed things in Action Zone). But yeah, it would be cool to have one more ride in Oktoberfest, perhaps a thrilling flat ride? EDIT: It will definitely be interesting to see what KI/Cedar Fair does with that area in the coming years.
    2 points
  20. Oh, there will be cannons! There wi-hi-hi-hi-hilll be cannons! Mwa ha ha!
    2 points
  21. Same here. I rode the back row Friday night while it was raining, and it was an unbelievable experience (I personally like it more than the back row of The Beast). I was thrown off guard when it pulled me over the top of the lift. Felt like I was going to come out of my seat. An overall amazing experience at night in the back row especially when it's raining. A friend of mine mentioned (and a couple of other people) that they cant stop smiling while riding Mystic Timbers. That's where Kings Island and Cedar Fair really scored with this ride.
    2 points
  22. If you are under the age of 18 and are engaging in conversation/discussions with groups of people you don't want your mom to know about, you need to have a discussion with your mom. Or listen to her. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2 points
  23. For me, the real sticking point of the story is the "only open for one day" part. There's the sign in the queue about number of days without an accident (five or seven I think), and the whole place (especially the shed) has more of a lived-in look (with the way personal items, tools, and storage are used) than an "abandoned brand-new" look to me. The truck also looks like it was used for a long time prior to the wreck and the name painted on the side doesn't look terribly newer than the truck. Maybe this location was supposed to be an expansion of Miami River Lumber, but that only explains the truck and not the rest. Also, being abandoned for 30 years, why so much modern security watching the place? An actual guard (possibly more than one, I think the voice in the queue and lift hill are different), on location? At an abandoned facility that was never used and presumably never will be? Who's paying for all this? There's definitely more going on here they're trying to cover up
    2 points
  24. Such a simple move that means so much to so many. Thanks KI.
    2 points
  25. You guys are making me miss the trams.
    2 points
  26. Because a place where many go to have fun want it to be so stiff and professional it's no longer fun. While you might not find it fun, others do. If you can't stand that then maybe it's not the place for you to go.
    2 points
  27. Each coaster needs a "Now Serving" sign, like McDonalds used to have!
    1 point
  28. I do think they overindulged the mystery of the shed in the marketing. Advertising is a double edged sword. The goal is to sell people a product and put its name out there. And if you oversell something, it tends to rub people negatively as they often feel mislead. Expectations are weird like that. However, I did like the idea of giving a ride some sort of mysterious edge. I like the idea of what was in the shed, but if KI goes this route again, I hope they go all out.
    1 point
  29. Oh yeah, one word of advice that I'd share is this...savor the experience. Don't stress about the pay (all entry level jobs are going to lack in that!), the jerk customers, the hot sun...enjoy that fact that you are young, working in one of the best parks in the world...appreciate the moment, the days, the experience. Enjoy the park, grow as a person by dealing with the adversity it might present and be positive. And save your name tag so you can wear it to the park when you visit in 20 years and your kids can make fun of you for it "Yeah kid, I used to work for Paramount...just like Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, etc etc"
    1 point
  30. I don't want to go into detail, but my family experienced a major tragedy the one summer I worked there, right when the season began. I remember my trainer, as well as the entire staff, was extremely kind, empathetic, and really took the time to care about the situation. After a few weeks, KI became a real refuge for me, and the professionalism and care the employees showed helped me and stuck with me to this day. Some of the nostalgia I still have for the park is due to that and I wish I could thank the trainers and staff, but that was 20 years ago. So, from my experience, it was great and was truly a 1st class operation. And I will say, as others mentioned, you will be worked hard and have to deal with people...but that is a great life experience, something you should really get used as difficult people will be something you always will have to deal with.
    1 point
  31. I appreciate the shed for what it is...a shady, climate controlled place to sit when trains are stacked. My husband and I said the same about the whole #whatsintheshed deal, they shouldn't have done it at all. It's as if the shed was the focus rather than the ride itself. KIC is about the only place I see positive feedback on the shed. Overheard conversations at the exit and in lines on other rides, feedback seemed more....meh. My 9-year-old step-son, who is terrified of the final Adventure Express tunnel, rode MT on Saturday. My husband said that he seemed scared at the beginning, but as soon as it was over he says "that's it?".
