Kirk Sheppard

From FansofKiEntertainment.com: This Haunt season will see the return of Hot Blooded to the International Showplace and the revival of Graveyard Shift in the Festhaus. Kings Island had originally announced a show called “Howlin’ at the Moon” for Haunt 2011, however it is still in development with plans to debut it in the future. Instead, “Graveyard Shift” will be the Haunt show in the Festhaus this fall. “Graveyard Shift” was part of the summer season 10 years ago at Kings Island. It was performed in what is now Kings Island Theatre and remains one of the most popular summer shows ever performed in the park. It won the IAPPA Award for Best Theme Park Show. Changes and updates are being made to the script to bring it back to life this fall. From Kevin Brunck: ”Several of our current supervisory staff were around during it’s first run…..we all agreed it would be fun to revise it for it’s 10th anniversary. Several of it’s original cast members went on to bigger things….Marcia Hendrickson, the original “Scare” is currently a headliner in Branson. David Hull, the original “Patch” is curently in the Broadway production of ‘How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ and was highlighted on the Tony Awards last Sunday. He was also in the Broadway productions of ‘Wicked’ and the Broadway revival of ‘A Chorus Line’.” FansofKiEntertainment.com is THRILLED to see this revival and can’t wait for Haunt this year. For the cast lists for both "Hot Blooded" and "Graveyard Shift", go to FansofKiEntertainment.com

That's what I apparently haven't made clear enough; this year the ARE trying to take your picture by force. The put their arms out, stand in your way, yell at you to stand there and pose . . . there's no need for this procedure if you put out a quality product that people want to buy. Disney's PhotoPass products are pricey, but people line up in front of the photographers. Why are there no photographers with the characters in Planet Snoopy? Or in front of the Eifel Tower? Or in Dinosaurs Alive along the trail? People would be more likely to buy these photos if they weren't only being harassed at the front of the park by 18 year olds with no social skills.... Because it was open, we were walking right past the security guard, and he was closer than a trash can. Call me Mr. Safety but that seems like a logical thing to do? We had a great time and I'm the first to defend the park when people complain. This trip was far different than my usual solo excursions (and I've had 18+ of those so far this year) and so I was pointing out the things I noticed when traveling with my family...

1. No greeting, no eye contact, mumbled when speaking, handed the credit card slip out and when asked for a pen he seemed put out, no thank you when the transaction was completed. 2. I would have thought a "thank you" or even acknowleding us verbally would have been in order. I didn't expect him to throw us a parade, but some courtesy from any of the security (who let's be honest are there in uniform for appearance more than to keep me safe) would be great. I get frustrated when I see the same security guard 15 times this season so far and greet them with "Good morning!" and a smile and I barely get a grunt in my direction. I don't think I'm asking for much.

There is not a person out there that hates to have his photo taken more than me...but you know what, I actually let the Keyhole photographers take my photo! I would NEVER buy a photo with me in it...but it is only helping them out...so what's the harm. (And it is usually faster than trying to turn them down.) If you read this (old) topic you may have a little more pity for the people who are doing this job. http://www.KICentral...otographer&st=0 P.S. I DO buy some photos...but I always make sure it is one that I was not in. Did you read the context of my post where I talked about how aggressive they have become and my suggestions for making it better? Why would I pity someone doing a job that they choose to do? No one MAKES them work there . . .

Karen, you are too kind! Seeya soon I'm sure . . .

