bkroz

Yep, the daily operations in mid-May seemed a little risky. It might change. It might now. I did notice, however, that they didn't even consider Thursday and Sunday night Haunts. They didn't this year, did they? Although, really, I'm sure they would've had a fair turn out if they did. The weather was so beautiful this October... I remember two years ago, going to Haunt and literally feeling that it was below freezing, awfully, unbearably cold. I went to Cedar Point yesterday, and it was about the same as an early April day.

So by all accounts, not renewing your 2010 Platinum Pass would thus make it inoperable at Kings Dominion... during 2010? Or did the renewal process make your pass work only in 2011 by the computer system? Heaven only knows...probably both. This process is broken...to put it nicely. I would have had them switch the darn thing to a Kings Dominion Platinum Pass, but their processes were not set up for that...yet...and besides, there was a certain matter of a Howl-O-Fest somewhere else to attend to...(Yes, Terpy ended his seasonal season on a giant simulator with fans...and somewhat like Holiday World's pizza...Terp must be getting old...he actually THOROUGHLY enjoyed it...that thing has either changed a lot since just before the ill fated goose meeting, Terp has, or both!) Both I'd wager... The former, certainly. Haha! GYK, who liked being up in the air much more than his traveling companions!

GYK, not very good at making points, but trying nonetheless.

So by all accounts, not renewing your 2010 Platinum Pass would thus make it inoperable at Kings Dominion... during 2010? Or did the renewal process make your pass work only in 2011 by the computer system? Perhaps you answered your own question there in that last bit... Perhaps.

I feel as though you, in particular, deserve "The Interpreter Passport," a season's pass made out of pure diamonds that affords you unlimited access to all Cedar Fair parks on any public operating day (and four pizzas for the price of three, of course). If anyone got locked out of a Cedar Fair park, I can't help but roll my eyes disbelievingly that it was you. Of all people to close out... Wow.

Also, consider this: maybe the park is opening late because they expect to have a lot to do next spring, and simply don't know that they'll be able to finish it all if they open the park in mid-April like usual. It doesn't seem to be a chain-wide reduction on the operating season since Kings Dominion opens April 2nd, 2011... Not sure how logical that is from a financial standpoint, but maybe it's factoring into the decision...

Next year will be such a defining year. We will have a new attraction with WindSeeker, but it's not a huge investment like Planet Snoopy or Diamondback. In some ways, 2011 will be the first season that the park will coast on what it's created in the past two years, hoping that it's established itself enough to maintain its level of respect in the amusement park world. It will also be the year that, to me at least, there are no more excuses. We cannot simply right off mistakes as Cedar Fair 'getting used to the parks,' and we have to hold ourselves to a higher degree of open-mindedness and enthusiasm for the choices they make, even if we initially don't agree (in other words, sure some may not like the Half Pint Brawlers, or the next crazy stunt they attempt, but let's wait until it begins to speculate on how awful it will be). Not only that, but 2011 will also, in many ways, be a make-or-break for Son of Beast & The Crypt. Either something will happen, or it won't, and neither can go on much farther without action. Not only that, but really, this may be a defining season for rides like Backlot Stunt Coaster and Flight Deck, both of which are desperately showing age and lack of care in different ways. As I said, there are no more excuses: at this point, either the rides will be reinvigorated in the ways which they need most, or the clock is ticking in my book. If our Backlot Stunt Coaster ends up like Wonderland's (literally zero effects - no music, no flames, no water, no fog, no MINI Coopers, doesn't even stop at the helicopter scene), then really, what's the point? In so many ways I think 2011 will mark a very important year in the park's history. It could go either way. I'm hoping & longing for the high road!

Wow. Got no more to say... Just wow.

