What a difference 3 years-and new ownership-makes

[HandsUp]

My last trip before yesterday had been 3 years ago, and severely soured my taste for the park. The years of lameness, product placement, and lousy ride additions that Paramount brought to KI came to a head that Memorial Day 2005. It centered around the new Italian Job ride. Basicly it was having trouble running-just like any new ride, but to make matters worse, you had to have a special ride ticket just to stand in line-and they only gave out a certain amount of them each day. We got different stories from the staff every time we tried to ride it, and it just got old. We left early and frustrated. Since then, my wife and I had been to CP a few times and were convinced that they had it all over KI....but yesterday's experience gave me a brand new sense of optimism about the park where I practically grew up, and have many great memories of.

First off, I never liked the movie themes, so that was not missed. I also liked the re-introduction of actual music throughout the park. Here are a few other great highlights/observations from yesterday:

Lines: There basicly were none. Kids going back to school goes a long way. We had to wait 3 or 4 cars for the front seat of The Beast-and 2 minutes (maybe) to get on Firehawk.

Firehawk: 1st thing we rode. This thing was wild. Totally different than anything I've ever ridden. You really feel like you're going to fly out of that thing! The second time we rode it I left my hands free and that made it a lot smoother.

Beast: There really is nothing like the front seat of this coaster. Bracing yourself around turns and holding on tighter at times makes it really feel like your are 'riding a Beast'. It is a true classic...I've ridden it since I was a kid and it still just as great.

Xtreme Skyflyer: Thanks for the tip on the $5 ticket! I'd never pay a boatload for an extra attraction like this, but totally worth $5. I did it solo cuz the wife was chicken. It was very exhilirating and I honestly could do that all day.

Boomerang Bay: I hadn't been to the waterpark since the days of MTV's Grind on Friday nights. The $8 locker was a little steep, but worth the peace of mind. The park itself was great. We really loved the Koolangatta Racer with the foam sleds and the holes in the tube that let the light in. They made a very neat effect of speed. Really unique. The funnel slide was also very cool and different. Unfortunately, the snow river rapids was closed, but I imagine they've got some slim staffing nowadays.

Back Lot Stunt Coaster: It was great to finally ride this-even though it was closed for much of the morning. We got the front seat, and nearly blacked out on that first launch up the mini-helix. Wasn't expecting such a rush so quick! The rest of it was pretty cool too-especially the portion in total darkness. I felt-like another rider-that it was definitely 'better than I thought it would be'.

Delirium: This was fun, but also made me a little woozy. I rode the one at CP with no ill-effects, so who knows what the deal was. It felt like it could have ended a little sooner and I would have been fine.

Oktoberfest: I'd really like to see more emphasis on the Oktoberfest theme. The Festhaus used to have a much more German feel-and now they do country shows there? Just a few more quaint, secluded places to chill and drink beer-a few more girls in Bavarian dresses, and a German band and some sauerkraut and sausage and we'd be good to go!

Yesterday reminded me though-what a pretty place KI is. We really didn't mind criss-crossing the park all day, because the walks are very pleasant. While CP has the coasters, they will never have the real estate to be such a beautiful place like KI. There are just so many neat 'nooks and crannies' and nice shady places to rest or people-watch. Not to mention the overall ambiance of certain pasrts, especially Int. St. and the fountains...I'd forgotten about the Don Quixote bust on one of the storefronts...just too cool. Overall, it was a great visit and a great day. It made me very happy to see that my 'happy place' as a kid is now in good hands and will continue to grow and appeal to 'children' of all ages...the Diamonback construction loomed large as well-and made me very happy that I live a mere half hour from the park! Thanks again for all the help!

[fanofki]

Boomerang Bay: I hadn't been to the waterpark since the days of MTV's Grind on Friday nights. The $8 locker was a little steep, but worth the peace of mind. The park itself was great. We really loved the Koolangatta Racer with the foam sleds and the holes in the tube that let the light in. They made a very neat effect of speed. Really unique. The funnel slide was also very cool and different.