We all got up early and were ready to head to the park for opening because I thought Kamryn and Mom would enjoy hearing the National Anthem performed live. We actually arrived plenty early and sat on the bricks and waited. There was a choral group called the "Young Hoosiers" in bright green shirts gathering around us. I could not see anything "young" about most of the people wearing the shirts and I'm confident the blowing of smoke in each other's faces contributed to an excellent amount of choral bliss when they performed. Due to Kamryn's asthma and my disdain for morons who talk loudly and act silly in public, we moved.The gates opened and we made our way into the park. I took my usual spot on the bench closest to Skyline while Mom and Kamryn went shopping. Kam had earned $10 to spend at the park and they were in search of the perfect thing to take home. While I was sitting there, I noticed how aggressive the paparazzi were becoming. Seriously, they are out of control. If someone declines a photo, you don't try to bully them into it by blocking their path and insisting. Its ridiculous. Disney photographers NEVER badger you and they have lines of people wanting to have their pictures taken. . . so how about putting out a better product, stationing your photographers around the park in front of various icons, and making the photos more affordable? Just a thought. Out came Peppermint Patty and Linus for the Anthem, but I didn't see a singer. Turns out whomever it was didn't appear and they played the canned music. I was a little disappointed, but we were now ready to head towards Planet Snoopy so Kamryn could have more fun. We followed the crowd and Mom found a safety pin on the ground that I handed to the security guard who was less than impressed. I also found myself telling the 6th photographer who demanded we pose for a photo to stop harassing people. It was not my finest moment. Kamryn wanted to ride Boo Blasters, so we all went. I won handily. After that Kamryn wanted to ride the bumper cars again and I was hungry so I left them to ride again while I went to Chik-Fil-A. Mom called and said that even though Kamryn rode the bumper cars four times yesterday she was now too tall. She was wearing different shoes, so I guess its possible but I wonder if she just wasn't measured on Tuesday evening. They ended up on the Whirlybirds again instead. I met them and then they went to ride the Woodstock Express together. Kam said she was thirsty and they ended up with a frozen lime lemonade, which I wouldn't think would quench her thirst but then again I'm not 7. She rode The Great Pumpkin Coaster twice then another trip on Boo Blasters while I held the cup and waited. They both wanted to see Dinosaurs Alive so we headed that direction via Rivertown. Before we got far, though, we stopped in the Peanuts shop for some much needed A/C and Kamryn also rode Sally's Sea Plane. Mom saw a scrapbooking kit she liked and was going to buy it but I suggested she wait til after we were done so she wouldn't have to carry it all day. Kamryn said she was hungry, so we ate at PotatoWorks. The chicken bites are pretty good but the french fries were divine. I was very impressed. While we were here Kamryn saw the train. She loves the train at the Columbus Zoo and so we rode it. I'm a fan of the train and it was hot so sitting in the shade was a great idea as far as I was concerned. We finally began to make our way back to Coney Mall to get our Dino tickets. The young lady at the booth was friendly but when the printer didn't print out our tickets she had to call for help from a supervisor. Someone arrived relatively quickly and fixed it and we were shortly on our way back through the forest. Kamryn and Mom both loved it. I'd done it the day after it opened and was impressed. It was a relatively pleasant walk, as the shade was plentiful and the dinos look great. There was a group of people behind us that were overly-excited and we tried to let them pass but they seemed to want to be as close to us as possible through the exhibit. I gave up. We sat in the dig site area for awhile as Kamryn uncovered the fossils. She is very determined and was very focused on her mission so we were there for awhile, but again it was shady and I was sitting down so I was fine. We all got drinks in the souvenir shop at the end of the trail and Mom was ready to call it a day. Kamryn walked by the Zephyr (swings) though, and decided to try that. She rode and seemed to have a great time. We walked up past the Carousel and Peanuts Party on the Plaza had just finished up. We stopped in the Peanuts shop on International Street but they did not have the scrapbooking kit so we walked over to Planet Snoopy so Mom could get it. Then we walked to the front, Kamryn bought her stuffed elephant she had her heart set on (with a few dollars help from Grammy), and I hugged them both goodbye. I ended up staying in the park to see a couple friends perform in one of the shows in a new role for them that day, which meant I did a lot of shade-hunting and people watching. It was a long day but totally worth it. Overall, we had a great time and Kamryn loved Kings Island. I can't wait for her to come back and spend another day with Uncle Kirk!

According to Kings Island officials, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," the motown revue at the International Showplace, will open tomorrow, Sunday the 12th, at 3:30. It was originally scheduled to open on June 15th.

