Magenta Lizard

I don't know if I'm the only one who was worried KI Five might not be back this year, but today I ran into what appeared to be either a practice or try-outs for the group. I'm so happy they're going to be back!

No line to speak of at Panda Express at 4:00 I waited less than ten for AE and Racer each, a little before 4:00. Been awhile since I rode a larger ride, tho. Mostly Cirque time for me these few hours.

I waited longer for The Bat than Drop Tower. A first for me. Drop Tower was about 10 min, Bat about 15. Made me later for Cirque than I intended. At least I made it before the t-shirt toss even tho I still didn't catch it First time seeing the show this season from somewhere other than third row center.

Yeah, but it didn't, fortunately. The app is just wrong (at least on the times it shows outside the description). The outside of the theater says 3/5/7 like it should. I'm waiting for the 3:00 right now. Heh, it only took a couple years but I think "Let It Go" has finally started to reach ultimate saturation. When it started before the show, there was a large amount of groaning, and most of that was /children./ A few are singing along, but when kids are even tired of it...

Something is wrong here. I'm pretty sure it is the 4/6 part but I guess I'll know in about a half hour.

Yes they can. Well, the ticket window anyway. No pass discount though unfortunately.

I'm a member of Coaster Crew so I could attend their Banshee Bash last summer, and Coasterstock this year (which also allowed many other clubs). I haven't really found joining a coaster club and/or attending enthusiast events to be nearly as effective a way of meeting others as just posting here, getting to know people, and getting introduced by those people to other people. Also by just striking up conversation with random people at the park (I have made a few friends that way). When I went to Banshee Bash last year, the only person who actually talked to me was Tim Holloran. I had gone to the park many many times by myself prior to that event, but never actually felt alone until I was at lunch in Picnic Grove and didn't have anyone to sit with. Middle school all over again! Last year I only met a handful of people from KIC over the season, but the couple opening weeks this year, I started getting introduced to tons of people. It's been really fun. You can kind of get a feel for the different coaster clubs by checking out their Facebook pages. I'm not a member of GOCC, but I've been following their page since before I even got a pass to Kings Island last year.

There is a pick up/drop off area that your ride can pull into. It's about halfway between the north and south entrances to the parking lot, and is clearly signed

Don't miss Cedar Downs. It may resemble a carousel, but it is really something special.

Not at the park, although I had been considering it. Looking at the webcams, I can tell it is wet there. My husband pointed out people are wearing their ponchos. Earlier it was saying the rain would clear up this evening. Looking at the radar, it does look like things are just clearing up.

When I was there Friday, it was the same state it was at Coasterstock: its arms are off and sitting neatly within the fences, and the cars are lined up behind. I could swear I heard someone ask Don about it and he said it would be back (and, I believe, this season), but I can't remember when I heard it, if it was at The Beast tour on Friday or sometime earlier (possibly Coasterstock).

What's the price for preferred parking for Gold passholders? It's just the difference between regular parking and preferred, right? Can you just buy it at the guardhouse where you enter preferred?

I'm glad someone else remembers the House of Cards. Trying to find any reference to it or pictures of it made me feel a little like I may have only imagined it ever existing.

I was the crazy woman in the white dress Sorry I didn't see your post until now. I think this was my favorite of the four tours I've taken so far, because I finally got into the middle of the helixes, I got to take my husband with me (usually I'm at the park alone), and I learned something new that surprised me (around 90% of The Beast's wood is original to when it was built).

It wouldn't be working FOR Kings Island, but AT Kings Island: Honey Hill Farm, the supplier of the petting zoo, is looking for people to work for $10-11 per hour taking care of the animals. At Cedar Point too. https://www.facebook.com/Honeyhillfarm/posts/10153095551411977

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, you're wrong about some of that. Outside inspection is required yearly, and individual inspection schedules are expected to be followed as part of getting a yearly license. http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/Rides/docs/Revised%20Ridebook.pdf It's a little lengthy, but covers the laws governing carnival ride operations.

