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I'm ready to volunteer to get on top of the awning over the Diamondback storage bay, as well as The Beast's final brake run, to sweep off all those hair/wrist bands. I mean, what the heck is that about? Why is it a thing? And why on earth have they been there for years and years? Its like the "gum trees" that used to be in lines. There's no purpose and its unpleasant to look at. At least with the low crowds this season, it will take the GP longer to come up with some way of ruining something in the Orion Queue.

Here’s a photo of Orion I took yesterday.

Take a look at these new pins for this season at the park. More details on the KIBlog: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/july/kings-island-releases-new-pins-for-2020 How many do you have? Pic credit: Kyle Kruthoffer

If by many years you mean 3. Here are the list of incidents from the above mentioned article... just in the past 10 years. Also, no one has mentioned downtime too. How often is Banshee, Diamondback, Orion, Fury, etc down? How often is literally any Intamin coaster down?

That one time I stumbled upon and open Rivertown Coke Freestyle Stand.

@coaster sally...where’s your faith in humanity...have you really become that jaded in life?! Now that everyone knows the gravity of the situation I am sure we will see a big difference, maybe not today...but certainly by tomorrow. (FYI: I couldn’t even type those 2 sentences without laughing to myself. )

My one and only post in this thread.... quoted to emphasize the importance of this aspect. I will say that there has been more than one night where Ive sedated myself in order to make sure I saw the next morning throughout all of this. Those who know me, know that this is not a statement Im proud to make, but in a time when every single outlet I use for mental health and escape was taken from me in a matter of 24 hours (the get togethers for dinner and drinks with special Friends, tracks I race go karts at, the drag strips, the golf courses, the entertainment centers like Tappers in Indy, and amusement parks), my depression and anxiety spiked exponentially and there were times when my only guarantee of seeing the next day was to crash hard enough to where I didnt wake up in the middle of the night. Do I understand the steps that had to be taken, and still have to be taken, in order to have a legitimate chance at getting a handle on this? Absolutely!!! Does it still suck to monumental heights? ABSOLUTELY!!! Thankfully, I am now able to at least resume most of these activities, albeit in a vastly altered capacity, but this statement that @gad198 made is one that must not be forgotten.

So like, I don't have that much sympathy if they had their phone out. But if they didn't, can you imagine much it would suck to have made it through the whole ride and lose your phone on the brake run?

I love Orion, yet at the same time I could do almost anything to get Vortex back. In my nonexistent perfect world, the two would coexist. I’ll pick an answer...eventually.

KI's media team is on it with this video

Urging ohioans to wear mask is like Need to make it mandatory in all of ohio.

We should feel lucky that the park is open in July with daily hours even if just 11-7. I would not be surprised that in August KI will follow the lead of other CF parks (Worlds of Fun and Dorney Park) with closing of the entire park in early in the week - both WOF and Dorney are closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Coaster Sally seems to like using the "confused" reaction for every post he/she disagrees with. If you're that confused, I think you need to educate yourself. Intamin's safety and reliability has a well-documented shady past, and it wasn't a distant past, either.

The director of the CDC has said that if everyone in the U.S. wore a mask, the epidemic could be brought under control in about 4 to 6 weeks. ---In other words R naught below 1

To this very day the trains on the original "The Bat" remain the most incredible trains I've ever seen on a coaster. I was just 9 years old when it opened, and I can remember being mesmerized by how it looked. I stood for hours and watched those trains swirl around those turns. They were absolute works of art.

While this forum is an escape for many, it's also a place to find different perspectives on the issues facing the park industry and beyond. COVID-19 is arguably the biggest single event to ever impact the industry. Constructive dialog and mutual respect make KIC what it is, even in this age of polarization. The Swedish model relied on herd immunity, supported by a relatively low population density and excellent access to healthcare. They got control of the virus, but at a high human cost. The cost of this strategy in the US would likely be much higher. There are indeed some encouraging signs that COVID infections may becoming less lethal. Whether this is due to a younger demographic getting infected, partial herd immunity to the virus, better treatment protocols, or other factors is not yet known. As KDD and others have noted above, there are potential long-term health implications to consider among survivors. Those who have recently been infected haven't progressed through the disease yet. We shouldn't wait for death numbers and ICU numbers to spike before responding to earlier indicators. You raise a good point. If the virus is spreading unchecked anywhere, it's a problem everywhere. Opening borders will require testing and contact tracing. You're right that we can't contact trace 65k people/day - that becomes more important once the virus is controlled by physical and/or immunological means.

This is why I really wish everyone would just get on board with wearing masks in public. The director of the CDC has said that if everyone in the U.S. wore a mask, the epidemic could be brought under control in about 4 to 6 weeks. thathttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-cdc-idUSKCN24F2PG

My wife works with special education students at a local elementary school. My father - 62 years old - is in the school's IT department. They want to work. I think they should be working. Kids need school, etc. the problem is, despite what Fauci, the CDC, the AAP and every other expert says, there are ZERO mandates on a federal - or in many instances, even a state level - for reopening schools. The result is a hodge-podge mess of schools making their own policies, many of which fall woefully short of even the minimum CDC recommendations. As of now, our school system isn't even requiring masks...which is borderline negligence. Yes, we should reopen schools...by doing every single thing possible to keep our students and staff as safe as possible. Problem is the latter part of that statement simply isn't happening.

