Fat and grease... Yeah that kind of sucks but it's sort of natural when it comes to amusement park food...

But it doesn't have to be. And considering recent trends toward more healthy, natural eating, it really shouldn't be.

And as for quality and speed of service, just this past weekend I was at NJFTP. Went to the "Macho Nacho" place next to El Toro and had my food ordered, freshly prepared, and delivered to my table in under 10 minutes. For a busy Saturday, I was amazed.

Healthy and non greasy would be best but I don't knock the park for that. I sort of assume that's what is offered and if it's different then it's a perk. The rest I do knock the park for.

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NJFTP has awesome food.

The prices are breathtaking.

I can live with that.

High prices for slop slowly delivered to boot? Nope.

The food service at Kings Island is some of the worst I have seen.  

 

...

 

Kings Island needs to look to the Past, and re-institute. Good food, Happy Themed Music, Trams in the parking lot, Fresh Baked goods, fix up paths and walkways, paint , etc. 

 

It is simply very poor quality reheated food from the freezer.  Nothing is fresh and seasoned there at all.  

 

They did make a great step this year in redoing the candy shop.  The freshly made items, and you can see them make it every day, is quality, fresh and seems to be run by professionals.  Not sure how food service can get it right there and no where else in the park.  

Simple.

The candy shop is not on the meal plan. It has to EARN its customers' business.

To be fair, Kings Island is simply mirroring food service circa 2015.  At one time, serving freshly cooked food while busting your rear end to serve it quickly was probably what you had to do to make a good profit.  Nowadays it is just too easy to reheat something...there's still a lot of people that will buy it.

 

I remember working at McDonald's in the early 90's, and there was a lot of pressure to greet people as they entered, and to move...quickly.  Not sure about all of the societal dynamics, but everywhere I go anymore, everyone from management on down seems to be a lot more casual.  I try to wrap my head around what my boss(es) even 20 years ago would have done had I pulled out a mobile phone and did anything on it while I was at work.  Managers seem to have a lot less authority now, for whatever reason.

Simple.

The candy shop is not on the meal plan. It has to EARN its customers' business.

As does the meal plan restaurants? People have to renew their plans, and also I'd be a betting man to say those concessions are only compensated when the meal plan is used at their restaurant.

Simple.

The candy shop is not on the meal plan. It has to EARN its customers' business.

As does the meal plan restaurants? People have to renew their plans, and also I'd be a betting man to say those concessions are only compensated when the meal plan is used at their restaurant.

They don't get cash and credit card payments from others?

They certainly don't from me. I didn't pay in advance, thus holding myself hostage a year at a time to whatever gruel slowly served they decide to let me have. The park has gates.

The park has gates.

Albeit one directional after 6pm or 7pm on fall operating nights.

 

 

Simple.

The candy shop is not on the meal plan. It has to EARN its customers' business.

As does the meal plan restaurants? People have to renew their plans, and also I'd be a betting man to say those concessions are only compensated when the meal plan is used at their restaurant.

They don't get cash and credit card payments from others?

They certainly don't from me. I didn't pay in advance, thus holding myself hostage a year at a time to whatever gruel slowly served they decide to let me have. The park has gates.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUcPz2cuJCk

 

The park has gates.

Albeit one directional after 6pm or 7pm on fall operating nights.

 

So, if one has a gold pass, can one not enter after these times?  Do they have a cap? 

Kings Island doesn't allow re-entry during Halloween Haunt. (If you want to get back in, you would need to purchase an admission ticket.)

Note that if you exit the park during the day on Saturday, you must re-enter before the appropriate time (6pm or 7pm, as posted at the front gate) if you want to get back in without paying.

Kings Island doesn't allow re-entry during Halloween Haunt. (If you want to get back in, you would need to purchase an admission ticket.)

Note that if you exit the park during the day on Saturday, you must re-enter before the appropriate time (6pm or 7pm, as posted at the front gate) if you want to get back in without paying.

Ok, so if I am understanding this correcting...If I am in the park and LEAVE the gate during before Haunt starts, I must re-enter before the 6p or 7p time or I won't be allowed back in.

 

This is important, and I don't want to misunderstand:

 

I most likely will be going on 11-1-15 for closing day; I'm fairly certain I have that day off.  I am also thinking of going after work on 10-31; but I don't get off work until 730p, and I have about a 2 hour drive.  Will my gold pass get me in to Haunt at 9 or 10pm, or are gold passes not valid for Haunt only?

If I am in the park and LEAVE the gate during before Haunt starts, I must re-enter before the 6p or 7p time or I won't be allowed back in.

That is correct.

I am also thinking of going after work on 10-31; but I don't get off work until 730p, and I have about a 2 hour drive.  Will my gold pass get me in to Haunt at 9 or 10pm, or are gold passes not valid for Haunt only?

Your 2015 gold (or platinum) pass is good for admission to Haunt. Just not if you visited earlier in the day and left, because that would be considered a re-entry.

