Kings Island 2014 Discussion Thread

[Tanna]

Thanks. I'd read something about limitations to one night on the board, but of course, only remembered reading after I agreed to both outings.

You cleared things up.

[electricsun]

I was at KI with my sister and her kids yesterday. Three things stood out to me:

1. Went on Flight of Fear and had one of my favorite rides. It was nearly pitch black and it was exhilarating knowing how close everything is but not being able to see. Ahhh!

2. My niece and nephews were having fun going through the pirate themed maze when my niece came running back after the second time saying that I had to come meet the mermaid. She was excited to guide me through and then proceeded to climb over the rocks and tell me to take her picture with the mermaid. The sweet teenager was quite gracious and patient with my niece and made her day. It is moments like this that may seem so simple to the adult but will remembered by the child forever.

3. The last two years, my sister and her kids didn't have passes and we tried to do everything in our one or two visits. That meant very cranky kids and an exhausted aunt. With them having passes, we can take our time and don't feel the pressure to pack it all in. Our visits now end with tired but happy kids looking forward to their next visit. I'm so grateful for their excitement and enthusiasm for Kings Island. I hope it continues as they get older.

[Skyrider]

The All Season Dining Plan was a real bonus to the season. I am very glad that it will continue in 2015 and hope that the food offerings are not downgraded. It would be nice to offer a drink plan with it besides the refillable cup that you have to carry around.

[NoChickens]

Depending on who you ask, when you ask, and where you ask, there is such a plan. Granted it is a daily plan, but no cup to carry, except from fill to finish.

[The Interpreter]

...or, there isn't.*

* Except for groups. Which begs the question why individual food stands even have them, should that be the case.

[jcgoble3]

Speaking of which, has anyone on here asked about or attempted to purchase a drink wristband since Halloween season began? I'm interested to know if they've sorted out the confusion or not.

[MantisMan]

Yes.

Apparently there wasn't a problem or it wasn't mentioned to me.

*paging NoChickens*

[shark6495]

I used my meal plan on Sunday and ordered a Coke. I handed the guy my pass and had my Credit card out (to pay for the Coke). He said the drink was now covered on the plan....

[PKIVortex]

That's funny as I used my dining plan Saturday twice and I had to pay for my drink both times.

[shark6495]

Yea I had my credit card out but whatever.... Lol

[MantisMan]

That's just sad.

At this point in the season??......SMH.

[Guest dtk1376]

I've had that be hit or miss throughout the season, sometimes the cashier would say the drink was included, other times not. Think all that comes down to training issues.

[shark6495]

Yea it was just weird. I had my credit card and offered to pay. Never open the door by saying "that's included now" because as a customer I could go back next weekend and complain.

[NoChickens]

Yes.

Apparently there wasn't a problem or it wasn't mentioned to me.

*paging NoChickens*

Nope, no problem.

[Tanna]

I was at KI with my sister and her kids yesterday. Three things stood out to me:

1. Went on Flight of Fear and had one of my favorite rides. It was nearly pitch black and it was exhilarating knowing how close everything is but not being able to see. Ahhh!

2. My niece and nephews were having fun going through the pirate themed maze when my niece came running back after the second time saying that I had to come meet the mermaid. She was excited to guide me through and then proceeded to climb over the rocks and tell me to take her picture with the mermaid. The sweet teenager was quite gracious and patient with my niece and made her day. It is moments like this that may seem so simple to the adult but will remembered by the child forever.

3. The last two years, my sister and her kids didn't have passes and we tried to do everything in our one or two visits. That meant very cranky kids and an exhausted aunt. With them having passes, we can take our time and don't feel the pressure to pack it all in. Our visits now end with tired but happy kids looking forward to their next visit. I'm so grateful for their excitement and enthusiasm for Kings Island. I hope it continues as they get older.

That sounds like a boss trip. The third reason you stated is exactly why I love my season pass; I can only go for a few hours before I feel like someone cut my strings, and I get tired. I can't abide shoving the whole park into one day.

