KIfan73

When they were building the Italian Job, it was exciting. The first couple of times I rode it, I thought it was really neat. The last two times I have been there, I have decided it is THE BIGGEST EYESORE in the entire park. Since the newness has wore off, I sorely miss the Antique Cars. They have completely ruined that area of the park. I really don't think it would be nearly as bad if they kept the coaster and got rid of all that theming, with just grass underneath. What started out for me as neat Hollywood-style theming now just looks like a big pile of junk. All the barrels and corrugated metal all over the place. It looks worse than what I have to look at when I drive route 35 to get to the park. Right in what was the prettiest, dare I say most sacred, part of the park with its vicinity to the Eiffel Tower. Now its depressing to think how many decades that thing is going to sit there.

Actually Disneyworld and Disneyland is one big advertisement for the Disney corporation, isn't it? I'm asking for easy stuff. Open the park earlier because morning is the best. Have a place that sold a variety of breakfast at the park. Hotcakes and eggs @ KI?? Yum. Change the theme of the Festhaus, and vent whatever that smell is out through the roof. Quit playing that depressing song over and over on Int'l Street. I think it might be the theme to Forrest Gump? When I hear that, I want to leave the park and crawl in a hole and be depressed. See, not too much to ask for.

As Festhaus was not there in the 70's you probably don't remember it from then. I went to KI when I was 3 in about '75. I didn't go to the park again until '92, so there's a lot of "empty space" there...lol I agree that the theming makes no sense now. Honestly, I wish it did. I'd like to see KI like it was when it opened, and have all the entertainment and stuff. But, now, since KI is more of a theme park, Festhaus does need a change. Since the front of it is just a facade, it doesn't seem like it would be that hard to retheme. The park definitely does need a place like Festhaus, just the theme needs to go. I also agree about the smell. Very nauseating.

I am all for KI keeping its original stuff, and appreciate that Festhaus is a link to the park's past. However, I think that place has no business being in the park. I know at one time it fit right in, and probably was a neat place (When I was there in the '70's, I was too small to remember). It is just a big, dark, depressing place. I think if you themed it to some kind of movie studio, or flight hangar to make it fit in with AZ, that would be neat. Not just some posters hung up, a complete overhaul. The park can definitely use a large indoor area, but, man, I wouldn't want to go in that place if it was sitting anywhere, let alone in an amusement park.

I just read about SOB again today in our local newspaper. I have to admit, it sounds bad, even if they are blowing it out of proportion. It talks about busted Timber and The DoA investigating it while it is shut down indefinitely. Then they are interviewing people that are saying how violent the ride was just before this accident (of course thats nothing new). Maybe not if Paramount (CBS) still owned it, but I can see CF shutting it down. Just doesn't seem like the headache a new owner would want. I bet they can't believe that something like this happened in their first couple weeks of ownership. Even people here in my town, which is about 90 minutes from KI, that aren't even real knowledgable about the park are talking about it.

Wow, it wasn't my imagination, then. I had people hawking me for my parking spot when I left in Gold Pass Parking....lol

Luckily I got on TR early as I waited about 15 minutes. Beast and Vortex were walk-ons. Not for long, I'm sure. I'm glad to see the park that busy, though.

Whew, just got home from the park. If I go by myself, I like to go when it first opens, and then usually by about 1 or 2 pm, I'm ready to head home. I've usually ridden everything by then and ate lunch. The park looked really nice today. Thought it would be sort of a "light" day...not at all! By the time I left, there were what I would estimate over an hour or more wait for every ride. Even The Racer had a line into the midway. When I left the parking lot @ 1 pm, it looked nearly completely full. Overall great day!

Many people bash Paramount, but PKI is a pretty successful business, and it would not an easy decision to change ANY thing about it really quickly.

Kings Island drink prices are so high its almost obscene. You just have to wonder what would happen if they priced a soft drink or bottle of water similar to what you pay at a grocery store or McDonald's.

<<I love this logo, but of course, I'm old. (32).

I must the only one that likes KingsIslandCentral.com. I think its awesome to just call it "Kings Island" again, and KICentral to me is still like PKI, just without the "P", if that makes any sense. A historical/retro skin for awhile would be awesome too. Maybe the old KI font with some historical images thrown in, at least for maybe the rest of this season...

That would be awesome.

