Radar

Easy enough, If CF wanted to do it right here and now... Although somewhat annoying to be told where to go to sit, they could install a door at the last doorway into the station itself, door closes as they are loading and checking restraints, and then reopens just before the empty train emerges, they would just put a ride op there that assigns you a seat/enforces no one sees the launch (much as the Crypt ride ops unnecessarily refuse to let you watch the ride unless you actually want to ride it). One employee and a door or curtain would be all it took. The LIM sound, the screams, that's all ok for people to hear and get whatever wrong impression, without the vision of seeing it, it would still be a thrill rush SURPRISE!

Do red sirens flash? I thought sirens went whoop whoop, and it was lights that flash. Radar- who had to. I would love to see a well thought out, revamped FOF, featuring updated modern props and modern, working, theming enhancements. I find it odd that you can just walk right in and watch as it launches while waiting in line. Watching the launch removes some of the shock and awe. I would have found it better with a means of making the ride not visible from the seating que gates, there by making every launch a screamer. Maybe then, if the station is designed to look like the exit station as well, the "Oh my gosh where did they go?" aspect only just implied right now would be more believeable. But alas, I'd imagine that might have been determined "too Scary". It also always irked me that as it is now, it's "Fort" Kinzel, which makes it an Army base, as I cannot think of any Air Force bases that are a Fort 'something', yet the personnel in the video appears air force, and it has a definitive air force theme... Air Force is acceptable as it is the branch most accepted to investigate and cover up ufo sightings and alien contacts, so why call the area 'fort'? I suspect that Kinzel liked "Fort Kinzel" better than "Kinzel AFB" or maybe the Air Force expressed a desire for CF not to infer Air Force in the name.

It really amazes me the dramatic difference between Cedar Point and Kings Island in the way security handles issues, considering they are owned and operated by the same company. Cedar Point has been on top of things, removing line jumpers and reporting their identification information to their main office so that if they are caught again, they have a record of their first violation. I have personally witnessed many line jumpers removed by both ride operators and security at Cedar Point, and have yet to witness a single removal at Kings Island this year. The security presence is also much heavier at Cedar Point. You can stand at any spot in the park, spin in a circle and see no less than two security or police officers within easy shouting distance. At Kings Island, you are lucky to hunt one down with a lot of effort and it is a rarity to see them just strolling the park. It's disappointing to see this, and the effect that security, or lack thereof, has on the overall behavior of park guests. The general populace of the park has gotten more rude and inconsiderate of other park guests and of park rules this year. I can understand that security is one of the most expensive departments to staff, but why can Cedar Point manage to have their department so well staffed and Kings Island have theirs so apparently understaffed?

I find it difficult to avoid being approached by them for my picture, as I have often been told I have a golden personality. However, I'm also wanted in 10 states and the District of Columbia, so I try to avoid getting my picture taken at all costs. After all, someone might get my picture, and then someone else might recognize me, or they might employ facial recognition software, and then I'm in trouble. So I avoid getting my picture taken. I usually just tell them, "Thank you, but no thanks."

Mid course brake run

Not all of that land is as rugged as some claim, there is a good bit of nice flat land out there in that area. Developing this area of land will also call for an expansion of track and stations, possibly even to the point that the train will have a station and ticket booth at GWL. Imagine how much easier it would be to get from one side of the park to the other if the train covered the whole park. Or even just a nice train from GWL to BB and places in between for the water fans who want to get out of GWL and go over to BB for awhile. Parking garages I forsee might eventually become a reality at KI, and perhaps even at CP, but I predict it will be awhile for that. Even GWL needs a parking expansion, sometimes you have to wait 30 minutes to find a spot over there, including their overflow lot. I can only hope if KI or CP ever gets parking garages that they take design tips from Baltimore's Airport, and other garages. I love Baltimore's advanced parking system, that has red and green lights above each parking spot, letting you know at a glance from the end of the aisle if there is a spot available on that row, and count display boards that direct you to empty spots in the garage. But new editions to KI or CP for 2020 or 2022? I don't think so. Especially since the world will end in 2012. Radar -who just had to.

For me, riding in the very back is the most enjoyable, as the swings are the greatest. I miss the theming. I can understand the removal of the TOP GUN / Paramount theming, but why get rid of the airplanes, radar dish, etc? And is that a guy in a flight suit and helmet in one of those photos?!?!? Did they have ride ops dress up at one time?