[The Interpreter]

I can only imagine living close enough to a major theme park to do that.

I lived and live less than an hour from SFOG and SFA respectively. Neither was\is a place I frequented/frequent. Now, were I 17 miles from NJFTP, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Kings Island....

[Spectrum91]

That's just sad.

At this point in the season??......SMH.

This point in the season, many employees are returning to college or elsewhere. This means there is a wave of new employees to replace them who are still adjusting to the job and learning the ropes.

Hopefully important policies, like whether or not drinks are included with a meal plan, are learned sooner than later though.

[Tanna]

Today I saw something new, and something I wanted very much.

There are red metal benches in the smoking areas, and the one that I hated that was so close to the Lost Parents" center has been moved. It's further away, and shoved back away from the general public.

Thanks to whoever has this done.

[PKIVortex]

It's been that way since back in the summer.

[Tanna]

This is the first time I've been through Planet Snoopy long enough to see the changed smoking section.
I've always wanted to see the kids' Halloween, and that's what I did yesterday.
They really had a lot going.

The petting zoo is clean, and the animals are changed out a bit, Zoey the Kangaroo was on a scheduled rounds due to the weather. The SoakCity part of the party was fun to watch.

Two of us rode the Woodstock Express, but as adults, we didn't venture to the other rides.

The Big Day for a member of our group came at the height station, she got her all rides access bracelet, then ran away screaming with her older sister towards the Diamondback. We did not see them until dinner.

I did finally get some push-pop fudge, I went to get fudge for our party, one of the kids were confused, because she thought I decided on ice-cream instead, until she tried it. I can now see the advantage of this packaging, when I had kids in the party.

It had been a few years since some of our guests had seen the kid's park, and they loved the change. Until you walk through it, you just see constant movement of the landscape, and not the individual rides.

[electricsun]

Tanna, Have you been on Surf Dog? I've seen adults (sans kids) and teens in line. It's a fun ride and even though the ride moves in circles, it shouldn't be enough to cause nausea.

On an unrelated observation, I saw a KI team member walking through Planet Snoopy today holding a can of shaving cream and razor. I was a bit confused until I saw a few other male team members...no facial hair! I never thought of that particular challenge. It is probably far better for the schedule to have shaving cream/razor on site versus sending them home to fix the problem.

[Tanna]

Tanna, Have you been on Surf Dog? I've seen adults (sans kids) and teens in line. It's a fun ride and even though the ride moves in circles, it shouldn't be enough to cause nausea.

On an unrelated observation, I saw a KI team member walking through Planet Snoopy today holding a can of shaving cream and razor. I was a bit confused until I saw a few other male team members...no facial hair! I never thought of that particular challenge. It is probably far better for the schedule to have shaving cream/razor on site versus sending them home to fix the problem.

My ride partner was afraid of nausea, thanks for letting me know for next time. They had a very good time, and no doubt making a return trip next summer.

Her childhood nickname was "Snoopy", so you can imagine how delighted she was to see an entire section of a park with Peanuts theming. I'll remember the Surf Dog for next summer.

She was carrying all the girls' purses, so they could ride the big rides, so we were a little prissy about what rides we could venture onto, but that wasn't the only reason.

We're both 5'2" and weigh 100 pounds, so it's not fitting in the ride that worried us, it was having the RO "walk of shame" us by saying we couldn't ride because we were too old (41 and 50.)

The 'dare' for us to ride Woodstock Express was that I hold my arms straight up the entire time, because evidently, I have long, skinny, alien arms which she finds amusing, especially in contrast to all the children's arms. This coincides with the tradition of getting as many of your group on the Monster, then all attempt to look straight forward with no expression on your face, as if you were taking the bus to work. Watch the riders of the Monster sometime, no doubt you'll see a guy 'too cool' to be enthused about the ride. It's hilarious.

[vermillionlove]

I was at KI with my sister and her kids yesterday. Three things stood out to me:

1. Went on Flight of Fear and had one of my favorite rides. It was nearly pitch black and it was exhilarating knowing how close everything is but not being able to see. Ahhh!

