Kings Island's 5@5 Q&A Thread

[PREMiERdrum]

The new website will surely have a blog built into it, making the kingsislandinsider blogspot page somewhat useless... As to the 5@5, I still blame the date.

[CoastersRZ]

But... Look at Cedar Point`s website which has (or had) a blog built into it. They posted a similar message on their website stating that they too were discontinuing their blog.

[PREMiERdrum]

But... Look at Cedar Point`s website which has (or had) a blog built into it. They posted a similar message on their website stating that they too were discontinuing their blog.

Also announced on April 1st... Did you guys hear Google is changing their name, too? Weird that all this stuff is happening on the same day!

[CoastersRZ]

I`m just saying. While April 1st is known as a prank day, there are real news stories and items that do go out. Don`t immediately assume everything that you read on April 1st is a prank. This may not be a prank. I hope its not. But if it is, it is not a good move, in my opinion. Blogs and Facebook forums like the 5 at 5 are a way for the park to communicate with its fans and build excitement. Especially in this day and age of social networking.

[Diamondback96]

I honestly think the KI blog has been discontinued, as the new website will have one built in. Not sure about the 5@5, but the CP blog closing is a joke, as Carowinds' blog hasn't been discontinued yet.

[JAHill]

This is why you don't release news like this on a day known for pranks and jokes. Especially in the situation that we know exists.

[Diamondback FOF]

Maybe the PR department is being axed? I really hope not! It makes me sad the 5@5 is no longer available (as of now). I hope it was a joke. As for the blog, I really didn't read it often (but some), so it isn't as big of a deal. I could see a blog being on the new website.

[Diamondback96]

If the PR department was being axed, then KI would seem less like a family park and more like a fair.

[RingMaster]

If the PR department was being axed, then KI would seem less like a family park and more like a fair.

But then we might have more creative names than Drop Tower and Flight Deck and we wouldn't need to be kept waiting until the last minute for updates weeks or sometimes months after our sister parks receive them.

[Colonel_SoB_fan]

PR does not do the naming, at least not by themselves

[PREMiERdrum]

I`m just saying. While April 1st is known as a prank day, there are real news stories and items that do go out. Don`t immediately assume everything that you read on April 1st is a prank. This may not be a prank. I hope its not. But if it is, it is not a good move, in my opinion. Blogs and Facebook forums like the 5 at 5 are a way for the park to communicate with its fans and build excitement. Especially in this day and age of social networking.

Unless it is an issue that simply cannot wait 24 hours to be announced, most of what comes out in PR form on 4/1 is a joke. Any PR class (and I've sat through enough of them!) will teach you that. Anything that can be a distraction from your message will a distraction from your message. I have more faith in Don, Bryan, and Robin than to think they'd do this for real on 4/1.

[Diamondback FOF]

So you're saying you think this is a joke? But the 5@5 message was two days ago, not on April Fool's Day, although my first and current thought was/is it is a joke.

[Oldiesmann]

They always post the note a day early (usually within an hour or two of the time the answered the current day's questions). That gives us plenty of time to fling interesting questions at them, and them plenty of time to choose the most interesting ones to answer (as well as research anything that needs researching).

I would be very surprised if this wasn't an April Fool's joke.

[BeastinNight]

Yay!! 5@5 is back... It was an April Fools Joke like we all Thought

[IndyGuy4KI]

April 1st 5@5

Sorry. Looks like we didn't fool anyone!

David McPeak - My question of the day is, is this a April Fools prank, lol.

Busted. Sorry. My mom hates that I still do this junk to her too. Not coordinated in any way with Cedar Point by the way. We are still on for 5@5 each day and I even went through the comments and picked out any questions that were there. I hope we didn’t lose anyone for good. Help me spread the word and I promise not to do it again (this year).

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Stan Byme - I also hope this is just an April Fool's Day joke. If not, I am sad that the park didn't realize how well this was going over. I have been going to the park since the 70's...and to be honest, for the last few years I see a difference...and not a good one. It has appeared to me that the park considers we "enthusiasts" as a nuisance, not a valuable

Mr. Byme, you couldn’t be more wrong. No other way for me to say it. You’re wrong. Our “enthusiasts” are very valuable and we appreciate them (you) very much.

