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I'll tell you what. I was pretty skeptical of how the park would execute a full service restaurant, but truthfully I was blown away. Seriously, they nailed this. The whole theme and motif of the place is indicative of the hall of fame downtown. There's a full service bar, the patio is great and there's no shortage of televisions. One of the best parts is that each table has a historical Reds photo on the table. I thought this one was a nice touch, note the Coney Island advertisement on the outfield wall: All in all, the best part about the place isn't just that its a new dining option or that it's a really good dining option - it's local. I love that the park this year has focused on its Cincinnati roots. Out of town visitors can really see the tradition and pride that people put in the Reds organization. The historical items are n attraction in their own. Also, yeah... those ribs... I still have a stomach ache.

Watch it there, Tiger.

He does have one just lion around.

Spring is here! You know what that means: Kings Island will be opening for the 2013 season on Saturday, April 27th! The next big thing has arrived at Kings Island! The Reds Hall of Fame Grille in Rivertown brings the level of dining at Kings Island to new heights. This full table-service restaurant is a MUST for any Reds fan. You could spend hours in there just gazing at the historical photographs, memorabilia, and artifacts from the Reds organization history that can trace its roots back to 1869. Oh yeah, and the food? Amazing. Not even just "theme park amazing" but AMAZING amazing. They serve an eclectic menu of burgers, wings, wraps, chips and deserts. The dish that seemed to impress members of the media the most at Thursday's preview was the incredible fall-off-the-bone tender ribs. The Reds Hall of Fame Grille opens with the park on Saturday, April 27th. Check it out for the first time on Saturday and you'll be hooked for the rest of the season!! Speaking of big things, how about the world's tallest animatronic dinosaur being added to Dinosaurs Alive!? This towering beast can be seen above the tree line throughout the park! You must see this one for yourself! To see a sneak peak of the Reds Hall of Fame Grille and Dinosaurs Alive, follow the link below! http://KICentral.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=344

So we have to wait sixty more days for Ed Hart to say "Nevermind, lol."

Thanks... rub it in... But seriously, it looks very nice. When I told GatorGirl that we couldn't go today because of the time, she asked, "But we're eating there Saturday, right?" I think I have a little Reds fan on my hands! Wish I could have been there with you guys, but a little thing called employment in a department with very inflexible hours got in the way. I would have had to take the whole day off... I'm already doing that for Gatekeeper media day!

I plan on taking my 90 year old father to the Reds Hall of Fame Grille when we go to Kings Island this summer. I can just taste the Montgomery Inn ribs right now, along with an ice cold beer.

^Not to knock B&M or Kings Island in any way...but you really felt safe getting on a ride like Diamondback thinking it was only inspected every couple of years?!

Did you say fall off the bone ribs?? I'm sold!

How about Racer - is it one or two roller coasters? The park counts it as one, but what if you were to disassemble one side and ship it to another amusement park - then would it be two? Cedar Point is similar with Gemini, as is Six Flags Magic Mountain with both Colossus and Superman: Escape from Krypton.

No post is Terp proof

If things really ARE in place for the financing, and the investors really are going to make up for any "voids" in financing, why exactly is it that Mr. Hart and Co. want a 60 day extension of the period that they can walk away from this deal? Why not just sign the lease and get on with it? Oh, how many times has he told us the financing is in place? If that were true, why the extension? Unless Hart and Co. think they may USE the walk-away option, why bother to ask for it? And does anybody think the Fair Board has any reasonable option BUT to grant the option? More importantly, does the Governor and/or Finance Cabinet have to agree to this?

Well I just wasted about 25 minutes strolling through the park on street view. No regrets! Haha

You have to watch out when dogs sit on top of things... Number 1, kind of like the flume... Number 2 could be even worse... Terp, who had best dry up for now...

As in doggone it? Terp, who likes to ask questions.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130425/NEWS01/304250060/Kentucky-Kingdom-deal-revision-will-get-more-developer-money-into-project The bank is requiring Hart & Co. to put 50 percent more equity up, while reducing the amount it will lend by 25 percent. This tells us the bank did not think it had a good enough collateral interest in the original proposal. Put another way, it thought its risk of loss was too great. In addition, Hart has gotten at least some concessions from the Commonwealth. There is no way to spin these recent developments as positives for the park's future outlook.

Hence the "Dang.... too late!"

Regardless of whether it is or isn't a coaster, I still think it needs a giant surfing Snoopy on top

Don't care....Must Ride!!!...48 hours....tick tock.