Koolangatta (I think that's how you spell it) Racer is always my favorite over there, too.

[welchce]

Oktoberfest: I'd really like to see more emphasis on the Oktoberfest theme. The Festhaus used to have a much more German feel-and now they do country shows there? Just a few more quaint, secluded places to chill and drink beer-a few more girls in Bavarian dresses, and a German band and some sauerkraut and sausage and we'd be good to go!

Yeah, it seems like most areas of the park could use a themeing cohesion plan.

Yesterday reminded me though-what a pretty place KI is. We really didn't mind criss-crossing the park all day, because the walks are very pleasant. While CP has the coasters, they will never have the real estate to be such a beautiful place like KI. There are just so many neat 'nooks and crannies' and nice shady places to rest or people-watch. Not to mention the overall ambiance of certain pasrts, especially Int. St. and the fountains...I'd forgotten about the Don Quixote bust on one of the storefronts...just too cool. Overall, it was a great visit and a great day. It made me very happy to see that my 'happy place' as a kid is now in good hands and will continue to grow and appeal to 'children' of all ages...the Diamonback construction loomed large as well-and made me very happy that I live a mere half hour from the park! Thanks again for all the help!

I don't think you could've summed it up any better.

Great trip report.

[MarketingExpress]

The years of lameness, product placement, and lousy ride additions that Paramount brought to KI came to a head that Memorial Day 2005. It centered around the new Italian Job ride. Basicly it was having trouble running-just like any new ride, but to make matters worse, you had to have a special ride ticket just to stand in line-and they only gave out a certain amount of them each day. We got different stories from the staff every time we tried to ride it, and it just got old. We left early and frustrated.

I am pretty sure I was one of the employees you spoke with...

The reason for the "special ride ticket" that you speak of was because the ride was still in the testing stages and having the problems that new rides traditionally have. We did not want the line to be full only to have to clear it out again for problems. Plus, with it being a new ride, a major or minor problem could have occurred and we would not have been able to tell you if it was going to be a lengthy or short delay. The special tickets allowed us to control the size of the line and when breakdowns did occur (and they happened a lot)we didn't have to turn away a 1-2 hour line multiple times a day which would frustrate a lot more people.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Awesome report, HandsUp! You're right: what a difference. IMHO the park has improved tenfold from the days of Paramount. The staff seems friendlier, the park feels cleaner, it doesn't feel like the park is being run from 2000 miles away anymore. It's back to feeling like a unique place, with its own charm and character.

[RailRider]

Great Trip Report. You know I have noticed the vast improvements under CF every year, but I can only imagine what a difference you would see with a 3 year abscence. Very cool

[tigellinus]

^^I still think you need to hold off on the anointing oil...I can point to many things better under the PKI days!!

Better SP prices, buy an 06 SP in Aug 05 and get rest of 05 free, BAFF days, cheaper food prices, Racer running backwards, better Boomerang Bay hours...should I continue??

[RailRider]

How about under PKI.

Lack of entertainment in park, Racer Running Backwards, lack of landscaping, poor ride upkeep, lack of dinning choices, hands off management, unenthusiastic employees, park cleanliness, few special events... Need I go on?

[Thrill_Biscuit]

^^I still think you need to hold off on the anointing oil...I can point to many things better under the PKI days!!

Better SP prices, buy an 06 SP in Aug 05 and get rest of 05 free, BAFF days, cheaper food prices, Racer running backwards, better Boomerang Bay hours...should I continue??

I'm not sure what you mean by 'anointing oil' but my opinion is just that: my opinion, and I thank you for sharing yours with us. (I'm just a fan; I don't have the power to anoint much, I'm afraid) .

I have already weighed the pros and cons from both owners, and CF comes out in a more favorable light to me. Paramount did very well with things like TR:TR and NU, and I preferred their movie themes on I street over CF's more 'adult contemporary', but CF has the park feeling like it did during what I call the 'good old days'. Kings Island really feels more alive than it did under Paramount. To me. That's all.

