^ I've noticed the ad before. I thought it was just based on my browsing history from looking at Kentucky Kingdom's website.

You are more likely to see it if you are not in Kentucky.

Oh, the irony.

T3 was testing today FINALLY it is about time! https://instagram.com/p/3Z4QiVHDvR/?taken-by=myst1c.coasters

 

Raging Rapids was closed, and the KK FB page stated that the state inspector had failed to make the required inspection.

I'm not even sure what to think of this. 

Also, is anybody else seeing a Kentucky Kingdom ad on KIC, and this very topic? Irony at it's finest... "Indy's new play place?" Ha.

 

This is a copy/paste from the KK Facebook page:  "The Raging River Rapids Ride is ready to go. However, we can only open the ride after the Kentucky Department of Agriculture conducts its routine intitial inspection. The State’s ride inspector was scheduled to visit last Friday but never showed up. We have notified the individuals in charge at the Department of Agriculture but have not heard back from them. Once they arrive and complete their inspection, the Raging River Rapids ride can open. We regret the delay but it is out of our control."

Whining and passing the buck?

 

Clearly, management of this park doesn't care to hire competent public relations staff.

Nothing like building good relationships with regulators.

This is beyond stupid.

Does KI suddenly and with little warning close for a private event when the park had been scheduled to be open?

KI never does that. They always give a heads up once the calendar for the season comes out. They will have a color code for hours and days closed. Alot of people fail to look at it. KI's Facebook page lets people know as well i believe. They close the park to the public the Sunday of opening weekend, and in Sept. a few times. That is why Haunt opens later the first Saturday of Haunt in Sept.

We stopped by Kentucky Kingdom on the way back from Holiday World. The entire time, the only Kentucky Kingdom billboard I saw was just east of the Santa Claus exit. Meanwhile, there's a Holiday World billboard right outside the entrance to Kentucky Kingdom...

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We stopped by KI on the way to Holiday World for Holiwood Nights Friday, and ran into a guy who was going to go to KK. He told us that the park was closed when he looked on the site.

 Does KI suddenly and with little warning close for a private event when the park had been scheduled to be open?

 

KI doesn't necessarily do it. But CP has. Last year for the Rev3 Triathalon normally the park was open to the public, very shortly before the Triathalon it was closed to the public and they made mention of it everywhere as a preventative measure, which is highly unfortunate given how great of a day the park is while the Triathalon goes on.

I passed the park on I264W today around 520pm and there was a train at the top of T3's lift. On my return trip on I264E around 815pm the train was no longer parked on the lift. It's definitely on site and testing (so it appears).

If I were the states ride inspector I would now take my sweet time setting up an inspection date. I'm sure T3 still needs to be certified and now that they have likely made a new friend I'm sure they will "fail to show" again.

Presumably the inspectors are legally required to make themselves available in a reasonable timeframe, or as soon as possible. If so, to do otherwise would be impermissible.

It doesn't mean they can't find some small detail that would allow them to deny certification such as a missing label or something of that nature that they would normally overlook.

So glad I went to Holiday World instead of Kentucky Screwup. I would only go so I could ride T3 "Day 2" but nope. Delayed. I honestly had a blast at HW, literally, there was only 1,000 people tops in the park. Longest wait was 10 minutes for Raven at 10:30. Legend I walked on and I had a blast during my first ride on it. Voyage was also a walk-on, and easily a top 5 roller coaster. I was able to ride ThunderBird twice before it broke down, I got 3 more rides after it opened 20 minutes before the park closed.

 

 

Raging Rapids was closed, and the KK FB page stated that the state inspector had failed to make the required inspection.

I'm not even sure what to think of this. 

Also, is anybody else seeing a Kentucky Kingdom ad on KIC, and this very topic? Irony at it's finest... "Indy's new play place?" Ha.

 

This is a copy/paste from the KK Facebook page:  "The Raging River Rapids Ride is ready to go. However, we can only open the ride after the Kentucky Department of Agriculture conducts its routine intitial inspection. The State’s ride inspector was scheduled to visit last Friday but never showed up. We have notified the individuals in charge at the Department of Agriculture but have not heard back from them. Once they arrive and complete their inspection, the Raging River Rapids ride can open. We regret the delay but it is out of our control."

 

 

This blows my mind, why would you throw the ride inspectors under the bus and air dirty laundry in a public setting like this?  This park has accepted zero responsibility for delayed openings, low crowds, negative reviews and poor customer service.

 

Mr. Hart will go after anyone that disagrees with him and his opinion of the park.  Young teenage employees are heckling breast feeding mothers on their own initiative.  Inspectors are the reason rides are having delayed openings and negative internet people are turning paying customers away.  The park will accept anyones money at the turnstiles unless you happen to interpret things and then security will be called to show you out.  These actions will effect the parks sustainability long term.  

another thought, I would presume, if one intended to open something to the public on Saturday, that it would be prudent to have the mandatory inspections wrapped sooner than the day before.  I mean, what if the inspector finds something relatively small, but a required fix that could be re-inspected a day or two later?  I don't know how inspections run in the roller coaster industry, but in my line of work, there always almost "something" that the inspector finds that he'd like to see changed or added.  Having an inspection on Friday leaves little time to correct any issues that could arise.

