Kings Island's 5@5 Q&A Thread

[Beast1979]

I try to be a cheerleader for the park, but how in the world am I supposed to cheer lead this?

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[TheSonofBeast]

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Action Theater 3D

Sorry, still nothing new to report here. As soon as I know I promise I'll tell you.

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Was that a question? If so, that's the BEST question ever!

No, but there were more than a few people asking the same thing, and i think he just didnt want to upset anybody by choosing one random person over another....

and, on a side note i totally was mentioned in the Haunt question, YES! i knew i should answer that because while i figured they would answer that question i also know they try and be PC about it...

[TH13TEEN]

^ Hurt their feelings by not picking them...

[CedarPointer]

NO NO NO!! The CF-style maps look terrible! Ours is perfectly fine. Actually, ours is better than every single one of the CF-style maps.

[Dbfan]

So less than 10 days until opening day and they still don't know what do with Action Theater it seems.

[CedarPointer]

Oh, I'm sure they know what they're doing. They probably just are'nt telling us...

[bkroz]

And if they don't know yet, how hard is it for them to get out the film for Spongebob and slap it on, or keep the theater closed on opening day as they order a new film? Or keep the whole thing closed altogether all year! Of course, if they chose to re-use the Spongebob film, they should be careful when putting the film in the projector - it's an antique.

[PREMiERdrum]

Oh, I'm sure they know what they're doing. They probably just are'nt telling us...

Which likely means:

1. There's a new film and they have an announcement coming this week.

-or-

2. Action Theater will be dormant for 2010 and they would rather people find out "quietly" on opening day.

[bkroz]

Sometimes it's easier to know what's going on by looking at which questions are not answered. Multiple times it's been asked if the lasers will actually work this year on Boo Blasters - as in, will you physically be able to see red dots on the wall where your laser is aimed (something that you can and could see at all of the other Scooby Doo rides). The fact that the question has been ignored, even with such buzz surrounding the new ride and many other questions about it being answered, speaks volumes.

[CedarPointer]

Sometimes it's easier to know what's going on by looking at which questions are not answered. Multiple times it's been asked if the lasers will actually work this year on Boo Blasters - as in, will you physically be able to see red dots on the wall where your laser is aimed (something that you can and could see at all of the other Scooby Doo rides). The fact that the question has been ignored, even with such buzz surrounding the new ride and many other questions about it being answered, speaks volumes.

I'm not 100% sure (it's been a loooooong time since I've been there), but I don't think the lasers on Scooby at Canada's Wonderland showed the red dots.

[CrashOverRided]

I try to be a cheerleader for the park, but how in the world am I supposed to cheer lead this?

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Ok beast i have to ask, did you do that using a mirc script?

[Beast1979]

Actually, someone did it on Facebook and I just Copy and Pasted it. I thought it'd come in handy.

[Beast Man]

Sometimes it's easier to know what's going on by looking at which questions are not answered. Multiple times it's been asked if the lasers will actually work this year on Boo Blasters - as in, will you physically be able to see red dots on the wall where your laser is aimed (something that you can and could see at all of the other Scooby Doo rides). The fact that the question has been ignored, even with such buzz surrounding the new ride and many other questions about it being answered, speaks volumes.

I'm not 100% sure (it's been a loooooong time since I've been there), but I don't think the lasers on Scooby at Canada's Wonderland showed the red dots.

There were no red dots on Boo Blasters at Carowinds.But they were present on Kings Dominion's Boo Blasters.

[CrashOverRided]

Actually, someone did it on Facebook and I just Copy and Pasted it. I thought it'd come in handy.

ahhh , ok thanks for the responce

[KIfan1980]

Sometimes it's easier to know what's going on by looking at which questions are not answered. Multiple times it's been asked if the lasers will actually work this year on Boo Blasters - as in, will you physically be able to see red dots on the wall where your laser is aimed (something that you can and could see at all of the other Scooby Doo rides). The fact that the question has been ignored, even with such buzz surrounding the new ride and many other questions about it being answered, speaks volumes.

I'm not 100% sure (it's been a loooooong time since I've been there), but I don't think the lasers on Scooby at Canada's Wonderland showed the red dots.

There were no red dots on Boo Blasters at Carowinds.But they were present on Kings Dominion's Boo Blasters.

The following question was answered a few days ago on this topic

Quote below from the KI Facebook April 2nd 5@%

"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."

[bkroz]

"Sometimes its the guns. Most times it's the targets."

Doesn't inspire much faith... I am so pumped for the ride. But the lack of visible laser is the one thing that irks me. A couple of blasts of fog every few minutes strategically placed through the ride would probably help - but just having dots show up on the wall would be even better. I know there's not a "setting" for that or whatever, I just wonder why some parks have it and some don't? Why?

[gad198]

"Sometimes its the guns. Most times it's the targets."

