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You guys have no idea how much this site helps with decisions and planning. Sometimes it's taken with a laugh, but the valid points you bring up help alot. Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

I just got a response from Jes McAdam-Sellers, Admissions & Guest Services Manager via email on the question above. Here is the response: It appears that since we have spoken, the folks at Cedar Fair have decided to listen. Hopefully, this remains true.

If you think that any of the responsiveness would have happened in the Kinzel era, you are sadly mistaken. This is a great thing the park has done. They listened, rethought and reacted.

We have saved the dining plan

Yeah, God forbid a park trying to stay afloat put in a game that makes a ton of profit. It's all about the enthusiasts, right?

I am emailing back and forth with their Customer Care team. I believe they are listening to the concerns of their patrons. I was told they are considering bringing back the drink wristband option - I weighed in quite heavily in favor of bringing back this option. I know I would rather have a wristband than have to carry a cup and rent a locker to ride Banshee. I believe I would even accept a slightly higher price point on a wristband just to not have to bother with a cup all day.

Woo-hoo! They've changed everything on the website back to "four hour wait", so it sounds like what shark was told was true! I'm so happy I don't have to mess around trying to get a refund!

I am still surprised we haven't had any explanation from a certain member on here about why they changed the meal plan like this. Usually any small thing that has misinformation is explained or responded to when posted on the board. I have read through 3 pages of complaints from people who feel they have been duped and yet we still have no response. People worked hard for their money and spent it on a product expecting one thing and what they received is something different. I wonder if we will ever get an explanation or if people who purchased their plans in the fall will be able to recoup their money if they are unhappy with the new plan details. It just seems there is a lot of misinformation and confusion abound right now.

As mentioned above by silver2005, the station for Fury 325 and the new front entrance to Carowinds are definitely really coming along nicely! Looks like work on the queue is coming along at a fast rate as well. Actually there are currently some men out working on the queue as this post is being typed! Check out that progress on the new bridge sitting over the Fury 325 underground dive! This front entrance area of the park is really starting to shape up! (Live Still-Images captured from the Carowinds live video cams)

LOL

What you're thinking is exactly true. Kings Island didn't offer season passes until 1979 (I think). They were few and far between. It was before my time, but I imagine it was kind of like having a zoo pass. A few have them, but it's not like "Oh, you're going to the zoo? You might as well buy a season pass." There are three main components that make up KI's attendance: season pass, individual tickets, and group sales; with the season pass base spending, by far, the least per capita as part of the mix. The higher the season pass base for the day, the lower the in park per capita spending is. So they spend most of the Fall trying to sell season passes. It's guaranteed Q4 revenue for them. Beyond that, ALL benefits are designed to attempt to increase per capita spending. The benefits work to your advantage, but they're certainly not a gift. Here are how the benefits that I can think of off the top of my head increase per capita: ERT/Early Entry into Soak City - This is designed to entice you come to the park earlier, thus expanding the hours per visit and increasing the the chances of food purchases. 10% discount on food/merch - This is to combat out-of-park spending. A 10% discount adds a perceived value to purchases. Bring a friend days - Your friend will spend and spend and spend and spend money if it's their only visit to KI that year. Plus, if you're with them, you'll likely be spending money that you wouldn't normally spend. Admission to Haunt - Remember when they tried to say your pass wasn't good for Haunt back in like 2007? Then they backpedaled. Then they said, "Okay, it'll be good for 2007, but not 2008." Then they backpedaled. This wasn't a gift. First, season pass holders were used to getting into Haunt (then Fear Fest) so they would feel like there is less of a value to the pass. Secondly, if you don't win October, you loose the entire season. Cash is raked in on an industrial level. What if many of those patrons chose not to go? That would be disastrous, not only for KI, but for the entire company. Kings Island's Haunt carries a lot of weight. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Kings Island Gold Pass is, hands down, the best deal in the CIncinnati area. Just remember that there's a reason for every perk, "free" things are built into other costs, and you - as a pass carrier - play a specific function within the revenue of the park.

^

It's great that they listened to guests and corrected the situation. If they decide to use designated meal times for 2016 meal plans, hopefully they'll take the feedback from this experiment into consideration. It should be noted that Cedar Point seems to have retained one additional time restriction; meal plan serving times run from 11:00am until 2 hours prior to park closing. (Updated dining guide PDF) Presumably this doesn't apply when CP closes at 8:00pm. Specific operating hours aren't guaranteed, so this seems fair at first glance.

