BeeastFarmer

As an apiarist, I must ask: Are these honeybees that you speak of? If so, that is fairly unusual behavior. I have not been to this zoo, but at several Kings Island trash cans, I do see a form of wasps flying around, looking to extract sugar from tossed sodas and the like.

I think it's relative. I live about 3 hours from KI and consider it my home park and think it's close. My other choices are much further away. But on the drive home I usually don't feel quite the same. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

They announced over the PA that they were closing at 9:30 last night. I left Lightning Run at about 9:40. I walked around the fairground midway and rides were still operating at Kentucky Kingdom at 10:15. When I KK the place was virtually deserted; maybe there was an employee ride night? (Edit: This was Wednesday night, not Tuesday night. I didn' t want to imply that I was disagreeing with Shaggy as I have no idea what happened on Tuesday as I was not there.) Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

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Perfect! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

I went to the State Fair and Kentucky Kingdom this evening. Here are my impressions: 1. Very light crowds at KK. Everything I wanted to do, I did and as a walk on, except my first ride on Lightning Run, which was about a 10 minute wait at 5:30pm. 2. Crowds in the park were much higher caliber than the ones on the fair midway. Polite, no cursing loudly, no smoking, etc. 3. The park was VERY clean and the landscape was impeccable. I learned about some new to me plants today with the plant ID tags the park has installed. Grounds were spotless. 4. Fair was VERY crowded. Food was very expensive (thing KI prices for food, plus add some!) Food was good however. 5. KK looks great at night. I had never been there after the sun set. 6. Thunder Run and T3 have some pretty nice LED chaser lights. If I can figure out how to upload from my phone, I will share a picture. 7. Perfect weather. 8. Night rides were fun. 9. Friendly staff. 10. Fair midway had some nice rides, but some were exactly the same you could ride inside KK. I think the fair was the clear attendance winner....VERY crowded. 11. KIngdom Radio had a nice selection of music from many different genres. This was my last visit of 2015 and was a great one to end on.

Not on topic of Thunder Road, but on the subject of paint/stain on roller coasters: On The Beasts' lift hills, it seems that there is no protection of the railings/steps. They are warped, cracked and mildewed. Should I be concerned?

This will be my first time getting a Platinum Pass but if you are going from (current) Gold to Platinum ('16) will this be a renewal or a new pass?

Who are not members of the Order.Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

Or me...

I met him at the Reds Hall of Fame Grill, but I am not sure if that is "home base" for him.

There's a video on Youtube of closing day 2014. Looked pretty cold...and not very busy at all. My best guess is if you are die-hard enough to stay late closing day, nobody's really going to care.Yes it was cold last year but soooo worth it. I was on one of the last The Beast trains before the ACE ERT to close down the park and I promised myself I will be among the last 2015 riders which I hope happens. You definitely did have to show you qualified for the ERT as I remember. I do know how sad I felt near the photo booth as I listened to him ascend the lift hill. I also know how shocked I was to see the photos of the deboarded trains the next day on social media! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

I'm pretty sure I will go Platinum for 2016. I see Cedar Point, Kings Dominion and Carowinds on my horizon. Pretty exicted I will be able to attend closing day. First time ever attending opening day AND closing day! Last year, they had a last ride event for some clubs, I wonder if that will be the case again this year (after the 9pm ERT ends of course.)

I've never composed a trip report before, and I have to work early in the morning, but I wanted to post a few thoughts on my visit this week. I arrived with three folks are not enthusiasts. A good friend from church who is "high maintenance" and a friend from work and her son. All three admitted they were anxious about riding coasters, but wanted to conquer the fear. We arrived around 10:30, after a late start. Great parking spot. After buying the $15 tickets and being reminded of the no rain check policy, the ladies stopped by the c-store at the entrance; much coin was spend on fanny packs and ponchos in spite of my advice to come prepared and the fact that rain was not supposed to start in earnest until late in the day. (There was a very light rain at this time.) We went and rented a locker near White Water Canyon. They did not want to start on a small coaster, or kid sized coaster...they wanted Diamondback. Of course, I obliged. Two wanted no details of the ride, one wanted to know what it was like. They chose the back seats and with no waiting, we rode twice. Everyone LOVED it! Next we went to The Beast...again a walk on and two rides. Then we rode Vortex and my friend and her son rode again. In between these rides, we asked several associates about the location of the announcement and were finally told it was going to be in Soak City. I decided not to go, since I am not a water park patron. We went to Reds Hall of Fame Grill and had a great lunch. Next we went to Banshee and The Bat after doing KI Kicks Cancer. Had a couple of rides on each. We rode the Red Racer and Adventure Express next. A brief rain shower happened and my friend's son could not ride Invertigo, Delerium or Slingshot. We ate at the Chicken Shack and is was the best I have ever seen it. Service was great and quick, cashier was friendly and food was awesome. We hit Banshee again, my friend and her son did Flight of Fear and Firehawk, and then we did The Vortex-The Beast-Diamondback circuit again, with a stop by Shake Rattle N Roll. (I don't ride that however!) It was now about 6:45 and so we decided to go back to the Action Zone so my friends son could get a chance to ride Invertigo and Delerium. (They did not want to clear out the locker at this point however!) We got there and the storm came, so those attractions were closed. He and his mom rode Monster. Then we went to Flight of Fear and just after the gates opened for them to board, the ride closed. We waited out the weather and walked back to Rivertown, virtually by ourselves. Cleared out the locker, got some Blue Ice cream and enjoyed the fountains. The rain had mostly stopped but the park had not reopened the rides as it was about 7:40. We stopped by Guest Relations to compliment some employees and walked to the car...which was almost alone in the parking lot. In summary...not one issue to complain about. Stellar service, great food, and overall FUN day. My friends now love coasters and appreciate my obsession with all things KI and roller coasters. The only thing that makes me sad is that only have a couple more opportunities to visit this year.