[pki_rulz]

i worked at PKI for four years and have visited several times since Cedar Fair's ownership and one thing I keep seeing that i have to disagree on is employee's attitudes. under Cedar Fair, one thing i do not believe has changed for the good is employee attitudes. i have not been impressed yet and continually see instances (especially in rides and Guest Relations) where i think the attitudes were much better under PKI.

I do believe Cedar Fair has done good overall but do not think they are better in guest relations.

[LaurAsh]

i worked at PKI for four years and have visited several times since Cedar Fair's ownership and one thing I keep seeing that i have to disagree on is employee's attitudes. under Cedar Fair, one thing i do not believe has changed for the good is employee attitudes. i have not been impressed yet and continually see instances (especially in rides and Guest Relations) where i think the attitudes were much better under PKI.

I do believe Cedar Fair has done good overall but do not think they are better in guest relations.

Cedar Fair has made it less fun for the employees. Many people I have spoken to who have worked at KI for years said they were sad to see Paramount go as the owners. I can tell you that there are a ton of stupid rules that have been implemented since CF took over.

[Gordon Bombay]

How about under PKI.

poor ride upkeep,

Uh, how did you come to this conclusion? How is the ride upkeep today any better than it was in the past and where do you get the knowledge of such things? If you're referring to the theming on rides and how that deteriorated so quickly then that is a completely different department of people who keep up the rides themselves.

[HandsUp]

I suppose a lot of it is personal preference-and individual experiences. For me-the movie themes were unecessary and gaudy. An amusement park (IMO) is a real-life place that should have an identity of its own-not have movie themes forced upon it. I also did not care for the very limited beer policy, and all of those annoying TVs.

Being an adreneline junkie, I'd wait every year for a big thrill ride, and was usually dissapointed. FoF and SoB were quality additions-but still not of the order of several CP coasters. Plus, I always thought it silly to install another big wooden coaster, when you already have THE BEST wooden coaster ever (maybe a little biased) on the premises. I'll admit that DZ is amazing. But most of the additions seemed to be kid/family oriented, and neglect the thrill seekers. I always felt that their emphasis was on kid stuff and movie advertising, as opposed to providing thrills. This seemed a shame given the physical size of the park and the potential that comes with size.

In the short time that CF has been in charge, they've installed a flying coaster, and are building a hyper...now that's more like it! As mentioned, the place feels much more like the KI I knew growing up. If they keep up the pace of installing great coasters, KI will reach the point where the lines are never too long because there are so many great rides. I'm sure my view would be a bit different if I were a SP holder or an employee...but that's just the view of one coaster fan who was turned off by PKI-and is ecstatic that CF is in charge. KI is a big, beautiful place, and it has enough room for families, kids, and adreneline junkies.

[CoastersNSich]

^^I still think you need to hold off on the anointing oil...I can point to many things better under the PKI days!!

Better SP prices, buy an 06 SP in Aug 05 and get rest of 05 free, BAFF days, cheaper food prices, Racer running backwards, better Boomerang Bay hours...should I continue??

The Season Pass program is worth debating. Prior to Cedar Fair, you got the remainder of the current season free - and four other parks. Now, few season pass holders visited the other parks, so offering a KI-only pass makes sense... I can understand the diminished value of the passes nowadays.

Bring a Friend Free Days? Who did they really benefit, when the park was packed, with few paying to get in?

Cheaper food prices? Maybe, but was the quality any better?

Racer backwards? More of a subjective thing. Though I prefer a racing twin coaster, and two forward facing trains make the concept better.

Boomerang Bay hours? The current hour structure goes back ten years. Personally, I'd like to see more 10am opens and 8pm closes. 7 pm in the heart of the season seems weak. I know that comparing BB with the Beach waterpark may not be totally fair, but having at least 8 pm closes would be more attractive, especially for the locals and having the SP entrance.

And how do you not take notice of all the special events?

[fanofki]

^^I still think you need to hold off on the anointing oil...I can point to many things better under the PKI days!!

Better SP prices, buy an 06 SP in Aug 05 and get rest of 05 free, BAFF days, cheaper food prices, Racer running backwards, better Boomerang Bay hours...should I continue??

