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I can ask Don to write a blog about it so they can come out with the same content 48 hours later if that helps...

Total Eclipse Of The Point was beyond amazing! From checking in at the tolls to actually scanning in at the gate, it was a breeze! Once in the park, all were handed lanyards with information about the timing of the eclipse, a map of things available and it also had a button and pin featuring the "Total Eclipse Of The Point" and a pair of eclipse viewing glasses as souvenirs. The Wild Mouse crew of zany mice got their own glasses too! As you walked into the park, guests were funneled to the right side of the midway toward the boardwalk, no one could walk past Kiddy Kingdom on the main midway. Throughout the path, there were signs dedicated to facts about eclipses as well as things to commemorate the event. They had a table to pass out cards "tracking" the phases of the eclipse, a table with a giant coloring sheet (markers as well) for guests to sign/color, a time capsule where guests filled out cards with questions about who you were with, what your favorite thing to do at Cedar Point was, how old you are, etc. The boardwalk also featured a DJ with a killer playlist and a couple of games including 3 point challenge, wrangling a stuffed seagull, and another game I didn't really pay attention to. I don't know the Kiddy Kingdom ride names that were open, but didn't seem like there were a lot of folks in that small area. The rides on the Boardwalk were Atomic Scrambler, Himalaya, Wild Mouse, Calypso, Giant Wheel, Troika Troika Troika, Maxair and GateKeeper. Grand Pavilion was open for drinks at the bar and food! The menu featured was what it'll be during the season with a few added desserts and meatballs (that will return for the season). I got the honey glazed chicken drumsticks, tropical rice and a cosmic brownie. The drumsticks were a little salty, but everything was good. What was really cool was the front door area was wrapped in celestial versions of the park! Some folks (not me sadly) were able to purchase the VIP package to do a tour on top of Valravn. I had several friends who did it and I'm extremely jealous. From the pictures they have taken, it was gorgeous. I ran into the GM and AGM of the park as well as Tony (didn't get to talk to him), but we had great conversations. I've gotten to know the AGM from several years ago and the GM in the past year. They are both kind, funny and real. In the later part of the day, the GM came up to me and said, "hey if you look over there, we're about to fire up the big boy." She wasn't wrong! TT2 started testing and wow, it flies over the top hat. Seeing how far it goes up on the spike is a lot different in person than it is in pictures/video IMO, of course with people on it, it should go a little higher. My friend kept saying he didn't like how it doesn't have a stopper at the top. But of course, the main reason of going there was to see the Eclipse (well I was just ready to be in the park in April). I had never witnessed an eclipse before. Throughout the day, I anticipated being able to notice a difference in the brightness of the sky throughout the phases, but that wasn't the case. Looking up with the glasses it was neat to be able to see what was happening with the sun and moon. My friend and I were joined by other friends on the main midway, directly across from Raptor's first drop. Sitting on the ground/leaning on a bench, we were in just the right spot. Waiting for totality to occur, we'd have our glasses on looking and then look toward the ground without the glasses to see the change in brightness, there was a change but there wasn't almost....and then almost right at the totality we noticed a shift. It looked different out, lights came on in some areas (though they made sure most of them stayed off). Then totality. It got dark and just looking up to see the moon right in front of the sun's ring shining behind it was breathtaking. The seagulls did not like the change in light...they went crazy (which was funny because one of the signs said wildlife would just go calm). Looking down the midway and seeing everyone just reacting, clapping, hollering, shouting "this is awesome," was great. It was just a great experience for me to be there with my friends and witnessing this once in a lifetime event for me. Then of course, the moon kept moving and daylight returned. A good amount of folks left after the eclipse but we all hung out and continued to ride. There were a limited number of tickets available and it was a nice sized crowd, not too light not too heavy. IMG_1572.MOV (I have better photos of the eclipse, but saving those for me Took 5 spins on GateKeeper, 1 spin on Giant Wheel, 1 spin on Matterhorn, 1 spin on Calypso and 1 spin on Wild Mouse. While the number of rides wasn't a ton, the event was more about the eclipse, the friends and the experience. It was well worth the $99 I spent for a ticket. So incredibly thankful that Cedar Point hosted this event (even more grateful I didn't do downtown Sandusky that looked to be packed to the brim).

My ACE card came in the mail today. Can’t wait to attendant my first ACE event next month!

A bad day to have destroyed the pump house at Sunlite. Good luck CSO!

Orion was simply foreshadowing

https://www.fyecoasters.net/post/camp-snoopy-construction-tour-april-14th-2024

Looks like some minor leaguers got a tour today.