Yes, I do. I stood and watched the whole thing (about 15 min) earlier this year. I will edit this post in a moment with a full synopsis. It "starts" (well, it sort of loops, so maybe "restarts" is a better option) with different researchers at a military facility asking "what just happened?" as their computers and video feeds start to connect to each other, and no one seems to remember what happened moments before. It becomes evident as it progresses that they are housing and studying a UFO that has come into their possession. A politician bursts into control central with a camera crew and introduces himself to the woman in command. It comes out eventually that he (thinking the whole thing was a hoax) has invited the public to come in and look at the UFO (us in the queues), to score political points for "transparency." At some point all of the different researchers seem to have disappeared from their camera feed and it freaks someone (the politician?) out that he's alone, and they finally put something in front of one of the cameras that looks like an alien being (I think it's supposed to actually be part of someone's lunch) and he screams, and everyone comes back into view laughing hard about it. Someone discovers a media/video hookup on the edge of the UFO, which seems to be designed to work with the researchers' technology. They decide to link to it. It takes over the feed, and delivers a message from the aliens. I believe the message takes over the politician's mind, taking him on a virtual trip to the alien's part of the galaxy. We see a vague shape of an alien face before the feed cuts out, everything statics, shuts off, fades to black. Computer and monitor feeds start to come on and everyone asks what just happened?

He pushed the time back last time, he may yet again. If I hear anything, I'll post it.

Ok, I think I have figured out why this year's tallest clown looks familiar. From this review of last year's show http://www.fansofkientertainment.com/?p=609 Scroll down to the final picture, the young man in black and silver standing next to Trevor the Bycrobat. Same smile. I don't remember what acts he did in the show at that part of the season, but I'm pretty sure that's him. See also: https://fbcdn-photos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-0/10350502_574206819368482_6717114249478491239_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=e2ad93dba38a45126026461ea9f293e9&oe=56042A07&__gda__=1443742427_64d14281cb1f9ba80d7b9a875a4faa1a He was also the other longer haired clown who came in late last season. In the very back of that pic. Who last year (I've been rereading the threads), I thought was named Philip. Which leads me to ask: what is the name of the one playing Nico now, who as far as I know also did Ring in Skeleton Crew last fall? I thought /that/ was Philip. :-/ It's also interesting to note that the same one playing Nico this year was definitely the original Nico last year, who got injured so early in the season I never had a chance to see him in the role. Sorry to keep editing this post. I remember a cast list that was on Cirque Imagine's Facebook (that I pasted in last year's Cirque discussion thread) that listed Nico Bellemare on Ring. Because I missed the shows before he was injured and only ever saw two young women perform the ring, I assumed that coincidentally the first woman's real name was Nico. Is it really so simple that the young man who started both seasons as "Nico" is actually named Nico? (Edit: yes, exactly that simple http://www.larepubliqueinternationaledesarts.com/best-filming-subcategory-nico-b/) Gosh I feel stupid now. The same cast list suggests this year's white clown (last year's Hand2Hand performer) is named Alana Moggridge.

I knew I should have taken a picture! http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/files/1001727__medium_.jpg You can see it there in the middle of the shot, on the back wall, unlit, framing that one guy's head. When it is lit, you can better see the crop-circle-like elements (alien writing?) that are carved into it.

The round lucite "alien control" panel at the back of the inside of the UFO on FoF was lit today, for the first time since I've been going to the park regularly (the beginning of last summer). I love to see thematic elements getting some attention.

He set a time of 4:00 Friday. Hopefully it won't change this time. https://twitter.com/donhelbig/status/603601711387803648 I think I'm going to be there, and with my husband for once!

I think that was what Gabe was talking about, too.

Waiting for the second show today. Got to see the t-shirt launch before the show for the first time. Really cool idea. Has anyone here learned any of the new performers' names or seen a cast list and care to share? I hate referring to them by description rather than names. I'm really enjoying the energy of the new clown with the longer hair. He's pretty endearing. Watching again, I'm almost convinced the one I said looked familiar but I didn't think was Carl or Julien (the tallest of this year's clowns) might actually BE Julien but with a character change in addition to a haircut. He was pretty darn good on the trampoline today. I also still think the shorter man in silver and black might possibly be Sam from last year. I'm looking forward to watching two more shows today. Once I watch one, it's hard not to stay for more. Edit: watching it again, I'm even more convinced that's Julien. Last year he was so stoic and this year so expressive, it threw me preview night. Edit again: just when I think I have this figured out, one of the other clowns goes and calls him what sounds like Remy. Regardless, he is great on the trampoline. So is the one I believe is called Mickey.

It's fairly crowded but typically not too bad of ride line lengths. And things drop off precipitously at 5:00.