disco2000

While at I-Street LaRosa's today, I saw the cashier ring up 4 separate folks in front of me over $20 for the 2-slice pizza, 2 breadsticks, and drink combo. When guests said "but the sign says $15-something", employee said that is what the cash register is ringing up today. The guests reluctantly paid. I noticed she keyed in the combo and added a drink, which is why it was coming out more than it should. Said employee's nametag indicated she was a supervisor. And we wonder why there are problems!

Thanks KI for attempting to fix this horrible condition when exiting the park at close at the south exit. Last night, they placed cones dividing the two lanes and the right lane cones were curved in such a way that everyone should have realized it is a right turn only lane. Doesn't mean some moron didn't go through the cones, but at least it should prevent a lot of it. So the bigger question that time will tell will be what I posted earlier - if the south exit is intended to only be a left turn lane only and a right turn lane only, then they should essentially concrete island the area created by the cones to further enforce/guide drivers that the right lane is a right lane only lane. I still think the revisions to the south exit are worse than what was there previously. They continue to put security folks to block lanes entering into the exit so that traffic from the other direction can leave and last year this was accomplished simply by cones, but the new traffic pattern within the parking lot prevents it going back to cones.

Those of us that have been at the entrance before the gates opened have seen that there is an exit point on the left where the gate is to allow you to exit - it is concrete and marked exit - however, that requires one to realize they made a mistake before going up the hill and seeing the new tolls. Once you pass it well then yea currently you have to go thru the tolls. But I would expect an employee to use judgment on if the person is really visiting the park or made a mistake. I made a mistake once and got to the tolls at Cedar Point and simply said I made a mistake and they let me through and I went out an exit.

Clearly they are taking a cue from the Kings Island Drive roadwork and got an idea - they are going to build a parallel lift hill of giga size on Diamondback that traverses into the wooded area being cleared and will reconnect to the exiting track just past where WWC new entrance is. Once said giga lift hill is complete, they keep both lift hills in with a Firehawk-like track switcher and have existing Diamondback and Giga-Diamondback. By alternating lift hills, it eliminates DiamondStack

I mentioned this earlier in the thread regarding the south exit and how what used to be 3 exit lanes (left turn lane, middle lane to turn left or right, and right turn lane) has now been reduced to two lanes - a right turn only lane and a left turn only lane. People are used to the old one and I watched for 20 minutes at close tonight that the majority in the right turn only lane turned left onto Kings Island Drive. What makes this troublesome is the construction has the southbound lane of Kings Island Drive down to one lane, resulting in many beeping horns and flip offs because two lanes are now turning into a one lane road (and one of the lanes turning left is now doing so illegally). Not that people pay attention to signs, but they need some better signage as the only indication is painted arrows on the pavement that most are probably missing. Further complicating the problem is that they have two left turn arrow lights at the intersection, which means two lanes can turn left. So the questions are is the current exit configuration permanent and they need to fix the signal light or is the exit going to revert back to two lanes being able to turn left after construction is done? Also, it appeared as if a sobriety checkpoint was occurring in the parking lot tonight. I noticed a weird cone configuration when I entered the parking lot and such configuration made sense seeing them pull cars into this lane. Maybe it was something else, but sure looked like a checkpoint. I do like the new queue lines being installed in the food places. It is doing a lot to deter the drink only people from skipping the line and clogging up the register line. I did see though someone at Chicken Shack from back of the line yell to the worker if they had the orange cups and the worker responded yes. Customer proceeded to go to the unused side and get such cup from employee and then walk out the exit without paying - why would you give someone a cup that wasn't in line? I also saw people cut through Showplace Theatre to get into Banshee Brew - I don't know if paying folks were given a wrist band or anything, but I pointed it out to a security guard that just kinda brushed it off - maybe they radioed in after we separated, but it didn't appear he was concerned. And I agree with above poster that for it being a light night attendance-wise, the food lines were out the door of every open restaurant from 6-10pm

It is in the purchase area as an add on to a single-day ticket. At least on the website, you cannot purchase separately. In the park may be another thing...

