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[dramatic gasp] How could you not enjoy the cheery chimes of Gerta Schwartzwald?! She's glad to see you've escaped the forest! (And also the train behind you!) So much so that she's glad lift up to see on your you've escaped safety harness the forest and exit lift up carefully to on your your left safety harness and enjoy and exit the rest carefully to of your your left day at and enjoy Boosh Gahdens the rest AUF WIEDERSEHEEEEEEN of your day at Boosh Gahdens! AUF WIEDERSEHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN! I love Verbolten a whole dang lot, but I would rather be at Kings Island for twelve hours with bring-a-friend-free-level crowds who are all bouncing basketballs and the only ride operating is Son of Beast than listen to Verbolten's auto-spiel for anything longer than fifteen minutes. I don't mind themed auto-spiels, but I think the non-Verbolten ones have a tendency to blend in with the rest of the theming, which seems like it could be less than effective. I think I agree with homestar that the best spiel is a simple, straightforward, and automated one. Kennywood's auto-spiels do an alright job of it, although I think the ride ops have a tendency to talk over them, if I remember correctly?

Thank you so much for writing about your experience with your dad. That was beautiful. I am so glad you had a memorable time with him. This is the stuff amusement parks exist for.

I agree with marth555. If an RMC shows up at any Cedar Fair park in 2017, I would assume that it is only because the project was too far along to call it quits. This is the sort of thing that Cedar Fair has been avoiding with its choice in manufacturers.

I think about this show sometimes, and how much it (with due respect to those who liked it) wasn't my thing. It makes me all the more appreciative for Ouimet, Cirque Imagine, Origins, Jump!, and even Ed Alonso. I really appreciate the direction that Live E has taken in the last 4 or 5 years.

Okay! Thank you very much for looking into it and for the reply. I'll have to try some Shazam-like apps to see if I can ID any songs myself.

I tried out the new system. Last night was one of those every-once-in-a-while times when I feel like playing games in the arcades. I feel like the point of alternative paying systems for arcades and amusement park games is to make you as unaware as possible that you are spending money. For instance, I might not want to pay $1 for that game, but I might not feel as opposed to spending two tokens (even if their value is the equivalent of $1.) And while I might not want to reach into my pocket for $1 to try again if I lose, another two tokens might not feel like I'm spending more money. This system is very transparent about the financial price to play everything. You put $5 on a card at the kiosk. Skeeball costs 50¢. You swipe your card through the card reader on the skeeball machine, and it informs you that you have $4.50 left on your card. It's very... enlightening. Your card can be refilled at the kiosk. One other thing I don't think I've read around here: in place of physical tickets, games now reward you with points that are put on your card. The card reader on each game will tell you how many tickets each game awards you. You can check your point total on the kiosk that you get your card from. All the prizes are listed with their point requirements. It's an odd system to me. I suppose it works well enough for what it is. I'm just not sure where the benefit is over the token and ticket system that had been around forever, except that the same credit that people put towards arcade games can now be used for the Coney Mall games, etc. But you're also basically eliminating the ability for people to impulsively drop $2 on Bank-A-Ball and other games. And when people use the system, they're very aware of the money they're spending. In a world where places like Waldameer operate literally everything on a point system (only 4.5 points for Ravine Flyer II! Only 3 points for pizza!), this feels like an odd switch, like the card system people paid the park to switch to their weird financial transparency-oriented card system. Also of note: the cards aren't usable at the White Water Canyon geysers, which still firmly accept quarters only.

The ride op at White Water Canyon's pay geysers could tone it down, too. They're currently addressing and taunting every boat that passes, to the point that it's nearly a continuous stream of loud talking. It's not necessary, and, like others have said, it distracts from the ride op's actual job, which is to keep riders safe. It's also not just a Kings Island thing. They do it at SFStL, too. It's unnecessary there, too.

I got to see the new acts. They're both very good, but the ring lady is really phenomenal. The way she flips the rings almost feels like an illusion--the way she whirls and flings them around herself doesn't seem possible. Hand2Hand was great, but the only part of it I find myself missing is that momentary pause in the music where those two would quickly flip around into that lean--that was just a really neat effect that gave me chills. The ring performance is a suitable replacement in every other way. I love seeing the show reach a "sweet spot" as time goes by. Cirque did it twice, and Origins is doing it. Even the painting portion seems like it flows much better than it did during the passholder preview. It's still very much a pause in the action, but I think they've found a much better balance between the time taken to paint, the way they ramp up "decorating" the audience participant, the distractions in the background, etc. I do miss Yannick, though. He really did have a fun personality for the show. I'm sure the new performers will get better and better at putting their personalities into their performances. The juggler/painter (whose name I don't know) has really put a lot of charisma and fun into his role, too. Also, Magenta Lizard... If you wouldn't mind, I'm still dying to get my hands on the Origins song list. Pretty please?

Ladies and gentlemen: on June 15, 2016, RCDB.com finally changed its ways and added Haunted House at Camden Park to its database. I mean, it's (intentionally?) misspelled as "Hawnted House," but let's not get caught up on details, right? Or is that its actual name and I've been calling it the wrong thing all this time? There's a picture of the sign on RCDB. I suppose you could accuse it of saying "Hawnted" instead of "Haunted," but that's definitely not something I would ever assume by myself. No sign of Devil's Den at Conneaut Lake Park so far. Maybe they'll get around to it, as well as getting rid of Thunder Run at Canada's Wonderland.