This is a question for some of you guys that seem to be very knowledgable of the amusement park industry. For the average person that goes to the park (like me), what kind of things do you think I should expect with Cedar Fair taking over Kings Island? Not so much behind the scenes, but just stuff in the park, season passes, etc. Will I notice much difference? I have read all the forums, but the acquisition has me bugged because I like going to KI so much. Thanks for any ideas.

Maybe to a select group of "enthusiasts", but I don't think to the general public. Everyone I've talked to that just goes to KI, but doesn't keep up on inside news, has been pretty disappointed about the whole thing when they've heard of it, or I've told them.

To me, CF buying KI is kind of like Ford buying GM, or vice-versa. CF has to know that many KI fans think its the best, because of the decades-old KI vs. CP mentality. Why would they want to do anything to make people that like KI mad? I don't look for them any time in the next decade to put the CF rubber stamp on anything in KI.

Overall, I would like to see a lot of names/themes go to making reference to where KI is located. Like the railroad is named the Miami Valley railroad. I would like to see International Street become more, well, International. More diverse food and shopping choices. I would like to see "Kings Island", or at least a reference to it in more of the names. Oktoberfest=Kings Island's Oktoberfest Coney Mall=Coney Island Rivertown=Already Perfect! Action Zone=Adventure Village Italian Job=Revenge of I-71 Thats all I can think of right now. By the way, CoastersNSich, I think that KI logo is perfect. I love the old-style KI lettering.

I haven't rode it in 5 years because the line is always so long and moves so slowly. But the one time I did ride it, I liked it because it scared me pretty bad!

My gut tells me for whatever reason that CF will own the Paramount Parks just long enough to screw them up royally. After this, the asking price of Kings Island will have lowered enough for another company to buy it and turn it into the park that it can be. I don't feel good at all about CF owning Kings Island. Kind of like I would feel about a 16 year old getting the keys to a new Ferrari. I think they're in over their head. Hopefully things will go well, but I haven't been the slightest bit encouraged since I heard they bought PP. I hope I'm proved wrong, though.

You're right. That probably wasn't the best name for the forum. Maybe a "My positive PKI experience" forum? I know I can complain with the best of them. Sometimes, though, I just want to read about what a fun place the park is, and when I get on the site, all of the ramblings about the workings of the park is kind of like getting stuck in the eye with something sharp when I'm in one of my good moods

First of all, I love this site. You guys do a GREAT job. I was wondering if there could possibly be a forum in the future for possibly people maybe 30 years and older. This is only because I know theres a lot of people that like to reminisce about KI, and have a lot different perspective of the park than the younger guys. The young ones are very knowledgeable about the goings on of the park. Way more than I'll ever know. I just thought maybe a forum for the more mature crowd might just be more related to more upbeat park experiences (past and present), rather than so much of the "behind the scene" stuff. I think EVERYONE has a valid viewpoint of the park. But to me, KI (or PKI, or whatever its going to be) is just a really fun place for me to go regardless of who owns it, whos going to own it, whats coming in the next few years, and whats going to be ripped out. PKI is a great way for me to "get away", so my thoughts of it are going to be more rosy than the guys that work there, and know so much about it. I hope this makes some sort of sense. Thanks for listening.

The Beast. An experience like nothing else. To me, it goes way beyond being a roller coaster, its like an adventure. Even though I've rode it countless times, every time I ride it, I have to laugh to myself because it feels so out of control. It also has sort of a 70's horror movie vibe to it, too, even when I'm in the queue line. Like you're out in the woods and something crazy is going to happen.

I rode FOF yesterday. I had forgotten what a good ride that was. I heard a couple people get off it saying "that beats Space Mountain all to heck". I hated to see that the picture booth was closed. I expect a re-theme. I remember filling out a survey awhile back, and they seemed to be pushing an MTV theme pretty hard, if I remember...If FOF doesn't get a re-theme, it definitely needs some TLC. Its too bad PKI doesn't just keep up on the maintenance, as it would still be an interesting theme (same goes for TG...that used to be awesome...)

Well, it was pouring down rain on my way to PKI this morning, but, luckily I didn't let that bother me. Ended up being about the best weather I've ever experienced while there. I just don't know how anybody could complain about the place. Even if all the rides were broke down, it is just such a beautiful place. Everybody was friendly, the guy at Starbucks even offered to grind up any kind of coffee I wanted. Overall a great day, can't wait to go back!

Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to it. I'm a teacher, and I have a long weekend off. I just found out after all these years that there's a mall close to KI, so I may go there for a little while if its raining. Thanks again! Johnny