RingMaster

Considering WDW already has their hands full with the Fantasyland expansion, I don't see them attempting to compete with Universal/Harry Potter for another six or seven years. Unless, of course, they decide to gobble up the Twilight franchise and make a multimillion dollar recreation of Forks, Washington and a wicked new ride system detailing the perils of one Bella Swan.

Apparently the line just to get into the actual Wizarding World reached out of Islands, through CityWalk, and towards the parking garage on Opening Day. Mind you, this is just to get into the AREA, not just the new ride itself. Disney must be shaking in its boots right about now.

Wow, that sign is GINORMOUSLY HUMONGOUS. I wonder if Viacom is going to be mad they put the Blue's Clues paw on the two columns, though...

Really? You mean like that concrete paradise they put in, known as Action Zone? I think the Paramount acquisition was the beginning of the end for theming and it never really came back. Don't get me wrong, KI is still a very beautiful park relative to many others. But after going to parks like Knott's, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Disney, you get a big reality check. I think KI has a good blend of thrills and theming, but they could certainly improve on it. And considering Knott's is in the same company that Kings Island is, you would expect more of what KBF does theme-wise to be peppered throughout the rest of the chain. Instead, we got every Halloween event (save for Cedar Point, not surprisingly) renamed to the Haunt but has almost none of the charm or creativity that the original has (and worse, using shock value to try to get national recognition, like Pagoda said with Steve McNair and the skeleton display). And add to it that even Knott's Berry Farm is starting to feel the relapse of Cedar Fair's rule as scenery and thematic areas are being bulldozed over to make way for big thrill rides to compete with other amusement parks (see Xcelerator and Silver Bullet as examples). But they are making good strides in making the park look nice in some aspects. I really like the new pavers in International Street and hope that they git rid of ALL of the blacktop paths in the near future, and I thought Planet Snoopy was really well done and looks a heck of a lot better than Nick Universe did. It's just that I wish they spent more on making the park look BEAUTIFUL instead of just nice, and work on bringing the CREATIVE aspects of Knott's Halloween Haunt to ours, instead of spending money on flat-screen TVs as menu boards and venue set pieces, or splashing bathtubs of blood onto a maze and trying to make it "edgier and more mature than before".

