KIfan73

Largest wooden coaster, yes, but I was reading Hendrick's post about it being the world's largest wooden structure in the world.

Is SOB really the largest wooden structure in the world?

Kings Island is a great deal for me. I buy a season pass in the fall, park for free, and usually don't spend much when I'm there. In fact, I can drive 170 miles round trip, and spend the day at KI for not much more than a nice meal out. I think its a great value. However, families are the ones that really have to shell out the $$. They walk in the door, have just paid $10 to park (most families I talk to only go once a year, if that, so they don't have a pass), and then pay $15 (I think) for a stroller. Kids need to eat at certain times at the day, so there's who knows how much for a meal for the family. I think they need to work on making it more reasonable for families, especially ones with small children. Mom and dad pay the big admission price to get in, and maybe get to ride one or two major rides. Most of the day is spent in Nick Universe.

I really want the new restaurants, shops, things like that, but I think first of all, KI needs to "drop the hammer". I think they've got a good selection of the smaller, family rides. I definitely do not think they need anything on the scale of TTD, but just a big (key word there) steel coaster. Even when I talk to families that go to KI, and after they talk about the fun their kids had on the kids rides...the parents always say things like "man, that Beast is still one bad ass ride, or The Vortex is still awesome, etc". The parents make the decision to go to the park, and for most adults that have grown up with KI (or parks in general), the "big ones" make them want to keep coming back. I see it all day long standing in line at KI. Parent(s) spending the whole time in line for a major coaster trying to convince the kid "it won't be scary"...lol. Mom and dad still want their big coasters!

I would just like a huge, regular ol' steel coaster. One with a big lift hill, not necessarily any loops...maybe something like MF.

AWESOME...thanks to whoever put that together. All afternoon I've been looking at my own pics and ones on KIC, and trying to match them up with the old ones...Its really neat (for better or worse) the changes over the years!

I will admit that, other than KI, I have only been to one other major amusement park (CP, once). However, I'm probably just sentimental, but KI just doesn't seem like a park that fits in well with an amusement park "corporation". With companies like Six Flags, I just always picture roller coasters over parking lots. However, from what I've read about Busch Gardens, it sounds like KI fits in with their business model. I just don't think of KI as an amusement park. I like the trees, grass, and fountains. To me, thats the main thing, and the rides are icing on the cake. This is probably why I avoid Action Zone so much.

I would say this was in the plans before they ever bought Paramount Parks. They've only owned them a year, and usually, by the time something like this is covered by the press, its been worked on for some time.

Guess I need to buy a few more drinks and maybe a souvenir every time I visit the park!!

GREAT, wonder what kind of even newer changes this will bring about... Kinda sounds like they're wanting to have their cake and eat it, too...

^That would really liven up that ride, huh?

What the heck?? Is this "The Year of Amusement Park Incidents"? KI sure is getting all kinds of publicity this year.

You know, this site is always great, but I thought things had just been a little "quiet" around here lately...I know its gonna be good!!

Thats true. I would've had a Starbucks on Monday, but I'm not buying one when I'm on my way to The Beast (and burn my hand while I'm walking )...but if I could've gotten there an hour before the rides open, would've been a different story (like it used to be).

Or, they could just split the difference and have a "$5 @ 5" deal to get people to come in the evenings...

In the immortal words of Steve Martin in "The Jerk": OH, its a PROFIT deal....

I kind of stood back and looked at the entire TR building/area. I know its easy to get caught up in everything while you're at an amusement park, but the whole TR building is just really massive. I can't imagine how much that thing cost. Just blows your mind that they wouldn't want to keep that thing working the best it possibly can. Of course, if I was an expert in exactly how amusement parks ran, I'd probably be making a lot more a year than I am now...

I think the queues (or lack thereof) must be a quick way that parks found to save money when installing a ride. Look at the rides that were installed, say, pre-Paramount. Built almost entirely of wood, interesting, completely covered, and not giving an entire view of the ride. I know KI isn't the only park that does this, but it is a shame.

Thats horrible. I was just there a couple days ago, and can't imagine that happening while getting strapped into the ride. I will say, not that its bad enough to cause a heart attack, that I think that Firehawk's line is the most "stressful" queue to be in. I think that, especially if you haven't ridden it before, you can see too much of the ride, and for me at least, you start to build it up alot in your head. I really don't care for how they corrall you, and only let a certain number to the loading station. Its a mental thing. For me, when I'm in the station, I'm focused more on getting on the ride, than just staring at the ride.

Yeah, for all the positives at KI this summer, TR is a big negative. That used to be one of my favorite things to do there, and after riding it a couple weeks ago with no sound (in addition to all the other elements they've "let go" over the years), I'm not planning on getting on it again. Its not like a roller coaster where you don't notice it that much; the effects were a major part of the ride. I know I have read a lot about the fact that alot of times 'theming' elements often aren't really maintained, but this is just ridiculous. TR is not some little investment the park made, but it seems like they are just hoping no one will get on it. Its like they're just saying "hey, lets see how bad we can make this suck, and see how many people will still ride it!".

I had the "experience" of riding WWC yesterday with a lady and three teenagers. The one teenage boy YELLED the entire ride about getting wet. At the top of his lungs. Didn't like his shoes getting wet, every second he had something to yell about. Was even yelling at the people shooting the cannons. I've got to become way more choosy of who I get in line next to.

I went to KI last year (unknowingly) during Spirit Song. By noon-1pm, the park became extremely packed.

All I ever eat at KI is cheese LaRosa's pizza. I do think its good pizza, but its also the only non-complete-greasy-junk-food in the park (except for a salad, which I've gotten before). I do feel for families, though. You would just have to bring wads of cash to be able to get what the whole family wants (and from the sound of it, no matter how much you spend, there's nothing really good there). There just not be enough of a business case to bring better food into the park, as amazing as it would seem...

Just got back from the park a little while ago. Great day. It was pretty busy all day; had to wait 30-40 minutes for TG! Haven't waited like that since it was new. Got to ride lots of stuff in the morning, things got busy after noon. Firehawk was running like clockwork. Full queue probably took 30 minutes. Saw SOB cycling throughout the day. I made extra time today to ride the more smaller, older rides. It was pretty nice, actually. Rode the Zephyr, Congo Falls, WWC, Viking Fury, AE...Sometimes its nice to just ride a ride, and not try to be so "thrilled" all the time. Man, when you ride the older rides, it makes you miss the way they used to build rides. The queue was such an integral part of the ride. Not just a slab of concrete with aluminum rails. I'd love to see some new ride or coaster with an elaborate queue that wouldn't really let you see much of the ride until you were just about to get on it. Oh well, probably will never happen.. Overall, a really fun day (like usual) at KI!!

I wonder if it is to somehow compete with Red, White, and Boom...although, I don't really see how KI could compete...