bkroz

One thing I'd actually really like is a greater emphasis on the water park. Why is Kings Island's logo While Dorney Park's is: Or Worlds of Fun's: I think having "& Boomerang Bay" written below (though maybe in a fun, hand-written script instead of the same flag-dotted-i font) would be a nice touch and really help market it for what it is - 2 parks in 1.

I have to say, I'll be disappointed if this is a re-branding, especially if our waterpark were to become "Soak City" as Screamscape suggested. To me, it's a ridiculous notion, and would be the epitome of "de-themeing," as it were. Like when Top Gun becomes Flight Deck, or Drop Zone becomes Drop Tower. When the opportunity arises to give something a new, fresh, fun identity, why instead choose a generic version of its former identity? Boomerang Bay is - without question - themed. The color palate, the names, and various decorations give it an atmosphere. From the squirting dijeridoos at the entrance to the Australian critter cutouts and themed food establishments. To, for whatever reason, purposefully remove all of those details in favor of a water-themed water-park is absolutely silly to me. Quite the opposite, I think the Cedar Fair water parks still without the Australian theme (Kings Dominion's Water Works, Dorney Park's Wild Water Kingdom, etc) ought to adapt from us, not the other way around. So here's hoping that they at least maintain what they have and don't toss it all away in favor of a "Soak City." It would be one thing if the brand name were recognizable like it might be in Southern California. As it is, I don't think many Kings Islanders even know what "Soak City" is, and we're only 2 hours from Cedar Point...

Why not? Top Thrill Dragster was cited by the CEO as one of the worst decisions he made back when it first opened and was broken frequently. In a poll on the park's Facebook page recently, they had visitors choose their favorite ride between Millennium Force and Top Thrill Dragster; Millennium won by a landslide. Considering the park's target audience with those two rides is the same audience you expect on Facebook, it's one way of saying that, ten years later, Millennium has proven to have greater longevity in the eyes of the public than its more-expensive cousin. Not only that, but the only other strata-coaster on Earth, Kingda Ka, has had a LOT of issues, as recently as... Well... Now. It's closed, and rumors are that it will remain so through the end of the season... Again.

Funny, because didn't Kings Island tweet that the announcement will take place: Perhaps not a direct correlation, but how many people would expect to make their way to the closed water park for an announcement? GYK, who truly has no idea at this point, but if we throw enough crap at the wall, something's gotta stick!

I think there are plenty of better reasons why we won't see a 400 foot tall giga coaster at Kings Island.

http://affiliate.kickapps.com/_GOLIATH/video/1630498/151061.html Also, we've got to notice the shout out to Kings Island in New England's GOLIATH video. At :10, the coaster shown is Six Flags Worlds of Adventure's "X-Flight," which was repainted and moved to Kings Island as "Firehawk," of course! So somehow, a little Kings Island homage made it into the announcement of a different kind of ride from a different chain in a different state. Feels good.

^^ Geauga Lake all over again. Like Geauga Lake, I think Paramount and Cedar Fair were able to look at the park and realize it may have over-expanded. I think that they did what needed to be done in removing Stealth - the fact of the matter is, it had to have done more good at Carowinds than it would've at Great America just as Firehawk did more good than X-Flight (the original one) did. Great America was being scaled back to fit its climate more appropriately. The problem is, I don't think that the public sees it as an over-expansion, and then a reining in. I think the public sees it as roller coasters disappearing. Now, absent Stealth, Greased Lightnin', and Invertigo, the park's numbers are dwindling. And I think that, like Geauga Lake, there will come a time when the best financial sense is to rip the Band-Aid off quickly instead of one hair at a time as it is now. Their B&M inverted coaster might do far more good at Kings Island than it's doing for them now. And when Cedar Fair is sure that that point has been reached, they'll do what makes sense financially. If this stadium issue is taken care of, the park gets back on its feet, and starts doing well, I'm sure it'll be supported. I just hope Cedar Fair has learned from their mistake - closing Geauga Lake may have been the best decision for them, but to do so without giving people a chance to say goodbye (especially in a park that was literally a century old and had impacted generations) was a shame.

I believe Tomb Raider flipped once for a short time, then four times for the rest of its life. It was mostly about the themeing, with lighting, lasers, sparks (for a short time), water, fog, synchronized audio, and a storyline. It had an extra row on the front (which means it held 77 riders) and wasn't very intense. It was more like a giant moving theater that happened to do some flips and hold you upside down over lava. .The Crypt flipped nine times for a brief period (copying the ride cycle of its outdoor, smaller cousin at Kings Dominion), then resorted to its current two-flip cycle. It's slowly gaining back various lights, music, etc., but people are complaining (and probably rightly so) about it only flipping two times. It's true that, as is, it's not doing much good for anyone, but it'd be a shame to see the concept, building, lights, and remains of Tomb Raider demolished.

