Leaderboard

Kings Island Central Members: You are cordially invited to join us on the Eighth Day of September, year of our Lord two thousand thirteen to celebrate the tenth birthday party of KICentral.com At Kings Island Amusement Park, Mason, OH Special activities planned throughout the day Free with park admission

I think we should give Ryan and Don a great big thank you for organizing this event.

^*Hoot hoot.

New twitter post: "Is that Owl Paccino?":

Celebrating 10 years of KICentral! I came across this video on YouTube. It's a little campy, but I'm a little older and wiser now. It's incredible what has changed in the past decade.

I'm going to pretend that this and all your other posts never happened.

The Longest Title Of All Time Award now belongs to you.

Kudos to the person(s) that pointed out his strange behavior.

Oh, wonderful. jcgoble3, a 26-year-old single guy who usually visits KI by himself

Owls, scarecrows... such threats could cause a bird to take a Flight of Fear.

It's a bug in the site, triggered by his signature. It should be fixed in the general case. A thread also lets everyone know what's going on, so people aren't left to wonder why text is randomly appearing bold.

I still like "There is dump truck..."

The courthouse records refer to it as the 2014 project. Oops.

I remember this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banshee -Banshee Meaning on Wikipedia Woman who screams (B&M Roar) Runs through Woods (SOB Surronding area) It also states some of her sounds sound as an OWL... It also says she may appear in the form of a hooded Crow, Hence the Scare Crows

All over the map, are we?