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Ty Mullins - Assuming that the 5@5 ending is simply an April Fool's joke, as everybody is hoping, I still have a question to submit- While looking through some Intimidator 305 media day pictures, I noticed several Coca-Cola bottle-shaped recycling bins. Are there any plans for Kings Island to receive these too, or a similar recycling program, in the future?

First, I’ve heard nothing but great things about their new coaster. Looks crazy fast. They should have a great year with that thing. Yes, we are working on a much larger recycling program and you’ll see similarities at sister parks. We have done really good green things for years but never to this level.

[Sergeant Pepper]

Bret Shroats - Another Question. You tweeted yesterday the Park Maps are in. When will the map be available online

You’ll see lots of parks maps online next week when the new website goes live!

------------------------------

Cameron Saavedra - How much work do you think the park has till April 17th?

It looks like a lot left to do – but it always does and it always gets done in time. The team will be working right up to the end this year thanks in large part to a really cold and snowy winter. The park is buzzing with activity now. It’s really fun to take a walk around each day. It’s amazing how much they get done so quickly.

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Tanner Burns - Since Boo Blasters is going to be more intense, will the "entrance" to Planet Snoopy be moved back to not include it? or will there be any signs stating this?? or will it still be a family friendly ride??

The entrances to Planet Snoopy will be the same. The dark ride will be scarier but no so much that it needs to be addressed this way. Families like mine will still pour into this ride. My older kid will like it much better. My youngest kid might want to wait another year but that’s okay because there are a ton of things for that age to do.

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David McPeak - What area of the park do you recommend going to first? The Diamondback line goes extremely fast, so no problem there, but usually X Base is packed, would you recommend going there first?

Go opposite everyone else. Every morning the right hand side of the street is packed with everyone heading to DB and Beast. Action Zone lines up because you see this first so lots of people go that way. You’re right to head to Firehawk and Flight of Fear. Diamondback’s line is always moving so you’ll still get plenty of rides there. Best plan though is to get your DB/Beast rides in during Gold Pass ERT every day!

------------------------------

David McPeak - How does it feel that Kings Island and Cedar Point are now sister parks? Before the purchase, I'm sure that you guys were "enemies", and had to compete with each other. For example Son of Beast and Millennium Force in 2000

It’s cool that we’re on the same team. Cedar Point is a great park – regardless of our connection to them. Many KI folks have made a trip up there for “research” and fun every year and still do. We do things differently but we do a lot of things the same. Always have. We were competitors that’s for sure. Not sure I’d say enemies. At the end of the day all parks root for each other. That means we’re all doing well.

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Ben Rosen - Pop Evil rocked the house last year (IMO blew collective soul away), Are there any plans to have another rock show this year? I personally like metal / 80's hairbands (Poison,Firehouse, etc..).

Pop Evil was great. We had no idea to be honest. They were a very last minute addition. We are feverishly looking for more concerts. They are not easy though. Tough business. It’s great seeing Timberwolf full of people. Spirit Song, Hannity, JoyFest Gospel are all locked up. I think a country concert festival would work well here and we’ve always had luck with the rock acts like you mentioned. We’ll keep working it.

------------------------------

Brad Perdue - Has there been a significant decrease of ridership on rides in Action Zone since SOB has not been running? Specifically on Flight Deck? Just curios how it has impacted that area of the park.

Flight Deck ridership was up last year as was most every ride in the park. It is kind of hidden but it always has been. Most people coming to the park have it on their to-do list.

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R.j. Huber - I guess you can say I'm a n00b to Kings Isalnd. This is my first year as a Gold Passholder and I am wondering if there was a "special" entrance for passholders? I'm wondering what your procedure was for the ERTs

Welcome. I hope you end up being a passholder for a very long time. Diamondback and The Beast open early every day this year for our Gold Passholders. You will see a designated entrance on the right hand side of the street when you come in. This has worked very well.

