Kirk Sheppard

HA! Well, it was nice riding with you. Was it a plastic deer???

You mean the one on the train that left before me by himself or the one that rode with me??

I made it to the parking lot by 9:10 and was able to park 3 cars back from the barriers in section 52, which was great. I stood in line behind a family of people who kept asking each other if they were in the right line or not and I think they must have been with either the UAW group of the Health Care group that was enjoying the day at the park. There were a ton of them by 11:30, whoever they were. I made the long, neverending trek back to The Beast and walked through the que. There was one guy in the train leaving the station. The next train pulled up and I got in the 4th row. There was no one in front of me but all the way in the back was a kid and what I think was his sister. The very kind employee gently helped me squeeze into the seat and she pushed the lap bar down two clicks (after verbally walking me through exactly what she was doing and making sure I was OK). I might have ridden this when I was like 11 or 12 years old but I don't remember. All I know is that the first hill's steep decline really surprised me! I was also surprised at the roughness; I actually expected it to be worse. I was also grateful for the times when the coaster slowed down to give me a chance to reposition myself in the seat and prepare for the next intense part of the ride. Now, I was moving along pretty fast heading down a hill and I'm not sure but is it possible that I saw a deer next to the track? It didn't look fake and it seemed like a random place to put a fake deer anyway, so I assume it was real, but please don't make funy of me if a) I was hallucinating or I'm stupid for not realizing it was fake. :-) After The Beast, I watched a few Diamondback trains splash down and waited for them to drop the rope for the rest of the park. Again another rude and inconsiderate unpatriotic American talked through the national anthem, but I'll give her a pass because 1) she looked Swedish and 2) the coasters were whizzing by and it was hard to hear the singing over the not-so-loud speaker. For some reason, the BLSC was not running so I thought about walking over to Flight of Fear and giving it a try but I honestly chickened out before I got there. I headed for the Eiffel Tower instead and it was pretty windy up there. It was also crowded, which made it not so much fun. On the way down, there was a young woman who was in full blown panic attack mode in the elevator. Her family was just ignoring her but I felt bad because even if she is a drama queen, she wasn't faking her fear of heights. I noticed them testing trains on BLSC so I made my way back over there. For the first time that I've ridden, a girl was assigning seats for the ride. I asked her for the front and she was nice about accomodating that request. I only had to wait for one train and it was a nice smooth ride. I must have lost some more weight because I had very little trouble getting in the seat this time, though I also am more familiar with how my body has to fit in that particular ride. After this, I headed towards the Miami Valley Railroad and took a nice leisurely train ride. I could have sworn that three weeks ago when I rode this the train stopped at Boomerang Bay but today it just drove right on by and I didn't even notice a station for it to stop at? Who knows, maybe the heat was getting to me. I thought about trying a ride on BBoBH or Viking Fury before I headed back home to get ready for work, but the crowds were really picking up and I didn't feel like fighting through the masses. After all, that's the beauty of the Gold Pass - I can ride again whenever I want! I'll probably not try to go up this weekend, with it being Bring a Friend Day on Sunday I assume it will be packed.

Thanks everyone!

I might be heading up tomorrow and wondered how ERT works. Is there a special entrance for Gold Pass members prior to the park opening to regular guests? What time do they actually open the turnstiles to Gold Pass holders?

What a horrible feeling to lose your keys and be all alone . . . glad you got the help you needed.

Just a little bit while I was on the Viking Fury . . . was a little overcast the rest of the time.

I made it through the turnstiles by noon and headed down International Street towards the Festhaus. I decided I was hungry now and the lines weren't long at LaRosa's so I had a couple slices of pizza and decided to watch Way Too Much TV. They came out and did their sound check prior, which was interesting to see. I'm into technical stuff like that so it was fun to get a "behind the scenes" even it really wasn't given the Festhaus's come and go situation. Anyway, the show was great and I sat up closer today so I could see better. There are some very funny things that go on if you're paying attention during this show and now I have to go back to see what else I haven't noticed yet. The cast seems to be having a lot of fun, even though they looked hot and uncomfortable by the time it was over. I walked over to Congo Falls to see the line and it was non-existant, but I didn't want to get my cell phone and other personal items wet and haven't figured out a logical solution other than renting a locker and I just wasn't in the mood to get completely drenched, though I did wear my swimming trunks today just in case. Anyway, I walked back to watch Invertigo out of curiosity and decided those people are mentally ill to get on something like that. :-) I did want to ride something, so I went to the Viking Fury and was able to sit in the middle with no waiting. There were these two little girls across from me and they were terrified . . . when it was over, one said, "I didn't like that. Not at all." Her friend, who was crying hard even before the ride started said, "I liked it." Both the women wo were with them just rolled with laughter at that contradiction. I headed into the Emporium in search of a lanyard and pass-holder type deal that I could keep my ID and pass and credit card in, but I didn't see any here or anywhere else in the park, which I thought was strange. I guess I'll have to use my Disney one next time I go. I walked back to the Backlot Stunt Coaster, which was closed temporarily. They weren't letting anyone line up. I walked to Coney Island to scope out the line for Flight of Fear (my next size-challenge . . . anyone have experience with fitting their big body on this? I think I'd like to ride it but I'm not going to wait in line to find out I don't fit. I'll go over first thing some morning when I'm up there, I guess. The line was really long for FoF so I walked back up by the Festhaus and I stopped in and watched a few minutes of Way Too Much TV again just to get out of the heat. It was super crowded and they had both LaRosa's lines opened up at this point. I figured 12:30 would be busier than 1:30 for lunch, but I guess not. I decided to call it a day and headed out of the park, stopped at MicroCenter, and picked up a copy of Logic Express 9 . . . look for the Christmas album coming this fall! :-) Anyway, might go back up on Sunday depending on the weather or I might wait til later next week.