KI doesn't have a TopSpin. TopSpins are far more vigorous and fun than the Giant model KI (and ONLY KI) has. Same is true of Frisbees... Exactly. It's no secret our Giant Top Spin isn't capable of much. Great America's Top Spin does nine flips. Wouldn't you like that to be located inside our building, with theatrical lights and water all around it? ^ Hey, congrats on 32,000 posts, Interpreter!

But which one? I think they'll have an uprising on their hands either way! GYK, rooting for Pepsi.

Accountability would be absolutely fantastic. My simple view of Cedar Fair's current system is that ideas (read, mandates) are handed down from the removed "old white men in the smokey room" (literally, as Q would have us picture) in Northern Ohio. If their attempt falls short, it's simply brushed under the rug and forgotten about. There's no accountability because everyone simply does what they're told, and those in power do not doubt themselves or their ideas. When Rock Band flopped, who took the fall? When the "cool, hip" skateboard-themed marketing fell on its face, who took the blame? Again, my simple and perhaps flawed understanding is that these ideas came from Sandusky and when they failed, no one was willing to take the blame. Isn't the failed (and probably very costly) Rock Band Live! show was caused the rift between two prominent higher-ups? And was it perhaps because no one was willing to take the fall for the idea that was forced onto the parks? It seems a strange way to do business to me. The unity of the former Paramount Parks and the Legacy Parks was necessary in areas like season pass systems and admission, and it was practical in terms of licensing (except somehow with Coca-Cola and Pepsi). But to treat the parks the same seems like a really ineffective way to handle them. Some shows don't work at some parks, certain attractions are out of place at certain parks, and one commercial cannot be applied to all.

As hurtful as it is to say, at this point I'm sort of hoping for the closure of Great America. It has a nice wild mouse that would fit nicely at many of Cedar Fair's smaller parks, a B&M stand-up, a smaller Arrow looper, and a B&M invert. It's wooden coaster is supposed to be pretty awful, so no major loss there for many, and those nice steel coasters can be re-distributed to the other parks (yes, I would love their invert and top spin). I don't know... I'd hate if someone said that about Kings Island, but if Great America closed its rides could really benefit the rest of us. They might even get a nice buy-out from the 49er's! Haha. If I had my way with it, I'd send Kings Island their B&M inverted coaster, top spin, and flying eagles. Kings Dominion could use their Tiki Twirl (formerly Survivor) in their Congo section... And actually, pretty much all of the Cedar Fair parks have a Wild Mouse except us... Not that we need it necessarily.

I do recall a banner of it hanging on the all-you-care-to-eat buffet facing the Diamondback queue now that you mention it!

How right you are. But is it a hint about a waterpark addition? Or is it just the new labeling that the park's websites all seem to be getting? Or... GYK, who likes to get his hopes up about certain things despite all evidence to the contrary.

This, I think, is a major downfall of the Cedar Fair chain. The parks are different. Very different. They have different strengths and different audiences. Even Kings Island and Kings Dominion are more different than they are alike thanks to the folks in their area. Kings Dominion's Planet Snoopy is three or four attractions and a boutique; for better or worse, it's a less family-friendly park. So to market it as "The Fun and Only" (which in and of itself is one of the more ridiculous marketing taglines I've seen applied to a dozen parks at once) is to severely miss the mark if you ask me. Why can't Kings Island's marketing celebrate its interactive, themed rides and details? Shots of Backlot's flames and Firehawk's loop and Diamondback's splashdown - fun for everyone! While Cedar Point shows the food choices and the beach and the roller coasters and the entertainment options. Instead, we all get generic advertisements handed down from a distant, removed corporate office that either has never really experienced a day in the parks as a guest, or can't recall what it's like to be a guest. It makes the marketing feel very sterile to me. No charm or appreciation for the diversity of the parks. I think of the newest Ride Warrior commercials (something about skateboarding and grinding and roller coasters) and just know that a 50-year-old decided that this was how to get the kids involved. It's all very plastic and directionless.