Well the lines were pretty much gone in recent years, so it is easy to see why folks parked in those areas. I had witnessed where security would put the garbage cans in the middle of the illegal spot, and then watch people pull up, get out of car and move can, and then park in the striped spot. Now with the new lines and stripes there should be no excuse, except many folks feel entitled and the rules do not apply to them. I don't think the citations they received amount to anything - unless it changed, I think in years past it would state something like don't do again or risk being towed. I wish they would just tow immediately. No excuse parking in clearly defined no parking spots. Ironically, they striped the lines improving site lines to leave the rows the same year they changed the vehicle traffic pattern such that vehicle traffic is now a minimum in those lanes, at least compared to previous years where that was the main path! So parking in those spots isn't as much of an accident waiting to happen as in years past. Also ironically, the parking spots on the new pathway go right up to the new travel lane, thus creating the difficult site line of pulling your car out to see around the parked cars and risk getting the nose clipped. They should have shifted the parking stalls towards KI so that a striped no parking stall on the new main enter/exit pathway closest to Kings Island Drive could have been placed to improve site lines trying to leave a parking row. They could have shifted the parking stripes a half stall, thus creating a spot not large enough to park in on both ends of the no parking striped areas.

Yep, I heard folks in line over the weekend complaining about the yet to be seen stunt dog show and the cruelty to animals that show is.

Observations on April 29th that were not there at previous 2016 operating days (or maybe I didn't notice lol): Lot now has been striped. Hopefully the new striping will prevent most from parking right up to the travel lane with the clearly marked diagonal lines. International Street LaRosa's added a queue line to help take some of the line into the "restaurant". In addition, they changed the drink machines to fill yourself and added 2 cash registers. It is fairly tight in there now, but it seemed to speed the process up. Brand new stone entrance that stated Kings Island is now missing the Kings Island lettering. Even on the light day attendance wise, when I visited food stands, all the registers were staffed on the side serving food. PR Don was making Skyline due to understaffing (or maybe a promo video lol) I realize it was a light day attendance wise, but overall things seemed to run a little smoother.

Do you know that those with the wrist bands were indeed not gold or platinum pass holders - many pass holders do purchase Fast Lane. The point he's making is that Fast Lane is not supposed to be able to be used during ERT. Even if you do have a Gold or Platinum Pass. Oh my bad - I thought they were complaining that people were in the regular line with Fast Lane during ERT. If the ERT line was open, then yea that is a problem (but not really why would the park tell someone that just forked over money for Fast Lane that they cannot partake in ERT?)

On the plus side, I have complained in other threads last year about so many folks cutting the line at Chicken Shack just for a drink refill and thus really bottlenecked the pay line because I would witness frequently 6-8 folks go thru the exit or skip around people in line to get to drink station and then back up the line with many folks already having their food but not able to get to cashier. This year they keep the exit doors locked and it is comical to see people try to go to that door and see it is locked, bang on said door, have cashier come open door and the customer says they just want a refill and the cashier tells them to get in line! The way it should be. Doesn't mean folks are not still cutting the line, but it has been a lot less this year so far!

Do you know that those with the wrist bands were indeed not gold or platinum pass holders - many pass holders do purchase Fast Lane.

I actually talked to Chef Nathan today. (Great guy - say hi to him when you see him!) I've spoken to him and a few others about the food lines. I do know a few Executive Chef's in real life and was super impressed that he was focused on Front of House as well as Back of House. It did resound to me that he was taking the time to observe the lines. This means they are at least going to attempt to do something. Chef Nate is a nice guy and personable. I have met and spoke with him many times. I know many people that are nice and personable but don't understand or know what they are doing. And that is all I will say about that...

Oh I don't know if it was because of security but around 5pm a car appeared to be exiting out the new entrance and swerved into the grass and almost hit the new sign to get out of the way of incoming traffic

They cannot add a dining plan at Kings Island to a Platinum Pass processed at another park, so I am sure Apple Pay or Google Wallet is out of the question

As has been pointed out in other topics, this app isn't extremely accurate. Folks have the dining plan and it says they don't; other do not have the dining plan and it shows they do; I have visited the park twice yet still shows 0 visits lol

Unfortunately I think that "stunt" will be pulled time and time again - once Soak City opens! The current path to get to Soak City from the now one and only entrance for guests is to proceed down that lane that parallels I-71 all the way to the south exit and then veer left right before entering the curbed area of the exit to proceed to Soak City. Such path directly conflicts with those trying to exit. They are "forced" to keep entry path where it is now as I believe as they do not want to send hundreds of cars down the lane between parking and the park as too many pedestrians become moving targets trying to get into the park. The park would rather inconvenience the few dozen or so trying to leave the park at 11am than the thousands trying to walk safely to the park from their car at 11am. I just don't think much thought went into the reconfiguration and now they have this mess.

