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Okay. Ready for the most brilliant idea ever imagined? Backlot Stunt Coaster - Presented by SafeAuto. A new billboard wrap: OR On-board sound system brought back to life to play the SafeAuto jingle on loop throughout the ride. (Can someone edit up a video overlaying this song over the ride experience?) And the disembarking spiel: "Annnnd cut! Great job, stunt team! Your wild driving still qualifies you for SafeAuto's state minimum coverage. Exit to the left, and remember to Play It Safe™ - SafeAuto."

^ As far as I remember, subscribing to Amusement Today did not involve asking what coaster club(s) I affiliate with. I'm a member of ACE, which has one of the more expensive club fees... So even if specific clubs did get more say, they're certainly being awfully picky about who they're asking. I, for one, tend to believe Terp's theory about more advertising meaning more awards.

Last year, the top 10 contenders for 'best park in the world' included 3 Disney Parks and 1 Universal Park. Those four COMBINED had the same percentage of "votes" as Cedar Point. Put another way, if 100 people voted in 2013, 23 of them thought Cedar Point is the best park on Earth. Disneyland Park, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo DisneySea, and Universal's Islands of Adventure would've had 23 votes COMBINED. C'mon. Cedar Point is a fine park and a great destination, and every year it's becoming a nicer place for a family to visit. But c'mon. Best kid's area. Kings Island's Planet Snoopy. Really? I mean, it's great! But Seuss Landing? Fantasyland? Idlewild's Fantasy Forest? "A bug's land"? Mermaid Lagoon at DisneySea? Kings Island's is the best in the world? Really? Most telling (and I've said this a hundred times on here) is that Cedar Point is crowned the overall best park in the world without even making the top contenders for friendliest park, best food, best funhouse, best Christmas event, best dark ride, best landscaping, cleanest park, etc... Wouldn't you expect the "best park in the world" to sweep ALL of those categories, or at least place in them? Cedar Point doesn't even come close in most of those. So how can it be the best overall? And again: better than Disneyland? Better than DisneySea? Better than Islands of Adventure? Knott's Berry Farm? Kings Island?

You know, while I'm a raging Kings Island fanboy, I really like Kentucky Kingdom a lot. And I think I've figured out why. Their ride selection covers pretty much everything that Kings Island is missing. A fun, compact Woodie, a solid ejector airtime machine, a ferris wheel, FREAKING FLYING SCOOTERS, and a good selection of unique small flats.

Very convenient. Hopefully it will cut down on the number of people fainting from dehydration which seems to be common on a hot and humid day.

I feel like there's a few donkeys in that brew, and probably some exclusive high paying clubs. Think about it, if I ran an enthusiast site with some thousands upon thousands of members globally, and or if I ran an enthusiast club with a grand amount of patrons, wouldn't I get a vote. Hence why I really do not see value in some of these votes, they're rigged. Sure, now some have some merit, and this one has some interesting results; but one cannot solely place their eggs into this basket. You can tell me "hey this park has this ride and it's the best!", but that doesn't change my thoughts about whether of not I go. But hey, it gives the parks something to brag about so they like it.

Or 2013 Cleanest Park Six Flags Great America Really?

Baloney. I subscribed for years. NEVER got a ballot. Not one.

Or the amount of advertising dollars given to Amusement Today magazine, depending on who you ask.

About a week after the delivery of my copies of R. L. Stine's The Beast and The Beast 2 I bought off of eBay (thanks to the forum member who made me aware of their existence, sorry I forget who), I was amazed to see this awesome t-shirt on the $5 rack at the discount store in Coney Mall. What I found even more amazing was the similar tagline on the shirt's "comic book" and the first book (which says "Is the roller coaster really haunted?") Even though they're only loosely related to KI, the books made a nice segue into the Haunt season. Right now I am finally sitting down to watch the Roller Ghoster episode of Ghost Hunters. I keep getting confused every time I see Son of Beast, because other than three visits (two during the operation of SoB, but visiting with a non-coaster-rider, and the third when it was SBNO) I hadn't been to KI for about fifteen years before this summer. This despite innumerable visits before that, and at least 20 this year. So everything is really familiar except SoB.

^I already have.

Something tells me a high level of promotional activity will continue during Haunt, Driven by SafeAuto. Perhaps free tickets on the level of the radio station contests Paramount Parks used to provide tickets for. Ticket giveaways, Driven by SafeAuto.

On the plus side, it looks like their CMS finally has a legitimate mobile template! Hopefully it's only a matter of time till it reaches the individual parks...

Sam will be there every night. Of course, with the new house and the new layout, no one knows yet where Sam will be lurking, not even Sam himself. And we love it when we can get someone's name! One of the lovely ladies got my sister's name from a source that won't be named Needless to say, she got the heebie-jeebies a little bit! hehe...

Also, was there not once "Top Gun: Sponsored by Gilette Mach 3"?

^^I meant those who ran the clubs themselves. They advertise, go to the parks, give them profits, give people incentives to go to the parks, the industry recognizes this, in return they get a say in the voting process. I too agree on both your points and that the advertising and the money makes the votes come.

