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Ah, Sam's posting on KIC. One of my favorite traditions. It's really that time of the year. Before we know it, it'll be time for the annual retelling of that classic Christmas tale, the Sinking of the S.S. Gator. But first, Haunt! For everyone heading out to the park tonight: have fun! And let us know how good Skeleton Crew is!

I kant wayt 2 hav peepl com vizit us in r noo howse 2nyt! We hav lots ov noo surprizis wayting 4 evry1. -Sam

And if they do, and the wolf howls in French, will many understand it?

No I kant say nuthin yet. I lyk werkin ther 2 much n Mama wood kik me owta the famly if i sed aneething this urly. Evry1 wil jest hav 2 wayt! Ownlee 3 mor owrs til we opin! -Sam

This facade is... WOW! https://twitter.com/kingsislandpr/status/512992324360896512 Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

I only wish any of us could say what we will be doing next year on a given day "without a doubt": * We could be getting married, going to a wedding or a funeral, be very ill, etc. * The event could be canceled, postponed or even moved. * We could be working in Liberia or elsewhere. * The event could be had, but it could cascade great torrents of rain, for several days. * There could be a blizzard. * the grandest coaster in all the world, yet to be announced, could open on that day, and we could be invited. * We could save a little child's life, and the President of the United States could invite us to an award ceremony, in Washington, DC that day, and the little child could beg you to go. * We might have a new residence, in a beautiful, peaceful place with a lot of stones strewn about. * etc. Terp, just notin'.

I ride it once. It was painful. Not like SLC painful, but definitely uncomfortable. I felt the same way about Chang. After about the first drop I just wanted it to be over. I am confident that it will be a different situation with the new trains. It's a new experience. This was a smart move financially, I think. Mantis is almost unmarketable after a few decades of operation. It is, however, in too good of shape to just scrap. This way they are breathing new life into the ride for a fraction of the cost of a new ride.

I feel like I have seen this before...

You're #1 is a B&M stand up? Really?

Park needs a good, 21st century wooden coaster, a well-themed suspended top spin, and a non-interactive family dark ride using no 2D cutouts. Based on my own desires? Yep.

Le Growl.....le howl....

1. Ferris Wheel 2. Flying Eagles 3. "Updated" KI&MVRR 4. Non shoot-'em-up dark ride. 5. New traditional style wooden coaster 6. International Restaurant revamp

Depends on the ROI you are looking for. Small short term investment that looks good but is a minimal change/cost or are you looking for a big skyline changing investment and the ROI involved. Gatekeeper was a huge change and the park enjoyed the ROI of it, so much so that the park is doing similar investments at other parks (see Carowinds new front gate). This change seems very minimal to me. No rebuilding of track, no destruction costs. Just some possible station changes, new trains, and paint.

Some of marketing's most wonderful words: "...as low as..."

Honestly, I was never too crazy about Mantis (though I certainly didn't hate it) but I always felt it would be a shame to lose that delightful B&M roar and that amazing tangled mess of twisted track. I'm happy with this. The tangled mess of track stays. The roar stays. The ride (presumably) becomes vastly more rideable. Win-win all around in my book. And to those who are sad because they really enjoy standups, believe me when I say there are a whole slew of fantastic standup coasters still running. Vortex at Carowinds is still a delight to ride, and there's a standup at SFGAd that shares many common elements with Mantis if that's more your cup of tea. But just my opinion, if this proves to be a roaring success, expect to see more of those standup coasters converted. Especially the larger ones.

Add ALL of those and make ALL of them break world records and have ALL of them heavily themed? Phew, now that's a park. Realistic? No. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry, Sam got hold of my account again. Please excuse him, he gets really excited this time of year. Sam can be found in the all new Slaughter House Reloaded.

Pricing airline tickets is a miserable frustrating experience. So much variation...

^^ * Your 2015 Platinum Pass may fail to work, thereby denying you access to the park on the day of the event. * There could be a water main break early that morning that forces the park to close for two days. * etc.

1) Giga 2) Maverick type ride

According to @kingsisland101 on Instagram, Zombie Outlet was the original name for KillMart Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Hmm, an actual tangible object to collect... The probability of me purchasing a Fright Lane with Skeleton Key just increased exponentially.

Hell, this is the kind of ride with proper theming that would be incredible during Halloweekends. Imagine the entire section that is over land just covered in fog and flashing lights.

