Shaggy

Here's a fun memory I neglected to add to my above post... Without a doubt, the hardest ride to operate was the now-gone Boo Boo's Baggage Claim. It was a kiddie Turtle ride that required the op to time the stop so it landed perfectly in line with the load platform. Inevitably that thing would fall a foot short, or a foot long. I only managed to get that darn thing to stop in the right place about 1 out of 10 times. It was soooooo touchy. "Sit down kids... you're going around again!" Oh, and the attraction that everyone hated... and I mean HATED to be "sent" to was "Hand Carts" in HB Land. You spent all day chasing kids who left the vehicle or walking those stupid cars around that whole track when they stopped pedaling about 1/3 of the way through. They were about 2 inches off the ground, so you were bent over all day. If you were on shift on your home ride and you got told to go to "South Pie" to help - you were doomed - that meant Hand Carts. FYI... this attraction lasted as long as it did because the VP of Operations for years and years at KI, Don Miller, had ridden them as a kid at Coney island and they were his favorite memory. The ride everyone JUMPED at the chance to go to was WWC. Although it was very hot and hard walking on that platform, it meant you would get rotated to the tower where you got to squirt people. Some of the best laughs I have EVER had at KI... as an employee or guest... was working that tower. Man it was fun.

There's also, typically, a hierarchy. When I was there... many moons ago... Each large ride typically had two leads, who if not promoted, maintain the "training up" of the crew. If the leads were promoted before, during or after a season, previous vested crew members could request to be promoted to lead of a ride. In terms of non-lead returning staff, they typically got to request on which attractions they'd like to work. New hires were then used to fill in the gaps left by non-returning employees or skeleton crews. Now, it's been nearly 20 years since I worked there, but I'll give you my experience. I took a PT job there on weekends, requested a position on a coaster and was immediately "placed" on the "Outer Limits: Flight of Fear" crew. (FYI, this was back when there were still official uniforms for the OLFOF crew - yes, I wore the beret!) I didnt begin working there until late summer - fall season only, so I was not fast-tracked to "drive." However I was trained and tested on driving the coaster late in my tenure that season. The following season, at the returning employee job fair, I requested "Beast." I was immediately placed there and it became my "home" ride. However as an experienced and dependable employee on what was (then) one of the best (and hardest working) crews in the park, I (along with many of The Beast crew members) was subsequently trained on about 20 other rides throughout the season. I would get "sent" to a ride if someone called in, or the crew fell short. They could easily train brand new in-coming rides employees, even on their first day, to check lap bars on Beast (or other major attractions.) This allowed seasoned ride ops to be "sent" to fill in on attractions that required them to be "signed off" to operate. The third season, I returned to the fair and made the request to be on "Son of Beast's" inaugural crew. I was informed part time employees would no longer be considered for crews of major rides. The Operations manager, at the time, had made a sweeping decision (which they ultimately reversed as the season got underway- but only after many seasoned part-timers declined to return.) and I was a casualty. Seeing the limitations, I made the decision to end my tenure there. In an ironic twist, that very summer, I left my full-time employer in Cincy to relocate to Louisville for a job with a company I have loved for 17 years now... so, in the end, I would have had to turn down the KI seasonal job anyway. I'll say that my time working as a ride op at KI was extremely fun, exciting, memorable - but also hot and hard work. It ultimately created great memories for me, and I am very appreciative of the experience I had there. Plus, it allowed me to check "Driving The Beast" off my bucket list.

Thanks!

It's hard to tell from the webcam, but does the MT queue go back next to the old Crypt building? It looks like it starts at the drink stand in-between Diamondback and Backlot, then heads back towards Beast, wrapping around the Diamondback fence line, then back to the non-public area behind/beside Beast and The Crypt. But then how does it get back out to the midway and down to MT's actual queue? Also, I thought the park opened at 10... the website indicated that. Did they open early?