------------------------------

Christy Walters - Will the log flume be getting new boats this year? The old ones flooded.... a lot. & my kids love that ride!!

I have not seen any new boats arrive. If I do I’ll let you know. You’re right, this is a great ride.

------------------------------

Kyle Joyce - In the final couple years of Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle, the guns hardly worked anymore, and even from the beginning of the ride,when it opened in 2003, it seemed like a lot of targets you couldn't even hit, like in the "living room" scene. Will any of these problems be fixed for Boo Blasters?

Sometimes it’s the guns. Most times it’s the targets. I asked this same question to the workers in there this week. They said you’d see a great improvement in the ability to hit the targets. This makes your score better and the entire ride much more fun since it’s the targets that activate a lot of the scenes. People have been working in this building many hours in the past weeks to make this a better attraction.

------------------------------

Rick Penny - Scooby has been at Kings Island since the park opened, I understand why you guys put snoopy in but why take scooby away after 37 years....He was the best part, well Hannah Barbara!!! I love CF and KI And Snoopy but KI will just be a little different with out scooby!!!! Is there any chance that we may see scooby one way or another again in the future??

Scooby was a great piece of KI and it will feel different without him. I remember many people who didn’t want the rest of the HB characters to leave when the Nickelodeon characters arrived. Many of those people changed their minds quickly. I disagree that Scooby was the best part of the park.

------------------------------

Chris Hughes - What is one change at the park this year, that no one has asked about?

Surprisingly there are some questions no one has asked. One thing people will notice is a new family restroom located next to the women’s restroom at the front gate. Our group sales clients will also be very pleasantly surprised to see some of the new landscaping improvements being made in the Picnic Grove.

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[Diamondback FOF]

Yea! Someone should ask if the Kings Island Insider was a joke, or if is for real no longer going to be updated.

Edit: Answers posted for today!

I felt guilty about yesterday so you got some bonus answers!

Bret Shroats - Another Question. You tweeted yesterday the Park Maps are in. When will the map be available online

You’ll see lots of park maps online next week when the new website goes live!

------------------------------

Cameron Saavedra - How much work do you think the park has till April 17th?

It looks like a lot left to do – but it always does and it always gets done in time. The team will be working right up to the end this year thanks in large part to a really cold and snowy winter. The park is buzzing with activity now. It’s really fun to take a walk around each day. It’s amazing how much they get done so quickly.

------------------------------

Tanner Burns - Since Boo Blasters is going to be more intense, will the "entrance" to Planet Snoopy be moved back to not include it? or will there be any signs stating this?? or will it still be a family friendly ride??

The entrances to Planet Snoopy will be the same. The dark ride will be scarier but not so much that it needs to be addressed this way. Families like mine will still pour into this ride. My older kid will like it much better. My youngest kid might want to wait another year but that’s okay because there are a ton of things for that age to do.

------------------------------

David McPeak - What area of the park do you recommend going to first? The Diamondback line goes extremely fast, so no problem there, but usually X Base is packed, would you recommend going there first?

Go opposite everyone else. Every morning the right hand side of the street is packed with everyone heading to DB and Beast. Action Zone lines up because you see this first so lots of people go that way. You’re right to head to Firehawk and Flight of Fear. Diamondback’s line is always moving so you’ll still get plenty of rides there. Best plan though is to get your DB/Beast rides in during Gold Pass ERT every day!

------------------------------

David McPeak - How does it feel that Kings Island and Cedar Point are now sister parks? Before the purchase, I'm sure that you guys were "enemies", and had to compete with each other. For example Son of Beast and Millennium Force in 2000

It’s cool that we’re on the same team. Cedar Point is a great park – regardless of our connection to them. Many KI folks have made a trip up there for “research” and fun every year and still do. We do things differently but we do a lot of things the same. Always have. We were competitors that’s for sure. Not sure I’d say enemies. At the end of the day all parks root for each other. That means we’re all doing well.

------------------------------

Ben Rosen - Pop Evil rocked the house last year (IMO blew collective soul away), Are there any plans to have another rock show this year? I personally like metal / 80's hairbands (Poison,Firehouse, etc..).

