malem

^ If the power was cut, it wouldn't take long for vandals and/or mold to completely destroy the building. Presumably, bills are being paid in anticipation of revenue from the sale.

^^ You get to run the 10km, then do (unmeasured) ERT. I should probably do one of these events at some point, since running through parks is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Groupon deals are often offered on a per-city basis. It's legitimate to look at a different city's Groupon page to see deals offered there. Sometimes, there are Groupon coupons or cash back deals to make the prices even better. Do be aware that 30-50% of the Groupon purchase price goes to Groupon instead of to the vendor. Groupon deals usually don't last very long. The idea is that they bring in additional customers who wouldn't have otherwise visited the business. The CP deal still seems to be live: https://www.groupon.com/deals/cedar-point-15 I've used Groupon (and similar sites) to get good, last-minute prices at Great Wolf Lodge for the annual holiday party. It works well as long as you know exactly what you're purchasing.

More Cincinnati Union Terminals Sally Justice League dark ride(s) and S&S Freespin coaster(s) appear likely once again. Hopefully we don't see more Larson Fireballs.

^^ Unless one of them decides to do a study abroad program. Also, you can sometimes find flights to European cities from Toronto for as little as USD400 round trip. Just noting.

If you add dining plans, you'd save about $40 per pass by renewing there, enough to cover passport cards. I wouldn't recommend renewing at CW if not planning to visit CW this year. If you're planning to get passport cards, you should consider getting passport books instead if you think that you might fly internationally or travel beyond the US, Canada & Mexico in the next 10 years.

^^ The significant tax rate on amusement park tickets there will eat into your savings. Comparing bottom line prices, you'd save about USD40 on that purchase.

SIX parks will announce their new-for-2017 rides & attractions on Thursday, September 1. Passes will also go on sale then.

^ Those with a credit card with no foreign transaction fees might save $30 or so after taxes; more if a dining plan or FunPix is added. Definitely tempting. Personally, I'd rather my pass remain in KI's database, so I'm not dealing with Guest Services in Canada should there be any issues. And that Fast Lane Plus might actually be useful on Closing Day, since they're doing the free bring-a-friend tickets this year.

Now up to 250+ cases. Presumably many more unreported. http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/08/23/Crypto-cases-top-250.html I think I'm done with recreational water for the season, at least within a 100mi radius of Columbus. I don't trust the general public to stay out of pools for two weeks if infected, especially with summer quickly fading. Those who get sick can spread crypto long after their symptoms resolve. As an aside, Great Wolf Lodge shuts down their waterpark for about a week each fall for maintenance & cleaning, so all should be good there in December. The crypto outbreak is expected to subside after Labor Day, when pool/waterpark season ends in this region.

Jason McClure via the Plain Dealer: no plans to relocate GL WildWater Kingdom rides/equipment to CP Shores. http://www.cleveland.com/travel/index.ssf/2016/08/cedar_points_jason_mcclure_tal_1.html A few more interesting tidbits in that article as well, including the obligatory request for comment from Dennis Speigel. That would be ~225 new rooms, at least a $13M investment.

Are you sure there's a duplicate charge, not just a duplicate authorization? The latter can happen rather easily and doesn't necessarily result in a double charge, though it may temporarily reduce your account balance or credit limit. Contacting the park (if you renewed in person) or the CF Accesso store support number (if you did so online) would be ways to resolve an actual duplicate charge. If it's still an authorization, wait to see whether it falls off or becomes a charge.

^^^ Since you have a 2016 (gold) pass that's only valid at Kings Island, renewing as platinum wouldn't get you admission to other Cedar Fair parks until next year. If you want one free visit at Cedar Point with your 2017 platinum pass, you would need to purchase a new platinum pass at Cedar Point (forgoing renewal perks at either park). New this fall, as part of the CP Shores promotion, Cedar Point is offering Cedar Point platinum benefits (free parking & Soak City admission) for the rest of the season for 2016 Cedar Point regular passholders who renew as platinum for 2017. I have no idea if they'd accept a Kings Island gold pass for this promotion, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. In any case, you wouldn't be able to use your pass at Carowinds until next year, as you are only purchasing Cedar Fair platinum benefits (admission at all Cedar Fair parks) for 2017.

^ Curious: was it cold, undercooked, overcooked, rancid, soggy, or bad in some other way? If you receive food that's unsatisfactory & keep your receipt, Guest Services should be able to provide you a voucher for a replacement meal. Also, I'm sure they'd be glad to know how & when the food was bad.

I'd assume that much of Cedar Fair's 2017 capex is tied up with the new Breakers tower & Breakers Cedar Point's Express renovation.

They're newer than most of the slides at KI & CP's waterparks. The main slide complex was installed new at Hurricane Harbor when the park was SFWoA, moving across the lake when Wildwater Kingdom was constructed on the former SeaWorld site.

It's still strange to thing about how the park went from this To this: To nothing.

There is a lot of fog. Don't walk into any bushes, as I did once last season.

These days, I doubt they'd go back to a name so similar to Fright Fest.

See this prior thread: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php/topic/32298-zoombezi-bay-19-visitors-sick-test-positive-for-crypto/ There are more than 200 cases now reported in the Columbus area, and it's no longer tied to one specific pool. Columbus-area pools will be closed tomorrow for super chlorination. If this is why Soak City is closed, it's good that they're being proactive about it. Much better to disappoint some guests than for any to get sick. Those who are sick need to stay out of swimming facilities. From the Dispatch article:

The temperature needs to be in mid-40s to start the steel coasters. With maintenance schedules and weather patterns, running any coaster in December is almost certainly impractical. I'm still pining for that elusive Beast snow ride*, though. *I'm not counting November 1, 2014, as specs of precipitation were few and far between.

Kings Island's WinterFest will feature the Eiffel Tower as the world’s largest Christmas tree display. https://www.visitkingsisland.com/what-s-new/winterfest Carowinds's WinterFest will feature one of the Carolinas' largest "holiday trees". Whatever those are. https://www.carowinds.com/experience-2017/winterfest 2011.

I wonder if all-season dining plans will be accepted for this event.

I might be making multiple visits to Cedar Point Shores & KI Soak City in 2017 just for food.

With free bring-a-friend on one fall Sunday, perhaps those free Fast Lane Plus passes will actually be useful. A nice benefit for those without passes to come to the Closing Day meetup, perhaps.