Purplehaze

I will not be working at the park per say! But i have done my years of service to the cause in the past...lol.. However I will still be working behind the scenes drinking those 7 dollar beers to help them pay your paychecks...lol

I did it!

Better yet don't get married and just live together

Oh you are talking about my cousin biff

I dont know but you are always welcome to set your camper up at my house anytime you want to visit the park!

I want the trams back.

I always pondered exactly how many employee's they hire by the end of the year. I know there is a high turnover rate especially in foods.

OMG I can't believe I missed this topic, as you all know I am kinda close to the beer garden in the back..hehehe

Taken from answers.com History The origins of the roller coaster probably date back to Russia in the 1400s, where ice sledding was a popular winter activity. It became so popular that people in relatively flat areas constructed their own hills out of snow and ice. The tops of these artificial hills were reached by way of elevated wood towers with stairways from the ground. For a small charge, people could climb the stairway and take a quick, exciting ride down the hill on a sled. By the 1700s, many owners of ice hills found a way to extend the profit potential of the ride beyond the winter months. They mounted wheels under small sleds and replaced the ice hills with ones constructed of wood. Brightly colored lanterns were hung along the slope to allow night operation. Visitors from France saw these rides, which they called the Russian Mountains, and took the idea back with them. The first wheeled coaster opened in Paris in 1804, and the coaster craze quickly spread throughout France. As the popularity of the rides grew, operators vied for the public's patronage by building faster and more exciting coasters. Unfortunately, safety devices did not keep pace with the speed, and accidents were common. By the mid-1800s, the increasing number of injuries and a general loss of public interest took their toll. One-by-one the Russian Mountain coasters were dismantled. The development of the roller coaster might have stopped there had it not been for a defunct coal-hauling railroad in the United States. The Mauch Chunk inclined railroad was built in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s to haul coal from a mine atop a mountain to barges in a canal below. Mules hauled the empty cars up the hill, and gravity brought the loaded cars, along with the mules, back down. In 1874 mining operations changed, and the railroad began hauling sightseers instead of coal. The one-and-a-half hour round trip cost one dollar and was an immediate success. The railroad continued to carry passengers until it closed in 1938. The success of the Mauch Chunk inclined railroad as a tourist attraction provided the inspiration for several similar amusement park rides on a smaller scale. In the United States, LaMarcus Thompson built his Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway ride at the beach on Coney Island, New York, in 1884. For a nickel, riders rode cars that coasted from one elevated station to another over a series of gentle hills supported on a wooden trestle. At the opposite end, the cars were switched onto a parallel track for the return trip. The second roller coaster on Coney Island was built in late 1884 when Charles AlCoke opened his Serpentine Railway. AlCoke's coaster was the first to use an oval-track design. Riders sat sideways on open benches as they were whisked along at what was then considered to be a break-neck speed of 12 mph (19 kph). A third coaster was built on Coney Island in 1885 by Phillip Hinkle. Hinkle's coaster incorporated a chain lift to carry the cars up the first hill, thus allowing the passengers to board at ground level and saving them a climb. Roller coaster development hit its peak in the 1920s when there were more than 1,500 wooden coasters in operation in the United States. The economic hardships of the 1930s and the wartime material shortages of the 1940s put an end to that era. Amusement parks closed by the hundreds, and their wooden roller coasters either fell into disrepair or were tom down. It wasn't until Walt Disney opened the Matterhom Bobsled ride at Disneyland in 1959 that the era of modern steel roller coaster design began. Ironically, it took the construction of a new wooden coaster—the massive Racer at Kings Island near Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1972—before the coaster craze really caught on again. By the late 1990s it was estimated there were over 200 major roller coasters in operation in the United States, with more being added every year. In May of 2000, the Millenium Force opened at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. At 310 ft (94 m) tall and going 92 mph (148 kmp), it is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world.

Yes I worked many years at KI and PKI. The late 70's and early to mid 80's I worked many Years in rides and Winterfest"s. Thru the 90's I worked in the Entertainment Dept. I have a long history with the park. KB is an awesome guy and knows his stuff about show biz!!!!!! I also worked a few auditions. We usually started back in mid to late Feb. I always knew Kevin would make it to the top at KI... When others were being shuffled around in the early 2000's Kevin kept climbing up. Actually alot of the full timers I worked with back in the 80's in rides. When Bill Balfour left I was sad but am soo glad Kevin went further up the ladder. When I worked with Bill Ossum he worked in Rivertown. Don Miller was also a little rides guy...lol... Doug Krammer who I believe is now in charge of the fire and saftey was also in rides when he was promoted and never stopped moving up the ladder. All these guys I mentioned has done wonders at their jobs and made the park not only enjoyable working there but also when visiting. The stories I could tell. My first ride I worked was the Scream'n Demon. We wore the safari outfits... Back when I worked The Beast we use to have ATV's we would ride back thru the gravel roads at night to make sure it was clear and looking for wallets and personal effects of lostward riders. I have been in every building behind the scenes in the park. I had my Scooby drivers license and could drive any equipment and vehicles except the security and fire vehicles. I had access to all areas of the park. PKI also sent a few of us thru pyro training in 1999. We then proceeded to go to Columbus, Ohio and take the state exam...So I can pretty much say I know the park inside out and the operation of the park.. I have certificate for yeas of honorable duty at the park. I still have movie passes from back in 1982 I got for being a good employee. I can scan them and show anyone who wants to see. I also have my paycheck stubs from back then I will scan and post for all to see minus my social security number of course..lol I have been working in that park before many of you were even born.

I remember when KB was just a lowley stage tech..lol

I love the park and could go everyday if I didnt have other things to do like work..lol.. I still go alot, sometimes with friends or my kids. I even like to go by myself... Sometimes when I go I wont even ride rides. I will just enjoy the park and shops and people watch. Anytime anyone wants to meet up there just hollar

Fail safe? Thats what Gen. Custer thought at little big horn.

I had no clue it spun while going up, only thing i could do is concentrate on not peeing my pants!

I shall call KB to get the scoop

So what are you saying? Walmart aint coming to KI?

darn no one wants my money...lmaooooooooooooooooooooo

And i hope it has 80's music..lmaoooooooooooooo I wish the shows lasted from opening day til closing day like they use to not just full season.

By the way, that was by Wild Cherry not marky mark

Back in 1995. When the international showplace played Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch ( Play that Funky Music White Boy ) and M.C. Hammer ( Can't touch this ). Oh my goodness, I had to work right across from that show for the entire season at a now defunct food shop called Showplace Drinks. Those people could just not sing. However, the Karaoke Connection by the Royal Fountain in 95 was entertaining. And so was the Cheers Show in the Festhaus. But the Cheers show was not as good as the previous Ice Shows. I'll never forget people changing the words in the Karaoke into something vulgar. and the host having to say, "We need you to stick to the words that appear on the screen you'll see on the stage when you get up here, because Paramount's Kings Island, AFTER ALL, is a family park!" I guess as with anything in life that is strickly opinion. And it is all about the atmosphere, hearing the show blast thru out the park was awesome!

I heard they are putting in a super Walmart at Kings Island. Believe or not, wait wasnt that a tv series?

Sure as long as I get a tshirt...lol

Well crap I was gonna pay for one

PLeaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bring back a awesome show at International Showplace like back in the 95 and 96 seasons. I am not a religious man but hoping my prayers get thru!..hehehe

If it was me I think the last thing I would be thinking about is a spin on the carousel.