I love that one!

The term is "Broken Windows", not glass, although the pretense is the same. It was a term and idea coined by Jack Maple, for whom the tv show "the District" was based off of. I agree, the more the park makes a valiant effort to clean up blight, the more it discourages new blight. If they actually made the effort, although admittedly a tough one, to put a stop to vandalism in the park, through at minimum a three pronged effort -educate, enforce, expurgate Educate - inform visitors (more so than currently) that vandalism, littering, and offensive behavior are cause for any of the following: ejection from the park, prosecution, barring permanently from the park, or a combination of the measures. Most people are not aware, or don't care, of the consequences... Largely because they are a threat of action without the teeth to enforce. Enforcement - I don't see very much enforcement going on at the park. When I have observed security officers themselves observing people line jumping, cussing, or other objectionable behavior, often the guards scold them, kick them to the back of the line, or don't say anything to them. I once watched a guy line jump DB, the guard saw him and kicked him out of line, the guard switched with another guard, the guy line jumped again and the second guard kicked him off the ride at the station, but that was it. There needs to be a level of enforcement on the level with say, some six flags parks. Kick them out of the park. You want to give them a warning? get their ID, write it down, radio it in, warn him, and walk off. If another guard starts to warn him later, and dispatch radios that is his/her second offense that day, eject them from the park. They tell you "cause for removal from the park" but they try very hard not to enforce anything. Maybe they should try enforcing something, anything, for a better park experience for everyone. Cops don't really run radar on the side of the road for revenue purposes, if saying that is why they are there makes you feel better, so be it, but they are really there to get you to slow down. Think about it. If everyone were driving legally they wouldn't need to be there. Maybe if security enforced more, we would have less problems. That was the theory behind Broken Windows. Enforce everything for a time. Everything. Someone spits chew on the ground, cite them for littering and kick them out for the day. Someone parks in Handicapped without a placard? ticket and tow. Be a hardass for a few weeks, a month, and then slowly relax, but never to this "don't care" attitude employed now. People will take notice, and if they don't like it, and don't come back because they know they can't line jump, cuss, spit, write on walls, etc., are you really losing a customer you wanted in the first place? Make a family friendly environment, enforce it as such, and you'll end up with only the crowds you actually want in your park. Expurgate - clean up every form of vandalism or littering, as soon as it is observed, or every night, which ever is most reasonably possible. Have stain and paint on stand by. Have a couple of Maintenance guys that just do Expurgate duties. Have enough fencing boards to replace almost all of the fencing against the line of Diamondback on standby. Have them stained to match, and laying out somewhere so they fade to match what is currently out there. At the very least, go out and flip the boards around when vandalism is observed. At the end of the night, sand and re-stain the offending sections. Have white paint, and even a few painted plywood sheets on standby for The Racer tunnels. Have an employee check them once an hour, or once every half hour. I doubt you'll have a hard time convincing an employee to get paid to go ride the ride. Treat it the same as a bathroom, have the employee sign off on a clean or damaged sheet. If something extremely morally offensive is carved in a fence on DB, or wrote on a wall in The Racer, or anywhere, what do you think should be done? Wait til next year and maybe take care of it? I saw the F word carved in the DB fence, I mentioned it to a ride op, and a week later it was still there, although I can say it is gone now. Clean it immediately, every night after close check it, every morning before park open check it again, don't wait til off season to fix problems. I've been in Law Enforcement for 6 years. I love, and highly respect the Broken Windows Theory. It is some of the best advice and plans out there for ridding your city, community, even amusement park of crime. Provided it is followed strictly with the goal of making things better in your sights. I encourage anyone interested to read Jack Maple's book The Crime Fighter: How You Can Make Your Community Crime Free Who knows, maybe some of the higher up Cedar Fair and Kings Island Official Lurkers on here will pick up a copy. And maybe order a copy for the Park Police and security supervisors.

I'm watching the weather carefully. You have to wonder, if KI sent people out to their cars the last time tornados were reported, if they were really thinking clearly. I would rather get directed to a shelter than my car right now, that's for sure. It might be beneficial to their insurance if they get people off property, but if someone died on their way home on the highway that was told to leave the park for tornadic activity, a lawyer could have a good case against the park I would think. I don't know anyone who has used the tornado shelters at the park.