Vistavision

That's really great. Thanks for posting. I am bummed I couldn't make it. Anyone care to give a full report on this event?

I think that they should pay the piper and stick with the Nick stuff. Spongebob and company are still very hot with kids and I am gonna guess that they will sell a whole lot more merchandise and give the kids a generally better experience. My 7 and 10 year old really dig the Nick themed stuff and I think they would be disappointed if it changed to something else. I think Hanna Barbara is a fine idea if a change must occur. Parents will have the nostalgia and the kids still dig some of the more known characters. Though I like the Peanuts, that would be my last choice.

I am surprised that there aren't more positive remarks here. I am thrilled by this news. I think there will be a whole lot of people like me that grew up in the 70's who will relish this and in turn encourage more rides with the family. I know that my boys and I can't wait to race each other. And the point made of finally seeing the midway from the right side is certainly valid. I am hoping that this new focus on The Racer will keep the crew of that ride in check. The last few years (last year especially) I was annoyed on more than one occasion by the apathy and non-professional behavior of the crew. At any rate, I love this decision and I am pleased that Cedar Fair is aware of the KI history.

This is great news. I really am happy to hear this. Two things: 1. I hope they will really race them. 2. I hope the crew is better than the last two years- last year especially.

My apologies if this has already been posted but it apears (as of today and probably longer I am assuming) that you are now ALLOWED to put your stuff in the cubicles while riding. I am very happy to see this return.

Minimum wage jobs are entry-level jobs and enjoying them is not part of the gig. How much a job sucks is extremely relative especially when you are talking about kids who are embarking on their first jobs. I managed movie theaters for many years and 16 year olds at their first jobs are either terrific b/c they are eager to please or, much worse, the biggest babies on the planet. There was always real clarity on who was a 16 year old who needed the job to pay for their first car and expenses and who was a 16 year old who already had everything and was showing up b/c Mom and Dad were insisting they had a job. The truth is employees are only a reflection of the management food chain. If I see a lousy crew at KI (Racer sometimes) I am not frustrated at the employees but the supervisor and that supervisor's supervisor and so on. Now I work on a regional level and my best managers have the best employees. Pure and simple. The weeding out of the useless employees is the real deal. THAT is what makes a place run right. Too many managers tolerate mediocre or sub-par employees. I have been through company buy-outs and severe changes and most of the crying and ranting comes from workers who resist change. The good ones carry on and do their job. They get promoted in time. Most big companies let thier employees know there is a new sherriff in town by implementing strict rules and making changes. That is sop. Familiarity breeds contempt. They want as fresh a start as possible. Trying to win the affection of the masses of employees is not on their agenda. Why would it be? Minimum wage employees who have the highest rate of turnover and least amount of loyalty? All of this is because we are talking about entry level jobs. In many ways it is supposed to suck. I pushed a broom when I was 17. I cleaned up vommit. It sucked. That's why you buckle down and do your job without complaining so you get promoted. If you don't want to make KI your life's work - that's fine but I always used to tell my employees that how you treat your first job is usually the work ethic and attitude you will carry for the rest of your life. There are employee issues at KI but that's everywhere. I have gone on days and had fantastic service and I have gone on days when it was spotty at best. That's life. I wish it was better and more consistant but only time will tell. Someone posted that they felt like the employees were not too friendly about giving out water. Every single time I have asked for water this year (over 20 park visits this year) I was given water with a smile. That isn't to say that someone else didn't get treated differently but that's life. Consistancy is the key. Even the constant chatter on these forums is not a clear or accurate picture of KI, CP or anywhere else. Millions of people go thru these parks every year and have multiple experiences that vary in many, many ways. If KI only got it right 90% of the time (and that would be pretty good) we are still talking about a LOT of unhappy people. I have to say that there is a real lack of maturity with godfather's comments. Calling out people like that is crummy on all fronts. The board moderater should wipe those comments out and issue Godfather a warning of being bumped off this board.

I notice that you use The Enchanted Voyage as your avatar. In the auction that we are talking about, the picture that they showed of The Enchanted Voyage was the main reason I wanted those slides...it really brought back memories seeing how you waited in line to board the boats, I had forgotten just how it was after all these years. I hope whoever did win them will put them on the internet someday. That is why I bid on them as well. I hope to some day find footage (sound preferably) from the begining of the ride to the end. There is a clip on YouTube that shows E.V. but it is barely watchable- hard to make things out. The song exists here. The youtube clips are , , and .

I bid on these slides as well- and lost.

Fantastic! Always good to see these kind of pics no matter the quality. I am always interested in early KI photos. Since we can't have those quality days back its like getting a few fleeting pieces to the puzzle.

Arrived at the park with kids in tow at around 5:30. Headed to Nick and rode Fairly Coaster. Five minute wait and the crew was great. On to The Beast where there was a 30 minute wait- no fault to the crew, they were hustling and courteous. My new favorite section of the ride experience on The Beast is just after the second tunnel to the bottom of the climb to the double helix. On to The Vortex where we walked on almost immediately. Crew seemed tired but no legit complaints. Moved on to the front seat of the foreword Racer. Crew was better than usual (the supervisor on duty is one I always notice as keeping things moving and professional) though I noticed the backwards side had a few crew members I usually observe as being less than professional. Stayed on and rode in the back seat at my son's request(ouch). Went to SOB and they were only running the red train. The line was long and we opted to pass this time. Since I was with children we frequented the restrooms and they were clean each visit and more often than not there was an employee inside keeping things clean. The only thing that bugged me (and this has been mentioned on these boards before) was the numbers of people smoking in non-designated smoking areas. Beautiful weather and a pleasant trip for sure.

And speaking of The Racer, does anyone have a picture they could post or email of the sign that used to hang right next to the controller station facing the riders as they are about to leave. I am speaking of the one that said "sit on it!" and had some cartoon art of a guy hitting his head.

My family hits KI at least once a week in the summer and we ride The Racer multiple times each time we go. The crew this year for The Racer has been a decidedly mixed bag. Yesterday evening we had the worst crew that endlessly gabbed with each other, outside friends who were hanging out right there in the control area, not making any effort to "race" the trains, etc. At one point they held up a train so an employee could argue with a girl sitting on the ride about the pros and cons of Duke University (!?). I know there's never a line (hardly) and maybe these young crews don't feel they are working a more popular ride but how bout a little enthusiasm and profesionalism? How do others rate this crew? How does one go about lodging a complaint to the right person? I am new to this board...greetings!