silver2005

Just for reference, if we could add more wait times than Mystic Timbers' as that is the new ride, that'd be kind of better. Just stating what the new ride's wait time is often hardly evidence of a busy day, especially one not up to par from a capacity stand point as the line chewers at KI (Vortex, DB, Bandshee, Beast, etc). I expect MT to have long waits regardless of day.

I must have gone on a good day for ride ops as I found their dispatch times quite sufficient.

Looks like KI is looking to improve its food staffing- they put up a post on FB saying that starting pay for Food and Beverage is $10/hr.

I know parks don't line up big investments with anniversaries, but I think they're missing opportunities in not doing so, at least for as big a milestone as 50 years is.

I have a feeling the entrance will either be changed up either before or right at the 50th anniversary, even if its just minor aesthetics. Now that they re-tooled the parking entrance, I think the entrance building will follow suit. Also, insert obligatory restrooms in X-base wish here. As for rides, I'm sure we'll see some flats, maybe something for Planet Snoopy by then. It's honestly hard to pin down what coaster KI gets next because I think the last 3 coaster additions rounded out the line up nicely. It's kind of hold on and wait to see where the park chooses to go from here. Now that they have a lot of the modern basics for a modern chain park, we'll probably see some variety, hopefully things that will give the park a bit of its own character. I'm honestly okay with the park going a little outside the box at this point.

My overall point (and yes, I know very well about the B&M clause with CF) is that, IMO, we'd be worse off under Paramount and SOB's timeline wouldn't have changed all that much.

I'm saying it would be lamer than Banshee because Banshee is that awesome and Paramount, at least going by their track record, didn't build anything up to Banshee's level when they had the Paramount Parks. Banshee is among my top 5 favorite steel coasters for reference. BTW, Banshee has the length and a shared inversion record for inverts. In fact, its the largest inverted coaster in the chain in every way imaginable.

What incentive would Viacom (who owned the Paramount Parks) have in keeping a coaster condemned by the investigator who overlooked the 2006 incident, which happened mere days after CF's purchase of the Paramount Parks? The 2006 accident would have happened either way since Paramount was too blind and cheap to fix it properly. I don't think the timeline would play out so differently, but we'd probably have something lamer than Banshee in SOB's place since Paramount only built 1 B&M in their tenure and was on the prototype bandwagon in the late stages of ownership as well. Though, in all likelihood, we'd probably still have Tomb Raider since the original ride program probably wouldn't have been messed with. Perhaps a slower demise.

So Goble, after you rehab that Star Destroyer off of Craigslist, you should definitely think of assisting Kings Island's security.

Are all the BBQ items using just one sauce or is there a variety?

Does the Smokehouse have an indoor our outdoor patio?

I probably should try to kick myself into hiking out to Soak City for this on my next visit, mostly because going out to Soak City for a meal is a foreign concept to me.

I'm kind of afraid to ask this, but how much is the steak? Also- seafood!

I have to say I like Imagine better than Origins. There's better flow between set pieces in the former show. Origins seems to have a lot of dead air between certain sets. Imagine has better music as well IMO, a better percussive soundtrack that added a bit more life and intensity to the show. Origins does have a nice foreign soundtrack and use of synths plus the use of a live drum set, but as a whole, Imagine does the music, and everything else (including more elaborate choreography) better.

I'm starting to realize how much you can get done in a few hours with minimal crowds at KI in my efforts to go after work for a few hours. Went up for about 5 hours today and got a whole lot done. I definitely want to go up for some photo ops so I can participate in the off-season photo contests (as well as bringing a camera on my CP/MIA and Pitt trips).

I'm still stunned that there were so many cars in the lot and so little in crowds there were in the park. It was like a paradox. I was parked in the single digit rows out near the north exit and nearly to the entrance booth (boy do I miss the trams after tonight). A very pleasant visit all things considered. Who knew today would be such a good day to visit the park. Also got in my first Beast night ride of the year as well as my first Timbers night ride (not going Tuesday now). I think Mystic Timbers will have a slightly better night ride once the trees grow in around it, but otherwise, it wasn't that great, at least not on Banshee/Beast level of night ride yet IMO. The max I waited other than a post-fireworks Beast night ride was about 40 for Timbers. Nothing above 10/15 minutes beyond that. Heck, even the food lines were short. But seriously though, who had all those cars?

How is it that the parking lot is so full and the park looks like a ghost town?

The park looks amazingly vacant for being the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. EDIT: I think I may head up.

Flight of Fear has 4 inversions. The first 3 maneuvers it does after the launch are inversions (a cobra roll and a sidewinder), and the 4th is a corkscrew right at the end.

Wait...I thought the coasters had only one operator be a line separator. Why are there 2? Furthermore, The Beast crew should know that both 'lines' that separate are made from that one line, right? Its just separated for people who prefer back or front (which, I see a lot of people switch it up when they actually get to the trains). That part I'm with you. I honestly think they need to redesign some of the older stations' queues and get rid of the back/front dividing lines. However, the ride stoppage for the fireworks is only temporary and is done every closing involving fireworks. The Beast, particularly around the first brake shed, is within 100 yards (probably closer) of where Rozzi's shoots off the fireworks. They have to close it due to embers striking the track and riders. They then have to inspect the track in that area for problems before letting the rest of the line ride. Its not that they close the ride early unless there's a true technical difficulty with it, its for safety's sake.

Yeah, I'm seeing some pretty solid lines on the webcams.

I kinda knew that MIA wouldn't have it. One thing I might be doing on the tail end of the trip is a Fast Lane day at KI on the Saturday after I get back, June 24th (there's a day between that and when I actually get back from Sandusky). It's the only Saturday I have off and its KI's first midnight close, so if anyone wants to splurge with me, I'd be up for a meet up. I'm deciding between that and July 4th (still need to find out if I'm off on the 4th or not). With the Fast Lane Plus Platinum upgrade that I've now been made aware of (get normal Fast Lane, get bumped up to Plus with a Platinum Pass), I'm definitely doing a Fast Lane day at CP now.

I'd be hesitant in going today. It might start out slower, but it will probably be packed this evening with it being Memorial Day weekend. Just my gut feeling. Going on Saturday or Sunday this particular weekend is probably not the best idea, though, it looks to be a rainy weekend for Soak City's opening.

^Well, on top of CP's morning ERT, which I'll be doing both days I'm there, they're doing a Valravn and MF night ERT on my 2nd day.

Awww...MIA doesn't have morning ERT.