malem

^ What if, due to accident or reflex, you weren't able to maintain that riding position? Had you injured yourself, the (subsequently former) ride op would have been in lots of trouble.

Assuming that it's the right voicemail box, returning messages might be their preferred way to get in touch. If you don't know whether it's the right box, you might find someone to ask by calling the main HR number.

My last ride was the final train of the 2015 season at The Beast ERT, along with 4 other KIC members. Afterwards, the ride crew lined up to offer high-fives and say goodbye to the last riders, which was a nice gesture. Congrats on getting to 300, VortexBFF! silver2005 and I would have made it in time for the final Vortex train, but we got delayed by a cursing guest who had to be removed from The Beast around 6:50pm.

I'm glad some people found decent food without long waits yesterday. With limited service and long lines (when I walked by), I decided to forgo my second dining plan meal rather than kill 30 minutes in a food line.

The season pass sale has, predictably, been extended through Thursday at midnight. For those wanting the lowest price & access to the spring preview event, buy before the deadline because it almost certainly won't be extended again.

Even when it's busy on Saturday, the 12am-1am hour can be a good time to get some rides and/or mazes in. Then get in line for The Beast just prior to 1am. (Careful; they cut the line based on the intercom announcement, which can come as early as 12:57am)

^^ You can purchase passes for your family without them being present. They will need to process them at the park in 2016. An unprocessed pass voucher is good for one entry into the parking lot (and one entry into the park, in case they want to process later in the day). I would recommend bringing their 2015 passes along with you. There's a chance that they could copy information from these to avoid them having to process in 2016. Since their 2015 passes are regular passes, their 2016 gold passes will be considered new (not renewed) passes.

A couple seasons ago, when (re)entering the park alone, a park photographer asked to take a photo of just me because he had taken too few that day. I let him.

For many guests, after a memorable day at the park, these are the only photos of their group that were actually taken. For a subset of the people who forget to take their own pictures, preserving their memory at the end of the day is worth the ~$20.

^ Free Fast Lane Plus, bring-a-friend, dining plans, and great weather (especially compared to yesterday).

It's probably in Universal's best interest that its smaller competition doesn't go big in the style of Cedar Point. Kids might point at such attractions from afar and ask their parents if they can ride "that one".

FUN's tax advantage as a limited partnership might reduce the likelihood of a deal, in the near term at least.

If SIX and FUN were to merge, that might happen. Absent that, Six Flags' license of the characters from Time Warner certainly would preclude them also being licensed to a competing amusement park operator. Six Flags is not likely to give up the rights any time soon.

It was my understanding that "visitors" aren't allowed, regardless of age.

I have worried about the scareactors who scream wearing out their voices. A 7-hour shift of that can't be easy.

Last Saturday, amid a crowded Rivertown, I tripped on the curb and fell into the midway landscaping near Reds Hall of Fame Grille. I was walking against the crowd (which was largely exiting the park around 11:30pm), and a fog machine just behind the curb rendered it invisible. The fog in general doesn't bother me, but I now hate the placement of that one particular fog machine. Not even a scrape, luckily, but I did freak out several people walking nearby.

The minimum temperature for it to start operating is higher than the minimum temperature for it to continue operation. On November 1 of last year (when the temperature at 1am was 27°F), Diamondback kept running until the temperature got down to the mid 30s. Beast and Racer continued operating until close.

If you haven't confirmed that parking was added to your pass at purchase, you might want to at least present yourself at the SFA gate before this season is over.

^ Generic names like Slaughter House, Sorority House, and Blackout avoid any unanticipated problems with a similarly named person or organization.

I got there just after 11pm and left at 1am. I spent the time trying to find food and riding Racer, Bat, Adventure Express & Vortex - which had short waits in the 12am hour. The 24k number was in response to a remark I made about attempting to park as traffic was jammed trying to exit the lot. I have no idea whether that was a guess, an actual (net) admission figure from some point in the day, or just someone throwing out a number. I didn't ask for any numbers (or for clarification). Regardless, I shouldn't have posted it, as the individual probably wasn't authorized to talk about metrics of any sort with the public. My intention was to post my observations regarding crowds when I got there; I definitely didn't think that one through.

Reds Grille is out of most of the menu, Hank's Burrito Shack cut the line early, and places that are open still have long lines. 24k people here today. At least Racer is a walk on. EDIT: Ignore the figure in this post. It may be incorrect and certainly isn't the day's total attendance, which Cedar Fair parks keep guarded. As others pointed out in later posts, attendance was likely much higher than 24k.

Anyone from here visiting the park tonight? Is it as crowded as would be expected on Columbus Day weekend? I'll be there in about 2 hours.

^ Kroger GAD tickets are north of $40 in most regions, so online Friday Haunt tickets are probably a better bet even with service charges. The student ID discount from prior years isn't on the Haunt website this year, but you might call and ask if it would be applicable for your group. Gate admission coupons for Haunt are have been distributed through various workplaces & retail outlets in prior seasons, but I'm not sure where you'd find them in 2015. Taco Bell has given out Haunt coupons some years, and I understand that Great Clips was passing out coupons to customers this summer. If you live in southwest Ohio, also look into any direct mail coupon mailers that you get (Valpak, etc). You might even call the Warren County CVB to see if they have coupons to pass out (or know who does).

Dorney Park renamed "Madam Plarr's Chamber of Horrors" last season after the Plarr family got wind of the name.

I'm sure that many guests' smashed phones have gone unclaimed from lost & found, especially when there's no physical damage insurance plan.