KIghostguy

I was thinking...they were talking about creatures in the woods-what if the Splintercat is going to feature on Mystic Timbers?

There was classical music playing today on International Street. Pop music was still playing in the rest of the park, though.

Can somebody please tell me what Guardians of the Galaxy has anything to do with California?

Yes, I've seen that post before, I think it was on Theme Park Expert? Or something like that.

Sine you all wanted to hear the White Water Canyon story, here it is. This was told to me by Lee Allen, who is a member of the Paravizionz ghosthunting group who has investigated the park three times. If this sounds familiar, Jim Wilson, another Paravizionz member, told this on the disappointing Ghost Hunters episode, but skipped a lot of the details that Lee told me. Lee and his group were having an EVP session up in Tower 2 at White Water Canyon. EVP stands for Electronic Voice Phenomona-paranormal investigators ask the ghosts questions, hoping that the ghosts will respond on their tape recorders. Anyways, they were up in the tower doing an EVP session and heard the voice of the ghostly little girl talking on the other side of the closed door to the stairs leading from the tower. Eventually, they wrapped it up and Lee reached out to grab the door. But the door wouldn't move. Lee said it felt like someone was standing on the other side of the door holding it closed. But of course, no one was. Meanwhile, they could hear the sound of a little girl laughing. Lee kept on asking her to open the door, and then finally the laughing stopped. The group could hear the sound of someone walking down the stairs, then they heard three footsteps in the gravel path, and then silence. At this moment, the door popped open, revealing no one outside or on the path.

Ah yes, Tower 2 at White Water Canyon...one of my very favorite ghost stories from the park comes from there. One of these days I'll have to do a "Clearing Up" Missouri Jane post. Unless, of course, you guys want me to post the story here.

Just got back from the park about an hour ago. Swan Lake (do they still call it that?) was filled and splashing.

I don't know the history of the claws, but you can see them in the KI 20th Anniversary Special, and they were yellow. As for the other prints, I unfortunately don't really know.

Very strange seeing the splashdown not filled. I'm planning on going to the park tomorrow or Wednesday, so I'll see what's going on.

I like Shanghai Disneyland's Pirates ride, especially the skeleton to Jack Sparrow transformation. I still prefer the original Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, though. I still think the best dark rides are the real, physical kind, not 4-D movie rides. The real kind just feel so much more immersive and real. IMHO the best dark ride ever built is the Haunted Mansion. Completely immersive and has head-scratching effects, but doesn't have a hint of video screens (at Disneyland at least, unless you count the Hatbox Ghost's face).

Was it Realityland by David Koenig?

For me personally, nothing will ever beat the three-headed troll. It looks neat, with the animatronics and all, but I still prefer Maelstrom.

Personally, I think just some "Warning: Alligators" signs would be enough. Actually, the "No Swimming" signs were enough, but since people ignore them, beef up the signs with why you shouldn't enter the water.

Beyond horrified to see this news. I can't imagine what the family is going through right now. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. As a side note, I had no idea that alligators lived in the Seven Seas Lagoon. I knew there were gators in the Rivers of America, but not in the Lagoon.

Last night in the queue for The Bat, there was some thrilling-type instrumental music playing.

"They have to rebuild The Vortex every year because it's built on a mud slide and slides down every year!"

Interesting. I haven't noticed the spikes moving on Adventure Express this year, and I've been on it several times. I'll have to look closer next time.

There is a 1 in 24 million chance of getting seriously injured on an amusement park ride. There is a 1 in 750 million chance of getting killed on one. There is a 1 in 112 chance of dying in a car accident while driving to that amusement park. Statistically, you are safer riding roller coasters than you are driving to an amusement park. They are EXTREMELY safe. As pointed out before, it is interesting how the author failed to talk about how most accidents at amusement parks are the victim's fault. The amusement parks can't prevent your stupidity. The thing about how no amusement park has ever admitted they were at fault is baloney. I'll have to double check, but I think that Disneyland did claim responsibility for the incident on Big Thunder Mountain in 2003. I can't stand these articles that try to cause a scandal on how "dangerous" amusement parks are.