My 7 year old niece, Kamryn, had never been to Kings Island and it had been years for my mom. So I invited them down to spend a couple of days with me at my favorite local theme park. I booked a two bedroom suite at the TownePlace Suites so I could stay with them overnight and we were all very excited. I met them about 1:30 on Tuesday afternoon at the hotel where they had just gotten done swimming in the outdoor pool. We stopped at Wendy's for lunch before making our way to the park. We bought their two-day tickets from one of the unfriendliest employees I've encountered thus far (and I regret not remembering his name so I could pass along that feedback to those who need to hear it) and we went in. We stopped so the park paparazzi could snap our picture, mainly because I've heard they have a quota and can't take their break til they take enough pictures. Our first stop was the Eiffel Tower so I could show Kamryn the whole park and give her some options of things to ride. She seemed impressed with how high up we were and was a bit overwhelmed by all the choices. We looked around for a bit and then settled on the Viking Fury. She and I rode it, while mom watched and took some photos. Kamryn said she was a little dizzy after we got off. We planned to see the ice show at 3 PM anyway, so we headed to the Kings Island Theater for "Snoopy Rocks! on Ice." I told the usher to let my friend Meg who works behind the scenes know I was there. We watched the show and enjoyed it and waited for Meg to come out to say hi afterwards. She is one of the truly nicest people I know and it was good to see her again. Kamryn was ready to ride something else, so we headed towards Dodge 'Em, but on the way we ducked into the Festhaus where "American Country" was playing so we sat and watched the show. I introduced Kamryn to the performers afterwards. She likes to sing with my mom when she does concerts at nursing homes and other local venues back home so I thought she'd enjoy seeing and meeting the folks in the show and she shook their hands and they were all super. We finally headed back to Dodge 'Em where she and mom rode twice. Then we headed to Congo Falls, where a dumb teenage boy in the front row thought he'd be real cute by standing up as we headed down the hill. I yelled at him and told him to sit down and he did. You and I both know that if something had happened to him, his family would have blamed the park and probably sued and it would have been completely his fault. I just don't understand people who act like this. After this, we were cooled off but it was still hot. I wanted Mom to see "Way Too Much TV" as I thought she'd get a kick out of the nostalgia. Its a great show and we enjoyed it. I introduced Kamryn to this cast as well as they were once again exceptionally nice to her. She was ready to ride some rides and my friend Connie met up with us. I was starving, so I sent Mom and Kamryn off to Planet Snoopy while Connie and I had some Chik-Fil-A. As we were sitting there, I was telling her about how great the show at the Bandstand is and how super Haylee Dobkins sings "Carwash." Of course, as soon as it was time for this song, a park services employee came rolling by with a large garbage cart that he rolled around in circles making it impossible to hear the song. Of course. But seriously, if you've not heard her sing this song you are missing out. Its totally worth standing out in the sun for. The whole show is really good and moves fast and is well worth watching. We met up with Mom and Kamryn at the bumper cars in Planet Snoopy. They'd already ridden the Whirlybird and Kam rode the bumper cars four times. Then we all rode Boo Blasters on Boo Hill where I scored 1500 and Connie scored 300ish. Mom apparently got even more than I did, but I didn't see her score since she and Kamryn rode together so she might have been lying. Mom and Kamryn rode again while Connie and I waited outside. Kam then rode the Great Pumpkin Coaster twice and she and Mom rode the Kite Eating Tree. Finally, we ended the evening with Kamryn's two trips through the water play area. After this, we left the park and headed to Graeters. Mom and Kam got ice cream and I had a double dip ice cream soda. There were a ton of people with dogs there and it looked like they must have some sort of dog/owner night or something. We headed back to the hotel and they went back to the pool until some strange old man in a Speedo showed up and they called it a night. We had another full day lined up for Wednesday . . . and I'll have that day's events for you soon!

Perhaps you've answered your own question here. There's a big difference between having your stuff stolen and losing it . . . and multiple times.

