bkroz

I expect we'll know because of their actions as much as their words (or lack thereof). If the decision is one thing, we'll see something happen to the ride. If the decision is another, we'll see something else happen. If the decision is what it appears to be right now, we'll see nothing!

My visit from that year was also very good. At least back then, I would've said I preferred Kings Dominion to Kings Island by a fairly wide margin, and not just because I wasn't as used to it. EDIT: Dudecoasterman, not sure how flexible your trip is or if you have the means, but you'll be about an hour from Busch Gardens, which is very easily one of the best seasonal amusement parks - or maybe, one of the best amusement parks period - in the U.S. Not a thrill capitol, mind you, but worth the effort if you can get there.

IF they can find your car... Easier for some than for others.

And don't leave yourself under the impression that a decision has been made and they're just waiting to "reveal" it. In fact, over and over and over again - even as recently as last week if emails posted here are to be believed - the people who speak for the park have said that no decision has been made about Son of Beast.

DiamondBuckeye appears to already understand the ridiculousness of many members' posts around here and is being playfully sarcastic. 2 posts in, he already "gets it." Do you? ... And if people got banned for dumb comments, I know I'd be banned! Probably most of us would be...

I'm with you, I really wanted a Great Pumpkin or at least a Peanuts themed dark ride reminiscent of the old Smurfs dark ride. It wouldn't of even had to involve the shooters, it could've just been a classic dark ride. As far as Boo Blasters go, yes, the name is horrible. I don't know who thought it was a good name. It's like someone just came up with it on the spot without any thought. Boo Blasters would've been fine. However, the whole ride itself is just kind of missing something. I think it might be relatable characters and perhaps the overusage of "cardboard-like" cutouts throughout. It just felt like a lame, unappealing version of Scooby-Doo (because it pretty much is). I just think everyone could've benefited from a high quality Peanuts dark ride! Even the ride it's based on (Ghost Blasters II) at least sets up the story by introducing the bad guy and having a short pre-show to explain where you are, why you're there, and how to rid the place of the evil phantom. Our ride also falls a bit short thanks to the decision to keep the Phantom Theater omnimovers instead of the new, individual carts that each other Scooby Doo dark ride got. Theirs are all custom built, while ours was just a retrofit of the old system. The result is that, on other parks' Boo Blasters, each effect has time to reset and trigger for the next rider. Something as simple as the video of the bad guy that plays on the tombstone head early on telling you that you're trespassing at least adds some depth to the story. In our ride, a cart passes every 5 seconds or so, so everyone just catches a glimpse of every effect that can barely be heard anyway over the dozens of guns firing at any given time. One of the best effects on the ride, in my opinion, is at the end. The phantom (a full animatronic) is standing in a stone well covered in vines with storm clouds in the sky. He yells, "You'll never leave Bleakstone Manor! Never!" Then you shoot him, he screams and the animatronic literally lowers into the ground while all the blacklights go out and white lights turn up, replacing the scary scene with a beautiful one - instead of gnarled vines climbing the well, roses suddenly appear. The sky clears and the sun comes out. You can hear birds chirping. Ours, of course, completely removes this effect because there's no time for the lights to reset since three or four cars are always aimed at it. (Skip to 4:05)

I think the change to Boo Blasters was done very well, I just can't believe anyone anywhere found the repetition of Boo Blasters on Boo Hill as a good idea. It's not even like a cute rhyme. It's just awful. "Boo Blasters" would've been fine! And I'd LOVE to see the fog effect working... :\ And of course, I do very much wish that they had just gone all out and made it a "Great Pumpkin" dark ride, but who knows how the owners of Peanuts would've felt about a shooting dark ride, and the "mega purchase" of five Boo Blasters probably made sense since not all five Paramount Parks' had their Scooby Doo rides in the kids' area.

Bear with me. Remove Thunder Alley and build Snoopy's Backlot Zone. Like a mini little kids area, there could be a few "Gemini Kids' Area" sized rides - a frog hopper, a bumper boat ride, a Vekoma roller skater the size of Cedar Point's Woodstock Express, a Dumbo-style rocket ride with a "Snoopy's Space Adventure" backdrop... Scatter a few "movie light" rigs (like what used to be in the Paramount Story gardens) and then build a playground with "film strip" slides, etc. The sign could be a giant movie clapper that says "Snoopy's Backlot Zone" with a few little trees, benches for parents, and a full sized Snoopy on a camera dolly like Universal Japan's roller coaster has. The whole gang in their Hollywood director best with a little squirting fountain of Woodstock in the middle of the area.