Actually yes. Kings Island and many other parks have minimum temperatures that certain coasters have to follow before they operate for the day. If the ride has been running all day it's typically not a problem, however if its below the temperature (depending on the coaster) minimum in the morning, the ride may not open until it warms up. Right, that's what they'd said at Busch Gardens Christmastown - basically, the park didn't open till 3:00 most days, so if it looked like it was going to hover around 40 - 45, they didn't even bother testing it, thus making it very very unlikely that it would open regardless of how the temperature might improve throughout the day. Especially because, as per the manufacturer's recommendations that they mentioned to me, it would be pretty silly to open the ride when it's 45 degrees if you don't think it can even be open for very long... I mean, if the ride can technically open at 41 degrees, I wouldn't expect it to open until it gets more near 50... And if it doesn't look like it'll get to fifty, they don't bother at all. Of course, Christmasdown is a different animal, what with the late opening and most of the event happening in the dark (which, obviously, is quite a bit colder than the early afternoon anyway). Of course, last December was also a different animal from the usual Virginia weather.

From what I've heard from the folks at Busch Gardens Williamsburg during their Christmastown event, B&M recommends that its rides operate only in weather conditions 41 degrees or greater. I don't have a way to verify that or anything, but that's what I was told about Griffon's operation during the event. Take it for what it's worth. I know the rides can operate in many different weather conditions, and many do. But there are also manufacturers recommendations (which, in Ohio at least, are as good as requirements), and I would guess some systems (hydraulic launches, maybe?) are far more volatile in certain weather conditions...

I plan to be there, too! But who knows. If you see a forlorn, tense young man sitting alone while his friends explore haunted houses, it just may be me!

Yes. The issues that Cedar Fair's safety & maintenance are most known for (Top Thrill Dragster, The Crypt, Xcelerator, Son of Beast, etc) stem from the rides in question being prototypes, or using (what word to use...) temperamental technology. As was said, Xcelerator and Top Thrill Dragster are launch roller coasters that use a tremendous, hydraulic-powered winch to build up (and release) a great amount of tension through a cable. Normal wear and tear occurs to these cables, and as has been seen, they begin to fray and weaken until something happens. Of course there are systems in place to check, inspect, and replace these cables at regular intervals, but life doesn't always work as cleanly as some would like. (Then there are systems to launch trains like LSM motors and LIM motors on use in Flight of Fear, Backlot Stunt Coaster, etc that produce a launch without physically touching the train, but are still prone to technical malfunction and breakdown). Again, I can't think of a single major park owner who doesn't value safety as the number one priority (although for some, it's tied with finances, and perhaps it should be). Ride manufacturers themselves have many, many safety precautions in place on their rides, including block breaks, anti-rollbacks, light curtains, and much more that you'll doubtlessly learn about as you continue to interact with some of the brilliant members here, as I have. Parks fill in all the gaps in the built-in safety features by building clear and accessible routes for evacuation, staffing the ride to an efficient degree, and informing riders about what to do and what not to do even before they board the attraction. Cedar Fair has owned the park and has been implementing their own practices since the summer of 2006. Those practices are unlikely to become more lax as time goes on. If anything, the incidents that you've cited (Xcelerator, Son of Beast, Pony Express, The Beast's collision years ago, etc) will probably continue to increase safety. The safety of parks today versus that of 15, 25, 50 years ago has improved astonishingly. Cedar Fair, perhaps more than anyone else, is known for their redundant safety systems - three restraints, seat dividers, seatbelts, no-glasses-on-rides, etc. They're sort of at the forefront of ride safety. Sometimes, as many will point out, they might take it a bit too far, but if you're going to feel unsafe on a roller coaster, a Cedar Fair park isn't the place to do it.

