johnjniehaus

Sorry to be the Negative Nellie here but at this point, if Kings Island thinks they are getting that golden ticket award back from Dollywood for best kids area they are plain stupid! Why did Dollywood get it to begin with? Because Dollywood's "kiddy coasters" are more like family coasters with low height requirements so that kids can ride but adults like them too. Kings Island kiddy coasters with the exception of Woodstock Express do not appeal to anyone over 48" because they aren't that good and once you're 4' tall you can ride stuff that is so much better. I personally don't want to see a snoopy racing railway clone because I don't think we really need another kiddy coaster that adults cannot ride and that will only hold the attention of guests under 48" (we already have 3 coasters in that department) Unfortunately, because of the way management and money goes, we're probably getting one because it was part of a multi year package deal type thing with the manufacturer. If they want to target kids but still make a coaster that's going to appeal to everyone than our management needs to start looking at Dollywood and give us a real family coaster that has a low height requirement like big bear Mountain. Something like that in The Vortex plot would be perfectly acceptable to me.

I've talked to numerous people about the ride coming back and alot of local people (non enthusiast friends) say they should leave the shooting aspect on the ride to keep it from being boring. I told them that a true story dark ride doesn't need guns or targets because the story is so solid. Now after watching the original Phantom Theater pov, I do think if it's brought back, the storyline should be a bit more clear/deeper and I think pulling in aspects from the show would help tremendously storyline wise with that. Don't get me wrong the old PT looked good, but for today's audience, the story would have to be really really strong coupled with great sets and animatronics to keep the ride popular with everyday guests if the shooting aspect was removed. (That's of course my personal opinion based on people I've talked to. Maybe my friends are in the minority)

I'm not sure if there's an easy answer to something like this. I guess the only way to make for certain this doesn't happen is to put lockers and detectors in every single que like Universal in Orlando does. (Which may I add is annoying but effective) I guess some people have pockets that don't hold stuff in while others such as myself have never lost an article on a ride but I don't expect park employees to say oh your pockets are too loose and oh yeah your's have a zipper so you're fine. I've only been hit by an article once and it was on space mountain at Disney world (so the impact was minimal)... whatever it was hit my hand and just felt like it got smacked but it didn't do any damage. Of course Disney has lenient rules about not having phones and cameras out on rides so I could see it being a bigger issue there than at other parks.

I personally have no clue how people lose phones out of pockets? I've ridden nearly 200 coasters around the country and I've taken a phone in my pocket on any that I was allowed to and never had an issue. You push it down in there and once you put down the lap bar or harness it's kinda smashed in your pocket. I know not everyone's pockets are the same but it's hard for me to believe that some people who lose articles out of their pockets never secured them in their pockets to begin with

Clones don't bother me but I find them to be more easily skipped seeing as I can technically ride that somewhere else. However, some rides were so good, they deserve to be cloned. Some of my favorite clones are PTC Woodstock Express clones, B&M Batman clones, Coney Island Cyclone clones, Hurler clones, B&M Superman clones, vekoma flying Dutchman clones, and premier spaghetti bowl clones. Obviously as mentioned above some rides such as bat KI and Vortex CW are nearly identical clones or Grizzly/Wilde Beast are as well and most any rides like that both rides are pretty good (one may run smoother/better than the other) Clones I'm not a fan of are 4d freespins (too short), wild Mouse clones (don't do much for me), vekoma SLC (painful), vekoma boomerang (most are painful and unoriginal), premier stunt car clones (don't do much), premier skyrocket 2 clones (not my fav), and Intamin Impulse clones (kinda boring to me)

I might be more inclined to purchase alien obduction insurance than insurance on a Kings Island ticket... Whatever happened to wait till the morning of after you know the weather and then buy a ticket online?

Most likely this is true and understandable and I don't begrudge them at all for the decision. I'm sure they had a budget to stick to... there's a reason nobody will ever hire me for one of those top dog jobs seeing as I'll be throwing money at nostalgic rides all day long Unfortunately it's true that HUSS has made some of the most unique rides out there but they come along with issues. Another example worth mentioning is Sledgehammer at Canadas Wonderland. That ride seems like it has a lot of downtime and whenever I was there had an entire arm closed off.

