XGatorHead 8904

Btw I saw you in the shop last night. I was about to say hi then I got pushed by a whole crowd of people. Yeah, that crowd in there was insane. I even waited until it died down a little before I went in.

Last night at the announcement, Greg Scheid was just starting his speech by going through the investments that CF has made since they took ownership of the park. Some idiot teenage kid behind me and to my right decided to heckle him by yelling "We don't need the backstory!" I just turned around, looked him in the eye and said "Seriously?" Grow up and show some respect! And the same goes to those who booed when Mr. Scheid started talking about Dinosaurs Alive. I get that you may not like it, but it's a capital investment that is a nice family attraction. Sorry that DA didn't satisfy your constant need for a newer taller faster coaster every year, but the park needs to be diverse and have things that will draw in a variety of people, not just coaster crazies. There are more appropriate places to express your displeasure than at a press conference/ride announcement with members of the media present. Isn't that what Al Gore invented the internets for?

I got the black one too. They look very nice! I plan on wearing it for my KI employee ID photo when I get processed tomorrow.

Last night channel 19 said they would have live coverage on their 10:00 news tonight. As in report or in live coverage? It might all go downhill if its the former. IIRC correctly, Trisha Macke's exact words were "live coverage." Who knows what it will actually be though, since the 10:05 announcement time would make it close to a top story in their broadcast.

^Nor the reason why it was removed, or the correct picture apparently!

Last night channel 19 said they would have live coverage on their 10:00 news tonight.

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_north_cincinnati/mason/parting-is-such-sweet-sorrow-9-rides-you-hated-to-see-leave-kings-island I just love #3: The Kenton Cove Sailboat Canal, which according to the article was removed to make room for The Beast, and features a picture of the old canoe ride. I must admit, I have no recollection of the Sailboat Canal. I clearly remember Kenton Cove Keelboat Canal, which was in no way, shape or form removed to make room for The Beast. Unless you call TR:TR a beast...

You have angered The Beast. LOL

^^They could definitely have been announced earlier. As medford stated, it's always been common practice to help boost season pass sales for the following year. I remember a Vortex car being on display under the front gate. EDIT: YoungStud beat me to it

They've made plenty of announcements the year before in the past. At KI alone I can clearly remember DB & SOB being announced the year before, and I believe Italian Job was too. That wouldn't be the old beige General Services van, would it? I drove that thing many a time. Memories, indeed! I don't think Holiday World would like that. Not all. Longest wooden coaster still belongs to SOB's daddy, and did even when SOB was still a newborn. Counting down the time to when I will be released from work and on my way to the park! Should be there in about 3 hours and 22 minutes...

Can we change our vote after 10:00 tonight and claim we were right all along? I picked Banshee, but I'm probably completely wrong. The comb, the Celtic crosses, the "pew seating" for the VIP announcement tickets all point toward that. Plus, I really like the name Banshee. Although, it's a possibility that KI PR has taken things to a whole new level. See, at GatorGirl's daycare last month, two brothers brought in a dead bat that they had found in their yard. The parents though it was okay to bring in because they had frozen it. The kids in her class touched its fur and wings, which the teacher thought was fine too. Well, parents didn't think it was fine and contacted the Board of Health. The Board of Health then called the director of the facility to discuss the situation. Letters were sent home to parents about the incident, and reassured parents that there should be no health risk. So that leads me to believe KI Project 2014 will be The Bat. Disclaimer: The story about The Bat at GatorGirl's daycare is true, but in no way do I actually believe that it's a brilliant marketing strategy to throw off one single KICer. Come on, people!

The receipt thing at tolls is new this year. They've given me a receipt every time I've gone this year, it didn't matter if it was a weekday or weekend.

You stole my thunder! After reading pages 61-110 last night, then skipping ahead and reading pages 300-360 today, I got to thinking about the blueprints, the discussions of how many inversions there may be, and the date of the announcement. Some people predicting 8 inversions, the announcement being made on 8/8, I was surprised that no one had the same train of thought as me. I was all ready to post about this "coincidence", then a few pages back you had to go and post what I've been thinking most of the day! Great minds think alike!

