ohiocolts Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Ok so, I decided to make a topic for posting about KI's crowds this year. This way, we can predict crowds for different days this year, and for most days in 2013. So, if any of us KICers go to the park on any operating day, we can post about how the crowds were on that day. So, you can post comments on how long the lines were at times of the day, and give it a 1-5 rating, which I am now going to explain. A 1 would mean walk-ons for about everything all day. A 2 would mean walk-ons on most rides in the mornings, and maybe 20-30 minute waits on lower capacity rides later in the day (example, Firehawk). A 3 would mean an average day, with maybe up to hour waits on lower capacity rides, and around 20 minute waits on the major rides with better capacity. A 4 would mean most switchbacks filled on most rides, making around 2 hour waits on lower capacity rides, and maybe around 45 minutes on better capacity major rides. 5 would mean just a very crowded day, with most rides having all switchbacks filled, with some lines spilling out into the midways. And you can use decimals for the ratings. Ok, so here is an example of when I went on Saturday, 5-5-12. Walk on for Invertigo during ERT, much longer wait later in the day. Diamondback line about 45 minutes at around noon. And the flight deck line was about 30 minutes at about 2:30. So, I rate this day a 4 on the crowds scale. So, that is how the topic works. Feel free to share your expirience with crowds you've had so far at KI this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Great idea - this is for 5/6/12 - Sunday. I would rate it a 3/5 for crowds...fifteen minute wait times for the major rides I rode - Diamondback (during ERT), The Beast, Racer, and Backlot Stunt Coaster. Long line for Invertigo (no surprise here) - about a forty five minute wait. It looks like it got a lot more crowded as the day went on, but not packed. 3/5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16gwoods Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Opening Day was around a 2 because in the morning everything was walk on then it became a little busier. I left about 4 and by then it was busier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I second 5/5/2012 being a 4/5. It wasn't quite the worst crowds I had ever seen, but here are my wait times: Before Lunch (Which was at 1:00PM)... Racer: 0 Minutes, Walk-On (Beat Crowds to It) Firehawk: 10-15 Minutes, if you want to ride Firehawk, do it early! Diamondback: 50 Minutes Vortex: 20 Minutes After Lunch, Before Dinner Viking Fury: 5 Minutes Monster: 10 Minutes The Beast: 65 Minutes Adventure Express: 15 Minutes Flight Deck: 20 Minutes Delirium: 60 Minutes, but we never rode as it broke down! AFTER DINNER Flight of Fear: 65 Minutes The Beast, Night Ride: 75 Minutes (+15 for Fireworks) Yep, I'd say a 4... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 A. PARKS keep these kinds of records and still often guess wrongly about attendance. B. Groups are a major factor. Parks know what large groups are planning to attend when. Guests typically don't. (Kennywood shares this information). C. Weather is a MAJOR factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI-ORIG-EMP Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 There are various factors that determine how crowded it will be on a particular day. Weekday vs. Weekend;rainy vs sunshine, hot vs cold;vacation vs non-vacation days; but the biggest factor that everyone is missing when trying to figure the crowd size (KI does figure this) is group sales. I will not go into this as I do not work in that area and if I did, I will not reveal it. Expect days that are sunny and hot to have large crowd size. If the park did not have large crowds, then less dollars are being made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 If i may say this, the calendar would resemble most of The Beast rollercoaster, up and down, up and down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiocolts Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Thanks for the crowds stuff, Jdawg1998, 16woods, and McSalsa. ^^Were just finding an average type of crowd for the day, to just make some predictions later on. And I forgot to mention to put how the weather was in my first post, but I know Opening day was off and on rain, Last Saturday was mostly cloudy most of the day, with rain before the park opened, and last Sunday it was mostly sunny I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 If i may say this, the calendar would resemble most of The Beast rollercoaster, up and down, up and down. ...or Diamondback...The Beast doesn't really go up and down...more of left to right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Up and down, take an upper left, then down, then up, take a lower straight way, then right down, then left, then right down, then up right, then down, then up, then up, then lowered down, then a helix, up left, helix, down, then up, then back at the station! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI-ORIG-EMP Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Once vacation season starts, expect large crowd size on the weekends, smaller crowd size the first part of the week, and medium crowds on Friday. Just judge the size based on how crowded the parking lot is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. I still think the diagram is best shown as The Beast, we dont have to put in brakes with that diagram! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Up and down, take an upper left, then down, then up, take a lower straight way, then right down, then left, then right down, then up right, then down, then up, then up, then lowered down, then a helix, up left, helix, down, then up, then back at the station! Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. You two have too much time on your hands... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Up and down, take an upper left, then down, then up, take a lower straight way, then right down, then left, then right down, then up right, then down, then up, then up, then lowered down, then a helix, up left, helix, down, then up, then back at the station! Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. You two have too much time on your hands... Not too much, way too less of time for our hands sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalefan Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Spirit Song days will be packed bad till the shows start. If it's nice during a Haunt saturday, then the park will be packed. The workers had to park in the grass close to Western Row Rd. cause the guests needed the extra parking. I know the last saturday of the Haunt last year was packed too. But the crowds thined out when it got cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast Rider Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. I still think the diagram is best shown as The Beast, we dont have to put in brakes with that diagram! Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. I still think the diagram is best shown as The Beast, we dont have to put in brakes with that diagram! You don't? Are you sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kblanken Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I thought Diamondback was more like: up, down, slight twist right, up, down, left, up, down, up, left turnaround, down, up(rattle)(trim), down, left into partial helix upward, brake, down, up, down, up, down, right into second helix, down, splash, up, downward slant, left turnaround, and station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ffej Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Great idea - this is for 5/6/12 - Sunday. I would rate it a 3/5 for crowds...fifteen minute wait times for the major rides I rode - Diamondback (during ERT), The Beast, Racer, and Backlot Stunt Coaster. Long line for Invertigo (no surprise here) - about a forty five minute wait. It looks like it got a lot more crowded as the day went on, but not packed. 3/5. No way Sunday was a 3/5. It wasn't Columbus Day weekend, but it was probably a 4/5 or 4.5/5 from my experience. It was personally the most crowded visit I've ever had at the park. Diamondback was 1.5 hours, Flight of Fear and Firehawk were over 2 hours. Adventure Express / Vortex queues were full and well onto the midway. The entrance host claimed Boo Blasters was even an hour wait. Sure the waits were low for the first hour or two the park was open, but it got progressively more packed, peaking at 3PM or so. It was so bad that I had to buy Fast Lane to save my day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerCoasterRoyalty Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 5/5 I would say VERY Busy early and then 5/5 after the Lunch Time Hours. Most of the school groups arrived around that time and it was extremely packed in like sardines especially in the mall. 5/6 It was less busy in the morning but continued to get busier throughout the day. Lots of Post Prom people as well. The weather was beautiful but muggy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB1 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. I still think the diagram is best shown as The Beast, we dont have to put in brakes with that diagram! Diamondback: Go up, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go up a turn, go down, go up, go down, turn into brake run, go down, go up, go down, go up, go down, go into helix, go down, go up. I still think the diagram is best shown as The Beast, we dont have to put in brakes with that diagram! You don't? Are you sure? You my good sir need to use your imagination! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Great idea - this is for 5/6/12 - Sunday. I would rate it a 3/5 for crowds...fifteen minute wait times for the major rides I rode - Diamondback (during ERT), The Beast, Racer, and Backlot Stunt Coaster. Long line for Invertigo (no surprise here) - about a forty five minute wait. It looks like it got a lot more crowded as the day went on, but not packed. 3/5. No way Sunday was a 3/5. It wasn't Columbus Day weekend, but it was probably a 4/5 or 4.5/5 from my experience. It was personally the most crowded visit I've ever had at the park. Diamondback was 1.5 hours, Flight of Fear and Firehawk were over 2 hours. Adventure Express / Vortex queues were full and well onto the midway. The entrance host claimed Boo Blasters was even an hour wait. Sure the waits were low for the first hour or two the park was open, but it got progressively more packed, peaking at 3PM or so. It was so bad that I had to buy Fast Lane to save my day. Wow really? See I was only there from 9am - 12pm. So I guess it got worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill_Biscuit Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 "Up, down, up, down?" No, no, no! That's not the Diamondback I know! Diamondback: Gulp back the palpable agita of fear mixed cruelly with delight and tremoring anticipation as the steady, cool, efficient steel lifting mechanism carries your serpentine car ever skyward toward the precipice of sheer exhileration that awaits. You hear the ubiquitous, carnivalesque din fade more and more as you become one with machine and sky. You begin to doubt your own bravado -- putting on your best, defiant face as your beating heart begins to adjust for the coming drop into red-metal madness -- the view begins to distort just a bit; vertigo sets in; the geometry of the structures below seem warped and exaggerated, like a wild dream from an M.C. Escher drawing. Then the trademark silence as you and all the other riders at the mercy of this maniacal masterpiece draw one last breath before.... whew! This is going to take too long. Ok I like your description better! Maybe there's a whip chart somewhere that shows crowds/wait times across a linear calendar...? I'm sure someone analyzes that kind of data somewhere. It would be kinda useful to gauge best visit times, imho. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medford Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Saturday - 5/5 got to the park around 5:30, left around 8:30 tagging along 3.5 year old and a 38 week pregnant wife (guess were we spent most of our time?) Boo Blasters was a half hour or so long wait (and it really annoys me how rarely all the guns work on that ride, especially at the start of the year) Charlie Brown's windup was get on as soon as the next ride is available (it always is) Kid Bumper Cars were suprisingly less crowded, got on as soon as the next ride was available. kid car ride was longer than what I'm used to, but moved proportionally quicker than I'm used to, maybe 15 minutes the other kid car ride (the offroad something or other) was like normal, similar to Charlie Brown's windup, get on as soon as the next ride is up. Based on what I saw of other rides, I'd put it at a 4 out of 5. Sunday 5/6 - wife had plans, so it was just me and the 3.5 year old. Got to the park around 12:30, left around 3:30 vikin fury was 1 "ride deep" (ie 4 people in one of the individual ques) in some spots, only 2 people in the other, none were empty, so a little bit busier than what we saw on wednesday evenings, but certainly nothing terrible. Back to kiddi land - Boo Blasters was pretty much the same as Saturday evening, about half an hour. Woodstock express was as long as I"ve seen it, had 4 turnstiles open in the que area, plus up and over the bridge, about half an hour to get on. The kid car ride right by The Beastie was even longer than the day before, I was preparred to "put up with it" for the boy, but by some miracle he picked up on the sense that it would be a long time (and we were well into his nap time by this point) and he said he wanted to go on the train. As we were leaving, we noticed the line for The Beastie was outside of the que area. Train line was normal, ie no line, just wait for the engine to come to the station. With no water park open yet, it was pretty crowded considering. left the train, went to the Eiffel Tower, they actually opened up a turnstile while we were in line (I always assumed that was for show), took us about 10 minutes to catch an elevator. After 10-15 minutes on top of the park, we headed for home. Based upon what I saw, I'd say Sunday in Planet Snoopy was a 4.5 during that time frame. I never would have thought a 3 year old would become my favorite riding buddy, but watching the joy on his face as he holds his hands up thru the entire Beastie course tops anything Diamondback or The Beast can throw at me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan1980 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 I never would have thought a 3 year old would become my favorite riding buddy, but watching the joy on his face as he holds his hands up thru the entire Beastie course tops anything Diamondback or The Beast can throw at me. So true - I've got several Fairly Odd/Woodstock Express on ride photos and pictures as memories of those times - although the joy continues as said riding partners obtain 48" and finally 54" status. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ffej Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Wow really? See I was only there from 9am - 12pm. So I guess it got worse. Yeah, you left at the perfect time. 12PM is when we started debating Fast Pass, but I said we could stick it out and ride the the low wait rides. I walked around the park for 2.5 hours and discovered there were no low wait rides (I walked by Racer, the queues were open, and they were full). Since I had a 3 hour drive to the park, it was time to hit up the Fast Lane booth. Luckily this worked like a charm and I got to ride everything I wanted, multiple times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medford Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I never would have thought a 3 year old would become my favorite riding buddy, but watching the joy on his face as he holds his hands up thru the entire Beastie course tops anything Diamondback or The Beast can throw at me. So true - I've got several Fairly Odd/Woodstock Express on ride photos and pictures as memories of those times - although the joy continues as said riding partners obtain 48" and finally 54" status. I have little doubt about that. I'm really looking forward to next season; he's pretty tall for his age, he cleared the 40" mark before his 3rd birthday last summer, cleared 42" by the end of the summer and for haunt, and cleared the 44" mark last week which pretty much opens up all of Planet Snoopy as well as the smaller flats around the park that he can ride. At this pace, he should top the 48" mark sometime next season; with a little luck The Beast will be conquered before his 5th birthday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 1,000 /5 for today. Holy moly was it packed. An hour and a half wait for most major rides, and I saw rides running with people at around 10:30 (specifically Drop Tower). It looked like Disney World on a Saturday durIng spring break! Was not expecting the crows that today brought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskerchad Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 1,000 /5 for today. Holy moly was it packed. An hour and a half wait for most major rides, and I saw rides running with people at around 10:30 (specifically Drop Tower). It looked like Disney World on a Saturday durIng spring break! Was not expecting the crows that today brought. Second that. We showed up for early ride times right at opening and got in 3 Diamondback rides right away. Waited about 8 cars for a front seat and then went over to get one in on Invertigo, whch was not running. We got in a quick FoF and Firehawk after that, and then waited maybe 5-10 mins for Vortex. That was the last ride we didn't wait a long time for. Mid-afternoon we waited almost two hours for stunt coaster. It was th busiest day that I've ever seen. There were several band and choir groups bussed in for the day, so that probably contributed a bunch. WindSeeker being down surely didn't help, and Invertigo was spotty throughout the day as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 May 14th, 2012: Longest wait was Firehawk 40 minutes even though it was a walk on until around 11am. FoF was around a 30 minute wait around noon even though it was a walk on until around 1130 am. DB,Vortex,BLSC,AE,Racer,Delrium,FD,- were all walkons/one train waits. Definitely a 1/5. Ride count was 11 for DB in an hour and ten minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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