Most of you have been to Kings Island in 2012 already. What is the most exciting change for 2012?

This is a hard one... All of them.

I haven't been there yet, but I'm excited for the new direction of management the most.

Definitely the new direction of management. The other changes are one-time things; you get excited over them at first, but the excitement quickly fades away as you get used to it. The new direction of management, on the other hand, will continue to effect positive changes for hopefully years to come if things continue the way they're going.

I could probably vote for all of these choices, but I have to agree with jcgoble3, the new direction of managment is very exciting. Why, even the president of Cedar Fair will talk to random park-goers.

I don't think Kinzel would have ever dared to talk to us.

I love how smooth The Beast is, and the new food choices are amazing! Fruit? Yes please! My favorite

I like the new direction of management.

By the way, are the effects on Flight of Fear from Halloween Haunt still there?

I could probably vote for all of these choices, but I have to agree with jcgoble3, the new direction of managment is very exciting. Why, even the president of Cedar Fair will talk to random park-goers.

I don't think Kinzel would have ever dared to talk to us.

Kinzel talked. He was good at it and loved listening to him talk. It was listening he wasn't so good at.

I keep seeing "new direction of management"...could someone give me an idea of what all this is in reference to?

Yes. Mr. Kinzel is gone. Local park managers are being allowed to manage now. Focus is now on the customer, employees and unitholders, not just debt reduction and definitely not decisions made by Mr. Kinzel (and his hand picked board cronies) alone.

New direction.........new CEO of Cedar Fair, now giving more freedom of general managers. If you have been to the park lately you will notice a big change in everything. Things are becoming more "Kings Island" and not so much "Cedar Fair". Remember how Paramount had their name on EVERYTHING. Everything was the same, now we are seeing a shift, of course we did when CF took over, in uniforms and areas of the park. Signs, ect. The food choices are amazing, new menus for all stands, new games, better and specialized uniforms. Simply go to the park and you will understand "New direction of management". Greg Shied is now the actual manager and not just the puppet for the head quarters. Also along the lines of Greg I feel he has finally become comfortable in the park and feels as if it were his own now. It takes time to leave a park that you worked at for so long and to have that park be your sister park. You can see a major shift which I am so happy for.

I like the new direction of management.

By the way, are the effects on Flight of Fear from Halloween Haunt still there?

Yes the effects on the tunnel with the star lights are still there but that is all

I cannot make a pure decision on SC due to that i loved BB and well, a good decision cannot be made at the time. I really think that the Ride motion on Stunt Coaster is getting back to the old state.

Can FUNPerks count now? Because I think it's what people have been asking for for a long time.

I like the rewards thing.

Everything is an improvement. The smoothness of The Beast and the new food options are the biggest for me. I'll be riding The Beast even more and I'll be eating in the park once in a while.

I don't even think any of the changes were that exciting. I hate Soak City, the look and feel of Boomerang Bay was way better.

I don't even think any of the changes were that exciting. I hate Soak City, the look and feel of Boomerang Bay was way better, new retail locations just means more places to waste your money on overpriced junk, and I could care less about an educational mini-movie about dinosaurs.

The "overpriced junk" is what enables to park to turn a profit and invest in new rides and there are lots of families with their children that enjoy the mini-movie about the dinosaurs.

i love the mangement improvements by far! Terpy what do you mean by the park mangers are able to manage?

FastLane is a very simple investment! takes what a penny for each wristband and they can make at least $50 on each customer. more money= more rides, more rides=(most of the time) more money/guests. really though each year we havent gain any rides.

2009 got DB but SOB got shutdown, 2010 we lost Nick, 2011 got WS and lost Spoungebob, 2012 we lost The Crypt. (yes i know we got major waterpark improvements but im talking about the ki side) really we are down one ride.

Under Dick Kinzel, even the smallest of decisions had to be cleared with Sandusky. Mr. Ouimet has empowered his managers to...wonder of wonders...manage.

So now will most ride improvements be decided by the manger of each park?

Probably not, but the direction of each park will be more within the control of the local management team than it has been. Six Flags GM's are even more empowered (and held more accountable) than at Cedar Fair.

One last question lol. Theme parks like Diseny and Universal are they mostly ran by GM's becuase it seems like each one you go to has some rides that are the same but mostly a lot of differnt rides at each park?

Disney and Universal have entire teams whose job it is to design areas and attractions, along with outside contractors.

None of this is exciting. You know what would be exciting? A new ride! or maybe the reopening of Son of Beast. DUH

None of this is exciting. You know what would be exciting? A new ride! or maybe the reopening of Son of Beast. DUH

new managerment can make excitment.

None of this is exciting. You know what would be exciting? A new ride! or maybe the reopening of Son of Beast. DUH

None of this is exciting. You know what would be exciting? A new ride! or maybe the reopening of Son of Beast. DUH

new managerment can make excitment.

Its not like I just walk into the park and go "WOW! this new management is exciting!"

None of this is exciting. You know what would be exciting? A new ride! or maybe the reopening of Son of Beast. DUH

mannn dat be funny