    1 point
  32. Hi all, I'm new to KIC (even though my husband - a KIC Star Member - has been trying to get me to post on here for years!) and was curious if anyone knows how the breakdown of Profile "Ranks" works - i.e. What are the requirements to "rank up"? What are the ranks? I know you have to post a lot to rank up. Not that it's important for me right now, but it's just something I'm curious about! I tried doing a search but couldn't find any info. Thanks in advance!
    1 point
  33. I know it's by number of posts....what those number ranges are, I'm not 100% sure. There are various different ranks too.
    1 point
  34. ^ I sorta agree with you on this. I really wanted the shed to be something amazing, but I figured it probably wouldn't be. I think the hype was unnecessary and with they would've focused on the coaster itself. They didn't have all that hype surrounding Banshee and they still had a 5 hour wait for that coaster on opening day. People will come out to ride the coaster, you don't need to create artificial hype around it. I think if they would've just advertised the coaster and not even mentioned the shed, it would've been such a cool surprise that it would've driven people crazy. However, when you create a hashtag called WhatsInTheShed and let it run for 7 or 8 months, people's imaginations start running wild and expectations become unrealistic. In my personal opinion, I think I might like the final Adventure Express tunnel better than the shed. However, if given the choice between just an empty, exposed brake run and a themed shed, of course I'd pick the shed. I think it gives a semi-unique quality to the ride and obviously gives us something to look at instead of just sitting on a brake run bored. I do love the ride though and am pleased with the overall theming of the whole area, including the queue. I think it's one of the best themes we've gotten in a long time. It's just too bad the shed didn't live up to the hype that was created. My thoughts on what's seen in the shed:
    1 point
  35. Great points, but one could apply the same argument for scramblers, troikas, and flying scooters.
    1 point
  36. I actually had a gaggle of mixed geese stop by my back porch occasionally when I lived in Landen. These were Canada and greylag geese, sometimes accompanied by other anseriformes like mallard ducks. They had been spoiled by the previous occupants, who must have fed them a lot, because they would cautiously waddle up to our patio and, once they realized they weren't getting fed, would simply lay down and tuck their bills into their feathers and sleep. Because of this, I developed a love for the species, but I understand how they can annoy some.
    1 point
  37. ^Will Ride of the Valkyries or pirate music be involved?
    1 point
  38. Just consider yourself lucky you were spared and don't speak of it again.
    1 point
  39. The helicopter on BLSC is below 250 ft King Ding Dong. We can rule it out!
    1 point
  40. Ah, that makes sense then since we were only there for about 2 and a half hours.
    1 point
  41. They are new for 2017. They're also available in Diamondback Trading post and Emporium.
    1 point
  42. I imagine that early queue will look even better once those trees grow in.
    1 point
  43. .....and this would be the perfect place to spruce up. Yes, this is to scale using Fury 325. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    1 point
  44. They will not be released until the end of the season, if they end up being released. Some rides when they hit milestones, the park will tweet about them.
    1 point
  45. Here's a fun memory I neglected to add to my above post... Without a doubt, the hardest ride to operate was the now-gone Boo Boo's Baggage Claim. It was a kiddie Turtle ride that required the op to time the stop so it landed perfectly in line with the load platform. Inevitably that thing would fall a foot short, or a foot long. I only managed to get that darn thing to stop in the right place about 1 out of 10 times. It was soooooo touchy. "Sit down kids... you're going around again!" Oh, and the attraction that everyone hated... and I mean HATED to be "sent" to was "Hand Carts" in HB Land. You spent all day chasing kids who left the vehicle or walking those stupid cars around that whole track when they stopped pedaling about 1/3 of the way through. They were about 2 inches off the ground, so you were bent over all day. If you were on shift on your home ride and you got told to go to "South Pie" to help - you were doomed - that meant Hand Carts. FYI... this attraction lasted as long as it did because the VP of Operations for years and years at KI, Don Miller, had ridden them as a kid at Coney island and they were his favorite memory. The ride everyone JUMPED at the chance to go to was WWC. Although it was very hot and hard walking on that platform, it meant you would get rotated to the tower where you got to squirt people. Some of the best laughs I have EVER had at KI... as an employee or guest... was working that tower. Man it was fun.