So if you've been following my Summer 2013 thread, you'll know that I've been at the Jersey Shore lately. Last year a family friend started working at Six Flags (she does animal shows in a kids area) so she's able to get my family free tickets. My parents and I decided to take a day off from the beach and drive 50 minutes to the park. Of course, it had to be the hottest day in Jersey since we've been here, and that was how it was last year too. We put on lots of sunscreen and had our water bottles ready. Even though the park opened at 10:30 we didn't get there until an hour later. I would've preferred to get there earlier but in the end it worked out great. We wanted to try the new Off-road Safari Adventure since it sounded cool and our family friend who works there suggested it to us. It was already really hot and humid, and sweat was dripping down our bodies even if we stood still. Occasionally there would be a nice breeze but without it we felt miserable. So our 1st stop in the park was at the safari. We waited about 40 minutes for it. Thankfully the queue was pretty much covered so there was plenty of shade, but it still felt extremely hot. While waiting in line for this (and pretty much every line of the day) we drank a bottle of water. We kept refilling it throughout the day at drinking fountains. Who needs to buy expensive drinks when you can just bring a water bottle and reuse it. Anyway, while in line we met a nice couple who we befriended for the rest of the Safari. It's a cool addition to the park. I never went through it when it was separate from the park and you could drive through it personally, so this was my 1st experience with the safari here. It was pretty cool seeing all the types of animals. Halfway through there was an optional stop for an area called Camp Aventura, and we decided to check it out. This part was disappointing since there really wasn't much to see or do. Just a few animals, scarce giraffe feeding times (which we missed), and a zip line that's not even a zip line (it was just a seat, plus it was an expensive upcharge) so looking back I wish we didn't decide to get off here. So then we got back in line, still hot and dripping, and waited to hop on the 2nd half of the ride. More cool animals to see and our tour guide was really good this half of the trip. In total, not including the wait, it took between 1 and 1 1/2 hours to complete the Safari. It was good, and it definitely has potential, especially at the Camp Aventura area. By now it was early afternoon and we were ready to get on some rides. Since it was pretty much right next to the Safari, we went on Bizarro. It only had a station wait and not even 10 minutes later we were riding in the back row. It was as fun as I remembered it. Next we decided to head over to Saw Mill Log Flume. Only my mom and I went on this while my dad took a break. It was about a 40 minute wait, but it was the worst wait of the day since in the queue building there was no air circulating. No fans or misters either. We were dying in there and couldn't wait to get on the ride. Once we finally got on it, it was fun and we were cooled off. From here we stopped and got an ice cream and headed over to where out friend was doing a show. It turned out it had to be cancelled due to low crows (she even warned us ahead of time this has happened recently) but they still brought out the animals so people could see and pet them. Then she took us backstage, we got to meet some of her coworkers, and we got to see a bunch of animals including a 15 pound rabbit. It was fun catching up with her (by the way, she lived next door to us, she was the flower girl for my parents' wedding, and her dad is my dad's boss, who still lives next door). Then it was time to hit up one of our faves, Nitro. It was only about a 20 minute wait. We rode in the front and it was fun, fast, smooth, and intense as always. Next we headed over to El Toro, my #1 roller coaster. It only had a 10 minute wait (Crazy, right?) and I rode in the last row. It was crazy intense, and made me remember why I had given it that #1 spot. Since the line was so short, my mom and I went on it again, this time waiting a 1/2 hour for the front but it was totally worth it. The front's my favorite place to ride on it, but you can't go wrong anywhere. On our 1st ride something actually went flying out of a car in front of us, and it even made me duck to try avoid being hit by it. And while waiting for the front row on the 2nd time, we witnessed I think 3 people tell the ride ops they lost their phone while on the ride. Throughout the day we made sure to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and we'd walk through air conditioned stores. Sometimes we would even go in a bathroom to cool off. I can't stress enough how hot is was, but we managed to get through it. After El Toro we headed over to Kingda Ka. It was a station wait too. My dad didn't want to wait for the front row like my mom and I so he picked a random row and rode it while we kept waiting. When were at the front of the 1st row line, all of sudden the ride shut down. The train that was sitting out on the launch area was slowly rolled back into the station, except it rolled back into the other, unused half of the station. If you've been on KK before, you know that there are 2 load/unload tracks in the station. Anyway, after a test run, they ran it with people. Then it was our turn. We got in the car, the train pulled up into the launch area, and we waited. And we waited. And we kept on waiting. Luckily the sun was setting and it was starting to cool off. It actually was beginning to feel pretty nice and we were able to watch a nice sunset while we were sitting out there. Eventually we got rolled back into the station and we got out and waited. It had broken down again. We had some nice conversations with the ride ops and thankfully they announced the ride would reopen again. By then it was getting dark so we were glad to get a night ride on it. Once again, we got into the car, the train pulled up into the launch area, and this time we actually launched. Like I usually do with Dragster, I manage to put my hands up right as the train is launching and I'm able to keep them up for the duration of the ride. It was really fun, and we were just thankful to finally get on it. It turns out that patience and kindness to ride ops pays off, since when our train came back into the station they let us have a reride. So we stayed in our front row seats and got to ride it a second time. We decided that would be our last ride of the day since we were getting tired and hungry, but it was a great way to end--2 rides in a row on Kingda Ka. Before leaving we stopped in a gift shop. I found a few things, and then we tried to find someplace that was still open so we could get some dinner. It was only 9:30 but everything except ice cream shops were closing down. We saw part of the Looney Toons dance party (not sure if it has an official name) as we were leaving, too. Overall we had a great day even though it was really hot. The low crowds and short lines were awesome, and ironically last year was pretty much the same. It was hot and there were short lines then too. When talking to an employee, we found out there were about 10,000 people in the park, when usually there are 15-20,000 people. Maybe the heat held some people off from going. We got some pictures so hopefully I'll find some time to upload and post them. It was nice to get on more rides than we thought we would, especially since we went on the Safari which took a while. it was also nice that we didn't have to spend too much money since we had free tickets. I still can't get over $22 parking though...But my parents and I had tons of fun. Even though I've been here before, I'll rate several aspects of the park: Rides: 9/10 There is a good selection of rides for all ages, including a great variety of roller coasters. Maybe add a Drop Tower (which I've heard rumored) and possibly another coaster. But there already is an awesome coaster lineup. Staff: 10/10 Every staff member we came across today whether it was in food service, games, merchandise, or ride ops were very friendly. They went above and beyond their jobs to make sure us and every guest had an enjoyable, memorable experience. Atmosphere: 8/10 I enjoy the themed sections of the park and it is a clean park. My biggest complaint is that there need to be fans and misters in queue lines. Some of the lines were miserable since they were so hot. Prices: 6.75/10 Luckily we had free tickets, but normally ticket prices are pretty high. Plus there's the parking which I've already mentioned. As with any park, they always try to make you pay as much as possible, but it was nice that the Safari was included with admission. I could easily see them charging 5 or 10 bucks for it. Safari: 8.25/10 It was nice and relaxing and not your average amusement park attraction. If more stuff is added to Camp Aventura it would make it even better.

