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jandyb79

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Everything posted by jandyb79

  1. Edited since answer was provided in an early post.
  2. That is indeed fortunate Robby! Given the size of the blaze and the close proximity of the other rides surrounding the dodgem, it is a miracle the damage was isolated! I guess we won't truly know until more details are revealed in the next days/weeks however.
  3. I just rode the dodgem on the 6th and haven't even had time to write up a trip report...I nearly cried this morning when my sister sent me this video Another childhood memory up in smoke :/ So so sad!
  4. I have two short stories. The first took place my first year as a KI employee in the games department. In those days (not long ago) we were given thin khaki shorts with bright white shirts - as were many other departments of the time. One of the main offices we reported to was located inside the games building located across from the Zephr. This building can get very hot throughout the summer (no air conditioning) and it is (or was) stuffed full of plush. In any case, one hot summer day a few of us were asked to stock a few games with new inventory. We then reported back to the very hot office and as I was bending down for a short squat break my thin khakis stuck to my sweaty legs and ripped out the entire crotch area :/ My supervisor laughed for an hour and I reported to wardrobe, holding my pants together the best I could, for a new fitting. Fast forward a year (it's now 1996)...I'm retelling this blown out crotch story to a group of coworkers in Kiosk (the old Skeeball building). This particular summer I was assigned to all areas of the games department and was acquainted with nearly every games employee in the park - those were the days Anywhoo, as I finished up this story to my coworkers, who were now laughing hard enough for tears, I began restocking the candy in the redemption cabinet. We kept all surplus candy behind the Skeeball machines and it was a very narrow corridor. I bent down to pick up a box of Jolly Ranchers and a nail sticking out from the back of one of the machines caught my trousers leaving a giant rip down the back! Really? Again, I found myself in the embarrassing predicament of holding my personal effects together hoping I don't lose all sense of dignity as I head up to wardrobe for another pair of Khakis I'm sure there's more stories, but that's all I can remember off hand.
  5. These individuals are breaking the law, let alone risking their own safety, but their youtube uploads are creepily fascinating! Abandoned PA park: Bushkill Amusement Park: Main page: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheUnknownCameraman?feature=watch
  6. I'm taking my wife to Camden Park before summer ends. She is anxious to see the park that I grew up visiting And I cannot wait to sink my teeth into a Stewart's Hotdog as we pass through Huntington on the way home!
  7. My curiosity peaked this afternoon while thinking about Magic Harbor and I came across this blog that copies the synopsis of that park on defunctparks.com, yet several old employees, including the owners son, chime in about its history. These entries are pretty interesting for those who have researched the park and have come up short handed: http://strangetalespodcast.wordpress.com/2007/04/09/magic-harbor-myrtle-beach-sc/
  8. Speaking of Myrtle Beach amusement parks. Upon one trip to a nearby campground, my Mom's friend had a camping site. We went to an amusement park, that was a small park with about 3 coasters and a bunch of nice flat rides. The park was called Magic Harbor. Does anyone remember this park? I have tried to find photos, with no luck. I absolutely remember that park! Myrtle Beach was my families favorite destination throughout the 70's-90's and my parents took my sister and I to Magic Harbor in 1991. This was actually how I found defunctparks.com back in 2000. To date, I haven't turned up much information on that park. I have some family photos of it, but they are few and far between. The park had a very enchanted, yet creepy, vibe to it as I recall.
  9. This is a great resource page! Thanks for pointing it out I spent a few hours pilfering the pics and info as well! I used to frequent defunctparks.com, but I don't believe they've updated their information in years.
  10. This is a great project and a great idea by designing it to serve duel functions - collectible and furniture! One of the real issues when items like this become available is how to store it. My wife loves my collecting habits, but has asked kindly that I refrain from huge items that will take up space. This would make a sweet man cave chair, however! I have hopes to one day fully restore a kiddy hand crank train car. My earliest amusement park memory was the crank cars at Camden Park ~Josh
  11. Yeah, sorry the pics are kinda bad. This brochure doesn't seem to come up too often on online auctions, etc. I've seen about 2 or 3 in the last 2 years turn up for sale.
