CoastersRZ

That was funny, and really good!

There are ways around some issues with ADA. And keep in mind that there is a new version of the ADA out right now, that has even tighter restrictions than the former one that came out in 1991. Remember, that on the conference call, they made mention of setting aside some money to bring the parks up to the current ADA standards for next year. Yes, repaving the parking lot would cost a lot of money. But if they phase it over a couple of seasons, it won`t be that much. The parking lot as it stands now is in deplorable shape. The main drive aisles are full of pot holes, that you have to dodge when entering. All they have been doing so far is piecemeal patches. Over time, if nothing is done, the paves surface will return back to a gravel state... And Action Zone (save for the little bit of Oktoberfest that is still there and International Street) will be the only area of the park that hasn`t seen a major face lift since Cedar Fair took over control of the park... Boomerang Bay used to fit that category, but that will change for next season when the park is rebranded as Soak City. Just a little thing to ponder as 2012 comes nearer and we start talking about 2013...

I had a TON of fun when I visited Sea World Orlando last December. The park is exquisite with landscaping throughout, and just an overall nice park. The crown jewel, at least when I visited was Manta though. A fabulous ride, and exactly how flying coasters were meant to be. I may just have to go back when this new attraction opens in 2013!

Well, in all honesty, Blackberry`s are kind of on their way out. The firm that I work at has four users (its a company of about twenty to twenty five), who still are on older Blackberry`s. They likely will be swamped out to phones based on the Android OS or iPhones in the coming months. Especially with some planned server upgrades scheduled before the end of the year. (Being the IT guy at a firm has some drawbacks, like when email crashes, lol. But in general, I like the added responsibilities (and job security)). I have the current ap on my phone. I can`t say that I used it all that much on my visits to the park. Part of that is, I had trouble picking up 3G in the park with any consistency this summer. My suggestion would be for the park to either improve their cell coverage in the park, or, and this is the preferred option, to make available FREE WiFi spots throughout the park. Look how many places now offer free WiFi. Practically almost all of your restaurants offer it. Starbucks, Panera Bread, McDonald`s (newer ones anyway), Frisch`s Big Boy, Bob Evans, Steak `N` Shake, to name a few. I`m sure that using past precedent, Cedar Fair would likely try to charge for it, which would be a mistake, IMO. If anything, it will keep more people in the park longer, as they won`t feel the need to leave the park to check their email, or get the latest sport update. It amazing how addicted we have become to technology! I`ll get off of my soap box now. Its been a while since I posted here. I`d like to start posting here more often, if I can find the time! There just aren`t enough hours in the day!

What kind of show would you like to see besides a musical revue, Interpreter? And isn`t Snoopy on Ice, not technically a musical review? Yes, it has songs in it, and the skaters skate to the music, but they are not singing in it. Too bad the shows can`t return to the quality that they were in the early KECO/Taft days. Escapades anyone?

Nope. All the trains come off of all the coasters. They tear the trains apart, inspecting all the parts. Most of that work is done in the warmth of the maintenance buildings around the park. Once re-assembled, most of the trains will wait out the winter months under the shelter of the picnic grove shelters.

Its always sad to see rides getting ready for their winter hibernation!

Hmm. That is interesting, and certainly could make cash handling at concession stands easier since workers do not need to make change. However, I sense that there will be quite a bit of a learning curve with this new system. How many people will forgo that impulse buy of a pretzel because they don`t have a Wally card or a credit card? Certainly an interesting concept to say the least. It will be interesting to see how it works and is received by the public.

Yes, provided the temperatures are warm enough, the rides will be open. Including the roller coasters...

And who was selling it? You`d be surprised how many things parks keep in bone yards. Some of us have been able to go through some "storage" areas for amusement parks. It simply is amazing the amount of stuff that parks hold onto. Yes, Jungle Jim`s is quite the repository for old KI artifacts. I wonder if the new Jungle JIm`s location slated to open around early summer next year will feature anything besides one of the former monorail trains towering over the parking lot...

If I`m not mistaken, Zimmerman is one of, if not the only, GM level and higher up executives that were part of Paramount Parks when the Cedar Fair acquisition happened that is still with Cedar Fair today. Interesting that it took Cedar Fair so long to name a new COO.

Cheaper tickets can be bought online at the park`s website. Additionally, Friday nights are cheaper than Saturdays to begin with. Furthermore, some local businesses (I believe Taco Bell, and even Skyline Chili) have discount coupons available within the stores...

Interesting. I wonder what ride they are taking out. I hope to get out to Holiday World next year and experience Splahin` Safari. I`ve made four visits to Holiday World, and never once actually been on any of their water slides...

I still remember when passes bought in the fall used to include unlimited visits the rest of the remaining season, and all of next season... And, I believe that some parks like Cedar Point do not even grant you one free ticket to use your pass for the fall like KI does...