2. My niece and nephews were having fun going through the pirate themed maze when my niece came running back after the second time saying that I had to come meet the mermaid. She was excited to guide me through and then proceeded to climb over the rocks and tell me to take her picture with the mermaid. The sweet teenager was quite gracious and patient with my niece and made her day. It is moments like this that may seem so simple to the adult but will remembered by the child forever.

3. The last two years, my sister and her kids didn't have passes and we tried to do everything in our one or two visits. That meant very cranky kids and an exhausted aunt. With them having passes, we can take our time and don't feel the pressure to pack it all in. Our visits now end with tired but happy kids looking forward to their next visit. I'm so grateful for their excitement and enthusiasm for Kings Island. I hope it continues as they get older.

My aunt was able to bring me with her to Kings Island on days for her work (Kahns) when I was a kid, once a summer. I have fond memories of going to the waterpark with her, dragging her on Son of Beast with me and winning things out of claw machines. =D Thanks for being an awesome aunt, I'm sure your niece and nephews will have happy memories of your visits for years to come (:

[medford]

tanna as a point of reference, I'm one who can't do a teacup style ride, nor The Monster, nor Shake Rattle and Roll (well I guess no one can now) or anything of that ilk, but Surf Dog did not present me with too much trouble. Sure I was a "little" woozy after the spinning, but nothing so bad that I felt any need to stand by a trashcan (as I did at Disney World after getting off The Teacups with my wife and then 1 year old son). Its a fun ride, I'd tell your friend to give it a try (but sit on the end, just in case )

[Tanna]

Thank you,

As we get older, there's a liquid "compass" in our ears that dies out, and we get less tolerant of spinning. This happens sooner in males than females.

The Monster, with a balanced load, doesn't spin on it's individual axis, (not unless you rock forward and back). She knew this about the Monster, but we were unsure about Surf Dog.

We watched Surf Dog for a bit, but couldn't decide if it would be difficult for her, being that it seemed like a boat, but too much like a boat on Lake Eerie. Thanks for the information, it seems like Surf Dog's bark is worse than it's bite, it only look chaotic from the outside.

[Guest dtk1376]

But is still a very fun ride!

[The Interpreter]

Like the Viking Ship, the closer to the middle of the boat (lengthwise) that you sit, the less the action. I'd try that first, then move out toward the ends (lengthwise).

[electricsun]

My aunt was able to bring me with her to Kings Island on days for her work (Kahns) when I was a kid, once a summer. I have fond memories of going to the waterpark with her, dragging her on Son of Beast with me and winning things out of claw machines. =D Thanks for being an awesome aunt, I'm sure your niece and nephews will have happy memories of your visits for years to come (:

Thanks! It's great how those memories stick with us. I'm in a much different situation than my sister and do my best to provide experiences that they aren't going to get with her. At the end of the day, they aren't going to remember the gifts I bought them but the world we explored together.

[Magenta Lizard]

The healing power of Kings Island...

I've been going through the consistently worst two weeks of my life the past couple weeks (I can only think of one worse full week, when I was going through some deep emotional trauma that I still haven't really gotten over 5 years later, and had the flu at the same time). We're entirely not through the woods, and some things are going to get worse before they get better, but at least things are finally stabilizing to the point I could consider a trip to KI.

I didn't really realize how much I needed it until I walked into the park. Simply having an hour of complete mesmerization (the two half-hour Skeleton Crew shows I saw*) to take my mind off my troubles was worth its weight in gold. Getting to ride The Beast as she gave her 50-millionth ride was surreal. All in all, I feel much better after my night at the park.

*speaking of Skeleton Crew, wow, Philip has really improved on the ring the couple weeks I've been away. He was doing some incredible stuff earlier in the season, but he's stepped it up even more!

[silver2005]

^That's one of the reasons I highly enjoy my October trips. September is usually packed with stuff, like school starting, band filling my schedule and the like. When I do get to go in October after all of that, it just feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders for those few hours. Its like a pressure release on all the stress, especially when I take a seat on a coaster.