Sometimes as my grandpa says, you shouldn't fix what ain't broke. I know some people have said the prestige+ was a bad deal and that CF wasn't honest (I personally was a gold pass holder all these years so I really don't know the issues or what prestige customers faced) but I don't get what was wrong with the platinum pass or why it needed to be replaced by a new system. This year I upgraded my gold to platinum so I guess I'll be getting a gold card again next year with passport benefits. Wonder if I can use my KI Gold Pass with Passport for Canadian boarder crossings as well as entry to Canada's Wonderland?

What! I had no idea that Huss was still manufacturing Enterprise rides! I checked their website and it's listed amongst their classic rides. Alright Kings Island you might not have been able to get us a real Bisch-rocco flying scooter ride but you could have gotten a real enterprise and you gave us the knock off brand?! My normal park goer side says what the heck I rode sol.spin and I liked it enough and the whole area looks nice but my enthusiast side says you idiots why didn't you do it right and give us the real version of the ride (that is more enjoyable btw)

I was at Great Adventure last year and I don't ever remember seeing or riding a Condor ride at that park. I have ridden the one at Six Flags Great America and it's an amazing flat ride!

I never got a flyer and I've been a pass holder since 2011. I can't say I watch much TV so maybe they've had commercial spots for it but I can say I drive a lot and I haven't seen any billboard ads for Adventure Port. Anyone in my family/friends group didn't know that Kings Island had anything new for this year until I told them. As for this, I will be the one contacting park management and getting a t-shirt made for public protest at the park if fireworks are cut. I think there's a way to possibly cut production costs of the show itself by possibly shortening the show but axing it on weekdays entirely will not sit well with me. Once again, taking away park tradition is a big no no in my book. Also Kings Island is amazing for night rides and a 9pm close basically would coincide with dusk during the summer so I guess all the night ride fans will have to wait in the weekend lines to get their treasured night rides in. Comes back to the pay more get less deal that is unfortunately spreading across the amusement park industry. I'm still with you that Cedar Fair went above and beyond with the pandemic deal giving out the free year to pass holders. I still think very highly of Cedar Fair and I'm very grateful they did that for us and also that they have managed Kings Island pretty well through the years. However, I would like to see them uphold their gold standard in the industry by not making budget cuts resulting in closed rides and less hours. I mean Cedar Fair claims to be better than six flags (they even joke about it during winterfest shows) so if their goal is to be better than six flags, maybe they shouldn't be acting like six flags.

Haven't they seen how the pay more get less is working for six flags? I understand the water ride and Planet Snoopy cuts but as said already where does this end? Will we eventually be going to a park that half the rides are closed on any given day? Probably the most annoying to me, is The Racer report. Kings Island has maintained a high standard of The Racer actually races (unlike so many other parks that don't actually race their racing coasters) are you telling me I'm going to have to brave the weekend crowd to be able to race on The Racer? Something that you've been able to do at Kings Island for 50 years is now just becoming a weekend thing? I don't profess to know or understand all the economics behind the Cedar Fair decision making process but I do know that I absolutely hate when we get less for either the same amount of money or in the case of six flags they do cuts and then double their admission prices. I do think the park was poorly attended may-june as were other Cedar Fair parks I visited (Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Dorney Park all were not very busy in my opinion) Part of me wonders how much the chaperone policy affected the crowd levels and while they already had the money of season pass holders, those people aren't spending money on the food, games, or at the shops because they aren't there. Also, if they were thinking adventure Port was going to draw masses to the park they were wrong. I love adventure Port but I don't think it was advertised enough and frankly it's not something huge like a new rollercoaster or a one of a kind flat ride (like Canada's Wonderland builds) that people see a picture of and say "yes, I've got to go ride that ride!". Anyway, if the park/Cedar Fair is on hard financial times I really hope they can make the appropriate decisions but cutting rides starts getting into dangerous territory of you get less than you paid for territory which alienates long time park goers and results in backlash and boycotting of the park due to a lesser product.

