SOB_TOM

The campgrounds were really useful for close-double-open shifts. Especially if you ran late on TRTR.

I just remembered one! I was reading another post and just remembered another creepy spot where a spirit lives. Back by speed pitch, some of you might remember that the Flight Commander queue is still there. Everytime I go back there, I feel another presence, but cannot pin it down. It just watches. It could be the spirit of the girl who fell from Flight Commander, but I dont know. The woods behind TRTR is another slightly creepy spot. Again, cant confirm if its not just racoons having a good time or not, but it disturbs me to be back there for long. And as I bring up these creepy spots where I think spirits reside, please do not mess with them. Just let them be, and they will let you be. They will make contact when they are ready, and do not like to be pushed into action. Perfect example: Anyone ever see English version of Ghost Hunters? I love that show, but I will admit, some is smoke and mirrors, but some is actual hauntings. The reason they get the results they get is because they are being almost forced to show themselves. So unless you know how to keep yourself from being posessed, please do not force them to show themselves.

Why bother? They are good for storage, and also they are not in view of the park, so why even bother tearing them down? Its kind of the same reasoning of why tear down the queue for Flight Commander? Reasoning is that its somewhat hidden, and its also not hurting anything, so theres no reason to spend extra money to tear them down.

Just north of the parking lot, just off of Kings Island Dr. To get to it, just go to the far north of the parking lot and you will see it. Just a word about graveyards, do NOT go into it if you do not have permission. Again, it is private property, and when KI was built, there was a reason they left it alone and fenced it in. Just remember this, I dont think you like it when people step on you, so please do not step on others.

I wasnt talking KI. I was talking sites around Cincy. I would NEVER enter any private property without consent

Speaking of tranquility, my second favorite spot is one of the old animal barns behind SOB. Trees growing over the road, and the faint sound of a park.

The fort is so overgrown anyway I dont think anyone would make it. I have only been to one spot that spirits travel to, which was on Western Kentucky University's campus, and even I, who am used to the feelings of spirits, had to leave after about 5 minutes. But might be fun. What i have been thinking about doing is going to a couple "haunted" spots around Northern KY/Cincy area just to see if I can make anything out. I think of it as training, but it would still be fun. Anyone else up?

Some places naturally draw spirits (I.E. Stonehenge) so there has to be something behind that building.

Man, I wish I had time to look up really interesting stories. Stupid work..... Must keep my mouth shut..... must keep my mouth shut......

Sorry it took me so long to respond, I have been quite busy. And now, more ghost stories: For those of you who do not know the Tower Johnny story, here it is. About mid 80`s, during a senior night at the park, a guy wanted to surprise his girlfriend by jumping onto the elevator when it came up. He set his beer down (fake id apparently) and set his hat right next to it. He then leaned over the side, and forgot about the counterweight, which killed him, and his body was shredded by the structure. Custom was, at that time, that people would prank others by throwing raw meat towards them. So when his cut up corpse hit the ground, people thought it was a joke and didnt report it. Only when his girlfriend noticed he was missing was it reported...... And Tower Johnny lives on. I was walking around under tower after close with a buddy of mine who worked security. We started hearing noises from the 50 ft. platform, and of course, my security friend had to check it out. We went up the steps to investigate, and all we saw was a full beer and a ball cap sitting right next to the elevator. Needless to say, we left. A story goes that there used to be a restaraunt where the old Mexican place was. One busy night, there was only one chef on duty, and he went crazy. He went up to the storeroom and turned on the light. He then grabbed his cleaver and cut himself into pieces, while onlookers watched his shadow from the ground. Some say that you can still see him raising a cleaver into the air and bringing it down on himself. Others have said that the light in that room will turn itself off and on. Some people have claimed to see balls of light, and even hazy outlines of people walking around the graveyard and North parking lot area of the park after the park closes. The Witches Fort on the train (whatever its called now) has had its own creepy sightings. It seems that there is something on the inside that drives spirits to it. Some have seen what look like old torch lights at night walking through the woods, straight towards the old fort. I was sitting in an office in the old town on the train ride one night, and when I turned towards the window facing the train, I saw a light going the opposite way of the train. I ran outside, thinking that they were doing something to the train, I saw one train in the barn, and I heard the wistle of the other train, over by the waterworks station. Some of the games personell have said to seen "racer boy," a small child wearing a striped red and white shirt running down the midway going towards FoF. There IS a spirit back in the building next to Scrambler, however he has not manifested herself yet. I can feel her watching. How do I know its a she? Its how she makes me feel. Just from the feeling I get, she is in her mid 40`s, very motherly. I walk back there, and for those of you who know what Im talking about, I feel no malice whatsoever from her. Its pure motherly feelings, protection, love, ect. In case you are wondering, I can hear spirits (and yes, when you find a talent like that, it will send you nuts until you figure it out), however it takes a lot more for me to actually see anything. That, and the spirit has to want to make contact, you cannot force them to show themselves. If I remember anything else that has happened to me, I will post them.

