VortexBFForever

I can personally recall a visit from last year when on Vortex the spieler said "Enjoy your ride on the 29-year old Vortex" every. single. time, so I definitely know from experience how old a spiel can get if it is used on every single train. Perhaps Vortex never does power hours because the queue always clears quickly at the end of the night anyways, which is a good thing. At Vortex we do have a headset, but before last weekend it was broken. That's why the driver was often the one spieling. Even after the mic was fixed, sometimes the driver would spiel if he/she wanted to. I would also say it's an experience thing. I have worked five days and they have not asked me to spiel (which I'm perfectly fine with that right now ) and generally only two or three returners on my crew take turns spieling.

Not every ride. Yes, my crew (Vortex/WindSeeker) does spiel, but we say the instructional things that guests need to know most importantly as they board, and the only time we say anything fun or interesting or out of the ordinary is when the train is departing or arriving (all while we're watching to make sure everyone is doing what they're supposed to). We never ruthlessly rush guests or try to speed up the dispatch process to a ridiculous rate (from what I have seen). In fact, on Saturday, our dispatches on Vortex went a bit slower than usual due to extra time taken making sure everyone and everything was good, but it was much better than hurrying everyone up and possibly missing something risky. I have never seen a power hour on Vortex (why do one when it has such a high capacity anyway? ) - just safe and efficient service with a good dose of courtesy, which is much more necessary. That being said, the main reason I'm chiming in is not only because I am a ride op myself, but also because not everyone spiels so ridiculously to be funny at the expense of guests' safety. Plus it seemed to me like you were describing every one of KI's ride ops in general by saying what you said, which may or may not be true, so I am saying this also for the purpose of clarification.

I had not too long ago realized that while I had been deeply engrossed in my WindSeeker training on May 19, the KIC group swung by for a visit/ride. I didn't mentally register that they were there (though I am quite sure I saw @IndyGuy4KI which had me suspecting a KIC group was present) but that was just because they didn't want to interrupt my training. I hope my fellow KICers who came to WindSeeker (and Vortex) that day had a great ride as part of their Coasterstock experience!

April 16 (Easter Sunday) There were boxes of Air Heads for the guests to take if they wanted. I decided not to take some because I am not an Air Heads fan, though in hindsight I probably should have made the most of the opportunity and taken one. Oh well! I decided to take a ride on the Grand Carousel for my mom, who usually rode only this ride when we would go together. Now that I can drive myself to the park, she's just fine staying home as she is not much of an amusement park person. I thought of her as I enjoyed my first ride of the season on the Carousel, to the tune of its wonderful band organ. I took a few videos before the ride and sent them to my mom so she could hear how great the music sounds. With Scrambler nearby, how could I resist a spin on my favorite family ride? I waited one cycle (as the lines were really short!) before taking my long-overdue Scrambler ride. It was fun as always and just like I've always remembered! I decided to take advantage of Monster's short line, even when I was just two people short of making it onto the next cycle when I got in line, so I had to wait for the following cycle. When I got on and my side of the hub waited for the people on the other side to board, I used simple physics and gravity to get my car to spin by shifting my weight from side to side. In fact, several other riders in the nearby cars were asking "Hey, how do you do that?" to whom I would tell how I got my car to spin. And the actual ride was fun as always, especially for my first spin of the season on Monster! During the ride I spotted @jcgoble3 waiting outside the exit, so I met up with him after the ride. I had seen the rain clouds start to make their way in, so I wanted to head straight to Vortex and get my rides in should the rain arrive. He and I rode together in 7-1. Fortunately, he had a better time on Vortex than he remembered from experience, which is a good thing! I'm glad he decided to try it again and come out of his Vortex retirement. WindSeeker was running a test cycle so we hopped in line with hopes for a flight. We were assigned Seats 31 and 32. Unfortunately, the weather reared its ugly head as we were literally all ready to start the ride when all of a sudden we all had to get off! I guess I have to wait a little longer to take my first 'Seeker flight of the season... While jcgoble3 went to the Festhaus to meet @Beastie1980, I got more Vortex rides in, in case it would meet the same fate as 'Seeker. On the lift hill ascent, I kept my glance southward. There was indeed a lot of rain and even a periodic flash of lightning down south, but Vortex still remained open in the face of the distant storm. I looked toward Diamondback and saw that it too had closed. So much for getting to 100... As the line was non-existent, I visited my crew and binge-rode my way to 330, making for eleven total Vortex rides on this day alone. This was the first time since 2013 that I had ridden Vortex at least ten times on one day! Meanwhile, the sun and the clouds fought before the sun made its last appearance at around 6:45. The stark contrast between the bright sun and the dark clouds made for some striking photo opportunities, as seen in the previous few photos! At one point I found a dime with the mint year 1987, and not long after I found a penny with the mint year 2017! Interestingly enough I found them on the same train, which was Train #3 if I remember correctly. Even our own currency is wishing Vortex a Happy 30th Anniversary! I saw a few fellow guests get their own trains, so I thought "I should have my own train for my 330th ride!" And surely enough, I got Train #3 to myself for my 330th ride. My fellow associate who was spieling saw it was me and said, "Hey, Carolyn!" as I got ready for my ride. Having a train to myself once again was great as always. I get to talk to myself out loud while going up the lift hill without having to worry about anyone else hearing me! Upon returning to the station I was greeted with "Welcome back, Carolyn; how was your ride?" to which I replied, "It was very nice!" And of course I couldn't help but snap a few "empty train selfies!" before and after my ride (not during ). Now that I had reached 330, I decided I was done for the day on Vortex. As I exited, my supervisor told me that a group of people showed up looking for me after I had clocked out and left on the previous day (Opening Day). Apparently the KIC group meeting up on Opening Day visited me AFTER I had left! Sorry I didn't specify the time I would be there...but I know someday I will be working Vortex when a good-sized KIC group comes to visit! That would be a great day. It was around 6:50 when jcgoble3 and I met back up in front of Vortex. Since Beastie1980 wasn't feeling too good, she left early. Hopefully sometime soon we can meet up again, @Beastie1980! jcgoble3 and I then went to X-Base, with the original intention of riding Firehawk. However, knowing that Flight of Fear was no exception in the world of Easter Sunday's short lines, and that I did not ride it at all in 2016 due to the lines, I opted for it instead. After waiting a station wait (which took a little longer than usual because it was one-train operation), we rode in Row 2 of the last train of the night on Flight of Fear! I noticed that the pre-recorded spiels (that play when a train arrives) were absent in this instance, so I imitated them in my mind. My first Flight of Fear ride in nearly two seasons was WAY overdue! I hope to ride it more since I will be at the park much more often this season for work as well as play. I loved twirling through the darkness at 54 mph; it was crazy as always! What a fun and cool way to end an Easter Sunday at Kings Island! By the time we were back in the daylight, the park had closed...and the rain had come. Perfect timing since the rides were already closed for the day and they didn't have to close early! I made the decision to not bring an umbrella, so I got pretty wet as I left the park. While many guests stayed mostly dry under the cover of the Front Gate, a few were doing cartwheels and handstands out in the rain. Since I love to do cartwheels myself, I joined them and did a few myself as I began to make my way back to the associate lot where my car was. Another small but fun moment of the day! And my only guest-only visit so far this season came to a close. What a fun, somewhat unconventional, wet Easter this was! +Grand Carousel: 1 Total: 31 +Scrambler: 1 Total: 20 +Monster: 1 Total: 13 +Vortex: 11 YTD: 13 Total: 330 +Flight of Fear: 1 Total: 12