Doesn't inspire much faith... I am so pumped for the ride. But the lack of visible laser is the one thing that irks me. A couple of blasts of fog every few minutes strategically placed through the ride would probably help - but just having dots show up on the wall would be even better. I know there's not a "setting" for that or whatever, I just wonder why some parks have it and some don't? Why?

I'd imagine that not having a visible laser or other light may be a safety issue. Would you really want someone on the ride, in your car or otherwise, inadvertently firing a laser light right in your eye, because I know I wouldn't! I know that most laser lights use red because it's easier on the eyes, but I'd also be curious to find out if there's a solution that meets the desire to fire at targets accurately and would be safe to use in case someone decides to get rambunctious.

[bkroz]

So Kings Dominionites can be trusted with lasers and Kings Islanders can't be? I think it has something to do with our ride always being the "cheaper" of the Scooby Doo rides (which many members here can and will attest to).

[pat]

Below are the questions chosen for Friday's 5@5 mailbag...

Brian Broom - I like that you give us the history of current ride's, How about a list of maybe not all the rides but the top 40 or 50, in order of rider's

Brian, the information you are looking for is available in the Media Center of our new website under Ride Record Book. All the active rides are listed in order of the most rides given in park history. We will at some point expand this section to include the number of rides past attractions have given.

Ben Besserman – Where is the Diamondback webcam actually mounted?

Ben, the webcam that is focused on Diamondback is mounted on the Eiffel Tower. We like the different views of the ride that we’re able to show from there.

Chris Hughes – I noticed that Kings Dominion’s Drop Tower is painted, orange and yellow with green at the top. Do you think that Kings Island’s Drop Tower will ever be repainted, different? I could see it like a yellow and blue, or yellow and red going with Action Zone’s theming. Just a thought.

Chris, there are no plans at this time and there haven’t been any discussions about re-painting Drop Tower a different color. I think the current color scheme works well for the ride. They’re colors that photograph well.

Brett Befair Fehr – What other webcams can we expect to see soon besides International Street and Diamondback?

Brett, we’re still in the process of deciding that. There’s so many places in the park that would be a great spot to put a webcam. If you were us, where would you put them?

Tim Brown – During the regular operating season when the park is open all day every day I’m sure there’s a lot of work that needs to get done at night. Cleaning, mowing grass, emptying trash, etc. About how late do workers stay to prepare for the next day and also are there any interesting facts about the midnight workers’ jobs?

Great question, Tim. There is a lot of work that needs to be done overnight to have the park ready to open the next morning. The process begins as soon as the park closes. Cleanup crews go around to each section of the park. Maintenance begins inspecting each of the rides, putting them through a series of electrical, operational and mechanical tests. It usually takes 3-4 hours to for the crew that inspects The Beast to walk the track. It’s usually about 30-45 minutes before the gates open before all the work has been completed.

http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=155893938367

[KIfan1980]

Q: Keith Harrison - As you update the website, are there plans to include allergen information for the food locations? It would make it easier for those with allergy issues to stay in the park and eat versus always having to leave for a local restaurant.

A: Keith, we are considering including the allergen information in the food locations. The information will be available at Guest Services located at the front gate.

Thank you, Keith! Great question! As the parent of a child with a peanut allergy, this would be great. We appreciate the fact that Potato Works advertises on the building that they use peanut oil, and we know from outside the park that Chik-Fil-A does too. But having this information available on the website would help others with food allergies avoid any hazards!

Sometimes you ask and they respond - thank you Kings Island for the effort to add a special diets page to the dining portion of the website!

[XGatorHead 8904]

^Thanks for the link, and thank you KI for putting this on the website!

Fresh seafood including lobster tails, Alaskan King Crab, shrimp, oysters and a variety of pastas, steaks, chops and lamb are available at Bay Harbor

Woohoo! We're getting Bay Harbor? And here I thought that was only at CP... Just kidding, it's just one of those small errors that are still on the website. I'm totally fine with a few small errors, I'm very happy with the new website overall .

[CedarPointer]

I think the "moment of truth" is whether they fix those errors or not. I made a list of errors on the old site, a few of which ended up fixed, but not all of them.

[DaveStroem]

I saw the mention of Bay Harbor too. KI getting Lobster and Crab legs WOOT. But then I read your post and now I am all deflated.

[VortexJunkie]

I read this in today's questions. I felt the need to respond to it then and there, but thought my repsonse was better suited in a discussion forum rather than a Q&A. Not sure if the person that asked this is a KICer, but if so then I'm not trying to knock him or argue.. just wanted to add an apposing view.

Ohh, i have another question. Vortex's trains are VERY painful(expecaiily if you are tall). Any chance of it getting new trains like that of Carolina Cobra?

I'm 6'4" and I would agree Vortex's trains aren't comfortable for tall people. Though I think FOF is way worse.. i can barely squeeze into those seats and the restraint makes it impossible for me to sit up straight. But i'd say it's an exaggeration to say Vortex's seats are "very painful". Maybe if you're taller than I am because I know at my height i just fit and am glad I'm not any taller. I try to sit in the front seat of any of the cars (odd # rows) you'll get more leg room than in the even # rows. And finally the amount of money it would cost to buy new trains for Vortex could be used for rides with worse problems (like flight deck needing paint and SoB needing to run again).