Perhaps more.

Just for the record, it was NOT ME! I am the underdog in this thread, but I kind of enjoy that. I am usually on the opposite end of the opinions here, but I don't feel like I have ever been downgraded because of my opinion. I enjoy the friendships I have been virtually building on this site. JCGoble3, your point #2 could be said about most things. I hope the folks who doubt that KK will return next year are wrong because I want to ride Storm Chaser!

The Interpreter, I think you misinterpreted my post. I stated "that's NEW news?" The article you referenced was repeating the same information that was available elsewhere and before. That's not to mean that I condone having "open" closing times. I think it stinks. However, having a season pass will likely entice me to make a visit and experience the state fair since I have to pay. Before I had no interest. Now I do since I have pay. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

Sorry, The Interpreter. Gee thanks. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

Gee, thanks Don. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

At the park today and no employees know where this announcement will be Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

I did something at the park last week I have never done before: saw a show twice in one visit. It was Cirque Imagine. I went at 3pm and it was the best performance I have seen in '14 or '15! The crowd was enthusiastic and the performers were at the top of the game. The 7pm show did not let me down. The crowd was smaller, but the performers were just as intense. I am not an emotional guy, but I have to admit that the combination of the excellence of the performers, the loud music, the crowd reaction and the thought that this was probably the last time I would see this show at the Kings Island Theater made me a little sad. I hope whatever replaces this builds on this foundation.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Aaron88stang. I never rode it as T2, so when I rode it as T3, I had no basis of comparison. As I stated earlier, I really enjoyed it. The only rough spot for me was the turn back into the station. I'm so glad that Thunderbird was available to break me of my fear of going upside down. With the help of antiemetics, I have been able to ride it, T3, Banshee, Vortex and Firehawk. I don't think I'll do Firehawk again though--hate backwards.

My apologies. I was calling Hank's Burrito Shack the Taco Shack by mistake. I guess I was transposing Kentucky Kingdom's Taco Tequila with Hank's Burrito Shack. I hope you love burritos, too!

I'd conjecture that the standard food offerings have nothing to do with Chef Nate. He's probably more of a "face" for events that the park can sell to the GP. This was my first year eating at the Reds Hall of Fame and the selection was good as was the quality. I even met Chef Nate once there and he asked what I thought about my meal. The Taco Shack was really good (in spite of the terrible waits) until last week when the chicken was not seasoned at all. It was almost like they boiled the chicken in water and shredded it. I hope that in 2016 Kings Island will work on the speed of service and address the root issues--what I see is the back line employees being unmotivated--and getting trays! The Taco Shack also has those airway blowers and that is not conducive to exiting the building without loosing chips or getting food blown away. The friendliness of the food staff has been good and the quality has been generally good, but the speed is terrible.

I remember a few years ago, I made just a few trips yearly to KI after living "out west" and a long absence from the park. The Racer seats are painful, but I still ride. Vortex was actually LESS painful than I remember. I love the coasters, but I also enjoy crowd watching. On a side note, my parents and sister went to the park three years ago. My dad, who was 77 at the time, rode The Racer. He enjoyed it. I was happy for him. Fast forward to now and they can't go unless I rent a wheelchair and push both of them around (after about 2 hours walking around the park). They are still doing good, but age is taking its' toll and extended walking is a challenge. This teaches me to take every opportunity to enjoy such things as a park while I can.