Outdoor Man

you haven't lived until your $15 Churro gets attacked by a team of aggressive seagulls walking through Frontierland at (Disney) Magic Kingdom.

A long time ago I was in a conversation with what at the time was a former Paramount Park mid-manager (older than the typical Dippin' Dots exec but lower than a VP at the park level). They weren't in F&B- but like most of us, had opinions. His math was simple at best but made mention of the Festhaus kitchen area that regularly employed 10 disaffected employees doing the work of 5. I don't remember the dollar amount- but instead of paying $10/hour for 10 people ($100/hour). Have the same output of productivity by hiring 5, pay them $17/hour; pay the supervisor $10 more/hour, have expectations that they actually want to supervise... not make friends. Then pocket the left over and apply to improvements. The thought was that by hiring fewer people that may be older and care about their jobs- it would dramatically improve the guest experience. His contention was that Paramount addressed Customer Service issues by throwing more staff at the problem. the issue with that is that you dilute the pool... it's impossible to reach a "10" if you can only average out a bunch of 4's and 5's in your hiring. Sweeten the pot a little, pay more, get better quality, and have expectations.

and "flavor" for the new smokehouse next summer.

They may very well be using the structure, or at least part of it. If you're demolishing a building you're not necessarily looking to "gut" it- you're just going to start at one end and go until its on the ground. Not being in construction/demolition myself- I could be very wrong.

Anyone can speculate or hope that votes go towards something; but the decision of what is going to happen to that area was probably made in 2015 or 2016. Not knocking Don- but he would have very little to do with the decision. These discussions come from people with last names like: Zimmerman, in consultation with a Witherow. Maybe a Bender or a Decker. As well as Scheid and Koontz. Then a decision is made and a guy with a last name like Ouimet signs a contract, makes an announcement and shakes hands for cameras at an annual event in Florida. Or something like that.

seriously? You said you were fixing your calendar or fixing text on a brochure. I see how it is...

A great (short) read on immersing guests into an "experience" that keeps them coming back vs mis-matching and seeing things go stale. As I read it I think of the I-Street Music, then... queue for Boo Blasters; any mystique created as you enter is lost with the "brighter-than-sunlight" screens playing "Cash-Coaster," find the hidden whatever, etc... and a host of effects that don't work. "International" Street, and probably in a few years- Mystic Timbers (which, meanwhile well-themed- out of the box, didn't fit a Rivertown theme). https://disneyinstitute.com/blog/2016/03/exceptional-service-delivery-a-lesson-from-the-jungle-cruise/?CMP=SOC-DI-Blog-LessonFromJungleCruise-03-15-16

I agree for the most part. I hope that the Peanuts license carries out indefinitely so they don't run into the habit of changing ride names every so many years. However, in a few years our youngest will be out of the kid area all together, at which point I won't care...

when did they announce the Soak City Smokehouse? Many other parks are announcing new rides, coasters, etc... KI has already announced Winterfest... A new restaurant isn't going to cause a bump in Season Pass Sales and no news outlet is going to pick up that story. I could see a small ride... but if you build another eat in area... it's not as big as you may think. And as far as a new set of Antique Cars... dream another dream- I think that one's over. Find another ship... that one has sailed. I don't claim to know anything about what's going on there. I'm content to wait until April to see it- and until May when the line goes down. I just don't see any practicality in opening a new "car" ride.

I would side with it being credible. The smokehouse is too good of a concept to be only at the water park side and there isn't really any other location for a new food option on the dry side. Kings Island is long overdue for a high capacity sit-in eating location. AND... I don't think that a new eatery would be top-secret, hush-hush news. Wonder if they'll come across any old Dodgem or Tea Cup relics during the demolition.

Kings Island (or any park for that matter) will host just about any event where the organization provides "minimums" and $$$. Key words: just about any...