Absolutely! I hope to get out there in Aug. Maybe by then they will have the Bayne Kurve running. Have you checked the park website recently? Earlier this week, quite a few rides were listed as closed...

I don't care how they do it (I'm open to many ideas) I just want them to bring it back! I think it would be just fine to build it from scratch in a different location however I'm perfectly fine if boo blaster gets axed as well. One thing for me is I would prefer phantom Theater not to have guns or shooting and to focus on characters, sets, and story much like it's inspiration The Disney Haunted Mansion does. (besides it would just feel wrong to shoot no -legs Larry!). I feel like they could do a really good job with a new phantom Theater by obviously including the classic sets and scenes but also adding additional dialogue or story (maybe even some of the encore show material/story could be used)

That's an interesting thought however, do you think there would be a high demand/fan base for phantom Theater at KD, Carowinds, of Wonderland? I mean it's almost like a cult classic here in Cincinnati but I don't believe any of the other parks ever had a "phantom Theater" did they?

So glad you got to venture out to Stickers Grove! Technically, seeing as I live in Harrison, OH it would be considered my home park but I have always given that title to Kings Island seeing as stickers isn't open very often. Teddy Bear as you said is a classic (literally an ACE Coaster Classic) but isn't that great. Tornado is where the money is at. I really enjoy that one for a figure 8 style woodie. Also, stickers electric Rainbow and pirate ship rides came from LeSourdsville Lake so it's kinda cool that they have lived on at stickers. I also think that strikers has a nice miniature railroad seeing as it has nice views of the river and the tunnel under the entrance road. Stickers is about closest thing I can get to Knoebles without driving 8hrs away...

Yeah makes you realize how big our country actually is! Figured I had to do this stuff while I'm young and free. Got to have something to tell any future kids and grandkids about some day...like "hey guys back in my day I went on rollercoaster road trips and I know that it's 2074 and you can sit in your VR home simulator and ride any rollercoaster on the planet but back in my day I actually rode the real things!"

Planet Snoopy needs quite a bit I think to bring it back to #1. I haven't been to Dollywood since 2014 but for pictures and what people tell me it's a really really beautiful park and the kids area deserves the golden ticket award. Part of me wonders if the ship has sail for KI holding the award for best kids area? Keep in mind that a day at Dollywood is double the price so they are making you pay for that better kids area. I'm just curious as to wether it's worth it to KI to continue the battle over the kids area or just let it go and focus on something else.... Also glad you enjoyed your trip and I agree with you that all the Dollywood coasters I rode were really good. Again it's been a very long time since I was there (really need to try and get back soon) but I remember thinking that TN Tornado was truly something special with the terrain and that first drop inside the mountain tunnel.

I'm not 100% sure about the whole camp snoopy thing. Been discussing some the the "rumors" with friends and it's come up numerous times that Planet Snoopy kinda needs a little something however I agree with Shaggy that it's not necessarily the rides, it's the atmosphere which is a more wood/forest setting which currently the number of mature trees in Planet Snoopy is rather low. Another concern that was voiced to me by some friends is wether long term Peanuts will still appeal to the younger generations. Sure my grandparents know everything about it and my parents know some about it and because I love older shows/movies I know about it but are most millennials really that into Peanuts? Millennials are the generation starting families now and if they aren't into Peanuts it's probably safe to assume that their kids and the next generation won't really know that much about them either. I say it's at least something to consider whether long term Peanuts is what is going to be marked for the kids area at Cedar Fair parks. As for my hopes for next year, I personally hope we see a phantom Theater return since it's kinda been teased last two years and boo blaster is in such bad shape. It would be really great if they could reconfigure the que to connect to I-Street instead of Planet Snoopy but even if they continue utilizing the old entrance, I think that phantom Theater deserves a return as the Kings Island dark ride. I would like to see some attention to Planet Snoopy (possible revamp/theme and new ride/coaster addition) however, I think that is too much to ask for in a single year. I would like to see a two year plan comprised of one year is spent on phantom Theater project and the other is spent on camp snoopy revamp idea. That would really bring new life and excitement back to that side of the park.

