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NegativeGs

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Everything posted by NegativeGs

  1. I was at Alton Towers in the UK last week. They have a similar à la carte menu, where visitors pay per attraction using a mobile device app. Cost per Fastrack Pass was about $15.
  2. As a structural engineer, I'd say this is a significant concern. The top of the support appears to have completely fractured – likely due to fatigue at the weld joint between the adjoining circular sections. The concern is this connection detail is likely used by B&M in many of their modern coasters. The question is whether Fury 325, Orion, or other modern B&M coasters have similar connections that should be inspected and monitored.
  3. During my last CP visit (late May), I was reassured that all KI P+ benefits were valid at CP. I used both the Preferred Parking and FOTL multiple times. I did not venture to the CP VIP Lounge - I never do anyway at KI.
  4. I saw today that single use FL were for sale. Today was a busy Saturday and Orion cost $15 and Flight of Fear cost a whopping $20. I also saw people queuing to buy the single use FL. In comparison all day FL was $135.
  5. So far during 2022 and 2023, I rode Orion 29 times and Diamondback 20 times. This year, I've preferred Diamondback over Orion - its back-row airtime ride is hard to beat. If you enjoy Diamondback, but haven't yet ventured to that back seat, you really should. Added bonus, to experience Diamondback's hidden water-ride element, be sure to stick your arm out sideways during the splash down.
  6. If FL on a Saturday currently costs $135 and there are (in my opinion) ten coasters and two flat rides an infrequent visitor to KI would want to ride and be willing to pay an upcharge for - if this visitor rides each of those rides and perhaps 50% on them again, that puts a price on each ride of $7.50. However, as this new product is à la carte, perhaps a single FL should cost twice that and be $15? As a Season Pass FL(+) holder, I wouldn’t feel CF selling single-use FL at $15 would dilute the value of my purchase.
  7. Our KI P+ passes worked this weekend at CP for both access to preferred parking and single use FL+. I asked if this was a mistake but was assured that KI P+ benefits were also valid at CP.
  8. I wonder what happens if… A parent (chaperoning his children, while the children explore the park without direct supervision) rides The Beast and is stuck on the final-brake-run for a while as maintenance addresses issues. If security detains the parent’s preteenager children, security would not be able to contact the parent (mobile device use on rides is not permitted) until the train returns to the station and the parent can exit the ride. Maintenance issues on The Beast can take a while to resolve. KI policy says the chaperone must ‘be available by phone throughout their stay’ and ‘Guests ages 15 years old or younger who are found inside the park unaccompanied by a chaperone will be subject to ejection’. Seems to me that parents and children should share their location by mobile device. If detained children cannot immediately contact a parent by telephone, then at least they can demonstrate to security that a parent is in the park. Or the parent avoids rides and just walks about the park, while preserving the battery of their mobile device.
  9. I could be wrong, but on Saturday I though I saw at the toll that Preferred Parking was $30. That suggests to me that Preferred Parking was for sale at the toll. But maybe I'm mistaken and that was a flashback from previous years. I came and went from Preferred Parking twice. Both times, the lot was not full and a parking spot could easily be found. Driving through, the main parking lot appeared fairly full. Which makes sense, because the park was busy with long queues. As always, a good time was enjoyed by all.
  10. The French Corner today hit the spot. The Italian Croissant with Potato Salad was very enjoyable and a significant improvement over my earlier Clucks and Barrels at the Miami River Brewhouse.
  11. The only Prestige benefit today for me compared to Platinum last year was the Preferred Parking. I had to drive around the 'Do Not Enter' sign, because there was no attendant. Still, Preferred Parking had plenty of spaces.
  12. I am excited to ride the red train of Racer tomorrow. As AE is currently closed, Racer will be my first (maybe second) ride of the season.
