standbyme

Are these pictures supposed to make us happy or sad?! (Thanks for posting them.)

I have always felt that this could be the perfect theme song for Kings Island...KC really was the sound of sunshine. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=GQUjoMox_UQ They should hire KC to re-record it with a little different lyrics. (By the way, you gotta love the horn section's moves in this video!)

Even though I absolutely love "Edward Scissorhands", I grew tired of Tim Burton's style a long time ago...I doubt I will bother seeing it until it ends up in the $5.00 DVD bin at Walmart....which I am guessing will be within' 2 years.

Or Depends.

Browntggrr, thanks for the reply…and even though I do not agree with some of your opinions, at least I know what you believe. (I will give you that I did forget how the theming was left to go to pot after a while.) For the record, I hope I am not being lumped into this group. I never did jump on the "I hate Paramount" bandwagon once they were leaving, just as I missed the "thank God Cedar Fair is buying us" bus! This is the SCARIEST thing I have read here in a long time…I can not/do not want to even imagine if this could come true. I think this thread proves that!

Cory & The Interpreter...thanks for the replies. Like I mentioned, I wasn't sure who was responsible. I remember when they were raised someone posting that the new height requirements were more in line with similar rides at the other CF parks...but obviously no one could/would ever confirm the real reason. When I was just at Disney World, my nephew got to ride their WWC (Kali River Rapids)...it is only a 42" minimum...unlike KI's 46"...go figure.

I am TRULY interested in what you find so bad about the Paramount days. (And yes I am old enough to remember the pre-Paramount days.) Paramount gave us some great rides. I can only think of one thing that Paramount did that I didn't like...they didn't try to theme rides to the areas that they placed them in. IJST is still an eyesore in it's present location. (BUT, if I follow your logic of ride names not mattering...why should that bother anyone except us "enthusiasts"?) I know that towards the end (When they were technically CBS) they weren't putting much into the park...but in their defense they were wanting to sell the chain...so I can understand their reasoning. I know that you say that they have limited funds...and I know that...but they should have thought of that before they purchased the parks. So once again, could you PLEASE list 5 things that you dislike Paramount for...and in turn I will list 5 things that I don't like CF for doing. #1. The awful music played near the fountains...talk about ruining a park's atmosphere...I can listen to classic radio at home. #2. The lack of use of the metal detectors...either operate them correctly or don't have them at all. We all know the true status of them...but they keep them up just to give a very false security to the general public...it's dishonest. #3. The loss of Scooby Doo. As I have said in the past, I will not blame them for Nick...because I will trust The Interpreter that Nick probably was asking way too much money to renew the contract. (And I won't even talk about The Peanuts coming.) #4. The seemingly less than happy CF employees. I never had a Paramount employee complain to me, a stranger, about working conditions...the same can not be said of CF employees. Unhappy employees waiting on customers affects the atmosphere. #5. I do not know if CF is responsible for this or not...but I didn't like how the minimum height requirements on some of the rides were raised once they took over...WWC being the main one. I could list a few more...but I will stop at 5. The sad thing is that I can only list 2 real things that I like about the park since Cedar Fair took over...they play the National Anthem in the mornings...and of course, Diamondback.

If you're referring to my post, I didn't forget the bear...that's why I said "more" animals! The bear is the perfect example of how fairly inexpensive things make the train trip better...my nephew always looks for the bear in the woods.

Nice thread Paul! First off, I would like to say that I get really sick of hearing that the train is just for transport back and forth to Boomerang Bay. My family rides the train quite often just because we love it...even in it's current pathetic shape. When I am with my about to fall asleep toddler nephew I will hop on board the train...he will look around until he falls fast asleep, then I will usually stay on the train for 3 or 4 rounds...it's a nice and relaxing way to hold him. If I could pick one ride in the park that I want to get some TLC it's the train. I do not expect the park to put a lot of effort/money into theming...I would settle for just a little upkeep! Here are my suggestions for the areas that Topgun1993/Paul provided: #1(Marry RoseInn and General Store) I am pretty happy with this area...but I would like to see them make it more "lived in". Maybe add a little dirt path to the door like it is being used, and set some items outside...just stuff like comical laundry and maybe a wash tub. I would also let the grass grow higher in the patch of land in the foreground. (The one with the cut tree.) I would like to see some more fake animals strung around like the bear...maybe a beaver working on a fallen tree.) #2(Former Jail and Barn Gate) In this area I would like to see the new fence aged. I would also let the grass around it grow taller to hide what's behind it. I would throw some dirt on that rocky area and plant grass seed. I would also like to see them cover EVERY asphalt road that is visible from the train with just a small layer of dirt to make it look more rustic...the layer would not have to be much, just enough to hide the asphalt and enough that grass could grow in the middle...that we we could pretend that it was just wagon tracks in the old west...we are traveling on an old-fashined train...I would like a little attempt at making it seem like we were taking a train trip back in time. #3(Shipit Wall) In this photo all I would like to see is the poles cut off on top...is that really too much to ask. I am surprised that it wasn't done from the get-go. #4(Fort Mongomery) The Fort is a crime...how hard is it to keep the trees trimed down inside? There is no excuse for the way that this has been let go. On the outside I would like to see longer grass hiding the bottom edges of the fort to make it look like more of a real structure...and once again, throw some period nick nacks around to make it look more lived in. #5(Brown Shelter) Clean up the trees around this area and re-open the blacksmith shop. Put some stuff in it like an anvil and tools and a fake hot coal "bin". I would even like to see a mannequin blacksmith standing with his back towards the train "working". #6(Backside of the engine train house) I can live with this...but aging it and putting up some old looking advertisements would be nice...maybe even "Wanted posters". I hope the park truly attempts to improve the train ride this year! (And I thank the park for asking for suggestions.)