Guest Experience 101 has foundations at the gate as you: pass through the gate see the fountains see the Eiffel Tower Coasters in the background "International" buildings (with non-international fare within...) Sam Smith, Justin Bieber, etc... on the music roll. Which doesn't belong? Goes right up there with: Chinese (fast) food in the German Themed Festhaus Hank's Mexican in Oktoberfest I like Diamondback- but if it's in "Rivertown" how hard would it have been to have a name reflecting it? Again with Mystic Timbers... great coaster, great theming, if not a tone tone deaf for the "themed area" Soccer Game stand (because nothing screams a 18th/19th century Rivertown like Soccer.

And I'd guess the final ride lineup will be subject to staffing levels.

It's 13 years newer too...

Things they could improve on... Train employees in food service to actually take a bit of pride in their work. Everything said on here about Diamondback (seats are really gross)... reminds me of "Soul Glow"... Keep current on the theming for Boo Blasters or retire the attraction Cut the Snoopy's Starlight lights out of the trees already. and Mystic Timbers was really themed pretty well but ended up with the worst ending to a coaster since Adventure Express, should have put shed in mid-course. Actors voices are also real "cheesy"; should have had Marty Brennaman do it. Actually, from where I sit, the things they could do better is a MUCH smaller list than in years past.

"have and keep" is a bit different than building new. I don't care one way or another. I just think it is a low possibility.

If you look at the marketing image of the tower it looks as if the lights will wrap around the observation platform unlike previous WF installations where they only came off the front.

I like the Disney People Mover. Doubt that type of ride is headed to Ohio any time soon though. As for the Antique Cars coming to some of the locations mentioned here.... Flight Commander pad, Tower Gardens? Those may be good areas if it were going to be a virtual reality ride as it would never come close to fitting. That aside, I can't image one of those being built again. Maintenance and fuel for the cars would be cost prohibitive over time.

12-days of Christmas... co-themed with Haunt? I think this is where the train riders are attacked by about 25 birds as you go through the lyrics.

not true. tell them to buddy-up to the Dippin' Dots guy. They know all.

KCKC was a nice family ride in the "nature" of the park- and though it turned out to be a bust in the end... like Griffey to the Reds- you make that decision EVERY time. TR:TR was a rare instance in Kings Island history where the deliverable exceeded the hype. When it was introduced and working... no one longed for KCKC.

Oh my word, at park tonight. They're lucky they don't really have any competition for several hundred miles. Their customer service is terrible. In addition I'm not sure how their food service could have gotten worse than last year but they have.

I have another Winterfest question. In all other installments of Winterfest only an arc of the front of the tower had lights. If you look at the image online there are lights shadowed into the background. Almost as if the lights will be hung 360 degrees around the tower. Did I miss something or has this already been a thing?

Replying to my reply from a reply over 2 months ago. The educational climate has changed quite a bit, but I remember a number of years growing up in the magical decade of the 80's- classes would take "field trips" to WinterFest. 1985, 1989, & 1991 stick out in my head.

Overall I would give the park a solid "A" for the day. I don't know that they expected the crowds to be as huge as it was/ We've been at Gold Pass night before and never have I seen it this crowded. For the first time in a long while, the staff seemed equal to the task. For a park that has shown themselves to be a quart low on customer service in years past... bravo! Walking up in the parking lot after 90 minutes navigating the drive in (we only live 15 minutes away) I noted that it seemed to be the same crap pop music roll in the parking lot. Immediately upon entering; the music befitting of an International street was noticed by our entire family. EXCELLENT move! Food lines were long, but seemed to move pretty well. The Mystic Timbers area looked amazing! Very well done! Only critique really... Upon leaving and strolling back through I-Street. I noticed that not only were the lights on the buildings not on, they appeared to be completely gone. Not awful; they were usually half lit anyway. But, the fountain lights weren't on and the buildings don't illuminate much (this was at 9:30p not 1a). The exit to the park really seems like it needs a lot more light. But other than that; KI has upgraded themselves across the board it seems.