KI-ORIG-EMP

Consider opening day as their stress test. They now know what worked and what needs worked on. Up until opening day, their training was just the basics and learning their job. Working at a regular sit down restaurant requires that the workers work as a team, from the waiters, bus help, hosts, bartenders, cooks and kitchen staff. I have worked at the Golden Lamb and it is hectic on special occasions and everyone works together and you find what needs worked on by stress tests. I would say they will get better the next weekend after their opening day stress test.

I remember guests going on the weekend that P&G buys out the park and saying they knew noting about it and that it was not fair. I would just have them go talk to Guest Services regarding it. Now if they come from hundred miles away or more, then I can feel for them, which is why I have them speak with GS. But for people that live within the tristate area, I do not. P&G has been having P&G Dividend Days at the park since 1972 and I am sure at Coney Island prior to KI. People need to check the web site, just as they check the weather conditions for the day. It is the same with the Sunday after opening day weekend. Always check the hours on the web site, which says the park is closed for a private event.

Think of opening day for the Reds Hall of Fame Grill as a stress test. You can see now things work or don't work under pressure and what needs to be improved upon. The same goes for the rest of the park. Things should improve by the next weekend.

Ryan is correct. Season pass holders no longer need to have their hand stamped to re-enter the park. You can use it more than once each day.

I am a cheesecake kind of guy myself. I like chocolate cake, but I love cheesecake with all the toppings.

You walk into the season pass building through the big red canopy to process your pass and have your picture taken. Their hours during Monday through Friday are 4PM to 8PM and during the weekend during regular park hours. The park opens for the 2013 season, this Saturday, April 27th.

I plan on taking my 90 year old father to the Reds Hall of Fame Grille when we go to Kings Island this summer. I can just taste the Montgomery Inn ribs right now, along with an ice cold beer.

Kings Island sold the said items to Jungle Jim at a fair price, I am sure.

It is printed on thermal receipt paper only if you buy them at the park. Group sales still print regular tickets for groups that are bought in advance. They used to use BOCCA machines at the sales windows that would print out tickets that were sold each day but was replaced by just thermal receipt paper.

I am sure the park has marketing data on the Fun Perks program that shows the expense to run it, maintain it, market it, sales data and increase sales and so forth, but it is stickily for in park use and very confidential. As for Kroger, I worked for a market research firm when they implemented their program and saw all the sales data in their ads. For instance, when Kroger Delta, the Memphis market area, the ads showed the sale price with card and without card. On the stores that had not yet joined it yet, their sales ad prices were the same as the sale price w/card. Kroger and other stores use all the data for their in house marketing, which is very valuable for them. I can only guess the park uses the data in ways similar.

When you purchase the pass at the park, no info is taken from you. They give you a receipt with a bar code on it and you take that inside to be process with your name, address, ect and your picture is taken. Any time you purchase a unprocess pass or ticket from a source other than official places, you take a big risk so it is BUYER BEWARE. Also if you plan on selling it or tickets at the front entrance, even at face value, the park frowns on it.

Seniors, 62 years of age and older can purchase a single day admission ticket for $33.99 at the gate. If you have any discount coupons, read the details for the price for the senior ticket. The park offers wheel chair and power scooter rentals on a first, come basis. Not sure what the rates are this season. They can be rented in the front of the park, to the left as you walk through the main entrance. I plan on renting a power scooter for my father, who is 90 years old when we go to the park. My father is like your dad in that he wants to walk. He even does not take advantage of the free scooters with baskets at stores like Kroger's.

I guess the expense to operate the Funperks program was greater than the revenue they hope it would generate. It sounds like the park believes there are other ways to generate extra revenue that is less costly like maybe offering discounts on food and or merchandise and other offers to entice increased spending among season pass holders.

To change the way we live our lives after some kook or kooks set off a bomb is just what they want. If we give in to their threats and let it effect how we go about our lives is to admit defeat and they win. We will not give in and we will vow to go to the ends of the Earth to find the people or groups that support them and bring them to justice and not allow them to hide in countries that support them. But if we hide in our bunkers and become paranoid about who or when they might hit us, then they win and we loose.