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While working today, I noticed they put social distancing markers in front of the stage to help maintain social distancing for the show.

Here's the thing that some of you are missing. While it is true that the deaths from those aged under 40 are minimal, there is the simple thing that one who catches it under 40 can spread it to someone vulnerable in a higher age bracket. Also, the virus doesn't exactly have a binary ending, you don't beat it or die, there are some who have concerning brain issues afterwards for example. What i like to compare it to, do any of you remember the story of Marcy Borders on 9/11, the infamous photo of the lady who escaped covered with dust. She died in 2015 from stomach cancer which many believe was related to the toxic dust she inhaled that fateful day. So think of it like this, she may have survived 9/11, but ultimately she was killed by the effects of what happened on 9/11. It's unclear how much COVID-19 can shorten someone's lifespan. Look, I was all for the mental health arguments and what not, but my mind completely changed after the huge US spike in the middle of June that has no intentions of receding.

bjcolglazier has been kind enough to post graphs of the daily case and mortality numbers in Indiana. If you look at the graphs for each state (Indiana and Ohio) you'll notice that from mid-March through June 10 that both the daily case and mortality graphs were essentially identical - with a peak around May 1. From June 10 onward the case numbers started to climb in each state, but the daily cases and daily mortality rates started to diverge and have ever since. If you want an even more extreme example, take a look at Georgia. When they reopened back in late April their daily case numbers were around 800. Their daily case numbers around July 1 were about 3,000. Daily mortalities in late April - around 40. Daily mortalities at present - about 15. More cases doesn't always equal higher mortality, especially when it's primarily younger people that are getting infected. The odds for someone age 30-39, the current median age of COVID infection, ending up in the hospital with COVID infection is 1 in 1,600 (from the CDC). The odds of a grade schooler (less than age 18) ending up in the hospital with COVID infection is 1 in 18,000. Increases in cases is only relevant within context. The demographics of "who" is getting infected is what really matters. There are some states that have seen increases in both cases and mortality - Texas, Florida, California, etc. In the US as a whole, however, the daily number of cases has more than doubled since peaks in late April and yet the daily number of mortalities is less than half, even taking into account the hot spots. Why isn't this being regularly mentioned? One of the things I find really disconcerting is why we aren't talking about the other side of this - the increases in child and spousal abuse, suicides, the effects from continued unemployment, children not really having been educated for 4 months, etc. as a result of the measures being taken to combat the virus. Reasonable minds can differ over the effectiveness of masks, and the virus will eventually fade, but some of the effects of the effects we've seen won't fade nearly as quickly. There are people that are really hurting right now. People are looking for something, anything, that can help them to cope. Many are stepping out into a world where you can't see someone smiling at you, and in many cases, not even looking at you at all, because they're scared that you're a potential source of infection. Loneliness and its associated mental and physical effects was already a major health issue (Source), which undoubtedly is being magnified by this whole situation. The tolls that those conditions take on people are just as damaging as the virus but without the same media attention.

These are the best merchandise items sold at the park these days.

^ R naught below 1 basically what I was trying to say. Even if the epidemic gets under control, masks and social distancing are likely going to be the norm until a vaccine or effective treatment are available because there have been examples from some countries that one person acting recklessly can trigger an outbreak. I’m cautiously optimistic that a vaccine or treatment will be available in the foreseeable future since there’s been some encouraging news in that area. Until then, mask up!

I consider myself lucky that I was able to ride the original Bat quite a few times. As a young teenager, and not seeing anything like it before, I was absolutely loved it! The second drop by the trees was my favorite part...the design flaw, even though it was not the fastest coaster around, made a really fun, thrilling ride at the time. I also loved those old commercials for The Beast and Bat. I've said before, that as an artist, those really inspired me as a kid to get into the profession I love as a marketing designer. For all the fantastic progress that KI has had through the years, there was something special back then, especially after The Beast opened. Maybe it was because I was just a young kid, but the park held a truly magical place in my heart. I remember walking through the shaded walkway in the evening toward Rivertown where The Beast and Bat ruled for awhile...fond memories! .

Forgive me if this may have been posted - but if you are a KI or Orion memorabilia collector - McDonalds (at least the ones in Louisville) have Orion/Kings Island themed cups. (They are styrofoam and include a $30 single admission coupon.)

BTW - as of early last week, it looked like Orion had already laid claim to at least one phone... Tsk Tsk Tsk

I am puzzled by this decision...unless things have changed since I last checked, even Disney eliminated any type of event like this that would possibly cause people to congregate. (i.e. Main Street shows, fireworks, parades etc...) It seems odd that they are inviting people to group together.