Dennis Speigel and his three loops. Guffaw.

Not not. May not. Sigh.

Depends on whether one is watching or playing. Recording instead of playing\practicing is not an acceptable option.

What good would Metal Detectors do? The gun was in his truck. I think the take away from this is if you see someone acting suspiciously or something doesn't seem right, go with your gut and tell an employee.

Should be fixed now! Sorry for my boldness!

I've only been a member here for a short time but would love to come and meet you all. So I may be there if I can break my shyness! lol

Heart-warming? I bet they are adding a new spicy sauce to Hank's Burrito Shack. Are heartburn and heart-warming similar?

To clear this whole thing up completely and forever for the rest of time (meaning the next page and a half), The Exact Quote Is: "There may not be a day this summer that we announce what we're building for the future." You can interpret that pretty much any way you want. It will come at night, it will come after summer, actually the word "may" at the beginning of the sentence invalidates the certainty of the entire quote. There may be a day, there may not be. It's good PR. It suggests several things but says absolutely nothing. As for tonight's announcement, who knows. I would not get my hopes up, though.

If you are going to quote Don, do so accurately. It's a matter of respect.

7-16 Having passes my wife and I decided to take the kids to the park around 8:00 PM. I've been waiting all year for my boy to hit a growth spurt and make it to 48" so I can get him on bigger rides. At home he was right at 48, so we decided to have the park measure him and gave him wear the proper wrist band. According to their height chart he is 47. Grrr. Plans changed. Soooooo, we went to Planet Snoopy for a while and entertained the children. Around 9:15 I told my wife I was disappearing for a little while and made my way to The Beast in anticipation of my first night ride in over a decade. While in line I struck up a conversation with a nice woman who was in line with her son for his first ever Beast experience. Well played stranger, well played. I don't usually open up so easily to complete strangers but this had an impact on me in a way as I remember Beast night rides fondly from when I was much younger. It was almost like seeing a reflection of myself in a stranger I'll never meet again. Anyway, as I got to the station I realized that I would not make the front row before the fireworks and had to grab a row with the shortest wait so that I could enjoy the end of the night with my kids. It turned out that the people I had just met were directly in front of me and at the end of the ride the youngster told me I was right about the night ride being incredible and it was his favorite ride of the day. Afterwards I met my wife at the arcade near the exit where my children were having some fun and we made it to the path behind the Eiffel Tower near BLSC before the fireworks started. My one year old loved them and it was her first experience considering the week of the 4th was so wet she didn't get to see any then. PS - The Beast crew rocked tonight. The guy on the mic was incredible and amped the atmosphere up to a level I can't remember. It's like night rides are their Super Bowl and they were saving their best for then.

