CoastersRZ

And remember that his impact is already felt on the parks. The Fast Lane is clearly a result from him, and it helps bring in additional revenue for the company. He clearly is an operations guy but understands the finances of the business. He clearly gets it and understands what needs to be done to continue to grow Cedar Fair as a company and make the parks prosper.

Indeed, that was very short. I wonder what the surprises will be. It also looks like he intends to embrace technology. Something that in the past, Cedar Fair has been reluctant to do.

Especially with a new CEO at the helm. I still find it odd that they want opening day so far back. If they could develop an early season festival, or push Music in the parks into April, I would think that they could pack people in during those first weekends, and in turn make lots of money. After all, a closed park is not making any money.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ride Warrior Weekend. It was an extremely fun event, even if I had to curtail my Sunday visit due to wrapping up my thesis at the time I`m not sure why KI hasn`t brought it back in some form or another. I know that besides Cedar Point, several other Cedar Fair parks host park events for enthusiasts. I would support an event at KI and be there for the entire thing if they were to bring it back. I would pay for an event like Coastermania at Kings Island. Nothing outrageous since I do have a Platinum Pass, but $10 to $20 (especially if a meal is included) is well worth it to me, if they have the amount of ERT that RWW had in 2009.

Very well written post, Gordon! Great to see you posting too! All very valid points and thanks for the comments about my post. Few people really understand the business operations aspect of amusement parks, and the removal of a ride is not a simple decision that any park takes lightly.

I think a ride like that or a ride like the Splash battle would be a huge hit at KI. Both would fill a need at the park that is currently unsatisfied, as Ty pointed out with the whole kid coaster comment.

I actually have never ridden a Chaos ride. They look like they could be fun, albeit a bit disorienting. Two of my favorite flat rides can actually be found at Coney Island. I love the Rock O Planes (one of the few rides left where riders can actually control their ride experience), and the Tempest. If the weight is distributed just right, the Tempest can be down right dizzying!

Rides come and go. Kings Island will be different ten years from now, just like the park was a much different place back in 2002. Rides come and go at all amusement parks. I don`t want to wear a rut in this topic, but at the time the ride opened, Tomb Raider: The Ride, was a unique attraction at a seasonal amusement park. I distinctly remember one day visiting the park, and the ride opening late because they were painting the bamboo queue line that used to lead into the cave. It indeed was an interesting ride concept, and rather unique. However, after all of the changes that have been made to the ride over the years, I do not bother to ride it on my visits to the park. At a certain point, a ride is just not worth the maintenance or labor costs that it takes to run and maintain a ride. While I hate to see any ride leave the park, I think the time for the Crypt to exit the building has definitely come. Only time will tell what, if anything, ends up replacing the ride.

Thanks again, J.D. for the wonderful thread and many never before seen historical pictures I always enjoy seeing the way the park was in its earlier days before I was born. I definitely enjoyed seeing this topic and all the wonderful comparisons you did. I`ve thought about doing something similar for Coney Island, just haven`t had the time to take the present day shots. Maybe this upcoming season, I will make it a point to do the comparisons. This is such a wonderful topic. Too bad it has to end now! Again, thanks for all of your hard work in this thread!

Facebook has its place. And KIC does have a Facebook page. But KIC has a place, and I don`t see it going away any time soon. Yes, Dane does the coding for the site. I do have some experience on coding (I have built ConeyIslandCentral after all and keep that pretty up to date). Granted, I have been a bit lax on the main page of that site. Coding/content takes some time, and can be frustrating at times. And given the time of year, and the attraction that is coming to KI next year, its not really surprising the traffic volume that KIC is getting right now.

Another great picture! I believe, on initial inspection, that the skyride station in the 1974 picture is in fact the Octoberfest station, just based on the background and elevation of the station floor to the midway. The building in kiddyland has a floor that is at grade with the surrounding midway and is not "elevated." like the one in the 1974 picture. Thanks again for all of these WONDERFUL, and often never before seen historical pictures of Kings Island. I just love this thread! Of course, I am also a history buff/geek when it comes to these things.

