CoastersNSich

Heinz Field is more because the fact that Heinz ketchup/catsup is in Pittsburgh. But I agree that I am not a fan of selling names of stadiums to the highest bidder. Isn't Lucas Oil Arena being built in Indapolis? Oh well, helps pay it off I guess. "Toyota Island" Doesn't really flow off the tongue well... If they'd shorten the Colts new stadium name to just "Lucas Stadium," it would sound much better. At least our home park isn't gong to be called "Quicken Loans Island," or "Citi Island."

When I learned of this on CoasterBuzz, I immediatelty opined "Is Kings Island going to become 'Cincinnati Gardens Family Theme Park?'" Might create confusion with an old hockey arena...

Now that hopefully the latest episode of the Jerry Springer show is over... It'd be nice to find out what's going on in that area, since it's been a waste of space IMO. Flying Eagles would be a wonderful addition; some people I know might come back if that indeed is installed.

You are officially white and nerdy, Paul.

Thanks, Dane. ACE members can be very passionate people when it comes to Kings Island and coasters and other parks - and the industry as a whole. I find other ACErs to be a neat bunch, several of whom I have made very good friends with. While there are a few exceptions, and I believe they are rare, ACE members follow the rules and are some of the most responsible park guests - not to mention the most excited and colorful people to visit KI. Not to mention, Kings Island staff, for decades, has bent over backwards for ACE, and they continue to do so as a means of gratitude. Speaking of the original topic on hand, I have seen a few old films of KI being built, and its grand opening in April 1972. I also saw a few pictures of the Eiffel Tower being built, at least one of them in a book at the Cincinnati Public Library.

Those slides, to my best knowledge, came from Surf Cincinnati and are not used during the summer season. The last time I visited The Beach during summer was in 2005 and they were not used. Never saw any type of drainage system for these two slides. Also, in my sole visit to Surf Cin in 1994 or 05 I remember that speed slide having a hump in the middle, which was obviously removed when relocated to The Beach.

Yes, the slides the Beach uses for "tobogganing" during Holiday Fest came from Surf Cincinnati - they were the dual "speed slides." The slides from Wyandot were a nice buy IMO, I had a great time on them in '05, but one of them had a tendency to get stuck that day.

Do you mean "Pre-Paramount Acquisition Cedar Fair Park?"

At LeSourdsville in 2002, they charged $4 for parking, and around $5 for gate admission. If you wanted to do the rides, you had the choice of a all-day wristband or pay-per-ride tickets. I remember that after Jerry Couch bought the park, he originally wanted it to be free admission so it would be easier to bring in grandparents who wanted to spend time with grandkids there, but not ride the rides. That IMO would have been a better operating model because the couple of times I went there, I had to wait at one of two open booths to pay a gate fee enter the park. It was nice to see that park open one more season, but I was none too impressed with that park's operation that year (charging for tap water, ride operators smoking on the job). It was a good place to go for a family looking for fun on a budget, but to me, did not encourage repeat visits, unlike Coney or Kings Island, which offer(ed) season passes. Plus, Coney did not (and doesn't) charge a gate admission fee (other than parking).

Speaking of... who wants to go see a baseball game at Miller Lite Stadium in St. Louis next year.... PLEASE READ: http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/070209/1416218.html?.v=1

That sign, just after the bridge over Sharon Woods lake, has always just said "Kings Island." It's never said "Paramount's."

Yeah, I hope they do totally re-design the websites eventually. But it's about darn time that they replaced the Paramount Parks-style logos with the new Cedar Fair ones. Now if they could take out the Paramount name from the title bar!

Knowing that many area events have been cancelled for tonight, where the heck is the friggin' snowstorm?!

2008 New restaurant, new flat ride, new water slide 2009 Renovation of International Street, including new ADA accessible restaurant in IR space. Trees removed, and pathway located closer to the fountain. Seating areas and trees moved closer to buildings - for clearer view of fountains and Eiffel Tower. New flat ride or water slide. 2010 B&M Hyper Coaster. 2011 Update/expansion of Nickelodeon Universe. Second wave pool. 2012 40th Anniversary: new "outside the park" village, leading to the front gate. This area would include a mid-rise hotel, a few shops and dining options, conference center. This would be built in the center of the parking lot. Some parking could be relocated to remote lots with shuttles or a parking structure built in part of the existing lot. Yes, a very ambitious, costly plan, but would lay the foundation for Kings Island's future. Gradual Improvements, each year: Replacement of blacktop with concrete - restroom remodeling - landscaping

I guess that going from nostalgia to today, I'd expect that the uniforms will change this season. If you've been to Geauga Lake or Cedar Point or another (non-Paramount) Cedar Fair park, I'd expect the KI uniforms to be somewhat similar. You'll see a variety of colors, with different departments wearing different styles/colors. The nametag will be probably be a plastic ID style card worn horizontally, showing first name, department, and possibly hometown or, like at CP, college currently attending. (Of course, KI doesn't have housing, but they may do an international program like PKI did in the past). Gone, hopefully, also are the days of wearing your own pants or shorts. Before Cedar Fair took over, the wearing of pants often got sloppy to the point guys' shirts were untucked, or worse... butt crack.

In 1998, I worked with somebody at Amazon Falls whose twin brother was also employed at the park as a ride operator, at White Water Canyon. I think that year they couldn't work together at the same ride, though that wasn't always the policy.

I would be surprised if they did not open the season pass center early. CP opens theirs at least 1 week early if not 2 weeks before the park opens. On the other hand, CP's season pass center is the definition of pure chaos the first couple week of the season due to the inadequate building that the center is in and the lack of processing equipment. Perhaps that is the reason that CP opens the pass center early. Answering my original concern and your comment, I can say per Marueen Kaiser (at No Coaster Con) that the Season Pass Center at Kings Island will NOT be opening early. I hope that will change, but don't count on it. However, if you have your temporary season pass card, you can go ahead and enter the park - you do NOT need to go and have your permanent ID made in order to enter, but sooner or later, they recommend it. Low attendance is exactly why X-Flight is becoming Firehawk. Which sounds more appropriate, 750,000 supporting 10 coasters, or 3+ million supporting 13 coasters? BGE's slogan could easily be "Quality, not Quantity." I have yet to visit Kennywood, therefore I have problems. Hersheypark? Make sure you go on a dry, not too busy day.

From this point forward, please refer to it as simply KI. To many who don't follow the park as often, it may be hard getting used to the change. Obviously, they need more dining options like full-service restaurants. A B&M hyper is also high on my list. On top of that, why not an S&S Screamin' Swing?

Fox 19 just mentioned about SOB's delay on the Ten O'Clock news. They said that KI is unsure when (or even if) it will re-open this year. Although, of course, do expect Firehawk to open around Memorial Day Weekend...

She must be happy that I'm happy to see it gone!

I must say that Maureen looked happy today! Not only is she no longer holder her breath about the coaster formerly known as X-Flight that is now going to be installed at the park formerly known as Paramount's Kings Island... She's happy her Colts won Super Bowl XLI!

Already, Firehawk has a new video game based on it...

Yeah, originally they called it "King's Dominion."

Watched the "Top 5" Story on Channel 5. Our Friends at Channel 5 are having trouble parting with the Paramount name. They did, though, have a good inside shot of the site with Maureen.

They did bring back at least one of the screens for September and October weekends when they were showing college football and NFL games. A couple of the flat screens used in the Paramount Theatre were also moved to Festhaus.