Giant crowds on passholder night is not something new. I recall the park being insanely crowded on SPH Previews for Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Outer Limits, Action Zone, Son of Beast... and more. Specifically, the line for OLFOF on SPH night in 1996 wrapped through every permanent outside queue, through temp queues that filled the plaza in front of it, then stretched out to Coney Mall, and all the way to Vortex... AND it had single train operation that night. Here's SOB during SPH night

That's because it changes ;-)

It's actually hard to hear all of it when you are on the ride, due to the anti-rollbacks clicking, I hope they turn up the volume a bit. But, without spoiling it, it sets up the storyline of the ride... referencing time, place and a warning...

Hi all! It was good seeing some of you at the media event yesterday - King's Island is really to be congratulated and thanked for a terrific event. I'll share my thoughts on MT - and will take off my rose colored Kings Island glasses to do so. Going in, I was less interested in "What's in the shed" than I was the ride leading up to it. I had hoped for a mid-sized woodie that would prove not only popular, but re-rideable. Personally, I look for certain things - air, continual speed and pacing, surprises, and comfort. I was ecstatic when MT delivered all those things. Air - it's a air-time machine. There's pop after pop after pop. I'm a back-seat rider 75% of the time on woodies - MT changed all that. It is definitely a front seat ride, and I couldn't get enough of it. Continual speed and pacing - A lot of coasters seem to reach the final breaks gasping for air, having petered out. Not MT. From the time you drop off the lift until you reach the shed, it retains it's pace: fast, fun, and thrilling. Surprises - I wasn't expecting the directional changes to be as fun as the were. Specifically - the two directional turns just before the mid-course tunnel were great! Comfort - the older I get, the less I want to feel bruised and battered, or sore. I literally woke up today expecting to have a coaster-hang-over. Instead, I woke up wishing I could go right back to the park for more. That says a great deal about the trains, track engineering and quality of the ride. Frankly, MT is the best wooden coaster in the park. It doesn't hold the legendary status of Racer or Beast, of course, but it's a coaster that people will flock to - not once-not twice - but over and over again. Its as though you took the best qualities from wooden coasters you love, and combined them. There's a vibe of Holiday World's woodies - specifically The Raven - but without the bone-jarring roughness. Finally, while I'll not speak specifically of "What's in the Shed"... I can say I wasn't disappointed - but only because I hadn't hyped it in my head. It was exactly what I had assumed it would be. Actually, I was a bit charmed by it more than I thought. Without spoiling it, I LOVE throwbacks, references and hidden nuggets in attractions. The things you see in the shed are, essentially, Kings Islands version of "Hidden Mickeys." And as someone else said, would you rather sit on a boring break run in the blazing sun, or have something fun to entertain you?

I would not describe the Shed experience as having a "strobe effect." Lights do dim and flicker, and LEDs are involved - but there's not an actual strobe light persay.

Who do you like better, your Uncle or new baby Nephew? ;-) In my mind, comparing the two is like comparing a rotary phone to an iPhone7. But I do think lines for night rides will be the tell-tale sign of popularity. But Beast has had competition before - and has always stayed on top. Choosing a coaster on which to finish out the night may be very tough in the future.

Milllenium Force doesn't have stairs

Surely the park will move that vine... I cannot imagine that they will obscure the logo that much.

I'm saying he said there wasn't a $25-$30M coaster. That's the point.

This is what irks me about enthusiasts... something MR Hart said was taken completely out of context, posted here and now people are passing it as truth. Mr Hart NEVER said a $25-$30M coaster was coming to KK. He said he'd like to install one, but until he has proof that it would significantly boost attendance, it's too much of a gamble. I have no doubt something big will come to KK... eventually... but I'm not holding my breath. He's got bigger fish to fry...

