RingMaster

My guess for this year is that they may do a SAW-style attraction where you walk past gory traps set up by some serial killer (possibly replacing Club Blood if the rumor is true or maybe Death Row). Dorney Park did this last year (Death Trap), and given KI's track record, I see them doing this instead of a Doll Factory maze, much to everyone's chagrin (passing up something that actually might SCARE people in order to do another blood-soaked maze? Ingenious!).

It's only on some of their newer models, but this has actually been going on for YEARS now with malfunctioning Toyotas; it's only resurfaced with the recent acceleration mishaps, be it from sticky pedals or whatnot. It's been a part of the news in a big way, but considering a combination of the economy, health care reform, and whatever's left of the Swine Flu, I would imagine something like this may have gone unnoticed by some folks.

Didn't Kings Island lose their licensing with Toyota when Cedar Fair took over? That would make a little bit of sense seeing how as the cars promoting Diamondback weren't Toyotas but, instead, Fords. Also, wouldn't having Toyota-themed cars for the ride mean we wouldn't be able to stop once the ride is over?

^ That's the thing though. Transformers isn't a replacement for Spiderman. They're just using the same technology that Spiderman has and putting it in different parks with the Transformers theme, such as Uni Hollywood and Uni Singapore.

The props (statues, signs, etc.) will probably be removed as soon as they start being vandalized (I'd be shocked if some of them are still there at the end of the season). The paint will fade, and the ride names will still suck. Here's hoping for us to be bought... have you not been to Cedar Point? they have almost the same exact statues setting around their Planet Snoopy, and none of them have been removed due to someone who thinks it would be "cool" to go and try to vandalize a statue of snoopy. plus, park security should be on their toes to prevent something like that from happening. .....how do you make off with a 5-foot, snow white, 600-pound fiberglass rendering of a dancing Snoopy without anyone noticing in the first place?

Well, licensing issues differ given what you intend to use it for, for instance, plush toys. Kings Island has toys from all walks of life, so to speak, with Shrek, Looney Tunes, and Disney characters. But anyway, I'd be willing to bet it's a simple Magic of the Movies-styled show where they show the technological achievements the film industry has gone through culminating with the massive CG films that have graced the silver screen the past decade or so; the Wall-E characters are probably just a (very weird) placeholder for any CG animated films under Paramount, in essence, Dreamworks. But considering Dreamworks is partnered with Universal in terms of licensing for major theme park attractions (Universal Singapore has two areas themed to the flicks Shrek and Madagascar), I can understand why a Dreamworks animated film isn't featured on any of the conceptual renderings. Speaking of which, I also find it weird that Transformers are a part of the renderings for the Preview Center considering the new Transformers ride is going into a UNIVERSAL park. TWO of them (Singapore and Hollywood for 2012). It seems saddening that several Paramount properties that could've been used as theme park attractions are now in the hands of other companies: Indiana Jones - You're talking about a property that is ripe for a dark ride/coaster combo. Too bad Disney snagged it up when they realized George Lucas also worked on the Indy franchise alongside Steven Spielberg. Transformers - Although fairly late in the game, if the parks hadn't have been sold off (and if Paramount actually still had the reigns to them), having the Transformers would have been the answer to Universal's Spiderman attraction with the same technology. The fact that Busch Gardens Europe installed the same technology into a seasonal park is concrete evidence that it can be done at a park like Kings Island War of the Worlds - Could have easily been an Earthquake-style attraction at any of the former Paramount parks (I was actually shocked that Uni didn't pick up this as a retheme for their Earthquake ride instead of going with the supremely generic Disaster ride) Shrek/Madagascar - Even though Nickelodeon is their pride and joy, the fact that a few of the parks have two kids' areas would've been prime reality for both a Nick-themed AND Shrek-themed kids' area

I don't have confirmation of this, but I'm pretty sure CB won't be coming back this year. They have four attractions that have been up since 2001 and, excluding Massacre Manor, have had little to no rehabbing done to them over the years (the relocating of CarnEvil to the former Enchanted Theater doesn't count). Why on earth would they get rid of a maze that has only been up for three years and remains their most popular (not to mention the poster child for Cedar Fair's "edgier, more mature" marketing scheme that has done more harm than good, IMO)? I'd much rather they get rid of CarnEvil and do an entirely new layout in the old theater (*cough*Doll Factory*cough*) or remove Death Row as was rumored to have been axed from the lineup for the past few years.

That's the first thing that popped into my head as soon as I saw the topic title. Then I realize, "Oh, the OTHER Coney Island."

^ I sincerely doubt Club Blood would not be coming back this season; it's one of the most popular mazes they have. If you knew how many teenagers were obnoxious and downright rude amongst fellow monsters on any given night, you would understand why a majority of them stereotype teenagers.

I think it's because KI has more roller coasters geared for kids than any other place on the planet. But if we're talking about the theming and scenic experience of the kids area, Suess Landing would win hands-down.

A majority of, if not all of, the pay phones in the park still say 'Welcome to Paramount King's Island.' Anyway, I rarely eat fries there anymore, so ketchup at the park means nothing to me. But, I wonder how many people will actually get upset if they realize Heinz is no longer at the park.

