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Photo #40 - Amazon Falls - 1988

Sorry for getting off topic, but CedarPointer, nothing you say I can take seriously. Your profile picture really distracts me.

Photo #39 - King Cobra - Employee Group Photo - Late 1980's

However, not all parks in the Cedar Fair chain offer gold passes. It is either a standard season pass or a platinum, no in between. For passholders of five parks (I think the all five former Paramount Parks still have Gold) to get unlimited parking at every park in the chain is not very fair to the other parks and their visitors, and it also is a pretty good deal. Can't we just be happy with what we have?

looks great so far to me. IMG_1221 by KIC-Original, on Flickr

I started riding Flight of Fear not very long after I started riding Vortex. My first ride on it was during a KI trip on Tuesday, August 17, 2010. I was wanting to ride Firehawk, but it was having a technical delay, so I opted to ride FoF and then Firehawk. I still remember watching the pre-show while waiting in a 20-25 minute line. I was riding in the front seat. When I heard the "All clear!" I was getting anxious, but I knew it wouldn't be as scary as I thought. When the train launched, I screamed all the way up until the cobra roll; I even forgot all about the ride photo being taken in the launch tunnel! Throughout the first part I was saying "Oh my goodness gracious!!" as the train was twirling through near total darkness with only a few lights lighting part of the way. The ride was really exciting, and at the end, the left corkscrew caught me off guard. FoF obviously goes through its single corkscrew at a faster speed than Vortex does when traveling through its double corkscrew. After that exciting adventure on FoF, I joined the 20 minute long line for Firehawk and rode it for the first time, in the fourth row in the far right. Had another great ride....

My first ride was in 2003 I think, with one of my best friends. He'd convinced me to finally get up the nerve to ride The Vortex that day, since I didn't ride many of the coasters at that point. Once I rode it, I was hooked, so we proceeded to ride every coaster in the park that day. We barely made it before the line cutoff that night for FoF, and we waited for about an hour. It was worth it, though - the rush of the launch was awesome the first time (and still is, really).

^We love it when we find out names....

I hate ride ops. Especially those of the Zephyr variety.

Flight of Fear has always had a special place in my heart. It was my first looping coaster and for that reason it is still one of my favorite rides anywhere. It's hard to beat that first launch and the following cobra roll. I most recently rode it this summer and after riding Rock n' Rollercoaster at Disney World was a bit disapointed in terms of theming. (But what was i expecting? It's KI not DW) But the experience of zooming through the dark upside down is always great!

Gatekeeper may fall into the category of a "Parking Lot Coaster" but it's the most absolutely stunning Parking Lot Coaster I've ever seen. After seeing some of the most recent pictures showing the completed Key Hole Loop I'm certain that choosing this specific coaster and incorporating it into the front gate of the park will prove to be one of the best decisions made by the park in years. With the lift on the beach, the flyover through the keyhole doubling as the entrance to the park, and the grassy tree lined turn around, it's really not much more a Parking Lot Coaster than say Magnum or Gemini.

Well, I think Flight of Fear is awesome and is always a great ride. This past season, I actually closed my eyes on FoF to try to experince what it must have been like when the main part of the ride building was pitch black. It was pretty crazy. I also like the line video, the saucer and all the retro computers and other technology. Basically, I think the whole experince is pretty cool. EDIT: I do actually remember my first ride was on a limited operation day, so FoF was one of the only "big" rides open. I was scared (as I'd never been on an indoor coaster before), but I enjoyed it.

So, other than the fact this clown is just another piece of **** puketician like all the others in this Country, could someone please explain to me the point of adding an admissions tax, while LOWERING sales tax and state income tax? Would it not make more sense to leave it as is?? The only reason I can see for this jacka$$es proposal, is to screw people like me from out of state. Well, KaSUCKich, I have news for ya pal, Ive got parks I can go to in Indiana and Missouri just as easily as I can go to the ones in Ohio.

If the walk back to Flight Deck is too long for you to ride the ride, you should probably reevaluate your health lol. Jesus people, it isn't like it's 5 miles. I personally don't mind the walk back there at all. It's shady, gives a nice view of the ride, and secluded from the rest of the park.