^ Thank you. Haha. NBC the ride: Terrible sitcoms and horrifying ratings... An immersive dark ride experience. Hahaha.

Have any pictures of that? I'm sure I do...somewhere. I rarely recorded the events myself, so I'll have to do searching and scanning...LOL... I use to "do it up" here. My house was built in the 1700's and it sits on a hill. (it's been remodeled since so it doesn't have the colonial look to it anymore.) I used to put green party lights in every room and on the porch. Turn on the fog machine in my "graveyard"(rose garden... ), aim a lightning machine with strobe lights from a tree downward towards the walking path (it had a cassette device that timed it to thunder.) and I would dress in character with the HM soundtrack playing in a loop....all the while passing out candy to the kiddies. My house has been themed to Poltergeist, Psycho, Phantom Theater, The Haunting of Hill House, and many more. Here is how I recreated the busts. 1. get a cheap latex mask, preferably one with out hair or attachments. 2. Cover the eyes and mouth hole with duct tape from the inside of the mask. 3. fold the back of the mask inwards towards the facial area, to form a pocket that can be stuffed. 4. stuff the pocket with something solid. I used newspaper, but as I remember, it wanted to float....so I would suggest something more solid.... perhaps clay. 5. turn the mask upside down with the face upwards in a small, deep tray. I used a hospital wash tray that I got from the local hospital. You can use anything that is non-stick. 6. spray down the mask and the tray with Pam or some non-stick cooking spray. Be sure to cover all crevices. 7. Mix Plaster of Paris and pour over the entire mask. It took two boxes of plaster for one bust. 8. let the plaster cure for 48 hours. 9. carefully turn the mold over onto a stable surface and carefully peel out the mask. You should have an inverted image of the mask. 10. To enhance the effect, use black paint to paint the outer edges of the mold. 11. I built a box frame and pedestal to display the bust with a candle in front of the mold. I placed them on either side of my sidewalk leading to my house. As I remember, I crossed the street to test them and as you walked down the street the images did appear to follow you. Probably cost about 30 dollars to create way back when.

I'm going to be updating this sort of stream-of-conciousness through the night. Got here about two hours ago and am waiting for them to open up for Skeleton Crew. I've been through four houses so far. After riding FoF (had to, no line) Kill Mart was first, and my least favorite. There's only so much you can do as a disaffected zombie Walmart worker I guess. Plus I couldn't really see much because it was so dark and I had come from fairly bright outside. Next up was Slaughterhouse which probably ruined me for the rest of them. It was actually fun, a lot of chance for non-startle-based interaction with the scareactors. I did apologize to one of the actors for touching her when I was trying to get through a particularly tight squeeze, but I seriously couldn't even see her. I think I saw Sam outside the entrance if he looks kind of like Duke from Haven (Eric Balfour) only more, you know, bloody. Someone referred to him as Sam but he was more articulate than I expected.... With a break for Beast, I went through Madame Fatales. Since I totally missed out on the TR:TR and Crypt years, it was my first time in that building and was worth it for that alone. Had some fun interaction with a young lady who "cut herself shaving" and invited me to touch her foot. Next was Diamondback (oh how I've missed it the last two weeks, I don't know how I'll survive the winter), and a trip through CarnEvil. It was interesting, but mostly depended on startles. I like the nod to traditional funhouses, especially with the mirrors and "tornado" I walked through. A quick ride through Boo Blasters (1700-some points), and now I'm here waiting. I saw the guy whose sandals the clowns stole at that one Cirque performance, and he was in an "official" area so I'm relieved to finally know he wasn't just an audience member. Having seen the show, I'm floored. I don't want to say too much, but you have GOT to come see this one. It has elements of Cirque: some guys in red, some in silver and black, a rope act, the ring, clowning around on a trampoline. But wow! To give an idea, I loved Cirque (and as a whole show, prefer it). But the only time I was brought to "whoop" while clapping was at the final performance of Cirque. At the end of tonight's rope act, I was whooping and clapping so hard I nearly broke my hands. It was awesome. From earlier in the night, say it isn't so: I love all the decorations that have been added to the park, some in the most unexpected places. But it absolutely KILLS me they put this much theming into something for two months of weekends, and Adventure Express looks like it does.

I'll be joining you then! Sent from a signal coming out of the Vega system.