Alright tonight I saw PTE for the second time and I think it's an absolutely amazing show and I will be greatly disappointed if the phantom Theater ride doesn't somehow return to the park. Seeing the direction of the park with tying in nostalgia with new themes I would think a Phantom Theater revival would be right up their alley. For example they brought back the antique cars, sol spin is a modern Skylab, cargo loco pays homage to the keggers, and they even brought in a lesser version of flying eagles to Planet Snoopy. Even the re-tracking of racer and beast, the organ restoration on Grand Carousel, and the theming enhancements to Adventure Express show how the park is trying to restore some of the older rides to former glory while paying homage to defunct rides by building their modern equivalents. Also, has anyone noticed that Boo Blasters is in exceptionally bad shape this year? Like I've gotten so many broken blasters and I've even got blasters now that set off the targets and don't actually compute the score. Animatronics are broken, all sound and theme has been removed from the que, the strobe lights at the end don't work and service lights seem to be on during certain parts of the ride. If the plan is to give boo blaster the axe, that could explain why they're kinda letting it fall into disrepair. I got to see Adventure Awaits this evening as well. It was a really good follow up to the 50th anniversary show however, I found the song to be just ok and the audio was kinda bland and generic (smoothing about memories). The lazers and the drones look amazing this year and even the fountain had some cool choreography.

I generally trust manufacturers however the actual maintenance of the ride is on the park. It's really terrible that this happened... Obviously this is not the first time that a derailment has occurred but this one was obviously much worse than most. I mean for example, The Bat at Kings Island derailed last year I believe. Is that on Arrow Dynamics? I don't think so...it's ran for nearly 30 years with no issues. I have to assume it's on the park at that point. Can we also point out that safety standards on certain rides perhaps were less strick in times past and that some are probably grandfathered into the system. For example if Cedar downs Racing Derby was built today, would it operate without seatbelts? I get that freak accidents happen but instances should be investigated and more than likely this particular coaster will never come back from this. Even if somehow they managed to get it "safe" and operational again it will always carry the stigma that someone was killed in this accident

So I drove 8hrs on Sunday to Charlotte to have all day at Carowinds on Monday, then drove most of the night to get to Kings Dominion Tues. Stayed till ten and got a hotel. Dominion and Six Flags America are probably only 2hr or so apart so I got there easy Wed. Left SFA around 5pm and drove 3hrs and got room in Hershey PA. Drove an hour to Dorney Park Thur and left around 6 to get to my room in Ithaca NY. Got up at 5am of Fri and drove 5 hrs to Toronto for Wonderland and stayed till 10. Got a room right by park. Sat morning drove about 1hr 30min to marineland stayed for 3 hrs and drove to Darien Lake and stayed from 3-7 and rode all coasters and moose on the loose. Then I stayed in Jamestown NY. I actually hit Cedar Point for 3 hrs on the return journey Sunday...

Just saw phantom Theater encore today and I'm kicking myself for never checking it out last year. I thought it was a really good show and I'll be sacrificing prime ride time to see it a few more times before the season ends. My grandma and aunt were with me today and my aunt said that while.she couldn't remember the ride she still remembers all the characters and of course my grandma remembered the ride much better than my aunt. As Maestro said in the show "adults loved it, children loved it, so of course they closed it....is that boo thing still going on over there?" Anyway the show and the new phantom Theater encore merch looks really good. I really really hope that they bring back the ride at some point because not only does the original look like a load of fun but the show was pretty great as well!

Just saw the show for the first time today and it was really good! I'm kicking myself for never checking it out last year...merch looks awesome too! Which shopping location has it?

Wow I remember the "Christmas lights" display as I called it as a kid. Always wondered why they stopped it. Does anyone remember what year they did away with it altogether? It's just something that I remember and then have forgotten about since and can't really go back and say I noticed exactly when they did away with it