Just when you thought that game prizes couldn't get any worse than basketballs, KI has found a giant crane machine with giant bouncy balls as prizes. These balls are basically the same as the red playground balls you may remember from elementary school - only much much larger, with various designs on them. I'm not sure how many of these machines there are, but one is located at the entrance to the Coney Mall arcade, near DDR. I haven't seen too many of these balls around the park yet, but they're definitely more annoying than basketballs, especially due to their size...

I only saw 1 person with one of those today. and amazingly, they weren't bouncing it

I've seen a few people bouncing them. Fortunately they don't seem to be as popular as the basketballs.

Wish KI would adopt CP's policy of banning basketballs from queue lines.

I wish they'd just give them away deflated. That would put an end to all the annoying "bounce! bounce! bounce!" all the time (although it would also spoil the fun of trying to stick my foot in the path of the ball, thereby causing it to roll away and causing the owner to go chasing after it - something I was actually successful at once...)

Wish KI would adopt CP's policy of banning basketballs from queue lines.

I'm surprised they haven't. As far as I'm concerned, they're a safety hazard. Not only do the basketballs hit and roll into people, the owners carelessly run over you as they chase them, and I've seen a few bounce beyond fences that said owners climb over to retrieve.

Not to mention the time it would save, which saves on labor costs....

Ironically they do come deflated.

I never thought of that, but it would definitely save them a lot of labor if they just give them away deflated. They could inflate one of each style to put on display (so people could see what they look like when inflated), and give them away deflated. They could possibly even make a small profit by charging to inflate them as you leave the park.

I don't mind people bouncing basketballs, I actully don't mind the noise either but when a person constently loses control of the ball it becomes very annoying when they get in your way and it's also a safety conceren .

I never thought of that, but it would definitely save them a lot of labor if they just give them away deflated. They could inflate one of each style to put on display (so people could see what they look like when inflated), and give them away deflated. They could possibly even make a small profit by charging to inflate them as you leave the park.

Just charge the same price to do that like they do to dry off over by the white water rafting ride. Its 5.00 for 3 1/2 mins. Lol.

The giant bouncy balls aren't as bad as the basketballs by far, especially because they are too big to pretend like you are And 1.

I was doing handstamps last night and I saw so many people carrying those out. I saw a Batman one....which made me think about Six Flags... (Goofy shudders)

I dont have a real problem with basketballs when walking on the midways, but when in ride lines when the que is a much smaller area, its gets obnoxious real fast, not to mention the times I have seen people have their basketballs go over the airgates in the station and on to coaster track or over other fences into restricted areas. I think making guests to put them in lockers before riding or giving them out deflated would be a very good idea

I agree about the basketballs, but then I have for years.

I saw the crane machine you mention, and I also saw somebody manage to get a big black bouncy ball out of it. Said person put in at least $15 in the effort that I watched and he was working on it when I walked up to see the machine. (Its one try for $2, 3 for $5)

Does Kings Island have enough Basketball games? I count one at The Racer end of Coney, one across from Zephyr, and one accross from the train station for the standard "free throw/ 3 point shot" variety, plus short range games in coney across from the Scrambler, Rivertown at Beast Entrance, and possibly Nick at the entrance to Avatar. Let's not forget Three Point Challenge across from Vortex! I know this is a big college hoops town, but...

Oh, I watched somebody get 14/15 on 3 Point Challenge, quite impressive. This week they had his name up, I want to say Gary Dowdell Jr, but what is more noteworthy if you look at the back of the game, there is plaque congratulating him on getting a perfect score on the game one day. I tried to Google to see if he had any past basketball experience of note but came up empty.

The basketballs aren't overly annoying. I've realized that Cedar Fair isn't going to do much of anything to stop the problem, so i've just learned to tune it out.

Oh, I watched somebody get 14/15 on 3 Point Challenge, quite impressive. This week they had his name up, I want to say Gary Dowdell Jr, but what is more noteworthy if you look at the back of the game, there is plaque congratulating him on getting a perfect score on the game one day. I tried to Google to see if he had any past basketball experience of note but came up empty.

Yeah, let's just say that you can get really good with a little practice! Stop by and say 'hi' if you see me there again!

The basketballs aren't overly annoying. I've realized that Cedar Fair isn't going to do much of anything to stop the problem, so i've just learned to tune it out.

Most anyone who's been to the park has probably seen crazy stuff happen on midways with folks trying to corral basketballs that get away from them, and therefore from that standpoint they are a bit of a nuisance on that front. The reason the park doesn't deflate the balls or take any other countermeasures is really simple...it's free advertising for their games! It also shows that the games are beatable, so they want people to at least believe that they can win.

Wish KI would adopt CP's policy of banning basketballs from queue lines.

Wait, CP bannes basketballs from queue lines? Then where do people put them?

I wish they'd just give them away deflated. That would put an end to all the annoying "bounce! bounce! bounce!" all the time (although it would also spoil the fun of trying to stick my foot in the path of the ball, thereby causing it to roll away and causing the owner to go chasing after it - something I was actually successful at once...)

Yeah, it would be smart to give them away deflated. I know, it's advertising and then people spend money, but THAT many people look at someone with a basketball and think, "Gee. I think I might be able to win a basketball for myself."?

I agree about the basketballs, but then I have for years.

I saw the crane machine you mention, and I also saw somebody manage to get a big black bouncy ball out of it. Said person put in at least $15 in the effort that I watched and he was working on it when I walked up to see the machine. (Its one try for $2, 3 for $5)

Does Kings Island have enough Basketball games? I count one at The Racer end of Coney, one across from Zephyr, and one accross from the train station for the standard "free throw/ 3 point shot" variety, plus short range games in coney across from the Scrambler, Rivertown at Beast Entrance, and possibly Nick at the entrance to Avatar. Let's not forget Three Point Challenge across from Vortex! I know this is a big college hoops town, but...

Oh, I watched somebody get 14/15 on 3 Point Challenge, quite impressive. This week they had his name up, I want to say Gary Dowdell Jr, but what is more noteworthy if you look at the back of the game, there is plaque congratulating him on getting a perfect score on the game one day. I tried to Google to see if he had any past basketball experience of note but came up empty.

But, not all of those basketball games give away basketballs. Some give basketballs, others give jerseys, and others give stuffed animals. The smaller ones are for children and other who cannot shoot a regular basketball and do well. People who cannot play basketball might like to still shoot a small basketball to have fun and still win a prize.

I only saw 1 person with one of those today. and amazingly, they weren't bouncing it

Lol that was probably my family... They won a big red Starwars playground ball. I had them join me yesterday because of the 9.99 deal. I reminded all of them several times of how much it annoys me and a lot of other people that were in the park that day.