disco2000

^Since in all likelihood it would be a scaled back version of what they offered at Winterfest, I could see them simply call the event something else like taste of the season or something so that people recognize it is not the Winterfest experience, similar to how KI and CP are not doing Haunt, but instead doing Fall Fest... plus they are stringing lights....

^It would be interesting to see a photo closer to 1970 - 10 years is a long time and it doesn't take that long for an entire field to become overgrown. A year or so of neglect could have caused it to be difficult to find. So either it wasn't overgrown but this story sounded better than saying "oh it is right here", or it was indeed overgrown. Without photographic evidence, all we have to go by are historical accounts.

I am reminded of a quote that a Vice President of Cedar Fair has said and I have used it on the forum frequently as to why something may or may not be said from CF: "It is important to remember that Cedar Fair is a publicly traded company and that affects the type and timing of our communication." That simple statement says it all. They are countless of real world, everyday examples demonstrating this same technique in other businesses and industries. At the end of the day, they are not under any obligation to tell us when planning really started on anything and thus they control the narrative and how it is presented (unless of course someone leaks it out earlier). Maybe Orion was actually planned earlier but they want the narrative to be 2018 because it works well with the rest of their narrative. Maybe they are trying to dispel the 5-year planning cycle as a myth so that people quit hounding them on what the next new attraction is. Lot's of maybe's, and the fact of the matter is someone in the know will not officially come out and say something against the narrative the park is telling...unless they don't care about potentially losing their job LOL. Let's face it, if you were in position of knowing the next attraction, wouldn't you want to stop people from hounding you about what it is for as long as possible? How do you do that - you control the narrative and be selective when and what and how you share information. I am sure this pandemic has resulted in a re-evaluation of their plan, but to think they are not planning long term improvements as well would be short-sided. Whether they happen or not is another story and will be determined in future years.

Kings Island is not hurting in that demographic, and the same cannot be said about the Planet Snoopy areas at the other CF parks that offer this pass. There are days at KI that waiting for a Planet Snoopy ride is longer than the wait at Banshee or Diamondback. The same cannot be said for Cedar Point, Kings Dominion, or Carowinds comparing their Planet Snoopy to their respective "big" rides. There are times you can literally see Planet Snoopy on a favorable weather weekend at CP go an hour between a kid riding a ride - it is unbelievable unless you experience it yourself. Given the attendance that KI gets in Planet Snoopy I doubt we will see it here anytime soon; however, if a study shows they would make up for the loss of passes currently sold in the pre-K range with new pass holders and their pre-K children, then it would happen. Another thing to keep in mind is that surprisingly a large percentage of gold pass holders to KI have no idea of a platinum pass or that other parks offer the pre-K pass. So with the exception of those on this forum, and those that travel and know of the other parks, the typical greater Cincinnati passholder family has no idea about the other parks. I am amazed talking to guests in the park and how many of them are not aware Kings Island is just one of many parks owned by a company. Plus KI is such a season pass heavy park now, they don't really need to entice any more people to buy a pass because that is essentially what the Pre-K pass is doing - enticing families at those other parks with the offer of "hey mom and dad buy a pass and your kid under 5 gets in free." KI doesn't need that. Looking at how busy Planet Snoopy is at KI, they would probably lose money at KI if they offered the Pre-K pass. For the other parks where Planet Snoopy is underutilized, those parks are willing to use the "loss leader" approach in hopes of attracting families and then hooking them in once they are old enough to need to buy a pass.

Warren County is now red...will that bring back reservations or other restrictions?

It hasn't been a "RelaxZone" since just before Fall Fest started... But a new one opened up in front of the Theatre.

Sadly, I think as long as the number of new passes sold is greater than the number of passes not renewed each year, we will see this "overcapacity" trend continue. Has anyone forgot how large the crowds were during last years fall season at CP or KI for that matter? What fun is it to get an access pass for a certain time and STILL have over an hour wait? What fun is it to be at a park all day and get in 2 or 3 rides? After last years debacle, I decided I was done with CP for awhile - might try an early summer weekday, but with all the gold passes sold, I think even those light days will be a thing of the past now. CF now has to bring in the revenue for all those notes they continue to issue this year....so I expect to see them follow their traditional model of giving away the gate to fill the parks the rest of this year and next year. And when that day comes that the new passes sold is less than the number of passes not renewed for a season, we will see gate giveaways like we have never seen, but that just exacerbates the crowding problem that put them in this situation that caused people not to buy or renew passes. It will be an interesting cycle to see if they try to mitigate this before it becomes that problem where people decide it just isn't worth their time to visit a park...

