For those of you who did not get the opportunity to take part in the Discovery Channel filming last Friday, this is basically my experience.
We had to be at the park no later than 7am which is really no fun when you're from northern Kentucky and it's nearly an hour drive to the park.
Anyway, I arrived there around 6:45 or so to join the crowd of about 50 and growing at Security Post 3. Just before 7:00, they let us into the park (and yes, even that early you have to go through those stupid metal detectors). Afterwards, they took your releases, and took your picture to go with it.
While waiting to have my picture taken, I heard a guy talking about a book he had written about the park. Of course, it was none other than our very own Italian Chef!
After a long delay, they split us up into two groups: the Delirium group and the Tomb Raider: The Ride group. Delirium entered the park immediately, while TR: TR had to wait for another 10 mins or so.
They eventually let us into the back entrance behind The Beastie and we worked our way toward TR: TR. They had a small, but generous continental breakfast waiting for us under the shelter to the right of the ride. There, we had to decide who was going to do ride commentary for the filming. It came down to two ladies. One of which was a young teen girl, while the other was an older lady. Both of which would have been good for the part, but after a slight amount of trivia about different things, and an infamous game of "Choose a number between 1 and 100" the older lady came on top.
While experience yet another of the many delays of the day, the Italian Chef introduced me to Jeff Seibert, who was an extremely nice and enthusiastic guy.
Eventually, we were split into two groups. I was fortunate enough to be the very last in the group that got to go first. They had us enter the ride through the exit and ran several cycles of the ride with long delays in between. We were belted in the whole time, so it got to be unbelievably uncomfortable.
Eventually, they had us go into the room in which you watch the video. We were told that the other group was filming on the ride, and there would be a long delay. (Side note: We were really worried at this point, we were told that there was going to be a short delay before we go to ride the ride the first time, and we waited nearly an hour and a half, we feared what a long delay might entail.) It turned out to be only an hour or so being crammed in that chamber when the door opened and the other group came in to join us.
At this point, they filmed us entering the ride 3 or 4 times trying to get several angles. They then filmed us getting into our seats 2 times, and then filmed the employees checking our harnesses 2 times.
Finally, after four and a half hours, the filming was completed. It was scheduled to end at 10:00 when the park opens, but actually ended at almost 11:30. We were given any information they had about the airing of the show, which is basically none (sometime this fall) and they released us.
If you did the Delirium filming, post a message on here. I'm curious as to how it went!
Things I noticed while I was there:
1. The park staff was very courteous and extremely appreciative that we took part in the filming.
2. Italian Chef could write a second edition to his guidebook entitled "Unofficial Guidebook to the Restrooms at Paramount's King's Island" (if you know him personally, you'll know what I'm talking about)
3. Filming is a long, tedious process. If I wasn't so committed to the park, I don't know if I would want to do it again.
4. If you watch the TR:TR video more than once, it gets really old, really quickly!
5. If you get there at 7:00am, you get killer parking spots!
Oh yeah, and if you did the Delirium filming, post on here and tell us how it went!
Regards,
Ryan