May 27, 2017 (First All-Day Shift!) Unlike my previous shifts where I arrived barely on time, I arrived just after 9:00 a.m. (now you're talking!), clocked in at 9:15 and met up with my crew before we headed back to Vortex and WindSeeker to begin the day. Like my previous open shift, I helped on Front Load during the block testing, and as always I was the first to test ride. Train #2 got a turn for my test ride this time and subsequently took me on my 336th ride. Once the first guests came, I took full side Unload and worked there for the first hour. It may have been early in the day, but within the first twenty minutes a few younger guests came to have their height checked. There was one who barely missed the mark; he came so close but not quite. Needless to say, he was not happy and was holding back tears on the way out, and of course I felt sorry for him. Not long after, another family came for a height check. I measured her on the height scale and she happened to be just tall enough! Her mother and she were pleasantly surprised, and she ran to the exit and excitedly told her siblings that she was tall enough! I felt very happy for her and this was definitely a highlight of the morning! Next hour I was separator, and I got to see for myself that there is no constant flow of guests - the crowd level consistently fluctuates. Sometimes no guests come for a whole minute; other times a huge group comes and I actually have to block off the line. I had another good hour interacting with the guests. All the guests I asked concerning lines said that they had not had to wait long at all! I could see that WindSeeker's and Shake Rattle & Roll's queues had nonexistent lines as well. On a Saturday on a holiday weekend, seeing this happen was indeed surprising! The noon rotation sent me to Op-3. I noticed that I was not only becoming more comfortable separating the groups of guests (plus checking Fast Lane and measuring height when necessary) but I spoke at a louder volume -- louder than I normally talk, which isn't loud at all -- when I told guests which seats I assigned them. Is this a sign that my people skills are improving? I think so...and this is only my fifth shift! At 1:00, the op at Op-2 and I switched positions, so I was now at Op-2 -- my favorite WindSeeker position as of now (because Op-1 training is farther down the road from here). I do enjoy getting to check half of WindSeeker's entire hub. And I didn't care that I was hungry; I knew my break would come when it would and until then I worked ever so dutifully! Speaking of break, that's where I headed for the 2:00 hour along with my supervisor and two other crew members. The associate cafeteria had pasta as their special, so I decided to try it. Along with that I had some chicken tenders and a small salad. The pasta was good, even with the generous amount of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. I was able to finish only half of it, though, even after I finished my tenders and salad. As much as I wanted to finish it, I decided it was best not to as the last thing I wanted to do was feel queasy/nauseous while working. As for my salad, I had put a little bit of buffalo sauce on it along with my ranch, making for the most savory/flavorful salad I've had to date. We returned to Vortex at 2:45, where I joined another associate on Unload. Since I had worked Front Unload (well, full side most of the time) in the morning, I decided to work Back Unload this hour. This gave me a little less to do, which made for a more gradual ease back into work from break as I took guests' bags to put in the bins and occasionally checked full side if my Unload partner was busy. Needless to say, that hour was great in terms of getting right back to work, as well as fun. It's Unload, for crying out loud; when would I not enjoy it?!? At 4:00 I went back over to Op-2. The sun had begun to descend and it was low enough that the shade covers didn't give me any shade. I was so thankful I had applied sunscreen earlier as the sun beat down on me the whole time. Thankfully, my numerous cups of water and the cool breezes that blew through frequently were enough to keep me from having to go to First Aid to cool off! Throughout the day I had hoped to get an hour at Dual, now that I was trained. I had not worked it the previous night (May 26) and I was off until June 4 after this day, so I was thrilled to learn I would work Dual at the next rotation! This was my first time working Dual since the night I was trained (May 24) and my second time ever working this position! Since I was unable to put guests' items in the bins (as the bins are on Unload) I focused instead on opening restraints of empty seats for guests boarding in those seats, as well as helping riders lift their restraints so they could exit. In addition, I also had full side, so my right hand got plenty of practice in checking restraints! Of course, my hour at Dual went by too quickly and my 6:00 replacement had arrived before I knew it. I went on my way back to Separator one more time. At first there were a small enough number of guests that I didn't have to do much separating, but as the hour went on and more guests finished dinner, the number of prospective riders increased to the point where I would have to block off the line every so often and the line would sometimes extend as far as the bridge. It was during this time that I saw @malem and a few others (I don't know if they are KICers are not) who happened to be near to the front of the line when I stopped it. I had the idea of him taking a photo with me -- so he would have photographic proof that he visited me, VortexBFForever, at work at her favorite ride -- so he got a picture of him and his group with me! 7:00 came and my second break came with it. I went with and ate with the same people I went with on my earlier break. I was not as hungry because of my big lunch, so I had only one slice of pizza and a small salad. There was no ranch dressing so I settled for Italian...in the same salad where I put a bit of buffalo sauce AND a few banana peppers. The result? FLAVOR OVERLOAD, lol. A little too much flavor/kick for my liking (which is a lot to say for someone who likes very flavorful food), but I still ate it and liked it, sort of. I'm sorry if I have irked you slightly, but like I said earlier, I'm weird, okay? I returned to Op-3 upon returning from break, where I did more seat assigning and height measuring. As the sun set, clouds rolled in and I even felt a few sprinkles but nothing more. There was one cycle that was taking us particularly long to dispatch during that time and the riders were getting uneasy, but we eventually dispatched the cycle and the riders cheered as their 'Seeker flight began, which really relieved the tension that had built up moments before, and I was happy that the guests were happy that their ride had finally begun! What an interesting hour that turned out to be... Though the last hour was slower in terms of lines, it happened to be very fast-paced duty-wise. I started out on Front Load and worked there for fifteen minutes before my supervisor asked me to work Unload alongside the one associate there already. Then at around 9:30, the associate working Dual had a phone call to answer so she and I traded positions and I got to work Dual for a few more trains until we traded back. And that, my friends, is how one can work three different positions in less than an hour. On top of that we had a few more little things going on, but I was loving all the things we were doing! At a time where we would be tired, I loved the work I did during the last hour and it was actually one of my favorite hours I worked this day. But one highlight was still yet to come: I was working Back Unload when the fireworks started, so I heard them before I saw them. As I am very sensitive to sudden loud noises, the first few BOOMs I heard gave me a little adrenaline rush. The line had been closed off and the last riders had boarded, and since no one was waiting I asked if it was possible to hop aboard for a ride, since four of us were here working in the station. In fact, one other associate wanted to ride as well! The two of us got to hop aboard the train (Train #1, by the way) with the ten riders and enjoy the last ride of the night with them. I do not even remember off the top of my head the last time I had a fireworks ride on Vortex (it wasn't in 2016, that's for sure) but oh man, I'm so glad I got to ride! I missed twirling through the inversions as momentary bursts of colored light lit the way, accompanied by the characteristic boom. And I later learned this ride was my 20th Vortex ride of the season! What an absolutely amazing way to finish (most of) my first all-day shift! The reason why I said "most of" was because we still had the closing procedures and cleaning to do after that last ride. This night proved to be even more exciting than the previous night; after I swept the station, I got to help clean in the outside area adjacent to the queue right outside the station. That is all I will say about that, other than the fact that my inner coaster geek had a complete field day (or night, I should say!) and that if I told all the details, at least half the thrill of being an associate would be spoiled (and I may not have a job anymore, which is not good at all). So I'm leaving my post-closing experience at this, because this is a public forum after all and I only say what can be publicly known and what's known to only associates remains known to only associates! So that concludes my fifth ever day of work at Kings Island, and the final entry to the May edition of my Island Tales. I as of now am working every day June 4-10, so when the June edition comes a lot of information will come with it on a daily basis during that week! +Vortex: 2 YTD: 20 Total: 337 Notes: -So much for my hope that Vortex's FunPix kiosk would keep working properly like it did (mostly) on Wednesday...that thing was working properly only 5% or less of the time when I was there Friday and Saturday combined. I'm sure numerous more guests were disappointed about their photos they would never see... -I'm not liking this FunPix only thing. Not a bit! Way too many guests are unhappy about this because most of them don't have FunPix and whatever cool pose they did for the picture has gone down the drain because they can't even SEE their photo! Also I miss the keychains and photo slips/covers (and the waterglobes offered in the 2012 season -- remember those? I have one!) and now that Vortex is FunPix only, those options aren't there anymore either! [/rant] I really hope something is done to remedy this -- props to those who are trying. For the sake of our dear guests who so desire a #KIBestDay, there must be a long-term fix in the works, I hope! -Now for the positives. Though I had my stressful moments, I still felt a bit sad when all our work was finished and it was time to clock out. I do need a break at times, yes, but otherwise I've found myself enjoying the moments where I have more to do (especially in a position like Unload where you're rarely standing still, other than clearing!). -I have said this before and I will say it again: I LOVE my job (and the opportunities, privileges and responsibilities that come with it!) and I'm so thankful I get to work Vortex and WindSeeker in my very first season at the park!! -I also love my crew. Sure, I have worked for only five days but my crew is already starting to feel like a family -- or at the very least, a unique group of cool friends who share an interest in my favorite coaster and are fun/interesting to hang out and work with!

