Magenta Lizard

When I was little, I really loved stuffed animals (still do). I also loved playing the games. I always imagined when I was old enough to date, a guy would win one of the giant stuffed animals for me. The games I'm any good at/enjoy generally don't have them as prizes. When we had season passes in high school, my sister and I eventually traded up to a giant bear wearing a propeller beanie, from playing bowler roller. Since she was much better than me at the game and had won more of the times, the bear was hers. (Oh, and since it was roughly proportioned like a human being it wasn't too hard to fit it into the car, strapped into a seat with a seatbelt). Many years later, at a local festival, I won enough tokens to get a giant stuffed lizard, playing a quarter dozer over the course of a weekend (some may have been carried over from the previous year, I forget). Even though it was nearly as big as me, I had to carry it quite a ways to my car, by myself, and fit it into the backseat of a two-door, which was no small feat. Many years later, my husband is still trying to convince me to get rid of it every time he sees it, so I have it stored somewhere he rarely goes

Yep, I was born in July 1976, so about five years different.

Gosh, I wish I had that many. I had a pass a couple of years in high school when my sister was old enough to drive us, then a ten or so year gap, then one from about ten years ago, and now the same nondescript one from 2014 on. You and I look to be within five years of age, by what age you look in each of those years. I need to go see if I can find the couple I know I have around here somewhere. I even have a laminated picture (with no actual pass in it) of me with my eyes shut that the young man making my pass thought was funny. I think he was flirting with my older sister. I couldn't find my early 90s ones, but here's my 2005, before I lost weight.

I agree on that, but when they were offering the 50% off funnel cakes coupon in the KI app last summer, those were excellent deals. You could get one with all kinds of toppings, or even blue soft serve at the now defunct Rivertown location, for around $5. Really, even at full price, the topped ones are much better deals. One with just powdered sugar should only be $6, if a fully topped one is $10. I wouldn't initially have considered buying one, if they hadn't offered that coupon, but I very well might pay full price for a few this summer, now that I know how good they are.

KingsIslandPR tweeted a new pic of the new funnel cake building construction. It's more visually imposing than I expected. Check out @KingsIslandPR's Tweet: https://twitter.com/KingsIslandPR/status/702596062226284548?s=09

I love the large sheet ones

Thanks for that, I was going to come fix it when I saw how tiny they showed up on the mobile site. My favorite from that gallery was 1992, because Phantom Theater http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/thumbnail/615/img/photos/2014/04/17/70/bc/1992.jpg

Very appropriate gallery for this thread: http://m.daytondailynews.com/gallery/entertainment/kings-island-over-years/gCKHJ/

KingsIslandPR tweeted that the 2016 park map is completed (https://twitter.com/maglizrd/status/702177462264995840), so I was poking around the site to see if it's been uploaded (nope) but I did notice something funny on the 2015 one. Anyone ever notice what Woodstock Whirlybirds' vehicles look like on the map? The smaller version actually on the main map, with the text, it is hard to tell, but there is an enlarged, faded version on the outside edge: They look kind of like twin two-seater rockets. Way cooler than the real thing (From https://www.visitkingsisland.com/rides/Worlds-Best-Kids-Area/Woodstocks-Whirlybirds)

Weird. I looked at the camera earlier today and it was shifted far enough to the left I couldn't see the clearing area. Unless I'm just losing my mind. That is always a possibility.

When I start thinking I should get a job at KI just because visiting one of the interview fairs at the park sounds so tempting.

They seem to have moved the webcam now. I find that more interesting than the initial dirt moving.

That pause just before a big snap on the gliders.

Even without theming that would be awesome!

I wonder if the Ride Warriors events are going to be included in that price, or if that is the price to have the option to join events for an event fee.

As fond as I am of making historical nods in the naming of rides, the name Flight Commander was just too "blah" to reuse, especially in the face of the tragedy surrounding it. It was a pretty "blah" ride too, come to think of it.

Afaik, KI allowed mustaches prior to 2016, as well. It doesn't seem like it would be nearly as warm as a beard. Fortunately I have neither

According to the @kigamesdept twitter account, they are allowing beards this season. What's next, long hair on guys or visible tattoos? (I approve of both) Check out @kigamesdept's Tweet: https://twitter.com/kigamesdept/status/700820914590633984?s=09 However, I can't really imagine wanting to wear a beard during the summer.

In 2014, I snacked at my car on things I brought from home, exclusively, on my visits. In part, because I visited twice as often in 2015, I ended up spending less per meal from my meal plan (under $1 each) than I often did on those snacks. Because I felt like I was getting such a good deal, and because I much more frequently stayed at the park from open until close (rather than leaving in the afternoon because I was hungry), I spent a lot more in the park on other things as well. Sweet Spot cookies, taffy, funnel cakes, souveniers, and games.

Oh my. Did they really put in a sign that said that? That's rather insensitive wording... I'm hoping you're resurrecting this thread because something new is coming to that pad, but I suspect it's to complete your commentary in the other thread... wonder when/if anything new will finally take that spot.

Looked on the webcams, and it looks like a planting bed to me. If it is a path, it's an odd place for one.

I was just looking at the webcam at the area under Diamondback. There are vehicles and workers over there, and to me, it definitely appears to be a new planting bed for landscaping.

I think he's just baiting us. It's probably electrical, plumbing, or landscaping. The location, being under Diamondback's feet, isn't really useful for a ride, food stand, game, or even really a path. And as it's labeled new for 2016, pointless to speculate in a 2017 thread

If you like chicken tenders, the ones at Reds Hall of Fame Grille, late in the season, were excellent. Buttery, mmmm. I had them earlier in the season and liked them ok, but starting in around August, they became ridiculously yummy.

Looks like BIC or B/C END to me Very interesting that he tagged it #NewFor2016 which makes it unlikely to be anything major - if it were, and coming in a couple/few months, they'd probably have said something before now.