Kill Mart was fun! A nice addition. Needs more scares, and less zombies, though. Slaughterhouse has great, great potential in its new home. Hard now to find your way thru. Great effects, though, far better than last year.

...from a bumpy road.

So it's a French Werewolf in Sandusky? I didn't know there was a trilogy

KIFan1- I know you like to state we should 'use our imagination'. But its simply that- imaginative. A lot of people on this site have at least some basic knowledge of how the amusement park industry works, things like finances, how people respond to certain additions, and even further than that. And if you don't, you're here via the internet, which has a plethora of sources to get such knowledge. I mean, of course we want Kings Island to have the best rides and attractions around, but they have to be within reason. Also realize Kings Island operates in a park chain with 10 other parks that also deserve some TLC, so Kings Island isn't going to be first in line to get the big new ride every year.

Going to see if Sam could give me some good deals tonight on some mystery meat he has been selling. Just be cheap!

Thanks! I'd love to see Skeleton Crew, but I'll be otherwise occupied. So yes, please let us know how it is, anyone who goes (Magenta Lizard)!

I plan on seeing all three Skeleton Crew shows tonight. Haven't decided yet if I'm going to watch/do anything else or not.

If anyone goes tonight, give us a review! I hope to make it out this year! Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Slaughterhouse, Sam?

Just to be safe, my 2015 Platinum Pass is from Dorney Park... Terp, who does what he does because he must.

A dark ride would be nice, (Phantom Theatre), I would also like to see a indoor roller coaster with animatronics throughout the entire ride, maybe like a mine ride with miners and skeletons. I'm just brainstorming.

Terp your words ring so true for me, especially this year! My wife and I have not been to a CF park this year due to her being pregnant! We bought platinum passes during the fall last year and because of the baby news we have only been to one park together (Holiday World for Holiwood nights only because the wife enjoys herself there just with the atmosphere alone). We are rolling our platinum passes over to next year and maybe we will make it to Coastermania and CF parks next year. I doubt I will want to leave the little one for too long. But we are renewing just in case we are able to get out to Coastermania!

Flying Scooters, a good compact twister woodie, and an ejector airtime machine. Those are the only things I really think KI is missing. And that's why I enjoy KK almost as much. They have all three of those things.

That all being said, guest appreciation need not be directly proportional to number of dollars spent. See, for example, Son of Beast vs. Delirium.

Heard in the halls at Frankfort: Rumor A: Hart's New Kentucky Kingdom will stay open October weekends because attendance has been so great and they want to show their appreciation. Admission $9.95, but only if purchased in advance at Kroger. Rumor B: The park will open October weekends in an attempt to improve the balance sheet. I suspect neither rumor is true, as October weekends with no BooFest are highly unlikely to be profitable with the current Louisville Park offerings.

See, I should really know my Disney facts and abbreviations, seeing as I kinda live here, but I don't.

Now I'll actually be looking forward to riding this B&M as opposed to "Hey, if the rest of the park is crowded, I'll ride this just because it's a walk-on" type deal... Which is funny, considering that 4 years ago before I made my first trip to CP, since I had never ridden a stand-up before, I was greatly looking forward to it, more so than a lot of other rides... I thought to myself "Oh, standing up while riding a coaster, that just sounds wonderful!" until...I rode it. As soon as I got into my (bicycle) "seat", I instantly thought "You know, I'd actually rather just sit down". Afterwards I promptly thought "what a terrible idea, why would anyone want to stand up while riding a coaster?". It made me take for granted how valuable sitting down on coasters actually is, as opposed to...you know... Which is why I believe the stand-up coaster is the definition of a "fad". Sure some people genuinely do enjoy them, but for most people it sounds better than it actually is, and a flawed concept to begin with IMO... Rougarou should be an excellent and much-welcomed improvement!

Looks like a wonderful transformation! I have never been on a floorless before so I am looking forward to trying this out next year!

Exactly. I believe that Ouimet and CF have not only done an amazing job at catering to what each park truly needs, but also at giving "the people what they want".....In many ways and views.

Every year since Ouimet has had the reigns, I am more and more impressed with Cedar Fair. Unlike Six Flags, they actually put quality in front of quantity. Especially as of late, CF has been doing an amazing job at catering to what each park truly needs.

Very cool way to incorporate the year 2014.

The logo is GREAT! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There goes that awesome paint scheme...