No, there were some issues with that slide. As I understand it, Coney hopes to open that slide in 2012, but have not heard anything definitive yet. I`ll keep you posted.

I think that the poster was referring to Coney Island, not Coney Mall at Kings Island. I do not know of anything new at Coney for 2012 at this point in time.

Yeah. They have several variations of the KI logo. Keep in mind that there is also the logo with the red text and the blue flag, with Kings and Island stacked on top of each other. Didn`t Spirit Song used to be the weekend after the 4th of July (or at least in July?)

Another excellent post Jesse! It is amazing the amount of friends that I have made through this site, and the memories that I have also made from trips to the park. Anyone remember that KIC Winter event back when Diamondback was being built? And that Coney Island presentation i gave? Yes, Interpreter, civil work can be quite fun. And I doubt many people picked up on your hint. I definitely can`t wait to get together again with the many friends I have made on this site sometime soon. Hopefully long before the park opens again. I had a lot of fun at that bowling event last January in Blue Ash! Maybe a repeat performance?

As "one of the guys that runs the site" I can attest to the fact that we are busy. We do have our own lives, and I have a girlfriend and a full time job that takes up a lot of time. (Whoever heard of a job requiring just 40 hours a week?) I know I have been posting a lot less than I used to. Mostly because I have just been really busy since the park closed. I still read things and post things from time to time. Besides, there is not a lot to see in terms of construction activity at Soak City, other than civil work. When they start forming concrete and building buildings, that is when I get excited, as someone who is in the architecture profession can attest to! I am eagerly awaiting amusement park season again. Granted, I am slightly spoiled by the fact that I got to ride some coasters this past weekend at Dollywood! I`ll try to post a little more often than I have the last few months, but can`t guarantee anything...

Jungle Jim`s is actually opening a second location, in Eastgate (east side of Cincinnati). The location will have a stationary monorail in the parking lot. The store is expected to open sometime next summer.

Q Investments plans to reduce its stake in Cedar Fair by about 30%. See more information here: http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424052748704221204577080541841321390.html?mod=BOL_twm_dept

The footing for that sky ride tower actually still remains in place to this day at the park. Recently, they`ve been covering it up with an old row boat that is turned upside down on top of it.

Ah. I remember those Five Star Attraction signs quite well. I`m not sure what all was considered a Five Star Attraction, but am fairly confident that the Eiffel Tower was one of them.

I agree with Jesse`s comments. I have been fairly absent from KIC here the last few months. Life has a way of catching up to you, and between my job and my social life, I have been kept pretty busy. I still pop in here from time to time and check the forums. I just don`t have as much free time as I used to...

As I understand it, only the new wavepool will allow inner tubes. But I could also see both wave pools allowing inner tubes. Honestly the last time I was swimming in Kings Island`s water park was the season pass preview weekend for Boomerang Bay, way back in 2004! I have walked through it a couple times since then though. I look forward to checking it out again this season, and swimming there... Its just a matter of finding the time to visit the water park when I don`t want to ride the rides... I still maintain that they need to add a couple new water slides to the park. This expansion will definitely help with closing the gap between the original water park and the 1997 expansion. The last renovation in 2004 helped bridge the gap between the original water park and the expansion.

True. But keep in mind that the Python at Coney only currently holds six people per train! Talk about a capacity nightmare!

Agreed. Unfortunately, I doubt I`ll ever see a wooden coaster at Coney, as long as I`m working there... But stranger things have happened.

It is a little surprising that they didn`t do a "rob" on the food stand. I know at Coney, we will typically do a "rob" on the rides ticket booth, if they start approaching that much money, simply because we don`t want the employees to have that much cash under their control, in case someone were to attempt to steal money from them...