Outdoor Man

KI only got Orion because of a zoning issue in CA, if not mistaken. Though it does check "giga" off the list, it's essentially an upgraded Diamondback layout. Adventure Port is a nice visual upgrade to the area, but one has to wonder why they didn't proceed with taking Festhaus and Viking ship along with it. Those are the only vestiges of Oktoberfest left- and even so- the German themed Festhaus has no German Food and has a US Country Music review as entertainment. So, instead of bringing together two concepts into one, they created another section of the park. Camp Snoopy looks great, but why do we need Camp Snoopy and Planet Snoopy? Pick a lane; finish what you started. I'm rather ambivalent about the waterpark. On one hand, a smaller, family owned park in southern Indiana has three outstanding water coasters... and there could be a legitimate debate as to whether KI's advertised "new" water coaster qualifies as one. This isn't to demean KI.... it really isn't. BUT, they can do MUCH better than they have. Honestly, though, I'd settle for a few more season employees to keep grounds clean right now.

Update from June 16: dangling lights still dangling and tables still gross. Granted people are gross and need to learn to clean up after themselves... that said - this smeared material had dried long ago... Six has very intelligent/talented people in the C-Suite and they'll figure this out, but at what cost to the guest experience and loyalty... Attention to detail is not there.

I know there is a "Fun TV" screen in the queue already; that's largely what I was referring to because the bright, cheer'y screen and content clash 1000% with the theme of, not only the ride, but the line queue. Very rarely does the end product look like the concept. When PT was installed, it was the 1991/1992 recession period = belt tightening for new attractions. My concern is that if budgets continue to be tight, not because of economy- but because of the merger (and this isn't going to resolve by 2026 construction schedules) that they'll push forward because they "have to have a new ride" and half-a## it. I say don't install it, use a fraction of the funds to spruce up the surroundings, hire some MUCH NEEDED staff, and do it right in a year or two.

A Sally Dark Ride/Vekoma collaboration can be found with "Uncharted, The Enigma of Penitence" at PortAventura World in Spain. It's an interesting and immersive concept. My guess is that said attraction could/would replace the aging Boo Blasters ride. That space spent: 12 seasons as the "Enchanted Voyage" 7 seasons as the "Smurf's Enchanted Voyage" 11 seasons as "Phantom theater" 8 seasons as "Scooby Doo"- and if it goes here 16 seasons as it's worst iteration as "Boo Blasters." I have high hopes, but the full on conversion of Kings Island to being just a "corporate park" in the chain doesn't give me much hope for such a concept on that scale. If so, they'd have to re-inhabit the entire building to fit it all. And even if they did, they'd mess with the theming and mystique by placing one of those stupid "FUN-TV" screens in the line queue, or whatever it's called these days. Budget contraints would cut off important elements of a "great" attraction and it would just come off as "good". If KI is to be hamstrung with thinning budgets, I'd settle for existing park enhancements/refurbishments and sufficient staffing to present a complete park with clean thoroughfares, well managed trash cans, restrooms that you don't feel like bathing in Chlorox after using, food tables that get wiped off more than once a day, etc. to guests who would pay a $90 gate price. OR, maybe an actual water-coaster (see Holiday World for three examples).

I'm putting my weight behind a refresh of an existing attraction that will be a "new" experience in the broader "Snoopy" area. If done well it could be refreshingly creative/innovative. Or... crushingly disappointing. Maybe, just maybe the entire kids area will get a refresh and all come under the Camp Snoopy umbrella as opposed to two areas.

