CoastersRZ

Ok thanks Dan. That`s what I thought was happening but I got a little confused. Thanks for clearing things up.

Well, I would like to have my post count transfered. I don`t know why, but I just would. So is this the end of PKIU? I thought that it was just being moved to a new server!?

Yeah, I agree. The Nick parade was pretty awesome. On top of that everyone I saw seemed to really enjoy the parade. I think the parade will be a tradition at PKi for years to come. I don`t think they will relocate their picnic grounds, they may remove a couple of the shelteres in favor of an expansion, but they`re not going to remove all of them. I could foresee the Antique Cars returning in some themed way to Nick Central in 2006. I could also see another Huss giant flat or some other manufacturer flat ride coming to the park in 2006 to compliment the Nick expansion.

Actually, the location of the PKI campground is close to the highway. Although a direct view is blocked by the Showace Cinemas and Kings Island Resort and Conference Center. They probably are discussing issues like described above, who will have access to it (although it would probably be only for guests staying at the resort, but they might offer discounts to season pass holders). It will certainly be interesting to see what develops. After seeing the one in Sandusky this summer, which seemed to be doing a pretty good business, I would imagine PKI would want the resort to be built as it would probably bring in guests. However, they probably don`t want to also loose their campground. If this is built, then there will be three waterparks within a ten minute drive of each other!

Cool, so if you have accounts with the same name on both, it erases all of your posts from over at PKIU? If you have a different screen name over on PKIU can you merge the accounts, and will the post numbers then be added? I look forward to seeing what details emerge from this test and what the future holds.

I wonder if Great Wolf could use that land. That land is still extremely close to the park. I could imagine why the campgroung would be a big sticking point. I don`t think the lodge will be ready by the end of the 2005 season if things are eventually ironed out in January. There simply wouldn`t be enough time to build everything.

I seem to recall that Premier Rides, the builders of FoF, Son of Beast`s trains and IJST, bought the US division of Togo, and pretty much shut it down. I`m not sure about Togo in Japan though. You might try searching over on RCDB for Togo and see what you can dig up.

Yeah, I can see how on a busy day, the Magic Kingdom`s midways would be packed. I was just impressed with the overall atmosphere in the Disney parks. I agree though, that Paramount Parks offers a full collection of rides, lots for the little kids and lots of major thrill rides.

There was some news about the Great Wolf Lodge in the News Brief section of the Local News section in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Here is the link to it online. Essentially, they have asked the city of Mason for an extension of the planned meeting until January, This is the second time since October that they have asked for an extension. The short article cited certain "open issues" with Paramount`s Kings Island. I can only imagine that those issues deal with the campground, and whether or not to relocate it as well as if PKI will sell the land to Great Wolf Lodges or lease it. Just thought I`d post this to update everyone since this thing has been out of the discussions and news for awhile.

Any idea on when we will be able to combine accounts/ a decision will be made on combing forums so that accounts can be combined?

While Kings Island has a lot of land to expand upon, a lot of that land is hilly and would take some adjustments for it to fit a midway for new rides. That includes a lot of the land in which The Beast sits on, There is room behind Tomb Raider, off towards White Water Canyon in which they could add a new ride or two. How they get the midway back there would be the question. Can`t go behind TR:TR because of the maintance road, and then on the other side there are the train tracks. I suppose they could somehow utlize the exit of White Water Canyon, but they would need to widen it big time if it would be the only way back to the new attraction. Most likely, expansion in the future will occur over by The Racer and Flight of Fear. Only time will tell where the park expands, but I don`t forsee them tearing down trees around The Beast anytime soon.

Yeah, I have to agree with Italianchef. Disney just blew me away when I went down to Orlando in June. The amount of theming and attention to detail in those parks is amazing. Also the service is wonderful there. All the cast members seem to care and value the customers. Now, before visiting Disney I would have said Paramount. But after visiting Disney, there is no way I would choose Paramount, even though Paramount`s Kings Island is still my favorite park. While PKI has many thrill rides, Disney just has fun, immersive rides with incredible special effects and atmosphere.

I think part of the food department`s service issues could be in part related to the volunteer program. I know that when I volunteered last year and was sent to Subway. One of the other volunteers with me was put on the cash register. Now granted it wasn`t a very busy day (Friday before Labor day) but he still had trouble and was slow at ringing things up. Part of the problem could be that people don`t want to work in foods when they can work in foods at any place outside the park, but that is no excuse. After going to Disney World, and seeing how efficiently they do their food stands, it does make PKI`s service and speed seem pathetic. But at Disney, they have to move quickly to get the amount of people they have through those restaurants.

To my knowledge, that option is not available yet. I believe that would only become an option if the forums from the two sites were combined, which as far as I know has not been decided upon yet. If this is wrong information, feel free to correct me, as I also would like to have my account merged if it is possible. I know that it is possible from various other posts, but I was under the impression that it would only happen if the forums merged.