Makes sense. Being able to advertise "The Best Kid's Area for 15 Consecutive Years!!" is something Kings Island can use. It's worth Cedar Fair's advertising investment to be able to have that title and plaster it all over brochures and commercials. Obviously the same is true of Cedar Point being the "Best Park in the World!!" There's mutual advertisement there. Kings Island gets its badge to share and can advertise itself with the superlative, and Amusement Today gets the Google searches and their name out there and the "thank you" tweet from Cedar Point and Kings Island and a few extra thousand clicks... It's symbiotic! Meanwhile, if Disneyland's Fantasyland won Best Kid's Area, guess what they'd do with the award? Nothing. A waste of an award ceremony. I bet that no one from Disney would show up to collect. I doubt that Disney would use it on a brochure. Smaller, regional parks can really use those awards and titles. Disney and Universal probably wouldn't even waste a tweet on acknowledging a win from Amusement Today.

Yeah, I'm an Amusement Today subscriber (my subscription is probably about to expire, now that I think about it) and I haven't gotten a ballot, either.

I think I need some long set conditioner...

There was once a Pepsi Python at Coney Island of Ohio.... Terp, notin'

And I love Kennywood. It's my favorite park. But it is also over twice as far from my home as Kentucky Kingdom. I can go to KK 3 or 4 times a year and it would be pretty affordable. A bit harder for me to make it to Kennywood more than once a year, tops.

I chuckled.

No. That's an Internet convention. Subaru WRX STI forums often use: Because racecar. Because Mantis simply means that the mere fact Mantis exists is sufficient reason to post the picture. Because Tony.

I guess the amount of human feces in the waterpark wasn't enough so...

The commercials on FUNtv don't really annoy me. Vinyl wrapped coaster trains on the other hand. KIA, really?

State minimum insurance provider? Cedar Point? Ticket giveaways? It's gonna get interesting.

Your love for your son shines through so vividly! Here's to many more visits for Trey and his Dad, at Camden Park: The Tri-State's Favorite Playground, at the sign of The Happy Clown and to Kings Island and many other places!

^ The Trains will be 3 Rows, with 4 Across, on only 4 Bogies, with an overhead lap bar. The Trains are Definitely NOT anything like those from Gerstlauer or Stakotra Manufacturing, since they are being Fabricated by ART Engineering GmbH, which supplied Trains for BomBora and Trains and Track and Column Engineering for Wonder Mountain's Guardian. The Vertical Lift will be a Vertical Elevator Lift like Intamin used on Pilgrims Plunge and Divertical. The 116 Degree Beyond Vertical Drop will be outside the Tower. There are Renderings we got from Lagoon over on LagoonisFun.com.

Similar to Kentucky Kingdom. I like this a lot. I prefer to drink water at the park, and this is very environmentally friendly. Tweeted by @KIGMGreg

So, my son and I made a trip to Camden Park about two weekends ago. We went from 5pm to 10pm. We arrived shortly after 5 and immediately went to kiddie land. He was so excited to be going to Camden Park with daddy ever since we rode a roller coaster at North Myrtle Beach. The coaster was similar to Wildcat, but it was a portable model. He was really ready to ride that one when we got into the station, but as soon as we departed, he asked me to hold on to him. Back to Camden. He rode the boat ride there that is just circular and enjoyed it very much. I guess all kids like to pretend that they are driving something. After that, we went over to the junior whip and he liked that as always. I so enjoy watching my son (who is 5) smiling really big when he is getting a thrill from rides. After that, we went to the planes that go in a circle. They have two seats and guns that I saw several kids who enjoyed pretending to shoot something. Next, we went to the carousel. Daddy rode this one with him and he liked it as I commentated on how we were racing each other and one horse took the lead over the other. After that, we went to the Paratrooper. I still like this ride much as I did when I was a kid and went to Camden on a school trip. He was a little bit scared once it came to maximum height, but I reassured him we would be fine. Next, we went to the Big Dipper. He loves coasters. I have the Roller Coasters of Cedar Point video and he loves watching it. It's funny how he'll say he's been on this or that one and he's never been there. I find it particularly funny that he swears that the Blue Streak is at Camden. I guess because in his eyes, it's the Big Dipper. He loved his ride on the Big Dipper and had daddy hold on to him as we rode. He told me afterwards how he likes the tunnel. Next, we went across the railroad tracks to get a ride on some others. We went to the Rockin' Tug and it was down. So, we went next door to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl. I told him that daddy new how to ride one of these so we could get maximum spinning out of it. Man, I had really forgotten how much fun that ride is. We went to the Little Dipper after that. He likes it pretty well and I just enjoy watching him experience the wonder of amusement parks. So, he talked me into a round of miniature golf after the Little Dipper. I thought it was a really good course and I didn't even bother to get a score card because he was going to win anyway lol. We went to the Whip after that. I love the Whip, but man that ride is hard on my back. The turns are not that bad, but you kinda slam back into the straight away. Not a problem or a complaint about the ride. I just have a bad back. we headed over for a spin on the Scrambler next. This is another ride that I loved as a kid and as a coaster fanatic, had forgotten how fun other rides can be. I love the flat collection at KI and CP and ride them every time I go. However, there was a time where I didn't bother in the early 1990's because I just used to go to marathon coasters. I was really missing out. Plus, now that I have a son, I am more about the overall park experience. My son Trey really enjoyed the Scrambler. We wound up riding them twice each. He also rode what he likes to call the umbrella ride, which is a circular car ride that has different vehicles on it. He rode that one twice and smiled all the way. At that point, it was the end of the night and we were heading out the front gate when he saw some light sabers, which I had to get him one. He is a Star Wars boy after all. We had a great time at Camden Park and I can't wait to take him to Kings Island next year. I still can't manage to get him to ride the haunted house again. He had one ride two years ago and it scared him to the point that he wanted to get off the ride. I told him he had to wait until it was over. I spoke to a couple of the employees there while waiting in line and everyone was really friendly and helped make my experience a great one. I took several pics with my phone, but I can't really upload them because I'm on a company computer. If you are ever in West Virginia, take time to help support our little park. It's not the greatest in the world, but it has plenty for the little ones. Did not ride the Rattler either as he is not tall enough. Maybe next season.

