Does CF Make Wishes Come True?

[HTCO]

I was at the park today, and I kept noticing this family. They had VIP passes on and I saw a worker in a green polo take them right up to Drop Tower's exit and Diamondbacks, for a no line wait. I was wondering if CF did some sort of random pick out of the crowd and make there "dreams come true". Much like what Disney does. Any thoughts?

[flying eagles]

CF has a VIP package

http://www.pki.com/visit/visit_vip.cfm

[Brandon]

The price is "only" $200. At Cedar Point last year the price was $400. I am pretty sure it still is. I guess it's worth it if your family is wealthy and your from a different country and have no plans on coming back to the park.

[McSalsa]

A friend of mine was also able to skip right past the lines without the V.I.P. passes or line jumping- he was with someone who had a broken foot. He showed me the papers.

I was a bit shocked that people with a broken foot can still ride pretty much anything in the park, save Sling Shot, Skyflyer, or Thunder Alley.

I was especially shocked by this line:

Son of Beast- OK

This was a few days before SOB closed for the year, BTW.

He still had to wait, however, when he wasn't with that person.

PS: I do NOT encourage anyone to break their foot just to avoid lines at KI. Or break someone else's foot and go with them, either!

...unless you are truly that desperate to ride Firehawk.

Just kidding once again. Not even for that.

[HTCO]

Looks like I can answer my own question. No. Unless you have $200. Then yes.

[McSalsa]

Looks like I can answer my own question. No. Unless you have $200. Then yes.

Or you can be crazy and break your foot. Or someone else's. Or just wait until an accident occurs and you break your foot, etc.

Then again, the medicals bills could go well over $200, so...not a good idea. I would just buy a VIP pass or wait.

But, if you do by chance get a broken foot anyhow, or one of your friends does...make a trip to KI, and you can skip right past the lines and ride pretty much everything.

DISCLAIMER: ONLY BROKEN FEET/ANKLES WOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE ALMOST EVERYTHING. DO NOT BREAK SKULL, NECK, BACK, ARMS, OR LEGS OR GET INTERNAL INJURIES AS THESE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO RIDE MOST RIDES.

[The Interpreter]

What happened? Cedar Fair HAD changed the disability policy such that those who are disabled must wait the same time to ride as those in line. It was covered in detail here:

...In an effort to be fair to all our guests, Guests with Restricted Mobility and one riding companion may enter via our special access entrance after their party waits in line. Guests may rest in a comfortable spot until the boarding time and then enter the ride via the Special Access Entrance. The following guidelines will be of assistance when using Special Access Entrances:...

http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/ride...cial_access.cfm

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php?...amp;hl=disabled

I am not aware this policy has changed. In fact, I am quite certain it has not.

Breaking a foot should not change anyone's wait time under Cedar Fair disability policy.

Separately, Cedar Fair, like other chains, does make wishes come true for families of children with life challenging physical problems. You may remember a ride auction this year. Like other companies in the business, Cedar Fair does help to let these kids be a kid again, to give kids the world, to make wishes come true, etc.

(Once again, by the way, the Cedar Point website far exceeds that of Kings Island. KI's says only:

...GUESTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Stop by Guest Relations located at the Front Gate to pick up a Rider Safety Guide. This free guide explains the entry guidelines and procedures and provides specific information related to each attraction. A limited number of wheelchairs are available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis at the Front Gate. Please call our Sales and Service Center at 800-288-0808 a minimum of 14 days in advance of your visit and request a copy of our 2009 Rider Safety Guide, or check back soon to download a copy....

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/visit/visit.cfm

Check back soon? It's been only how long since this policy was instituted?)

[hamoperator]

That group was rumored to be Mr Kintzel.

[violakat03]

There seems to be many reasons a group would be escorted up the exit. They may have been a VIP group. They may have had front of the line passes because they were on it when it broke down. They may have been a member of some other group that was given front of line access, such a A Kid Again or Make a Wish. I saw a group at KD yesterday that got front of line access, because it was a family that performed a motorcycle stunt show in the park. They're only there this weekend and in between performances they were escorted to rides so they could enjoy the park also.

As for getting to skip lines for a disability- it may look that way but they also waited. If the ride is a short or walk on wait, they'll usually just out them right on, but if it's a long wait, they have a paper with the rides listed on it. They go up the exit, get the paper initialed along with a time. That time is approximately the same time as it would take to wait in line. They cannot "wait" in 2 lines at the same time, nor can they get immediate access to another ride while waiting, because they always have to show that paper. They then come back at the listed time and get on the ride, so they aren't just hanging around the exit for an hour.

Posted from my BlackBerry mobile device.

[Coaster Kid]

Me and my family are doing this in a few weeks when we get back from DollyWood and Cedar Point.

[Gabe]

Or they can dispense with such nonsense and just do what Disney does--almost all of their ques are designed for people in wheelchairs to go through like everyone else.

