June 26, 27, 28, 29, 2014

I created a topic for a lot of this stuff, but I wanted to have a rundown of what's going on at Kings Island this weekend since it's a lot of stuff.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday - Spirit Song returns to Kings Island with three nights of Christian Rock music in the Timberwolf Theater. Park admission and concert ticket required in order to attend. More info can be found here: http://www.spiritsongfest.com/

Friday - Dive in Movies are back! This time Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and friends are back as Kings Island presents Disney's 'Toy Story' as the second installment of Dive In Movies in Kings Island's Soak City. Free with park admission! Get there early for the best seats! More info: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events/things-to-do/events-and-promotions/DiveIn-Movies

Saturday - In what is the greatest invention since the Fudge Push Pop, Kings Island will stay open late with the first midnight closing of the season! It's a fantastic opportunity to get some night rides on all of your favorite attractions! More info: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events/things-to-do/events-and-promotions/Midnight-Closings

Saturday and Sunday - The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill returns to Soak City offering some awesome Johnsonville products to hungry park goers. This 65' grill requires its own semi-truck to get haul it around! More info: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events/things-to-do/events-and-promotions/Johnsonville-Big-Taste-Grill

Sunday - Gold and Platinum pass holders can bring up to four friends for $14.99 each! What a great way to have a great time while increasing your popularity with your closest circle of friends! More info: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events/things-to-do/events-and-promotions/June-15-Bring-Up-To-Four-Friends-for-Only-1499-Each

Sunday - Breakfast With the Characters makes its return for Gold and Platinum pass holders! Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy (and if you're really lucky, Franklin) and friends for a delicious breakfast in the Festhaus! A ticket is required for this event. Seating is limited. More info: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/events/things-to-do/events-and-promotions/June-29-Breakfast-with-the-Characters

Sounds like a great weekend and an even better weekend to buy FastLane!

I'm not going to try to tell you guys that it won't be busy, because we know it will... but there's a lot going on. Lots of fun stuff!

I don't know what the plan is for plan the Johnsonville Big Taste Grill, but they had some really good and inexpensive deals for food in years past.

Looks like this will be a good weekend to hang around at Soak City-supposed to be warm and I am sure that the lines will be long in the main part of the park.

Apparently I'm getting old because I've definitely transitioned from "Wow that sounds like fun!" to "Stay away at all costs, way too many people."

That being said I hope everyone going this weekend has a great time!

Funny enough, with age, I've gone from "stay away, too many people!" to "maybe that sounds like fun, I might try to finally get my husband there on the last $15 ticket day." Age has loosened me up a lot when it comes to crowds.

I'm glad I will be out of town this weekend. Between the annoying crowds that shows up for Spirit Song and the bring a friend day I would avoid the park like the plague.

I'll admit, there is a bit of train wreck interest for me in what will happen when the type of people drawn by a Christian music festival and the kind of people I have heard showed up on the other bring-a-friend days collide in large numbers. I'm sure there is some overlap between the types, but potential real conflict between the extremes of either groups. Putting those differences in the pressure cooker of a packed park may be explosive.

You're right though, it's probably something best viewed through the lens of the media. I feel a lot of sympathy for the people responsible for keeping everyone at the park safe this weekend.

Does anyone happen to know what the maximum park capacity is? Has anyone here experienced that limit being reached? Do they stop letting people in at that point, but let more in as people leave?

I was there for a partial work day (left early) during Spirit Song several years ago. I can't handle the amount of people that think it's okay to force their beliefs on others. Stopping me telling me I need to be saved. Who are you to try and tell me this? Go enjoy yourself without bothering me.

I'll admit, there is a bit of train wreck interest for me in what will happen when the type of people drawn by a Christian music festival and the kind of people I have heard showed up on the other bring-a-friend days collide in large numbers. I'm sure there is some overlap between the types, but potential real conflict between the extremes of either groups. Putting those differences in the pressure cooker of a packed park may be explosive.

You're right though, it's probably something best viewed through the lens of the media. I feel a lot of sympathy for the people responsible for keeping everyone at the park safe this weekend.

Does anyone happen to know what the maximum park capacity is? Has anyone here experienced that limit being reached? Do they stop letting people in at that point, but let more in as people leave?

Bring a friend for $14.99 and Spirit Song aren't at the same time. Spirit song is Thursday through Saturday, Bring-a-friend-cheap is on Sunday.

I was there for a partial work day (left early) during Spirit Song several years ago. I can't handle the amount of people that think it's okay to force their beliefs on others. Stopping me telling me I need to be saved. Who are you to try and tell me this? Go enjoy yourself without bothering me.

I end up going to the park every year during Spirit Song. I don't attend SS, it just works out that way. I agree that the crowds are big, and the general pre-teen to teen age group is kind of annoying, but I've never had someone try to push their beliefs onto me. You know where it DOES happen a lot, surprisingly? The Waffle House over by The Beach. I'm not kidding. To clarify, I'm talking about people handing out the pamphlets and whatnot. The other place where it's bad? Cyclones games. If going to US Bank Arena isn't punishment enough... I went to a few games last year and there were people literally standing on milk crates warning us that we were all going to Hell. We just paid $13 for minor league hockey and were forced to drink PBR and/or RC Cola. It's hard to scare a group that's been through so much together.

I would, at the very least, expect crowds to be more well behaved Thursday through Saturday*.

* stated at the risk of being accused of stereotyping

Ok, cool. Makes sense Spirit Song wouldn't continue to Sunday. So, only one reason for a madhouse each day.

but I've never had someone try to push their beliefs onto me.

I have.