So did I. I found many to be baseless when I actually got around to visiting one this year (though I did visit Great America, which I hear is popularly considered one of the better Six Flags parks in most categories...) Perhaps the Six Flags of the past was a poorly run, carnival-style company for a time, but it doesn't appear to be that way anymore. In my experience, the parks are well-maintained, well-operated, and very fairly funded. On a day-to-day basis, the pricing for a season pass seems like a real steal, the food was affordable, the staff was friendly... The only detractor was $20 parking. As silly as it sounds, that really did keep me from visiting a second day, and I will limit my trips to Six Flags in the future so long as that pricing remains (which is truly sad when you think about it... I'd visit in a heartbeat for $12, but they'll miss out on 100% of my business as long as $20.00 remains the daily rental price of one parking spot in a half-empty lot). But, just like Cedar Fair "vs." Paramount, there's a very different atmosphere and a different priority list that I've seen in Six Flags. For example, I wouldn't necessarily want a B&M stand-up coaster themed to Green Lantern at Kings Island. I already think there's a strange half-way feeling between Paramount's smaller, themed rides and Cedar Fair's large ones. To add in new superhero references and Loony Tunes doesn't feel like something that would benefit Kings Island given what it already has. But what do I know?

This is sort of what I've been worried about for a while... Yes, Cedar Point has a lot of roller coasters. But all are "tried and true" designs. Granted, there's nothing wrong with that. But at Cedar Point, you do an awful lot of sitting, an awful lot of airtime hills, a lot of speed... It's all well and good. But compare that to Six Flags Magic Mountain, where you've got a ZacSpin, a 4th dimension coaster, a backwards reverse freefall coaster, GCI woodies, a flying coaster, Giant inverted boomerang, a floorless coaster, a Giovanoli mega coaster... Sure Cedar Point has some variation, but for the most part I feel like all the coasters there are very typical, perhaps with the exceptions of Maverick and Top Thrill Dragster. At Cedar Point, it seems to me that there was an Arrow era, then a B&M era, and now an Intamin era. As such, the rides are all very similar and have so many things in common. Now, Six Flags, as a chain, is pulling ahead in my book. They've announced the U.S.'s first Wing Rider, the world's tallest Drop Tower, a prototype Premier launcher with a non-inverting loop... Six Flags tries new things. Sometimes it bites them in the bottom, but at least there's a sense of wonder and newness and excitement. So far, Cedar Fair has announced one large coaster (but again, "typical" in every sense of the word - tall, fast, airtime... Very "B&M" with no new trains or themeing or design elements; nothing new or unusual, especially for that park), a re-located boomerang, two more WindSeekers, and a dinosaur exhibit. Yes, there are announcements to come, but none have had any sort of marketing or promotion that would hint at a large addition. When i saw the promotional videos from X-Flight or Superman, I was truly in awe, and very excited just to see the animation. When I saw Leviathan, I lacked that enthusiasm and pure, primal excitement. Will it be impressive and awesome? Undoubtedly. But it's like, been there, done that in a way... It's exciting and great and if Kings Island were getting Leviathan, I'd be thrilled. But as it is, it's like... Ugh. Everyone else gets awesome prototypes and Cedar Fair gets more WindSeekers. I complained to a friend from the U.K. that they tend to get such new, innovative designs (Thirteen, Air, Nemesis, Saw, etc) but the truth is, we get them here, too... Just not with Cedar Fair. Maybe it's Cedar Fair's apparent preference for B&M that "holds us back." I love love love B&M's rides, but maybe it's time to take someone by surprise by opening something unexpected... I don't know. I'm feeling a little lackluster about it. :\ I'm not asking for record breakers. Just something new and unusual.

But then again, this is a "major new attraction for our 40th anniversary." I hate to nit-pick on wording, but they did not say "ride," and the fact that they equate it with the 40th anniversary comes across to me as a new show that celebrates the park's history, or something... I don't know obviously but that's my first impression. And as for Son of Beast, not only will it take a good long time to redesign it, but I'd imagine they'd want that time frame to involve as much of autumn / spring / summer as possible, and as little during the winter as they can manage.

Nope, I posted this: That's what started some questioning whether or not you'll have to pay $5.00 to enter the trick-or-treating area at Howl-O-Fest this year since it appears it'll be located within Dinosaurs Alive.

Don't expect a roller coaster. Canada's Wonderland is getting a 300 foot tall coaster, and construction has already begun. Dorney Park is getting a 130 foot tall coaster, and construction has already begun. If we were getting a roller coaster, I think there's a tremendous possibility that we'd have seen some sort of construction, seen a trademarked name, been afforded a much grander marketing scheme. Just don't expect one, then if somehow we get something small (which, again, I don't think will be the case personally) then you'll be pleasantly surprised. But no tallest/fastest combos next season, I'd wager.