May 26, 2017 (First 10pm Close Shift) I do not have any pictures from May 26 or 27 since I only worked, so do your best to paint word pictures as you read. First off, I did not plan to face hoards of traffic on Kings Island Drive, which caused me to arrive at Vortex at 3:58 (right before the next rotation) instead of 3:45. But I still made it! May 26 is by far the most crowded day yet that I've worked; Vortex had a 30-minute line when I arrived. WindSeeker's line was the longest I had seen in quite a while (a two-cycle wait at least!) - one can tell it's crowded when even the high capacity rides have long lines! Once I clocked in I started as separator, as my supervisors wanted to make sure I felt more comfortable dealing directly with guests (height measurement, answering questions, etc.). And that strategy was working as I started to feel more and more comfortable interacting with the guests (and it would pay off greatly the next day!). That hour went pretty smoothly for the most part. My second hour happened to be my break - although I had arrived only an hour prior, I was apparently on the first break of the evening. As this day was none other than a Food Truck Friday, I decided to get food from one of the food trucks. Interested in the "Southern Sisters" food truck, I headed there to buy some fried Oreos and a corn dog. What I liked was that the food is made to order; what I didn't like was the wait. I waited twenty minutes which was almost half of my break time. Thankfully, I had a 55-minute break so no rush! I decided to take my food back to Vortex and eat there. Since associates are not allowed to eat in view of the guests, the walk back gave my hot and fresh food some time to cool before I went to the "backstage" area of the station (where train storage is and also a place off-limits to the public and therefore out of the guests' view) to eat there. At 5:45 I ended my break and headed to WindSeeker, where I worked Op-3 (if I remember correctly) for the 6:00 hour and Op-2 for 7:00. At Op-3 I saw I felt more comfortable height checking, even when I had to break the sad news to a guest who was just a quarter inch shy of 52" - I saw her sitting outside of the ride crying while I checked the bars, and I felt sad for her. But I knew I had to do what I did out of safety. At 8:00 I returned to Vortex to work Unload, which was fun as usual. During that time, I met a few younger guests who made the evening more memorable not just to me but also to them. While I checked restraints a younger guest told me she was excited to ride and that it was going to be a lot of fun, to which I replied in agreement that she was going to have a great time. After I scanned and cleared, I made a mental note to give her a high five when her train returned. When her train returned, I opened the gate before walking back to where she and her father were getting off. I asked her how her ride was and she said it was great and she wanted to ride again. I replied "Excellent choice!" and gave her a high five which she really enjoyed. I met another younger guest who rode with her parents via Parent Swap. She also liked Vortex very much and was just as excited to ride. I offered her a high five after she rode, which she reciprocated with a huge smile on her face. It made me so happy that I was able to contribute to her #KIBestDay and make her evening even more memorable! At 9:00 I rotated back to separator. Not long after, the other guest and her father came back and we high-fived again as they picked where to ride next. This would happen multiple times more. Finally, on their last ride, the guest's father took a picture of her and me together to remember the night by. Meeting the young guests I met tonight was definitely the highlight as well as an encouragement. In the few days I have worked so far, I have encountered numerous guests (especially kids) who ride Vortex and come off saying "That was fun! Let's go again!" This is living proof that even though there are people who would care less about Vortex, there are still a large number who love Vortex and count it as one of their favorite rides. I wouldn't be surprised if Vortex remained a part of Kings Island's world class lineup for numerous seasons to come. And please don't judge my optimism, especially since I have evidence and know from experience that Vortex is still very much loved by many. Finally, at 9:45, the need for a separator was no more, so I returned to Unload once more. At 9:58 I had the duty of moving the trash can in front of the entrance to show that we had closed for the night. As I headed to do just that, the countdown to the fireworks was concluding and the sky started to illuminate with colors. After I had moved the can and walked the queue, I returned to the station just in time to see off the last train of the night. As soon as the fireworks ended and the last riders were off, we went through the closing procedure and "put Vortex to bed." Last but not least we had to sweep around the station and queue line. I spent a solid half hour sweeping the entire queue, whistling merrily as I went all while my favorite ride "slept." I even made sure to keep quiet. I know, I'm weird. Right after we clocked out, the park's severe weather alarms sounded. I thought I had seen some lightning while I was sweeping Vortex's queue, though I wasn't sure. Now I knew it was lightning! As we made our way to the front of the park a security guard alerted us that heavy rain would come in ten minutes. I skedaddled and managed to make it to my car before the rain escalated to more than just a sprinkle. Wednesday night I drove home through a Tornado Warning; tonight I got to drive home through a lightning storm. Weather can be so unpredictable, but at least these weather instances occurred after closing! I arrived home and got as much sleep as I could in preparation for my very first all day shift the next day...

