Browntggrr

Kings Island was much better prior to Paramount taking over, and it was more of a family park as KI before PKI. There is a family atmosphere that PKI just does not have anymore, even though they claim to be a family park, it was much different pre- Paramount. And it really does not have anything to do with the rides, just the way that I (and my family- I have 2 kids) feel. I am not sure if it is the way the Paramount has marketed themselves in the park or if they have just crammed the "theme park" into everything about the park, but it just does not have that "natural fun" feeling that used to be there in the 80's & early 90's. Not to mention the various themeing elements that just do not work anymore does take away from the overall park experiance. When I went to BGW this past summer, I recalled how KI used to be. BGW had beautiful landscaping, was execptionally clean, the food was well above average- KI used to be up to this high level, but it just seems average now.

Yeah, we all know that is what you meant... My bad.

Actually, both XLR-8 and Big Bad Wolf in Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened in 1984 with Arrow's banked track modification. And if you REALLY want to get technical, The Bat at PKI was the third suspended coaster behind Arial Coaster at Riverview Park in Chicago (1908) and Bisby's Spiral Airship (1902) at Queens Park in Long Beach, History of suspended coasters on RCDB

There are currently no new owners for PKI or any other Paramount Park. I'm sure there are potential buyers, but nothing definitive as of yet. So there are no new owners, and nobody is being fired because of the sale.

Actually, that is wrong. Keeping your hands INSIDE the car does not mean in the air, which is considered outside the car. It is all lawyer talk and leaves many gray areas, but if you were to get hurt, that arguement would never work.

I think you may be interpreting the article too literal. Just because the land is leased, does not make it impossible for a company to buy the park and either lease the land themselves from the city, or buy it from the city outright, sell the rides for a decent profit, and develop the land as they see fit. When it comes down to developers, nothing is out of the question.

This will be a change for the better. I have seen in the past few years PKI take a small turn for the worse; but not as bad as PKD. There were certain areas where Paramount could have made the park better (i.e.: cleaner, keeping up with failed themeing, better rides, better upkeep for the rides etc.). If a holding company were to buy KI, we should all hold on tight because there will be big changes on the horizon, two years after the sale. I work for a corporation that is owned by a holding company (KKR) and they have owned the company for 6 years now. In those 6 years KKR has invested hundreds of millions of dollars. The company started just making aluminum wheels, then became the 2nd largest aluminum manufacturer in the world (2nd to Alcoa) and just last year aquired another corporation (TTI) to become the largest manufacturer of truck parts in the world. A holding company is in the business of making tons of money, and they willing to spend tons of money to get there. If (and this is a big if) KI were to be bought by a holding company, I do not see anyone being disappointed with the results. They will try to double their investment ASAP and then sell it, which is good for us.

Well, I am glad you cleared that up. It just sounded like you did not respect someone's opinion. ... guess I was wrong.

Are you referring to the same type of uproar that was done to try and save the flyers? I didn't think it was stupid.

I doubt it. The resort/ hotel will still be used by guests that are using the Golf course or the tennis arena. Some of those guests may have not want to be in a family/ playtime atmosphere. But this would be a great time to renovate the hotel. GWL in Mason Edit- Great Wolf Lodge info & pics

If it like other Great Wolf Lodges (Williamsburg VA, Great Bear Lodge in Sandusky) it will not have rides, but water attractions (wave pool, slides, lazy river, kids area etc.) This is an excellent addition for PKI.

Nah, I agree that changing the name is a poor decision. It is too bad that Paramount's marketing department is forgetting that The Beast back in 1979 is what put Kings Island on the map. Beastie was a way to have kids enjoy a ride when they could not get on The Beast. It doesn't matter what the ride name is, it is still a good ride, but PKI is certainly squashing the nostalga behind it. The Odd Parents is just a fad and will eventually disappear like the Smurfs.

Here is a link for SFMM. Ticket info $59.99 at the gate? They must be out of their minds! Especially for a park where the main attraction rides have an uptime of (guessing) 75%.