Pop Evil was great. We had no idea to be honest. They were a very last minute addition. We are feverishly looking for more concerts. They are not easy though. Tough business. It’s great seeing Timberwolf full of people. Spirit Song, Hannity, JoyFest Gospel are all locked up. I think a country concert festival would work well here and we’ve always had luck with the rock acts like you mentioned. We’ll keep working it.

------------------------------

Brad Perdue - Has there been a significant decrease of ridership on rides in Action Zone since SOB has not been running? Specifically on Flight Deck? Just curios how it has impacted that area of the park.

Flight Deck ridership was up last year as was most every ride in the park. It is kind of hidden but it always has been. Most people coming to the park have it on their to-do list.

------------------------------

R.j. Huber - I guess you can say I'm a n00b to Kings Isalnd. This is my first year as a Gold Passholder and I am wondering if there was a "special" entrance for passholders? I'm wondering what your procedure was for the ERTs

Welcome. I hope you end up being a passholder for a very long time. Diamondback and The Beast open early every day this year for our Gold Passholders. You will see a designated entrance on the right hand side of the street when you come in. This has worked very well.

------------------------------

Christy Walters - Will the log flume be getting new boats this year? The old ones flooded.... a lot. & my kids love that ride!!

I have not seen any new boats arrive. If I do I’ll let you know. You’re right, this is a great ride.

------------------------------

Kyle Joyce - In the final couple years of Scooby Doo and the Haunted Castle, the guns hardly worked anymore, and even from the beginning of the ride,when it opened in 2003, it seemed like a lot of targets you couldn't even hit, like in the "living room" scene. Will any of these problems be fixed for Boo Blasters?

Sometimes it’s the guns. Most times it’s the targets. I asked this same question to the workers in there this week. They said you’d see a great improvement in the ability to hit the targets. This makes your score better and the entire ride much more fun since it’s the targets that activate a lot of the scenes. People have been working in this building many hours in the past weeks to make this a better attraction.

------------------------------

Rick Penny - Scooby has been at Kings Island since the park opened, I understand why you guys put snoopy in but why take scooby away after 37 years....He was the best part, well Hannah Barbara!!! I love CF and KI And Snoopy but KI will just be a little different with out scooby!!!! Is there any chance that we may see scooby one way or another again in the future??

Scooby was a great piece of KI and it will feel different without him. I remember many people who didn’t want the rest of the HB characters to leave when the Nickelodeon characters arrived. Many of those people changed their minds quickly. I disagree that Scooby was the best part of the park.

------------------------------

Chris Hughes - What is one change at the park this year, that no one has asked about?

Surprisingly there are some questions no one has asked. One thing people will notice is a new family restroom located next to the women’s restroom at the front gate. Our group sales clients will also be very pleasantly surprised to see some of the new landscaping improvements being made in the Picnic Grove.

[TH13TEEN]

^ Already posted.

[Diamondback96]

I think the blog was discontinued, but just because the new website's coming next week.

[Guest IceCream329]

My question about Scooby was answered.....

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

[apianoplaysmusic]

Does anyone have any screen captures of any of the Diamondback testing from the webcam?

[Fear the Four]

Does anyone have any screen captures of any of the Diamondback testing from the webcam?

Exiting the hammerhead turn around.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Answers for Saturday's Mailbag below...

David McPeak - What ride do you find to be the "scariest" at the park? Drop Tower still scares the crap out of me.

I'm with you. Drop Zone is the only ride at the park that still gets me every time I get on it. My stomach gets tied in knots looking out at I-71 and seeing the tops of my shoes at the same time. A great ride. I have not tried Slingshot and doubt I will anytime soon. Too scary-looking to me.

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Jon Roost - Have there been any changes to Backlot Stunt Coaster this year since the Mini Cooper license is expiring? For example, at Kings Dominion the cars got a paint job and the little doors removed, is a similar thing happening here this year?

You will see changes to the trains with the removal of the Mini Cooper brand. I've ridden this ride a lot and not once did I get off the ride and say "wow, those are great stickers". For my money I would have spent a few more million on steel and less on copyright allowances.