We said some interesting ones at Vortex yesterday. Note that these were done as the train either departed or arrived, so we weren't holding anybody up. We still did the "Everybody clap your hands!" and I recall one particular time when the riders, the crew AND everyone waiting in the station were clapping! That was fun. "If you're excited to ride Vortex, high five your neighbor!" Not everyone did that, but for those who did it was fun to watch and fun for them to do (especially since Vortex's restraints limit one's arm movement quite well). "I like blue and orange, but my favorite color is Clear." It took me a moment to get it, but once I did I couldn't stop thinking about it for the following fifteen minutes. Clever indeed...and memorable too! One time the speiler hummed part of the Indiana Jones theme. I bet you know which ride that fits better, lol. "You're rolling out of the station at 3 mph, soon to be 55 mph..." And of course we often said the familiar "six times, three different ways" spiel, as well as "Enjoy your ride on the 30-year-old Vortex," sometimes adding "Yes, 30. This ride is older than [insert fellow crew member name here]" which is true since Vortex is older than pretty much all of us on my crew. "On the count of 2, say Moo. One, two...moo!!!" I had never heard this one before, but I thought that was funny that half the train was mooing on the way out. "...Enjoy the rest of your day here at Kings Island, where there is only one king and that's Vortex." I wondered what the guests were thinking as I knew some would say another ride is "king." "Long time no see, Train 3! How was that ride?" Also one time Train #1 was called "Train Uno." Mixing another language in there, I see, made it a bit more interesting especially since most (if not all) understand that Uno is "one" in Spanish. A full train was often greeted with "Welcome back, cool train!" as a full train is a cool train, after all. Also, on Friday, one of my crew who spieled said "Welcome back, blue train!" to every arriving train. During last hour on Saturday, we spieled to an empty train (albeit inadvertently) at one point. The spieler would say "Those are all my friends" when an empty train would depart, and we would be wishing her "friends" a great ride. And as always, we would often say "Enjoy your ride on Vortex - inversion heaven since 1987." Props to whoever came up with that; very well done.

And also why I will be there all day Saturday as an associate and not a guest.

