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Met Mr. Ouimet yesterday (Sat 5/5/12) at KI - RIP .....SOB


TheLip2
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Ouimet>Kenzel. End of story. Get a mad mouse to replace Wildcat. Those things do wonders! Michigan's Adventure's Mad mouse made me feel like a kid again riding the Raven at the age of 5, the ride that started it all. Kentucky Kingdom's was pretty good as well. I do enjoy DT, but I think a woodie in that spot, would be overall better for that area in Cedar Point. As for Son of Beast, what are you waiting for Ouimet! Get that thing out of here! What an eyesore! SOB was my favorite ride in the park, but when it sitting there for 3 years now it makes the park seem "unsafe" and lets be honest, trashy. Get rid of that big box at the back of the park too. I rather see a HH maze in the woods by Diamondback anyhow. I give Ouimet a A- overall so far. He is doing what has to be done. While Kenzel, besides Cedar Point, could never get a grade better than a C in my book. Also it is time to show Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, Dorney Park, Michigan's Adventure, Great America, & Knott's some love. I'm tired of the Cedar Point, Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds & CW getting all the love for Cedar Fair. With another roller coaster and one or two thrill rides, Michigan's Adventure could go from a local park to something much bigger. As long as they don't go the Six Flags Ohio route ( God rest it's soul.) Gee Geauga Lake, one of Many parks Six Flags ruinned. Any body wanna make a list of parks they ruinned? Just my 2 cents.

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If I was to severely injure my neck while riding the Son of Beast or even The Beast, would they close down the rides and keep them closed and consider replacing them due to my injury? If you said, yes, then consider after my medical history is revealed, it will show that I have had two cervical spinal fusion surgeries and I had no business riding thrill rides and under further review, my surgeon has warned me against riding those rides period if I valued the health of my spine. People ride these rides even when they know they have medical conditions that should preclude them from riding them. I am not saying the person injured was the direct cause of the ride, but prior conditions known or suspected should be revealed in any law suit and damages be based on this.

Now I am not doubting that this conversation did not take place but I can not see any company official revealing the plans for SOB to a regular guest. If Don knows what the plans are, he can not reveal it until he is given the green light by higher ups in a press conference.

There were five guys in the group total. Don was not even around....

Logically, I do not see them announcing the demise of SOB until they can make it part of a story that is positive. (ie. What you are getting . . . not what they are taking away.) He knew he could tell because anything he told me would only be considered rumor. They aren't going to take it "public" to the media until they can USE the media. I think that you will find during the season that you will get more reports of guests saying the same thing. Mr. Ouimet clearly doesn't consider it a "state secret" like his predecessors. You should also note that Mr. Ouimet walked away from the group to talk to me. No one from the group followed him or came over to listen to what he was talking about. When I walked away I did not look back, but as I noted, Greg Scheid then caught up with me after I had walked 100-150 feet away from the original conversation. He also came alone and told me that Mr. Ouimet told him about us. So, apparently he went back to the group and was telling his GM about our conversation to some extent. I would like to know if Matt told Greg that he should invite us or if it was Greg's idea after Matt told him of our conversation. Personally I think he was TRAINING his GM. I have never seen Greg out in the park before and I have frequently seen Don in the park, but on this day Don was not present. Infer what you will, but CHANGE is happening. There is a new sheriff in town and his name is Ouimet.

That must have been the group I saw when there Friday. (I posted this in another thread)- I was in AZ and noticed what looked like executives up against the fence where the race cars are observing SOB and making hand gestures while looking at it. I didn't hear what they were saying and didn't make it a point to get in a place where I could, but noticed they were looking SPECIFICALLY at SOB. And I'll second that Don H. was not in the group. I couldn't tell you what Greg looks like- so he could have been there.

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Ouimet>Kenzel. End of story. Get a mad mouse to replace Wildcat. Those things do wonders! Michigan's Adventure's Mad mouse made me feel like a kid again riding the Raven at the age of 5, the ride that started it all. Kentucky Kingdom's was pretty good as well. I do enjoy DT, but I think a woodie in that spot, would be overall better for that area in Cedar Point. As for Son of Beast, what are you waiting for Ouimet! Get that thing out of here! What an eyesore! SOB was my favorite ride in the park, but when it sitting there for 3 years now it makes the park seem "unsafe" and lets be honest, trashy. Get rid of that big box at the back of the park too. I rather see a HH maze in the woods by Diamondback anyhow. I give Ouimet a A- overall so far. He is doing what has to be done. While Kenzel, besides Cedar Point, could never get a grade better than a C in my book. Also it is time to show Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, Dorney Park, Michigan's Adventure, Great America, & Knott's some love. I'm tired of the Cedar Point, Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Carowinds & CW getting all the love for Cedar Fair. With another roller coaster and one or two thrill rides, Michigan's Adventure could go from a local park to something much bigger. As long as they don't go the Six Flags Ohio route ( God rest it's soul.) Gee Geauga Lake, one of Many parks Six Flags ruinned. Any body wanna make a list of parks they ruinned? Just my 2 cents.