Exclusive? Or right up on stage in the Festhaus in front of you and everyone else eating and waiting for American Country to start?

I've ridden the GMR many many times. It was at one time my favorite attraction at the Studios (before Tower of Terror opened). Back in the early days of the park when the guides were very into their roles and weren't just college kids with very little acting talent, it was a pretty grand experience. It has declined over the years and could use an update but I don't think its nearly as bad as you say . . . just my opinion! :-)

Yes, I am allowed... I have a very good relationship with KICentral and its staff, which allows me to partner with them when it comes to breaking news about entertainment info. Thank you for your concern, though. Super glad you're looking out for us out here in dangerous ole cyberspace!

The Show Schedule for Friday (and the rest of the weekend) has been posted at VisitKingsIsland.com. On Friday, American Country at 12:30, 1:30, 3, and 4 . . . Way Too Much TV at 5, 6, 7:30 and 8:30 . . .Hot Summer Nights at 5:30, 6:30, 8, and 9 . . .Charlie Brown's Pirate Adventure is at 12, 1, 2, and 3:30 . . . and the Party on the Plaza is at 1:00 and 4:30! We should be at nearly all of these this Friday so be sure to say hello! Then on Saturday, Snoopy Rocks! on Ice opens at 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, and 6:30. On Sunday, Way Too Much TV is at 12:30, 1:30, 3, and 4 and American Country is at 5, 6, 7:30, and 8:30. Please go to VisitKingsIsland.com for the rest of the show times this weekend and throughout the season and please visit FansofKiEntertainment.com for full coverage of all things entertainment at the park!

Great report! I went through this morning and will have pictures of my own later. I was VERY impressed with the whole setup, the dinosaurs are high quality animatronics, and move with fluidity and realism. I was probably most taken by the way they "breathe." But more importantly, I was very impressed with all the employees I encountered. From the ticket seller to the ticket takers to the greeters to the folks along the path to the management who were milling around - everyone seems excited and their positivity is infectious! I was so impressed with their attitudes and friendliness that I went to Guest Relations to share my positive experience with them. Now, I only have two suggestions: 1) there should be some sort of warning about the 3D movie as it has segments that may be a bit intense for little ones due to suspense and Dino on Dino violence. The second suggestion is that if they decide to use this path and area for a new Dino themed Haunt, I hope they'll be able to open the regular path up during the day mainly because I can't imagine how beautiful it will be back there with the turning of the leaves. I want some great pictures!! :-) Well done, Kings Island! You should be proud of this. I'll gladly give another $5 to do it again.

Well, that's just silly. Considering how tight a fit many rides are for people with long legs or big frames, if I didn't have some help from the ride ops I wouldn't be able to ride almost anything. And yes, I could stand to lose a few pounds but even when I do, I'm still going to have long legs and its still going to be a problem on The Beast, FoF, and BLSC. All ride ops have been extremely sensitive and kind and determined to make sure I can ride and I thank them for that!

I've got 8 KI trips in already; my goal before the end of Haunt is 70 trips to the park. I was trying to figure out the math the other day to see if this would be possible but gave up thinking about it as it gave me a headache. :-) I should be in the park every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday though and some Saturdays and the occasional random other day... I love being self-employed! :-)

You actually did get it right! Though I was there for all 5 shows today and don't remember anyone botching anything . . . glad you enjoyed it!

I've eaten at the buffet numerous times and have never had anyone show me to a table or get me a drink. Its a buffet; isn't self-service kind of the point? Was this something special they were doing for Mother's Day? Was this at the buffet also? Or somewhere else?