  12. This was the item that started my KI collection when I visited the park with my 5th grade class. This is the exact same one I carried around all day in May of 1991
  13. I'd pay twice that for a character bust from phantom theater. I really don't think this is a bad price for an item like this. If it were smaller, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
  14. You've displayed that beast chain link in your front lawn?
  15. I seriously considered buying this, but I simply do not have the room. It's great to know that this thing has survived none-the-less! http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMURFS-GARGAMEL-HEAD-AND-HANDS-KINGS-ISLANDS-ENCHANTED-VOYAGE-RIDE-ONE-OF-A-KIND-/380632598366?pt=TV_Movie_Character_Toys_US&hash=item589f78875e
  16. Yes, it was definitely a Boat Tag Attraction. I just couldn't recall if Ki's was called that or something different. BTW, Indiana Beach had one for years... also I think Knoebels has (or had) one. Here's a pic: Wikipedia lists an attraction called "Water Wars" in Rivertown, for 1995 only. But has no other information. Could this be it? 1995 was the first season I worked at KI and this attraction was part of Rivertown Games. That area was reconfigured into "Beast Games" the following season as new games were added to Nickelodeon and split from Rivertown. I can confirm that this attraction was indeed called Boat Tag (at least, that's what we called it). The attraction was a neat idea, but guests reception was unenthusiastic. I had to clean the pool out on one of my shifts as it was located near several trees. So there you go Thanks for the pic! I love seeing that old stuff! ~Josh
  17. The same happened to me since my sister worked in the front gate gift shop. However, it was extremely peaceful to sit in front of the fountain without any guests, just relaxing from the long hot day
  18. This is very true and this is one of the reasons I was fortunate to have worked in games. Unless I was working a competition game where we had to wait for a manager to count you down, all you had to do was return your change apron to the bank employee that night. Clock out and go home...or hang out with friends Don't get me wrong, there were nights that kept me in the park nearing 1 to 2 am on really busy nights, but those were rare occurrances.
  19. I have had experience in that area - although it was more behind the scenes having worked in the food/beverage warehouse during my college days. KI places you where they need employees, which is why they give you the three options of desirability on the application. If you are set on working in rides, go ahead and call HR and have them contact the rides department about your desires. However, by going this route you will likely have to wait for an opening. And at this point, you would have to wait until the season starts before a spot opens up.
  20. This time of year I always reflect a little on my years working at KI. This is an exciting time for those newly hired individuals that will experience their first job ever and for returning employees who will reacquaint themselves with coworkers from previous seasons. To ask what it was like to work at the park is a very difficult question to answer because you will get an array of responses based on variables such as that individuals current age, the age they were when they worked at the park, as well as, which decade that that individual worked at the park, etc. I worked in the games dept. during the mid 90's and that experience was one of the greatest times of my life! But it was a different time then and people were into different things. Guests had a lot more loose change at their disposal so many more were playing the games (and the prizes were very different as well - I'll save my thoughts on this matter). The interactions with guests was my favorite part of being in the games department For those applying this year, I wish you great success! Savor the experience and make the most of it! After nearly 20 years from when I was first hired, I have about 10 good friends I still keep up with from that old games crew
  21. I don't think the tunnel was added until it was rebranded as The Beastie. I always thought the tunnel was a nice touch and, like The Beast, it felt like it was going to cut your head off upon entering
  22. ^ I was there during the paramount years and care very little about any media footage from that time. It is the early imagery that I am most interested in (and would assume that most would be as well).
  23. Not to impede on KI, but it's worth noting that there is a good article about improvements made to the Beach Waterpark as it reopens this season in that issue.
  24. It would be truly remarkable if Kings Island would release a video of all of their media videos and sell them at the park! I would buy!!!
  25. In lieu of the (hopefully short termed) absence of a great historical thread that always helps us get through the off season, I believe this fine thread deserves a bump/second look This was probably my favorite thread ever posted on these forums!
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