I think SOB will stand until a future plan is in place. If they demolish it, most of it will need to come down by crane because many structure pieces sit too close to Flight Deck and Adventure Express. And if you're going to go into the expense of bringing in a crane to clear something out, you don't necessarily want to pay to bring one in twice... so they'll wait until the plan is in place. I wouldn't hold my breath for anything to "open" in 2013. It'll be '14 at the earliest if I were to be a betting person.

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Thank you, TheLip2, for your posts.

I am most grateful for your detailed reports, your analysis and interpretation of the nuances of the conversation including tone of voice, body language, and sincerity, fleshes out the interaction. Your reaction and judgements add considerable weight to your words.

Again, thank you. Many of us appreciate thoughtful commentators.

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What I was getting at was Don would not reveal any of the parks plans regarding the future of SOB until he has been authorized by Mr. Ouimet and upper management. Now if Mr. Ouimet was to accidentally reveal or give a hint at its future, his tenure will not be in questioned or at risk. There is a time and place for everything and when the time comes, they will reveal to all what the future of SOB holds.

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I like this openness. This is not national security, its a coaster. Sitting idle as long as it has, anyone can come to the conclusion that hunk of wood is history. With the metal detectors gone and the friendliness of the staff this year, KI has made a complete turnaround.

One thing I noticed that I have never witnessed before. I was waiting for troika, and these two girls kept grabbing the leaves as they went by the tree. The operator warned them three times stating this was their third and final warning. Now I don't know what would have happened after the third warning, but I have seen one warning at best in years past.

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All I have to say is good day, and good riddance.

Yes, SoB gave me my best park memory to date, but now it would just be dangerous to ride it. I'm glad that apparently Mr. O made a decision on it, and that KI will now move on from a low spot in its history, and will have another great ride to go along with the other great rides and attractions that bring people to KI everyday.

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I like this openness. This is not national security, its a coaster.

BINGO! I have been rather fed up with all the tight lips around SOB as if it were top-secret classified information. Mr. Ouimet's openness is refreshing to say the least.

One thing I noticed that I have never witnessed before. I was waiting for troika, and these two girls kept grabbing the leaves as they went by the tree. The operator warned them three times stating this was their third and final warning. Now I don't know what would have happened after the third warning, but I have seen one warning at best in years past.

Perhaps they should trim the tree?

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The new "reign" seems to be off the a great start, by all accounts. That said, if what we see here is indeed correct, if in fact a decision has been made, that the general public would be informed by the end of this operating season. Fans like us just want to know, one way or the other.

Logic would say that a decision has indeed been made.

Of course, this whole conversation could be good, old fashioned, horsepucky, but ,why would anyone subject themselves to the ridicule had it not taken place, and go to so much detail to do so?

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A bit off topic but, right on it for me.

My family had decided a few weeks ago to not visit KI this year. It was looking to be my first year without a Platinum Pass too. Because of the reports I'm hearing about the new management style, I just called my wife to ask that we get Platinum Passes for the whole family.

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Don't forget that the GMs have a lot of say in what's going on now. Yes, Mr. Ouimet is getting a lot of the credit but for the first time, the GMs actually have a say in what's going on. Kinzel acted as the GM of every Cedar Fair park, now with Kinzel gone, the GMs actually have a say in what they want. Now all of them have twitters and can tweet stuff, that would of never happened under Kinzel.

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A bit off topic but, right on it for me.

My family had decided a few weeks ago to not visit KI this year. It was looking to be my first year without a Platinum Pass too. Because of the reports I'm hearing about the new management style, I just called my wife to ask that we get Platinum Passes for the whole family.

I wasn't going to either, but I am very pleased with the way things are so far.

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TheLip2 already has more credibility than half the kids in the SOB thread running their mouths about internet petitions and rocky mountain track.

The fact that the ride has sat there for multiple season unused was the biggest clue of all.

Now thanks to Mr. Lip's report, we can finally put a nail in the coffin of a ride that was never really good to begin with. Lip2, welcome!

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  • 4 years later...

Without my asking he also said, (I will not quote because I cannot remember for certain EXACTLY what he said) We need to do something for you guys down here to replace Son of Beast because there just isn't anything we can do with it.

At the time I had wondered if a replacement necessarily meant a wooden coaster. We now know it was!

Way to come through Mr. Ouimet.

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As little as a week before the park opened, Mr. Helbig was still telling the local press that no decision had been made.

And being a PR guy, he may be walking the fine official line right now. I personally believe that decision is made, has now been reviewed and agreed to with the new guy, but is just not ready for announcement yet - which leads me to beleive SBNO for 2012, construction area in 2013, new ride/attraction and update to AZ in 2014.

There are all kinds of reasons that a business would not want to announce plans too soon.

What a smart man Keith was. May he RIP

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

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