Hello friends - This is an invite to join us for a Kings Island Opening Weekend Kickoff Party! This will be on Tuesday April 16, 2024, at 7:00p ET and will feature a panel of Kings Island super-fans, including KICentral's own IndyGuy4KI! We will be talking about the park, what we are looking forward to in the 2024 season and taking questions from the YouTube chat. We would love for you to join!

Thought this was pretty rad. Was perusing Reddit and came across some stills and video of The Maestro walk around character in the park circa 1992. He makes a brief appearance here in the 20th Anniversary parade (as well as the KI Clown Band): The mask for the character eventually found it’s way into a Fearfest display in front of the Action Theater in 2005 (per the photo gallery): Pretty cool stuff!!

In general, yes it's worth it to me because I'm a casual visitor to Cedar Point, so I want to take advantage of my time in the park. The last time I got FLP, if you were a platinum pass holder, you got FLP at FL price, but I'm sure that will change with the new pass structure. As others have said, the merge point is further back on many coasters, Kings Island has us spoiled.

So terms and conditions mean nothing and is now considered a "subject to change" clause? Interesting. The season pass sales are comparable to prior years- you get into the park from opening day. "Improved upon" is a vague opinion. The only structure that has changed is your interpretation of what you want it to be. Any pass purchased in any year did not include special park events unless noted, and since we all know the Preview Days were not included with the purchase of any 2024 pass, this is no surprise. Surely you can comprehend that..... The optics are only poor to those that did not read the terms and conditions. I have zero problem to agree to disagree. Your shoehorning of "We get it, another the chain can do no wrong person..." just because someone disagrees with you is a pathetic form of manipulating the discussion.

"Come one! Come all! Have one final swim in Sunlite Pool the way it was intended! Flooded to the brim with natural Ohio River water!" ***Conditions apply In all seriousness it is absolutely crazy how high the river is right now. And with more rain coming I'm beginning to think I will need a row boat to commute soon. And if I had to choose what happened to the land that will formerly be Coney Island and future become a new concert venue, I'd have picked for it to become a nature preserve. Let nature take it back. Make some beautiful walking paths. Moonlite Gardens could stay and remain a venue for special occasions such as weddings. Just let her spirit rest. That would be my personal wish vs anything else.

Dear lord…

Today and the reason why I post it here. The 2024 map for Kings Island has been revealed. https://qr1.be/SX1M

https://qr1.be/SX1M 2024 park map got released today.

^That might be too high a bar honestly for the current PR regime.

I don't remember the tour but I'll never forget the sound of that lift hill!

Maybe they are waiting to get it right, unlike KD that has issued at least two lists that are inaccurate.

I wonder if Gene, who purchased IB, got it for one of his parks?

They said they are selling a "limited quantity" in the stores.

He works there. He's also being fed some pretty bad lines about season pass holders by someone who wears a different colored name tag than him. If you want to enjoy the park because you love the park then you should still go. If you want to go somewhere that you will honestly be valued as a guest then you should get a Dollywood pass.

I like collectible cards, I'm not going to get any of these packs. Unless they sell them in the stores I'm going to miss out entirely.

Pre-2023 season, I would have said it should have been in the "Eats" list. After last season, not so much. Hopefully the culinary department steps their game back up!!!

I really like this. I like how Cedar Point has collectible pins, so this could be KI’s version of that. I know they say that limited quantities will be available for sale, but I can imagine if this goes well that they’d just make it a “thing” and I’d be all about that.

Great PTR. Wish I was there with you guys, but Indyboy4ki and I enjoyed the Eclipse in the back yard. I did not tell him about this event otherwise I would be in trouble.

Also looks like our man, Don Helbig, posted a picture of the snake on his Twitter account last year. Perhaps he knows what happened to both of those elements.

Agreed. Dude's (or dudette) ad hominem nonsense is insufferable. Best advice is to ignore and move on.