[CedarPointer]

Diamondback's would be very, very hard to make accessible. Same with Vortex, Flight Deck, and SoB.

[jondrewfoo]

There seems to be many reasons a group would be escorted up the exit. They may have been a VIP group. They may have had front of the line passes because they were on it when it broke down. They may have been a member of some other group that was given front of line access, such a A Kid Again or Make a Wish. I saw a group at KD yesterday that got front of line access, because it was a family that performed a motorcycle stunt show in the park. They're only there this weekend and in between performances they were escorted to rides so they could enjoy the park also.

As for getting to skip lines for a disability- it may look that way but they also waited. If the ride is a short or walk on wait, they'll usually just out them right on, but if it's a long wait, they have a paper with the rides listed on it. They go up the exit, get the paper initialed along with a time. That time is approximately the same time as it would take to wait in line. They cannot "wait" in 2 lines at the same time, nor can they get immediate access to another ride while waiting, because they always have to show that paper. They then come back at the listed time and get on the ride, so they aren't just hanging around the exit for an hour.

Posted from my BlackBerry mobile device.

i can attest to both. My mom broke her foot, and they would let us get on if the line was really short, but otherwise wed have to wait with that paper, and they would only allow up to 3 others with you, not some gigantic group. and Cedar Fair does more than you think, every year since sometime in the peak of the paramount years they have sponsored a kid again (formerly adventures for wish kids) to come to Kings Island one day a year along with their families. That day is tomorrow. Many thought that with Cedar Fair taking over, this would be no longer but they have been more than accommodating just as Paramount was, as was definately shown with the Diamondback First Rider auction this year...

[coaster_junky]

^^but Son of Beast's queue line doesn't have stairs in it.

[jondrewfoo]

im pretty sure they would just have to make the section where there are currently que lines wider, to make Son of Beasts que line accessible. but that would be a serious trek without a power wheelchair, and theyd have to take the wheelchair to the other side of the car to leave it, which would be another nightmare all together.

[dare-to-fly]

I'll second what many others have said. Those with disabilities are required to wait the same amount of time (roughly) as those in line if said line is longer than 15 minutes. Those who are coming up the exit do not have special passes that they paid extra for that allow them to skip lines unless they paid the $200 per person for a VIP tour. Try explaining that to a disabled person when they have to wait and someone with a VIP pass gets right on. The VIP's usually aren't looked upon too favorably at that point, nor are the ride ops that explain it to them.

...And if Cedar Fair made wishes come true, there would be no trims in the park.

[Diamondback FOF]

There seems to be many reasons a group would be escorted up the exit. They may have been a VIP group. They may have had front of the line passes because they were on it when it broke down. They may have been a member of some other group that was given front of line access, such a A Kid Again or Make a Wish. I saw a group at KD yesterday that got front of line access, because it was a family that performed a motorcycle stunt show in the park. They're only there this weekend and in between performances they were escorted to rides so they could enjoy the park also.

As for getting to skip lines for a disability- it may look that way but they also waited. If the ride is a short or walk on wait, they'll usually just out them right on, but if it's a long wait, they have a paper with the rides listed on it. They go up the exit, get the paper initialed along with a time. That time is approximately the same time as it would take to wait in line. They cannot "wait" in 2 lines at the same time, nor can they get immediate access to another ride while waiting, because they always have to show that paper. They then come back at the listed time and get on the ride, so they aren't just hanging around the exit for an hour.

Posted from my BlackBerry mobile device.

and Cedar Fair does more than you think, every year since sometime in the peak of the paramount years they have sponsored a kid again (formerly adventures for wish kids) to come to Kings Island one day a year along with their families. That day is tomorrow.

Do you think that Kings Island will be overly busy tomorrow since A Kid Again is coming? I hope it isn't worse than a Saturday. But, I hope they have fun .

[CallyIn]

I took my Great-Niece to Kings Island last Thursday, she is handicapped (she has no legs). We took her into Customer Relations where they asked a few questions, measured her and filled out a piece of paper with her name and what she was wearing. They gave that to us along w/a list of rides to be time stamped as we rode since you couldn't do back to back rides. We were told to take her up the exit ramp, show the paper to the ride operator and she would be allowed on immediately. Granted she is only two so the rides she went on were limited and most didn't have a huge wait, but we did get on the Scooby Doo ride that had an hour wait immediately. We waited in line at the log ride though.

[jondrewfoo]

Do you think that Kings Island will be overly busy tomorrow since A Kid Again is coming? I hope it isn't worse than a Saturday. But, I hope they have fun smile.gif.

no, i do not. as someone whos family goes every year, i can say for sure that it does not overly crowd the park. there are normally around like 3,000 people in the group, however you must remember the fact that most are children, and many can not or chose not to ride the extreme thrill rides. Nick Universe Tends to be crowded, but really it normally isnt that bad of a day. the only bad day we had with the group is the day that Spirit Song was scheduled, like this coming thursday, now that day was packed with concert goers...