CoastersNSich

The Beast! Seriously, another crappy least favorite coaster poll? What's next, least favorite PKI bathroom?

And I won't patronize any establishment that doesn't support camping.

Let's not go there. I happen to have met Kinzel and feel excited about him being our park's big boss, and that's what you have to say?!

Very good find. I had the chance to meet Dick Kinzel last year, after a CoasterBuzz podcast at Cedar Point. The article refreshes a lot of what he said at that podcast, and why I love Cedar Point so much. The fact that he didn't finish college shouldn't be too surprising in the industry. While it helps to get in with a business or marketing degree, so many have simply risen through the ranks and thanks to good hard work. Also, while Kinzel had planned to retire in 1/2008, I heard that he may postpone that until the (former) Paramount Parks settle into the chain, operationally and financially. The other stand-out thing about Kinzel is that his, and Cedar Fair's office, is located inside Cedar Point, and his home is next door. Some other park companies, like Six Flags and Paramount (until late June 2006), have remote corporate offices that could be close to one of their parks, but not necessarily within. But with Cedar Fair, everyone works in and visits the parks, often outside the office and on the midways, especially Kinzel. I also heard him say that he likes to treat a park's final day of the season like the first day - which in my opinion seemed different from PKI in the past (give-aways). This means that parks need to work hard every day to satisfy guests - Kinzel seems to get it. Also asked at that podcast (again, this was October 2005) was the a question about future park acquisitions. Dick responded that CF took a look at Six Flags, but passed due to the enormity. Instead, Cedar Fair grew gradually through individual acquisitions (Dorney, WOF, Knott's, MiAdv, and GL) He also mentioned that there were some parks that he wishes he had acquired, such as Funtime (Geauga Lake, Darien Lake, Wyandot Lake), which Premier actually bought, before buying SF. Ironically, CF would get Geauga Lake around 10 years later. Knowing of Viacom wanting to sell off Paramount Parks then, I'm sure he hinted interest in PP - and I felt that the possibility of such an acquistion happening being good due to Cedar Fair's strength and growth.

As much as I hate to see Geauga Lake lose a coaster, losing at least one might not be a bad idea since the park isn't bringing in the amount of guests that it had just a few to several years ago. The removal of X-Flight also frees up a lot of space for parking - since the coaster was built on part of the parking lot after the 2000 season. Also note the south-southwest area of the park, called "Crap Corner" by some employees there, has had issues in the past few years. First, the Hurricane Harbor/Hannah's water park has been downsized, then closed altogether. Also, the Belaire Express monorail has not operated at all this season, and is supposedly going to be demolished. Now, if I had the choice of which Geauga Lake coaster to send to Kings Island, it would be Dominator, and finally fill the park's need for a B&M- BUT it would make Geauga Lake less attractive. In addition, that B&M Floorless just looks feels better on the swampy portion of the lake than it does on some pice of land in Mason. I'm mixed on the possibility of getting X-Flight - it's a (sorta new) kind of coaster many in our region have never been on, and would simply put be another coaster for our park to do, and take away from some of the park's lines. It has a dual-loading station, that, when used properly, can keep lines moving. That means good staffing, and good, on-the-ball employees. Will guests feel Kings Island is going the cheap route by adding a previously used coaster? Many of the rides installed in 1972 were at Coney Island until 1971 - this would be the first time since then KI has installed a used ride. To address some on the board, I haven't seen photographic evidence that X-Flight was truly being dismantled, so I am speculating for the most part. The electrical work could possibly be due to the addition of an on-ride photo system - but wouldn't they be doing this in March or April, not the November prior to the next season? I can believe that this coaster is leaving Geauga Lake, but I'm unsure whether it's going to Kings Island or another park.

It could also use seat belts, especially in the back row. That severe ejector air back there was too close for comfort!