couple of things. Don't waste your time on the water at the park. I had COVID in 2021 and since cannot stomach the taste of soft drinks (something that i HATE)- but I have a keen sense, now, of the taste of water. Water around Mason is TERRIBLE. KI may not be completely on the Mason water system, but KI's water tastes horrible as well. That said, I do bring my own tumbler of water with me when I come... really anywhere I go. COVID, four years ago, made it that I can only handle certain water/water variations (iced tea, lemon aid, etc.). So if you can't get the water... not 100% the park's fault- but you're not missing much. Secondly, I think it's safe to say KI is well on it's way to becoming an authentic Six Flags park. The cleanliness is through the cellar horrible this year. Mostly borderline putrid to gross. The picture below was tonight (June 15). CF/SF needs to get a handle on this sooner than later because the guest experience this summer (moreso than any Paramount's Kings Island season) is atrocious. I love that they are including the drink plan with new pass purchases.... GREAT, the drink dispensers all seemed empty before this. Can't wait to see how difficult it will be for my family to find a drink station with a Coke now, let alone ice. The lights on iStreet have a ton of burnt out bulbs, and a line of them on the south side are now unhooked and drooping. I'm willing to bet significant money that it will still be drooping in August. They need to figure this out. It's the small things.

maybe they'll paint the pool floor.

For the most part, SOBs entire life predates RMC refurbs. Had it been retired post-2019, could it have been one h3ll-uv-an RMC remake or would the weight of new steel on an already sub-quality frame have worked?

I know it doesn't fit the "International" Street theme.... BUT Panda Express doesn't exactly fit in a German "haus" theme either. Grain & Grill Intl. Kitchen at least fits it in name... and some of the offerings therein- except there's not much "grain" and -maybe- one thing is grilled. But, on the BK thing.... no.

How long did you have to go fishing to find that one?

It's a difficult conversation to have and one that will be tricky at best to play through (not just for SF) for companies. When the pandemic hit, people were content to sit at home and collect $$ from the government - some continued after the COVID threat had subsided. This forced companies like SF, CF, Disney, Universal, etc... to bait potential employees with higher pay- almost a bidding war with the government- to entice people to come back to work. ie- scarcity drives up the price. This also caused that nasty term, "inflation." I was in a conversation with someone back in 2021 when our family bill at Chipotle was $28.56 - and told them that you can't just increase the rate of pay from $9/hr to $15+/hr and it not affect prices. They were CERTAIN it would not. That same order at Chipotle today is $44.74. Bringing this back to the Kings Island's of the world, and their peers- this brings the rate of pay back down to where the market will bear it. Tracked out over a 50 week year, if it were full time, most of the jobs at the seasonal level are not $40,000/year jobs. If they were to keep pay at those rates... be prepared for higher prices of everything at the parks, moreso. If other companies do this, a new term is entered: "Deflation." Which could also bring along it's cousin "Stagflation." THEN: welcome to the post-Carter 1980s.

I would hold off on $$$ for large-scale retheming for a bit. The merger created a massive company that may not be sustainable in it's current form and properties may be shed in the inevitable reorganization. Anyone recognize AOL, Time-Warner, Turner Broadcasting- I may have placed an age on myself? The late 1990s merger created the largest media giant in history only to unravel by 2002. Widely regarded as one of the worst mergers in corporate history. Book "Fools Rush In" details it pretty well.

YYYYYYEP! I agree with paragraph #2.

I agree with you on other areas needing attention. That said, AZ has a collection of aging attractions with low ridership clustered together. It, unfortunately, makes sense.

I said this in the last thread. It may be rumor, may not- but it's not out of the realm of possibility. It will be 32 years old at the end of the 2025 season- the exact same age as Vortex was when it was deemed past it's service life. I don't think it's a stretch to say that even before the announcement was made, Vortex had a higher ridership count. Top Gun/Flight Deck/The Bat (or whatever its being called this decade) is a dinosaur coaster concept and probably not in the top 10 in ridership numbers at the park. I feel that if the rumors about Invertigo, Congo, Timberwolf, and now The Bat are accurate.... then 2026 or 2027 could bring a new experience. Would like to see the scar at the back of the park addressed though.... but those attractions occupy prime "front of park" real estate and are aging/low ridership. My hope is that they chase after a unique "experience driven" attraction/coaster... multi-launch and under 100ft tall and theme the h*!! out of it. Create and write the story you want then design the attraction to tell it. I love the theme and layout of Taron (Phantasialand)- which if not mistaken cost less than Orion. BUT, history tells me it will be another "TALLER, FASTER", etc...