Joncars05

HW I think takes the cake as far as park i have been to this year (Indiana Beach, HW, KI, BGT). The addition of the Mammoth, Sparkler, the wonderful retracking of The Voyage, and the cabanas were a good addition in a quiet area. The park did a wonderful job this year. As for KI and SC doubling in size. Did it double in size purely by capacity instead of actual area? They added a wave pool, bar, volleyball courts, cabanas, and what seems to me like a longer "lazy" river. That is a lot of "room" added if you ask me.

Overall It seems the forum is pretty split between raising prices and keeping the price the same. I'm glad so many of you folks have voted (43 total votes as of this post) AND expressed their opinions. I really think that this has been a pretty good discussion that hasn't led to someone completely bashing another person's opinion. Thanks for keeping it civil! Keep the good conversations coming!

First Ride of Diamondback: My First Hypercoaster! (Sorry for the length, I just enjoy writing, If you can't tell ) It was 2011 HH and I was just entering my roller coaster riding phase. (Yes my first coaster I rode was merely 10 months before at HW. It was the Legend) We planed to ride every roller coaster at the park that day. So we went for it! We rode every ride (which was huge because I had only been on The Beast, BLSC, The Racer at KI before this day.) and saved Diamondback for the grand finale! We walked to the ride and Jessi was confident about riding... Me not so much... (I had not seen a POV of the ride so I was going into it completely blind) After wavering about the decision to get in line for about 5 minutes I finally decided to get in line. While waiting in the queue the sun had set and the sky was starting to get dark. We listened to the teasers that played on the TVs in the queue stating "Diamondback is the tallest, fastest, and meanest roller coaster to ever strike KI." This did not do well for us. Jessi started to get less confident about the ride and I was nervous but we had been in line for 30 minutes already so we just sucked it up and were ready to ride. Entering the station, the clicking of the rollbacks as the train would go up the hill made the now short wait agonizing! Each train going out meant we were one train closer to ride. Once at the gate we chose to sit towards the front third of the train (I believe it was car three row 1). We chose these seats because Jessi was nervous about sitting apart because she wanted to hang onto me if she got scared. I was super nervous as well. The lift hill was concealed by the station hiding what was yet to come. Upon entering the train I took a deep breath and sat down. While I pulled down the clamshell, Jessi asked if we were really going to do this. I said its too late I'm locked in so we will just have to do it now! I was so nervous that I didn't hear anything of what the ride ops were saying over the mic. Just like that we had the all clear and the train slowly pulled out of the station. The lift hill went on for ages. The incline was much steeper than it looked from the ground. Laying/Reclining back and looking at the sky all I could think about was why did I get on this thing! The clacks of the rollbacks were ever present and loud. Higher and higher we went until the clacks stopped and our train teetered over the edge. The train creaked as it hung us there for a split second. Then we were OFF!!! The first drop seemed like it would never end! My stomach flew right up to my throat, a feeling that I had never had until this particular drop. The airtime was amazing. We hit the bottom of the first hill and its positive g's and quickly shifted back to the floater air over the second hill. The ride literally threw me out of my seat. I gripped the clamshell and pushed myself back into the seat, almost as if to fight the airtime. The overbanked turn was amazing as I was on the inside. Looking down at the ground gave me a huge scare. The helix into the MCBR was powerful as I was unprepared for it as I couldn't see which way we were going because of it being dark. After the MCBR the hills seemed "fast and low." The final turn brought us back to the park the lights were a welcome sight as we knew the ride was almost over. The splashdown was a bit disappointing because I thought we would actually get wet (Glad we don't get wet now! ) and into the brakes and back into the station we came. Ride over. Ride ops asked how was the ride? Both, Jessi and I yelled and clapped out hands as the ride was just amazing (I think we actually high-fived after the ride stopped ). We walked off the ride a bit wobbly legged but still in awe of what we had done. I think its so funny that I was so nervous to get on this ride at first and now I can ride it with my eyes closed or looking backwards from the back seat. (The looking backwards, if you can, makes the ride pretty awesome. It's cool to see the track from the back of the train zip by. Plus the fact that you aren't used to taking the forces of the ride in that position makes it more intense. Hopefully I can't get in trouble for riding like that as I am in the seat correctly just looking backwards )

I know I do pigeon hole some of the teens into categories of being bad. Some actually are well behaved (even better than some of the "adults" that are in the park) but the ones that act out are the one that stick out the most which is why I tend to group the good with the bad.