  13. As prestige is the new favorite word, I predict, 'Fast Lane Prestige Plus'.
  14. Did the new VIP area move here? Wait my bad, it's still behind Miami River Brewhouse overlooking Diamondback.
  15. You can tell the International Street camera is not AI, because you can currently see bugs randomly flying around it,
  16. Do you ever have a caricature done of yourself or someone in your family? - Yes, ex-wife so I can ... Have your name made out of wood at the wood shop? - I once made out near the wood shop. Do you ever play games in the arcade? - No, but my daughter always. Have an antique photo done? - In a former life. Ride the Zephyr? - Yes, the ride is hugely underrated.
  17. Invariably, I ride Adventure Express immediately after Banshee after entering the park. This opening day, I guess I'll have to start anticlockwise around the park.
  18. I totally agree that those fast food restaurants should respectfully leave KI. In 2022, I frequented KI but never ordered food from them. In 2021 I went to the KI Subway once.
  19. Seems FL and FL+ were recently merged and named FL, but at the previous FL+ price. As I recall in 2012, there was only FL. FL+ must have been introduced sometime later and is no longer offered.
  20. I love Minecraft and KI. So this is awesome. Thank you for sharing.
  21. I agree. There is just one KI All Season FL now.
  22. The 2023 All Season FL is priced at $799. This is the same price the 2023 All Season FL+ was priced last fall. This suggests to me that the price of single-day FL passes will go up. If their price goes up, less people may purchase FL passes. Ride times for FL customers are also determined by the percentage of customers allowed on each ride by the operator. On busy days last year, FL+ customers could easily queue 20 minutes for a top coaster. At CP, queue times for FL+ customers were often 30 to 40 minutes. At the end of the day, the FL(+) customer pays significantly more to wait less and ride more.
  23. You wake up, it’s Saturday morning. A glimpse through your bedroom window, promises a beautiful spring day ahead. A perfect day for Kings Island with friends. For some reason you get delayed and end up driving to the park alone. The drive is uneventful, you park, and walk to the entrance. You step through the metal detectors and approach the ticket booth Distinctively, you remove your mobile device from your pocket and select the Kings Island app. Your friends are already inside the park, and you don’t want to keep them waiting. Suddenly, the wind picks up, you feel a chill down your spine, and goosebumps on your arms. Your vision greys and familiar sights and sounds fade into the distance. You stumble and pause to catch your breath. As your senses return, you open your eyes and find yourself standing at the ticket booth. There are no familiar sights or sounds. You’re alone. In your hand is a paper entrance ticket. A young girl with freckles attending the ticket booth beams a goofy smile at you, ‘Good morning, Mister. Welcome to Kings Island!’. You turn towards her and gingerly hand her your ticket. She happy tears the ticket in half and offers you a park map in return. ‘Enjoy your day at Kings Island!’, she giggles. With hesitation you accept and clench the map in your hand. Your eyes adjust to the light as you step into the park. You are standing in front of the magnificent Royal Fountains, but little if anything seems familiar. The synchronized choreography of the Royal Fountains is gone. So is the fencing around the fountains. Looking into the distance, you see the park’s horizon is void of familiar roller coasters and flat rides. A series of cable cars are seen passing in front of the Eiffel Tower. Familiar name-brand stores along International Street are no more. In disbelief, you look down at the park map still clenched in your trembling hand and turn to a passing park associate for help. “Where am I?”, you stutter. The associate laughs back, “Welcome to Kings Island, Sir, America’s Family Entertainment Center!” “What year is it?”, you respond. “Well, it’s opening day, Sir, 1974.”, the associate jokes, “Enjoy your stay!”
  24. I rode Banshee 9 times this 2022 season. Every ride was enjoyable. Certainly, no recollection of the painful 'jack-hammer' experiences of 2020. Either I got lucky this season, or in my mind something (coaster wheel replacement) should be more frequent.
  25. Maybe an upcoming CF announcement - Winterfest down under, reporting from either Australia or New Zealand?
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