Kids areas often need updating. If Nickelodeon Universe was still around, kids would have to be "of a certain age" to have any exposure to Danny Phantom at all, and Rugrats is no longer a staple of Nick's programming. Stretch farther back to when we had Nickelodeon Central with the Slime Tower and references to "Figure it Out" and "Double Dare 2000." Kids would be absolutely clueless since slime, splat, and goo are no longer even part of Nick's marketing image. Hanna-Barbera's characters are constantly retouched on in society, but rarely would you find children who feel a connection to Atom Ant or Barney Rubble, even if the image of them looks familiar. I think many of us here thought that "Coolsville, U.S.A." or a Scooby Doo themed area would've at least been a fun, kooky way to utilize the park's history while also using a character that has stayed more or less current thanks to remakes and movies. Peanuts does have a "classic" feel and, if it weren't for the Radio Disney playing, the kids' area might feel very cool, calm, and subdued compared to the bright Nick colors. It goes back to the more "pastel" feel of Hanna-Barbera but allows kids to be re-introduced to characters they may have seen around while also bringing parents in on it. One thing I have to say is that each time the kids' area was changed, it was done exceedingly well. Nick U was immaculate when it first opened, and Planet Snoopy looks and fells fantastic. Hopefully the character's "classic" status allows it to stay and be refreshed since money doesn't need to be saved towards huge overhauls.

That's about as signature as a dining experience can get! So lavish, you get a photo of yourself eating with the characters. Takes "on ride photos" to a whole new level!

I have heard people gripe that, while Kings Island's kids area is great, that's almost all that's offered for kids. In other words, parents intent on giving their kids a full day of activity probably won't step out of Planet Snoopy. There are some fine attractions along Coney Mall, but even they are a step above the kid's rides in Planet Snoopy, and there's absolutely no rides for kids in Action Zone or Rivertown... Literally, none. Not saying they need a whole separate kids area, but why not a "haybaler" style scrambler inside a barn in Rivertown, or a bright kiddie coaster in Action Zone? Just thinkin'...

Cedar Fair is the only operating company that's shown a real dedication in maintaining Arrow suspended coasters. There's one left at Six Flags and a modified version in England. Cedar Fair's parks have three operating. In the past, many of us here imagined that either Kings Island's or Canada's Wonderland's would be sacrificed the moment Iron Dragon needed cheap spare parts - anything in order to keep the most coasters on Earth at Cedar Point! That appears to not be an issue anymore...

If you click "Edit" on the original post, then click "Use Full Editor," you can change the spelling in the topic name.

Unfortunately, I agree. Disappointed. Yep.

I always advise people to consider Disneyland Resort, especially on a budget. There are dozens and dozens of value hotels within a 10 minute walk to the parks (clean, friendly, well-kept rooms for $60 / night where you can see Space Mountain out the window). Many have free breakfast (a lifesaver) and fast food lines Harbor Blvd. along the resort's eastern edge. The two parks of Disneyland offer most of Walt Disney World's E-ticket rides, but with cheaper tickets, easier navigation, and a cozy, bright feel. 95 degrees with 70% humidity and daily thunderstorms are replaced with 75, 0% humidity, and cloudless skies all day, every day. And on top of the classics, you get Cars Land, World of Color, updated Fantasmic, Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, Mickey's Toontown, all of California Adventure's original attractions, etc... It's nearly all of Disney World, just tucked together in two parks instead of four. The only aspect of that vacation that may prove more expensive is the flight, but it can literally save you thousands to choose Disneyland over Disney World, and many, many, many people prefer the California resort to the Florida one. GYK, who grew up on Disney World and never could imagine why people went on about the smaller, older sister... And who now won't set foot in Orlando unless Universal is the primary destination!