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Tanner Burns - Are there any plans this year or in the future to improve or do something with the old Paramount Story area?? It is a good place to go relax but its empty, the water falls are never working, and beginning to fall apart.

The Tower Gardens is a great place to relax. Our smoking guests will find this to be a restful and relaxing new smoking area this season.

------------------------------

Kyle Joyce - Also, it was posted a couple "5@5"s back, that there were pictures of the new facade for Outer Hanks in the photo gallery on this Facebook page. I checked, and could not find any pictures of that facade anywhere........

We will take a trip around the park on Monday and Tuesday and post many pictures like this for you.

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Daniel Bruington - Is there a possibility that the Crypt will see a different ride cycle in the future than it ran for most of the 2009 season? I know that the ride is more reliable now, but was it not similarly reliable back when it ran with a more exciting cycle (from 2003-2006) as Tomb Raider?

The answer to your first question is also the answer to your second. The ride is much more reliable now than any time in its history. For that reason, I don't anticipate you'll see a drastic change in the ride cycle this season. The high mark for ridership was the debut season of 2002 and the numbers decreased from there - until last year.

[Sergeant Pepper]

Jon Roost - Have there been any changes to Backlot Stunt Coaster this year since the Mini Cooper license is expiring? For example, at Kings Dominion the cars got a paint job and the little doors removed, is a similar thing happening here this year?

You will see changes to the trains with the removal of the Mini Cooper brand. I've ridden this ride a lot and not once did I get off the ride and say "wow, those are great stickers". For my money I would have spent a few more million on steel and less on copyright allowances.

Ya-Hoo

[Guest IceCream329]

Can't wait to see some new pics of the park!!!! Also I agree with Don/Matt(Those two answer the questions, according to past 5@5) that we should spend more on big steal rides and other things than stickers!!

[IndyGuy4KI]

Jon Roost - Have there been any changes to Backlot Stunt Coaster this year since the Mini Cooper license is expiring? For example, at Kings Dominion the cars got a paint job and the little doors removed, is a similar thing happening here this year?

You will see changes to the trains with the removal of the Mini Cooper brand. I've ridden this ride a lot and not once did I get off the ride and say "wow, those are great stickers". For my money I would have spent a few more million on steel and less on copyright allowances.

Ya-Hoo

I think I have to agree with KI on this!

[kjkjkj]

I think this is also sort of bashing Paramount a little bit too . He is saying that had Paramount spent more money on the steel used for the ride, instead of the MINI copyright then maybe the splashdown could have stayed there. Since that is why it was drained, because it was really making the track rust. I definitely agree with Kings Island on this one!

[Diamondback96]

And maybe if they went with B&M... oh wait.

------------------------------------------------------------

David McPeak - What ride do you find to be the "scariest" at the park? Drop Tower still scares the crap out of me.

I'm with you. Drop Zone is the only ride at the park that still gets me every time I get on it. My stomach gets tied in knots looking out at I-71 and seeing the tops of my shoes at the same time. A great ride. I have not tried Slingshot and doubt I will anytime soon. Too scary-looking to me.

This proves the PR department doesn't have a say in the names.

[KIBOB]

And maybe if they went with B&M... oh wait.

------------------------------------------------------------

David McPeak - What ride do you find to be the "scariest" at the park? Drop Tower still scares the crap out of me.

I'm with you. Drop Zone is the only ride at the park that still gets me every time I get on it. My stomach gets tied in knots looking out at I-71 and seeing the tops of my shoes at the same time. A great ride. I have not tried Slingshot and doubt I will anytime soon. Too scary-looking to me.

This proves the PR department doesn't have a say in the names.

I was just thinking the same thing

[The Interpreter]

...Tanner Burns - Are there any plans this year or in the future to improve or do something with the old Paramount Story area?? It is a good place to go relax but its empty, the water falls are never working, and beginning to fall apart.

The Tower Gardens is a great place to relax. Our smoking guests will find this to be a restful and relaxing new smoking area this season....

SIGH.

Terpy, who would say more but has been negative enough today...