May 24, 2017 (First Close Shift Ever!) Today started out like any other day (other than the chance of storms) and the lines (or lack thereof) were a nice surprise! Going an hour and a half before my shift proved a great decision. I would have gone earlier but my dad had errands to run and my mom was working, so I didn't have transportation until 12:45. But getting to the park at 1:50 and having just over an hour to ride as a guest before my shift is better than having no time before my shift at all, especially since today was a great day to be a guest! I didn't have my camera with me and my phone has very limited storage, so I have only 15 photos including four FunPix photos. You know the park isn't crowded at all when even the lower capacity rides don't have a line! I took great advantage of Invertigo's one-cycle wait and rode it twice - once on the backwards-first end row and once in another backwards-first row closer to the "front" of the train (the end closer to Action Zone). It sure felt great to ride Invertigo again, especially since there was no long line to deter me or anyone else from enjoying it! Next I rode Drop Tower, also twice in Seats 1 and 20 respectively. On the second time, I closed my eyes during the drop, which made it even more exciting since I didn't know as exactly when it would slow down. I HIGHLY recommend closing your eyes if you want your drop to be even more exciting! Next came a front-row spin on Banshee. The front row was a one train wait while everything else was walk-on (no surprise for a day like this!). Flying through seven inversions at 67 mph felt great! After Banshee it was already 2:30, so I started to Rivertown as I wanted to at least hit Diamondback and Mystic Timbers before it was time for work. On the way, I stopped by the Emporium on International Street, as I had heard of collector's pins being sold there including a Vortex 30th Anniversary pin. I searched for a few minutes before finally finding the pins, and bought a Vortex 30th Anniversary pin which I would wear on my uniform! I reached Diamondback a few minutes before 3. Thankfully, its line was also a station wait though it was a two train wait unlike at Banshee. I chose Row 13 and rode on the Green Train for my long-awaited first Diamondback ride of the season! Hopefully it won't be too long before I fly down that 215-foot drop again!! Now came the time for my second ride of the season on Mystic Timbers. This was the shortest I had seen Mysty's line by far and I knew it would be a while before I saw such a line again, especially with Memorial Day and summer right around the corner. The wait appeared to be ten minutes, but my wait was cut a few minutes short when a group in front invited me to go in front of them and right onto Row 7! My second ride on Mysty was definitely a lot of fun, and I think it will start to grow on me (no pun intended ) in due time. I had just enough time to skedaddle up to Coney Mall, greeted by Vortex flying over my head as always. WindSeeker happened to be mid-cycle so it added to the already lovely greeting! Just like my 330th ride on Easter Sunday, I had a train to myself for my 332nd ride (and technically also my 331st ride which was a test ride). While departing the station, I already knew that I would be in for a rather slow work evening. Train #3 had the privilege of careening me through my first six inversions for the 332nd time. On Easter Sunday for my 330th ride, I posed for the on ride-photo making a heart with my hands, but to my dismay I never saw it as the FunPix kiosk wasn't updating. Since I had my own train again, I tried it again on my 332nd ride. This time, the kiosk was working like it was supposed to (though it was a bit slow to update so I actually found and downloaded the photo after I came back to work), so I got it! It was almost 3:30 and I had to return in uniform in 15 minutes, so I walked out of the Front Gate and to HR to change before heading right back into the park and back to Vortex. I fastened my new Vortex 30th Anniversary pin to the collar of my uniform shirt so I could sport my favorite ride proudly. I returned to Vortex and clocked in at 3:48. My first hour was as separator, though I was convinced one wasn't needed because there was no line. But I didn't mind standing in the mostly empty station, especially when I could look back and watch the trains traverse the course with ease! It was actually slow (as in, not very many people) enough and there were enough of us on the platform that a few of us took turns riding (which is how I got my 333rd, 334th, and 335th rides!) which was pretty sweet! Another cool thing was that my 333rd ride was on Train #3. For the next two hours I was supposed to work Op-3 and Op-2 on WindSeeker, but it had closed since the weather had started acting up. So I instead spent an hour telling guests that WindSeeker was closed, while during the following hour came one of the biggest highlights of the evening: I became a Level 2 Vortex Associate! My supervisor trained me on the "dual" position, which is one of two positions needed to send a train. Essentially, I was controlling part of Vortex! My very first time working Dual made the 6:00 hour very fun, especially when it came to dodging the gates as they opened as well as getting my right hand used to checking restraints. Not long after I had signed off for my Dual training, it was time to rotate for the last hour. I was back on none other than Unload. During the last half hour, the rain started, and so did the increase in the number of empty trains we sent out. I think we saw only five riders during the last 15-20 minutes of the day, including one guest who literally had the whole ride to herself since every train except hers was empty! We did have a few riders show up for the last train of the night, after which my very first Close shift came to a close. Overall, I had an extremely fun (and later WET!) Wednesday at Kings Island. With all the fun had tonight, here's to hoping my next Close shift this Friday will be just as fun! It literally went from sunny to this...good job Ohio. +Invertigo: 2 Total: 18 +Drop Tower: 2 Total: 32 +Banshee: 1 Total: 20 +Diamondback: 1 Total: 93 (Getting close to 100!!) +Mystic Timbers: 1 YTD: 2 +Vortex: 4 YTD: 18 Total: 335 Notes: -Vortex's FunPix kiosk was actually working properly - hopefully that persists for a long time. I'm still against Vortex being FunPix only though as I saw a number of guests disappointed that they didn't have access to their photos. But you can't please everyone, unfortunately... -I took my 20th ride on Banshee in the front seat. -A number of Vortex riders (especially the kids) were saying that they really enjoy Vortex. It warms my heart that a lot of people, especially the younger crowd, still love Vortex and I hope that continues for a long time! -I can't be thankful enough for my job at Vortex. Working to help operate my favorite ride is something I had always wanted to do since I took my first ride at age 11! I'm literally living a dream! My crew is so great to work with and I love working with them! -Again, if I'm saying too much about my work, let me know and I'll fix the post as soon as possible!

Not until 3:45. Diamondback is currently no more than a two train wait.

There are literally no lines here right now. I rode Drop Tower and Invertigo twice each in the last half hour. I'm about to walk onto Banshee's front row!

April 15 Part 2: Guest Standpoint of Opening Day 2017 After I changed, I sat in the changing room at HR for a few good moments, checking up on KIC and texting my plans to my parents in the meantime. I was planning to ride a few rides and then leave the park at 6 as it was pretty crowded. Plus, I wanted to save some time for a visit on Sunday! As I now had my camera with me, I began taking pictures, as I always do on every trip! My first ride of the year as a guest was Zephyr. Despite the crowds, it only had a cycle wait. Zephyr had to suffice for WindSeeker, which had closed during my earlier shift. I greatly enjoyed it (when do I not? )! After Zephyr, I went to X-Base to check out Firehawk and Flight of Fear, but the lines for both were too long, so I immediately backtracked to Coney Mall. I wanted to get all-season FunPix before I rode Vortex again, so I headed toward Banshee, catching a Red Racer ride on the way. I rode in my favorite row, 5-2, on my first coaster ride of the year as a guest. Man, it felt so great to race alongside Blue over those hills again!! However, I forgot my original plans and started heading back up the midway toward Vortex. It wasn't until I reached the Juke Box Diner that I realized that I had gotten literally nothing done in the last ten to fifteen minutes (other than that Racer ride). Since I was now closer to Diamondback than to Banshee, I started heading there instead. (This would be [another] one of my gripes against Vortex being FunPix only -- you can't buy it there anymore!! To get it, you would now have to walk all the way to Diamondback, Mystic Timbers, or Banshee to buy it! And they can be quite the walk from the back of the park!). On my way to Diamondback, I came face-to-face with Vortex's classic view for the first time since October 30, 2016. Whether I fully believed it or not at that time, I was BACK! Back at one of my favorite places!! Back at my favorite ride! Back at...my workplace! I passed Mystic Timbers, which looked to be a two-hour long wait at this time. I didn't care if I rode it then or on Easter, since the line would be shorter on Easter anyway. Diamondback's line looked to be an hour so I bypassed it (as it was 5:30 and I wanted to leave at 6). I also happened to notice a prize wheel offering nothing but front-of-the-line passes; each wedge showed a different ride for which you would win a pass (including Vortex, hence why I handled dozens of front-of-the-line passes there when I was separator!), while one wedge was winner's choice. After I finally got my FunPix at Diamondback's outpost, I decided to give the wheel a spin in order to determine my next ride. Lo and behold, the wheel landed on...Mystic Timbers! I got to ride it on Opening Day after all! Instead of waiting two hours, I waited only fifteen minutes to board the third row. I'm impressed, as many people are, by the generous theming. The park did a great job! And the ride was cool too. My favorite part is the hills right before the tunnel and before the shed - basically the second half of the ride. The first moments spent in the shed underwhelmed me a little (I was thinking it would be more like Mystery Mine where there is near constant suspense), but the big surprise at the end (as we rolled out) made it worth it. I think the shed is pretty neat! I have to say, the refurbished sign looks amazing. When I first saw it while walking back to work, all I could say was "Wow!" My test train (Train #1) with the "Vortex 1987" decoration. My drawing in the drive box! I went back to Vortex not just to visit my crew again before I left, but also to take my first ride of the year on it as a guest. Props to those who took the time to refurbish the sign (and add new signs too) and paint the entire station building! Everything looks fabulous!! I took my 319th fun Vortex ride in 2-1, since I didn't care to wait for the front when I wanted to go home soon. So I started and ended my day on Vortex. Pretty appropriate if you ask me. Knowing Easter Sunday would not have crowds like this, I took no hesitation in leaving the park. That decision would prove very wise the next day... As you can tell, I let my pictures do most of the talking. This is rather typical of my trip reports (as a picture is worth a thousand words) so if you're not photo savvy, then I apologize. Thanks for waiting patiently for my trip report to continue, as now that I have finally finished school I actually have time to finish this!! Yay!! +Vortex: 2 Total: 319 +Zephyr: 1 Total: 22 +Red Racer: 1 Total: 19 +Mystic Timbers: 1 Notes: -Like I said, Vortex's repainted (and re-signed) station looks fabulous! -If you're in the back of the park and you want FunPix, enjoy the walk to Banshee, Mysty or Diamondback... -The front-of-the-line-pass prize wheel is a genius idea. -Mystic Timbers crew was really working! And of course mine (Vortex) did a great job too. -That music on International Street had better stay around for a long time! I feel like breaking out into a graceful dance whenever I hear it.

