Interview with Don: 2014 Improvements and Additions

[TombRaiderFTW]

I don't know if this has made rounds over here yet, so apologies if this is old news.

For several years, people have posted about how they'd like to see Flight Deck renamed The Bat (which, of course, is now coming.) Other people have requested things like simple repainting and care-taking of the park's finer details. Don did an interview with the folks at KIFansite concerning next year, and it looks like these sorts of things are coming in 2014. Here's a link; it's really an interesting read. A few key points:

• The area under Banshee's station will mainly be the photo booth, with "some" souvenirs being sold there. The On Location building will have more Banshee merchandise.

• The KI maintenance team will do the actual assembly of the Banshee trains.

• Action Zone will have a new look. The park isn't saying any more than that until we're actually at the park next April.

• The "gift shop" (I don't understand if they mean Banshee's gift shop or the On Location store) and Stunt Crew Grill MAY have new names. That's still being finalized.

• Nothing new is happening with the International Street fountains at this time.

• The International Street buildings have been painted.

• The park is exploring options for improving communication concerning wait times and whether or not a ride is down.

• Food options in the park will be expanded. (Not a surprise since they just hired a new chef and all, but now they're actually confirming that new things are coming.)

• Gold and Platinum passholder benefits will be more defined and easier to use.

• Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular is gone.

• The Bat's station won't be drastically changing. The queue underneath was removed to clean that area up. (I was wrong after all!)

We're definitely in the Ouimet era, folks. The future looks like a good one!

[CP&LERR Fan]

Any word on improvements On the KI&MVRR? Anamatronics?

[thekidd33]

I am truly loving every new detail we hear about the changes/additions/upgrades not just to KI but chain wide.

[jcgoble3]

I like more defined Gold Pass benefits. Hopefully stuff I can actually use.

And good riddance to S3.

[homestar92]

Here's your daily dose of the 1980s.

[TheBEASTunchained]

I wasn't aware that Banshee's trains would each be a different color......I thought they would just be numbered 1, 2, and 3.

....But I have to admit.......A blue train, green train, and purple train will look very nice with the already unique colors of Banshee.

[homestar92]

When did we find out the show schedule last year?

I'm anxious to find out if Ed Alonzo returns. His show is one of my favorite things about KI as of late.

EDIT: Nevermind, reading the interview, it looks as though that show is gone. Ah, well. 'Twas fun while it lasted.

[jcgoble3]

When did we find out the show schedule last year?

I'm anxious to find out if Ed Alonzo returns. His show is one of my favorite things about KI as of late.

EDIT: Nevermind, reading the interview, it looks as though that show is gone. Ah, well. 'Twas fun while it lasted.

Not necessarily. The 2013 Alonzo show was billed as a new show rather than as a returning one.

[faeriewench]

When did we find out the show schedule last year?

I'm anxious to find out if Ed Alonzo returns. His show is one of my favorite things about KI as of late.

EDIT: Nevermind, reading the interview, it looks as though that show is gone. Ah, well. 'Twas fun while it lasted.

There was a rumor going around about him returning to Valleyfair next year.

[LoraX]

Ed's show is wonderful. I am very disappointed he probably won't return. I know in 2012, he knew he was returning in 2013 quite a while before the end of the season. He's such a nice guy and wish him the best even if he abandons us.

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[Oldiesmann]

I wouldn't be too concerned with whether or not Ed is returning. His shows have been great the past two seasons, and if he doesn't return, I expect the park and CF will work hard to find a suitable replacement that's at least as good as, if not better than, what Ed has given us.

[Sonofbeast2.0]

I wonder if we will see name changes in AZ (Other than FD to The Bat)... Also a Change from AZ to something else!

[The Interpreter]

But some of us love Arizona! We hope KI doesn't desert such a fine theme! Replace the old water tower with a giant cactus--even if it's not in southwest territory.

[faeriewench]

He's such a nice guy and wish him the best even if he abandons us.

He also done shows at Knott's, Valleyfair and Great America in the past.

Ed supposedly has acknowledged Valleyfair before KI wrapped up the 2013 season. Probably won't know for sure for a couple months if you check the schedule on his website, it doesn't list that far yet. But I won't be shocked if he is heading to another park.

[BlondyRidesOn]

Nice to hear that the International Street buildings have been updated a little more. It's also wonderful to hear that the Starlight Spectacular has finally been retired.

[Diamondbacker]

That would be cool to see how maintenance gets the DB trains into the shop.