One of the things I loved the most about Winterfest was the live entertainment and atmosphere. You didn`t go there so much for the rides, but the entertainment. The train ride was an awesome experience in 2005`s incarnation of Winterfest. Not to mention Santa`s Toy Factory in the now Kings Island Theater. I think they over priced the event back in 2005. From all accounts I have heard, the original WinterFest that ran from 1982-1992 made the park lots of money. I would think that if done right, it could make Cedar Fair money in the future. Yes, there is always a risk with the weather. But the Cincinnati Zoo, as others have stated does good business with their Festival of Lights. Granted they also have animals as their star attraction during the day. But with as much as Cedar Fair has developed and groomed their Haunt season. I`m surprised they haven`t tried to implement something like Winterfest again. Yes, there was that awkward weekend at KI when there was Haunt stuff up and there were Christmas decorations up too. But I visited Winterfest I think four times in 2005, and had a blast every single time I visited. I wish it would come back. But then again, I wish the Flying Eagles would come back to Kings Island too...

Flying Eagles! LordSkippy, shaking his fist at Backlot Stunt Coaster.

Ah, the 'tiques. How I do miss thee. And DANG! What is that top speed for KI/MV RR?

All of the clues seem to be pointing to Banshee, so clearly the ride will be named Corn: The Ride.

First, welcome to KICentral! Second, this is not selfish at all. This forums exists partially for questions like this. You can ask anything you want about Kings Island here. (Just don't ask about the construction in Action Zone unless you're willing to get swallowed up by the tiny thread entitled "Starting to Decode 2014". ) Finally, to actually answer your question, Friday for sure. That's a school day for many kids and a work day for many adults, which takes away a huge part of the crowds that would be there over the weekend. Monday (Labor Day itself) and Sunday would still have light crowds, but those two days would be busier than Sunday due to the fact that kids are not in school and most adults are not working. Saturday, as with any week, will be the busiest.

They already have. Knott's Berry Farm is open year round.

Sounds great, i most likely will go.

Clearly it is night themed or whatever it is is nocturnal or something like that. They said it would not be announced a DAY this summer and then the put an owl in the tree because they are awake at night. The "no camping" would signify that whatever it is comes out at night therefore it would be unsafe to camp in that area because the Evil Phenomenon would be present.

Common Blackbirds: -Starling -Crow -Raven -Brewer -Red Wing -Grackle -Cowbird -Cardinal Many may not know this, but prior to Paramount taking over KI, Top Gun's install had already been contracted with Arrow... it was themed to "Top Gun" during construction only after Paramount took ownership. I have always heard that one of the working names of the coaster prior to the Paramount branding was "Raven." Not sure of the truth to it, just what I had heard through the years.

Pass the cigar...

I'm going to pretend that this and all your other posts never happened. Speak for yourself. I love open bars.

I'll use the DVR for football ;-). Games can be recorded, events like this can not. Edit: they can be, but not the same ( had some Terpy paranoia ) lol

80% of enthusiasts creeps me out.

Trust your instincts. If someone creeps you out, shields up! It's okay to inform authorities about someone who makes you feel uncomfortable. They'll use their professional training and skill to observe and, if necessary, engage the individual appropriately.

Guys thanks for all the replies! I think we will wait until we get to the park especially because of the weather. Forecasts show that it should be hot and sunny but T-Storms on Saturday. Lord knows weather can move up one day and I would hate to waste $120 when nothing is running. Even if the park is somewhat busy, I think we will pick up the Fast Lane passes. We rarely get away from the kids so this would be a perfect opportunity to splurge Its been about 6 years since I have been to KI, but definitely looking forward to it.

We are planning on coming to celebrate KIC's birthday! Can't wait!

Hasn't that lone piece of track been sitting outside for awhile now?

Hmm...there is dump truck, as in just one dump truck...which means either they need to make lots of trips with it, or it's one of these dump trucks: (Sorry, I could not resist again...) Isn't it funny how bad grammar can be so hillarious? Another example is the "All Your Base Are Belong To Us" meme...

A Sunday? There are no college football games on Sundays, so count me in.

Free booze at the reception?

I was wondering why everything was turning bold on some of the forums...

I certainly hope not.

I think this guy may disagree with this.