Leaderboard

Even though I want a B&M Giga at KI, and the layout highlighted for KI looks nice, I would not want to stare at this when I'm on international street... (The photo is reversed on purpose)

Remember, its no longer the dick's Reign, we now have someone at the Helm who came from a place where theming is King. I dont see the lighting package being poorly maintained.

Along the same lines as the pic posted above and statements thereafter, here is a shot of the Mall area as The Bat was being constructed:

I really missed the dry run days. As employees, we were each given 8 tickets to give to our friends and family for them to enjoy the park while they worked out the kinks and gave the employees valuable on the job training. We were even given a coupon for 2 free slices of pizzas and a soft drink during our lunch. As for grad night, they are no longer held by the park. I remember back in 1973, working my very first grad night when the park used to be open all night until 6 am or so. Kenny Rodgers and Climax Blues Band were the first performers that played the even. I was able to talk with Kenny Rodgers in the back area after the show and he was very friendly and was able to get his autograph.

Wow... I love the trains, especially the lit-up eyes. I know which row I'll be in this summer! And thank you CP for thinking of us larger folks... It's bad enough that I can't ride Millie, TTD, WT and Raptor (and CCMR, but I don't really miss that one). Everything else I fit on, so I know I'll at least have a chance with GK!

I like that he strolls through the park and noshes fries. At least this helps explain the seemingly small things that are improving. Seeing the park at guest eye level helps.

I now know how to pronounce Ouimet.

And there was a court approved agreed settlement as between the Fair Board and Six Flags as to who got what. Six Flags didn't "make it away" with anything.

Would it be ok to do? Seeing as 2013 may just be an interesting year. Got a short Orlando trip (its actually school trip for my brother) quickly approaching but I'm gonna hit up SeaWorld for a few hours to catch a few shows (won't bother with the coasters, been on them, love them and can live without them for one trip, lol). Then during the first full week of May I return to Cali and got SeaWorld out there along with Belmont Park and San Diego Zoo. And almost as soon as I get back my cousin talked me into going to CP, which is something I put off for years, but we'll be in Camper Village, my cousin we consider a 3rd generation RV'er and he's only one in the family (along with his wife) that has continued going to CP (others including my dad kinda try to keep away due to memories of the grandparents there). So should be interesting, at least for me. In June be taking my yearly visit to Cincinnati Zoo. In August its back to Knott's, my friends are trying to talk me into Disneyland so maybe, I'm not sold on the idea yet. And does Kings Island fit into all of this? Yes. Of course I'll do my semi-regular visits to KI throughout the summer since I work close by So for sure: SWC Cedar Point Knott's

With opening day just a little over 2 months away, it got me thinking of some of the past opening days that I've been to. There are a lot of great memories of going to KI on opening day, especially if you're going to experience a new ride or attraction! What are some of your memories of opening days at Kings Island. What are some things that made those opening day experiences memorable? I'll get this started: I remember the year the Phantom Theater opened. I'd seen the ads and the commercials on tv and I couldn't wait to try it. I remember going with my dad and we got there before the park opened. It was raining and we were standing right off of international street where they had the different areas roped off. I remember waiting for the time to come when they would remove the rope and we could go. The moment they did that, my dad and I took off running to the entrance. It was nice once we were inside and it was warm and dry and we could enjoy a little music from the Maestro himself while we waited! Another memorable opening day for me was 2009, the year Diamondback opened. I went with my girlfriend and we got there pretty early. It was crazy that day! The crowds were unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The line was super long and it stretched from the entrance all the way back through kiddy land, and around past the Eiffel Towers, and ended up near the La Rosa's by The Beast. It was fun though to stand in line and enjoy the sights and the sounds of the new coaster! I was amazed to see the train come down that final drop and make the "splash" and spray water up everywhere. I was amazed by it and couldn't wait to take my first ride! We finally got to load and it was a miracle, we were given the front seat! Front seat on my first Diamondback ride! I was so pumped. The ride was fantastic and even better, we got a free t-shirt upon exit! I still wear my Diamondback t-shirt proudly every summer, mostly at Kings Island.

