Gabe

Agreed. Took the wife and kids there in May as well and we were blown away by the attention to detail. The "Be Our Guest Restaurant," is probably the best looking theme park restaurant I've ever been in and the customer service was top notch. We only went there for lunch and have yet to experience dinner there. I guess that just gives us another reason to go back! I ate there back in April for dinner and it was an experience. The food was decent (nothing to write home about), but every 30 minutes they introduced The Beast and invited guests to have their pic taken with him in the library. They walked you back to your table while you held a candlebra which of course looked like Lumerire. We ate in the West Wing, which was a somewhat quieter experience. Plus, you get the added bonus of watching the rose petals fall off and the portrait going through a transformation. Dinner reservations are still tough to get..plan on making them at least 6 months out (if you're staying on property you can make them even further out).

It's stiil 2-3 months away from opening. If they can't get it open before the busy holiday season, they won't soft open it during the crush of holiday visitors, who already likely on edge from waiting in lots of other lines! Holidays are pretty at WDW for sure, but best to visit now-mid november and again after New Years-March (MLK wknd isnt bad, but marathon wknd can be hectic!)

If the winner is amongst the members here, take note: Though not listed in the rules, the winner is responsible for all taxes related to this trip.

Since when is drinking beer in a parking lot stupid? Cars park there. Cars drive in and out. Pedestrians abound. Drunk people present a huge liability. Walking around the park drunk wil get you tossed and/or arrested. The difference is that, unlike the above foolish and outdated laws, Kings Island takes drinking on its property very seriously, as should everyone. Some laws, like that one, will be enforced much more stringently than the above ones. A threat in an effort to carry better beer rings hollow.

If you join AMC stubs like I do, you pay $12 a year..for that, you get a one size free upgrade on all popcorn and sodas, plus $10 in AMC cash for every $100 you spend on movies, concessions, etc. I wouldn't need KI to give me what I already get. Now, if KI were going to do something like Club 33, albeit on a smaller scale, count me in if the price is right (read--not the 100k initiation fee plus 10k a year! HAHA!). Even though Club 33 is about to increase its membership, it is still a very select group of individuals...and they get nice perks throughout the year--a meal inside the HM, complete with behind the scenes tours, etc. plus other events around the country.

EZ Pass is accepeted in Indiana under their trade name "I-Pass". As for tolls on The Sherman Minton, don't count on it. While that bridge will not be tolled, it will no longer be the most direct way to get to many parts of Louisville and the surrounding KY area Ever since Indiana got $3.5 billion for leasing (not selling) their toll road for 75 yrs, other states are jumping on the bandwagon. Mind you, times were different in 2006 when the lease was entered into (and the economy better). It is no coincidence the lease calls for regular toll increases for the duration of the lease. At the time of the lease, the toll operator predicted profitability within 10 years. So far, they have taken a pretty big loss (but we're only in year 7 of 75, so plenty of time left).

FWIW, Indiana just announced the toll schedules for cars coming into KY (Louisville) from Indiana for the 2 new bridges under construction. When complete, cars will be charged $4 a trip, semis more (those with a transponder making 20+ trips a month will pay $1 per trip). something else for Ed to contemplate as he runs his numbers for the new KK.

It's still in "Blue Sky" mode, but if it came to pass, DCA would likely get it first, with a modified version for WDW to follow.

Sad to say, but even in the 90s when this park was being floated, Garfield was 10 years past his prime. Jim Davis has little day to day oversight of the comic and hasn't for a long time. Unike topical comics like Doonesbury, Garfield is written and inked nearly a year in advance of publication.

I miss spongebob calling me on my birthday and again later in the season as he was shilling for season passes!

If you want to know the exact colors, ask Don if you get a chance what the Pantone colors are. Pantone is the leading color indicator in the world and 99% of all known colors have a Pantone no. and name assigned to them. Banshee is likely no different.

The Garfield park was proposed for plainfield, which is just west of the Indy airport. The park never made it past the planning stages, due to a lack of interest from the local community and government to pour resources into what would have been a disaster.

this is analogus to ebay cracking down on ticket scalping over the years. People just found a way around it. Instead of offering up the tickets themselves as the subject of the auction, they would offer up some token object then add the disclaimer, "and if you win, you will also get tickets to x".

Just curious--did anyone here renew their pass at the park over the weekend AND win one of the prizes? I renewed this past Fri evening, then to my surprise found out I was the first winner drawn! I won a pair of aquarium tickets and a $20 gift card to a resturant at the levee.

I called the park and the answer was the same as last year--in order to use the payment plan, you may only renew or buy online. If you go to the park, you will avoid the $5.99 fee, but you must pay the entire amount at once.

In case you missed it, Ohio's sales tax will increase by 1/4% on Sunday, so if you're looking to save a few nickels, buy your discounted merch and food either tomorrow or Saturday at the park!

Maybe I'm missing something, but the description for Ed Alonzo's show is the same as the show he did during the summer.

Maybe they're from wisconsin or canada eh? I'm thinking of Sara Palin saying the word hoose and laughing to myself!

I noticed on the park's website that plinko has been removed from the games eligible for a buck per play FWIW.

Like always, I will renew my Gold Pass for the 12th consecutive year. With little ones at home, going anywhere other than KI is a stretch for me, since I live 2 hrs away. If I go anywhere else, it'll be a one-off trip to CP. That, plus I try and make it to WDW 2 times a year

Since all waterparks rely onhighs chool and college-aged lifeguards, staffing becomes an issue once kids go back to school. Perhaps the Beach employs more local college-aged kids, who (if they attend say OSU), don't begin classes until after Labor Day.

That would mean there is an umlaut ("..") over the U, which there is not. In the abssence of one, it should be pronounced Huss, like Bus. (Gabe, who took 3 years of German in HS and 2 in college!)

They do sell ts with the vintage park logo on them in Emporium.

Yet old Disney characters bring up lots of nostalgia with park guests (older park guets with lots of disposable income and a fondness for said characters) It's the main reason why Disney is bringing a lot of the 'on hiatus' characters back in Limited Time Magic form anyway. I wouldn't be surprised to see Roger make a return to celebrate the next DVD release of Who Framed Roger Rabbit whenever that day is.

Several seasons ago I was with Kat (violaKat on here), rotag and Angie amongst others at the park when I was stung by a bee by BBOBH (nice alliteration yeah?) I went to the first aid bldg in Planet Snoopy even though I wasn't allergic to bee stings, where I took a seat on a low-rise bench next to sev toddlers who had various scrapes and bruises. When the KI nurse took a look at me and asked what happened, she laughed quite hard (saying adults rarely come in since theyre too proud!). She put some antihistimine cream on it and gave me a woodstock bandage and I was good to go..needless to say the group got a good laugh!