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Reminder About Leaving Stuff In Boomerang Bay


Oldiesmann
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Those of you who are my friend on Facebook have likely already read about this, but I wanted to post this as a reminder for everyone. Never leave anything valuable unattended in Boomerang Bay, even if it's in a backpack in an area with lots of other towels and such.

This past Saturday I had quite a scare. Being a hot day, I went on all the water rides, then promptly took a train ride to Boomerang Bay to cool off some more. I didn't even think to leave my shorts (with my wallet, cell phone and keys) in a locker at WWC until after I got to BB. I couldn't bring myself to shell out whatever the asking price is for lockers in Boomerang Bay now, and didn't want to take a train all the way back to WWC to get a locker, so I just found a shady spot on a hillside near a food cart where many others had laid their towels, set my stuff down, put on sunscreen and headed off to the very crowded wave pool. After a dip in the pool, I walked back past my bag to make sure it was still there and also to make sure I remembered where I left it. It was still there, so I headed off to wait in line for Tazmanian Typhoon. Being such a hot day, there was quite a long line. I'm estimating an hour passed between the time I got in line and the time I got off the ride.

By that time, I was tired of the crowds (and didn't feel like waiting an hour for anything else or dodging the crowds in the wave pool), so I decided to gather up my stuff and head back to the main park for another round or two on White Water Canyon. I went back to where I'd left my stuff to find that my backpack was gone (my towel and sandals were still there). This included my shorts with my wallet, keys and cell phone, my shirt, my glasses, my sunscreen and a hair brush.

I headed off to the BB entrance (the parking lot entrance) and informed a security guard, who promptly called for a police officer. The KI police officer who handled the situation did a great job - explaining the situation, arranging a place for my parents to meet me (out at the passenger pickup, since neither one of them has a gold pass), letting me sit in First Aid to cool off and get water, and ensuring I got a ride out to the passenger pickup. He gave me his card with the case number and told me I could take that to the ticket window to get a free replacement gold pass. He also suggested that I call Lost and Found on the off chance that my stuff turned up there.

When I got home, I had to call the bank and cancel my bank card (a new one is on the way), call Sprint to temporarily suspend my service and dig up an old pair of glasses (I can see without them, but distant objects are somewhat blurry), and I was particularly unhappy about how much this was going to cost me (mainly new glasses + cost of eye doctor appointment).

I called Lost and Found on Saturday before the park closed and left them a message. I got a call back on Sunday during church and returned their call that afternoon when I got home, again getting their answering machine. A short time later, they called back asking for a better description of the backpack that I'd lost. After a short time, they returned and said that they had my backpack and gave me a confirmation number that I could use to get it at the park. Much to my relief, the only thing missing was the $2-$3 in cash that I had in my wallet.

I am very fortunate that I was able to get everything back (don't care too much about the cash, as that's peanuts compared to the value of everything I could have lost), and very grateful to KI security, police and the BB first aid staff for helping me in this situation (the first aid staff truly care about guests), but I want to remind everyone not to do what I did. Lockers are expensive, but not nearly as expensive as it would have been for me to replace all the stuff I had in my backpack.

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A very good lesson to share! A locker, after all, is essentially "insurance." There are those in this microcosm and on the larger scale who find that insurance isn't worth the extra personal cost. Some of them are lucky enough to never have that decision bite them in the behind. Others (like yourself!) learn a valuable lesson and make different choices in the future. :P

I'm happy that everything worked out for you, though!

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Wait.... since when does Kings Island give you a ticket for a free gold pass replacement if you lose it? Because I've lost my gold pass multiple times and I've had to pay $15.00 every time.

Perhaps you've answered your own question here. There's a big difference between having your stuff stolen and losing it . . . and multiple times.

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Wait a minute. Aren't unattended bags considered a security hazard anywhere else...like on a city street, on a subway, in an airport? Why would a crowded waterpark be any different? Sad to say, such a bag would be a very good hiding place for such a bad thing, and i can just imagine the suits against the park if such a thing did happen.

Terp, who tries not to assume.

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While on the topic of lockers in Boomerang Bay, it is also important to know that the Bay closes at 7 even when the park closes at 10. After 7 when the gate there is closed you are not able to get items from lockers or out the gate to the parking lot. So make sure when you get lockers over there you get the items out before 7.

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I never got a locker the three times Ive been the water and never had any problems. The only thing I left was a pair of shoes and some shorts. I hid the keys to my car underneath car where they would have been impossible to find. I had my hand stamped as well so I was able to leave the wallet in my car. I then hid my shoes and shirt somewhere in the waterpark.

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I never got a locker the three times Ive been the water and never had any problems. The only thing I left was a pair of shoes and some shorts. I hid the keys to my car underneath car where they would have been impossible to find. I had my hand stamped as well so I was able to leave the wallet in my car. I then hid my shoes and shirt somewhere in the waterpark.

Right! And that'll work well... Until it doesn't.

As I said, some people decide not to invest in the locker and never have it bite them in the butt. And unfortunately, the more times you successfully visit without paying for a locker, the less defensive you'll be. You'll naturally let your guard down over time. Hopefully it always works out for you. Your success story is nice, but hardly evidence that we should stop buying lockers. Things go well until they don't. Perhaps you'll have a very different story by the end of the season.