Today marked the first time I went up to the park this season, so while everything here is old news to the lot of you, it was all new to me! I was there from a little after 10:30 in the morning to about 7 or so, so a review of the Starlight Spectacular is out of this particular report. Also, the group I was with wasn't particularly interested in the shows they had available to offer (and the ice show was off today), so reviews of them are out as well. Anyway, on to the report... ....the first thing I noticed upon arrival is the new queue rails stationed in front of the ticket booths. Instead of simple ropes from previous seasons, these are permanently fixed into the ground. A sign detailing where the line actually begins is nice, too. Now if they would only give the GR associates speakerphones so that people can hear when the next booth is open. We grabbed our tickets (as part of UFCW today was their Member Appreciation Day and tickets were only 30 bucks per person) and proceeded to the metal detectors...which were turned off. I knew they were off when my cell phone and my wallet (my Rolling Stones one from 2005 with the metal chain attached) didn't go off. Seriously? Even though it was essentially a slow day at the park (lines for us never reached past 45 minutes), normally the detectors are on and remain on all day, every day. At least, they were last season up until after the 4th of July. But since they were off this early in the regular season I would assume they've been off for quite a while. They didn't even bother checking my bag even as I motioned to give my bag to the security guard standing at the opposite side. If they're not gonna have them on from time to time or if at all during the season, then get rid of them. Having them just sit there turned off gives me that false sense of security when I enter the park, saying, "Oh hey, if the metal detectors are turned off and they're not checking bags, then they must not care that much about guest safety." .....okay, rant #1 over. Back to the report! I absolutely LOVE the new pavers on International Street. I literally took a step back and did a Keanu for a second. The fact that they also had them go all the way up to Planet Snoopy from both sides was really neat, too. Speaking of Planet Snoopy. WOW. Just WOW. I personally think it looks WAY better than Nick Universe did back when it debuted in 2006, and I really liked what they did with NU. But Snoopy just blows it out of the water. This is reminiscent of Toon Lagoon at Islands of Adventure, what with the pop art, bright colors, and warm atmosphere. Gone are the slime green and orange that was everywhere, replaced with shades of blue...that are everywhere. But it's okay with me. The character flags on the post are simple, yet effective, and even though the new PS sign is still undergoing construction, it looks massive in person. I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's finished. Some highlights: Surf Dog - I got a kick out of the big lifeguard chair with Woodstock on top. The new design on the car itself makes it stand out a lot more than it did with Avatar (I guess considering the fact that a giant 2D billboard no longer sits on top of it). Great Pumpkin Coaster - The giant mural painted on the front of the former Enchanted Theater looks incredible (did I mention it was GINORMOUS?) in person. Snoopy vs Red Baron - I love how the old Dick Dastardly planes made a comeback, and I like the Snoopy/Flying Ace statue on top of the infamous red doghouse. If there are any drawbacks to Planet Snoopy, it would be that most everything does, in fact, have Snoopy in the title. Considering the legacy of the Peanuts, it's a shame to see the majority of characters get put aside just so the dog can have all the glory (although this is Snoopy we're talking about). Also, the same complaint I had about the overuse of green and orange remain, though now it's blue. A LOT of blue. It's...a bit too MUCH blue for one area. But those are minor complaints. So now we come to the real reason we were in Planet Snoopy - Boo Blasters on Boo Hill Boo Boo's Blasters. Whoa. This was very...interesting to ride. It's not too terribly different from Scooby's Haunted Castle, save for the last half of the ride, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a BAD ride. However, some of the effects weren't on at the time of my riding. For instance, the famous fogscreen of Boocifer halfway into the ride was completely off, and a good three to four scenes had no lights on (the black lights), which was very weird. The skeleton scene, however, was working to its full extent, complete with that ear-piercing scream that scared so many kids (I'm assuming it was turned down a bit, but it's pretty loud when I rode it). Some complaints I have with the ride are the same complaints I had back when it was Scooby's Haunted Castle (and no, the 3D glasses being sold for a dollar aren't one of them, even though I didn't buy any). Several targets are positioned very far away from the cars as well as a few of the bigger scenes. It feels like I'm not completely immersed in the experience in the same way I was when I rode Haunted Mansion for the first time at Disneyland (or, for that matter, Phantom Theater in its heyday). And as a sort of double-edged sword, the guns (least the one I had) still don't function properly. Half the time I have to lean out of the car just to get a hit on a target that's literally a foot away from me! And then not even halfway into the ride, my gun won't register any of the targets I'm aiming at. I guess that's also due to the fact that I still can't see the individual laser beam at all. I think a more powerful beam should be implemented so as I can see where exactly I'm aiming at without guessing. Also, I think it's time they did away with the small targets and actually do what Men In Black Alien Attack does with their targets and actually have the whole ghost be the target (Alien Attack does this by embedding the target inside the alien so that when fired at, it registers as an actual hit). But other than that, it's a very fun ride and is much more detailed now than before. Some other small things I want to touch on before I end this report: Backlot Stunt Coaster - I knew about the cars being stripped of their MINI license, but actually, that didn't bother me in the least. Cars used for major stunts are usually stripped to the bare essentials (mostly interior, but you get the point) to function properly; it kind of makes sense now that I have seen them with my own eyes. What's weird though is the fact that the rear taillight covers are still on the cars whereas the front headlights aren't. The helicopter now just rotates on its axis about 45 degrees horizontally, and the main rotor has been slowed down quite a bit (the rear rotor still spins at its normal holy-crap-it's-the-blender-from-Heck speed). But the ride still packs quite a punch and the helicopter scene is still amazing. I would suggest getting new (empty, of course) gas tanks to put by the flame effects; the ones they have now have DEFINITELY outstayed their welcome. Oh, and all of the water in the aqueduct is gone. WHA?! I was shocked to see no water in it, but then I realize most aqueducts these days are mostly dry (though I'm surprised that it isn't somewhat filled up thanks to all the torrential rain we've been receiving the past couple days). Flight of Fear - The on-ride photos are BACK. I missed the giant flash of light as soon as you launched out of the station. I know it's really meant to be a camera taking your picture, but to me it's another awesome way of saying you've gone into the next dimension when looking at it from the actual station (the flash is also a LOT brighter than before). Not to mention the ride spiels and the innocuous bass of the saucer itself pumping throughout have returned to further enhance the experience the ride has to offer. Today's ride reminded me of why Flight of Fear is my favorite ride in the entire park. Firehawk - Despite waiting the longest for this ride, it was a surprisingly short wait compared to other times in past seasons. I guess the ride is finally being good to its handlers. Son of Beast - Yes, it's closed. I know that. However, even though the entrance to the ride is cut off at the front by where Flight Deck's entrance is, access is still possible down further by the overlook where all the switchbacks are. I hope the park looks into that and blocks that off, as it would be real easy for someone to just hop over the fence and walk up to the station at their convenience (they could do the same thing towards the front but then there would be too many witnesses). Outer Hanks - I'm not that big a fan of the new doors. Detracts from the overall aesthetic the building has to offer. It wouldn't be that much of a bother if the front of the facade WASN'T COMPLETELY EMPTY. Everything is gone, including all the benches and I believe the few big planters that were also in front of it (I think the mailboxes are gone as well, but I wasn't paying too much attention to it as I was more inclined to riding Racer at that particular time; someone correct me if I'm wrong here). Cleanliness - The park is very clean. VERY clean. Despite not seeing a huge amount of yellow shirts milling about, the park remained spotless the entire time I was there. And no, I'm not just saying that because I was once a Park Services employee, it really was spotless the whole time (and to further prove the point, the regular park trash cans remained empty, whereas the Food Service cans remained full ). Okay, NOW I'm done with my report. Thank you for your time.