[Creed Bratton]

• The "gift shop" (I don't understand if they mean Banshee's gift shop or the On Location store) and Stunt Crew Grill MAY have new names. That's still being finalized.

I'm glad someone else posted this, so I wasn't like HEY LOOK AT MY INTERVIEW WITH DON!!! lol.

Anyway, to clarify the "gift shop" is in regards to the On Location Store. As that "gift shop will also house Banshee Merchandise. Now I'm not 100% positive that the other non-park merch will be gone next year, but I can figure that there will be more KI merch there with Banshee merch and other items.

[Captain Nemo]

Amazing news that starlight is gone... 3 years late but still great news. As someone who helped put it together it was beyond embarrassing walking through it the past few years

[TombRaiderFTW]

• The "gift shop" (I don't understand if they mean Banshee's gift shop or the On Location store) and Stunt Crew Grill MAY have new names. That's still being finalized.

I'm glad someone else posted this, so I wasn't like HEY LOOK AT MY INTERVIEW WITH DON!!! lol.

Anyway, to clarify the "gift shop" is in regards to the On Location Store. As that "gift shop will also house Banshee Merchandise. Now I'm not 100% positive that the other non-park merch will be gone next year, but I can figure that there will be more KI merch there with Banshee merch and other items.</p>

Ah, okay. You did a great job! And thanks for clarifying.

[upstop]

With the Snoopy Starlight Spectacular being sent to the dog pound, I wonder what could possibly be put in it's place? Maybe a new evening closing show of some kind?.... lots of space there...

[The Interpreter]

KI_ORIG_EMP is getting SSS?

Wow. First ducks....

[BoddaH1994]

Ed won't be back for the regular season in 2014. I can say that with a certain degree of certainty. I tried to get information out of Don as to what's going in the KIT next year, but all he would tell me was that it would be a show that you'd want to see every visit. [paraphrased]

[upstop]

Could it be this show?

Fan Dancer Sally Rand

Mod Edit: Video removed. Contains brief nudity.

[BoddaH1994]

^ Don't you think she'd be a little old for this role in 2014?

I'm thinking that it'll be some sort of big Broadway-style production like they used to have back in the golden years, but I'm really just guessing. They are dumping a lot of money into the park this year for hardware and renovations. This season will be an indicator as to how much they are committed to the entertainment aspect of the park when the chips are down elsewhere.

[upstop]

I hope you're right. I would love to see something a little more cohesive than quick musical revues, but I imagine that has everything to do with music licensing.

[BB1]

I'm very pleased Ed Alonzo is gone. 1st off, the show was not "child friendly" to me, the costumes were just terrible. To me, a good show has good costumes, and I believe that was pressing border line of "family friendly" and "adult rating". 2nd is that I really don't care about shows, especially magic. Shows to me take time away from my coasters and my slides, therefor, they are not needed in my frequents to Kings Island!

[BoddaH1994]

I hope you're right. I would love to see something a little more cohesive than quick musical revues, but I imagine that has everything to do with music licensing.

I'm sure that music licensing is part of it, but the over all cost of production is very high for some of this stuff. Set design, materials, personell, etc. That's where the cost adds up.

When the park originally annouced its line up for the 2012 season, it included an ice show. That was quickly scrapped and replaced with Alonzo. Although Alonzo was essentially an expensive show, it made economic sense for two main reasons:

1. The ice show was still more expensive

2. A portion of the show was already produced and written by Alonzo (and some was pieced together from his shows at other parks) thus saving some upfront costs.

This show will be entirely out of pocket (from what I'm lead to believe. Again, just speculating). I don't think it'll be a retread of a previous KI show, or any show for that matter. I hope they are willing to put the money into it that is necessary for the entertainment department to really show off what it has accomplished over the past 7 or 8 years.

[The Interpreter]

I'm very pleased Ed Alonzo is gone. 1st off, the show was not "child friendly" to me, the costumes were just terrible. To me, a good show has good costumes, and I believe that was pressing border line of "family friendly" and "adult rating". 2nd is that I really don't care about shows, especially magic. Shows to me take time away from my coasters and my slides, therefor, they are not needed in my frequents to Kings Island!

A. If you don't bother with shows, please don't try to edit them to your tastes.

B. If you found the costumes offensive, please don't go to Soak City. Oh, the exposed skin you will see. The horrors of it all! For that matter, skip the dry park, too.

It's 2013, not 1933.

[upstop]

Good points. Maybe with the process being done in house, the costs will be lower and the end result might be a better show.

[CedarPointer]

I'd really like to see some form of ice show back.