Simple poll. Should Kings Island change their prices for a season pass? If you Vote please comment as I like to hear opinions of what should/could be done from others: If you say yes, how much should the increase/decrease be? If no, say why you think they should stay the same. I for one would love to see a hefty increase in prices. I'm only 25 but sound like a grumpy old man when I say that I believe there are too many little kids (10-15) that are just dropped off at the park and left for the day. These kids are the one running, cursing, line-cutting, just generally bad acting kids. I don't like the fact that basically anyone can get a pass that includes parking and entry to both parks for $69. Now I do know the value of the Gold Pass because I have one. It's great because it is cheap but I think the pass is so cheap that it was oversold this past fall at the discounted price and it has led to overcrowding at the park (mainly from young kids). My Vote is yes and I would like to see the price increased to $119.99 with the fall sale price at $99.99 instead of the original $69.99 fall sale. I think that the Gold Perks that are included now should stay included with this increase. I also think the increase in price will keep some of the younger (drop-off) kids away from the park. The thing is I believe it will not happen as KI is headed in the family park and a family of 4 could struggle with justifying spending $400 for KI. So there is a fine line that needs to be walked here. But If you compare other parks such as HW their fall special was $129.99 plus a $30 add on for their Halloween events. Totaling $159.99 per pass.

I think its a combo of things that add up: 1. Fast Lane (in multiple parks now) 2. Fun Perks (Like Colonel said) 3. New attractions like Leviathan and Dinosaurs Alive (included in multiple parks now) 4. Weather. (I think this summer, although hot, has been relatively dry so more days are available to come and enjoy CF parks) I think 1 and 2 are the biggest factors. I have spent nearly 3x the amount of money in the park as I did last year. A lot has to do with the fact that you get perks for spending money in the park. Also Fast Lane makes up a hefty portion because it basically doubles the admission price without spending a large amount of money (New separate lanes to rides, wristbands). Three and four do add new people to the park and four would cause people to buy more drinks/souvenir cups/refills. So I think they all contribute to the added profits so far this year.

That Fast Lane sure is making an impact!!!

Preface: This is written in the case that this was indeed a suicide and NOT an accident. Not to be rude but suicide is one of the most selfish things a person can do. Not only do you end your life and leave people who love and depend on you behind without answers (I have had first hand experience with this as one of my friends killed herself in HS). This guy took it one step further. Not only does he just kill himself this worker does it with a train full of people on a rollercoaster. Who knows who was on that ride (kids,parents, etc). What about the innocent people on that train or around the ride watching it run? They now have to live with fact that they came to the park to have fun and now they are witnesses/hapless participants to the death of a man and could do nothing about it... I just don't understand... if you are going to be that selfish and kill yourself why not do it on your own and not involve innocent people that have nothing to do with your life...

Aftershock beat both Montu and Alpengeist for the hang em high trophy...? I know this is a "fan Voting system" but one has to think was travel channel trying to get people to go to idaho? Not sure how a simple boomerang coaster beats two of the best inverted coasters on the planet.

ohiocolts please make a trip report! I know you are good at explaining rides and experiences. My GF and I are going to try and make a trip out there this year. We live in Indy. Let me (us) know about your trip.

This is what happens when a park nickel and dimes folks into buying ridiculously expensive lockers. People try to take short cuts by hiding their stuff and then CC/money/personal belongings get stolen. (Sure they could've gone to their car and never left their stuff unattended) Maybe they should lower locker prices to alleviate this problem...

