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I wasn't and haven't been annoyed by you, @Maverick44. @Rivertown Rider, I doubt the trees would have been relocated. The one picture that was released by the park had a decimated tree near Sweet Spot. The trees were fairly old and likely wouldn't survive a move. Plus the cost is outrageous (or at least it was 15 years ago when I was in that industry), not to mention the potential to damage utilities and infrastructure. I wish the park would set a tree planting goal of 50-100 trees per year throughout the park. That way when things like the emerald ash borer take out trees, or they become past their prime, replacements would have been growing in. I have posted a link I found of a pin oak being transplanted, smaller than the linden trees that were on IS. As you can see, about 75% of the root mass is left behind. Plus, those trees probably had a very extensive root system that went under the pavers and towards the Royal Fountain, looking for water and nutrients.

^Its honestly a bit creepy with how obsessed you are with Intamin that you can't even go without looking at an obviously tongue and cheek inside joke without clamoring for a new Intamin to be real. You take the obsession to a whole new level.

I am so excited for these this year! Growing up with the old ones. I cried when I was younger when they were removed. This will be amazing.

I'm sorry to turn this into a tree thread, LOL. But I think some gingko trees, shaped into topiary like the ones that were brought from Coney Island, would look great around the tower. And add in some weeping fir for contrast. I do like the weeping white pines over near the KI Theater and the Chicken Shack, but I think they would be distracting around the tower.

I'd love to see some Japanese maples around the pond's or fountain shaded area's. Those have to be one of my favorites. Also the Crimson King since we are Kings Island.

The park sure is gonna be looking spiffy next year!

It depends on the tree. I'm not sure what the wholesale market dictates in the Cincinnati area, but we could get most 15 gallon trees (usually about 8-10' tall) for around $50. But that was several years ago and in Arizona. But if the cost was $100, and they planted 50/year, the cost would be 5k/year or about $417/month, which is a pretty easy number to swallow. The in house landscaping team could handle the labor as part of routine maintenance. They could do a mixture to include ash, maple, fir, pine, redwood, and gingko. Those are all attractive, give good shade and are low maintenance. But, then again, I am just an armchair enthusiast and don't know budgets, needs etc. I do think the park is doing a great job and I am more excited about the future of KI than I have ever been.

That’d be a great goal to have the park set! I’m not sure how expensive it is to accomplish a goal like that but even if they added just a few trees it could greatly improve the atmosphere of some areas of the park.

Not recently. Hopefully we get another KIBlog update soon.

One of the things if they have removed the trees from IS is I hope they were able relocate some of them within the park if they were able to be relocated. Action Zone and the area over between BLSC and Diamondback could benefit from mature trees.

You're talking about wanting an Intamin in a topic about the International Street makeover work. With the way you post, you often derail entire threads and turn topics that don't have anything to do with Intamin about Intamins. Its honestly getting annoying. I'm not saying you can't talk about them, but realize the context of your posts before posting them. Its like being stuck in a mobius loop with you and you're pretty Johnny on the spot about bringing up Intamin anytime you can. Seriously dude. We. Get. It.

I have a friend who has a family room in the basement and they throw a sheet over the tree and slide it into the corner. At Christmas they pull off the sheet, dust it and turn the lights on... lol

Every year when I am helping decorate a family member's Christmas tree I always mention that this is the first thing I would buy if I won the lottery....push a button and a trap door would open and up would pop the already decorated tree from the basement...life couldn't get any better! (Unless you count that you wouldn't have to un-decorate it either...then that might be better.) I know, i'm a Scrooge.

In my world...If BLSC has to stay where it's at...a full retheme would involve somehow tying it into Rivertown with a mythical theme that is loosely connected with The Beast, D-back and Mystic Timbers. It would also be heavily relandscaped and softened. Maybe some flats up where Salt Water Circus was and gardens that would evoke the granduer of Les Taxis/OOAL. If not a retheme, soften the area up by planting trees, shrubs and flowers. Maybe tie in the area closest to the ET to IS.

Happy to see the Antiques on the ERT schedule for the first part of the season.

Potential off-site dorms - allowing them to demolish the current ones on property and expand... perhaps.

I heard that Kings Island was working with B and M in 2020. B and M Giga, Wing, or Dive?

no worries! I will say that KI has the best shaded que lines and is a lot prettier then say Cedar Point who is a concrete mess with the sun beating down on you all day. Kings Island is beautifully landscaped.

I didn't bring it up man if you look back......all I said was what? where?.. as you can tell it was a joke. Also I did not know of this " inside joke". Moving on to stay on topic...…..

While my list includes more than just coasters, I left this comment on an Amusement Indsider's video that was about future ride removals: Rides I think could leave parks based on the past "trends": Crypt - Kings Dominion (only top spin left in chain) Gran Prix Raceway - Kings Dominion (go karts) Scream Weaver - Carowinds (Enterprise) Sledge Hammer - Canada's Wonderland (HUSS Jumper) Enterprise - Dorney (Enterprise) Still in Question: Invertigo - Kings Island (Note both lifts received work around 2015 and the ride has become very reliable since that work was done) Montezuma's Revenge - Knott's Berry Farm Nighthawk - Carowinds Boomerangs Honestly, it all depends on what parts are like price wise to obtain. Arrow still operates very little with S&S so I wouldn't see any Arrow's leaving unless they are just old (e.x. corkscrew models). Crypt could be gone as it is the last one in the chain, Go kart tracks could be removed for newer attractions, with the recent removal of 1 HUSS Enterprise and 1 HUSS Skylab i wouldn't be surprised if others where gone soon (looks like I need to ride Carowinds on opening weekend). As for the the rest that i mentioned it really still does come down to reliability, cost and ridership. It will be interesting in the next 1-3 years as to what is coming to parks and what is leaving.