I'll just be happy not to have to wait an hour or more for my first ride on DB this year.

I mean empty with a big hole that used to be filled by the exaggerated Spiral caricature.

And by empty you mean full of blue, B&M, wing-rider goodness, right?

John Denne The bell tolls for KK.

I've always heard that the park considers it to be a coaster. I absolutely do not. Sorry. If I'd consider Surf Dog a coaster, then I refuse to not count Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge at Hersheypark as a coaster. It works totally like a coaster except the motors won't let it coast down the hills. It's like being on an endless trim brake. ...and yes...I'm guilty of believing the Camden and Conneaut Lake dark rides are coasters.

For anyone who hasn't noticed, a new park map is now up on the site at: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/images/uploads/file/2013%20KI%20Park%20Map.pdf Not really any noticeably big changes but here's what I see: Vortex track is now more orange-y Thunder Alley is gone AZ water tower is gone Racer's supports look more detailed Also I notice the lack of a change. They did not add the new tallest dinosaur to DA. So overall pretty boring in terms of changes to the map, but still a new map is a new map. And something about seeing a new map gets me excited for the opening of the park!

As far as I remember, there has never been a Snoopy on top. That's one of the things I kind of missed about that ride. I loved the big Aang on top. It really added to the theming of ride. How cool would it be to have a big Snoopy? From a distance you could see him surfing along the track!

And sometimes no park is. Terp, deciding upon a great adventure, yes? Just take the express, it usually has no lines.

Sometimes a post...boomerangs.

The Beast and Diamondback 30 minutes before the park opens.

From https://www.visitkingsisland.com/hours-directions/kings-island ERT on Opening Day will include participants and spectators from the "Color Me Pink" 5K walk/run, in addition to season passholders.

You have a way of really making the Terpster feel ancient. Harumph!

Well, the pictures have people on the ride and someone manning the front gate, plus the information given by Boddah did say Diamondback would be open...Feel free to interpret that however you wish.

Looking at Citigraph's website is a real blast from the 90's.

ERT is only half of what it use to be,no more funperks,there is a six story dino roaming somewhere,and 2 new restaurants I cant wait to eat at!

I was trying to find information on Kings Island`s website, but it does not seem to be listed there. I believe that Beast and Diamondback (and maybe a couple rides in Planet Snoopy) are set to be the early rides times. Early ride times for Gold and Platinum Pass holders are thirty minutes before the park opens. Others I`m sure will be able to confirm the rides available.

Oh yes. Tillikum will do what Tillikum wants.

Chance of rain is up to 30%. This looks a lot like last year.

"Hey Jim? Can we have our monorail back please?"

I'm sure Hart and Co. would also say yes. But they have said that the investors will foot the additional cost. It is clear there is a possibility in the investors' minds that they will in fact walk away, otherwise there would be no need for the extension.

That is too awesome. Perfect weather. The temp has gone up and the chance of rain has decreased as well!

Meanwhile a big change on another park's map!

It looks great but I still see that ugly white building next to Diamondback....

But what are we going to do now that Ronny's picture isn't there? Plus...I miss the water tower. Not to mention, when did Racer get pointy? (Can you tell how much I love change?) Even if they did jiggle around FD, it looks better that way than with a gaping hole in it where SOB should be. Here's something fun - compare this years map with an 03 park map and scare the hell out of yourself with how many things have changed in ten years. Then think about what it might look like in another ten.

Looks like it is going to be a beautiful day.