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This is why I have a waterproof armband for my phone, and a waterproof case for my keys, pass, cards, cash and anything else I need to carry. I do leave my clothes and towel near the wave pool in a bag that I tie obnoxiously quite a few times. :P I NEVER EVER leave my valuables, I ALWAYS have them on me. The clothes and stuff are mostly replaceable so I don't mind as much. :)

But this is the reason some people call me overprotective of my stuff. :)

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I never leave valuables sitting out at Boomerang Bay. When I'm going there, everything gets left at home and I have my pass, some money and my car key on me. But even non-valuable stuff gets stolen there. Last year or the year before I had my KI refillable cup stolen from underneath our chair near the wavepool. Not valuable, but still annoying.

When I'm at another waterpark, such as Schlitterbahn last year and Splashin' Safari this year, it's impossible to leave the valuables at home so I get a locker. I know Splashin' Safari's locker rentals are pretty reasonable, $10 with $5 of that being a deposit that you get back. I'll have to walk by BB's this weekend to see how much they're charging now, just out of curiosity.

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Funny, the EXACT same thing happened to me two weeks ago. I put my bag (containing my and two other friends' phones and wallets, and car keys) under our shirts and shoes. When we got back from riding slides, it was gone. Only different thing here is that I didn't get mine back :(

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BB is charging $15.00 for a locker but $5.00 is a deposit for the key. When you take the key back they give you the option of getting your $$ back or you can get a small stuffed animal. We always take the $$.

I never leave valuables sitting out at Boomerang Bay. When I'm going there, everything gets left at home and I have my pass, some money and my car key on me. But even non-valuable stuff gets stolen there. Last year or the year before I had my KI refillable cup stolen from underneath our chair near the wavepool. Not valuable, but still annoying.

When I'm at another waterpark, such as Schlitterbahn last year and Splashin' Safari this year, it's impossible to leave the valuables at home so I get a locker. I know Splashin' Safari's locker rentals are pretty reasonable, $10 with $5 of that being a deposit that you get back. I'll have to walk by BB's this weekend to see how much they're charging now, just out of curiosity.

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A very good lesson to share! A locker, after all, is essentially "insurance." There are those in this microcosm and on the larger scale who find that insurance isn't worth the extra personal cost. Some of them are lucky enough to never have that decision bite them in the behind. Others (like yourself!) learn a valuable lesson and make different choices in the future. :P

I'm happy that everything worked out for you, though!

The interesting thing about insurance is that most people see it as a hassle and a nuisance...until they actually need to utilize it.

I can see lockers being thought of the same way, just another added expense that the park uses for revenue enhancement...until someone gets their personal belongings taken. Then it becomes a logical safe spot to store your personal items.

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...until someone gets their personal belongings taken. Then it becomes a logical safe spot to store your personal items.

For a while, at least.

But we human beings (and I daresay, Americans) tend to have such a short memory for things... Remember when everyone tried selling their trucks when gas hit $4.15 a gallon a few summers ago? And then, when it returned to $3.00, everyone just forgot; they just simply acted as if nothing had happened and innovation slowed and trucks were acceptable again... Until gas hit $4.00 again this summer, and then everyone panicked as if they'd never imagined it... And once gas prices lower this winter, we'll all forget and go about our lives and innovation towards gasoline alternatives will slow... Situations like this are the same. Everyone's guard will slowly fall yet again, until something happens.

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This is why I have a waterproof armband for my phone, and a waterproof case for my keys, pass, cards, cash and anything else I need to carry. I do leave my clothes and towel near the wave pool in a bag that I tie obnoxiously quite a few times. :P I NEVER EVER leave my valuables, I ALWAYS have them on me. The clothes and stuff are mostly replaceable so I don't mind as much. :)

But this is the reason some people call me overprotective of my stuff. :)

Same with me as you personally seen :P Especially my camera stuff I protect like an infant child, lol.

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And just for the record, (and as reported in the Mason edition of the Pulse Journal police blotter section), there was also a report of a theft of belongings while riding and an Indianapolis resident was arrested for breaking into multiple cars in the parking lot last week.

Who would drive over from Indy to break into cars at KI - that just makes very little sense to me.

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Or, you just get there early, park in the front row at Boomerang Bay, and use your car as your locker. Works great for drinks, food, sunscreen, etc. Just take a key and my passes.

A bit longer walk to get in the main entrance for ERT, but worth it come swim time.

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But then what do you do with your key and passes? It sucks to pay for a locker every time but it is worth it to not have to worry about my stuff.

It astonishes me how many people are willing to leave their belongings out in the open. I bring the cheapest flip flops to where to walk between areas at BB and I hate to even leave those unattended (the last time we were there my family left our flip flops next to a chair and when we came back to them someone had either poured water on them, which is fine, or who knows what type of puddle they were now in!!!). Point being, I trust no one with even the least valuable stuff. There are too many unattended kids and crazy people at KI.

The locker price went up $2 from last year though. UGH!

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But then what do you do with your key and passes? It sucks to pay for a locker every time but it is worth it to not have to worry about my stuff.

It astonishes me how many people are willing to leave their belongings out in the open. I bring the cheapest flip flops to where to walk between areas at BB and I hate to even leave those unattended (the last time we were there my family left our flip flops next to a chair and when we came back to them someone had either poured water on them, which is fine, or who knows what type of puddle they were now in!!!). Point being, I trust no one with even the least valuable stuff. There are too many unattended kids and crazy people at KI.

The locker price went up $2 from last year though. UGH!

Key and passes go in the swim suit pocket.

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