It was clearly marked and posted when purchasing the 2015 plan in the fall of 2014 that the wait between meals had expanded from 2 hours to 4 hours. Of course someone will say they didn't see it, but I think everyone that has posted in this thread complaining recognized that it was the 4 hour wait we agreed to, not the specific time frame windows. I agreed to purchase with the 4 hour window because that still worked for my visits. I do not see them shortening the window, nor saying you get two meals every visit - that simply allows for abuse. I believe their intent is to try to have it at a reasonable price-point that folks find it attractive, yet minimize the potential for abuse and significant losses as well. I do agree with Magenta that it wouldn't surprise me to see specific time windows in the future. I hope not as I think it would have an overall negative impact in per cap spending - if everyone is line for their dining plan meal during the peak time, it will force those willing to pay on-site for food to leave and spend the money elsewhere. But hey, a small victory, probably in part to this site!

Then again, I'm not sure we'd be seeing these sort of promotions at all in the Kinzel era. People gotta eat, right?

And Indiana.

Now...I have asked the question directly regarding purchasing Drink Bottles versus purchasing Drink Wristbands to see if I can get a clear answer on that hot topic. I can get access to the park, free parking, two meals per day at all of Cedar Fair parks with the current options available on my season pass. If I can get a wristband for $9.99 or thereabouts for beverages all day with a wristband and not have to carry around a drink bottle all day...2015 will be a very good season for my circumstances. As stated earlier...yes, having all of these key elements in place will entice me toward purchasing Fast Lane/Fast Lane Plus at least once during the season. I have to say (preemptively at least) thank you to Cedar Fair/Kings Island for listening to our feedback.

^ As you walk in the front door, interview rooms are to your left. Hopefully no one here does anything that necessitates being taken to one. I was also in the security office to fill out a witness report.

Hey, at least those of us without the meal plans know when to eat and when not to.

I've been sort of stewing all day about this, and it finally clicked what bothers me so much about it. Years ago (ok, honestly, a couple decades, I'm getting old), when I first had a Season Pass, I felt it gave me sort of a VIP status. Like they appreciated that I sank a large chunk of my entertainment budget into their park that they could count on before the season even started. With things like the passholder's special entrance (to bypass the regular line), they reinforced this feeling. Last year was the first time I've used a pass again in around 15 years. Many of the rules, shortened ERT, and the difficulties I had in obtaining even the small discounts given with the pass left me feeling less like a valued customer and more like someone who was begrudgingly allowed to "get away" with things. Like they feel passholders are people who are already getting more than they deserve for their money, so they have to watch closely to make sure we don't take advantage of them. When all we are doing is using the benefits we thought we signed up for. This rules change on the dining plan reeks of that, viewing passholders as attempted moochers rather than VIPs. Oh, they thought they could just get meals whenever someone paying full price could? We can't have that, better make them wait in long lines to really /earn/ that meal they've already paid for! Think they could choose to have two meals later in the day separated by four hours rather than being at the park when WE say? Got to put a stop to that!

Fun Fact: That vulture had a cousin down under, at Kings Island's former sister park, Australia's Wonderland. (Courtesy rcdb.com) And the Australian version: (Courtesy rcdb.com) Sorry, not trying to turn this into the vulture thread, I just remember seeing a picture of the Australian Beastie a few years ago and being surprised to find out that Kings Island once had a sister park all the way in Australia...

I rest my case. Now,to be fair, your own personal definition of "food" would make this subject to debate. It's the junkiest of junk foods, but it's SO GOOD. (Link to the pic: http://www.womansday.com/cm/womansday/images/9n/09-wd0809-Deep-Fried-Cheese-2.jpg ). Found via Google Images.

Cedar Point has food? Who knew? Terp...running for the door (Dormey Park it is not).

I'm glad they went back to the 2 meals with a 4 hour wait between meals. That way I can still be sure I can get my two meals even if I don't arrive till early afternoon and stay till close.

