malem

Just a reminder that the current season pass offers expire Sunday, January 10 at midnight. Looking at Knott's Berry Farm's website, where prices have already gone up, new & renewed platinum passes are going up $12, and platinum dining plans are going up $27.

PSA for anyone planning a trip, especially in April: dates & times are subject to change, so check the park calendar in advance of your visit. Last year, if I'm recalling correctly, the date of the (Cincinnati Financial?) park buy-out in April changed after the calendar was first published. (Originally shown as the second Sunday, later corrected to the first Sunday.)

^^ Banshee's Media Day weather was great, considering that we got a measurable snowfall just a few days before! No one lined up at 4:30am seemed to care that it was in the mid 30s.

2016's calendar makes the effect more pronounced, with August starting on a Monday.

I can confirm that no one attending the holiday party the past 3 years has reported ghosts.

The vast, vast majority of members shouldn't have anything to worry about. That one poster was allowed back in even after posting the aforementioned trip report. Punishing people for writing bad reviews can result in very bad press, especially now. That said, I probably wouldn't advise wearing "KICentral.com" shirts or chanting "KIC! KIC!" while leaving a station. At least some at that park think that they are unfairly attacked here, so they might not be fond of having the site "advertised" to their guests. As an aside, those with that opinion should read other threads and/or stop cherry picking posts from this one. Attempts to squash online criticism can easily backfire. Online reputation firms can be very good resources. If there is a KIC meetup there, I'd probably try to go. Louisville is a doable day trip from Columbus. Such a meetup could be organized privately among those interested to avoid any undue attention, but trying to hide would send the wrong message. If we meet up there, we don't want to give them legitimate reasons (disguises, "secret" plans) to deny admission to any of us.

Several day trips to Kings Island and Cedar Point seem certain. Holiday World for the first time since 2013 is a high priority, as is at least one new-to-me park. (eg. SFGAd, Dorney Park, Hersheypark, Knoebel's, SFFT, SFOT, BGT, Conneaut if it exists) I might also return to Carowinds, especially if Coaster Crew does another event there. Reducing my 2016 chances for Carowinds and Kings Dominion is the fact that each park just removed their (IMO) second-best coaster in favor of something I can ride with a much shorter drive.

Random observation: a Birmingham-area hotel has a display for Alabama's Splash Adventure featuring brochures from 2013, (obviously) with no mention of Rampage.

When you drive past three amusement parks, but can't visit any of them.

The ride records page on Kings Island's website is gone, but the park published the rider counts for the top 10 rides in 2015. Comparing the results to the numbers from prior seasons: The Bat dropped out of the top 10 this season, Vortex fell 2 spots to #7, and Backlot Stunt Coaster posted an 8.2% increase in ridership. Banshee was back on top for its sophomore season.

When you put a POV of The Beast on the screen at the restaurant, and half the room sticks their hands up & pretends to ride.

Two days & three nights is a long time to spend at Kings Island, but I'm sure I'll be there! Assuming there's a passholder preview weekend for the waterpark expansion, I wonder if ERT for this event will include Paradise Plunge?

On my last two trips to that area, I got a very good rate at Comfort Suites Innsbrook near Richmond. Especially if you plan to visit BGW as well, you might find that staying closer to I-64 works best.

This makes sense for Canada's Wonderland, since season & platinum passes aren't valid for admission to Haunt. Dining is only valid when the associated pass is.

I'll again note that I'm thankful that Cedar Fair's advantageous tax structure as a limited partnership makes them a potentially pricier target for a takeover.

For what it's worth, Dinosaurs Alive! is being advertised as a benefit for 2016 Kings Island gold passes. Then again, Carowinds gold passes still include "unlimited access to Boomerang Bay" according to carowinds.com.

If Gatekeeper, Millennium Force & Valravn are the only Early Entry coasters, lines - and whether you enjoy marathoning Gatekeeper - could be a factor in whether to come for that hour. Early Entry coasters in 2015 were Maverick, Millennium Force, Raptor, Gatekeeper, & Rougarou.

It's not actually an elevator. Compare to the "hydrovators" that used to be at EPCOT's The Living Seas.

Now, the "elevator" is gone, according to Kennywood via Twitter. I'm glad I visited in 2014. Image: Kennywood via Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kennywood_PR/status/669174888922488832

It looks like the rumored buyer didn't come through. Video of the ride being cut into pieces today, from Kings Dominion via Twitter: https://twitter.com/KingsDominionVA/status/666730248139091968

... when you haven't slept more than 3 consecutive hours all week and are still wide awake after 1:00am. Nothing like sleeping 9 hours after getting home from an open-to-close amusement park trip.

^ When you posted that, you had recently returned from a very cold Closing Day. Some even called that weekend "Winterfest".

As an aside, anyone else wanting to attend (Great Wolf Lodge, breakfast, dinner/party, white elephant gift exchange, or any combination thereof) should read the meetup thread and contact me soon.

C: Put theming back into Rivertown, such that it feels like a distinct area of the park again.

Coming in 2016: new attractions at "King's Island" and "King's Dominion" amusement parks: http://ir.cedarfair.com/newsroom/press-releases/news-release-details/2015/Thrills-Will-Come-In-All-Sizes-With-Cedar-Fairs-Most-Innovative-Lineup-Of-New-Rides-And-Attractions-In-2016/default.aspx (via cedarfair.com news release)