Hmm...of the options given, I chose Flight of Fear. The indoor setting works wonders, and the music played during the actual ride heightens the "oh s!&! we in f!&!!&%! space!" feeling I get on it. Adventure Express isn't too far behind, however. BLSC, while it does have some decent theming, still requires more "imagination" on the part of the rider than the other two. But, are these 3 really the only themed coasters at Kings Island? Hmm...let's have a deeper look... We can get rid of instantly: Vortex, Invertigo, Racer, Firehawk, Woodstock Express, Flying Ace Aerial Chase. Any theme on these rides is very generic, for the most part these are standard-issue non-themed rides. (Flying Ace does have some "small" props around it, but they are minor and don't affect the actual ride whatsoever) Not themed, but: Diamondback- The trains deserve some mention, as they look awesome and fit the theme of the coaster perfectly. The gift shop also matches somewhat well. Great Pumpkin Coaster- The painting on the old Enchanted Voyage/Phantom Theatre building behind this tiny coaster really fits with the "Great Pumpkin" theme, but other than that, it's a generic kiddie coaster. Surf Dog (not really a coaster, but...)- Kind of looks like a surfboard. Needs a giant snoopy statue on it to fully convince me, though. Corpse of a Theme: Flight Deck- Ouch. This is what happens when theming dies, but no one cleans it up. You can clearly tell that this was supposed to be a fighter-jet themed coaster, and the "aircraft carrier" theme of the station is still somewhat noticeable if you look. There were even model fighter planes in the q-line during my last visit in May 2012. But, it's mostly in horrible shape- there was a good amount of noticeable rust visible on the lower deck of the station, and the supports for many old props still remain without the props themselves anywhere to be found. Quite sad, really, that you walk back all the way to this ride and while a solid coaster itself awaits, the line for it reeks of "sell of its former self"...I would have loved to have seen the q-line for this back when it was TOP GUN in the Early 1990s. (Yes, I have seen pictures of it, I meant in person). Uh-Oh. My arguments are debunking me thus far, as the closest I hath come to finding a 4th themed coaster at Kings Island after FOF, AE, and BLSC is a corpse of a fighter jet theme! Alas, I still have one ride left to argue for... The Beast Is "The Beast", themed, or just a generic wooden coaster? Well, first up, the station is themed to be an old mill, and it does this beautifully. The fact it is now 30+ years old makes it look the part even better, as it actually is old now! The "beware of The Beast" signs add to the cheesy charm. There is also a bit more theming near the turnaround leading for the lift hill. As for the trains, they are standard PTC 6-bench cars, but if we DQ'ed rides for being un-themed because the trains don't match, then AE gets DQ'ed too because it too has standard-issue Mine Train...trains. Now, for the actual ride itself...uh-oh, there are no special props anymore! Does that mean the ride itself is un-themed? Well, what's the point of a themed ride anyway- to tell a story. FOF does it, AE does it, and BLSC even does it. But, does Beast? Well, the ride does have a backstory, which I have managed to pair with the ride experience: STORY O' BEAST (according to McSalsa) You agree to join a group of miners to journey into the woods to find and capture a legendary creature, known simply as Beast. He was caught once before, but he escaped, and he still has his chains around his front paws. You board the search party's ride vehicles, and head into the woods. It doesn't take long before you find Beast, as it turns out he was not too far from the Old Mill. His sheer size amazes you. However, Beast notices you and attacks, dragging you down into the abyss! After a quick struggle, somehow, you manage to break free and escape over a covered bridge, but you know Beast is chasing you, and you are no match for him! Desperate to escape, you dash for a nearby tunnel, and run through it into the woods, hoping to lose Beast. After a few twists and turns, you lose sight of Beast, and there is no sign of him. You head back for the Old Mill. While heading there, you spot Kings Island again...ahh, familiar territory. It's good to be headi... Beast catches you off guard! There is no escape this time. Beast drags you down into the abyss once again, and at full power this time. He spins you around, and around, around...you're trapped, gasping for air, and all hope seems lost. Suddenly, Beast hurls you out of the Abyss, seemingly for no reason! Why the heck did he let you go!?!? Was the "fearsome" Beast simply toying with you the entire time? Nonetheless, you use this opportunity to flee back to the Old Mill, returning to Kings Island at last. You spot the next train, with the next search party, heading out to look for Beast...if only they knew what they were getting into... END Well, that was interesting...and a good roller coaster story. Thanks to clever terrain use, the ride itself fits the bill- and doesn't even seem to need theming props, only a few tunnels. So, bottom line, is Beast themed...I would say yes, and it's theme is that there is a huge monster out in the woods, and when you attempt to catch it, all H@** breaks loose... WOW...that was a long post! I'm sorry...but describing Beast's "theme" was a bit complex and needed the "story". But, it got me thinking, and typing...and this is what happened next. Oh well...at least it's probably a decent read...

and maybe a water tower? oh yeah, and some go-karts

I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Uncle Tom's Cabin: '"Father," said one of the rising generation to his paternal progenitor, "if I should call this cow's tail a leg, how many legs would she have?" "Why five, to be sure." "Why, no, father; would calling it a leg make it one?" Kings Island can call its rides anything it wants, but they are what they are...whatever that is....

It absolutely HAS to be a coaster because the park says so!!!!! Now pass the kool aid and a fan, boy...... --Beatle, wondering how the young uns would classify Bayern Kurve......

I vote no. I don't see how you could consider it a coaster. There's no way for me to explain why or why not, I guess it's just one of those things where it depends on how you look at it. I don't see how you could consider Surf Dog a coaster and not consider Viking Fury a coaster.