Very informative article about the fire, with some good photos. "Nine fires of undetermined causes happened last year in and around the park": http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/4459951-74/complex-park-conneaut#axzz2apEpMTX1 And CLP is debuting a new attraction tomorrow, which is staying "top secret". Plus they restored the kiddie fire truck ride from Idora Park! ( I can just picture a very young Mrs. Gator taking a spin on that!) Another good article with a good video: http://www.wfmj.com/story/23025038/conneaut-lake-park-to-open-new-attraction After that news, and watching the video and seeing how good the park is looking with the spruce up, we are not changing our plans and are definitely going to Conneaut Sunday!

Okay, I'm slowly working my way through this topic, chipping away at the mountain of posts, but I just had to comment on this one! That guy looks very familiar... like a certain person from this site. I seem to recall seeing him somewhere before... (And the book was okay. Not the best he's ever read, but certainly not the worst. It did keep his attention though). As to why he was reading during Gatekeeper Media Day: The "big boy" seats are not consistent though. My first time riding Gatekeeper (row 4, right side, on the end), the ride op got me on with just a little bit of effort. After a quick bite to eat, I went to row 4 on the left side, on the end, and the girl wouldn't even attempt to get me in. I tried again a few hours later, left side row 4 on the end again. DaveStroem tried to get me in, and there was still about an inch left before the belt would meet the latch. A few hours after that, I once again went to row 4, right side, on the end, and it took quite a bit of effort from Beast Man and sheikra_rocks, but they got me in. If I had know from the start that the trains were different colors, or where the train numbers could be found, I would have noted what train I got the first time. From what I could tell, GK's big boy seats were really no different than Wild Eagle's regular seats (which don't have designated big boy seats). Sometimes I fit them, sometimes I didn't. But when I WAS able to ride, it's a very good ride. The keyholes are great, as is the roll past the towers on the way back. After one ride and then a walk of shame 15 minutes later, I decided to take a break. I had planned ahead, even before Mrs. Gator asked me "What are you going to do all day if you don't fit?", and brought a couple books to keep myself busy while my friends rode GK, Raptor (which I don't fit) and Millie (which I don't fit either). It was a nice sunny day and I enjoyed myself, even if I did only ride two times, and I got to spend that day (and the next) with good friends! Alright, back to the old posts. I made it to page 111 after reading until 3:00 last night. I think I might skip ahead to this week's posts, then go back to 111.

^Quite a few guys come to my mind... most from a certain Haunt "family", and a few others.

I would like to think that it would have lasted longer had it not been for those fires. Mrs. Gator used to go to both Idora and Conneaut as a child. I've never been to either, and I can only go to one of those now. A couple years ago she got me the book Idora Park: the Last Ride of Summer for Christmas, but that can in no way compare to going there.

^I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with you weighing in on this subject, given your username! Welcome to KIC!

He does such a great job as The Undertaker.

^^Sorry, I didn't do it to embarrass you. It's a very good topic, one I had never even considered.

^Good. Blue Streak is one of the main reasons I want to go.

That's upsetting. chugh43 just texted me with this news because he knew we were planning on going this weekend. I wonder if the Blue Streak train that was destroyed was in storage, or if it's one they use regularly. Also, I wonder how this will effect operations. Gator, now questioning if we will still go to Conneaut, or instead switch to CP. I'll have to watch to see what develops in the next few days and determine then.

Carowinds opened in 1973, independent of Taft, built by a Charlotte business man. It would have been built with or without KI. Great America opened in 1976, independent of Taft, built by hotel chain Marriott. It may or may not have been built without KI. But you are probably right about KD & Wonderland, as those were built by Taft.

^Boo! I love all the classic games in the back of the midway arcade! CP does need a dark ride, but I'd like to see it go somewhere else. How about that building over near Blue Streak that houses Magical House on Boo Hill during Halloweekends?

According to this article http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_north_cincinnati/mason/kings-island-says-it-will-announce-plans-for-new-record-breaking-attraction-thursday,