Magenta Lizard

One of the train tour guides last season did say that the lake was the source of water for WWC, one of my rides on the train. I'd never paid any attention to it previously. Also, the Banshee Brew festival is included on the events and promotions page, along with the Food Truck Festival. https://www.visitkingsisland.com/things-to-do/events-and-promotions

I was just thinking again about the question "since tearing down one funnel cake stand only to build another seems like a lot of work, and moving WWC's entrance doesn't eliminate the need to cross the tracks somehow, what good does it do?" I mentioned before that it opens up the area around their fancy new soccer game, and if they build something else new back there it will draw more attention to what I assume will be a good money-maker. But I was just realizing the entrance move has a second, hopefully intentional, side-effect. It is going to draw more attention to the big beige box that KI has been trying to distract guests from noticing outside of Haunt. I hope that is a sign that soon the box will once again be used for something interesting all season. The park is in desperate need of a non-kiddy dark ride as far as I'm concerned.

I wonder if they're ever going to actually use the name Centurion. It's a bit expensive to trademark something just to use it as a diversion.

When I get excited about a local event just because it is called "Winterfest." www.austinlanding.com/winterfest

Don't get my hopes up like that. I'd love some fried cheese. The speculation is fun, as is the thrill of the hunt of "clues". Last season there was so much speculation about the little stage and ramp that were set up for the Banshee Brew fest, that I got a little excited - even though I had been at the park, saw it before anyone posted, snapped a quick pic, and totally forgot about it because I expected it was going to be for the fest and nothing more exciting. The other fun thing is to try to draw people into your own "interpretation" of "clues" that would be rediculous to even think have meaning

From someone who's been on the receiving end of hand holding by a frightened rider: try not to drive the back of her hand into the restraints or mash her bones together. An arm or possibly knee/thigh (depending on the restraints) might be better because they're not as uncomfortably sensitive to squeezing as the hand is. For Drop Tower, if you feel like you'd be more comfortable knowing exactly what will happen/when you'll drop, because that is less scary, I can give some tips. As you rise up the tower, you'll make a complete turn around the pole and end up facing the same direction you started. As you get near the top, rising will slow down, to the point you can't really tell you're still moving unless you look out in the distance and see things shifting against each other. A moment after you finally do stop, there will be a large clanking noise. That is the indication to start counting: after a count of six or seven, you'll drop. Even among coaster enthusiasts, Drop Tower is the ride many will say scares them the worst. So if it scares you, you aren't alone

I think the size of the building was larger than needed, as well. Especially for as rarely as it was open. If you look at the aerial shots, it was surprisingly large, and it pretty much made the surrounding area less usable.

74 days till opening day. No idea if there will be anything interesting to see yet by then.

All I saw them say was track work on Woodstock Express. Someone /else/ said tunnel, nothing official. https://instagram.com/p/BBQ2vsKOOPI/

It's probably not really any better for WWC access. Yes, they'll either need to install a new bridge (or tunnel I suppose) or pay a crossing guard. So the obvious question is what is it good for? It does open things up over where the entrance used to be. Near an area where they are adding a featured new game. I'm hoping the reasons are as exciting as some of the things I can think of, but I'd be hesitant to actually speculate this early.

If it is a very short walk, as people have said, they're either going to need to put in some cow corrals, or the line will impede traffic on hot days. I also hope for lots of shade over that line. It's funny, last summer I was telling someone about how much I enjoyed the walk through the woods on the way to WWC, that it reminded me of when I was in Girl Scouts. I even suggested that it would be cool if KI just had a nature hike trail, to allow one to get away from the bustle for a short while. They certainly have enough wooded land for it (the park owns about twice as much acreage as they currently use), just maybe not easy access to it. Of course, I immediately realized my plan would have the same problem as the back rows of the KI Theater or the family restrooms, and be abused by... let's say, lovers.

Heh heh. Say his name and he appears Yep we like them, and yep, please show more!