No. This is a parking lot coaster. Gatekeeper is not even comparable to bland, un-original coasters, like this.

I have so many good experiences on FOF. I remember my first ride back in 1996, waited 3 hours with my dad. After the launch I remember my dad kept on saying are we upside down. 1997 was my first season working in rides, started off the season working Vikings Fury and Skylab after Skylab bite the dust I ended up bouncing from ride to ride then in July I transferred to FOF. Returned to FOF for the 1998 season then started off 1999 on Face/Off but before the end of the preseason I ended up back on FOF and trained their crew while the ride didn't have Supervisors, hoping this would give me the opportunity to become a Sup I ended up training the new Sups then sent back to Face/off, by mid summer I transferred to Skyflyer. 2000 Face/Off Skyflyer teamed up and I stayed on till the end of 2001 and only worked on FOF a hand full of times after. Don't know if a lot of you remember during the 99 season Drop Tower opened late, we found out that if FOF launched at the same time Drop Tower was pulling up through the magnates it would blow the power out of half the park eeeeh. I'll never forget having to run up to the Mid course brakes to yell up to the riders stranded on the ride and that was before the evacuation platforms. Once they discovered this they installed a direct line between Drop Tower and FOF and we called it The Bat phone and had to call before every launch to ensure it was ok to go ahead lol. 2002 I started working on Mech 2 rides maintenance and during the off season between 02 and 03 I got to hang around FOF torquing bolts and climbing all over it looking for stress cracks in the welds! While in rides maintenance I got to operate the ride when they had staff shortages and during Fear Fest "Halloween Haunt".

My favorite ride on FOF was with Captain Nemo a couple years ago during Haunt. It was the first Haunt with the green laser lights in the launch tunnel. We esentially had a ZEN ride, with both of us being the only ones on the train in the front row. At the midcourse we had to push ourselves forward to get the train to move out of the brakes from where it was almost completely stopped.

It's 2013 and just under four more months until Kings Island opens its gates. For the 3rd year, each day I will try my best to post a "vintage" Kings Island photo from my massive collection of photos I've saved and came across over the years. Most of the photo's I will be posting are not my personal photos and I do not claim them to be mine. If anyone has a problem with a certain photo they wish not to be posted or anything else feel free to "Personal Message" me on KIC rather then posting in the topic. If you have photos of your own you'd like to contribute feel free to "Personal Message" me or simply add to the topic discussion. And try not to quote photo's that are directly above your post, its annoying. Past Topics: Flashback Till Opening Day 2012 http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/24872-flashback-till-opening-day/?p=448460 Flashback Till Opening Day 2011 http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/23316-flashback-till-opening/?p=414128 Photo #1 will be posted later "today" its 4am lol

Ooo, eee, ooo, ahh, ahh, ching, CHANG, walla, walla, bing, bang! ---- so was the sound of the chain breaking! (I know it's really ting, tang)

You do realize the part you quoted was about Son of Beast, right?

Deals change from year to year. Those happy with what they have may later not be.

I miss the old Amazon Falls sign with the little waterfall in it.

Personally I would love to see Ohio as a right to work state. Why should I be forced to join a union as a requirement to get a job? Many do not realize it but Kings Island used to have a union for its maintenance employees. When I was hired into maintenance full time back in September of 1973, I had to joint the Bartenders Union (yes bartender) as a condition of working. Thankfully they were decertified later on and now there is no union for full time maintenance workers. It is the same with Kroger's. I recently took a job as a bagger at minimum wage and had to join their union, but due to an injury, could not work there. But the governor is wanting to increase products and services charging a sales tax rather than increasing employees state income tax. He is wanting to lower the sales tax rate some and same with the income tax most likely. Cities charge a tax on motel and hotel stays as a way to pay for services and or new construction. You can be sure this list of services and products being taxed will be revised.

If I had a dollar for each time someone said I ruined their day, I would have been able to purchase the Action Zone water tower.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Here's a New Reason To Upgrade Your Gold Pass To Platinum Today! 40 percent off on all food and merchandise, at every Cedar Fair Park! (Only an idea, not an announced perk). (And at Cedar Point, Platinum is the only way to include parking with your pass) It could make sense! Will they do this? Who thought Six Flags would offer eating passes?