Hehe, I think its safe to say lots of pictures will be taken! XD

Having been down there and talked to several locals when I wrote an article on it. Worked at another nearby amusement park that picked up a lot of former SFKK clientele who frequently discussed the accident or erroneously believed that the accident was the cause for it closing. Also, numerous article comments, enthusiast message boards and the "fans" of KK who post on facebook. As for where else in Louisville is there to go? ...Holiday World. Also, Ark Park seems to have more definite planning that Ed Hart's "word." Thank you.

Any bets on how long they keep ALL of the lights working?

Your girlfriend is going to be TICKED!

Six Flags Great America is a decent park but I find it really is a "regional" park in the sense that, while no coaster is necessarily bad, there isn't anything particularly noteworthy either. It does have the advantage of being near Chicago (which is a city I very much enjoyed visiting), but if this is solely a coaster trip I'd say go to Cedar Point. However, if you were asking between Cedar Point and Great Adventure, then I'd have a much harder time deciding between the two...

I didnt even know she had them until a few years ago. I dont even know if she knows where she put them. Lol Mom has a way of putting things in a place that is SO safe, she doesnt even know where it is. Lol

The opening days I've been to at KI haven't been nearly as bad as in 2011. That day was pretty bumpy. It seemed like most of the rides went down repeatedly, and the attendance was definitely higher than in years past. Otherwise, opening day is usually one of my favorite days to visit--low to moderate crowds and great weather. I've always heard Cedar Point's opening days are pretty rough as far as ride closures go, but I've never been. Weather typically ends up being an issue.

Flight of Fear will always hold a special place in my heart as it was my first ever looping roller coaster. I always enjoy Flight of Fear, it seems that on some days you can catch it running really well and on others it just doesn't do it for me. It is always a must ride for me though however.

I've only been to one opening day (http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/12817-photo-trip-report-sunday-42008/?p=211155). I hope to make this year my second one…starting out with running a 5k through the park!!

I just found out that I am getting a construction tour on Friday. We will be interviewing Cedar Point's Annie Zelm about Gatekeeper and about the revamping of Luminosity. Do you guys have any questions you want us to ask?

So far, we know in 2013 KI will get: - More food improvement, including cheesecake. Yum! - Dinosaurs Alive expansion. - New shows, including a Rock n' Roll themed show. - Oktoberfest renovation (new Bier Garden). There may very well be more things announced, like more food options. So, in other words, we will be getting lots of new somethings!

They don't have as much time to warm up as you think. I don't know how many hours the state makes the rides run before being certified, but a lot of them aren't ready until opening day. Dragster at Cedar Point a few years ago wasn't certified until about noon on opening day.

Via @KIGMGREG on Twitter: I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the menus for this year.

I will knott be going to Knott's until they get rid of their stupid policy on glasses. The rest of your trip, however, sounds great. Have fun!

I now know how to pronounce Ouimet. Yes, very helpful. As much as I would love to speak to him at the park, I was nervous due to not prorperly knowing how to say his last name.

I'd like to see CF parks sell an unlimited soft-drink season pass add-on. For an additional $40, you'd receive an unlimited refill wristband each day you visit (souvenir cup sold separately).

Last year was the first one for me. The cold and rain could have made it a crappy day, but it wasn't happening. I brought along some friends who had never been to the park and a couple of them had never been on a coaster. That's what made it so memorable for me, seeing their nervousness before the ride, and the excitement after. The crowds weren't too bad but we decided to get Fast Lane passes anyway. Jumping to the front of the line was awesome and made the experience all the better. It's crazy, I did it, and I still can't fathom the idea of doing it. Looking forward to making the most of Opening Day 2013. It cannot get here fast enough.

Is it just me, or were the Zippo games much easier to win in the early 90s? Maybe my patience has diminished with age...

