CoastersNSich

WKRC Channel 12 just mentioned the X-Flight story in tonight's news.

What a great weekend! Colts win the Super Bowl, on the brink of the announcement of (new 2007 attraction), and less Paramount!

Hmmm. Noticing that there is... a new logo new ownership and the park spokeswoman not using the "P" word at a recent coaster enthusiast event... I wouldn't be too surprised.

Back to the original topic, I was at the ACE No Coaster Con on Saturday, and Maureen said that there will not be a new restaurant open in the old International Restaurant space for 2007. She said that it was something that was really looked into, but put on hold due to accessibility issues. However, they realize the need for a full-service restaurant, and they hope to do something in the next few years or so.

The Group Sales information for Cedar Point and Geauga Lake is also available: http://groups.cedarpoint.com/_upload/2007%...ing%20guide.pdf Maps for both parks are also included in this brochure. Obviously, the CP map has Maverick in it. But take a look at Geauga Lake's. Not only is X-Flight deleted, (because much of it is in Mason, OH now), but so its Steel Venom! Looks like they also left the old monorail station standing, too. The general CP brochure is also available. Cedar Point's logo has been straightened to look a little like Kings Island's, which also looks, like Carowinds... http://groups.cedarpoint.com/_upload/2007%...%20brochure.pdf

I was at No Coaster Con, so I can confirm that only Carowinds is getting the parade. Still, KI is getting some new shows, more than at the park the past few years.

I also highly recommend the Breakers Express. On some nights it's been as low as $60 to $70 - comparable or even less than other decent hotels in Sandusky. While you don't get free breakfast, it has a great perk that the chain hotels can't offer - early entry and early rides at Cedar Point! I also like how the TV has a lot of channels (the ones I watch), and that there are elevators, too. There's also free WiFi in the lobby. I stayed in Hotel Breakers in October 2005. The room was very small, and in an older section. The AC/heater was a window unit, but I was unsure if the AC worked because of the cooler temperatures. Of course, there was no elevator to this portion of the hotel. The room key was a traditional key, and not a modern key card found in most parts of the hotel. It did, though, have a view of the park (Wicked Twister, Space Spiral, Giant Wheel, and Corkscrew). Another hotel recommendation is the Microtel in Huron, near Rt. 2. It's a good ways away, involving a 10-15 minute drive to the park, but there's free breakfast, 24-hour indoor pool and fitness equipment, free in-room wireless internet, and the room rates can be some of the cheapest around.

Another question is "What is the former name of Carowinds' Paramount Theatre, prior to the Paramount takeover?" Answer: Harmony Hall. Source (click on "map index" link) As a side note, KD's theatre was known as Mason-Dixon Music Hall prior to 1993.

Great photos! I also love that main entrance in the Colts spirit! Makes me want to go there today on my way up to Chicago, as I've never been to the Indy Children's Museum.

Looks like the Maxx and Maxx Plus passes bought through Kings Island also get the Gold benefits.

Another update to the Season Pass page: Gold Passes are back! http://www3.paramountparks.com/kingsisland...season_pass.cfm Perks are also listed. Notice one big perk missing?

If they keep PKI.com, it won't be for too long. They may still own the domain name, but it won't necessarily be the domain that they advertise. I also see them using "kingsislandpark" "kingsislandthrills."

There's some questions whether PKI.com will remain the domain name for Kings Island... But it looks like a Canadian advertising firm took the domain name "www.kingsisland.com." from what used to be some generic redirect page... Questions: Will they still use pki.com? Will Cedar Fair tell these (censored) people to get lost, either through a payoff or lawsuit? Will CF find a new domain, like kingsislandpark.com ?

I heard that GWL was going to offer local residents a special discount. Likewise, I have seen some downtown Cincinnati hotels, like the Netherland Plaza, part ot the Carew Tower complex, offering area residents low rates, like $75. Sometimes, a hotel can offer a great getaway, even if you live less than an hour away. I can say the same about Great Wolf Lodge.

JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!

I guess that WLWT news 5 will be on top of this tomorrow. (Referring to Friday's Top 5 story "Problem Park?")