    1 point
  46. There's also, typically, a hierarchy. When I was there... many moons ago... Each large ride typically had two leads, who if not promoted, maintain the "training up" of the crew. If the leads were promoted before, during or after a season, previous vested crew members could request to be promoted to lead of a ride. In terms of non-lead returning staff, they typically got to request on which attractions they'd like to work. New hires were then used to fill in the gaps left by non-returning employees or skeleton crews. Now, it's been nearly 20 years since I worked there, but I'll give you my experience. I took a PT job there on weekends, requested a position on a coaster and was immediately "placed" on the "Outer Limits: Flight of Fear" crew. (FYI, this was back when there were still official uniforms for the OLFOF crew - yes, I wore the beret!) I didnt begin working there until late summer - fall season only, so I was not fast-tracked to "drive." However I was trained and tested on driving the coaster late in my tenure that season. The following season, at the returning employee job fair, I requested "Beast." I was immediately placed there and it became my "home" ride. However as an experienced and dependable employee on what was (then) one of the best (and hardest working) crews in the park, I (along with many of The Beast crew members) was subsequently trained on about 20 other rides throughout the season. I would get "sent" to a ride if someone called in, or the crew fell short. They could easily train brand new in-coming rides employees, even on their first day, to check lap bars on Beast (or other major attractions.) This allowed seasoned ride ops to be "sent" to fill in on attractions that required them to be "signed off" to operate. The third season, I returned to the fair and made the request to be on "Son of Beast's" inaugural crew. I was informed part time employees would no longer be considered for crews of major rides. The Operations manager, at the time, had made a sweeping decision (which they ultimately reversed as the season got underway- but only after many seasoned part-timers declined to return.) and I was a casualty. Seeing the limitations, I made the decision to end my tenure there. In an ironic twist, that very summer, I left my full-time employer in Cincy to relocate to Louisville for a job with a company I have loved for 17 years now... so, in the end, I would have had to turn down the KI seasonal job anyway. I'll say that my time working as a ride op at KI was extremely fun, exciting, memorable - but also hot and hard work. It ultimately created great memories for me, and I am very appreciative of the experience I had there. Plus, it allowed me to check "Driving The Beast" off my bucket list.
    1 point
  47. I rode Boo Blasters tonight, and they've put some work into it on the offseason. It's only the second time I've seen the screen with the face in the first part of the ride (the cemetery) working. The display on the TV in the cold storage area toward the end was also working which I had never seen or realized should be there. Nearly all of the targets were functional (a large change from the end of last season), and the animated pieces worked smoothly. The only thing I noticed was non-functional was the photographer tourist being chased in circles, it didn't move.
    1 point
  48. I had a great first day at Kings Island yesterday. And I really think I will absolutely love working here. :] By the end of my shift I had eased in very much into my job.... which surprised even me! Here's the obligatory picture in front of the Mary statue my mom made me take before driving me to work. :]
    1 point
  49. Thunder Road at Carowinds had the chips stacked against it for decades. As the park developed, it's odd placement became a barrier to growth of the water park. (It was actually the 2nd coaster scrapped for the water park expansion through the years.) Ironically, Ocean Island (the original Carowinds water park name) was the first water park I ever discovered INSIDE an amusement park. (I found out about it when I picked up a Carowinds brochure at a tourist center in 1982 as my parents and I traveled through NC/SC on our way to Disney World.) When the rumors persisted about Thunder Road being removed - I consistently thought "Nah." But then the boom was lowered. I have to say that scared me quite a bit for Racer. However, I pray that Racer's historical significance, coupled with the fact that the real-estate it occupies isn't restricting growth of the park's attractions, will keep it there for a long long time. If I could wave a magic wand at KI, it would be a complete Coney Mall overhaul including a multi-million dollar Racer restoration (Rebuild of final bunny hills, complete re-tracking, re-paint with the original Red, White and blue paint scheme, new trains etc.) That section of the park is perfect, and desperate, for a facelift harking back to old school days. Add in lots of new (old) flat rides, scrap the un-used buildings and take it back to it's glory days.
    1 point
  50. More dark rides, sure outer limits, and boo blasters but real long relaxing ride, one shoot em up ride, and one like a tunnel of love dark relaxing.
    1 point
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