I do understand that rides break down (stall, go down, or whatever you want to call it) occasionally but this year it seems just an absurd amount of down time for a bunch of the rides. Maybe it's the heat?

At KI: 3. Flight Deck's second turn over the station 2. Vortex's first drop 1 (tie). Beast's double helix (We're out of control!!) and Diamondback's first 2 airtime hills. (I'm Floating!!!) At HW: 3. Raven's 5th drop 2. Legend's airtime bunny hop before entering the tunnel. (just before the double helix) 1. The Voyage: Yes the ENTIRE ride. From the airtime of the first few hills, to the tunnels, to the 90 degree turns, to the bunny hops laced throughout the track, to the final series or s-curves weaving in an out of the structure. Just a pure masterpiece! At BGT: 3. Kumba's Zero-G roll 2. Montu's first loop 1. Shiekra's pause before the first drop. Front row outside seat, w/o the track below you. The view and suspense before the drop are both just awesome

This Wednesday (6/27)? As a person who has been a member of this message board since 2003 why would you make such and audacious claim? (unless you actually have intel, or don't want to be a member of this board anymore... )

This post has some info on the work that was done during the offseason: http://www.KICentral...182#entry460182

A helpful tip: Keep your head back and eyes focused on the track above you (that's how you keep your head up). It does wonders on this ride.

That would have been perfect. When I went to HW for the first time I thought having 2 lazy rivers and 2 wave pools was a bit silly. But when I went to Soak City for the first time and had to wait my turn to get into the lazy river/Action river I appreciated HW's two lazy river attractions. I think they should add another lazy river (that's actually lazy!) but I'm not sure where they would put it. I think they need some shade for the lazy river.

Firehawk...?

So very true. He flipped KK extremely well. Can any one tell me what the original purchasing price Hart paid out for KK? Either way he had to make one heck of a deal...

during holiwood nights 2011, some guy was singing the spongebob squarepants theme song & got the whole entire gathering of scarecrow scrambler riders to sing along. come to think about it, that same guy did the same thing for bert the conqueror shoot when bert was @ holiday world. That happened this year at the Voyage during HWN as well... Haha must be the same guy!

Not to be a jerk here but if Hart loved the place like his kid why would he sell the park in the first place? I guess every man has their purchasing point. I'm sure $64 million would have turned my head too... Just my opinion here: Hart can't be bitter about a place going downhill after he sold KK for a major profit... To me he showed the money meant more to him then the park. Just take the money and be happy. If he wanted to run the park he could've have done just that. But he decided not to when he sold the park and it may never open because of that decision. The only reason he pouts now is because he believes he made a mistake.

My favorite park is Holiday World. Second favorite would be Busch Gardens Tampa.

I'd camp in The Beast's double helix. Minus that one parking light out there.

The park wasted at least $42,000,000 on SOB and the Crypt.... (This was the exact comment that got me banned from KI facebook page...)

Yes I guess I should've changed the word from dying to drowning. I have seen it twice small kids 8-10 year old kids get swallowed by a pack of the 4 or more friends on tubes creating a ring. I have fallen victim to it as well. A wave gets you under then you come up for air and bam you're under a ring of tubes and you have to flip/fight them to get back to the surface. I'm sure the lifeguards are great at their jobs but as mentioned earlier they would have to also fight though those tubs to save someone. I just say if you are going to make it a "tube wave pool" add more tubes so more people can ride on them. The second comment that you couldn't respond to was actually mentioned in the first sentence of that paragraph. "2. "Action River"- Now I will preface this with I like getting "soaked" in the water park. Heck that is usually the point of going to the water park." My complaint is that I don't like having to get shot in the face with water and buckets dumped on my head. Now the water elements that are throughout the ride are mostly optional but the other two ARE NOT. So you must take shots to the face to go along the lazy/action river. BTW you are 100% correct I could go to the other wave pool which I will have to next time I visit to avoid those tubes.