Caution: This post is filled with opinions. All things considered, one can't help but feel a sense of pity and, dare I say, shame for our Giant Top Spin. It's like, yes, it's a laughing stock. But unlike famous flubs (Drachen Fire), mismarketed attractions (Th13teen), good ideas with poor execution (Son of Beast), and rides that seemed unnecessary and boring from the start (Shoot the Rapids 2), the ride we have today really did once operate as a sort of "pinnacle" for seasonal parks. It used to be intense. It used to be without a question the best-themed ride in Ohio. It used to be the most expensive ride at Paramount's Kings Island (tied with that good idea with poor execution). In my opinion, if it were to be built from scratch as it is today, it might top off at half of it's original cost (probably less, what with the lack of musical score, lack of pre-show, lack of lighting, lack of fog, lack of water, etc). It's the ultimate example of a ride that fails almost entirely because of its owner's lack of interest in keeping it maintained. If it were a priority, or if they had seen how it used to be, they might say it's worth it to invest in it - even with it's lame cycle, it is an intense, unique, one-of-a-kind, mysterious ride. Even adding one more flip would make it better from a "thrill" point of view. But as a whole, it's as much as testament to Cedar Fair's operating style as its 200 foot neighbor. The two rides, despite coming within inches of each other, demonstrate the best and the worst of Cedar Fair's commitment to Kings Island, and the direction in which they wish to take the park in the future. I wouldn't be surprised if The Crypt is quietly closed this off-season. I don't know that anyone would deny that it's more trouble than it's worth. I doubt that many would give more than a cursory glance to the shuttered entrance, and those who did make note would probably just go "Oh, The Crypt is finally closed. About time." I personally enjoy the ride, even as it is today. But it's over-hyped with the thrill rating of 5, it's upstaged by it's two neighbors (both of whom are enourmous, record-breaking, signature rides for the park) and worst of all, it will always be compared to the ride that it once was. And as the years post-Tomb-Raider become greater and greater, the former ride is more and more romanticized. It rarely opened, most of its effects were shuttered by year 3, and it was uncomfortable to say the least. But it's remembered fondly because of what has replaced it, and as the years pass, people will remember more and more of the good about it, and less and less of the bad. It's what's happening with Son of Beast right now, to an extent. Suddenly people are coming out of the woodwork to say they enjoyed it. And it wasn't even that great to begin with. Tomb Raider, though...

So true... Consider the fact that a seasonal park, in Ohio had what Tomb Raider had. Even if most of the really good effects only lasted for a year, it was still an incredible accomplishment. It's hard for me to get my friends to wrap their heads around the idea that a ride with fog, theatrical, synchronized lighting, water effects, an eighty foot goddess, sparks, synchronized & specially-composed music, and a pre-show were truly present in that park. The whole park just has a whole different atmosphere to me. It's hard to believe that the Kings Island of today is the same park that once had a ride so well themed, it deserved its Travel Channel specials, and enthusiast praise, and national attention. Today's park is just different, for better and worse. For me, Tomb Raider (and the lack thereof) is what makes it so different.

I did tweet at the park a few weeks ago and ask if The Crypt was closed for the rest of the season (because as sad as it sounds, that would cause me to not return this year with some first-timers). The responded with the following: So maybe it's broken, maybe they closed it on purpose. Either way, I doubt they were going out of their way to get it running again. If it was broken, I truly, truly doubt that they had mechanics hammering away at it. I think that "we're running out of time to get it running" means they shut off the lights, closed the garage door, and hope for the best next spring. Besides, like Terpy said elsewhere, the sporadic operation of the rides during these weekend operations are taking a toll! Vortex, Beast, Flight of Fear, Backlot... All have been closed on and off over the Halloween season, probably since they're not used to being turned on, then off, then on, then off, with no warming up or cooling down. Imagine if our already overly sensitive Crypt was exposed to the same operation...

Marketing the park as a well-rounded experience that includes both thrills and family entertainment, instead of creating a dichotomy and trying to present the park as two separate, conflicting things? What a crazy idea! I love this commercial! Alas, no Tomb Raider, but such is life.

Yeah, I have a few friends who visited Kings Island for opening day (their first time ever - we Northeast Ohioans don't typically make it down) and has said she probably wouldn't return... Crypt, Backlot, Firehawk, Beast... All were closed on opening day from her experience, and Flight of Fear was (according to her) one of the few rides that opened when the park did. A shame! I've convinced her to give it another go with me next summer.