I think they were crosscoastering, sonny.

That was the era that I really remember from my childhood at KI so thinking about it makes me very nostalgic. I miss the theming, the music, and the general ambience of the place then, as well as the rides that were there then (plus their original names). I have a lot of amazing memories with family, friends and classmates from that era. But I'm also happy with how certain things have changed since then and the direction the park seems to be moving in, for the most part. It's just nice to reminisce!

I do not represent the park nor do I ever claim to.

Well my highschool football team isn't very good

At my high school, football games were $8.00 for adults!

It would presumably work like it does now with vending machines, where sales tax is included in the posted price. The appropriate percentage of sales would simply be remitted to the state, and prices may or may not be adjusted upwards to compensate. By the way, it's mentioned that sales tax rates would go down to partially offset the expanded tax. I'm quite certain that counties would be quick to raise them back up.

I'd venture to say that Kasich's office fielded an angry phone call from Sandusky this morning.

Such a tease...

...then maybe you should listen to us 'fanboys' instead of being a know it all,im pretty sure you wouldnt act like that out from behind your computer at the park,but I wish you would,Jr for Birdy will be there all summer! If the park listened to the fanboys, there would be no park because it would be out of business. Why? Because they would invest all their money in giving the guests "something to do" while in line for Flightdeck. Instead of, you know, making investments in something the park actually needs and the general public actually want. You stick to riding the rides and the powers that be, will stick to making the decisions that's best for the park. Since you brought it up, what I say "from behind my computer" echoes what I would say to anyone else in person. Don't like it? I don't care.

Photo #38 - Nick Theater

Photo #37 - Halley's Comet Sign (back) - Originally from Coney Island Shooting Star.

^Your mom did not end up going?

Really? Alot of likes on that one? Maybe I dont like this forum? Thats not good! Like when told "Go jump in the lake!" But full service!

My wife and I went down to Universal last summer/fall. We had stayed at a resort park and bought our meal plan tickets. We were suppose to get our souvenoir cups from AAA in Cincy. We never did and AAA told us to get them from the park when we arrived. The park told us that AAA was wrong but they were going to take care of everything. To make up for the "lost time" (going to a restuarant, then having to find customer service and wait in line - a total of 20 minutes?) the wonderful woman in Customer Service then walked with us to a restuarant, got us our cup and bands, then walked through the park with us all the way back to the simpson ride and got us to the front of the line (we had fast passes so no other ride really needed to be jumped ahead). She also gave us a bunch of info about the park and answered every question, even if she probably shouldnt have. I will never tell those secrets, but she took care of us and we didnt complain. Moral of the story, sometimes you get more flies with honey than vinegar.

Do you actually believe that? I've learned not to trust my friends. (That sounds bad but it's true).

I recall in the mid 70's at the stage just to the left of the Scooby Doo coaster there was a magic act. The magician would do a trick with rope where he would tie a knot in the rope, then slide the knot off the rope. He would take the knot and toss it into the audience. My family kept going back to the show untill he finally tossed me the knot. That was also when there was a magic shop and kite store on International Street....

I love the little compass directional thing on top of the building. I imagine that was fun while up on the Eiffel Tower

If CP does it the right way, GK will not be a parking lot coaster as accurately defined in the pic above. But we really will not know until June. New landscape projects similar to what is needed for GK are almost certain to die if done prior to Memorial Day on the southern shores of Lake Erie.

You wouldn't find anyone smoking there. Nobody pays attention to the designated Smoking areas.

Weekend Beast Bonus Photos*** - Beast Lake One of my favorite photos^

I think we need some more Planet Snoopy rides as well and also possibly a "snoopyfied" wild mouse coaster

Don, in the future, could you make it a point to give the "Dipping Dots" guys better information????

Looks like CoasterBuzz is interested again. From their Twitter account: And KingsIslandPR's reply: We should start thinking about dates and logistics for our own meet-up(s) next year.

Not sure why this topic is just for the ride ops. Once heard someone in the park ask the following, "why are the midgets not back this year?" With the answer being, "They grew up."

I'm in the -2% then.