brenthodge

I feel like KI is tremendously lucky to have Mike leading the team. Would be interesting to know what last few “bucket list” items he has before retiring in a few years. I really feel like the park has “returned” to the park it could always be because a lot of his “personal pet projects” reflect a deep respect for the history of the place.

Agree-we even have more going on than Carrowinds-and it’s their time to celebrate 50. I definitely think they are pursuing a different strategy with KI these days as to “overall experience” even the nightly closing show is a lot for just a regional “AnnualPass locals only” park. I feel like we are very well rounded spot now, and could even be seen as “destination” again one of these days soon.

Enough with the newspaper. And why is that even needed on a plate? It’s not like it adds any “sanitary” aspect. It’s just annoying when if get soaked with stuff and you get bits of paper in your Mac and cheese. It really only works for certain items.

Yeah. They need to fix grill and grain. I doesn’t seem to be working. Why if at coney BBQ they can put the sides in the main food bowl, why are they all in little dumb dishes at grill and grain. And why the “fish and chips” newspaper? Just use a slightly decent wood grain square paper plate and at least TRY to make it differ and “upscale”…oh, and consistent. What’s the “sauce op of the week” this week? Side? On? Cup? Extra or included?

Thank you! I’m so f’n tired of people saying anyone with valid, constructive critiques should basically shut up and be happy that’s the park is “giving us something new” like it’s a gift, not a capitol investment. Some of these critiques are “wish list items” true, but many are based on proven track record when it comes to lack of long-term maintenance of their own investments. I’m the first any time I see Mike Koontz in the park, or any other leadership-which is often, to praise their efforts and thank them for their sensitive and obviously passionate leadership, but I’ll also be the first to make observations here as to things I think are realistically achievable to continue to make KI the amazing place it is. So “at the end of the day” my 8 year old will continue to say-unprompted as we were leaving last night with fireworks going off, “to a lot of people KingsIsland isn’t much more than a than a theme park, but it IS more dad!” darn! That kid gets it!

Yes. It’s way better. Now flickering lanterns in the gem mine and LED lit sparkling jewels and we will be good.Maybe. Need to do one “dark ride” in a few minutes LOL UPDATE: Need Lighting on the monkeys -totally dark. Masks still missing from lift hill 1. They made this post about all the details going on them and they are still MIA. Need lighting on entrance to tunnel 1. Totally dark after nice lighting on track switch. It’s getting there, BUT my 9 year old rode it 3x tonight and wanted to do it a 4th and has spent the whole night telling mom about all the added details SO it is still a win!

WHY???? Plastic plants are are really cheap, tacky add. As we’ve seen with Mystic and International Street, they get the cheapest, non UV protected version that fade before the season is over and never replace them. The water tower really didn’t need plastic bushes shoved in it. Maybe actually buy VINE PLANTS and do it naturally. Adventure Express—please stop live spieling over the pre-recorded spiel it was done for a reason volume needs to be higher and STOP the “ how was your ride?” Adventure port polos with the logo would’ve been great with the khaki shorts

I never said it should’ve been open opening day. Point is it’s been down this long, what’s another few days to get audio correct, gems in a gem mine. Snakes in a snake mine. Area specific retail in a themed retail location. Area themed restrooms. Etc Sone of those were never going to happen, and sone things have probably just been budget or time cut- hence missed opportunities. Things like like rarely make it from “idea for phase 2” to actually ever implemented. That’s all.

I guess Saturday is the “really open” date? Should we assume if it ain’t done by Saturday it was just a missed opportunity at this point?

Shame. That’s what NEEDS to be there.

Is that actual area music, or just something for the video?