Lighthouse Point is a nice facility, but the cabins need to be either bigger or the price reduced. They are great in July & August when the weather is warm, but in May, June and September when you have to be in the cabin due to cooler weather the cabin is too cramped. You can get a large room at Hotel Breakers for the same price as a cabin at Lighthouse Point.

I also read on a CP website that Magnum was sinking. The site in question has the area clearly marked for public opinions. And I can't see anything wrong with a public opinion, especially when there are other parks in the mix with the same type of information. I mean, really, was there anything on that site that we have not already discussed here?

I do not believe that the ride is unsafe in any way. There are certain inspections that are done by trained & qualified people and I have faith in their inspections and I also have faith in PKI. Unsafe IMO is: their is a known condition that could possibly cause harm to those riding it. I do not believe that these conditions exist on SoB. I just believe that SoB is more exteme than most other rides, and to a first time guest they cannot gauge how the experiance is until they ride it since there are like warning signs and recordings on other thill rides as well. Now if PKI was to put out a larger warning sign or a louder, more direct recording, or say that this is the most extreme ride in the park, they actually open themselves to a potential lawsuit, since they admit that there is a more extreme condition on SoB. And saying that SoB was closed early in 2005 because of a safety issue is just stirring the pot.

Other rides have recordings that are piped through as well and mention the same type of warnings. Unfortunatly, some speakers do not work, or, people do not pay attention to what is being spoken. That is why I was referring to to signs that are posted.

You are right, there are signs about the ride being rough. But you will also find the same signs on most of the other thrill rides in the park, and *almost* the same exact signs at any other park. It is just that SoB is much more extreme than most (if not all) rides; people may have a unknown condition, yet can still ride other thrill rides with the unknown condition and the same warning signs and have no ill effects until riding SoB.

As far as just a non-coaster ride, it is a toss-up between Spiderman at IoA and ToT at Disney. My favorite coaster is MF followed closely by The Beast and AC at BGW.

I do agree with you, but, the column that has all the claims is listed as: "Paramount's Kings Island Summary Via Public Feedback" PKI Summary Via Public Feedback does not sound official to me. It sounds like the public's opinion, which it actually is.

Having read through this site a little more....things are looking more interesting. I agree, too, the parks I have been to and read about are right on. Has anyone contacted this people? I think I may try and see what kind of reply I get. I have to also agree. I also looked at the comments made about CP, BGW, BGT, and PKD and I have to agree with all the comments made about all of the parks (I was lucky enough to visit all 5 in 2005). It is too bad that some fanboys cannot handle the truth...

Chances are that the area of land that has the coaster on it is not the only land the PC owns in SC. I have a friend that owns farmland that occupies both PA & NY and he has to pay property tax for both parcels, so it would easy to guess that PC pays both states.

Motley Fool Ouch. That is a pretty brutal article, but he does have some good points.

Well to make my story brief; my restauraunt was also a tavern too. On one of our dancing nights, a patron tried to leave with a open full beer, and we stopped him at the door. He got ****ed, got into his car, and while leaving the parking lot he shot 5 rounds at me (I hit the ground) and at the bar. One of my patrons inside was struck in the side by one of the bullets (basically a flesh wound- we were all lucky), and that was the beginning of the end. I have a wife and two kids, and being treated like Bambi on the first day of buck basically left a sour pit in my stomach. But the police did get the guy, and he is serving a 20-40 year sentence.

I am not surprised about the comments that are made there. Most of what is there, we have discussed here. As far as SoB's record, here is another site stating some violations concerning the ride: SoB in 2000 I find it intresting that it mentions about the children's area being top notch, and about SoB's line being shorter than other lines, and that PKI recieves more positive comments than any other Paramount Park (which after going to PKD twice, I completely agree with them). The comments there to have truths to them. But it is not just a PKI bashing site. It also has negative comments about BGW, MM, and PKD.