Good trip rereport.Keep up the work on the weight loss.Not only is losing weight healthier for,but the biggest reward of all is being able just to walk on and ride whatever you want.I have been there and now im able to ride them all.Good luck to you pal. Well, no matter how much weight I lose, I'll still be 6'4, which creates problems on some of the rides . . .short of cutting off my legs, I don't think there's a solution to that.

I saw a kid bring in a full bag of Arby's sandwiches as I was leaving on Sunday. He had just walked in the gates holding it high where all could see, which I would assume includes security.

Enjoyed reading your report! Thanks for sharing it...

I arrived just as the National Anthem was being completed. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: I know that you and your fat redneck children don't have any respect around the trailer park, but when you are in public and someone is singing the song that represents our freedom, shut up and worry about your energy drinks that you left in the car when she's done with "home of the brave," OK? Show some class or at least don't show your . . .well, anyway. I ducked into the Convenience Corner and found an umbrella for sale for $8.99, so I picked it up and walked outside to discover it had immediately stopped raining. Charlie Brown, look out, I might be replacing you with this kind of luck! I decided with the unpredictable weather, I'd get a trip through the Boo Blasters on Boo Hill in early. I scored 1680 points; not bad! After that, I headed towards the Backlot Stunt Coaster. It feels like there's no easy way to get here and I get fooled into thinking I'm close to the que because you can see the track so well from the center of the park. For some reason, the que line was not shortened; they expected guests to walk all the way through the que as if it were Christmas Day at Disney World or something. The girl in front of me climbed through the gate and I stepped over it and nearly got stuck (which is why you shouldn't try this at home, kids!) I rode in the front and had my umbrella in my front jeans pocket, which made it hard for the restraint to click far enough for the seatbelt to fasten. The nice guy working said, "I've seen you on this before, we got ya, it'll work" as he pushed down and made it happen for me. The folks working all the attractions have been exceptional so far especially given that because of my size (I'm 6'4" and 325 pounds) I don't always fit real well on the rides. They have been sensitive and discreet about assisting me in determining if it's going to work or not on each ride. I sat in the front on the BLSC and loved it as usual. I then decided I might try to squeeze on to The Beast and give it a try, but it was "temporarily closed." The sign out front was deterring people but not everyone saw it and the poor employee at the entrance was very nice to the illiterates among us. I then walked down towards the Diamondback, thinking I'd see if it felt private enough to use the test seat out front. I'm not a real shy person but putting myself on display squeezing into a test seat is a little shameful, especially if I don't fit. Well, I didn't fit, and I was a little relieved because now I have a better excuse not to ride than that I'm just a scaredycat. :-) Actually, I'm on a new fitness plan/diet and one of my goals has now become to fit my big butt into a DB seat. We'll see if we can make it by the end of the season. I walked over to ride Adventure Express, but it was closed. There was no sign or employee to tell you that, but a trash can blocked the entrance so I headed to the Festhaus instead to get a snack. LaRosa's wasn't quite open yet (it was about 10:45) so I thought I'd try a ride on Viking Fury. It was fun and I'll definitely do this again - and will try different rows and seats to see which view and experience I like the best. I walked around a little more and then went back to the Festhaus to get some mozzeralla sticks. They're no more expensive here than they are on the menu at the local LaRosa's and I was pleasantly surprised by that. A $5 Coke, though, is a just ridiculous. Even Disney World only charges $2.89 for the same size soft drink. I then headed back to see if Adventure Express was open and it was. I got to ride in the front seat and I was the ONLY person in the entire train. That was kind of cool, but I also thought how tragic and ironic it would be if the train were to derail and I was the only one on board. I know, I know, but that's how my mind works. After this, it was starting to rain again and I was tired and had to work later today so I decided to call it a day and head for the car. RIDE COUNT: BBOBH x 1, BLSC x 1, Beast x 0, DB x 0, VF x 1, AE x 1. I know, I don't do the park like most of you and I'm OK with that. I go for the atmosphere, the exercise, and the people watching. I'll head back up again soon, hopefully on an afternoon so I can catch some of the shows again.