But if worst comes to worst and Cedar Fair begins selling off parks in the near future, Kings Island and Cedar Point will remain theirs for as long as possible. Considering the fact that the park still has a lot of unused land in their grasps means that there's room for several big-ticket thrill rides that can be installed to try to compete with the juggernaut that is Cedar Point. Six Flags tried doing it with Geauga Lake but realized you don't add so many rides/coasters into one park within an extremely short amount of time and not allow guests to adjust to new surroundings before they feel overwhelmed, let alone do it in a park that is both normally geared to family crowds and not already a competitor with a major amusement park. Which is where Kings Island comes in. The park already has several big-name rides under its belt and is a well-known park worldwide. Not to mention it sits close enough to the Point to really deal some damage, so to speak, instead of being on the other side of the country (see Magic Mountain). KI was the golden egg out of the former Paramount Parks and people about fell head over heels when they heard they were up for sale in 2006. Too bad Cedar Fair swooped in and snagged them up before anyone had a chance to catch their breath. Now with the monopoly in Ohio with three two major parks, they don't have to worry about anyone stepping in to pick a fight on their doorstep, especially after Six Flags nosedived into near bankruptcy and sold off several parks (which, not surprisingly, Cedar Fair picked up GL soon after Six Flags put IT up for sale and has reduced it to a mere water park). Worst case scenario (and this is in the realm of major conspiracy theory here, people) is that the same thing might happen to Kings Island by closing it down or drastically reducing it to near nothing if it means Cedar Point gets to remain alive for another decade or two. Sorry to say it, but the Point is the flagship park of the entire company, and I'd be willing to say that everyone else is going to suffer if it means Cedar Point is the last one standing. But that's only IF current management stays where it's at (that and if pigs actually can fly). Maybe that's what Jack Falfas saw in the company and decided he didn't want any part of it. Or worse (or better), after leaving Cedar Fair, he decides to take control of the very company the Fair has had major quarrels with for the past two decades - Six Flags. With two former allies now enemies taking the reigns of the two largest park chains in the country, it may be a new era of the Coaster Wars. Perhaps Six Flags might decide to go back to the Kentucky Fair Board and get Kentucky Kingdom back and slowly build it up to become a formidable opponent to Kings Island like the old Six Flags tried to do in the 90s. And to think that just a few months back, the very possibility of said two companies merging to become a super-ultra-mega-ginormous monstrosity of an amusement park chain with 35 parks (which would probably by drastically reduced to a mere 17 or 19 by major cutbacks) would have been a disastrous reality had Cedar Fair and Apollo got their way. I guess we should be glad that hypothetical Q never received an A. ....by the way, everything I just typed in this long-winded post is pure, speculative fiction. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT take anything I have just said as fact. This is mere hypothetical postulation from a single member who looks at the world from a very...odd position.