Not sure if this belongs in a separate thread, but... Kings Island is now offering "4 or More" Season Passes at $84.95 per person. That's a savings of at least $20, or $5 per pass. (Individual KI regular passes are $89.95). Not as much of a discount as in the past few years, but 4-packs are back. And, like in recent years, the four passholders do not need to live in the same household. They are not currently offering a similar deal for Cedar Fair Maxx or Maxx Plus passes. http://www2.paramountparks.com/kingsisland...season_pass.cfm

Speigel is part right: yes, Six Flags Inc. wins with some income from selling off non-core, lower-growth parks, and using that income to better nurture bigger, higher-growth parks. In turn, the parks sold to PARC's Jenkins and Drew also can win with a different way of managing smaller parks. Unlike Six Flags, which is incorporating well-known brand names and a corporate mentality, these parks have an opportunity to focus on the character of each park, better market them as hometown parks. Jenkins has a good mentality, as the original Six Flags parks under founder Angus Wynne focused heavily on themes, detail, and family entertainment, and tailored the park to the history and culture of the region of each park. After Wynne left, Six Flags got into acquiring parks, slapping the Six Flags name on, adding Looney Tunes characters, and turning the focus from themes into thrills.

I think that's likely as ACE's No Coaster Con will be in the Chicago area the next day. IMO they don't look good keeping people, especially enthusiasts, hanging for too long, especially when there's an opportunity to show off your park and new attraction(s).

Yes, until around 1950, Escalator was a trademark of the Otis Elevator Company. Competitors, like Westinghouse and Haughton, called their similar devices Electric Stairway and Moving Stairs, respectively. However, Otis failed to police their trademark, so now, we call anything that has moving steps with a handrail that matches the movement of the stairs, an escalator - even if it's made by Otis, Fujitec, Kone, Schindler, or other companies, past and present. On the other hand, I don't see some guy with a few carnival rides and such, naming his business "Carowinds"...

I did that the last time I was at CP. Not only did my group pay less, we also avoided a LONG line. The park was packed and stacked on the last Saturday of the season.

Most of the time, I'll wear my athletc type sneakers, especially if I'm wearing shorts, and/or plan to do an exceptional amount of walking in an all-day visit. Other times, when wearing longer pants, I'll wear "work boots," especially on shorter visits on cooler days. I haven't worn sandals there (or anywhere for that matter) in years.

I've eaten at Midway Market several times, and believe it to be a good in-park dining value, especially when compared to other dining venues on property, whether inside the park, or just outside the gates. Joe Cool Club members get $1 discount. The food isn't great, but not necessarily bad. Of course, if you're looking for better food, you might want to try Johnny Rockets, Famous Dave's, or TGI Friday's. Contrary to Interpreter's comments, I'll take Midway Market over Festhaus. Festhaus feels like a high school cafeteria, at four or five times the price - even with LaRosa's pizza.

Putting this into perspective, even the beloved old Coney Island closed and removed many rides, because of a combination of low ridership, mechanical issues, and limited room. All amusement park operators, even the ones they constantly give awards to and look up to, remove rides. Even Holiday World has had to remove some fun rides to make way for the future. Like said before, several rides in the 1980s, pre-Paramount, were removed from Kings Island. Some of these attractions were unique and classic, even dating back to the predecessor park Coney Islane. Of course, I was introduced to Kings Island in the pre-Paramount years, and remember a place that just seemed more magical, fresher, better maintained, and unique. Certainly, Cedar Fair will remove more rides from KI, but I expect them to own the place for a long period of time. Cedar Fair is company dedicated to the operation and fostering of amusement parks - the success and reputation of CP, KI, and 10+ other parks is extremely important to their bottom line. However, Paramount, CBS, Viacom, and even Taft were more committed to broadcasting and media entertainment, although the latter of the four media companies did the best job of building and running a theme park. As for the season pass issue, I hope KI opens its Season Pass center a week or so prior to April 21. By 2008, they also need to switch back to the parking-on-ID system. The sticker issue could even be a problem with me: I might not use my usual car to get to the park sometimes.

Directly from WLWT: http://www.wlwt.com/video/10796221/index.html You will have to pass through some other stories, but there is a "fast forward" function available. WTF?! They should have said "New Coaster?" The "Problem Park?" headline apparently got recycled from their past story on that one altercation at Great Wolf Lodge.