The big issue I have with both the WindSeekers, Dinosaurs Alive! and the renaming of our water park, is the parks are losing some of their local flavor, identity and sense of place. The parks are losing their unique identity and become almost carbon copies of each other. Sure, there are some economies of replicating something that is tried and true.. And yes, DA! did debut first at Kings Island. But as is often the case when eating at fast food restaurants, there is not much in the design of the architecture or interior finishing/decorating that leads to any indication of where the restaurant is located. You could be in the middle of Ohio or the middle of Georgia and have no clue based on the architecture... Now, off of my rant. Its good to see that Cedar Fair is continuing to invest in its parks... And if any one doubted the success of DA at KI, the fact that it is being added to at least three other CF parks for next year (Dorney, CP, and KD) proves that it was a big hit and money maker at KI. One that will likely be around for a long time...

Well, the land is owned by the city of Santa Clara. Cedar Fair simply had a long term lease on the land. So I would assume that the sale price includes all assets that are located on the leased land. It is good that the proceeds will be used to pay down existing debt for Cedar Fair. Yes, it is sad that a park like this is leaving the Cedar Fair family (and means that a Platinum Pass is not quite as valuable as it once was). But hopefully it means that Cedar Fair is in a better financial position than they were in prior to the divesture of the park. If I had to have my choice, and if KI ever gets a B&M inverted, I`d rather KI get a brand new design, than a relocated design from another park. Just saying...

I will likely be at the park on Saturday, and then again on Sunday with a very good friend, for P&G day...

Kings Island used to do season pass preview days before opening to the public every season back in the day. It was a dry run day, and often allowed the new employees to get their bearings, when there aren`t single day paying customers in the park... Unfortunately at KI this has gone by the wayside. I believe that Canada`s Wonderland still does a preview day in the spring...

While that is generally the case, there are some circumstances that have happened this year, which resulted in the train progressing too far into the breaks before the unload station. When that happens, the normal block system override will not work, as the operators cannot clear the train out of the unload station. The only way to fix that is to have maintenance release the brake under the train just outside of the unload station.

I actually have ridden Cheetah Hunt. I`d say that the ride isn`t really that intense. It is a pretty graceful ride, with the best part being the run through the ravines/trenches when the trains make a series of alternating curves... I think it would be a nice fit for Holiday World`s first major steel coaster...

Yeah, I see that now. I also see that admission into Soak City will be included with 2012 Gold Season passes. It also looks like they will be able to sell tickets at the new entrance building, which is something that the current set up at Boomerang Bay did NOT allow for. Only pass holders or those with pre-purchased tickets could enter the Boomerang Bay gate. I just hope that one of these days they don`t make Soak City a separate gated water park. And hopefully, they will add a water slide or two in the coming years. All in all, still a sound investment in the park, in my opinion.

Where exactly is the action river going? From the sounds of it, this action river is in addition to the existing lazy river, which will remain. But I do NOT see it depicted in that rendering. If it is in addition to the existing lazy river, than I`m all for it. But if it is just a revamping of the current wave pool, that would be disappointing. I hope that Soak City remains free for pass holders and single day ticket holders as well! Otherwise, they could have some angry customers on their hands. It appears as if this wave pool is going in the parking lot, which means that the park is going to have to rework the employee entrance. WIll they keep the entrance lined up off of Columbia Road? Or move it to KI Drive? I can see some major tie ups if they try to move it to KI drive and don`t do it right. The new entrance from the parking lot looks a lot nicer than the current entrance, which still looks like a makeshift entrance. We`ll see if they actually add the landscaped area and trees into the parking lot. I agree that Kings Island`s water park could use some new water slides to boost capacity. Hopefully, they will do that in the coming years, especially on the wave pool side of things, where slides are a bit sparse. The cabanas are a big way for the park to make money, and those will be located around the wave pool. Overall, nothing too impressive, but nice to see a $10 million investment nonetheless. I likely won`t go to the water park. Heck, I`ve only been once to Boomerang Bay since 2004, and that was the first weekend Boomerang Bay opened in 2004! I still have yet to ride the new Twister slide at Sunlite Pool which opened in 2009 at Coney Island!

It always amazes me how addicted some people are to texting and their phones that they will carry their phones through the haunts. What is the big deal that you have to tell your friends that instant? It can wait five minutes can`t it? Especially if you just waited in a long line to experience said attraction!

And I for one hope they don`t rename Boomerang Bay. At the rate Cedar Fair is going, all of their parks will be merely identical with no local flavor or identity. WindSeeker or Dinosaurs Alive anyone? At least they have given most of their major coasts unique names. There is only one Firehawk, Diamondback, Behemoth, Leviathon, Stinger, etc.

There are a lot of parks down in Florida to visit. I would love to make it to Legoland. I love Legos as a kid. Sadly, I`m all grown up now, and haven`t spent any time with them in years! (I have looked in the architecture series some over the last full years, but never pulled the trigger on buying them). Definitely, a visit to WDW is not complete without a stop at Magic Kingdom. I don`t think I`ll be back down to Disney until that new ride opens. I`m glad MK is getting some attention in the form of new attractions. Now the other parks need to follow suit as well. BTW, Manta is an AWESOME ride at Sea World.