Mr Heart seemed specifically interested in people's opinions of Kings Island. Incorrect. Mr Hart responded to a hypothetical question posed to him. The question asked if we was "granted a wish for anything at KK, what would it be?" His response was that he wish he could know if adding a $20-$30M coaster would increase attendance significantly. He said that otherwise, it would be too big of a gamble since the market had drastically changed from 20 years ago when a large attraction install meant large attendance results. He then cited HW as an example saying they installed a B&M and their attendance went down. He also cited the previous times of large coaster installs at KK came at a time when "Kings Island wasn't installing big coasters." I attended the event. It was a very nice of the park to hold the tour, provide a free lunch and for Mr Hart to share his time with those that attended. I had a good time, and have nothing but good things to say about the generosity they showed. I will point out, that the most noteworthy thing of the day (for me) was when Mr Hart used the term "urban park." Mr Hart recognizes the biggest challenges he faces at KK - and it has nothing to do with rides. That was refreshing to hear.

I was at Knott's last January. I had visited before, but it had been about 10 years. However, when I returned, I got the same exact feeling I had the first time around. I'ts hard for me to put into words the vibe I get when at Knotts. The best way I can describe it is, it gives me the exact same feeling as when I am at Kentucky Kingdom. It comes across as a small, half-day, local park - not a destination. The park is VERY landlocked, and has a weird dead "center" with the train tracks running smack dab through the middle of the park - splitting it - like the Fairgrounds perimeter road at KK. That having been said - they've got a few gems in there. Silver Bullet is fun and it's placement at the entrance is terrific. Xcelerator is huge fun too - but is a one trick pony. I love that they've kept Montezooma's Revenge, the original Camp Snoopy and the Calico Mine Ride. Ghostrider was down for re-furb when I was there - but I understand it's back to running like it originally did when it opened (I did ride it 10 years ago.) The removal of boomerang does not at all surprise me. I skipped it when there last year - as did 99% of the other guests there that day - it was a walk on. I rode the skycabin - but frankly it's a shell of it's former self with the parachute ride long gone. I also took note of the closed Riptide when I was there - and the park removed it a month afterwards. All of these lie on the back-side of the mine ride and near that dead park center I mentioned earlier. Add in the fact that a tall lift would be right in line with the tallest attractions currently at the park - and that opens up some huge possibilities. If you look at the first picture below (pay no attention to the man behind the beard) you'll see the "void" that could be filled by building a major coaster running behind/around/over Calico Mine Ride. The second picture shows how the removal of Riptide, Boomerang and (possibly) Skycabin opens up a very large playing field. (In the picture - Skycabin is hidden behind the lift of Boomerang.) The park is crying out for a LARGE signature attraction. My gut tells me they're getting it - but sacrifices are necessary to do so.

... or a ewe...

Not everyone knows where "you are." It's marketing. Free advertising. Just like most big-name parks now put the park name on the fronts of coaster trains. So when selfies, newspaper photos, FB and Instagram and Twitter pics all get posted - they advertise the park. Not everyone knows where Mystic Timbers is... this way they'll know.

The cameras were up this morning, and I saw people walking tracks. I also noticed a smaller mobile crane in the transfer shed area. That all ads up to what I expect is an exciting day at the park... HOWEVER - it's a bit cold to cycle...

LOL, I bet I'll go down as the person with the biggest regret here... I opted to not ride The Bat. (the original) I watched it, but couldn't muster up the courage.

LOL, me pre-beard... Those were some fun times!

For those of you that may be interested - I uploaded a bunch of Winterfest park guides today. So far there's 1986-1992, but there's more to come as I dig through my files. It's actually hard for collectors to find the Winterfest park guides - much harder than the regular seasonal park maps/guides. Enjoy!

Thanks! There's plenty more to come... so much so it's overwhelming! :-) I'm enjoying sharing it!

With all due respect to Interpreter, it does need to be clarified that he was never privy to, or a part of, Management and decision making at the park. His statements, however leading, misleading, on point or vague were never based on official internal information. He was a spectator just like the rest of us. That having been said, I do find it odd that he suddenly dropped off - he devoured these boards. I've known the *real* guy behind the Interpreter for years, and I do hope he is ok.

The most notable - and memorable - shop to me was always the Bavarian Toy store. It was a specialty toy store that featured exclusives and foreign toys that were not available at *regular* US toy stores. Things made in West Germany, Sweden, Norway etc.