The Season Pass program is worth debating. Prior to Cedar Fair, you got the remainder of the current season free - and four other parks. Now, few season pass holders visited the other parks, so offering a KI-only pass makes sense... I can understand the diminished value of the passes nowadays.

Bring a Friend Free Days? Who did they really benefit, when the park was packed, with few paying to get in?

Cheaper food prices? Maybe, but was the quality any better?

Racer backwards? More of a subjective thing. Though I prefer a racing twin coaster, and two forward facing trains make the concept better.

Boomerang Bay hours? The current hour structure goes back ten years. Personally, I'd like to see more 10am opens and 8pm closes. 7 pm in the heart of the season seems weak. I know that comparing BB with the Beach waterpark may not be totally fair, but having at least 8 pm closes would be more attractive, especially for the locals and having the SP entrance.

And how do you not take notice of all the special events?

I would have to say that for those who like and go to Cedar Point and Kings Island and any of the other Cedar Fair parks then the platinum option is perfect, other than that I think the season passes are the on par with PKI's.

I think the bring a friend free day was a great way to get new people into the park. It is the best way to have the parks own season pass holders bring in new people and hopefully got them wanting to come back. The only problem is that their day might not have been so great because of how crowded it can be on those days.

I personally like both sides of The Racer going forwards just because I like the forwards better than backwards, but I can definately see why people like having two different choices.

...And I don't really have anything to say about Boomerang Bay's hours because I don't mind them, but I'm sure another hour wouldn't hurt in the middle of the summer.

Oh, and I also do like all the events there are now, too.

[Cormaster]

I don't think Paramount's ownership hurt the park much. Yeah they named most of their rides after paramount TV Shows/Movies, so what? I know Top Gun was kind of small, but that wasn't their choice to build that either, that was something that started with previous management, it just got the "top gun" name after Paramount took over the same year it was supposed to open. Flight of Fear is really an awesome coaster! don't let the size of the building fool you, its a really uniquely designed coaster, and very intense and thrilling. I can't tell you how many times I've rode it but nothing can prepare you for that initial launch, and then of course its so dark in the building the feeling of suprise always catches me off guard. you really don't know whats coming up next and thus have no way to prepare for it. And as for Son of Beast, I understand the quality and roughness of the coaster, but the point remains that Paramount at least tried to give everyone a great new coaster. They spent like 20 million on it, who would of known it would turned out that way? In a time when hyper coasters were proving to be more popular, Paramount thought they'd try something unique and different and give everyone a hypercoaster made out of wood, and also make it the only wooden looping coaster in the world! They had no way of knowing how it would of turned out. As for Italian Job, well it is a family coaster but it ain't bad either. The initial launch and speed up the helix is well worth the ride alone!

Overall I don't think the Paramount Era was that bad. It was still the same park, still had awesome attractions and Paramount continuously brought us good new attractions, just as Cedar Fair is doing now, and just as the owners before it did.

[fanofki]

I don't think Paramount's ownership hurt the park much. Yeah they named most of their rides after paramount TV Shows/Movies, so what? I know Top Gun was kind of small, but that wasn't their choice to build that either, that was something that started with previous management, it just got the "top gun" name after Paramount took over the same year it was supposed to open. Flight of Fear is really an awesome coaster! don't let the size of the building fool you, its a really uniquely designed coaster, and very intense and thrilling. I can't tell you how many times I've rode it but nothing can prepare you for that initial launch, and then of course its so dark in the building the feeling of suprise always catches me off guard. you really don't know whats coming up next and thus have no way to prepare for it. And as for Son of Beast, I understand the quality and roughness of the coaster, but the point remains that Paramount at least tried to give everyone a great new coaster. They spent like 20 million on it, who would of known it would turned out that way? In a time when hyper coasters were proving to be more popular, Paramount thought they'd try something unique and different and give everyone a hypercoaster made out of wood, and also make it the only wooden looping coaster in the world! They had no way of knowing how it would of turned out. As for Italian Job, well it is a family coaster but it ain't bad either. The initial launch and speed up the helix is well worth the ride alone!