Interpreter, Just for the record, your posts keeping us all updated are not in vain. I am sure that I am not alone in the fact that I am reading them...it's just that I have nothing to add...but I do find the whole process interesting. Thanks!

Calling The Interpreter!

There have been several threads discussing this...including this one: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19483&st=0 lawchick, I am also in agreement with you...but it's kinda Catch 22 around here. Our opinions don't count as much as the "general public" because we are considered "enthusiasts"...had you not joined this forum and posted your opinion it would have meant more.

Instead of a shot of Snoopy by the sign they should have given us a photo of Scooby & all the Nick characters "out in the cold".

Not exciting...but one last item:

I never even looked at the postcard that close...it is a Kings Island postcard though...that's pretty lazy on their part to use a photo from another park on their postcard.

I liked reading everyone's stories. I can't understand when some people complain about how "yucky" the water is...the ride wouldn't be the same with nice clean clear water. Here are a couple of more of items that I have:

WWC would be in my Top 10 rides at the park.

KIfan1980...and Cory, nice well written posts. The thing that I was wondering was how long would a thread last if a few of us started calling any of the Cedar Fair management idiots?! I will remember this thread in the future!

Just for the record...I didn't mean for the description cheerleader as any sort of an insult...that is why your post threw me so much.

A very refreshing answer! (It symbolizes the kind of world I would like to live in.)

One of the funnier lines that I have read lately! (And as Homer Simpson would say "It's funny because it's true.") WOW! The park MUST be in trouble if their biggest cheerleader posts something like this. I had no idea that you found much of anything that Cedar Fair had done that bothered you...you are even happy with The Peanuts coming...I am speechless. MUST you be so critical of the people who always find fault with the park?

I actually don't mind the new slogan...it seems kinda retro. (I never cared for the "Where Else" one.) Edit: specialk141, I was typing my reply while you were posting yours...we must have been mind-melding? or something...we both like the words actually & kinda!

I rode it 3 times last year...and it wasn't because I thought the ride itself was good. Each time I rode it I was with a different family member who had no idea that the ride had been changed...again. All of them had given up on The Crypt in 2008 because of how bad it was...but I talked each one of them back onto the ride in 2009 with the impression that the new changes had hopefully improved the ride...I wanted to get their unbiased opinion. Needless to say, after the ride none of them were happy with me for "wasting their time"! So, when they are counting the added rides for 2009 they need to give ME credit for 4 of them...not the ride's quality.

Since you said that you just wanted people to just say something...for a VERY brief moment I thought about actually leaving you a voicemail that just said "something"...but, as I said...the thought was only with me for a brief moment and then went away. I do listen to your shows and enjoy them...but leaving a voicemail is not my style...sorry.

^Nice post...and I agree. I have never quite understood the logic that since we come to this site that our opinion is any different than the "average" guest. I am still the same person inside that I was before I discovered sites like this...I would see things that I either liked or didn't like...the only difference is that now I can mention to other people who are not standing next to me while I am in the park. I am the only person in my family who posts on this site...but I can tell you, they say the same types of things about the park that people post here...so what makes us really any different than what is referred to as the "average" park visitor? The only difference I can see between the "average guest" and the "enthusiasts" is that we go to a greater length to let our feelings be known. As for Ronny's comment, I know he meant no malice...I just felt it was my duty to whine about what kind of whiner that I was/am! (I know Ryan is reading that statement and agreeing with it!)