You'll want to ride their Crypt, too. It's a fantastic flat ride. Stop to watch a cycle before or after you ride, too, because it adds a whole new dimension to the experience. Even the rides that are similar take on very different forms at Kings Dominion. You'll likely trip over yourself finding the station for Flight of Fear, and the different lighting / sound combos will be noticeable. WindSeeker provides a completely different view than at Kings Island and is worth doing. Their Boo Blasters uses a different ride system that makes the experience in each room much more personal (each effect triggers just for you instead of being on a constant, 5-second loop). Don't miss Avalanche, tucked away behind Volcano. The wooden coasters will give you an experience that Kings Island's and Cedar Point's don't (not saying if that's good or bad). To get to Grizzly, you have to go through the Dinosaurs Alive entrance, so don't get confused and walk right past it. Their Drop Zone also claims to be the tallest gyro drop in the world. The tower itself is shorter than Kings Island's, but the brakes begin lower down on the tower so the actual "drop" portion is larger. The brakes catching the gondola so low to the ground also provides a really odd sensation when you're so used to Kings Island's. Their Backlot Stunt Coaster is in thematic disrepair. Absolutely zero effects work besides half of the splashdown - no flames, no helicopter, no sound effects, so music, no fog, nothing. Worth riding just to see how good we have it after last season's awesome little refurb (is our BLSC still doing well, by the way?). To reiterate: Rides that the two parks have in common have all been maintained and aged separately, so even identical clones provide crazy different experiences. If you're old enough to appreciate it, their Planet Snoopy and Kidzville areas are really worth strolling through just for a look. They have what must be the world's smallest swinging ship ride and an awesome, guiderail-less car ride where kids can literally drive around a little Peanuts town at will. Just something that's fun to see and different from anything I've seen elsewhere. They had a really awesome little walkthrough called the Treasure Cave, but it appeared to me in my trip earlier this year that it was closed for good - a real shame. Basically plan on riding everything. No reason to pick out five or six coasters when you'll have time for it all! And on that note, I can't imagine that you'd need Fast Lane, but I'd definitely wait until you're actually there to make any decisions about that... I don't doubt that a good amount of money is made on the park's end by patrons who buy the Fast Lane passes way ahead of time, then find 5 - 10 minute waits once they arrive at the park. Oops! I've never been to the park on an extremely busy day, but even in its first year I never waited more than 10 minutes for Intimidator. Volcano is the only really low capacity ride (so much so that even with Fast Lane, that one ride is limited to two times per person), so head there first. You shouldn't have a problem with anything else. Kings Dominion's food is still like Kings Island's was last year - you'll spend $7.00 for a plain, mediocre hamburger with no fries or drink. Add a dollar if you want cheese, another if you want a moist bacon circle, and four more if you'll take fries with that. After that experience, I had a bad taste in my mouth (literally) toward the park's food options. In The Grove (their Coney Mall) I noticed a sign for a $7.00 turkey sub combo at some little restaurant. It occurred to me that it would've been a little bit less of a rip-off, so maybe check that out. Locals would probably advise you to leave and get fast food nearby, just as many of us would've for Dominionites visiting our park in past years. While the park is always improving, it's not always been well-loved from an operations point of view. Many week days, even in the summer, rides run as few trains as possible. Intimidator often runs one. Two wouldn't necessarily help much, but there's a psychological aspect to sitting and waiting in an empty station while the train races through the course around you. Their Congo section, by the way, is easily the best themed area I've seen in any Cedar Fair park. Keep an eye out for Tomb Raider's film score playing there, movie props scattered around the area, and the film's Triangle of Light carved in many places... Enjoy your trip! Take pictures for us!

It was. Seems like a big thing to transport to a storage facility, though. Makes sense that it might be somewhere though.

I'd guess it was trashed. If the ride ever re-opens, building a new wooden crate would be about the least expensive aspect of the effort.