Sadly, I don't have any pics from the majority of my opening days at the park. However, I did go prepared in 2009 to document the opening of Diamondback. I thought I'd post some pics and a video of that opening day! Here is a picture of my girlfriend holding the shirt we got for being first time riders of Diamondback that day: Here is a video I made using pics and videos of Diamondback's opening day. I posted it in another topic a while back, but I'll repost it since it's relevant to this topic as well!

This past opening day when we won VIP passes. I don't remember any other opening days.

One of these years, I`m going to get out to Knott`s. I also would like to visit the Cedar Fair park up in Canada. I`ll get to those parks eventually. I would love to see a trip report from those parks!

^The lifespan depends on many factors such as maintenance and priority. Take Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular as an example. The show is comprised of LED lighting, yet its current state is mediocre at best.

Two years. Max. Both valid possibilities. I personally don't know which to expect myself, but either way, we shall see!

Two years. Max.

Even though you and I generally dislike them, they have delivered a significant increase in online revenues according to Cedar Fair's own statements. Accesso does support non-Flash ticket sales, but Cedar Fair has not chosen to implement this, except via the very limited mobile ticket store. In related news, Lo-Q purchased Accesso late last year, right after Cedar Fair entered into a long-term contract with them. Lo-Q supplies smart virtual queuing systems (Q-Bot) to Accesso customers Six Flags and the Columbus Zoo, as well as other parks.

Have you considered Fast Lane? If you're only doing one park trip and going during the busier part of the season, it could well be worth the extra cash.

Potations? The act of drinking, usually alcohol. Really?

Love the lights.

Sorry to resurrect this topic, but I would like to notify you (not that you care). After much protest, and petition we have resurrected the Kings Island Trip.

When going by myself I enjoy riding with other KIC'ers and strangers. It is always fun to ride with someone when it is their first time to the park and/or the ride you are getting on. You get to experience that new thrill with them! I also love the ones who have just gotten enough nerve to ride that big ride, love it, and kick themselves for not getting on it sooner!

"SF only made it away with Chang. They wanted more. Brought in cranes and trucks. The Fair Board put an end to that with getting a permanent injunction against SF when they broke their lease, and had Metro Police at the park waiting for SF to show back up. Needless to say the cranes and trucks left and never came back. The bankruptcy settlement for SF and the state clearly shows SF being let out of their lease, and the state getting all remaining rides, and all the property SF owned around KK as belonging to the state." Six Flags also removed Road Runner. Of course if were not talking rides, SF also removed all theming elements, games and supplies. The park was stripped and what was left were the things SF found to be of "non importance."

Maybe they got a better sponsorship deal from this company. I do find it a little odd that the show will be dark on Tuesdays. Granted, most live shows are dark one day a week to give the cast and crew a day off. I wonder when Kings Island will reveal its 2013 live shows lineup. I still am longing for the day that the clown band makes its regular return to the park. Live entertainment like that adds so much to the atmosphere of the park.

Matt really is a good guy, and good for Cedar Fair. Last summer, at Cedar Point, I was walking down the midway with a couple friends. One of my friends spotted a guy eating fries at a nearby stand and made a joke saying he looked like Matt Ouimet. Jokingly, I yelled his names a couple times and noticed that every time I did he looked up, then I realized that was actually Matt Ouimet. It was cool to talk with him, and he was kind enough to grab a group photo. It really is refreshing seeing a CEO of such a large company walking the park by himself (he honestly looked like an average guest), and checking out the park as it actually is. Cedar Fair's days are bright!