Went up for a morning visit and will post a complete Trip Report in that forum, but a few thoughts... Rain wasn't keeping anyone from having fun, though crowds were appropriately light for a Weds AM in the rain. The Beast was closed around 10:30 with an employee at the entrance nicely turning away guests; not sure why . . . Umbrellas are only $8.99 . . .that's better than I'd expect given the food prices. . . Speaking of food prices, an order of mozzerella sticks at LaRosa's is no more than it is if you order it at a real LaRosas's store . . . given how much they charge for two slies of pizza and a Coke, I found this surprising. Employees were all very friendly today and seemed to be having fun with the wet guests . . .

Thanks, everyone! Glad to be on the board and look forward to posting with you! I'll pass along to my friend that the ice is real. :-)

I'm new to this site but am loving reading everyone's thoughts and passion for KI. I'm a Disney World freak (I went 4 times in 2009 and have gone over 19 times since 2004) so my standards are high for theme parks, but I am loving Kings Island alot. I hadn't been there in over 20 years so when I went a couple Mondays ago I had no idea what to expect other than a ton of roller coasters (which aren't really my thing). I'm finding a ton to do besides ride all the rides including the shows. I went yesterday, Sunday June 6 and arrived a little after 2 PM. I grabbed a times guide so I could plan my afternoon. It was crowded and I had no intention of trying to ride anything due to the lines . . . but I wanted to get in as many shows as possible. Below are my thoughts and review of each one I was able to catch. ROCK BAND LIVE! - There are signs everywhere promoting this limited engagement; they should have spent more time getting a proper sound man. As soon as it started, a microphone was hissing as if it needed a new battery pack and you couldn't hear the performer. They never were able to get the sound mix correct. I found moments of this to be amusing, but it left me disappointed. The singing was just OK. Some of the performers were very funny and energetic. I was just hoping for more. I'm looking foward to Signed, Sealed, Delivered starting in a few weeks. C- DOWN HOME COUNTRY - I would never claim to be a country music fan but wow, did I enjoy this show. Every one of the performers sounded great and the sound was mixed perfectly. The songs were almost all recognizeable to me, which helped, but even if they weren't the choreography and pace of this 25 minute show was nearly perfect. A By the way, if you're one of the 4 or 5 idiots who walks into the Festhaus on the side closest to International Street during this show and decides that its quicker to walk to LaRosa's by going right in front of the stage during the performance, please go home and stick your head in an oven. Obviously, your brain is only half-cooked. SNOOPY ROCK! ON ICE - I'm not an ice skating expert, but I believe that some of the tricks and stunts performed by these skaters were incredibly difficult. The featured solo male skater, though, did almost fall twice. I thought the theater was very nice, though a bit warm, which surprised me. I asked my friend Connie who LOVES ice skating and she said that the fact that they could skate so well on that "fake ice" was an amazing feat by itself. So, they earned my respect. The special effects were cool and the integration of common Peanuts themes was superb. I enjoyed this very much. B+ WAY TOO MUCH TV: They started this show with a game of TV trivia hosted by one of the male performers in the show. He asked the guests what their favorite TV show was before having them guess a show's theme song. I always feel so old (I'm 34, but am a TV junkie) when these young kids don't know classics like "Family Ties" or "Emergency," which were two of the favorites mentioned by the contestants. The show got started after 4 "Name that TV Tunes. . . " Another knockout sound-mix and well paced, well-produced show. The vocals weren't completely perfect as they were for the Country show, but nothing made me cringe or anything. The dancing and singing without running out of breath thing always impresses me. I thought it was another really well done show and I'll definitely be watching it again. A- DON'T STOP THE MUSIC - I had to hurry up to catch this after Way Too Much TV, but I made it just as they were getting started. I thought they picked a good group of songs (though there fewer songs in this show) and I thought the enthusiasm of the performers was great. Their vocals weren't always perfect, and the mix was a bit off but being that its an outdoor show that's to be expected. I was a bit annoyed when I could hear bleed over from Rock Band Live during the show, but only in quieter transitional moments. The dancing in this show was high-energy and on truly hot days, these poor performers need a raise. Very good. B+ I enjoyed my day very much and can't wait to head back probably later this week to get a few rides in and watch people and maybe catch one or two of these shows again. I'm glad I've got all season to go as often as I want (time permitting, of course).