They have a lot of trees between it and Vortex, which would be great for a Rivertown theme, but either way they do need trees on the other side. It's just blank between the Eiffel Tower and BLSC. Totally agree. I originally thought the antique cars could use that blank space and have a bridge going over the walkway. Since that's out of the equation. Maybe a former flat ride and heavy amount of trees.

That was an inside joke from the summer of 2013 where a troll kept telling us he saw green Intamin track..

Ahhh okay. My misunderstanding. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

2019 Early Ride Time Schedule

Currently there are HUGE DEEP holes dug all down the sides of the fountains. They are installing hydraulic lift tables that will automatically lift pre-lit trees into place for Winterfest - thus expediting the labor intensive set up. Also, all the "windows" on International Street are being replaced with dual-pane glass that will allow them to randomly select "fog/ice/frost/tint" setting with the touch of wireless connection. Finally, several of the shops have had their false "forced perspective" second stories removed and they are building viewing platforms on the tops for the new light/water show on the fountains. Access to these platforms will be granted via a "VIP Diamond/Emerald & Ruby Pass" the park will begin selling next season for an additional $300 per pass. Its a massive undertaking- and the place is a mess right now - that's why there's no pictures. Had ya for a second didnt I? (and for the more... ummm gullible readers... that was all fake. I have no earthly idea what all they are doing... LOL)

Since CF is not currently working with Intamin on new rides, I think that is where the speculation comes from. Wicked Twister could be relocated, which would open up boardwalk space nd it would be new to CGA. But then again, it could be a new coaster if CF contracts with Intamin for it, or one of the other companies designs one.

That would be awesome!!

IF Phantom Theater makes a return, I nominate Mark Hamill to voice the Maestro

I doubt we see a change to the park maps. Cedar Fair park maps have looked that way for years. I personally don`t find anything wrong with the style of the park maps.

Now if they would only bring back the water feature at The Beast! Not necessarily the pond but the water feature (tower that’s SBNO) by the queue was awesome!!!

So far for 2019 Antique Cars Return International Street Makeover X-Base Construction Beast Car Repaint Racer Track work I think this is the most exciting off season we've had to date. It makes me happy to be a KI fan because I feel like they listen to what the people want more than any other park. The park does a great job appealing to nostalgia and what works for the park.

Coasterstock photos are going to be fun this year!

I'd love it if they brought back buzz bars and got rid of the seat dividers....okay I know buzz bars won't come back, but can we get rid of those seat dividers? lol

Thats certainly going to take some getting used to! Cool nod to the original history of the ride though!

That's a cool way to honor the anniversary. Now if only they could reroute service roads to bring back the lake/pond.

OMG! This is really exciting IMO! That's sweet!

The Kings Island Blog announced today that The Beast trains will return to their original color scheme for its 40th anniversary.

When will the Meal Plan Options be released for this season?

A new park bench! I’ve always been waiting for one of those.

For those who don't read everything on the forums, @Old_Bearcat found the Notice of Commencement for construction on the Warren County website here: https://oh3laredo.fidlar.com/OHWarren/AvaWeb/#!/search?Parcel=1617200014 Within that page is the following document: This shows that for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons that KI is doing Coney Mall improvements. 18 was the BBQ, 19 is the antique cars, and 2020 shall be a B&M coaster. Well, unless you want to convince yourself that B&M is helping tear down Firehawk or paint benches or something. These are legal documents. KI can't lie on these. If they wanted to change them, they would have to file that with county. No changes have been posted, so these are KI's current plans. I mean sure, they could do something no seasonal park would do and complete the coaster in 2020 and let it sit till 2021. That makes a lot of sense. The fact is, this is playing out like most recent coster installations. They will tear Firehawk out this offseason, they will begin site prep either immediately after or in the Spring. Sometime next Summer we will start to see footers poured, and, around August we will get an announcement and track will begin to show up. They will build all fall and Winter and open April 2020. If it's an especially large or complicated build, they might speed that timetable up some. This isn't a big game to KI. They tease announcements and the like, but the business of building a new ride is formulaic. If we didn't have the docs from the county, we might have a little more gray area, but B&M being on there tells us exactly whats going to happen. Sure the type of coaster and details like layout and do they build a bathroom still need to be figured out. But thats the Decoding 2020 thread will be for. In the meantime though, I don't get the desire for people to stick their head in the sand and pretend something else is going to happen because its not what they want.

Well that escalated quickly haha j/k

no one word posts either per TOS.

Hey guy. Just a friendly reminder to check other posts as well. I am sure there is one that is pages and pages long talking about this haha. @KI Master

KI said they are taking down a coaster and they would anounce it this week!

I have a feeling that they’re going to remove a ride to make room for another. Maybe Firehawk (since it was down pretty much every time I visited (and I made 10 visits this season))?! They could also definitely expand X-Base into the old Dino’s Alive area making it an extension to Coney Mall

^They do that at pretty much every announcement.

People were holding up Son of Beast signs at the anouncment.

No, sounds like they made YOU mad with antique cars.

Something to fill in the space for Crypt.

This is the kind of post likely to get you mauled as a newer member, but I'll bite. I heard all 3! The first Giga-Dive-Wing Coaster ever! :-) How awesome would that be. :-)