Overall I don't think the Paramount Era was that bad. It was still the same park, still had awesome attractions and Paramount continuously brought us good new attractions, just as Cedar Fair is doing now, and just as the owners before it did.

Yeah. I don't think that Paramount's hurt the park at all, but near the end of their ownership it just had some sort of feeling like it wasn't taken care of as much as it could have been. I can't really put my finger on it but there was something or things.

I think the park seems to sort of have a different feeling now with the new ownership. To me it feels like a more experienced owner is running it.

[fanofki]

I don't think Paramount's ownership hurt the park much. Yeah they named most of their rides after paramount TV Shows/Movies, so what? I know Top Gun was kind of small, but that wasn't their choice to build that either, that was something that started with previous management, it just got the "top gun" name after Paramount took over the same year it was supposed to open. Flight of Fear is really an awesome coaster! don't let the size of the building fool you, its a really uniquely designed coaster, and very intense and thrilling. I can't tell you how many times I've rode it but nothing can prepare you for that initial launch, and then of course its so dark in the building the feeling of suprise always catches me off guard. you really don't know whats coming up next and thus have no way to prepare for it. And as for Son of Beast, I understand the quality and roughness of the coaster, but the point remains that Paramount at least tried to give everyone a great new coaster. They spent like 20 million on it, who would of known it would turned out that way? In a time when hyper coasters were proving to be more popular, Paramount thought they'd try something unique and different and give everyone a hypercoaster made out of wood, and also make it the only wooden looping coaster in the world! They had no way of knowing how it would of turned out. As for Italian Job, well it is a family coaster but it ain't bad either. The initial launch and speed up the helix is well worth the ride alone!

Overall I don't think the Paramount Era was that bad. It was still the same park, still had awesome attractions and Paramount continuously brought us good new attractions, just as Cedar Fair is doing now, and just as the owners before it did.

Yeah. I don't think that Paramount's hurt the park at all, but near the end of their ownership it just had some sort of feeling like it wasn't taken care of as much as it could have been. I can't really put my finger on it but there was something or things.I think the park seems to sort of have a different feeling now with the new ownership. To me it feels like a more experienced owner is running it.

[The Interpreter]

Near the end it was CBS. CBS would have killed the park had they owned it much longer. Their cutbacks and poor operating methods were all aimed at window dressing for a sale. And it worked. And how. I will never, ever forget opening day in 2006, when the Viking Fury ride opened with leaves from the preceding fall still in the seats, when many rides--though clearly safe and maintained, were cosmetically yucky...when they decided NOT to let guests into the park to spend money before opening time (which maketh no sense!).

Their cynically bringing back Winterfest in order to show a potential new owner what could be done totally takes the cake. And don't even mention the ride rotation program they had begun and planned to expand.

Thank goodness CBS is gone.

[tigellinus]

^^But for the record, Terpy, no rides ever got relocated, correct?? Wasn't the closest thing being FOF at KI and KD planned to move to CW and Carowinds for the 07 season with early prep work for those removals just about to begin as the Cedar Fair ink dried??

[The Interpreter]

^^But for the record, Terpy, no rides ever got relocated, correct?? Wasn't the closest thing being FOF at KI and KD planned to move to CW and Carowinds for the 07 season with early prep work for those removals just about to begin as the Cedar Fair ink dried??

Actually, a ride WAS relocated near the end of the Paramount era. Borg: The Assimilator, now known as Nighthawk, now at Carowinds, was Stealth from what is now California's Great America. It was this move that gave CBS the idea that relocating rides was a great idea. It is my understanding that at a recent park enthusiast event at Kings Island, Mr. Jeff Gramke, head of facilities, engineering and construction, said ride relocations were the wave of the future for Cedar Fair. Stay tuned.

[tigellinus]

^^Sweet!! So when does KI get Maverick!?

[Cormaster]

yeah I heard Flight of Fear would of been moved had Cedar Fair not bought the park when it had.