[pat]

Below you'll find the questions selected for Saturday's 5@5.

Christine Salleng Ummkhaleel – Which ride has given the most rides to visitors in park history?

Christine, The Racer has given the most rides in park history with 93,708,749, followed by the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad at 46,035,096 and Beast at 44,035,096.

Ben Kendrick – How crazy of a day is it on Opening Day? Is it a really busy day?

Ben, historically Opening Day has been a great day to visit the park. Last year, for example, everyone wanted to ride Diamondback on Opening Day (and for good reason), but the wait for most of the other rides in the park for most of the day was around 10 minutes. By mid day, the line for Diamondback was less than an hour. Weekends in April and May are great times to go if you’re looking to rack up a lot of rides.

Ryan Suhr – Snoopy has come out of hiding several times in the weeks leading up to Opening Day for things such as the Reds’ opening day and appearances at such places as Children’s Hospital. Is this something that is being done to promote Planet Snoopy or should we expect to see everyone’s favorite beagle around the city in the future?

Ryan, you can expect to see Snoopy out in the community on a daily basis throughout the year, including visits at schools, libraries ad bookstores through our Read & Ride with Snoopy program.

Brad Purdue – What ride created the most increase in park attendance its opening year?

Brad, The Beast was the ride that had the greatest impact over the years for the park. There had never been anything like it. It made Kings Island a destination place in the amusement and theme park industry.

Mike Dahlmer – Hey Don – since you were at Carowinds for their opening weekend and got to ride their Intimidator, we need a verdict. Which is better in your opinion, Diamondback or Intimidator?

Mike, I’ve been asked this question a lot. Their similarities are different. Both are fantastic rides! Intimidator is closer to Nitro than Diamondback. There are elements of each ride that I like over the other. I really liked the angle of the second drop and the turnaround on Intimidator. I like the airtime on Diamondback, the second drop and the splashdown effect. Overall: Advantage Diamondback!

http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=155893938367

[The Interpreter]

Carowinds' Intimidator is closer to Nitro than Diamondback...

Uh. No.

And on that note, I am done....

(There are certain comparisons I just do not make for anybody from any chain...but Intimidator closer to Nitro than Diamondback? Uh, no.)

Terpy, who must be mellowing out as he gets older...and who has a new found appreciation for Apollo's Chariot in Williamsburg....

[bkroz]

Apollo's Chariot is easily my favorite B&M hyper. I haven't ridden Nitro or Goliath or any of the other "big ones," but Apollo's Chariot has my vote hands down. Of course, my travel companion swears that it was "just okay" and "not near as fun as Diamondback." Though I may not agree with what you say, I'll defend to the death your right to say it!

[Tomkatt7]

But really, did anyone think he would actually say, "Oh yeah, Intimidator is loads better than Diamondback"!!!! LOL

I'm not saying he thinks that, but even if he did, we'd never know

[DaveStroem]

I happen to agree that Intimidator at Carowinds is similar to Nitro. IMO the stand out feature on both is the second hill knife over.

SFGAdv Nitro

[The Interpreter]

Aaron Daniel Bort – Are they in fact early ride time on Diamondback and The Beast on opening day?

Aaron, there will be early ride time for Gold season passholders on Diamondback and The Beast every public operating day this season, except for Friday nights during Halloween Haunt. Early rides begin at 9:00am on Opening Day.

Brett BeFair Fehr – About what time does the first Diamondback train depart next Saturday? I can't make it, but watching the webcam of the first train of the season would be neat.

Brett, the first Diamondback train of the season will depart the station at 9:00am on Opening Day, filled with Gold season passholders.

Rick Penny – Will Kings Island be having recycling bins throughout the park? Such as a normal trash can, a plastic bin, and cardboard bin, etc. for recycling? Will be seeing any of this type of work in the park?

Kings Island is going Green for 2010. You will see recycling bins located throughout the park. This initiative began in January in all of the office locations at the park.

Lillian Schwartz – What are your top 3 favorite rides at the park?

The Beast, Diamondback and Racer would be my three favorite rides in the park. I also like the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. What are your top 3 favorite rides?

Austin Benton – I noticed this year holiday world is changing their wood coaster cars to something new that doesn't beat you around and makes the ride more enjoyable…do you think we can expect anything like this on The Beast or will the historic cars be kept?

Austin, there are no plans to change the trains on The Beast. It has been and continues to be an enjoyable ride, having given more than 44 million rides since 1979. There's no need to make a change with the trains on The Beast.

http://www.facebook....id=155893938367

Our answerer would do well to remember that Cedar Fair Platinum Pass Holders will also be on that Diamondback train...that is if Kings Island lets them in...unlike, say, Carowinds...then again, the park is only open one day of the weekend, so the first day should be no problem.