Well considering there are no stairs on the lift hill of Millennium Force...it would be hard to walk down a set of stairs that do not exist...

Not based on where the boards were placed. Clearly at and along the first drop.

Actually ODOT has authority under ORC Chapter 5501-2-2-03 (A) - Restrictions on outdoor advertising adjacent to the interstate, federal aid primary, and national highway systems: all advertising devices erected or maintained within six hundred sixty feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way and visible from the main traveled way. The KI sign is 245 feet away from the nearest edge of the ODOT right-of-way. There is a lot more to that statute that would fill pages here that I am not going to copy it here, but there are zoning laws, sizes, etc. that all come into play, along with variances as well. But to say that ODOT has no authority regarding that sign is inaccurate. And it is not uncommon for ODOT or any other local jurisdiction to require changes to existing signage based on updated regulations, even if the sign is already existing and has been for years. Sometimes they fight to get it grandfathered in; other times they are not successful. I remember many years ago a local ice cream shop, Zip Dip, fought to keep their existing signage where it was because it was in violation of the code by like 2 feet something.

We knew that would happen - hopefully no takers so they eat the cost! It would be great if KI comes out and says "we have 7,600 feet of track to work with and will make and sell these as long as interest remains. Simply place an order." For those questioning the length of track...length of coaster was 3,800 but they have two rails thus double the footage... Now granted they probably didn't keep that much rail, but point being as long as KI has a supply available, price gougers like this will not be able to sell it.

^per cap spending is going up Too bad ride queue lines are not that socially distanced...

Week of October 5th online...

Who wants a piece of Vortex....

It would be interesting to hear how successful these offerings are compared to the offerings of Grand Carnivale! Personally, I like the food booths of Grand Carnivale better than having these in existing food places - it added to the ambiance and "limited time only" feel they were going for. I am sure at this point in the season, staffing is a major reason why they are in existing food places, but I think having them forced into existing food places kinda takes away from the "limited time only" feel. Grilled Cheese and tomato soup just doesn't seem right at Juke Box Diner LOL. How come they could pull it off putting a trick or treat in LaRosa's, but not put the grilled cheese trick or treat at Tom+Chee... Maybe these options will sell better in an existing food place, but I think the ambiance and uniqueness would be better served following the Grand Carnivale tasting event with their own booths.

^^So much for it being a well kept secret lol

^That may stand a chance (but probably unlikely) for a passholder of a park that did not open, but for the parks that did open, passholders of those parks got in part of this year and all of next year. I am sure plenty of KI gold passholders are tickled they didn't have to fork out money this month to renew a pass for next year...

Disney never messes around... https://www.yahoo.com/news/stand-disney-world-guest-ejected-195124392.html

That would be too logical Maybe when the drinks can be redeemed this will be fixed...

So are people implying that The City of Mason spent how many millions on a multi-year project that was completed the end of 2016 to improve Kings Island Drive only to allow the County to come in a few years later and rip it up for a new water line...that never happens (actually it happens unfortunately all too often where one form of government doesn't reach out to the other form of government, causing a road to be repaved one year only to be torn up the next for a water or sewer line).... Regardless, I do not see the City of Mason allowing KI Drive to be torn up this soon for a water line project. So the markers out there are either completely unrelated, or a stub for a future water line was put out there at the time, which would dictate the County potentially having to go thru the parking lot to get to Columbia Road. The survey is a work in progress, but some of the markings could be indicating that as a possibility - although that then means ripping up a portion of the newly installed pavement by KI heading to the new tolls...

"Universal and Disney, saw their Orlando theme parks hit capacity on Saturday....", Meanwhile SeaWorld permanently cut staff: https://www.yahoo.com/news/seaworld-permanently-laying-off-employees-190917446.html

Well a lot of people have been wanting a water coaster, so what better ride to replace Congo Falls than a water coaster and that is obviously what the new water line is for

^but food offerings only available by meal plan could drive meal plan sales?

I have been working and missed these opportunities, but it is great to see things like this pop up. I am sure these are some of the things Chef Major envisioned when he took the job. Even if you aren't a fan of this and prefer typical park food and not looking for a culinary experience, any time additional food offerings are made available it has to help out the other lines, even if by only a little. Plus this is like a little secret meal that probably hasn't developed a long line yet? What is the guess on meal plan versus pay percentage on this?

^It does not....just expect 30min to an hour or more depending on FL usage FL sold out if that is any indication of crowds.. Adventure Express line out queue