I really hope my hypothetical postulation of Falfas becoming the Six Flags CEO doesn't come true, if what TPA says is true.

Department heads have gold name badges as well, mainly those in Operations or Resale. The ones you see walking around with ties but are in business attire? Those are full-timers with gold tags.

Paramount did the same exact thing prior to being bought by Cedar Fair by gearing more towards families than thrill seekers. I guess people (more enthusiasts than regular guests) complained because they somehow believed it wasn't the right thing to do and the park should rather go the route of Cedar Point or Magic Mountain and just stick to building coasters...perferably Beemers.

Remember when people used to call sodas fountain drinks? .....yeah, neither do I.

A full-time associate (the ones with gold nametags) walking around with a pan and broom. Except the pan and broom were in BOTH HANDS and not just one.* *Park Services people should find this funny.

I'd still be willing to bet if they start selling 3D glasses at the Haunt for CarnEVIL (or whatever 3D maze they have if they ever decide to finally put the former out of its misery) they're gonna raise the price up to two or even three dollars.

Kinzel - Cedar Fair CEO Falfas - Six Flags CEO I see interesting things happening if this is potentially the case in the near future. Hypothetically, of course...

Maybe they realized waiting until February to start rehauling the kids' area was a bad idea and they have to work through the regular season to finish up. Though, why they decide to start work on a new sign NOW, during the regular season, and not in the pre-season where a lot more work can be done during the week (which is why major work on Haunt doesn't start until after Labor Day Weekend) is beyond me.

Imagine how much Mr. Kinzel would make if fountain drinks were suddenly free.

In recent years, lines have been half of what they used to be in the 90s, and, even though I'm 21, I still remember days when we would go to the park and see lines for The Beast reach back towards Rivertown Larosa's. On any normal Saturday these days, the line rarely reaches past the entrance sign. But yeah, you went in the middle of the week on a really slow day, so a lot of rides will have either small lines or be completely walk-on...unless you want to ride Firehawk or Diamondback. Given the fact D-Back is new (and it's a Beemer) means it will have a longer line than say, Vortex or Invertigo. And since Firehawk takes longer to load and unload given its unique setup (I will not say it's the crew because they have one of the best ride ops and workers in the park), lines will be longer for that, too. And I also assume that people assume Beast is rougher is because they haven't been able to ride Sonny this year because he got put in time-out for being a bad kitty...

I didn't get a chance to see the '03 or '04 displays because I was out of town on both those nights (Michigan in '03, Gatlinburg in '04), but I remember people talking about the Eiffel Tower fireworks. Man, if they had during the '05 display as well......

"Attention all base personnel, the Time Travel meeting has been rescheduled for last Friday at 0800 hours. Repeating, the Time Travel meeting has been rescheduled for Last Friday at 0800 hours, that is all." "Attention all base personnel, code red. Will the thermonuclear hazard team please report to Hangar 18 for immediate deployment. Repeating, code red. Will the thermonuclear hazard team please report to Hangar 18 for immediate deployment, that is all." I can't remember the rest, but I should 'cause I've ridden it/been in that area so many dang times.