You've probably seen this PDF, but keep it handy! I've never used the Disney Dining Plan, but remember that whatever your plan affords you in terms of how many credits per day. Remember that it does not include gratuity except at a select few restaurants, and remember that you don't need to use each credit you're given each day because they roll over to the next. Disney World accepts dining reservations an unparalleled 180 days in advance, so if you do plan on dining at "signature" locations or even table service restaurants that accept reservations, you ought to do so soon. (But then again, August and September are typically quieter months, so it's not something to panic over). Definitely read that pamphlet. It's a confusing system, actually, so I'd keep a note in my phone about what is included with each "quick service" credit vs. a "snack" credit, etc. Also keep in mind that "signature" dining locations and character dining require two table services credits per person, which shouldn't be a real problem with the deluxe plan. The Sci-Fi Dine In Restaurant is a must (but I might get a reservation there) and the Yak & Yeti Restaurant at Animal Kingdom (the table service one, not the quick service one) is supposedly delicious. You're basically taking a good bet on any of Epcot's World Showcase table service locations, so pick a culture you're not familiar with and try something new. Chances are, it'll be the best _______ food you have outside the actual country itself. Epcot's got a wonderful restaurant in The Land pavilion that's also delicious and serves dishes that include things grown right there in the greenhouses. At the Magic Kingdom, I've heard good things about the Liberty Tree Tavern in New Orleans Square. I know that Main Street's "Plaza Inn Restaurant" in Disneyland is pretty lowly reviewed, but I can't say how that translates to the Floridian park. In that park's Adventureland, you absolutely have to try the Sunshine Terrace - a de-branded version of Disneyland's famous Dole Whip Pineapple hut where the line often stretches fifty people long for pineapple soft serve. You can at least get restaurant reviews and descriptions at the following links: The Magic Kingdom Epcot Disney's Hollywood Studios Disney's Animal Kingdom

Probably not worth reposting, but I might as well try.

Geauga Lake had two entrances, one in each county...

Try telling that to the folks at Amusement Today! Best food? No. Cleanest? No. Friendliest staff? No. Best shows? No. Best kid's area? No. Best roller coaster? No. Best park. ... Yes?

I like everyone here, even when we disagree. Two people passionate about the same thing can butt heads. 6,000 people passionate about the same thing can start a full-scale war. For the most part, we play well off each other and I'm glad to have the chance to talk with you people every day! I've learned much more than I've taught, and I'm glad to have learned from such great people. Cheers!

I wasn't specifically pointing out your post, homestar. I see the irony in the sign placement and imagine many members of the general public do, too, when they see guests floating past them to get on the ride before them. My post was more generally about the many people here who say they hate it, would never use it no matter what, and that just knowing it exists ruined their experience. Come on. I will say that I am very surprised that Kings Island doesn't offer a "regular" Fast Lane separate from an "unlimited" Fast Lane. I remember an interview with Ouimet saying he was never a fan of the "limited" front-of-the-line pass, but I can say that I would be much more willing to purchase a one-time-per-ride pass for $25 than an unlimited for $45. It occurs to me that that would also help control crowds, with the "unlimited" pass number capped much lower than the one-per-ride. At SeaWorld parks, you're given a wristband and a wallet-sized card with the name of each ride you can use the pass on - with the unlimited variety, they just check your wristband and card and usher you through. With the one-time-per-ride option, the Quick Queue greeter uses a permanent marker to cross off the ride they represent. It still gives people the "VIP" treatment, but reduces the anxiety so many people have here that every Fast Lane user will maliciously team up and marathon Diamondback during prime riding hours on a Saturday. What makes you say this? Have you seen them charge $100? Did people pay it as you just claimed? The idea of "pursuit of profit" is that anyone can charge whatever they see fit for their product. But if Fast Lane cost $1000, they wouldn't sell any... So they have to find a balance between how much people are willing to pay and how little they can justify charging. If 100 people would buy it if it cost $100, the park would make $10,000. If 300 people buy it when it costs $50, the park has made $15,000, or 50% more. The price has fluctuated even in these early months as the company tries to find out where the most profit can be made. At many Cedar Fair parks, the pass is more expensive on Saturdays than any day of the week, because it helps limit the amount of people getting it while maximizing profit... That's the "Test and Adjust" period of this product.

I think most of us were madly in love with the 2011 season, where a mid-priced addition or two allowed room for small improvements, detail, landscaping, etc. We saw music back on many rides, a virtual head-to-toe refurbishment on Backlot Stunt Coaster, new effects on Flight of Fear, a noteworthy effort made on The Crypt, repainting Flight Deck... That did not go unnoticed, and I think those years should be 4:1 against large coaster additions that suck up the budget. That could also be bundled with the suggestions above for area-appropriate music, etc. I think Kings Island is almost afraid of being too upscale, afraid that having and marketing themed areas with appropriate food, music, shows and shopping might alienate the thrill-seeking crowd. Such a shame, because it can do marvelous things to market a park that way... As for what I'd like to see ride-wise, a clone of Curse of DarKastle or Verbolten in Oktoberfest would restore the German theme and convince me to renew my pass...