We can blame politicians on this lol (but there is some truth). Very few are willing to do what is right for the overall good - if they would have shut Kings Island Drive down between Western Row to the new park entrance the day after the park closed in November, such improvements would have been finished before the season started. People still could have got to Great Wolf Lodge and other businesses via the north and yes some would have had a little extra to drive for those that used Kings Island Drive, but any extra time going around for the locals will be more than lost sitting in traffic while KI is open. Politicians wouldn't do that as it may upset a voter or two, so construction workers had to maintain traffic during the winter months and everyone going to KI will deal with the delays of such construction occurring during park season. I can assure you the traffic counts on Kings Island Drive are higher in the summer months than the winter months! Why did KI annex to Mason? You think they would have had a say. Unfortunately, even when it is finished, problems will still exist (those I referenced earlier).

It seems like they should have made the new entrance/tolls at the old south entrance - the south entrance was used every operating day and every hour park was open whereas the north entrance was only used on peak days and/or peak hours. If you arrived in afternoon or evening you would rarely see the north entrance open. So almost everybody is aware and used the south entrance. Now that south entrance is gone, people will mistakenly use the south exit as an entrance - some by mistake and some as a way to avoid paying parking - that happened in the past as well but not to the extent seen so far because in the past the entrance was in close proximity. A claim made is the entrance was moved to the north to avoid backups onto I-71 - guess what - that is going to be dictated by the light at Western Row - unless that light stays continuous green heading towards Kings Island, traffic will back up to the interstate regardless of where entrance is located. There are also several lights between Western Row and the new entrance, all playing their part in stopping traffic that will still back up to the interstate. Yesterday, the lights at the south exit would switch as soon as someone came to the exit - I watched 5 cars get through the short green cycle on Kings Island Drive because a car came up to exit just as the light changed back to green on Kings Island drive. This didn't happen last year as the entrance was south of the exit - another opportunity to stop traffic on Kings Island Drive that didn't exist last year. Speaking of backing up to interstate - why in the world was Kings Island Drive backed up from new north entrance all the way to the Western Row light (and partly onto "off" ramp from interstate) at 10:20 at night - that's right at 10:20pm it looked like cars were lined up to go to Kings Island. Maybe a lot of these were parents coming to pick up kids and now to get to the north entrance, they have to fight and compete now against the exits with lights on Kings Island Drive that they didn't have to compete with previously because the south entrance was south of the south exit? Light at Soak City exit was flashing - there is an accident waiting to happen as the traffic heading north was at standstill so someone trying to turn left (south) out of that exit risked driving into moving southbound traffic. Regarding south exit, I mentioned it earlier but may be able to sum it up better and probably more understandable now after dealing with it twice this year. In the past, KI set up cones at the south exit to allow unrestricted flow to allow two lanes from different directions to enter into exit continuously (only having to stop at light), meaning cars didn't have to stop for traffic from another direction to enter exit. Now, because of new traffic patterns, KI needs two security guards at the "entrance" to the south exit (roughly 100 feet from light) to stop traffic to allow those to enter the exit from the other direction - this was not a problem in the past and it worked. Also, the south exit went from 3 lanes out (one dedicated left turn, one dedicated right turn, and one in middle to go either way) and now is one lane left and other lane right out. As Terp points out, with time some of these will work its way out, but I think some just can't because of the new configuration.

Skyline backed out past Starbucks and Chicken Shack line out yo Drop Tower - been in line since 2pm and haven't moved. Will update 2:32 and just entered Skyline entrance -32 min after getting in line - 48 minutes in line still not able to place order - meal plan on screen shows a 3 coney and fries combo - it was 2 coney's last year - typo? 3:14 - just utilized my dining plan - 1 hour and 14 minutes in Skyline line!

My observations (and trying not to repeat with others have mentioned in this topic): I posted in another thread but for those that do not look at the preview thread - If you pass was "processed" at a different park for whatever reason, that becomes your home park and you cannot add any pass benefits (meal, drink, pics) unless you are at that park. For example, if your Platinum pass says Carowinds on the back, you can only add meal, pic, drink to your pass unless at Carowinds. The Fischer Home Baby Care Center is extremely nice, but no water fountains inside I have reservations about the new entrance - only one entrance into the park and the whole design coordination with the road improvement by Mason just doesn't seem to fit, but I guess we will see when they are actually done with the road. I so hope the entrance speeds things, but I doubt it. Exiting the park at close is a nightmare (and it wasn't that crowded). Those that visit the park a lot like me will probably know what I am referring to regarding the south exit (not the Soak City exit). About an hour before close, they would set up cones at the exit lane such that those that were parked in a row and headed towards Kings Island Drive to turn left when into the travel lane to proceed to south exit had an unrestricted lane and then the set up of cones allowed those that headed from the parking row to the lane between employee parking and guest parking could then proceed to the exit unrestricted. Well they took away the cones and now have two security staffers blocking and directing traffic, so now lanes are being stopped right before you proceed to the exit light because of this - hard to explain in text and hopefully you can follow what I was trying to say. But the old way you only stopped because of the light because they had the exit lane be fed from two different directions with continuous motion, but now they have staff their to stop and direct traffic. Skyline did not have ketchup lol. Food lines appear will continue to be a problem this year unfortunately.