Last time I went to the park during SpiritSong, I found Christian pamphlets in the White Water Canyon lockers. I told a passing security guard, and he removed them.

jcgoble3, a Christian that wishes certain other Christians wouldn't do things that give Christianity a bad name

Will the fact that it's really busy cause downtime for rides on Monday?

Will the fact that it's really busy cause downtime for rides on Monday?

Unlikely. It doesn't work that way.

No one knows.

And the word is downtown.

It pays, it pays, it pays to be a member...for at least one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. Join...and see the world!

I can imagine crowds will be bad for Spirit Song. Will they also be bad on Sunday for the Bring-A-Friend day? I don't think I've ever been to the park on one of those days. I am a pass holder and was considering bringing a local friend but we would probably pass if it is going to be crazy. Maybe the questionable weather will keep it down?

I'm at the park now. Timberwolf is packed but the rest of the park is like a typical Thursday.

Bring a friend for 14.99 is typically busy, but I'm sure you and your friend can have fun... it's Kings Island after all..

I have gone during Spirit Song last year and the year before. The crowds are the same as any other KI crowd type and while I am a practicing devout Catholic, I do not force my faith on others. I don't like when other Christians make a stereotype that most other Christians/Catholics are not. I have never had faith forced on me at KI. However one time at my house a group of Jehovah's Witnesses came by to the door and gave us a pamphlet . You guys are lucky that our local area is not one full with delinquents that use the park as a babysitting service*Coughing Attack Kentucky Kingdom, Alabama Adventure Cough*.

The Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses... They go door to door but I've never once had an experience in which, "no thank you" wasn't sufficient.

We have people who stand in the middle of our campus and shout at us at least twice a week. Regardless of your belief, it seems that the more current generations are very turrned-off by aggressive preaching. No matter what your opinions and convictions are, you will just come off as a jerk when trying to aggressively convert "non-believers."

Passive communication and pushy pursuing are entirely different things.

Forty years ago, it was not different down in Wildcat Country. Nor was it any more effective.

Whatever possessed slovenly middle aged slobs to stand, Bible in hand, and yell "Harlot!" at adorable youg lasses and "Heathen!" at passing BMOC athletes, I never grokked. I suppose the yellers either never went to university as a student or they had very sad, pathetic childhoods and resented college young folk.

It was all I could do not to yell back at these 'ministers,' "Judge not, lest ye be judged!" Then again, for whatever reason, I never seemed to be singled out for their abuse. Oddly, this both pleased and troubled me.

When I attended Ohio State in the mid 90s, a "preacher" called Brother Jed was often found on the Oval. As a Christian, it's hard to imagine a worse salesman or marketing campaign for Christianity. I never once heard a kind, loving, thought provoking, or positive thought from him. It was all venom. I hate to think how many people he drove away from Christianity.

To keep this somewhat on topic, last night a band called Tenth Avenue North performed at Timberwolf. Their message and delivery is the complete opposite of the aforementioned venom, and so much closer to the positive examples given in the New Testament. A friend challenged me to try them and a few other Christian bands for Lent (I've never listed to Christian music) and I'm glad I did.

To go somewhat back off topic, I'm curious what folks think of the big sign at Dollywood in line for Wild Eagle (referencing Isaiah 40:31). I think it's a beautiful and inspiring message (and fits the ride nicely), but honestly I was floored to see such a sign in an amusement park.

but I've never had someone try to push their beliefs onto me.

I have.

That's ridiculous. *smh

I'm at the park now. Timberwolf is packed but the rest of the park is like a typical Thursday.

Bring a friend for 14.99 is typically busy, but I'm sure you and your friend can have fun... it's Kings Island after all..

That was very true yesterday. Although it looks packed, especially Action Zone, and it is, the lines weren't that terrible at all. At 9:15 I got in line for Banshee, rode it at 9:20. (the ride crew was timing themselves to mark 90 sec or so each time though )

In the early afternoon, Drop Tower was a 10 min wait, Adventure Express, maybe 3 minutes. Vortex was a walk-on at 9:35pm.

As for the Dollywood Wild Eagle sign, both Dolly Parton and the Herschends are strong Christians who live what they believe and quietly spread the gospel. See the shows. Under Pat Koch, who is both a United Methodist minister and a former nun, Holiday World was operated in a similar fashion.

We have people who stand in the middle of our campus and shout at us at least twice a week. Regardless of your belief, it seems that the more current generations are very turrned-off by aggressive preaching. No matter what your opinions and convictions are, you will just come off as a jerk when trying to aggressively convert "non-believers."

Passive communication and pushy pursuing are entirely different things.

When I attended Ohio State in the mid 90s, a "preacher" called Brother Jed was often found on the Oval. As a Christian, it's hard to imagine a worse salesman or marketing campaign for Christianity. I never once heard a kind, loving, thought provoking, or positive thought from him. It was all venom. I hate to think how many people he drove away from Christianity.

To keep this somewhat on topic, last night a band called Tenth Avenue North performed at Timberwolf. Their message and delivery is the complete opposite of the aforementioned venom, and so much closer to the positive examples given in the New Testament. A friend challenged me to try them and a few other Christian bands for Lent (I've never listed to Christian music) and I'm glad I did.

To go somewhat back off topic, I'm curious what folks think of the big sign at Dollywood in line for Wild Eagle (referencing Isaiah 40:31). I think it's a beautiful and inspiring message (and fits the ride nicely), but honestly I was floored to see such a sign in an amusement park.

Ha I just graduated from OSU and know of this well! I don't understand why they think that yelling at people on the Oval will work. The anti-abortion photos are the worst.

I think they must just enjoy yelling at people.