But also, let's be realistic. Even if this were three things, would "food changes" be one of them? For example, someone on Facebook said that the three announcements are: 1) A waterpark expansion 2) Son of Beast's rebuilding / demolition 3) A new roller coaster And that he knew 1 & 2 were correct, but that 3 was his guess... I mean, really. Even if a decision about Son of Beast had been made, would they announce its demolition as part of a viral marketing scheme? "3 things are happening in 2012: a new dinosaur, we're demolishing a roller coaster, and the cheeseburgers are changing... ... Buy passes please?" I certainly don't know myself, but if the marketing team at Kings Island has even one person on staff who actually went to school for marketing, I imagine there are certain things they won't do... Of course, in such an inflammatory, rumor-heavy, viral-marketing industry, you'd imagine they would've thought twice before posting three boxes if there were only one announcement... Sort of one of the problems with marketing a small addition so heavily (which, by the way, is what I think they're doing) is that this sort of stuff happens... For better or worse, many folks right now (judging from their Facebook) are expecting a new coaster, Son of Beast's renovation, and a waterpark expansion. Of course, we here know that that's absolutely not going to happen. But when the announcement does turn out to be something small, but perfectly pleasant, it's going to cause hysteria from the incredible build-up that folks have imagined.

Accommodation is not what's in question here. There is a safety issue with wearing any sort of head gear on the rides as deemed by the park, manufacturer, or both. It's a silly concept that someone would insist that they're required to wear something, and that that takes precedence over their own safety and the safety of others. If I've decided to wear an inflatable fat suit to Cedar Point, I can either remove it before riding Top Thrill Dragster, or I can not ride Top Thrill Dragster. It's not that anyone has anything again inflatable fat suits per se. It's just that in order to ride, I must remove it. I may very well like to ride it and ask that the ride operators accommodate me by allowing me on regardless. It doesn't matter. It's dangerous and against the rules set by the park. If my religion required the use of said fat suit, it would still need to be removed prior to riding all the same. Discrimination isn't even a question here - it's not discrimination. I don't even think those affected are claiming discrimination. More than anything, it's a lack of communication somewhere along the line.

http://www.dorneypar...ers/stinger.cfm When I first heard via Screamscape that Cedar Fair had trademarked the name Stinger, my first impression was that this Boomerang would be getting a Sting-ray theme (which actually fits the shape of the ride well, too). Something interesting to me: if you click "map" and view it's location, the map actually has a little construction zone! That's a cool touch. Also strange is that it's located right next to their Intamin Twisted Impulse Coaster, which is arguably a more technological, next-generation version of a Boomerang... Two low capacity, forwards/backwards shuttle coasters right next to eachother on a dead-end path should make for a very interesting area and very fun queue lines! Haha. Still hangin' on.

I think it's as much a matter of the cost to operate Paddlewheel as it is access to "Adventure Island." It's a great ride, true, and if it CAN reasonably stay, I think it should. Why not have "Adventure Island" contain TWO attractions - Dinosaurs Alive! and the Paddlewheel Excursions. Then, for a $5.00 charge (heck, even $6.00), you can cross the bridge and gain access to the two. That way, the boats can run on a more limited schedule (maybe one trip each half hour) and but still make some kind of revenue. I don't know... If the ride DOES close, I simply beg that the animatronic figures be repositioned around Shoot The Rapids. I'm not asking for a detailed storyline, just some fun animatronics shooting back and forth over your heads, some animated props, etc. It'd be a real shame to just scrap those animatronics when they perfectly match the nearby water ride. (Even if they are moved to Shoot the Rapids, I should make it clear that I won't ride that thing until those literal hoses are shut off at the bottom of drop two. They're painful, forceful, and unnecessary. Cedar Point already has two "soak you to the bone" rides with Snake River Falls and Thunder Canyon. Why not a mist-you-off and cool-you-down log flume?)

Really, this is lose-lose. If they DO charge them to enter the trail ($5 or, God forbid, more), people will feel cheated and nickel-and-dimed. After all, the treats were free last year, and they didn't necessarily ask to see the dinosaurs. If they DON'T charge, then why the hell did I have to a few weeks ago? That just isn't fair, is it? And what if I don't have kids - could I still enter the trick-or-treat trail for free just to see the dinosaurs? Then again, perhaps they'll just move two or three of the smaller dinos (like the one by the fountain or near the DA gift shop) over to the picnic grove for a bit.