Just because a coaster enthusiast who lives within walking distance from his home park and rides a certain coaster constantly, doesn't necessarily make him a safety expert. Even Paul himself concedes that. But I would argue that because he is such an avid enthusiast, he has a higher awareness of the risks involved in riding coasters, and the need to use caution and follow instructions, than do some guests. I have seen his website - he, like Drabek, may not be a safety expert, but he feels a need to let the public know that there are some fallacies among ride operators. If I saw a gate left open, an unsafe maneuver, or an inattentive operator, I'd let other people know. Whether someone is an expert in an area is a subjective thing. For example, I have a bachelor degree in urban planning. I have avid interest and concerns in and about urban issues, such as transportation, smart growth, sprawl, historic preservation, housing, urban design, the environment, and the overall quality of life. However, I am en route to becoming a professional, and hardly consider myself an expert, even though I tend to focus on these things more often than some others.

Error noted, correction made. Of course, our old friend, Jeffrey Siebert, has made this faux pas as well.

I was thinking they could take down the sign with explosives, simultaneously along with Son of Beast - in the style of the Dunes Las Vegas implosion. Just kidding. It's possible the sign could get a complete makeover, and be stripped down to its structure in the process - or simply have the top replaced/redesigned - or no change at all. And they're still working to reopen Son of Beast. Now, I'd like to look back on the season now passed. We started off the year 2006 with rumors, some nasty, just after the split of Viacom - where our park fell into the CBS Corp. Hanna-Barbera characters, a staple of Kings Island since its first day in 1972, were almost completely eliminated from the park. Word of budget cuts, inculding on staffing, hours, operations, and even possibly on park improvements made us nervous. Then came the news that Paramount Parks was for sale. What would the future hold for our beloved Kings Island? Who could be the new owner? Would it be a well-known amusement park chain? An investment group? Another media conglomerate wanting to enter the theme park business? Not only were us enthusiasts feeling uneasy, but also those who were employed by the park, as the long wait to pass through the gates of PKI finally came. Then, it was announced that competitor and highly-regarded Cedar Fair was buying our park and four others. I, among many others, were happy that Kings Island would be in the hands of a company whose sole business is amusement and theme parks - a business whose growth and income differs from films and TV shows. Standards would be raised, policies would be changed, and it seemed that great days would be yet to come. Then, some blemishes. Son of Beast, which didn't open until late May, had some issues on July 9 that caused about two dozen riders to be injured and taken to area hospitals. Winterfest, which returned for one season after a 13-year hiatus, was cancelled again. And inevitably, as part of any aquisition/merger, some employees lost their jobs. The end of the 2006 season, on the other hand, went pretty well. A well-done version of FearFest returned, with new mazes and scenery. Season passes went on sale, with the option to visit to visit all three of Ohio's major amusement parks, as well as 10 others throughout North America. And of course, some great days to spend with friends, from park brass, to PKIC celebrities. Still, we end this noteworthy season, not knowing what 2007 holds. Not knowing what, or even if any, new rides would be coming in. What improvements would be made. Not sure what our park will be called next year! But I am sure that next season will be one of the most exciting in years.

The following is a press release issued by IAAPA.

One of my favorite features is the ability to highlight text and manipulate it quickly(i.e. make it bold, italic, change color, font, size, etc.) without having to copy and paste the code.

And don't forget about the last rides of the year on The Beast at 7PM. Meet at The Beast entrance.

I just checked the park website, and it alerts that the haunted attractions of Fear Fest MAY NOT be open tonight, due to inclement weather. I assume that rides will still be open, though.

I think you're confusing three different parks. Cedar Fair acquired: Worlds of Fun in 1995 Michigan's Adventure in 2001 and Geauga Lake in 2004, so Spinning Dragons and Mamba were installed at WOF AFTER Cedar Fair took over. You are correct, though, about Shivering Timbers at MA, and on Superman/Steel Venom.

That means I'll have to bring "Channing" along with me.