Kings Island doesn't allow re-entry during Halloween Haunt. (If you want to get back in, you would need to purchase an admission ticket.)

Note that if you exit the park during the day on Saturday, you must re-enter before the appropriate time (6pm or 7pm, as posted at the front gate) if you want to get back in without paying.

 

Ok, so if I am understanding this correcting...If I am in the park and LEAVE the gate during before Haunt starts, I must re-enter before the 6p or 7p time or I won't be allowed back in.

 

This is important, and I don't want to misunderstand:

 

I most likely will be going on 11-1-15 for closing day; I'm fairly certain I have that day off.  I am also thinking of going after work on 10-31; but I don't get off work until 730p, and I have about a 2 hour drive.  Will my gold pass get me in to Haunt at 9 or 10pm, or are gold passes not valid for Haunt only?

 

You can make your INITIAL entry anytime before the park closes at 1am. However, you cannot RE-enter after the cutoff time.

 

In other words, handstamps are not accepted after the cutoff, nor will Gold/Platinum Passes that have already been scanned that day successfully scan again.

 

EDIT: What malem said.

Thanks for the insight, malem and jcgoble3.  I've never gone to a haunt that late, so I wasn't sure exactly how it worked.

 

Back to food service:  I will be going to some other CF parks next summer.  If others have gone, how has the experience compared to our beloved Kings Island?

WHICH FUN parks?

The experiences are far from uniform.

WHICH FUN parks?

The experiences are far from uniform.

I plan on Cedar Point, Carowinds and Kings Dominion.

I was hoping you were going to ask about Dorney Park. Scrumptious food, fairly priced, fast service.

I was hoping you were going to ask about Dorney Park. Scrumptious food, fairly priced, fast service.

I didnt even consider this park.  It is about 9.5 hours from where I live.  Maybe I will add it to the list.  But of course, that will take away from Kings Island and Kentucky Kingdom.   

 

Maybe I will have to ask off a weekend and do Dorney Park and some of the other non-FUN parks.  Pennsylvania has a few good ones, yes?

Cedar Point food is heads above KI.  Fast and friendly service, much better selection, and better taste all around.  I can't think of one think KI has that CP does not do 100% better.  It shocks me they are the same company.  I guess no one cares about the food at KI from corporate.  As long as it makes money, who cares right?  

I can't think of one think KI has that CP does not do 100% better. 

 

KI's pizza is consistently served hot. The same can't be said of CP's pizza, which spends a lot of time under a "heat" lamp. Doneness issues aside.

 

I have yet to throw away an entire plate of food at KI because it wasn't edible. The same can't be said about CP.

 

Reds Grille is miles ahead of any* food establishment at Cedar Point, in my opinion at least.

 

*Not having visited Tomo Hibachi, Bay Harbor, or Famous Dave's outside the park.

When I went to CP I ate at Johnny Rockets and that was an amazing experience other than "their kitchen falling apart" the waitress we had was extremely friendly. The whole waiting staff and some people in the kitchen even started dancing to the music at one point. The food was pretty good too.

Cedar Point food is heads above KI.  Fast and friendly service, much better selection, and better taste all around.  I can't think of one think KI has that CP does not do 100% better.  It shocks me they are the same company.  I guess no one cares about the food at KI from corporate.  As long as it makes money, who cares right?  

 

Maybe the Paramount parks and legacy Cedar Fair parks are still trying to synchronize the way that they operate.  Maybe KI's food service is just a wee bit off the pace.

This is the tenth season FUN has owned what were Paramount Parks. Before the consolidation, both chains had better food and faster, friendlier service.

See also Platinum Passes.

Didn't realize it's been 10 years already... Okay that cannot be an excuse anymore.

Maybe the hiring of minors is a bad thing?

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And the park is ALREADY short staffed.

How is excluding a source of labor going to HELP?

Terp, whose head hurts.

And the park is ALREADY short staffed.

How is excluding a source of labor going to HELP?

Terp, whose head hurts.

 

It does seem they either refuse to staff the park with more employees to get labor costs down or they can't hire enough.  Lots of the food staff does seem slow, unfriendly and just not interested to even be there.  I can't say that for the rides people, they greet you and seem happy to be there.  

 

Is it a minor issue or just poor hiring decisions?  Maybe KI has to pay more to attract better food workers.  I suspect they are only making minimum wage.  You get what you pay for.  Pay cheap get cheap labor, and that translated to cheap product and cheap experience for the customers.  

Unless things have changed, foods makes a little more than rides. Not much more, but a little.

And the park is ALREADY short staffed.

How is excluding a source of labor going to HELP?

Terp, whose head hurts.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but doesn't CP hire 18+ no minors?

Different demo I get that but maybe hiring the majority of your work force (under 18) that interacts with the public may not be the best?

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That was tried briefly. Kings Island cannot get an adequate staff at the wages it wants to pay without using minors.

Cedar Point has onsite housing (as does NJFTP) and hires a great many internationals, without which it couldn't sustain its current pay structure.