My theory is that DonKIPR has been looking through their photo archives and getting nostalgic. Could mean something else, but I wouldn't count on it.

Whoever noticed the removal of the White Water Canyon entrance was correct. They're moving it somewhere over by Diamondback. https://twitter.com/kingsislandpr/status/694181133160964097

@KingsIslandPR just Tweeted this pic with their most recent update on the number of Saturdays left (11) https://twitter.com/kingsislandpr/status/693427800016044032 And, oh, hey!

I think it was Dennis Spiegel last year at Coasterstock who told the story of standing at the top of the lift hill at Coney Island, scaring the pants off people on the ride by talking to them just before they went over... I wasn't aware there were ever employees that regularly stood up there on The Beast

Surprisingly to me, apparently it isn't allowed. From the CP site: "For safety reasons, taking pictures, videotaping and filming on rides are prohibited. Picture taking is permitted on the C.P. & L.E. Railroad."

It's not confirmed its even coming to CP. I assume they picked those for their slower speeds, and yeah, shorter lines.

I'm really excited about the Twitter scavenger hunt. If anyone wants to link up on Twitter before the day, I'm @maglizrd. I typically follow people who add me, especially if I can tell it's an enthusiast.

They uploaded the event flyer https://www.visitkingsisland.com/images/uploads/file/Coasterstock%202016.pdf

In cases like that, I just tell them I did it. They have a script, they are either unwilling or unable to deviate from it (even if they know it is stupid too) and it cuts through the bullcrap faster if you don't argue it. I'm more likely to be corresponding through text or email tho, I hate talking on the phone.

Darn. I was hoping it would explain what the planned scam was behind the park proposal. I wanted to see how they intended to monetize that one, not just confirm my suspicions with a new shady operation!

I think he was behind the monthly special funnel cakes last season. I saw him around the park various times in that hat of his. He was up in the International Restaurant working on the buffet that went along with the Comedy Show I attended. He does seem to have a lot of enthusiasm for the food at KI, but I don't feel like the failings in food service are something that can be fixed by a chef. Those working in food service have been given a nearly impossible job because of lack of staffing. When I was there on weekdays, it was not uncommon at all to see, at Chicken Shack for example, one person in the back making the chicken and fries, one person behind the counter serving and making wraps, and one cashier. At prime lunch or dinner rushes. Usually, the food was actually served impressively promptly due to the limited menu, the backup happened at the cashier, who had been directed to up sell (and apparently not also told that they could stop when there are five people or more waiting with food to check out), and had to deal with drinks as well (and those drink wrist bands which seemed to take a full minute each to buy and put on - fun when you're waiting behind a family of six who all have them*). The employees can be forgiven, even when they don't deal with the lines perfectly. They didn't decide it was ok to run the place in a rush with only three people. What I saw that was unforgivable, to me, was that there was a manager holed up in the little room next to the Freestyle machine who occasionally could be drawn out by frantic employees when they had problems with the register, or couldn't find where something was stored. On more than one occasion, I saw this person take care of an immediate problem, glance at the eight or more people with full food trays (or plates in hand depending on the day) jammed in the area between the food and registers, and return to the little room to continue with important paper shuffling. In my opinion, a manager should act as a floater when the place is slammed, temporarily moving into whatever position is needed to keep things flowing. Usually this would involve getting behind a register. But going and grabbing stuff from storage, mopping up a spilled drink, etc. could have helped at times too. What Kings Island needed was better management in food services, not a special chef, as much as I like Chef Nathan's enthusiasm. * processing and applying those bands should not be done at the individual stands. They should have to be applied at a centralized location, possibly guest services.

Both Chicken Shack and Reds have wraps. The ones at CS use the breaded chicken fingers, but you can get a grilled chicken wrap at Reds.

Today and tomorrow are finally the midpoint of the offseason. Today it is 84 days until opening day, and 83 days since closing day. Tomorrow is 83 until opening and 84 since closing. Gosh it seems like forever.