No intention of hijacking the thread, but just some information on Flight Commander and the accident... Flight Commander was the country's fourth Intamin Flight Trainer when it opened in Coney Mall on the former spot of Zodiac in April of 1990. It was part of $4.5-million in expansions that year ($2-million for just it) and it simulated flying a jet. Riders used a small joystick to raise, lower, and flip their ride capsules at a height of up to 62-feet. The attraction was designed by Steven Van Velson of Zurich, Switzerland. The minute-and-a-half ride had twenty two-person ride vehicles. The pods were equipped with a padded u-shaped harness and hip bar, the harness including a double spring-loaded dog-and-ratchet system, while the lap bar had three different backup features. The harness was not initially planned, but only added after it was discovered lateral forces would be experienced on the ride. Additional safety features included a crew of five operators who could emergency stop the ride at any point, vehicles that returned to an upright position after only a few seconds of being inverted, and returning to an upright position prior to the ride returning to the loading position. The ride had a minimum height requirement of 48-inches and was inspected twice daily, with these inspections lasting up to three hours. The attraction was also inspected by Ohio Agriculture Department on April 12, 1990, two days prior to its debut. On June 9, 1991, at approximately 9:45pm, an intoxicated 32-year-old Candy Taylor from Toledo, Ohio boarded the ride. She was visiting the park with two friends, and the trio planned on finishing their day at Flight Commander. The Taylor's two friends boarded the attraction and rode while she finished her beer. She boarded the next cycle, one of the last ones of the night. Taylor was in capsule number four. During the ride's fifth revolution, she slipped out from underneath the harness. She grabbed onto the restraint with her right hand, but was still flung from the ride, landing in nearby shrubbery. The ride was immediately stopped and the park's paramedics were quickly called. A doctor visiting the park with her family performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Taylor until paramedics arrived, which took approximately 30 minutes (they were preoccupied with a separate accident in Oktoberfest). She was eventually airlifted to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where she was declared dead an hour after the accident. The ride and surrounding area was closed off the following day, and similar rides at Great America, Knott's Berry Farm, and Kings Dominion all voluntarily shut-down. Representatives of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Warren County Sheriff's Department, and Ohio Department of Agriculture all arrived at the park for inspections of the attraction, and the ride's creator, Steven Van Velson, arrived in Cincinnati on June 11. The park requested that both employees and guests who had witnessed the accident call a toll free number to be interviewed. Over 50 witnesses from both accidents were interviewed. The park also offered assistance to employees suffering from distress. On June 12, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced plans to investigate. It was operated for the first time since the accident that day. Afterwards, capsule four was removed and disassembled for investigation. Additional capsules were also removed and disassembled the following day. They were all stored in a room on Kings Island property. The investigation lasted six weeks before the cause of the accident was determined. The lack of a seat divider, the woman riding alone, and the adjacent restraint being left unlocked were all factors that resulted in the woman's death. Taylor had a blood alcohol level at 0.30 percent when thrown from the ride, which also played a role. Modifications made before the ride reopened the following year included the addition of a seat divider, a lengthened lap bar, a relocated joystick, and an inoperable joystick if both restraints were left unlocked. The ride reopened on April 11 of 1992. That December, the Taylor's family and Kings Island agreed to a settlement of $336,500. In February of 1993, the family sued Intamin Inc. for $8.8-million. The park restricted alcohol sales to only the International Restaurant and Picnic Grove in 1993, although the park said the June 9, 1991 accident did not affect this decision. This restriction has since been lifted. The ride last operated in 1995 before being dismantled. In the years since, attractions that have taken the same spot are Launch Pad, EuroBobbles, and now the Dinosaurs Alive! party pavilion. The attraction's former queue structure still exist and is currently used for storage. Other features of the ride, including blue lights placed around the platform, also remain.

All sined up and ready for some colorful fun amongst friends. I enjoy new experences at my home park creating wonderful memories.

When anyone quotes a post, as I just did, the timestamp in the quote header is five minutes ahead from the timestamp on the original post that was quoted. It seems to be consistent, both in terms of always occurring on every quote, and in terms of always being exactly a five-minute difference. Who's playing with the time machine?

^ Seems like a bit much for just not being able to do Action Theater.

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

Its is refered to as many things.......

kblanken means trademark, not copyright. Source: http://www.trademarkia.com/the-roller-coaster-capital-of-the-world-77466066.html As an aside, if Kennywood is using the trademark and Cedar Fair has not disputed this, their exclusive right to the mark may be in question. IANAL.