Actually, a Maxx pass bought at Kings Island is ONLY accepted at Kings Island through the rest of the 2006 season - I don't believe that it's valid at the other four (soon to be former) Paramount Parks.

More on the "name change" Toledo Blade article Note that the third quarter conference call is on November 1. This could be the date when the company reveals more about 2007 investments - and quite possibly even when we'll know their plans for the Paramount Parks.

Will this feature the lost tapes of "Channing Tatum?"

I would have gone to BooBuzz myself, had I renewed my membership in enough time. I bummed because of the missed ERT, as well as the fact that TTD had a rollback during ERT! I still had a memorable time there, though. And there's nothing like having a real gravy buffet in an amusement park!

FRIDAY Last weekend, I took my second and last trip to Cedar Point for 2006. I left Friday morning at 7:30, and arrived in Columbus just before 10:00 am. Our stop was at the Easton Town Center, since my friend had a meeting at a nearby hotel. I spent the next couple hours alone at this beautiful urban-style town center, went in a couple stores, like Barnes & Noble and Apple, and saw Man of the Year, starring Robin Williams at the AMC 30 theatres. Being a comedy lover, and interested in politics, I thought this film would be entertaining – it also ended up having a great story attached with it. After our “commitments†were over, my friend and I ate at the pizza place in the main Easton Station building, then headed north on I-71 towards Sandusky. Of course, since I-71 ended in Cleveland, and not Sandusky, we took Rt. 13 through Mansfield, where we also stopped. Downtown Mansfield is home of the Richland Carrousel Park, and the indoor carrousel was running, and my friend took a spin, while I took some photos. We next went into a shop that builds wooden carrousel horses, and he got into a good talk with the shop-keeper – but not way too long. We then got moving further north, when I notice my iPod nano is locked up – and will only stay locked up. This meant that the small, compact nano would stay out of commission.* At least while I had my 40GB 4th Generation iPod, I’d have to lug this one around Cedar Point if I wanted to listen to my music. Rt. 13 soon became Rt. 250, and we were heading towards Sandusky, though my hotel would actually be in Huron, just to the east. I would be sharing a room for the night with another friend at the Microtel, and my share would just be $25. Before heading to the pool/spa there, I tried to solve/diagnose my iPod nano’s problem with the internet, but still had no success. Not long after, we made our way towards Cedar Point via the long yet beautiful Chausee, passing some wonderful houses that ranged in size and architectural style. Eventually, we finally hit the toll booth (my friend had a parking pass), and drove around the park via the Perimeter Road. This allowed us not only to drive next to Blue Streak, WildCat, Millennium Force, or Mean Streak, but also Maverick, which the track had just been completed hours ago. Since I was riding in the passenger seat, I grabbed several photos. We parked in the Gemini lot, and made our way to the gate next to the Magnum and Soak City. Having season passes with the Joe Cool Club, we were able to skip the long line of people with day-tickets (who were staying at the on-Point resorts. Entering the gate at 5:30, we not only noticed that Top Thrill Dragster was testing, but that the entrance had already opened, so we made our way in, and headed directly for the mini-queue for the front seat on the front half of the platform, which was only about 4 trains long. Our launch was 123 MPH, and maybe I forgot to add – it was COLD! The 420’ ascent was just heavenly, and the twisted descent was just as thrilling! As it was not yet 6 PM, we made our way quickly to Millennium Force, where its wait was only to the ramp. We rode in seat 2-1 – and while I admit it’s not my favorite coaster in the park, it’s something I still can’t miss on a CP trip. 6 PM soon arrived, and after the Force was done, it was time for the much more tame yet class mini-steel WildCat. Unlike some of the mini-steels in other parks, this Schwarzkopf still is very smooth. Being just across the midway, Iron Dragon followed, and while it’s not as fast as the (Top Gun) Arrow suspended at (Paramount’s) Kings Island, it’s longer and still a lot of fun to ride, especially through the fog over the water. 