I think sometimes in our "quest for the best" we (I) can loose sight of just how GREAT KI is to its guests - especially compared to Carrowinds 50th. Last year we had an AMZING nightly fireworks show that downsized into a still great show NIGHTLY this year. Which is pretty much the schedule we have had for years. Carrowinds is hyping their 50th show will "be nightly" which is a change to their regular holidays only schedule. Our 50th street party ran DAILY - they are saying "select days" for this second go around reused version. Last year we got PT Encore... and The 70s show... AND Off the Rails... AND AND ClubKI with the Golden Coasters - they got... Retrospect (which other parks got as well) and an outsourced magic show. Cool history behind the magic show, but still shows their minimal commitment to LIVE shows at Carrowinds - especially for their milestone this year. AND Retrospect already started here - it doesn't even begin its run until June 10th there - when Off the Rails with its large cast returns. Yes, they got Aeronautica Landing (which is arguably better in its ride count) but we got Adventure Port, which is turning out to be a pretty solid add to a totally underused area, that hopefully sets the bar for what comes next. I for one am challenging myself to still hold the park accountable to great standards, but also be thankful for the great commitment leadership already has to the KI community.

I’ve tried Grill and Grain 2-3 times now and I’m about over it as well. I wanted this to be my awesome new “go to” but the sub par food, lame presentation and missed opportunity to do a nice patio seating similar to the VIP pergola (where the Photo Booth and Fast Lane stand are) have not sold me on this. I’m about done giving it chances. The problem is, if it fails they will blame it on “weird food people didn’t ‘get’ and lack of awareness of chain name”, not “we did a bad job of serving creativly presented, consistent portions of well seasoned food, with as much sauce (really…how much does SAUCE cost) as people want, and offered adult beverages that reflected the cuisines we served.”

Huh! Tunnel one was originally the snake tunnel. I wasn’t aware that the snakes had moved to tunnel 3. They really have a great framework, they just need to flesh things out more. I’ve not seen ANY gems and clearly there need to be lit more, or bigger snakes. Makes sense that would be the snake cave as it is more twisted than the other two.

Or do a 2 tier like Dollywood where you can get one with a set number of punches (more than ride options) that you can use 1x each at different rides, or all at one ride, but when they are done they are done unless you have the “unlimited” version, but it seems crazy there, because I think it’s only a 10-20.00 difference. I’d suggest making it like BASIC 69.00, UNLIMITED 209.00 ( random numbers, but you get the idea)

I think that each time I’m there… then I drive literally 20 minutes across town. LOL. My nephew was excited he went to CP with his dad on Tuesday and for them it’s an 1.5hr drive each way. Love that I get to play at such a great place “here in my own backyard “ to quote the great 50th song!

When you stand back and look at Cargo Loco as a whole, I think they are where they are to balance the ride as they are in the same spots on both side, but agree that a "shipping warehouse" roof over the entire ride would've been nice - both on sunny AND rainy days.

LOL - You just hit on so many of the things I just typed. Im not complaining, but I'm overall disappointed that while they had the ride off line they didn't address existing effects, or create new. This is now the "marque" attraction of an entirely new area arguably that only exists BECAUSE of this ride and its theme. This was a change to really "next level" it, and maybe they still will... maybe they just need to bite the bullet and take it off line for a week to get these things done while we are between holidays - heck other rides are closed from time to time.

if it's there it needs to be amped up - lots of audio issues - the creaking wood is now dialougue that you can't make out. The whole ride feels like it needs to close for 2-3 days for a final "punch list" of lighting in tunnel 1 to highlight the snakes they made a deal about (will be vey annoyed if this doesn't come back), audio adjustment, crates of jewels in tunnel 2 or 3 (again that we made a deal about), lighting fixed in final lift and the repainted masks form the lift hill that they highlighted in a post a while back aren't there. They clearly got it open for capacity over the holiday, but they need to just take it offline and get it great (and really, how hard is it to get the dang bell working again?? LOL

Good, just as long as you know what to expect so you aren’t disappointed.

I fail to see how a 1x use ride pass diluted a season-long, all ride fast pass. It will most likely be targeted at single day visitors who don’t see a value in getting a Fast Lane for all rides, but have 1-2 must do that they want to ride. You still got what you paid for!