That would insure that I would never ride it again.

Minus the ferris wheel and flying scooters and voila, Kennywood!

^ No. That is all.

Possibly to direct guests away from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter as much as possible since it's closed. Also, most of the park's vacant soundstages are near the entrance, between Studios and Islands. The only haunted house location they ever used over on the lagoon side of the park was the Jaws queue which is... well... you know...

If you are talking fatalities, in recent years Cedar Fair has a far better record than Six Flags. If you are talking injury rates per million guest visits, that data is very difficult to find. Both chains offer safer park visits than are the car rides to get there.

Well, it didn't keep me off El Toro, obviously, but it was an annoyance none the less, lol. In fact I rode it multiple times, and I guess the fact I noticed proves something.

Halloween is a proper noun for a proper holiday. As such, it is always CAPITALIZED here, and at SIX and now at some FUN parks. Why not chainwide? SafeAuto is only licensed to do business in some states. You can buy a Snickers bar in any, though.

I'm going tomorrow to take advantage of the season pass special. The weather is supposed to be perfect. It should be a good day.

No doubt just think a big park between Louisville, and Nashville could do a new Kingdom, where they own the land, they the investors private or public make it happen. If KK does not make it hopefully Kings Island could buy back the shoe ride!

I would love to see us get a great looking and immersive dark ride like one of those, and then have them convert Boo Blasters into a standard (non shooting) dark ride themed to Peanuts.

^^ More like a microwave instead of a scrambler?

So I assume the dogs cannot ride the train then "go" on the top of the tower? Terp, who likes to ask questions.

I miss my dog I doubt I would have taken her to this though...she never knew how to act around other dogs as she was raised around cats for her entire life.

Don't be disappointed about the relocation of Skeleton Crew. It will have more room to impress. I saw the show at Cedar Point and the more room the have the BETTER! Plus more people will be able to see it. There's a good reason why it's in the Showplace. Let's just say they can do more. Stay tuned. Only two more weeks.

Sam will be there every night. Of course, with the new house and the new layout, no one knows yet where Sam will be lurking, not even Sam himself. And we love it when we can get someone's name!

12 Person car? Definitely sounds like a take on a Euro-fighter or a 'Maverick' style launcher. And from the rendering...Does the lift and first drop take place in that massive building? This looks really interesting.

No. The drink wristbands were available to the general public at any food/drink stand, not with purchase of a special admission ticket. They were $9.99 plus tax. The problems were: 1. They were never, ever advertised or promoted in any form whatsoever that I was aware of. I only found out about them by accident; I was taking cover from rain at the ice cream stand on the back of Juke Box Diner, and another KICer with me was chatting with the worker there and mentioned that they should sell all-day drink wristbands. The worker replied that they did and held up the sheet of wristbands, which I had seen lying next to registers since opening day but never figured out what they were until then. 2. There was, and maybe still is, a lot of confusion over whether they were even supposed to be offered in the first place, despite the fact that registers have buttons specifically for them. Different people have gotten different answers at different places. At least one person here was told at Guest Services late in the "regular season" that they were never supposed to be available and that they had been discontinued, but after that was posted here, I went to the park on 8/20 and was able to purchase a drink wristband (I forget who sold it to me and where) and used it throughout the day with no problems or questions. So the people in charge need to get their heads together and decide whether these should be sold, and if not, pull them from all registers.

Camden Park is was got me back to Kings Island after 10 years and reignited my love for both parks. Glad you had a great time.

Screaming... DJ- that's why these discussions in general are frowned upon in these forums. There's no happy ending and it causes a negative tone on an otherwise benign Park site. If there is a thread with a discussion I have a strong opinion on that some hold dearly... I avoid it. This is one of those topics that, for this site, all should agree to disagree- and for the most part, leave it at that. There is a time and place for this debate, KI Central is likely not that place.

Action Theater is a waste of space to me now. I have not cared about it since 007 was taken out. That and Days of Thunder were the only ones I liked.