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Sell? Well, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Plenty of exciting changes are on the way that will be sure to increase shareholder value!

We all remember the good ole days when a young gent or gal could spark up a black and mild or rip the ole geek bar in the park, before that beautiful privilege was taken away from us. My favorite smoking area was back by WindSeeker, it was peaceful, would watch the ride go up, and down, and up, and down, repeat. Though the X-Base one does hold a special place in my heart, sometime I would chain smoke and feel like a character out of a sci-fi movie, stressed from these GOV nda’s ruining my life, but feeling a brief moment of freedom when I would light up a marb red. What was your favorite smoking area at Kings Island?

Popularity has nothing to do with it. There's a reason why full-time staff is being let go at parks, why departments will be run with minimal staffing on operating days, why events like WinterFest aren't returning to Kings Dominion and California's Great America. While Carowinds announced WinterFest as part of their 2025 events lineup, remember Kings Island did the same thing in 2006 only to cancel WinterFest mid-summer.

KECO was not involved in the development of Phantom Theater. They sold the park to Lindner's Great American Financial in 1987. The ride was developed under that ownership.

I always enjoyed helping out in other areas of the park during the years I worked in the Kings Island marketing department. I parked cars, checked restraints on The Beast, The Racer, Diamondback and Mystic Timbers, made hundreds of pizzas at LaRosa's on International Street, the Festhaus and in Rivertown (I always loaded them up with extra sauce and cheese!), worked games at the basketball by The Racer, Wac-A-Mole, Football Toss, Ring Toss, and 3-Point Challenge, took shifts fielding calls in the Call Center, helped out in the Picnic Grove and Festhaus cleaning tables, worked in the admissions booth selling tickets and season passes, and worked the front gate turnstiles scanning tickets and season passes. I absolutely loved doing these different jobs and always looked forward to getting the call to help out elsewhere.

Season pass preview day is scheduled for the 18th of April. Also unlike last year, the hours have been extended to being a full day event instead of just a few hours in the evening thing. Just an annual reminder to bring your patience cap with you as it will be the first day of work ever for many employees so expect long lines and slower operations than normal. https://x.com/KingsIslandPR/status/1882429362760286288

Looks like lights are being removed from the trees in the Coney Mall area (cherry pickers near the back of Dodgem):

Looking like FoF will presumably live to see another season.

PayScale differences aside. I've always respected managers who were willing to "get into the trenches" as you could call it, with their subordinates. There are plenty of managers who find the work of their subordinates beneath them and do nothing to help out.

What a hero he was to walk away from the air conditioned admin office, right past his SUV taking up two spaces, to toil among the lowly minimum wage workers. I bet the associates were in awe and truly inspired. Gives me chills just thinking about it.

Tower Gardens. ”Come crush a few menthol-laced heaters near a framed, yet faded, poster for ‘Mission: Impossible II.’ Don’t go down by the stagnant pond, though. Yeah, the one that’s gated off and where the car from Wayne’s World was once parked?” Topic of the year award already claimed early into 2025, by the way.

They’re really moving quickly with the project! Excited to try out this new record breaker in a few months!

When you go to the KIC homepage to see the countdown every few days to see how much time we have left. https://kicentral.com/

Status on 2/15/2025

I think Mike is trying not to remove another ride under his tenure. I will be interested to see if they are waiting for him to retire to retire more rides. Great guy I’ve met him a few times only wish the best for the guy he has a lot of love for the park and his job.

KD is re-theming and refurbishing their FOF for 2025. KI's continually has one of the longest waits in the park, and its a co-anchor of Area '72. I don't think they are going anywhere anytime soon.

If FoF gets removed, don't expect that land to be used anytime soon. Vortex was removed over half a decade ago and that land is still sitting mostly vacant.

Looks like on the webcam for Planet Snoopy/Camp Snoopy, we have work being done on the concrete in front of the Snoopy Boutique building, maybe for new concrete or pavers even? They are definitely busy this off season!

They leave that up to the geese due to the budget.

I agree with additional trees and landscaping, especially around the kids area and Rivertown. Would like to see Camp Snoopy take over all of it and get a lot more woodsy feel and trees throughout for additional shade and nice transition into Rivertown.

Yeah that double down looks great

2025 schedule is out and is basically what we are use to in recent years. April 19th opening day. 9pm closes until Memorial Day weekend. 10am-10pm Memorial Day until August 9th. Sprinkled 7pm closes early May and 8pm closes mid August Only out through Labor Day No midnight closes. *Subject to Change And of this post, it is glitchy almost like in the middle of being updated. Sometimes a month shows closed and then refresh and shows open.

First and foremost, I would have approached this with transparency and compassion. The statement they provided feels scripted and impersonal, almost identical to the one issued in 2006 by Kings Island when Winterfest was cancelled. A more thoughtful, heartfelt response would have better acknowledged the disappointment felt by guests. Additionally, I would have insured that email responses were signed by a real person rather than behind "Kings Dominion Guest Services." The general manager and PR team are directly involved in crafting and approving these statements, so attaching a name to them would add a personal touch and show accountability. Guests deserve more than a generic, faceless response. They deserve to feel heard. A canned response doesn't make them feel as though they were. I hope that answers your question.