That would be the Kings Island Theater at 3, 5, and 7, with an additional showing at 1:30 on Saturdays and no showings on one of the weekdays. TRFTW, always willing to help.

^ On the subject of the different type of wood: Back in 2009, Beast's helix was retracked. I can't find the exact source, but I swear I read on Kings Island's old Blogspot blog that Ipe wood was used. I remember being surprised at learning that it is so dense that it doesn't float in water. Maybe I'm confusing my sources, because Gordon Bombay posted something in a thread from early 2009 that has a lot of the information I remember. Link. I also remember reading speculation that the banking of the helix was increased then. I don't think I ever heard if that ever officially happened.

That was beautiful. Thank you for saying it.

Interesting... That's two acts that are gone. I wonder what the replacements will be, or if there will be replacements soon. The trampwall act could probably fill in for the trapeze, but I wonder what they'll do for the other one.

What a tragedy. This is awful. My prayers are with those affected. (Given that someone started killing a group of people who were otherwise going on with their lives, isn't this the exact definition of a terror incident...?)

Six Flags St. Louis. These days, it's a better version of Holiday World for me, except it also gets the benefit of being a lot closer to other stuff I love. I'd agree with Six Flags Great Adventure. To me, it does a better job of being Cedar Point than Cedar Point does--Cedar Point seems to be on a bit of a coaster kick at the expense of trees and atmosphere, whereas Great Adventure manages to have big rides AND a level of theming I prefer. But maybe it's a "grass is greener on the other side" kind of thing--I've been to CP way more than SFGAdv. It's funny that homestar just put these as some of the more overrated parks, because I'd say that Canada's Wonderland and Kings Dominion are both underrated--or underappreciated, at least. (Different strokes for different folks! ) A lot of TRs for both focus on their respective coasters over 300 feet tall and not much else, which is a little sad, as I don't feel like either park's theming is really appreciated enough. In fact, I think Leviathan and Behemoth (though that one's under 300 feet tall, of course) were both very, very forgettable. Wonder Mountain and Congo Safari Village are both some of my favorite park features. I could name more rides I find underrated than parks, though: Georgia Cyclone, the Coney Island Cyclone, Timber Wolf (WoF), Boss, Hurler (Carowinds), Verbolten, Wonder Mountain's Guardian, Mad Mouse (MA), Racer (Kennywood), Tempesto...

EDIT: Forget this. It's not worth it.

^ Will you please share the song list? I really like Origins's soundtrack and would love to have it to listen to.

I think it's a wonderful show and a significant improvement of the format of the Dimensions: A Cirque Experience show that was at Canada's Wonderland last year. I highly recommend it. Dropping some thoughts behind a spoiler tag so I don't ruin anything for anyone. Kings Island folks, if you're reading this: thanks for bringing this awesome show to the park. It's another home run!

They close early so they can get through all the customers in line just in time for the 10pm closing time. (Just kidding. I don't know anything about this.)

The horse is inches from death, amigo. The point has been made. If your Gwazi ride(s) are anything like the one I had back in 2014, I would recommend that you don't use that as the basis for your opinion on GCI's rides. Gwazi was sluggishly paced and unbelievably rough when I rode it--in fact, it's second only second to Son of Beast as my least favorite coaster. If you get a chance, try something like Lightning Racer, Prowler, or American Thunder. Of the GCI coasters I've ridden, those are some of the best. They're really good rides. The GCIs I've ridden that were built in the brief period that GCI used PTC trains instead of their own Millennium Flyers (SFA's Roar, Hershey's Wildcat, and BGT's Gwazi) have all been very rough and mostly not my cup of tea. I certainly wouldn't mind a GCI at Kings Island, but I wonder if a GCI has the capacity that Cedar Fair might be looking for for a park of KI's size.

Such a good topic! Always a good thing to meditate on. I've always enjoyed this one quote by Maya Angelou, which I have posted in the "random quote" thread but will repost here: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." I've yet to find a situation in life where that doesn't apply.

I didn't know Microsoft was in the business of making Greek food. Oh, wait... I'm fairly indifferent on Windows 10 (although I do think it is better than 8), but this isn't the first time this thing has happened for the park. There were stretches of time that the FUN TV's for Racer and Bat just showed a colorful Windows 10 login screen last season.

It kinda sounds like Epcot, except with a random ark included. That's a strange mix. I've wondered for a while now why a park hasn't been built between Houston and New Orleans. Both are decently large metropolitan areas that haven't a large park nearby since the mid 2000's. There was the Grand Texas theme park proposed near Houston, but that really hasn't managed to get off the ground yet.

In a little over a week, Origins: A Cirque Experience will open in the Kings Island Theater. After two years of Cirque Imagine, I know the bar is set high for me. I'm sure they won't disappoint, either! In case you all haven't already seen it (I haven't seen a post around here yet), there is a Gold/Platinum passholder preview performance on Friday, May 27 at 7:00pm. Per Kings Island's website, you must register in the passholder site on Kings Island's website and print off your confirmation to attend. Here's a link with all the info. Figured you all might be interested! Who's excited?!

I love your pictures. You've got a really good eye for photos. What camera do you use? Thanks for sharing your trip report!