I've been at the park every day its been open to the general public in 2011, but today was the first time I'd ridden anything besides the train. Now, I'm not a thrill seeker to begin with and I don't fit on many things so I don't ride much and am happy just wandering around the park and taking it the sites and sounds but there are times I want to do a little bit of riding. Opening Day was just too crowded to mess with rides for me. Last Friday I didn't feel like paying for a locker to store my camera bag while I rode and Saturday I got there late in the day. So, I made up my mind that on Sunday, I was going to ride. I waited up front to hear the National Anthem sung by Haylee Dobkins, who was great especially for her first time every singing it, and then rented a locker. The first key I was given was for #899, which I can tell you after 5 minutes of scouring and investigating with two park managers and the locker clerk DOES NOT EXIST. It was actually funny watching them try to find it and coming up short. They gave me a different key and I stored my stuff. I decided to head back towards the Backlot Stunt Coaster. My friend Connie called and said she was walking in so I waited by the Eiffel Tower for her. We walked back and got on the BLSC, which I love but the ride ops had some difficulty helping me get buckled in. My legs are very long (I'm 6'4) and I'd gained a few pounds since last year. It was a tight fit in some of the cars last year and this year was worse. But they didn't give up and they got me buckled in safely. Off we went and I was happy to see the bullet effect working in the helicopter scene. We then walked back towards Coney Mall to look at WindSeeker's progress. Connie loves the Shake, Rattle, and Roll and I'd never ridden it so we did it. I had a car to myself and thought it was fun, but I'll need my Dramamine before I try it next time. We walked up through Coney Mall and it was still pretty empty in the park. We went up on the Tower and it was just us and a gentleman and his young son in the elevator. The little boy was asking some very funny questions about the elevator and the tower and the park and the ride op was interacting with him well. You can tell its early in the season; I never saw any employees be out ride rude as the year went on last year but so far this year they all seem very happy and not at all weary of the guests yet. We decided to go ride Adventure Express and it seems to get jerkier every time I ride it. I prefer the front car because I can see the track better and brace for the quick turns, but we sat back a bit and Connie remarked she thought she might have bruises tomorrow. That's no fun to me. We ate lunch at Outer Hank's. We both had Pulled Pork and it was really good! They gave me so many french fries, there's no possible way I could have eaten all of them. At this point, we walked towards the front of the park so I could get my bag out of my locker and we headed to the Festhaus for "American Country." We watched the first three shows and talked with friends there between them. During the hour break between shows, Connie left and I walked back around the park and it had gotten much more crowded. I went back to get some pictures of the five o'clock AC show and ended up staying and watching the 6:00 show as well because I didn't feel like walking to my car yet. It was a great day and this show is really a winner. I hope that everyone will get a chance to see it at least once this summer. It was a great day and I'm looking a long summer at the park! Don't forget to check out FansofKiEntertainment.com for information and photographs of the Entertainment at the park! Here's a sample of some photos I took on Friday:

They're just Americans. They had their first names listed the first time they're on screen but really I think they were just supposed to represent a cross-section of Americans talking about country music and American culture. I thought it was cool because it was different.

Hmmmm... I felt quite upbeat and inspired by the celebration of America. I also think the videos fit together nicely around the theme that America is Country and Country is America. I also realize that I'm not the target audience and that most people will only see the show once so the video clips will not feel repetitive. I think its one of the best things Entertainment has done.

Was able to see final dress rehearsal tonight as an invited guest . . . this is going to be a great year for entertainment. Full preview is available at http://www.fansofkientertainment.com/?p=379.

Likely, yes. Most people don't even think twice about it. What would a German-themed show look like 2011? A tribute to the work of David Hasselhoff? A live action musical version of Inglorious Basterds? Or God help us, Polka music? I'm all about theming, trust me, but I also don't want to overlook the talent and hard work that goes into the productions that at the park while focusing on what could be better. I think they should renovate all of International Street and Oktoberfest and make it something more relevant to our current culture. I'd prefer that than making everything in the area fit in the German-theme as I don't think I'd relate to it much (even though I've often said I have German blood in me. :::pauses:::: German Sheppard. :::looks around:::: Anyone? Anyone? Is this thing on? On a side note, don't forget that popular "Way Too Much TV" will also return to the Festhaus on June 3rd.

My best educated guess is on or near the Bandstand but that is not confirmed.