It is far to early to predict what the weather will be like on April 27th, opening day for Kings Island. All you do is project based on what it has done in the past.

I would like to see the entire area converted back to a German theme dinning environment, just like it used to be. Have a German brass band entertain the guests in the Bier Garden while they enjoy their brats, German potato salad and of course, an ice cold German bier (if they serve it).

The park usually opens up season pass processing/sales early in April and you can go then to upgrade the pass. You just present your pass and pay the difference of what you paid for your pass and the price for the Platinum Pass. Any questions, just call the park.

My sister lives across the river in NJ and I have been there several times. I have seen The Wiz when it was on Broadway and if you have a chance, take in a show. My parents enjoyed and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at The Windows on the World, at the top floor of the WTC in 1998.

Easy way to fix people wanting to ride in the very front or back of the ride is to fill the cars on the first available seat and not allow them to choose. I remember when I first started at Kings Island and rode The Racer, we could not choose where to sit but were placed in the next seat by the ride op. If 100 people all wanted to ride the front of the ride, logic tells me that you will wait longer to do this and I am no Mr. Spock. If the parks start to see that there is a huge demand for them to ride in the front, they might just start to charge the dehire fans for this privilege, just like airlines are charging extra for window seats. But it is far more easier to place them in the next available seat on a first come basis.

If I live lived locally and have a season pass to Kings Island, I have the whole season to ride all of the rides at the park and no need to buy something like Fast Lane to go to the head of the line. Now if I am making my plans to vacation at Kings Island for the one or two day stay, then I might just buy the Fast Lane pass option if my budget allows it, especially it the park happens to be crowded on the day(s) that my family is there.

Congrats on the job!

Just do a little research as to why interviewers ask these questions and what they want out of them. The best advice I was given by the VP in the MIS department as Great America was to not to turn the interview into a question and answer session but into a conversation. Just get a good nights sleep and be yourself. The main thing with Kings Island is they are seeking team players and employees that are willing to work and be on time ready to work each day.

Would people rather have the parks continue to increase the price of season passes or have season passes that include greater perks at a greater price? Would people rather have the park raise the admission prices and do away with coupons as the means of raising revenues? Would people rather have the park introduce higher quality food at much higher prices than regular park food? If you were increase the price of admissions to higher levels, it would effect attendance levels as people would find other venues to spend their hard earned money. You can only increase the price of admission so much without anything to show for the increase like newer and more extreme rides that might only attract the segment of park goers that are fans of the mega coasters. Parks are going to areas to increase revenues that won't effect the price of admission and therefore hurt attendance levels. If I see long and longer lines for rides that might show people might be willing to spend a few dollars more to go to the front of the line by paying more for a limited number of enhanced ride tickets. Guests are always asking when are we going to get that mega or giga roller coaster that the other park has just constructed? It costs lots of dollars to design, construct and maintain rides and if you do not make a profit to build these rides, they won't get built. Parks are constantly conducting research as to what guests want and what they are willing to spend their dollars on. Be it higher admission prices, food, merchandise. and or other perks. Amusement parks are a business and like any business it must make money to pay for everything that makes it work without putting a burden on the guests that purchase their product. Parks have to be able to compete and if they do not bring in enough revenues, they will not build newer rides that guests want or desire. Or the guests will go to their competitors and spend their money. Then people will start to write how things are going down hill for this once great park and how the owners have neglected it.

The park does hire throughout the season. Workers are always leaving for one reason or another. I remember when I started working for the park in 1972, I applied in January and was hired in middle of May of 1972. My partner in pet care was hired in late July back in 2011.

If you want to sit close to the action at any game, you will pay the price. it is a business and they are in business to make money. Higher salaries, rent and other expenses have to be paid for. How do you think the Miami Heat pays those multi million dollars of salary for those over priced players? If you think the park is over crowded and lines to roller coasters are way too long then the admission price is too cheap. Raise the admission price and the crowds will thin out and the lines will allow you to walk on. Easier to raise revenues by offering guests a Fast Lane at an up charge to avoid the long lines. Offer limited number of these. If everyone wants to ride a super duper roller coaster, offer a premium ticket for a limited number to ride. Supply and demand.