BB1

IIRC this was a promotional event with the Share a Coke With program. Basically you’d have a stand where you could get samples and if memory serves me right it would also have a share a Coke station to make your own label. I think this would have been circa 2014-2015. It wasn’t a terribly long stint and I believe it was traveling across the chain at that point for their Coke promos.

The Dinoland proper is set for closure tomorrow. Dinosaur from what has been stated by the park is here for the rest of 2025. Walking through today there were a lot of people reminiscing and taking plenty of photos. I come down once every few months usually speaking, but I’ve been down practically once a month since august because I wanted some more time with Dinoland/Dinosaur.

Down in Orlando to get some rides in a Universal and the last weekend for Dinoland in DAK. The new signs look really good on the walkway! In contrast to what we had, these are LED billboards so I’m looking forward to what they will show for HHN! (there’s some new merch I’ll post later, the Christmas Tribute store looks like it may be closed for the season)

Same weekend as HWN and the same weekend of Epic's Opening (which I'll be in attendance). Ironically enough I was considering going to Coasterstock if it came back this year, unfortunately it's on the one weekend, a full week and some, that i cannot come out. Good on KI for bringing the event back, hopeful that it sticks around for a 2026 run!

I would even venture to say that Orion was a short term solution for a long term problem that "ticked a box" but didn't do much for the park. I'm arguably one of the few true blooded waterpark enthusiasts out there and I'm content with what we are getting. It's smaller, however it's designed for families which gives a lot of utility and cuts down lines throughout the waterpark which we have been lagging for decades now. I'm 100% on board that Orion was the most ironic fanboy dream realized, but I wouldn't call River Racers a shortcoming (besides maybe the lack of a conveyor, but at this point with the park's track record with conveyor belts in the waterpark it is understandable).

Okay so as someone who was extremely passionate about the removal and, in my opinion still, a downgrade in quality at the park, I get where you are coming from. However, at the same time I even as a child never really gravitated to lookout. As an adult, as someone who worked that spot, I know there were challenges to continuing that space. It's extremely reminiscent of what we got from the 90's, but the park simply did not keep up with the structure. It honestly stuck out like a sore thumb, even in the Boomerang Bay era which it was never touched up so that whole structure has been sun bleached. Better yet, staffing and the scanning for that area led to more issues than anything else. Try moving your neck in a figure eight location for hours on end, it's definitely not pleasant. That being said, being an adult, I have not even touched those slides since a child which I did some research and after a quick refresher, you can't even ride these slides solo above 52" without a child accompanying you so I'm just going to leave that as is. In the long term I think this is a net positive if the park does some decent theming, which we may actually get. I've been begging for more TLC for the waterpark and I'm hoping that we get some shade added in.

So of course I had to swing by KI tonight as it’s been a pretty mild week for crowds. Just as an update for those who are shopping for their coaster enthusiasts: 1. There are a good portion of the summer spirit jerseys back in stock! Blue Ice cream has been a “must have” on a few lists I’ve seen and of course the day after I ordered it to be express mailed to my house it is in stock in the park. (Ironically enough the first day I wore my WDW Christmas spirit jersey to the park as well). 2. 2025 Snoopy merch is out and it actually looks a lot more vibrant/stunning this year than in years past. (Please pardon the glare I literally had to snap the picture to crop so that the worker who was standing next to it wouldn’t be in frame) 3. The Knott’s collection is still in stock, unfortunately this year they decided not to bring back the pancake mix and biscuit mix. However there is still a good hearty mix to bring a little bit of Buena Park to Cincinnati.

Some of the decorations/theming at Cabana Bay this year. I’ll be heading out to the parks in a bit and will be getting *hopefully speaking* the USOAP for the Christmas season today at the lounge.

I honestly anticipated some of this reallocation of assets within the first few years. The fact that, from what I have been hearing/seeing, it's a majority legacy SIX assets is a somewhat interesting surprise up to this point. Better yet, I'm curious to see if the "special arrangement" water parks and parks that the SIX chain owns will remain in the future; as I honestly don't believe parks like Darien, or Frontier City remaining as active parks in the foreseeable future.

I’ll be in town the same weekend however I’m going to be way too focused on USO & WDW for Christmas to even think about going. The fact that tickets are that expensive doesn’t help either.

So it’s safe to assume “Haunt” as a name isn’t going anywhere as all of the Haunt merch is still full priced. Which is unfortunate as I was somewhat hoping it would be discounted on the last day of operations.

If you're coming from a park centric view then it's easy to assume that. I've been going to the waterpark for well over 20 years (I only recently learned that I did go to Water Works as a child which I remembered vaguely), I've worked both sides of the waterpark besides the new slide installation with the Tropical Plunge addition. I have been wanting a water coaster for years now, so I can't honestly complain much besides having to lug a tube up which honestly I already do that with several other slides in the park to begin with. The lack of a water coaster in a park is tantamount to lacking a Hyper in the line up. Sure you don't need it but it stands out when you get it. For water park enthusiasts like myself this is a welcomed move, just not where I believed it would venture to. Although, from a logistical standpoint it makes sense as the "shallow" side of the waterpark (think of everything left of Smokehouse) it is non stop slides, meanwhile "deep" (which is everything right of the Smokehouse) has a lot of scanning positions so having a slide complex like this gives lifeguards a breath instead of going from scanning position to scanning position. This is definitely a solid move in the right direction, the name stands out like a sore thumb in the tropical "city" theme they have but I think to say that this is a filler project is complete nonsense from a waterpark standpoint. Virtually major waterpark around Kings Island has at least a water coaster for years now, we're seriously behind on that front.

If you’re planning on coming out tonight virtually every house is full staff. I’ve had really solid runs on slaughterhouse, st Michelle and killmart already. Tonight feels like a very strong improvement/great way to end out the 2024 season.

I'm not even mad, honestly, I'm disappointed in just how childish/backwards this whole situation is.

I mean listen at the end of the day I’m taking Kings Island literally by the horns in how much I get out of my pass. I’m effectively making money at this point based on my tables I’ve been using. *However* the park just keeps letting itself down. I hate saying this, honestly as someone who worked at the park I do, I wish that the park does see a dip in revenue from the constant upkeep of the new bars as I think they’re a honest waste of space. I’m sure they’re going to become tax write offs but I have yet to frequent a single bar at the park because I honestly don’t have the need for it. I just feel like there’s a difference between straight up lackadaisical and living up to this so called world class experience I keep hearing about. As the great Don himself (paraphrasing) said in a recent Tower Topics episode it just takes a few people to really spearhead for something to make serious changes in the park; which I feel is lacking anymore with what I’ve seen over the past few years.