With the 4 hour wait between meals, those coming later in the afternoon or evening will likely only get 1 meal prior to park closing (aside from the 12 or 1 AM closings), so it's a perceived loss of value. I would still advocate for either a 2 hour wait like last year, or simply give passholders 2 meals, and eliminate the time requirement. If they want to eat twice within a short period, great. If not, great. Give people the greatest flexibility in terms of when they can redeem things and you're likely to see happy park guests.

Lol. It's gonna take more than some Basketballs to keep this park going. Besides, the park is in Louisville, most everyone there owns a Basketball or three.

The verbiage on the website in regard to the All Season Dining Plan: The verbiage on the website in regard to the All Day Dining Plan:

I am going to submit the following question in writing via the online form on the site I will let you know the exact verbiage I get as a response. :-) I am a huge fan of having things in writing.

Yes, two very well done commercials of a Kings Island past.The Bat commercial is phenomenal, and even shows a off-ride video of The Bat. They shouldve aired that last year to promote the New Bat. All the TV's of Ohio and folks down in Kentucky couldve seen a memory of their childhood or perhaps create a new one. I know it always make me smile whenever i hear some little kid asking his parents if he can ride The Bat.

Plus, Fast Lane and Fast Lane Plus is not included with any of the season passes. So, having paid for our entry prior to the season, we might be tempted to spend money towards them. And, as has been previously pointed out, with the price of the meal out of the way, you might be enticed to spend that money elsewhere, on beverages, snacks, stuffed animals, lockers, shirts, etc. But while I haven't completely experienced what Magenta Lizard is describing, I understand the feeling and I can see where additional restrictions can illicit such feelings. I understand and fully respect the concept of having house rules. However, you paid for certain benefits, you should feel that you get those benefits with a smile, not reluctance. After all, they were offered by the establishment and you did pay for them. Though not completely a game changer for some, these new restrictions will be for others and, frankly, there might not be such a fuss if the newly designated times avoided peak dining hours -- or at least, gave the impression of having more freedom -- and if the new restrictions weren't quietly incorporated into the site, without openly addressing them.

^

I make a lot of visits to the park each year. Often it's for an hour or so - after 8:00 at times. I was going to purchase this plan this year but it doesn't make sense for me anymore.

Probably the same thing that happens if you buy your right sized kid a kid's season pass, and by July he's too tall to qualify...

Dining plan information has been updated for 2015 on Kings Island's website. https://www.visitkingsisland.com/things-to-do/dining-plans?mobile=0 The big change from the fall announcement (when 2015 plans went on sale) is that there are now set times for redeeming lunch and dinner. Originally, there was to be a 4-hour wait time between meals, with no other time restrictions. This approach is simpler for guests using the meal plans as intended, though I'm personally not a fan of having to eat within those hours. I can see some customers being upset that the rules changed after purchasing the plan. EDIT: The original redemption rules for the 2015 season have been restored to the park's website. Several potential issues with the rule change were pointed out in this thread, and KI responded to feedback from concerned guests who had already purchased the plans.

If they're smart about it, they should have balls with UK and UL logos on them.

I think is one issue that bothers more than just enthusiasts. My wife and mother (both of whom are far from enthusiastic about anything related to the industry) have both commented about how annoying all the bouncing basketballs were.

I had to go to the security office to fill out a witness report after I busted a group trying to pass fake money at my game. I can't remember the holding area though.

Sorry to reopen this thread but Ive been pondering this over the past week. I remebered other characters from the Phantom Theater that could deffienatly be used on Boo Blasters. First off I know of one that is being used during haunt and that is the Phantom Theater Mouse in Board to Death. Also Kings Island could use the non-animatronics from Phantom Theater on Boo Blasters. We could use the poet from the beginning of Phantom and we could use the Mummy, Centorion, and my personal favorite i really wish they'd use him the Gargogyle. The Mummy could be put close to the track to reach out for you. The poet could be in the beginning. The Centorion next to the Knights. And the Gargogyle could be used anywhere, I'd really like to see him again used somewhere. Really this little "Tribute" to Phantom would be very cool I think and would take about 15 minutes considering that they are statues except for The Mummy. Hope to see something along these lines. At least get them out for Haunt and put them on display.

When you sit in class trying to draw the designs of coasters at KI on the back of your paper.

My Dorney Park Platinum Pass lives with my Six Flags New England Gold Pass and my SeaWorld Orlando Platinum Pass in my wallet. My last day of an old, old, old Disneyland Park Hopper pass lives in the back of my checkbook. And my cash? I live in DC. Cash is not carried in the wallet. Hasn't been a couple of years now.