7 PM is getting closer, and I’m getting hungrier. The friends I tagged along with wanted to hit Blue Streak and Raptor, but I just couldn’t wait, so we went to Midway Market for their pizza buffet, which was only $8.95 + tax. Having Joe Cool cards, we got $1 off, making it an even better value, as we stuffed up on salad, several varieties of pizza, and desserts. An hour later, I find myself in the Coliseum bathroom – WHERE’s THE HEAT?! After clearing up, we made our way up to Magnum XL-200 for wonderful out-and-back-and-air goodness, then went back down to hit the Blue Streak twice, including once in the front. This woodie ran extremely well!! I’m hopeful that The Racer at KI will eventually get this treatment.** I also need to add that I’m wearing my Cardinals jacket – I’m waiting in line for cider/donut and this one person in the line in front gets snippy with me, as the Tigers from nearby Detroit, are in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. I don’t know who’s worse – bandwagon Tigers fans at Cedar Point, or bandwagon Bengals fans at Kings Island (I like the Colts). I let go of my frustration by walking around a bit, including past the 3-Point Challenge, just like the one that was recently installed at Kings Island. There’s no players there, just staff. Then I head over to the Raptor for a ride, since the wait is only on the stairway. I wait a couple trains, for the back seat. The Raptor at night is just tons of fun – “it’s Cedar-Fairtastic!†as the ride host says over the microphone. Looks like my friend who works at The Beast can alter that dumb Comcastic slogan he used… 11:00 pm is nearing, and we’re getting tired, yet wanting more. So, we head to the back for a few more air-filled Magnum rides. We join up with my ride from Cincinnati and his friend from Philadelphia. I ride in the back car with the Philly guy, and I think this is the best CP coaster – besides the one that’s closed on Friday night that races. Just before park close, at midnight, we head out the Magnum gate, around the park, and back to the Microtel, with my iPod going along with the park scenery, as well as the scenery on the way back. As I don’t tend to get to sleep quickly, I tune the TV quietly for some late night shows, including Conan O’Brien. Joe Buck, who’s broadcasting the World Series on Fox, as well as a St. Louis native, is Conan’s second guest. SATURDAY Because the park would not open to Joe Cool/resort guests until 11:00 am, we had some time to sleep in, check the internet, shower, eat breakfast, and just relax. But soon, 10:30 was there, and we got to the Magnum gate right at 11:00. Because we didn’t ride Skyhawk last night, and it was only running on one arm, we decided to go on it twice during exclusive time. This is an excellent ride that Cedar Fair should add to more of its parks, IMO. However, since it’s not noon yet, we take the Frontier Trail to Millennium Force, where we have a wait of a half-hour or less, a good strategy. Not long after my ride, I go on Mantis, since the others in my gang don’t like it much. My wait was only around 15 minutes, and I rode in the 4th row in an inner seat. Since I won’t be visiting SFKK this fall, I’d might as well get in my B&M standup craving at CP. Noon had already come and passed, and I decided to hit Corkscrew before its line got too slow and long. Corkscrew used to be a quick coaster fix, but now with the seatbelts (yes, seat belts on an Arrow looper!) capacity has taken a serious hit. Still, it’s running all three trains, and I get in line for the front seat. A few trains later, it’s finally time to get in, when the ride host announces “Due to guest illness, we need everyone to step back into the gates.