Observations -boat has already been changed -my thought on day one “they are going to have to push that further out in the pond and anchor that to get it away from the rail or people will get on it” now, they d pushed it out in the pond and anchored it. they really should’ve built an “office” around the desk props to just look through a window at the stuff. It’s literally inches from the queue line and the desk lamp is already broken. tunnel one may not be complete, but we made this big deal about snakes and… no snakes-no lights. tunnel 3- gem mine? Something? Again we made a big deal about hitting the “mother lode” and pikes of lit up fake gems would sell that story. flags have started appearing in front of Enrique’s. They seem like a hard material zip tied onto the lighting wires. I’m hoping -but not expecting additional poles and wires. I’m afraid this detail has been “minimized’. Would look good if they aged the poles on the back patio as the shiny black looks too new. They are doing LOTS of aging and detail paint, so hopefully! the ride op building for SolSpin looks really nice. I had doubts about how this building would age down and blend in, but looks good. odd design choice to put a shade structure over the entrance to Cargo-where you just pass through and no shade structure over the queue where you wait.

I think that’s one aspect (mix of rides throughout) that CedarFair, and KI specifically are trying to address and do better at. It’s great to have an “award winning” kids area, but parks like Dollywood really excel at having rides of similar theme but different intensity and height requirements all coexisting in the same areas through the park. For Thunderhead, there’s whistle punk. For Dropline, there lumberjack lifts -all within eyeshot of each other with food (pizza) in the middle. Family units can all hang in an area and have things for all ages to do instead of one adult being sentenced to kiddie land. Now, I’d venture that our kiddie land has more “adult rides” than most, but it’s nice to see a better mix throughout. Now there needs to be a few lower height requirement flats in the area formerly know as action sone when that gets its retheme.

Here are my thoughts - LOVE that they kept the production level up. LOVE that they saw a way to use all the investment from last year in infrastructure and apply it to a more "budget friendly" show that can run every night without breaking the bank (I was honestly surprised there wasn't a "B mode" version of FFF that they ran on weeknights last year as that show was crazy expensive to run) LOVE that they created ANOTHER original song instead of cut and pasting pop songs BUT... Wish the whole thing was a bit more "ADVENTURE" oriented. I got the hints of Adventure Awaits, but it seemed more about going home, going to bed and good night dreams than starting an adventure. The whole thing tries to be a bit too sentimental after last year’s tear jerker. And one of the opening lines makes no sense when they say “KI is here for you now.. or at the end of the day” dude! Now IS the end of the day they were just trying to hard to be all schmaltzy. Wish there would be better programming of the fountains. I don't love them during the day just bopping and hopping around as they seem way to "busy". Wish the day mode was more slow transitions to a few different "grand" patterns like the before - don't even use the "show squiggle". Then at night during the show, they basically do the same hopping and bopping - fairly random - mostly all of them all of the time. Seems like there could be 1-2 "fountain only" moments (see next thought) that really take advantage of the show squiggle and the other spray heads to create more "pictures" with the water. Wish there was about 3-5 more minutes. There was SO MUCH crammed into 5:55 that it was almost wasted at times. I feel like there are things that could be done to extend the run time a bit without upping the run cost. With Adventure Port opening (and giving them a "tie in" name for the show and park promo) wish there was a mini "park tour". FunFireworksFitty was about the seasons at the park and the park history moments - this show could be all about how "Adventure Awaits" at every bend and in every area of KI. Just a few seconds of area appropriate music with the fountains and laser images only - maybe 1-2 pyro adds for those not on I-STREEET would break up the same song used through the whole show LASTLY - JUST BRING BACK PHANTOM THEATRE ALREADY! Theres yet another nod to the attraction in the show and its the ONLY "ride from the past" mentioned, so there is clearly an acknowledgement that this ride has a huge fan base and merchandising potential. Just announce the return LOL

THIS!!!! This how you do a ride. Just these queue pics make me so happy. Is it a HUGE expense? no, not really, but does it make a huge impact? TOTALLY. It is so on theme, on narrative and well done on a pretty basic budget, that I expect this all the time now guys. YOU CAN DO IT!!! (well, hiring JRA didnt hurt LOL). Mystic, Orion and now this have proven there is a new focus in this company of doing things that engage on all levels. I don't see "just" a record breaker coaster coming in a long time - if ever to this park. I see a combining of stats with story (Orion) or filling a demographic niche (family coaster) with a story-rich experience (Adventure Express). I also think the approach of taking essentially "off the shelf" flats and integrating them into existing, or developing new "park lore" with supporting themed infrastructure is working very well these days.