I think that could very well be true (though I don't know for sure). Last summer at Soak City I marathoned Splash River (which is rated 1), going around three times without having to get out. I have said this a lot, but I really miss the days prior to mid-2015 (when the policy changed) when one could stay on for as many cycles as wanted. It's fun to look back on days like October 14, 2012 where I marathoned Vortex for 18 straight cycles. Those were THE days...

If my school spring concert wasn't today, I would've gone to the park in a heartbeat. Sounds like it's far less crowded than when I was there on Friday! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

^I agree completely. One of my favorite things about working WindSeeker is getting to listen to the soundtracks for at least an hour on end! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

While working at Vortex yesterday, there were a couple times when a train was leaving and the spieler said, "Everybody clap your hands!" (like in the Cha-Cha Slide) It was very well received; all of the riders clapped and even my fellow crew and I clapped along with them! Definitely a highlight. Also when I rode Flight of Fear on Easter Sunday, the op there used different spiels for each launch. On mine, he started counting down from 10 and we launched on 7.

Let's face it: I like to talk about my days at work at my #KIBestJob, and as many have seen, I LOVE giving longer, more detailed reports. To avoid plaguing the random discussion thread or any other thread with countless entries, I have decided to have one topic for whatever the month brings me in terms of guest and associate experiences alike. And yes, I am keeping a close eye on any associate experiences that I report; in fact, my supervisor read my Opening Day report and told me that everything I said that was related to my work was completely okay to say. [emoji4] That being said, let's start with my narrative on May 19, my second ever day of work at Kings Island! I had a great second day at work yesterday. I was a tad late for my shift (arrived at 9:30 instead of 9:20) but thankfully it wasn't counted against me since my crew hadn't yet started the morning testing procedures on Vortex and WindSeeker. It would have been a different story had I arrived a few minutes later, as we were starting up the rides right after I clocked in! But anyway, I'm not taking that risk again anytime soon... I helped out on Front Load during the block testing, which gave me a chance to check restraints with my right hand instead of my left. [emoji4] When the time came to test ride, I volunteered (no surprise) and boarded Train #1 once again for my second test ride (and my 331st ride ever) on Vortex! Do I even have to say it was fun? [emoji14] After signing for my test ride, they sent me to WindSeeker as only three crew members (the minimum needed to operate the ride) were there and they needed a fourth to test ride. So my first 'Seeker flight of the season was also my first ever WindSeeker test ride! [emoji3] Right after I completed and signed for my WindSeeker ride, the park's opening announcement came. I headed back to Vortex and hung out in the air-conditioned drive box with the driver and an area supervisor while we waited for guests to arrive. In the meantime, I asked some questions about what it is like to be a driver (as it was the perfect time and place to do so) and looked more closely at Vortex's controls. After about five to ten minutes, the first guests showed up. Since two of our crew were still getting the water jug (so we would have access to water throughout the day), I got to check full side on Unload until they returned, after which I worked Front Unload. I actually really enjoyed working full side! In fact, I felt really comfortable checking the restraints and doing what Level 3 Vortex associates do, which is a very good thing. The first hour was especially slow enough that we were sending out empty trains in between trains that had riders. A handful of Coasterstock participants showed up to ride as well as a good number of guests. As such, the number of riders began to slowly pick up as it got closer to 11:00. Before I knew it, it was time to rotate and I headed to WindSeeker to finish my training there. I was already trained on Op-3 so I went straight to Op-2. Op-2 controls the guests' access to the ride area from the queue line and also checks the restraints on literally half the hub. WindSeeker's hub is divided into four color-coded quadrants: Yellow, Green, White, and Blue. Op-3 checks Blue, Op-1 checks Yellow and Op-2 checks Green and White. For a 'Seeker-sized ride, we don't have the luxury of dispatching a cycle every minute like on Vortex, so 'Seeker takes at least three to four minutes to dispatch, including when the guests are getting into their seats. Like Op-3, Op-2 has to push the bar-check buttons and hold the dispatch button when the driver says "Ready." The main difference is that Op-2 has to push two bar-check buttons while Op-3 pushes only one. After simultaneously training and working Op-2 for an hour and a half, I headed to Op-3 where I refreshed my memory and separated a few cycles. Right before the next rotation, my training completed and I signed off as a Level 2 WindSeeker associate! My lunch break only had one food choice: pizza. But the pizza was free. [emoji4] I remembered my mistake of getting lemonade to drink which worked out against me in the long run, so I got water instead, with a little Powerade mixed in. I sat by the window and enjoyed the view of Diamondback and Vortex as I downed my two slices of pizza. While heading back, I noticed a few associates lined up at the food trucks. Apparently associates are allowed to get food from the food trucks during break (at least this day), but of course I didn't know until right after I ate. Perfect timing...especially since I saved some money. Back from break, I returned to Op-2 on WindSeeker and worked that position for two more hours. I believe one of the main reasons I worked Op-2 for that long of a time was because they saw that I was checking the restraints very well and knew I would do just as well with the task of checking half of the hub. I say they made a good decision, especially now that I had gotten into the groove of working WindSeeker. [emoji4] Since Op-2 does not separate, there are a few moments mid-cycle when there is basically nothing else to do other than chat with guests and watch the ride. As WindSeeker is one of my favorite rides to watch, I took great pleasure in watching and listening to whatever epic soundtrack accompanied the ongoing cycle, all while feeling extremely thankful for being blessed with a job at two of my favorite rides at Kings Island. WindSeeker and Vortex make such a great ride pair not only because of their close proximity, but also because of how different they are which makes for a more varied experience for those working these two rides. WindSeeker is a six-year-old prototype tower swing ride (and arguably the most reliable of its kind in the Cedar Fair chain) with a capacity of 64 and a complexly-designed-yet-easy-to-operate system, and Vortex is a thirty-year-old classic roller coaster that once held the world record for tallest coaster and is the first coaster that ever featured six inversions, with the ability to carry 84 riders (three trains full) at once and a simply-designed-yet-a-bit-more-complicated-to-operate system. One thing in common for sure is that Vortex and 'Seeker are both people eaters. [emoji3] For the last hour of my shift, I went back to Vortex to work the now-familiar (and also my favorite) Unload position. Like my first shift, I worked at the back of the platform for (most of) the time remaining before I had to clock out. This last hour turned out to be the most interesting. At around 3:25 p.m., WindSeeker closed (good thing I got all my training and work there done when I did!). I then remembered when I had checked the forecast before heading to the park, and there was a chance of thunderstorms for this time of day. Plus earlier I had noticed some darker clouds to the south, so I figured the weather had something to do with 'Seeker's closure. Surely enough, I was working full side Unload when I walked down by the exit gate and felt rain. At around 3:45, we were clearing and dispatching a train when the phone started ringing. It happened to be the call to have Vortex close due to the weather that I had the privilege of answering and relaying to the crew. As soon as I had spread the word to the crew, operations were suspended, and not long after that the associate replacing me on Unload had arrived and my shift was over. Right as things had started to get interesting, I clocked out, got my belongings (including my umbrella [emoji4]) and headed out. When I exited the park and reached my car, I looked south toward Cincinnati and saw a huge mass of clouds and rain. I was sure a thunderstorm was in there somewhere, or at the very least a large downpour. However, I saw Vortex cycling as I headed up Kings Island Drive, so I wonder what took place after I left. And so ends my second day of work at Kings Island. I'm already looking forward to my third, which will be my first close shift ever on May 24. Hopefully if I have the time then, I could arrive early as a guest (since I don't have to be at school that day!) and enjoy a few rides before work. But first, I need to focus on finishing senior year strong. [emoji3] +Vortex: 1 YTD: 14 Total: 331 +WindSeeker: 1 Total: 81