My favorite area is Rivertown, my favorite location is a maintenance trail above the exit of tunnel 2. Brillant to have a coaster rumble right underneath your feet.

The "lake" is the one over by Bubba Gumps in front of Festhaus.

A lot more work goes on than just transporting a few floats. Its a very time consuming effort. And I guess this means that maintenance doesnt have to listen to the "kickin it all over town" in the morning. That was a nice wake up call at 7:30am

Nah, I think its more tradition than anything now. Really, the animatronics dont break on Scooby, its the guns that break.

Just remember this: Ghosts can not hurt you in the physical sense. Yes, they can frighten the hell out of you, but they cannot cause physical harm. I was working on TRTR one day and we had a girl who was working unload call the station threatening to leave if we didnt get her off of the ride. When asked why, she said she saw a ghost over there, and if there wasnt a replacement at the exit by the time the ride stop, she was leaving. Needless to say, she left. Later that same day, I was working that same posistion, and was watching the ride go around, and saw a man in his mid-twenties standing over by the exit, watching the ride, out of the corner of my eye. By the time I realized it, he was gone. I searched that entire exit platform, never found him. Also, my boss in tech services was working on Phantom Theatre on Maestro during the offseason, when there are no seasonals. He heard a noise in the ride area, turned his head towards it, and when he looked back at Maestro, his head had turned. There was no power and no air pressure on the ride. It was mid Jan. so no left over air would be in the system. Needless to say, he went to work on something else. Down in Tech Services, if you walked into Scooby or Phantom Theatre (depending on when you worked there) and didnt greet all the characters, the ride would break. Personal experiences on that one. Ive heard stories of ride ops feeling like something was watching them from the woods on the hill by Gun. I know a few more, if you want to hear them, then just tell me.

And Tech Services.

Dont you know? Its Cedar Fair's new addition to the FX Theatre part of the park! Its a lake!

Knowing what I Know, you would be surprised who was actually looking into buying the parks. A lot more big players were involved other than those already named.

Probabily because you can just break from the truck and not be too backlogged when you got back. As for my shop last year, it was 7-3:30 and 3:30-close on most nights.

Beech Bend: The ride ops on their wanna-be steel looping coaster refuses to take Ryans cup of ice. He makes it down the first drop, but "drops the ball" going into the loop. Good thing I was ahead of him in the front. As for any coaster, Im reminded of a certain bumper sticker: "Roller coaster fanatics do it in the the front seat."

I remember those. In fact, I worked with a guy who used to work on those. There were live operators in the tanks, which floated on water. If I remember correctly from when I was like 6, they were in HB back by the giant slide and the Turnpike. Basically the ride worked thusly: Operators would man the tanks and the drystations on land, and would engage in war. If the tank was hit, the light would go off above the tank and the triggers would not work to shoot for a period of time (I think.) If someone was hit on land, they would be sprayed with water, and their gun wouldnt work for a period of time. It would go like that until the game was over. My most missed ride is actually the Turnpike, for the sole reason that the year I was finally tall enough to drive it, the park removed it. I was bummed out, especially since I was only 6.

I just think they are mad because they cant take their motorized wheelchairs down the steps. Apparently those fanny packs are really heavy.

What are you talking about? It looked like a perfectly designed Arrow inversion!

I normally wear sandals. The type that have the strap in the back so they dont fall off.

From what I was told, rehire packets are not going to be issued this year. Instead, they are doing it all online.