It puts me on edge. Especially walking into the park, you're faced with a ton of monsters that are, for the most part, unavoidable. There are also a few characters roaming around, but I've only ever seen one by Invertigo, and one by the Wings Diner or whatever it's called today. Even then, though, it's somewhat stressful because all of the fog and strange lighting has you believing anyone could be a monster. Everyone who walks in your direction is a potential "creature" and it keeps me, for one, pretty antsy haha. And it will be PACKED tomorrow. Saturdays always are. Weather may make it a little more, or a little less, but it's the Saturday before Halloween - it will be crowded.

And yet, I've never been hounded (and yes, that is the perfect word for it in my opinion) to have a photo taken at any park owned by Busch, Universal, or Disney. There are photographers, sure, and if you display an interest or give them that look like "Should I, or shouldn't I?" then they do approach you and ask if you'd like a picture (and they'll gladly take it with your own camera, too). Only at Cedar Fair parks does there literally seem to be an entire division of seasonal workers dedicated to front gate photos. And the way they flock to you, I imagine they must be getting commission! And the thing that gets me is, if you say yes just to shut them up, they just stop you where you're standing and start clicking! The International Restaurant in the background, or the Keyhole photo... At least angle us toward the Eiffel Tower! Why is it that I imagine, on Mr. Kinzel's first professional tour of Kings Island when considering the Paramount Parks purchase, he saw the fountains and the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop and absolutely got dollar signs in his eyes imagining all the family photos people would want. Instead, it's almost dreadful to enter the park for the first half of the day because you know you're going to be glommed onto by like, five or six photographers.

From the official Gay Cincinnati press release: http://www.gaycincinnati.com/node/874 It's all arbitrary word choice, I suppose. But just for the record. And yes, it is relevant to the topic at hand, because the question is about what events the park chooses to have. Contract or not, Kings Island could have declined to invite that particular event (or any event) into the park upon being asked for permission. The park's aren't necessarily favoring one party over another, I think... It's more than, thanks to Sean Hannity's Freedom Concerts, Kings Island has gained regional attention for its Republican events, which in turn attracts more Republican events. I would imagine (and this may be wrong) that Kings Island says yes to most groups who seek to rent out the park. GYK, not a right-fighter... sometimes...

If my friend (GLBT Cincinnati) wants to have a party, he may ask me (Kings Island) to host it. It doesn't mean it's my party, but I'm the host, because I welcome his (GLBT) friends into my home(/park). Kings Island has the opportunity to say "No" to the events that want to rent out the park. For these particular instances, they said "Yes." Probably for financial reasons, but they are hosting, right? Again, I don't see it as a partisan separation of the parks. I see it as Kings Island just renting out the park to most anyone who offers to pay for it. And as a Northeast Ohioan, I have to mention the stereotype that Southwestern Ohio is, to say the least, conservative. May be incorrect, but that's how we think of it up here... Haha. My friends and I always know we've entered "Southern Ohio" when we pass a giant billboard of the 10 Commandments reading "HELL IS REAL" on the side of I-71.

Basically, I think that either park (Kings Island in particular because of its more corporate-friendly atmosphere & leadership) will gladly host just about anybody who will pay the right price. Be it gay & lesbian guests on a particular evening; politically & socially conservative visitors the next; sometimes families; sometimes teens. And really, I think it's an entirely different crowd that they try to maintain relations with during Halloween Haunt. That's true of most parks, I think... If the Democrats wanted to buy out Kings Island for a day, I certainly imagine Mr. Kinzel and co would not turn up their noses at their money.

Except, weren't the trains re-arranged in 2010? Not that it's a huge deal, haha, just nit-picking (as usual!) Also, anyone else notice a rather large reduction in foliage around the ride's tunnel & queue & plaza between 2005 and 2009/10? Diamondback? I guess I don't understand why those trees would be removed, unless it's to provide a better view of Diamondback for pedestrians (and no, it's not just fullness of the trees - there were at least three that were physically removed from the tunnel area).

Which, oddly enough, does not contain "Tomb Raider: The Ride" or "Son of Beast." And if the Crypt were to close, I doubt that the graveyard would make mention of that ride, either. And if it did, what would its tombstone say? "The Crypt: 2002 - 2010"? I might have to punch someone.