 

Oh, and throwing them under the bus publically, even if truthfully (and I'm not going to just assume the park is telling the whole truth), is a **** poor way to handle things.  At most, say there was an issue with inspection and you are working to get everything in order as soon as possible.  Even better, would be to simply apologize and say you are still testing and completing the final phase of the ride; hope to have it open soon.

Don't forget that when asked about the turnaway, they knew all about it, yet denied it happened...and, as usual, blamed the would-be customer.

One of the Park's favorite posters here then asked why on earth anyone would come from DC to visit when the park wasn't even officially open until May 30. He cited the then newly called "Preview Weekends."

The park apparently saw that, and said poster hasn't been heard from since.

Nothing is ever Ed Hart's or Kentucky Kingdom's fault. Ever.

The poor park is so picked on and abused.

Sigh.

It's okay. On May 30, Lake Winnie appreciated my money and visit.

It was going to be Kentucky Kingdom.

I doubt they'd have let me in.

I wonder what their tale would be THIS time.

Well this may be their final delay, the park will do anything to stay on top it seams like but they are good at falling off that top

This stuff is only further fueling my disgust with the park.  If the park does all this and doesn't claim responsibilty for anything, let alone the incompetence of how they handle things, why should I expect anything better from the rest of the staff?  To me, its showing that they're taking their situation for granted, like they can go about and treat anyone the way they want because they have the government funding.  Its like they are just happy with the park being open and not going above and beyond that.  They're squandering the opportunity they've been graciously given by the Commonwealth.  Its sickening to me.  Their actions feel like a big middle finger to the public and the taxpayers despite anything good they might be doing.  

The most flagrant to me is the two days for less than $30 for Tennessee and Indiana residents. Kentucky taxpayer? Coming from California? YOU can pay full price. IF we deign to let you in at all.

Speaking of the $29.99 2-day admission, yesterday I came across an ad on some random site for it.  As a MI resident, since it didn't say anything about Indy/TN, I thought I might actually be able to use it.  Nope.  It was a link to Indy Star's page.  They assumed I live in IN?

Perhaps the reason that the promotional price is only open to residents of certain states is something of a scapegoat. Pick the states you feel most likely to get out-of-state visitors from and target them exclusively. This way, it looks to the average Joe like a marketing promotion. Whereas, if they said, anyone who doesn't live in Kentucky gets a discount, I feel that would appear considerably more fishy (and be considerably more upsetting to the people who DO live in Kentucky).

 

Funny enough, as a season passholder from Ohio, I will be hard-pressed to visit the park often enough to match the insanely low price-per-visit of this promo (free parking might make it worthwhile, but keep in mind, that was not a factor in the purchasing decision). And even that is considering that I paid only marginally more for my KK season pass than I would have for a day ticket at the gate for Kings Island...

I have heard that Raging Rapids River Ride is now up and open for business as of today.

This stuff is only further fueling my disgust with the park.  If the park does all this and doesn't claim responsibilty for anything, let alone the incompetence of how they handle things, why should I expect anything better from the rest of the staff?  To me, its showing that they're taking their situation for granted, like they can go about and treat anyone the way they want because they have the government funding.  Its like they are just happy with the park being open and not going above and beyond that.  They're squandering the opportunity they've been graciously given by the Commonwealth.  Its sickening to me.  Their actions feel like a big middle finger to the public and the taxpayers despite anything good they might be doing.  

The park was the same way as far as the responsibility went when Six Flags owned it. KK needs to tread lightly with the government funding thing. That can be taken away real quick.

Kentucky Kingdom on Facebook :

 

"First riders today on Raging Rapids!"

 

 

Photo : Kentucky Kingdom via Facebook

Well at least they did a good job remodeling that station. You all would not believe what that looked like last year. Cobwebs and bird droppings. EVERYWHERE. Complete with moth ball scented walls with dark black paint and faded line markers

Didn't stop at the Kingdom, but I did drive by earlier on my way back from Lexington......

 

I can confirm that T3 has been testing. Watched it complete one cycle as I was driving by earlier.

"food service-run out of ice, then cups? How does THAT happen? Burger meals under heat lamps."

This has happened to a Cedar Fair park by the name of Carowinds at least once. Furthermore, heat lamps are friendly at Carowinds!

As a ky resident it bothers me that a park called Kentucky Kingdom and partially funded by ky taxpayers is cheaper for guests from outside the state

FIRST, your tax dollars and state's land and property are at risk, THEN they charge you more than others to go.

What's wrong with this picture?