I have many fond memories of King's Island but one that really stands out is passholder preview day 2019. A 45 degree evening and pouring down rain all night. 5 hours of amazing rain rides on The Beast, Banshee, Mystic and Diamondback. Everything was walk on. I debated for days whether to go or not. I finally said heck at the worst I'll be able to marathon Flight of Fear. Whether it shuts down in rain or storms I still don't know for sure but I don't see why it would. So I put 3 of everything in the car as I was prepared for another rainy day on Sat too. I wore 2 hoodies and had a blast. Everybody needs to ride The Beast at least once in the pouring rain. Maybe I'm just nuts.

An app can do so effectively, cheaply and is already available. Convincing people would be the hard part. Could it combat other similar diseases? Yes.

I think many would say the answer to many of those questions is compliance and that masks alone will not solve the problem. Masks are on of many methods that need to be employed including hygiene (something many countries are not known for). Social Distancing, testing, robust contact tracing and isolation (not the same as a quarantine). As to the last paragraph: New Zealand

Just looking at the crowds this year it seems now would be the perfect time to re-pave the parking lot. Just a thought.

Is the coronavirus political? Only if you want it to be. Just a small tidbit: if it is political, this would mark the first time in World history that all countries can actually agree on something- the virus has many fatalities and we still know little about it. There is nothing in the constitution that prevents a city, state, or business from requiring you from wearing a mask. Saying BLM does not mean that you think all lives do not matter. Saying hug a tree does not mean you don't like bushes. The confederate flag represents the darkest time in our nation's history where the divide was so bad, the death count dwarfs all wars. The only reason to remember it is so that the same mistakes are not made again. Instead of finding something else to be angry about, how about we all look to heal "US".

LOL - your eyes are very good... and yes, I have quite a few Ghosts from Disney... ;-)

I suspect it is either something totally unrelated like he took Fran and the grandkids to Cedar Point Yesterday and this morning, thus he couldn't hold his press conference yesterday OR He expects a County will go into purple today and wanted to delay the press conference to assure the new data is in and people have seen it for a couple of hours before mentioning his plans.

Probably schools are delayed from opening

Cedar Point is my home park but this year I am much more eager to go Kings Island. Thinking about making the 3 and half hour drive on Monday and leaving Tuesday. Just asking on the weather front I know it will be brutally hot but the rain chances. For those who know the area is it right in likely these rain chances are just part of the heat/humidity and what could come up is going to be isolated and shouldn't last that long. Just want to sure before I make a drive and stay overnight. I wish I could have went earlier this week but it was good timing for me. Next Mon/Tue though are good days timing wise for me to go.

^ Think I found the hot sauce bandit.

^Taco Tequila is very good food! It's like a cheaper (and better) version of The Local Taco in Lexington. I also enjoy the converted picnic pavilion food. I think it is called the beir garden?

Hank's sure could use a chef's touch. *hint, hint*

FYI beginning Thursday Erie county will require face masks in all public places. Obviously CP is already requiring, but if you plan any other stops or a non CF hotel it may effect you. Also about 50% of the park is currently operating.

Here is the press release.

DeWine to make an announcement at 530 tomorrow: https://www.wlwt.com/article/gov-dewine-to-hold-special-wednesday-evening-coronavirus-briefing/33315831

Had my third visit tonight. Providing this observation as a “heads up” for anyone who is on the fence about coming during COVID. Pro: I saw more employees and most security guards confronting those not wearing masks and asking them to put them on correctly. Con: I saw A LOT more guests this visit not wearing masks, removing masks in line, removing masks on rides, leaving their nose uncovered, not wearing a mask at all. (Which is probably why KI staff is more active than one noticed on past visits about confronting those in the midway). Also noticed a lot more masks with the breather port (which I guess protects the wearer, but doesn’t protect everyone else from their exhale... but at least they were probably trying to follow the rules) I’m not sure if the complacency of passholders is starting to come out now that we’re on week 3... or if the opening to non season pass holders are to blame or why it seems so drastically different. But my first two visits I left feeling confident that the park was safe. Now I’m hesitant to come back for visit #4. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like he enjoyed Orion....and had it make a positive impact on his well-being! https://www.wcpo.com/news/crime/mason/how-i-lost-190-pounds-to-ride-kings-islands-orion

Preparations are underway!

^ You are taking it personal. Don't. This is a whole new World for everyone, including the park(s). The park system as we used to know it under the current restraints will likely fail more than succeed. I implore patience with park visits this year. With all the uncertainties this year, every park should have eliminated their version of Fastpass/ Fastlane etc. The park would have either made you whole for the money spent, or extended the Fastlane availability to 2021 (when hopefully everything is normal again).

The map pictured in the Coney brochure was a watercolor concept drawing by Bruce Bushman. It is a large painting and exists to this day. It is in the private collection of a Kings Island collector, and is (perhaps) the rarest KI artifact I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Its cut off in the Coney brochure, but at the time the drawing was done, the park had yet to be named - there's a "banner" area at the bottom right of the actual painting where the name was to be later filled in - but it never was. I can tell you with absolute certainty, that the outlying areas of the park - specifically rides/ride placement - changed immensely from the Bushman concept painting.