I may not be able to attend Coasterstock, but I am working from opening to 3:45 on the 19th (tomorrow a.k.a. the first day of Coasterstock) if any of you want to stop by WindSeeker and Vortex and say hi!

I want to go...but I have rehearsal for my school's spring concert. Plus I need to rest up to head to the park for work the next morning. I'm excited to work my second open shift on Vortex and WindSeeker! Have fun to all who plan to take part in the ERT!

For coasters, I recommend The Bat, Banshee, Diamondback, Invertigo, Firehawk, and Vortex (no surprise!). For non-coasters, I recommend Drop Tower, Delirium, WindSeeker, and Scrambler (because why not? It's a great ride!). I know you said six, but there are so many must-do rides in my opinion... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't think Vekomas are that bad. Invertigo and Firehawk are a lot of fun, as is Boomerang at Darien Lake. I even like Mind Eraser (also at Darien Lake) though I am well aware of all its shakiness (and why people have a strong distaste for SLCs); I was crazy enough to ride it four times in a row and have no bad memories of it. When the day comes for me to experience Kentucky Kingdom for the first time, I do plan to give T3 a spin and see how it stacks up. Obviously, Vekoma coasters are not the best rides, but I like them! -BFF, who is thankful that her home park has one of the most, if not the most reliable Invertigo in the Cedar Fair chain.