Personally I don't see Kings Island dropping their Winterfest event anytime soon when the event still draws in crowds like this.

From Kings Island's Instagram story. Construction has gone vertical! https://www.instagram.com/stories/kingsislandpr/3552854966305872985?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=MTB4c3NxNzh5N2Jidw==

Great to see some photos from the park. Get more details about each picture on KI's website (& source of photos) here: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2025/january/soak-city-expansion-construction-updates

Mine is still stuck in the gmail void somewhere.

I think I will pass on the BK idea. Original recipes & creations from the chef is way better and seems to be working for them.

But KI already has the king of the burger with the pub burger and meatloaf burger!

Ready to go Into The Racerverse in 2025!

This is paywalled, but Alex wrote a really flattering article about us. https://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyles/kings-island-fan-podcast-has-dayton-daily-news-reporter-as-guest-on-latest-episode/IJQLPTQCKNA7NBTF7C5BSA6TIM/

The fountain is starting to escape from under the ice rink! Won't be too long now before we see it filled with water (well a couple of months).

I would add more scenery and hidden animals along the route of the K.I. & M.V. railroad. Particularly along the stretch from Rivertown to just past Mystic Timbers. To be more specific, I would put in a pioneer village scene in that empty space across from MT. And in the wooded area just before then, is where I would place the animals. And just for fun, I would put in Bigfoot for people to spot.

I, for one, do love to see the investment and care put into Soak City. I visit Soak City a few times a season and in general I'm not really a water park guy. But this off season is honestly the most excited I've been to return to Soak City ever! Not only am I excited to return to Island BBQ, but I'm also excited to see all the upgrades as well as experience River Racers. I don't think River Racers is going to be the greatest water ride ever, but to have a water coaster at Soak City in the first place is something I look forward to.

Looks like a new permit has been filed for Coney BBQ Kitchen Reno with a Job Value of $100,000.00. Wondering if any change is coming to the menu with the reno. Other Permits Filed for 2025 Season: Subway/Blue Ice Cream Building Reno - $145,000.00 -Screenshot from Google Maps - not sure what it looked like in 2024. Already discussed, Soak City Bathroom Remodel - Job Value $650,000.00 Possibly discussed previously, Dippin Dots Storage Shed - Job Value $24,500.00 Semi-worth noting, they are doing a Greenhouse replacement as well, per the permit filed in November - Job Value $$22,846.00. As shared earlier, a front gate gift shop reno is taking place - Job Value $450,000.00. Not included, River Racers and Soak City water attraction upgrades.

Going vertical!

I personally would not be opposed to a straddle coaster like the one at BGW. I thought was a really fun family ride. However, I would rather see it go into the tomb raider building and possibly reuse some of those sets. Imagine whizzing past the goddess on a straddle coaster? Sounds pretty good and the que theming is still solid in there too.

I firmly believe the men’s restrooms on International Street could benefit from not only one, but two loop-dee-loops. And a bar.

Cost, and the fact that Son of Beast would have been the World’s Tallest, Fastest, and Longest wooden coaster.

You wanna know what does have good capacity? Please, please, please, KI! I would love a MACK Stryker Coaster similar to Voltron. This would be a worthy replacement of Vortex in my opinion, and would look great in that plot of land. It doesn't have to be as long or big as Voltron, but something with powerful launches, strong airtime, and crazy inversions would fill all of the gaps at KI. Another ride that fills in those gaps is Time Traveler. Would love to see something like that come in as well. If you don't care about maintenance costs, (which they do because of Ka) then something like ArieForce One would be cool. I guess I could settle for a Raptor, but that's farther down on the list for me. Unfortunately, I don't see Six Flags going with RMC.

I think the coaster itself would be fun, but I'd worry about capacity. Also, no bright lighting package there. I think a better spot would be at the front of the park where Invertigo is. Hangtime replaced a boomerang.

Outside of the park. I highly dislike when people just light up in the middle of the park. Shouldn’t be smoking anywhere in the park there is a smoking area for a reason.

If only there was a podcast that told people to wait and see what they’re getting before renewing their season passes. Terms are subject to change. No refunds. Just ask your 2022 Prestige Pass friends.

You missed one of the most notable ride sponsors: Top Gun, presented by Gillette Mach 3. In 1986, before the country show, one of the performers backstage would say after a "Delta Gets You There" jingle before the cast ran out on the stage, "Kings Island, Kings Productions and Delta Airlines are proud to present Deep in the Heart of Country."

Lookin' like the back of a beater 2003 Honda Civic with all those stickers

The latest construction blog from the park: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2025/january/soak-city-expansion-construction-updates

Extracted this conversation into its own topic. It deserved its own thread. I like this one a lot. (Bottom one is my preference.) Vintage but a sharp & clean look.