Magenta Lizard

Actually, I think that "a teenager trying to sound threatening" is exactly what you'd get at some place that apparently still has on-site security even though it has been out of business for over 30 years (after only operating for one day to begin with). You can't exactly expect them to be offering high pay or anything. The one that really gets to me is when the girl says "there's some /thing/ in the shed!" like it was an ugly guy who dared make a pass at her rather than something truly scary. And I like the shed. I've been to the park almost 40 times this season, riding Mystic Timbers at least once a visit, sometimes much more. And I'm still noticing new things inside the shed and among the other theming. There /are/ physical effects in addition to the screens, that enhance the illusion that the things on the screens are real. I can think of three offhand: the lockers on the right jut out from the wall, the sawblades on the front wall bounce as though the wall is being shaken, and there is a ventilation duct to the upper left that "falls" down.

I want to give a shout out to the young man who came out before the gates opened, to drum up enthusiasm yesterday. I believe his name was Nathan. I've been there for gates opening a lot this year, so I've seen a fair number of these ("Gooooood morning Kings Island, let's make some noise!"), done by different people. At that time of the morning I usually find it mildly obnoxious. However, his enthusiasm was so genuine and palpable, I found myself giving him a high five and chuckling by the time he was done. I think he managed to get more noise and excitement out of a few handfuls of waterlogged guests on a drizzly morning than I've seen from a couple hundred people on a beautiful day.

Oh my. Walked over to Soak City in the rain to get Island Smokehouse turkey, and I was not disappointed. This smoked turkey is soooo goooood. I'm going to be getting it for dinner too if they haven't run out by then.

The back part of it was used as Sorority House, wasn't it?

They do how well it's enforced is another story.

Submitted for the approval of the midnight society, I present: The Tale of KI2017 Haunt's Attractions list: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/haunt/attractions (fair notice: so far it only has the stuff from last year minus the things that will be removed. It does not yet list the new things that have been said to be coming. Keep eyes on that space)

Wow, those are surprising picks, as far as I'm concerned. Well, mostly because I thought they were talking about actual mazes leaving, not a scare zone and a maze. I assumed Urgent Scare would be one of the mazes to go. Sorority House isn't all /that/ surprising of a choice though, after they had to change the name. Nightmare Alley wasn't much of a zone, really, with nothing much going on other than the eyeballs in the trees and fake spiders. I wonder if that path will become a new scare zone with actual performers.

^smoked turkey?! First I've heard of it. That's my traditional order at City BBQ, can't wait to see how Island Smokehouse stacks up!

^ I'd celebrate! They have done some spot work, so that my favorite space isn't in a hole to collect rainwater anymore. But last time I was tooling across the lot after parking gates opened, I hit a spot so bad I was really glad I was in an SUV. It's not glamorous or exciting, but it's needed and won't be cheap. I'd be cool with it being the main $ project for 2018, and something much bigger coming in 2019 or 2020

^^ I personally only watched the Dobermans show once, and have avoided watching it again. It wasn't that I felt the animals were abused or anything, but they really didn't seem like they were actually enjoying themselves at /any/ point (unlike last year's show, where it was clear the dogs were having fun showing off). When one of the dogs (a gorgeous grey Doberman) balked at doing a certain trick, his trainer spent really a fairly ridiculous amount of time trying to get him to do it. It definitely felt like it was much more important to her that he submit and do what he was told, than respect that he wasn't feeling it, or even to put on an entertaining show (because by the time she finally let it go, I feel like the whole audience was either bored or uncomfortable). I was also uncomfortable with a trick she had a tiny chihuahua do. She made a big deal about him being the only dog in the world who can do a handstand on one paw. And yes, he can, she posed him and held him up. But it didn't look to me to be either comfortable or safe to do repeatedly.

They sell beer and other liquors/mixed drinks every day of the season, so I don't think it would somehow be more of a problem on NYE when the more intense rides are probably going to be closed anyway. Personally I have an iron stomach so it hadn't even occurred to me. The only time I've ever even thought about puking on a ride was when someone ahead of me on a Beast train spit and it hit me in the mouth. I wasn't even drinking at the time.

One of you having funpix is plenty. You can add any number of pics to a single one, and it would probably be preferable to simplify things by having all of your family's pics on the same account. It lets you collect all your ride photos, gate pictures, and other incidental pics (like the selfie station by Beast's sign) in one place. It also gives a discount on any physical prints you choose to have made.

Yes, they're certainly creative... I have thought it would be interesting to have an adults-only event of some sort. I was thinking more of a $50-$100 per person masked ball up in the International Restaurant on New Year's Eve, with champagne and other alcohol, though. I was pretty disappointed when I found out Winterfest wouldn't include NYE at all

Thinking about going for the first time this year

Yes, the full poster for Chess did appear Now only Blackjack is missing a full name.

I was referring to the green box. Yes, as far as I know, both the concrete cakes and the green boxes, in Tower Gardens and around the fountains are new tho.

Well /everything/ in the DA gift shop was buy one, get one free when I visited Monday, so draw your own conclusions there...

^they were at one point this season. I think one of them that has been persistently stubborn has stopped again, but really, with the addition of the shimmery light in the tiki master's bowl, that part of the ride has been looking and working better than it has for years.

Yanno, while I still think the Giga belongs on that side of the park... putting antique cars on Dinosaurs Alive's path when it is finally retired would be a pretty simple, cheap, and almost obvious choice. Heck, would be fun even with the Dinos still there

^I've also noticed a fairly significant difference in speed between the two different trains this year. Even when carrying the same load (just me). I'm beginning to wonder if people who are finding it rough are riding full trains. I usually hit it first thing in the morning so there are usually very few people on with me. And I haven't noticed any roughness to speak of.

Sometime over the weekend they put anti-skid plating on the stairs to and from the Mystic Timbers station. While I never actually slipped, I was always worried about it when the steps were wet, so I find it comforting.

^bunch of those around the International Street fountains too. Pretty sure they're for Winterfest

Ridership isn't particularly low. Even on weekdays there is a pretty consistent flow of people, and it gets a decent line especially during education days.

I'm just hoping it doesn't end up rained out. But I really don't expect high attendance, no.

Because the acts are spread the entire length of the fountains, it encourages re-watching, and gives a very large number of people the ability to watch at least part of the show. I like that nature of it. There is no "perfect spot" for people to fight over.