I was wandering why every time I checked the main page over on PKIU why the topics hadn`t been changing. I was beginning to think there was nobody talking over there! I didn`t bother clicking on any threads, since one of my posts was the still liested on the main page. Nice to know ahead of time that the site will be experiencing some down time though, especially since it will be for the best of the site. Keep up the already great work with improving the sites!

When I went to Guaga Lake, back in 2002 when it was still under the banner of Six Flags, I was not impressed with it. Also, Cedar Point is quite awesome when it comes to landscaping and cleanliness. But PKI just has some sort of magic to it that makes it special to me. Yeah, they could use a little TLC with the bathrooms and more eco people to make it spic and span, but there is always room for improvement. Of all the parks I`ve been to, I`d rate PKI right up there with CP. Although both PKI and CP pale in comparison to the Disney parks in Florida. At least PKI is attempting to theme rides so that they are immersive, a lesser degree to what Disney does. Additionally, I don`t have a problem witht he food service. I just get the Cincinnati traditions LaRosas or Skyline. That is if I don`t leave the park and go up the road to Burger King or Skyline where it is much cheaper to eat, not to mention the fact that you get free refills at those places.

Of the rides that have been removed from PKI, very few are operating at other parks. Screamin Deamon had been operating at Camden Park until around 1999 then it was SBNO, until it was dismanteled a couple of weeks ago. The Flying Dutchman which was removed in 1990 was sent down to Kentucky Kingdom where it still operates. Obviously the Flying Eagles will operate at Carowinds. I believe that the Zodiac was operating somewhere in Australia (Dreamworld maybe). King Cobra would be at another park, if any other park wanted to buy it from the park, if it hasn`t degraded to the point where it isn`t structurally feasible. I can`t think of any other PKI rides that are operating at other locations.

Don`t forget about the Sunshine Turnpike, which was removed after the 1993 season I believe. The same season that McScrappy`s slide left if I remember correctly.

While I think the name of PKIC should prevail, I also think some of the content from PKIU should be transfered to PKIC like maybe the forums, but keep the rest of the content from here. Although, I must say the new update to these forums is prettty nice an makes me think about just keeping the PKIC forums, even though I have been a diehard PKIU fan.

She basicly said that she was hired to work on the park`s shows. But that she also mentioned that she did work on the theming. She said it was really exciting work. She hasn`t worked there for several years and now does residential stuff. However, she sadi that Jack Rouse Associates from Cincinnati, offered her a job several months ago. Jack Rouse is responsible for the transformation of Bubba Gumps at PKI, the Happy Days Diner at PKD and CBS Diner at PC. They also did the Reds hallf of Fame and museum. She told me that if I wanted information about them, she could put me in contact with someone at the firm. Other than that, she didn`t shed much light on the inner design workings at the parks.

I remember hearing a while back that Paramount Parks Design and Entertainment department was closed or scaled down. Does anyone else remember hearing this? As far as I can tell, PPDE is still in charge of the theming and design of new attractions. Or am I just simply thinking that PPDE is no longer in control of designing the shows for the parks because they now outsource that? The reason I ask is I interviewed an architect today, who helped design Flight of Fear (she helped design the station, the UFO and the inside of the hanger). Any way, she no left to pursue residential architecture, and she said during the interview that Paramount Parks no longer has an in-house design team. Does anyone care to shed some light on this subject if you know anything?

As a regular over at PKIU, and a very infrequent poster her on PKIC. I must say that the update to the forums with the new skins is very cool and "spiffy." Way to keep updating the already great site!

I wish I could have visited the park a final time this past weekend. But a stupid cold/virus and the fact that I spent all weekend working on my midterm design project didn`t allow for me to spare any time to visit the Island. Sadly, I will be on a massive architecture field trip on the east coast next weekend, and will miss the Island next weekend as well. I leave tomorrow and won`t return until around 11 on Sunday. Oh well. It will be a long off season, but I look forward to visiting the park in the spring and enjoying IJST.

No, PKI will never be a themer like the ones down in Florida or California. However, of the seasonal theme parks, PKI has perhaps some of the best themed rides. Flight of Fear, TR:TR, Scooby Doo, and next year IT:ST. Granted, those rides are not as extensively themed as the ones down in Florida and PKI`s maintenance of the thmings is sometimes lacking, they are truely distinguishing themselves as a theme park. I just wish PKI would work on cohesively theming the park, like it was in the early years. Like at Disney world, each of the different themed areas of the park feels like an entirely different area. True, PKI will never be a Disney or even be close. But PKI is making huge progress in the theming depertment. PKI is becoming the seasonal version of the Florida theme parks. Obviously, PKI does not have the capital to spend huge bucks on theming, because they are only open for seven months of the year. I believe that Sam Audiewcz(sp), the park`s current construction manager, used to work for Disney. I know someone at PKI used to have some sort of tie to Disney.

Is this the weekend that the free tickets they gave away at the tribute to 9-11 are good for? If so, that is a bummer for me because I hope to squeeze in a trip this weekend when I`m not working on drawings for my midterm design review. Due to a major architectural inspired field trip, I will be in Boston and on the east coast next weekend and will miss closing weekend, which is a bummer!