McSalsa Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 With SonofBaconador's "What do you look for in roller coasters poll", I was inspired to post this- let's go beyond what makes a good roller coaster. What is the most important thing a entire amusement or theme park needs, in your opinion, for you to consider visiting it? Granted, I realize there are many factors in choosing an amusement/theme park to visit...and you probably decide based on more than 1 of the above factors. If so, pick which you think is #1 most important, and post "I picked this, but these are also important"...or something along those lines. OK? As a bonus to this poll...looking at the categories I listed above...how good would you say Kings Island, under current ownership (based on your most recent visits), rates on a 1-10 scale in each of my listed categories? This second part is 100% optional, but I'm honsetly a bit interested in what you guys see as KI's strong and weak spots...the park probably is too, so they will know where they need to improve... Enjoy the poll. If you dislike, click back. My pick and stuff will be in the next post, unless someone does this super-quick and beats me... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 A well balanced all of the above.... 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill_Biscuit Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 A great team of people with a heart for the guests' best interests makes this park, among others, so richly desirable a destination. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 OK, my pick is...the most important thing an amusement park needs to attract McSalsa is...good thrill rides and roller coasters. (DA DA DUM) Now, I'll explain...this is because roller coasters and thrill rides are the main reason me and my friends visit parks like Kings Island. If Kings Island didn't have any of its big thrill rides, but still had everything else, to be 100% honest I would probably NOT go unless it was $15-20 gate admission...or something like that. So, since without this I would not even get in...it's most important. Now, once I get in, what else becomes important? Well, family rides and kids rides too, because those attract a different crowd (and I will ride a good family ride or two during a KI visit, BTW, but I come for the coasters...mainly Beast...) and without them there would be no more to buy the coasters and thrill rides I crave. The staff must also be nice, and reasonably efficent. I would probably go to a park for its thrill rides & roller coasters, but if the staff is very rude to me and they don't do their jobs well, I'm not returning even if you build the #1 wooden and #1 steel coaster in the world at the same time. The park should also be presentable...although I MIGHT be able to give this one a pass if the rest of the park holds up very well. The price must also be reasonable, as we could not afford to visit Kings Island if it was $65 per person on a DISCOUNT (NOT front gate!) ticket...and there were not perks like free drinks or food, etc. The other options (waterpark & water rides, shows, and food) are less important, especially if the park does the stuff above well. That's not saying that if done well, these things would not make a park much better...heck, Holiday World gets a HUGE boost in "draw" towards me because of how huge and epic their waterpark is, even if I'm not a super-duper waterpark person (but I did love some of their slides)...I'm not really a shows person, but some people will find that VERY important...as for food, so long as it's somewhat good, I don't really care- I didn't come to Kings Island to eat...but, with KI's prices, I do want it to be good... Now, the bonus part- how do I think Kings Island fares in these categories? THRILL RIDES Score: 10/10 A LOT of great coasters...Beast, Diamondback, Vortex, Flight of Fear, Flight Deck, and Racer are all excellent rides. Firehawk & Invertigo I also liked, but nowhere near the first 6 I listed. Drop Tower and Delirium are amazing jumbo-sized flats. A great thrill ride collection. FAMILY RIDES Score: 10/10 See the above. 2 fun family coasters, a large flat ride collection, a 300' swing ride (from the POVs and what I have heard, WindSeeker does not seem to be a thrill ride to me anymore, but is probably still fun), and a Eiffel Tower. Not a bad family ride collection... KIDS RIDES Score: N/A Not rating as I am not a kid, have not been on any of these rides recently, and do not have a kid to take on them...but, just from looking, it seems it holds up to the first 2 categories 10/10 scores...bottom line seems to be Kings Island has good rides. FRIENDLY STAFF Score: 10/10 Kings Island also has good staff, and they are very nice. An easy 10/10. Kings Island is looking good so far to me... STAFF EFFICENCY Score: 9/10 OH NOEZ! WHY DOES Kings Island ONLY GET A 9/10 HERE!?!? Well, while the crews and staff for rides like Beast, Diamondback, and Vortex do a great job (as do the vendors, security, etc) in my eyes, the Firehawk loading/unloading process is so bad, and that's probably not the ride-op or crew's fault, but it holds me back from giving this a 10/10 as well. Oh well...9 is still great... GOOD LOOKS Score: 9/10 Uh-Oh! Another 9! What is wrong here!?!? Well, in this category, I can go on photos of other parks for comparison...and while Kings Island is very nice and looks great, and very clean...I have seen pictures of Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Tampa. And, having seen that...also, Racer needs a paint job. SHOWS Score: N/A