Cool... dude... Here is the Prestige part of the terms.: which, ironically, have the same terms as the Summer Pass: Prestige Season Pass Terms and Conditions Updated July 27, 2023 THE Cedar Fair L.P. TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAIN A DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND ARBITRATION PROVISION THAT GOVERN HOW CLAIMS A PASSHOLDER (“PASSHOLDER” OR “YOU”) AND WE HAVE AGAINST EACH OTHER ARE RESOLVED. PLEASE READ THE PROVISION CAREFULLY. IT REQUIRES YOU TO ARBITRATE DISPUTES WITH Cedar Fair AND LIMITS THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU CAN SEEK RELIEF. BY ACCEPTING THESE TERMS, YOU AGREE TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE WITH US ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS THROUGH BINDING ARBITRATION OR SMALL CLAIMS DISPUTE PROCEDURES AND AGREE TO WAIVE YOUR RIGHTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT. A Cedar Fair L.P. (“Cedar Fair”) Prestige Pass is valid only at the park from which it was issued and grants a revocable license to the registered holder for admission and use of all available rides (unless restricted by conditions that could ultimately prohibit someone from riding safely, including but not limited to height, weight, age, physical limitations such as pregnancy and heart conditions, or observed inappropriate behavior), shows and attractions on any regularly-scheduled operating day of the season to the amusement park or outdoor waterpark for which it was issued. A Prestige Pass is valid for only one visit per day, and a readmission hand stamp or pass scan is required for same-day re-entry. No re-entry is permitted on select days throughout the season. Passholders may only possess one valid season pass per season. This pass also does not include admission to park areas not open to the general public or requires a separate admission fee. Fees for parking, food, merchandise, games, pay-per-experience attractions, concerts, and special events are not included unless expressly noted at the end of these terms and conditions on a park-by-park basis. It is interesting that you bring up "historically". Why would anyone ignore the terms and think that what has happened "historically" in the past will continue? But dive into "historically" even deeper. When has any season pass granted the holder any right prior to the season open? Dude....

I'm not in construction or know anything about it so this could be standard. But I do find it weird that they left the nuts on the threading which means they would have had to put them back on. Which means something might be put there, but I could be wrong.

Tickets were still available just shy of two weeks after being on sale, so as a card-carrying member of ACE, I decided I’m not sitting this one out and got a ticket.

It’s quite telling about how this year will go based on the fact that the other parks are showing off their lavish dishes that are new for 2024 and KI booked a photo shoot for their pizza and fries.

Thanks for sharing. Looked like a great event.

Well now April 10 and I called CP and the customer service says they have heard nothing. It is 2 months away and no notice about tickets yet?

That... is quite obviously not true. How is it possible that someone who has "owned a handful of businesses in the past decade" is somehow unaware of variable costs? That's wild. This perfectly distills down the enthusiast/pass holder entitlement attitude. That anyone would think spending $500 for several months of something is more than trivial is deluding themselves. The annual visitor is almost always going to spend more than that on a single/few visit(s). Hell, we've spent more than that PER DAY on occasion, in addition to our passes. And I'm not bragging, as we are NOT wealthy, extravagant visitors. Just a middle class family that likes to splurge on vacations when possible. And the park is filled with people like us, visiting a few times per year while contributing vastly higher per caps than the pass holder who visits 4 times a week all summer.

Many times I took a burrito or 3 way into the VIP shack to eat. Occasionally a backpack with a few snacks. Never a big picnic though.

There is no "in your mind" as that includes interpretations & assumptions. The only time passholders were permitted access to a special event is when it was noted prior to the pass purchase either in the terms & conditions or otherwise noted for each individual park pass. I suggest those who are unhappy with the agreed upon terms & conditions when the pass was purchased seek out customer service.

So in your mind, it is fair that a 2024 Schlitt platinum pass holder can get into the CP pass holder preview whereas a KI gold + all park passport holder doesn't, even though the FAQ says the passes are the same and those complaining are just adorable as they are predictable cry-babies... And I guess a passholder preview is not considered a benefit to passholders either....

We get it, another the chain can do no wrong person... Pre sales of passes hinges on the product being comparable and improved upon prior years. That is why historically comes into play.... Clearly they are deviating from that. And clearly some will continue to buy regardless of what the park sells...and clearly some will now wait to see what is being offered. Like I said we get it that it is within their subject to change clause, but tell me the last time a CF park held a pass holder preview and didn't allow platinum pass holders to attend? We will wait... Now they changed the pass structure and claim all park passport is equal to platinum except it isn't as it applies to CP pass holder preview. A 2024 schlitterbahn platinum allows access to CP pass holder preview, but a KI gold+ all park passport does not. Sounds equal to me... Surely you can comprehend that... Just like we comprehend it is within their right to subject to change...but that doesn't mean the optics aren't poor... Or are you okay that the TOC and the FAQ don't necessarily match....but then why have a FAQ???? Again bad optics...