Me and the wife have our passes in my home safe. Lol...not sure why. I do miss it in my wallet.

Just what we need: another amusement park filled with bouncing basketballs and people chasing after stray balls. Not to mention that given the park's location, there's a higher-than-usual chance of people doing something... how do I put this gently... improper with them.

LOL

I have been critical to this change after purchase, but it is easy for all of us to take shots at it without being privy to all the information we hope Cedar Fair looked at to decide to make this change after sales have occurred. Doesn't make it right, but we only know the side we see. After several seasons, I do wonder if some of these things "brought on" by Mr. former Disney-exec (money grab Fast Lane, throwing pricing at gate out the window, changing policies after sales, charging a junior pass a full pass in August because such child grew, etc.) are truly in best interest of guest experiences or simply to maximize profit. Many will say he brought Banshee and Cirque, etc. but I tend to say that those types of things would have occurred regardless of who was at the helm - parks of this size need to put in a Banshee-type ride every so-many years or lose relevance. With all that said, I tend to be the type of season pass holder the park likes. I have mentioned before that I think the price of a pass is low, and as such I tend to do my share with in-park purchases to do my part in help keeping the park open with revenue stream. When FUNPerks started, I was rewarded with my spending habits and hated to see it disappear. I am glad that they offer a discount for pass holders as they can then see which are spending and which are not. Contrast that with the pass holder that doesn't spend a dime in the park - that doesn't help the park. Regarding the dining plan, I thought it was a great value last year and jumped at the chance to buy it. Last year, I tended to spend more on other items (fudge, ice cream, snacks), as I thought the dining plan was a great value and since it was already paid for, buying fudge during a visit seemed cheap compared to years prior when I would purchase a meal every time. I tend to reward establishments where I feel I am getting value. Changing the dining plan after I purchased will have a net decrease in my in-park spending this year. It wasn't what I agreed to when I purchased. If I show up at 3pm and stay till close on nights they are open to 10pm or midnight, last year I could get two meals and be inclined to purchase snacks because of the perceived value I was receiving and could still do so with a 4-hour wait window that I agreed to last fall. This year, under the lunch and dinner windows, arriving at 3pm, I only get one meal. My perceived value has been cut in half. In turn, I will be less likely to spend extra.

Just because something is legal doesn't make it right. And just because something is right doesn't make it legal. Good companies respect their customers and want to do the right thing, not just whatever they can get by with. The customer denied a paid for meal due to a newly imposed time window is not going to remember fondly a "Best day ever." To put it mildly.

I'm sure there is some sort of fine print that says that they can change the terms. I'm sure it's legal it's just very unethical. Especially since most of their target demographic for this product is loyal guests, so many who intended to purchase this product would have purchased it already. Then again, as Terp pointed out, this is the same company that thinks its ethical to sell someone a Jr pass and if the kid grows (as they inherently do) then they have to give them more money mid-season. It's also the same company who, after being offered a drink wrist band by 3 employees that day alone, I was told that if I was caught with one then security would be called. I emailed the head of the foods department asking for clarification. He thought it wasn't important to respond to a guest's concern. That was the last purchase I made from the Food Department at KI. This was in late July. I was going to start over with a dining plan and everything in 2015. Clearly nothing has changed and the dysfunction continues. One thing is communicated and another thing is acted on. Perhaps another year.

The part that amazes me as well is why would the parks want to concentrate meal plan customers into what are already the busiest times for food stands, inconveniencing both the meal plan buyers and impulse food buyers? Too long a line sends the impulse hungries to the parking lot or outside the park, with their wallets and nickels with them.

I haven't found any info regarding this: is there a capacity limit or will tickets be sold up until the cutoff date (April 30)? I won't be able to find out if I'm free that weekend until early April so I'm just wondering whether or not tickets would still be available. Since I haven't seen anything about a capacity max I'm going to guess that there isn't one but just wanted to make sure.

I didn't say that. Frankly, Boo Blasters is approaching its end. I don't see the park freshening an experience that is due a complete revamp. If it did, it might well delay a much needed total re-imagining.

I'd recommend breaking apart your ideas with paragraphs. Otherwise, many users - myself included - won't read it, as it's just a giant wall of text.