I like the line "A lot of opportunities to take in cash from guests" - I have a great couple stories to that: My friend decided to add dining plan to pass. Renewed at Kings Island but visited Carowinds a couple weeks back and had issues with pass, so they reissued pass there. Kings Island couldn't add it as the platinum pass was "issued" at Carowinds so that now became the home park and was told by supervisors that dining plan has to be added at "home park". I watched and they showed me the screen that clearly does not allow them to override or even get to a point to be able to add it. While waiting in one of the longest nights of the night (Banshee Twist line), customer in front of me tried to purchase 6 season long drink cups. Guess what, same situation. Could not add drink plan to cup since his platinum pass had another park as his "home park". That was a good 15 minute delay as supervisors kept trying and instead of moving guest over to another register or open another temporarily, the line stalled. And a display of inefficiency, during such time the customer also purchased 2 Banshee Twist cones. It was amusing watching the worker go up and down the register row holding two cones trying to figure out whose they were - they were not special order, probably could have gone to any register and had someone that was buying one. Instead worker paced the register row for 5 minutes trying to find who they belonged to (and thus eliminating said worker from producing more cones). Said customer was getting irate with register attendant over trying to buy 6 cups that they were not paying attention to the cone situation. I imagine that the photo plan will suffer such fate of "home park" issues - especially since that is not a platinum offer yet. I guess that they could re-issue a new pass with Kings Island on it to make it the "home park"? I know of a few on this forum that will not be surprised by this, but it really is amazing that their system is that quirky that they cannot accept your money to add stuff to a platinum pass regardless of the "home park". And I agree the food line speeds were horrible - and will only be worse on Saturday. So many suggestions on this site that would improve efficiency and many I know have passed on concerns to park, yet no improvement.

Thinking about it, I guess that is why at the end of last season, my gold pass was inactivated and my platinum pass became the valid pass (because I renewed with an upgrade), whereas my friend still had to use their gold pass at the end of last year and couldn't get in with their platinum pass (because they actually bought a new platinum for this year instead of the upgrade). Hopefully someone answers the phone during processing tonight. I mean I think they met the intent of the promotion (actually exceeded it by going to platinum) and actually costs themselves a little money as I believe the renew/upgrade was cheaper than purchasing a new (but I may be wrong on that).

So my friend had a gold pass last year and bought a platinum pass for this year back in October (well before the deadline). In pulling up the receipt and having ready in case of a problem, such friend found out they mistakenly purchased a platinum pass instead of renew with upgrade The intent is the same as it was intended to be an upgraded renewal and I think the park actually got like $10 more bucks because of said friends mistake, but said friend has tried calling to no avail to find out if their pass is good for Friday. Anyone have experience with this type of situation on this forum and can share on this forum (and I know the past may not be indicative of current) (and tried to Terpy proof lol)?

Not speaking the language or not actually paying attention to signs isn't a license to be stupid. Look at fine print on a pass or daily ticket - by purchase and entry you agree to abide by the rules. When in doubt, ask. Or better yet, actually read the rules - something most people don't do unfortunately. Rules are posted on a sign in front of I believe every ride, yet I suspect you could count on one hand those in a day that actually read them. The announcement on the ride comes long after said violator had a chance to know the rules. I may agree that more signage is necessary, but we all know that still will not eliminate the problem. That is the same argument people try to make when they get tossed out of a high school graduation for screaming when their coddled little Johnnie's name is called - and then they go to the media and say, "well yea I signed the form, but I didn't read it." The media makes the school district out to be the bad person, when in reality, it was the stupidity of someone not reading what they signed. Wait until they experience a dropped phone on a ride causing injury to someone, and the park, the ride op, every employee working the ride at such time get named in such suit, and I am sure a minor will be glad to enforce the rule... Problem with society is most feel entitled and the rules don't apply to them, and simply fail to even take the 30 seconds to read the rules and guidelines. How many realize these rules are indeed printed on the park guides, which are readily available at entry to park and by almost any employee walking around, including security. And it states "For safety reasons, taking pictures, videotaping and filming on rides are strictly prohibited." One for amusement is someone with a cigarette in their mouth looking at a park map - um if you read the whole thing you will see you are in a smoke-free area. I used to say something like "Oh I see you can read, did you notice this" and point to the smoking area or the non-smoking print depending on how they were looking at the map, but most cussed me out, again because they are entitled and the rules don't apply to them.