Actually, you couldn't be further from the truth. As someone who visits a Disney park at least once a week, I assure you the prices are more reasonable than Cedar Fair. For example.....a 32oz Coke at any of the quick service restaurants only costs $2.39 on Disney property. Prices are well over $3 at KI, KD, Carowinds and so forth. Another example at the Electric Umbrella at Epcot....Cheeseburger served with french fries is $6.39, with generous portions I might add. The point is, its incredibly easy to eat for $10 or less at any of the Disney theme parks. Can't say I've had that luck on my last few visits to KI, much less enjoyed the food I paid the price for. - Todd Sodas are $3.50 at KI. I believe vending machine sodas are $3 (but don't quote me on this), so it's actually cheaper to get it from the vending machine, provided it doesn't eat your money and not give you your soda. The only place I would bother to eat at in the park (besides Bubba Gump's) is Panda Express; they offer pretty generous portions and I happen to have a soft spot for Chinese. Even though it's a high price ($9 for two entrees, $11 for three), there isn't another PE around here (that I know of); the fact that Subway sells footlongs for $5 but KI sells 6-inchers for close to $6 is a joke.

But isn't that what the metal detectors and security employees outside the Front Gate are for?

^ That song sounds way too generic and annoying to the point of I may not even ride it multiple times in one trip if that song was in there. If it were an instrumental track then I would be fine, but the lyrics and the way that it's sung reminds me too much of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo or any other cartoon from the 90s.

The funny part is, on several occasions that I've had a hamburger at the park, the meat actually bounces!

I just really hope that Boo Blasters doesn't suffer the same fate that The Crypt did where it's, in a sense, dumbed down to the point of it being extremely tame and almost un-rideable partway into the season. Other than that, looks to be an awesome experience worth waiting in line for. I can clearly see where those extra paint-strokes are to enhance that 3D effect they're going for, though. Might as well find my FearFest glasses lying around here someplace or go to Blockbuster and get a pair for fifteen cents.

They've called Boo Blasters "new" since day one; they only just added "experience" at the end to throw people off (maybe also because of the tacked-on 3D experience which cost $2-3 for paper glasses to "enhance" the ride) because Scooby-Doo is no longer a part of the ride.

I would obviously imagine those costumes are for the Hoe Down show at the Playhouse. EDIT: newsguy beat me to it.

You couldn't hear the music from the Glockenspiel inside the Festhaus; that was strictly exterior sound. You couldn't even hear it in the entryway into Festhaus.

I was under the assumption that Outer Hanks was going back to the old Bubba Gump moniker seeing as how it's on the interactive park map. But, considering the overwhelming amount of things wrong with locations on the map both interactive and static...

Either way, if Q manages to get their hands on both Cedar Fair and Six Flags, or if CF remains in control of their assets, I foresee parks in our chain closing down regardless. They will have a choke-hold on their most profitable properties and may even drag those assets with them should CF go asunder. I am not expecting this to end well in the long run...but then again, we're talking about a company that has had a very bad habit of not looking into the long run...

Not exactly. Granted, we're talking about a lot of money and a lot of debt. Then again, we're talking about a HUGE amount of buying power. If Q could get the companies fiscally stable, it would have a fantastic empire on its hands. By fiscally stable, I'm expecting at least HALF of the total parks between Cedar Fair and Six Flags to be shut down. Also, need I remind you of how things work among both parties when it comes to adding new rides to their parks? Can you imagine how long it would take to wait for a new attraction to arrive at any given property when a company has 35 PARKS to maintain?

It should also be duly noted that Kings Island has a lot of firsts, onlys, and regular record-breakers in its lineup: Invertigo - only inverted face-to-face coaster in the Midwest Drop Tower - Tallest gyro drop Delirium - first Giant Frisbee Son of Beast - tallest, fastest wooden coaster (used to also be the only coaster with a loop) Flight of Fear - first LIM-launched coaster Vortex - first coaster to have six inversions Firehawk - only flying coaster in Ohio The Beast - Longest wooden coaster The Crypt - only Giant Top Spin (for good reason, ) and also only indoor Top Spin Diamondback - only coaster of its kind (hyper/mega coaster) with a splashdown finale Flying Ace Aerial Chase - first kids' inverted coaster Surf Dog - only Disko Coaster with a Skater-style car

Have you trained him to use his doghouse as a makeshift WWI airplane yet? And about the Tower Gardens being used as a smoking area (or at least part of it, I would dearly hope)... ...explain to me why they thought that, instead of sprucing up that area of the park by adding flowers and foliage, and turning the waterfalls back on (you know, making the Tower Gardens an actual GARDEN), or even stringing up lights to do the Starlight Experience that was rumored since the end of last year, they decided the best way to get people to go through the Gardens is to put a smoking area in it? Which makes the average non-smoker stay away from that area indefinitely? Maybe Paramount/Viacom licensed the use of the waterfalls and Cedar Fair didn't want to renew the license.

From what I've heard, Timmy actually beats Millie in terms of the experience. Robb from TPR (Theme Park Review) says that Timmy "eats Millennium Force and c**ps it all out over Cedar Point." Oh, the Cedar Point fans are gonna riot when they hear this...