I've ridden it both with the lights on and with the lights off, and I mean ALL the lights off. No show lights or anything. Riding it in pitch black is the freakiest thing ever, because you have NO CLUE where you're at or where you're going. I actually like FOF better than Diamondback. Yes, you heard me right. BETTER than Diamondback. But only because of the whole experience and added theme to it. I love D-Back because it's smooth and gives out amazing amounts of airtime, but FOF is a twisted, mangled mess of a coaster that's indoors and is themed to a government conspiracy reminiscent of the cheesy 50s B-movie alien/monster flicks (cheesy sci-fi music and all).

I don't see Cedar Fair selling off Kings Island as an individual asset. Ever. They have two of their most profitable parks under their belt and in the same state; either one is sold off and that just means they're back to competing with each other. This comes as a double-edged sword in a sense. On the one hand, having to compete with a thrill park that specializes in coasters (or having an owner that loves coasters) means that the focus will go towards that and that only and will risk alienating large swaths of paying customers should they not like white-knuckled thrill rides. See Six Flags Worlds of Adventure; they pumped out five coasters in two years to go up against the Point, yet they overexpanded too early while the massive summer crowds that were expected never came, and thus they had to shut down. On the other hand, no competition from outside properties (at least, ones that can even compete with a park of reasonable caliber, ie: Kings Dominion vs Busch Gardens Williamsburg) means that either very little effort is made to upgrade or enhance current ride experiences. See Kings Island; we've already discussed about the lack of attention to thematic upkeep on some of the former Paramount rides, and it's partly because there isn't another property with similar rides and thematic experiences that KI has close enough to compete and challenge the park to think outside the box (the only one that's even remotely close that is roughly the same caliber is two states down in Pigeon Forge). The same could go for the park's Halloween event, but that's for another topic at another time.

Hopefully the smoke doesn't block the fireworks from view like it did last year. And even still, KI's 4th of July fireworks display has been very lackluster in recent years, almost like a regular nightly show but extended an extra ten minutes. I still think 2005 was the best one they've done with three separate launch areas.

Here's to hoping nothing ELSE will go wrong after the new boats arrive.

Kosmac even said the ride was boring and looked liked it was thrown together That's coming from a guy who loves Diamondback to DEATH. I'm not surprised he'd put down any other coaster in the park.

If it ever does reopen and is redone but still maintains the massive lift hill and first drop, it should be renamed MAMMOTH. That's what I kind of wished the coaster should've been called back then, with cheesy marketing gimmicks such as, "It's a mammoth of a coaster" or "It's a mammoth-sized ride". I always believed The Beast to be some kind of saber-tooth tiger that's managed to be alive after all these years. Maybe it was the result of being thawed from ice (like every cliched story of thawing a caveman) by a nearby government facility *cough*X-Base*cough* and the creature escaped. MAMMOTH is another attempt at bringing back an extinct animal, maybe even something to actually go toe-to-toe with the legendary Beast. If Sonny becomes a hybrid (steel and wood), that could be a part of the story of them working on the remains of a woolly mammoth and they add mechanical fixings to it like the Six-Million-Dollar Man...or Mammoth. Half nature, half machine, all-evil.

This essentially looks like School of Rock LIVE! in Concert (which is still my favorite KI show along with Twistin' to the 60s) but with interactive elements (in essence: using a video game). They also must REALLY love HDTVs. There's like, eight plastered on the show wall inside Festhaus, most of the major food eateries in the park (LaRosa's, Festhaus, Juke Box Diner) have them, and now RBL has six of them as one big giant screen to show the game. I would hope they were bought wholesale at a cheap price, otherwise it's kind of a waste spending $30,000 just on flat screens alone.