†D’OH! I thought cleaning out vomit out of a ride took a while at Kings Island. Now, I get to wait even longer at Cedar Point – especially when it’s a coaster that goes upside down – OVER THE MIDWAY! About 15 minutes later, I’m finally able to ride, and get my combo of air and loops. Still on my own, I go on the Magnum XL-200, and wait a few trains for the seat in 2-1. A different feel when compared to at night, but still a scenic coaster with some of the best air anywhere! I then notice the park getting busier and busier, and see Gemini already running both sides in race mode. The wait is just around 15 minutes or so, and I ride in the blue train. It’s an excellent ride, as I get a few passes by the red train. After getting off, I call my friends, who have planned eating at the Midway Market, and want to eat at 2 pm, before they raise the price by $3. So, I head into Frontiertown, and get some photos of Maverick, before boarding the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad. Good for me, is that CPLE is running both trains today. I don’t have too much to walk from the Main Midway/Wildcat station, as the Sky Ride is running with not much of a line. Sky Ride, as there aren’t many of these left in parks, is also a must-do for me at Cedar Point. As I get off at the eastern Sky Ride station, my friends are already waiting for me, and we promptly pay for our meal, and get seated. Good timing, as not only does the price go up when we’re in there, the line just multiplies! With a full buffet, I decided to literally have a Gravy Buffet, as a pour chicken gravy over all of my food on my first trip. Sure, some people were looking at me, but I was giggling like a school girl – I just didn’t care! What better place to have a gravy buffet than Cedar Point?! About an hour later, my friends and I concede the fact that Cedar Point is simply put – packed and stacked! Again, I split off, and do a few of my things – take some photos, go on the Space Spiral, and then head back to Frontiertown on the CP&LE. On this trip, I get some more, up-close Maverick photos. While Maverick isn’t very tall, it’s very twisted, and it looks insane and exciting! When I’m in Frontiertown, I concede that the lines for Mean Streak and the Mine Ride are pretty long. So, I decided to hang around Gemini – it’s got a full queue, and the line is out onto the midway. However, since Gemini’s got great capacity, I decided to do it. And since I’ve got a couple hours, and I love Gemini so much, I decided to do it FOUR times! With my regular iPod handy, two hours of great entertainment are ahead. Yes, there’s lots of Tigers fans in the line, but a few Cardinals backers, and lots of Michigan Wolverines fans too, and I still feel pretty good. It sure beats any supermarket or DMV line! But waiting for an excellent ride with air-time, an enthusiastic crew, pumped up guests, intense finale helices, and that beautiful 70s-modern station – there’s few better places to be! Because Cedar Point was so packed and busy, and we had a four-plus hour drive ahead of us, my good friend and I decided to head out just before 6:30. This also meant the chance to see the World Series on the big-screen between Wildcat and Iron Dragon, but I got to listen to it on the radio on the way back. I wouldn’t get to see any of it live, but the runs that the Cardinals were scoring sure made the drive home feel better. While there will be some things to look forward to over the winter, such as sports, and the possible make-over of Kings Island, the chance to go back to Cedar Point, and ride Maverick for the first time will be high on the list. Still, I won’t forget the six fun days I spent this year at America’s Roller Coast! *I did get my iPod nano “repaired†on Monday, so that debacle is over. ** The Gemini crew will hopefully become inspiration to the 2007 Racer crew. Remember, there’s a reason why there’s two coasters side-by side!

I was going to state that as well. Also, remember that the predecessor to Paramount Parks was Kings Entertainment Company. Coincidence?

It's located in the Paramount Story, off the northeast corner of the Eiffel Tower. Or is that the "former" Paramount Story?

FINAL DAY MEET UP ROSTER 1. Boddah1994 2. Dane 3. zosobeast 4. CoastersRZ 5. CombatStupendous89 6. Avatar 7. CoastersNSich

So Saturday can be 19.99 just like Fridays by using a coupon? (see yah at Beast Bash Maureen ) No, Maureen means that for FRIDAY, you can either buy your ticket online for just $19.99, or, if you'd rather buy tickets at the gate, you can stop by Taco Bell to get a coupon to enjoy the same low price, but just for Friday. I believe that there is a discount for all-day Saturday, $29.99, and getting the discount works the same way.

Both of the front cars are now at the front gate, on the left side of the metal detectors; the rest are inside the Flight of Fear drum building.