Here I have nothing- we go for rides, not shows, so I have never seen one. Perhaps I should some day, but it would probably be after we had ridden tons of rides and wanted something different... WATERPARK Score: N/A Soak City has always been closed during my visits to KI. We always go too early or too late in the year...looks nice from pictures though. Just not Splashin' Safari nice. FOOD Score: 7/10 Oh, here is where thy mighty Kings Island falls. I have had some tasty food at Kings Island, and other times it has been below average but still edible. Last year, new food options improved the menu. I say that needs to keep happening until KI's food is great all-around...like the rest of the park! REASONABLE PRICES Score: 8/10 Score is fairly high because I can get KI tickets for only $30.99 at Kroger...score is held back by expensive food and drink options, and $15 parking. Nuff said. OVERALL Score: 9/10 There are some minor flaws, but this is a great park overall. I kind of agree with Terpy's post- the best parks have a good mix of all the above, and it looks like Kings Island does just that...well, the food lags behind a little but... PS: WOW...that post was longer than I thought it would be... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonofBaconator Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 Other= all the above 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joncars05 Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I think the most important thing is a friendly staff. A great and friendly staff can cover up some minor issues with the park. It makes you feel valued as a customer. But i have to agree with terp and baconador, a balance between all of these make a great park. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEASTunchained Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 I think the most important thing is a friendly staff. A great and friendly staff can cover up some minor issues with the park. It makes you feel valued as a customer. But i have to agree with terp and baconador, a balance between all of these make a great park. I have ALWAYS appreciated the kindness I saw in the employees at Kings Island ever since the FUN era came about. Not that Paramount's ownership didn't offer some good employees, but I just think that as we got further into the FUN era, the employees and staff got more fiendly. I also think that having a Wide variety of different rides and coasters is important at any amusement park, especially with the size of Kings Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbeast1968 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I agree. ALL OF THE ABOVE 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterfanatic83 Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Staffing is the key to everything else. If the staff isn't good (efficient) the park won't succeed on very many levels. Build a foundation, then work up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeastForever Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Large coasters and thrill rides definitely have to be the biggest things I look for in amusement parks, along with efficient staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXDrummerKiDXx Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I go to parks to get stomach dropping hills (Diamondback), rushing speeds (Beast and Flight of Fear), eye turning loops (Vortex), the uniqueness of it (Firehawk IMO looks pretty dang unique), and rides that make guest take a second look and question if they should ride it (Drop Tower)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEASTunchained Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 "What do you look for in amusement parks?":..... I look for The Beast and thats why I make more trips to Kings Island then any other amusement park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 At Six Flags America, I've been known to look for the exit, finally giving up and having security take me there, but: A. That's a story for another place and time, and B. I fear soon I will no longer have that problem. Terp, looking for Largo and all the right places. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TombRaiderFTW Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 In general: What makes me want to visit a park are the rides. What makes me like a park is if everything else is done well. I originally went to Holiday World for Voyage and Kennywood for Thunderbolt, but I ended up loving both parks for much more than just those rides. The exceptions to that seem to be the Busch parks and Islands of Adventure, which I want to visit mostly because of the whole experience and theming. (Well... that, and Gwazi, Verbolten, Kumba, and Dragon Challenge. ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonofbeast2.0 Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 If the park is open today or not. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXDrummerKiDXx Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 It took me 4 minutes to get that post. Not the brightest crayon in the box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 ...or light-bulb in the package. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jr for Birdy Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 A restroom,for the youngest all the time.Unless were visiting a new park and then a restroom for me-i get really excited and got to go alot! Yes,i get teased. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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