I arrived at Kings Island with my family and my cousins at about 4:00 p.m. We headed straight to Banshee. The wait was about a half hour, but the line moved fast. Nothing new to report-still as fantastic as always. My cousins wanted to ride Invertigo, but I'm a chicken so me and my aunt rode the front seat on Banshee! Wait was about as long as before, and I think it's my personal favorite ride I've ever taken on Banshee. We met back up after this and rode Adventure Express. Wait was about 15-20 minutes. The Tiki at the very end of the tunnel pouring the lava on you was actually looking the best he had looked in a while. The lava was very well lit and seemed to be flickering. The past few years there was really no lighting on it. Next was Racer. Wait was about 15 minutes. Nothing to report. Zephyr had a 5-10 minute wait (nothing new) and then we headed to Firehawk. It was just my two cousins and my brother in addition to me. The wait seemed to be about 40 minutes. The ride itself was great. Some paint was scratched off, so you could see the original green Geauga Lake paint job. We sat in the back seat. As the train was pulling back into the station and we were on our backs, the ride broke down. Because we were last, most of us was sticking out the back of the station. The employees told us that they were experiencing "technical difficulties" and that the ride had broken down. So there we were, strapped in a ridiculously uncomfortable position with the sun brightly shining in my eyes. We were like this for at least 40 minutes. The employees kept on asking us how we were doing. Eventually, they had to manually push the train into the station. The employees unlocked our harnesses (we were still laying down) and we exited. The employees had free bottled water and free LaRosa's pizza at the exit for everyone who had been stuck. They also gave everyone free passes for you to either enter the ride's exit or use the Fast Lane for free! While my family was chowing down on our pizza, one of the supervisors apparently heard my family talking about my brother, whose birthday is this weekend. They came over and asked him if he would like to set the fireworks off that night! They also told us that they had a dinner party up in the International Restaurant! I had never been up there before and since I love researching the park's ghost stories, you can imagine how excited I was! We rode WindSeeker (10 minute wait) and then used our pass to enter the Fast Lane of The Beast. We were able to bypass what looked like an hour long line and get right on. The ride was great! Then, we made our way down International Street and to the International Restaurant! I didn't have much because I was so stuffed from the pizza before, but I had a few breadsticks and a small pizza slice. Then "Dr. Sparkles" led us down to the front of the Royal Fountain. He introduced my brother, and then little brother pushed the button, signaling the start of the fireworks. We went back up to the restaurant and watched the show from the large windows. After we left the park, marking the end to a memorable evening.

It was three people, actually. It would make sense if the bridge was removed due to the pond incident. The first guy who fell in, the one who lived, was leaning over the railing on the bridge and splashing water before he was shocked.

Does anyone know when the bridge over the pond was added and when it was removed? It wasn't there when the park opened and it wasn't there in 1983, but it was there by 1987 and it was positivly there in 1991. And does anyone know why it was removed?

They were called "Fright Lights" when it was Scooby-Doo and the Haunted Castle.

Also, I forgot to add that Scrambler has a new blue paint job and there will be some sort of dog show in the amphitheater on International Street. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Phantom Theater.

Hi everyone! I just came back from preview night! I went with three friends (I'll call them J, W, and Q). We arrived about 5:30 and went through the new tollbooths. There is a large new "Kings Island" sign in front of Great Wolf Lodge and you now enter through there and go through the new toll booths, and then on to the parking lot. In any case, we got LaRosa's on International Street. Nothing different since the last time I had LaRosa's. We passed the Kings Island Theater. According to posters outside, on May 28, a new show called "Origins: A Cirque Story" will debut at the theater. This will presumably be similar to Cirque Imagine, which I never got to see. We decided WindSeeker would be our first ride. Wait was about five minutes. Very gentle and relaxing, except on the ride up. The clicking of the cables and pulleys taking us up was beginning to freak me out! But, otherwise very nice, as always. We rode Shake, Rattle and Roll next (no wait), but nothing new there. Still fun, of course. Zephyr was next (three minutes or so wait), and again nothing new. From there, we crossed into X-Base, and I decided to go on Flight of Fear for the first time. I always wanted to ride it, but was too chicken in years past. It was about 15 minutes, but still not that bad. Me and J got the back seat, but W decided not to ride at the last minute. The launch was very surprising and it went fast. I really wasn't expecting it! The ride itself was very bumpy, in a good way. I loved every second, and it's now one of my new favorite rides at the park. I initially had no inclination to ride Firehawk, which I also had never ridden, but my friends finally convinced me into riding it (five minute wait). I got in, my knees knocking. But it was actually very smooth and very thrilling! It really does feel like you are flying! I got off loving it, a new ride to add to my list of favorites. The next ride up was The Racer (walked right on). I rode red, but it lost to blue. No changes, still the wonderfully rickety woodie it always is. We were going to ride Banshee, but it had broken down, so we decided to do Adventure Express next (walk on). In the second tunnel, it was fully illuminated, and in the next few tunnels there were some new red and green lights. I really liked the addition of those. After we got off I noticed that on the ground near the ladder game set up next door there were some circular markings on the ground. I asked the employee at the game if they were remnants from Skylab, but he didn't know. I didn't take any photographs, so you'll have to take my word for it. Then, we all decided to ride The Beast at night. The sun had fully set and the moon was high as we trekked across Coney Mall. None of us had never ridden The Beast at night, so no one really knew what to expect. On the fence on the ramp towards the station, eight of the poles were unpainted. It was about a 15-20 minute wait, but it was worth it! You couldn't see the track except for a dark silhouette on the sky as the cool breeze swept around the cars. People really aren't kidding that it is a different ride and night, and it was undoubtedly the best ride I had ever taken on The Beast. We decided Backlot Stunt Coaster would be next, and it was a 5-10 minute wait. Everything was normal, but the police car's sirens weren't on and just sat there. Also in the tunnel, three exit signs were newly illuminated. I actually kind-of liked the pale green light they cast through the darkness. We all got Dippin' Dots, and as we walked back towards International Street the fireworks burst over the sky. We left the park as soon as it closed, ending a great first season visit to Kings Island.