When the sun set on the 2016 season, my assumption of how I would start the 2017 season came nowhere near what really happened. In December, my parents encouraged me to apply for a job at Kings Island, which surprised me because I thought they wouldn't let me take a job that required a fifty-minute drive one way. But since I now had my driver license, my need to make/save money for college, and my parents' approval, I took the first of many steps on December 12, 2016, when I applied for a Ride Operator position at Kings Island. Wednesday, January 18, 2017 started out as normal day, then when I got home from Zumba that night...I found a voicemail and an email from the Rides Department asking to set up an interview!! I responded to the email and set up an interview for the following Wednesday. January 25 could not come soon enough, but when it did, I marveled at the quiet and empty Kings Island as I headed to the Operations building for my interview. The interview was fun and it went extremely well, ending with both me and the other applicant each being offered a position! I hoped that working WindSeeker/Vortex would be one of the choices, and surely enough it was. I walked out of the Operations building with a new job at my favorite ride! The other applicant there with me chose to work Drop Tower/The Bat. After finishing my senior year of swimming and also turning 18 years old, the month of March arrived, bringing Processing (March 5), Orientation (March 18), and Rides General Knowledge (March 25) along with it. I got to see Delirium and Sling Shot testing. I was unable to attend my on-ride training on April 9, but I only had to wait six more days before I could get trained. This is where my Opening Weekend adventure begins... At 9:26 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, I received a notice saying that my crew's schedule for the first two weekends of the season had been published, so I confirmed the notice and looked at the schedule. I noticed my crew had a lot of unassigned shifts, including one opening shift on April 15. I had no school from April 14-17 in observance of Easter and my family had nothing special planned that day, so I would be able to work. After much talk with my parents making sure they were okay with it, I picked up the shift on the evening of Monday, April 10, and with it came much anticipation. Finally, the day came. I was now headed to my very first day of work. April 15 Part 1: Associate Standpoint of Opening Day 2017 Knowing that Preview Night traffic had backed up immensely on Interstate 71 (and anticipating that Opening Day would be the same), I used my alternate, traffic-free route (State Route 48 to Mason-Morrow Rd/Columbia Rd to Kings Mills Rd) to get to the park, passing by a nearly full left turn lane into a long line for the parking gates on Kings Island Drive as I headed to the associate lot. When I walked into the park, the very first song I heard was How To Train Your Dragon's "Romantic Flight," one of my all-time favorite movie soundtracks! It sounded so amazing in the wide entry plaza and it, like the other instrumental songs, complements International Street extremely well! I met my crew and my supervisors, and I showed them the picture I had drawn on April 11 for Vortex's 30th anniversary. When they saw it, they said it looked really cool and that it should be shown in the window of Vortex's drive box. Even the area supervisors loved it! Here's what it looks like: In just a matter of moments, a drawing I had made just for fun had become another new thing to see in Vortex's station! What an honor for that little picture. As we headed back to Vortex, it started pouring!! The rain let up for a moment when we arrived, but started pouring when we all stood under the roof of the station, where Train #2 was parked with the other two trains on the lift and brake run. The trains were cycled a few times as my supervisor began my location training. The rain persisted, which delayed opening by not too much time. When the rain let up again, this time for the rest of the day, we began cycling again, during which I practiced checking restraints. The supervisors started asking who wanted to test ride, as they needed three of us (one on each train) to ride. Of course, I volunteered, and hopped aboard Train #1 in the front left seat -- the SAME seat that took me on my 100th, 200th, and 300th rides!! Since it had just rained, I felt a wonderful mist at the bottom of the first drop! The ride went quite smoothly and without any problems, and yes, I greatly enjoyed taking my 318th Vortex ride as the first human rider of Opening Day of Vortex's 30th anniversary season. How sweet is that?! Once we opened, things really got kicking. My first ever position on Vortex was one of the two "unload" positions where I checked the restraints on the first three cars (though on the first time I got carried away and checked the whole train. ) and manned the exit gate, as well as open/close the appropriate storage bins in the front half of the station. I also helped guests who needed alternate access, as I would be the first person they would see. At some point while working Unload, someone else from KIC came up to me and asked if I was from KIC, to which I of course said yes. I didn't recognize him, though, as I had never met him, but it was great to see someone else who knew about KIC! Once it was time to rotate, I finished my training at Vortex and officially signed off as a Level 3 Vortex associate before heading to WindSeeker to train there. At WindSeeker, I shadowed another crew member in the Op-3 (separator) position. After a few cycles, I began assigning seats, as well as checking the lap bars and holding down the button when the driver said "Ready." The first cycle I ever cleared on WindSeeker flew to the soundtrack of Dimitri Tiomkin's "The High and the Mighty." Before I knew it, the hour was up and it was time for me to go on break. After finishing at WindSeeker, I embarked on an extremely brisk walk (as I had only 30 minutes) with one of my supervisors and another crew member who was also the only other newbie (yes, everyone else on my crew who were there this day were all returners!). I had two slices of pizza, chicken tenders with honey mustard, and a cup of lemonade for my very first lunch break at Kings Island. And yes, the sauce on the pizza was rather sweet. I kept thinking about The Interpreter's posts on here regarding such pizza and the sauce tasting "sickeningly sweet." It was still good though! After we finished eating, the three of us speedily walked back to Vortex. I was originally supposed to go back to WindSeeker but the wind had picked up and it had closed by the time we got back. So I went back to the same position I worked during the first hour after opening until the next rotation, when I became the separator. This was the part of the day that I was most nervous about. Yes, I am well aware that this job involves interacting directly with guests; I just had never faced thousands of them in so little time before! I actually started to feel the slightest bit light-headed out of nervousness, but after saying a quick prayer I sucked it up and started doing what a separator does. Eventually, I got comfortable enough that I would ask the guests in the front of the line how their day was going, what have they done yet today, what their favorite ride is, etc. I talked with guests who had ridden Vortex when it first opened in 1987, and also with guests who were riding it for the first time. A few guests commented on how fast the line was moving, and they were impressed that they had waited only fifteen minutes and they were already almost to the front of the line. All the guests I asked said they were having a good day, which was great to hear. It made the hour more fun to engage with the guests, and I'm sure it added to their already good day! The only setback was that the lemonade I had at lunch was now working against me. I was so thirsty and my throat was dry, but that did not stop me from doing my job! My last position of the day was back on Unload, though this time I was responsible for checking the back four cars of the train and for the storage bins on the back half of the platform. I had no exit gate to open or close, which bought me a few seconds of spare time to entertain my thoughts about my job, including one moment when I was thinking "Am I actually working on Vortex?!" after I had cleared another train and it was rolling out of the station. But I couldn't reflect on my personal thoughts for long, as just a moment later the next train would arrive and the next riders would board. This job is so fast-paced that if you get distracted even for a moment, you may fall behind or miss something important. I'm in for a crazy summer! One of the things that helped speed up the loading process was to offer to put riders' loose articles in the bins for them. As a train came in I would scan the people in front of the line and if any were holding backpacks and/or a bundle of souvenir bottles, I would offer to put them in the bin when they got on, which they appreciated. The trains rarely stacked, which helped the line go faster and of course help the hourly capacity! My crew and I were really rolling, pun intended. Finally, it came time for me to end my shift as I passed off my position to an associate who had just arrived for her shift. I was having so much fun (albeit I was a little tired) that I felt a little sad when I had to clock out. But that's a good thing, because it means I love my job (even though now it is so overwhelming) and I am eager to return for my next shift (which won't be until after my school musical is over)! I walked (though not as briskly as earlier ) out of the park and to HR where I changed into my guest clothes, since I was planning to enjoy a few rides as a guest before I left for the day. Part 2 (Guest Standpoint) Coming Soon! P.S. I don't know if this is too much information about what I'm doing at work; if it is, I'll modify this accordingly as soon as possible. I have already checked that I have not gone into too much detail. I triple-checked the Associate Handbook and what I read from it was that basically as long as I post as myself and not on behalf of Cedar Fair (and not disclose any confidential information), I should be good. I have not seen anything in said handbook against associates posting about their job (general details, anyway). 4/24 Edit: I found out earlier today from my supervisor (who read this, by the way!) that everything I said here is perfectly okay to say. Good to know for sure I'm not going over the line!

You guys have fun at the park this weekend. My school's Wizard of Oz performances are this and next Friday and Saturday so no park for me!

When did that happen (if it happened this past weekend)? I know it didn't happen when I was there working, thankfully.

@Melody @PKIVortex That's weird. How come my video turned out fine when yours didn't? I'm not in Merch, so I am just as puzzled as you are.