Dude, you are referencing a summer pass that some parks sold....and you are referencing what they mean by concerts and pay add-ons. A season pass preview has historically been a "special" event that a platinum pass would get someone into any passholder preview night being held regardless of park and regardless of which park was the "home" park. Further they state the the all parks passport is the equivalent to a platinum, which it isn't as it applies to the CP passholder preview. And the additional terms for the All-park Passsport says this with no mention to CP and their passholder preview: Additional Terms and Conditions by location: Canada’s Wonderland – Parking is included with the purchase of a Gold Pass and All Park Passport add-on. Knott’s Berry Farm – Gold or Prestige Pass with the All Park Passport add-on is valid only for admission on any regular scheduled operating day and is not valid for entry to Scary Farm. Parking is included with the purchase of a Gold Pass and All Park Passport add-on. Dorney Park – It is agreed between the Passholder and Cedar Fair that in further consideration of your admission to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom that all claims for injury or loss allegedly incurred or caused while on the premises of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom shall be raised and pursued only in the court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. But we get it, there is a lot of wiggle room in the subject to change clause and we are not stupid and recognize that, and certainly even those willing to stand behind CF are certainly not stupid enough to admit that the language can be contradictory (or are they)....and that the optics are poor....

*added for emphasis Coming late to the party, but reading the terms & conditions, it seems clear that the pass purchased is valid only for the park purchased and does not include special events. I'm a bit confused why the season pass TOC is being, for lack of a better term, ignored.

I have a solution for them.... PhotoShop. 5 minutes with the "clone" and "airbrush" tools and those cement footers go POOF! That said, the Camp Snoopy sign was likely designed and created by a third party (such as Kingdom Productions with the Adventure Port theming- though I don't know who has this project). Any third party wanting to "market" their work will keep going until it has a visual/aesthetically appealing presentation.

I was thinking the same: the sign was just there for the photo op. But with that being said, how did no one think, “we should probably do something about the unused footers sticking up in front of the sign.” If you’re going to create a photo op you probably shouldn’t inject eyesores into them.

So, this is what happens when I unplug and take a long weekend- I end up replying well after the comment is made and moved on from. Humor me. 1) "not sure why it is relevant"... firstly, you took my lower number of $3M- I think it's closer to the $30M number. Either way, to CF's bottom line it may be irrelevant'ish- but to an individual park... different story. I am a long-tenured season pass holder and I'll say I don't cost the park a dime when I go other than expenses they already incur whether I go or not. They still pay the employees (which is a large percentage of operating expenses of any enterprise), they're still paying for electricity, heating/AC, maintenance, landscaping, security, etc... this makes no difference if I go or stay home. So, when I shell out close to $500 annually for my family to have a pass, along with hundreds of thousands of others, this gives the individual park leverage to create budgets: it is relevant and if you don't agree- then not only are you not an attorney- but not good in finance & budgeting either. 2) you're not a stakeholder of any sort, including a SP holder presently? Then you have no horse in this race. 3) You're clearly not happy in these forums... why do you continue to engage and complain about people who clearly "exhaust" you? To quote someone you may know: "it's kind of difficult to take the complaints seriously from people who willingly engage in what appears to be an abusive relationship." -DispatchMaster, April 5, 2024

One last fill for ole times sake!

I'll be too busy having a good time

Isn't this standard for most trains at KI. Outside of Mystic Timbers and the trains themed like trucks, and maybe the spaceship shells on the FOF trains, the teeth on Diamondback. Most of the Cedar Fair Parks have pretty standard trains with some sort of paint scheme. Makes it easier for maintenance, I wasn't expecting any radical train design for this, especially when themed to a soap box racer...

Official video from the park:

No, it won’t make a difference; however, I’m willing to say that every top spender that gets fed up and leaves is replaced with the no-money-spending, payment plan, gets-in-fights type.

Being that I visited KI 34 times alone last season, I’d say the passes still provide incredible value, even with the cuts. However I’m going to be spending less in park due to the fact there is no loyalty or rewards system in place for it. Nothing like spending over $1000 in park for the season only to be nickel and dimed over something trivial things such as whipped cream or house sauce. The park is essentially giving me the middle finger at that point.

That tipping point was this year for me. Last year, my wife and I both had Platinum passes with the dining plan, drink plan, and all-park, all-season Fast Lane; easily $3,000 between us. I waited a long time before deciding one way or the other, but budget cuts, devaluation of our passes, safety concerns, unknowns due to the merger, and a complete lack of park communication are just some of the reasons we came to this conclusion. Instead, we got Dollywood passes for the first time. This will be the first year I won't have a pass since I was a child, which does make me sad. Unfortunately, I can't imagine my choice will make much of a dent. Unless a large percentage of the passholder base follows suit, nothing will change.