Kings Island 2016 Discussion Thread

[Infinity]

^^I always thought a story of Kings Island would be cool there. In each block they could have the logo of an important addition to the park and a description of how it helped the park grow to what it is today.

[Creed Bratton]

I wonder if Kings Island has any future plans for the old Paramount Story area, the only use I see for it is for Haunt.

It's a lovely smoking patio

[chuck norris]

The entire path behind the effiel tower is closed... (Both directions near Backlot Stunt Coaster)

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[Creed Bratton]

Banshee Brew Fest is the reason for that. Will be the same way next weekend.

[Magenta Lizard]

This is new I think

[Creed Bratton]

I know they used to do a carousel horse (not sure when that was around) and the Liberty Bell (can't remember if they still do).
 

However, that's really nice! I'd love to see more topiary bushes around the park....including the Peanuts characters like at Cedar Point.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Magenta Lizard]

I saw the liberty bell last summer but this is the first I've seen the tower in the three years I've been coming again

[BeeastFarmer]

Maybe the park is hinting that more nostalgia is coming back?  One can wish...

[freaks76]

The tower is pretty neat. Be nice to see more of that.

Someone put a good bit of work in that.

I couldn't do it. Heck, the bushes in front of my yard are about 6 feet tall. I can't ever get them nice and square.

[chuck norris]

Banshee Brew Fest is the reason for that. Will be the same way next weekend.

I know... There had been some quotations asking about what portions would be closed, hence the picture.

[chuck norris]

I saw the liberty bell last summer but this is the first I've seen the tower in the three years I've been coming again

I didn't check today, but as of last weekend the bell wasn't up... The stand for the bell was still there, but no bell.

[Creed Bratton]

 

Banshee Brew Fest is the reason for that. Will be the same way next weekend.

I know... There had been some quotations asking about what portions would be closed, hence the picture.

 

All good! I didn't see those posts! 

[TombRaiderFTW]

I saw the liberty bell last summer but this is the first I've seen the tower in the three years I've been coming again

I didn't check today, but as of last weekend the bell wasn't up... The stand for the bell was still there, but no bell.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe the bell usually shows up around Memorial Day each year. It's similar to how, until recent years, an American flag would show up on the concrete block at the center of Beast's turn out of the station on July 4th. (Starting a few years back, it started being there throughout the year.)

[JCoaster25]

Maybe the park is hinting that more nostalgia is coming back? One can wish...

Speaking of that, one of my biggest hopes for next year is a 45th anniversary restoration of Racer. New track work, new LED chaser lights running the whole course, and most importantly, restoring the original red white and blue paint job. Perhaps even new trains if the park is willing.

Again, wishful thinking. Been wanting it to happen for years.

[Magenta Lizard]

The bell is there now. I saw it when I rode the carousel but didn't have my phone. I'll post a pic soon.

Edit: best I could do, with WEBN in the way

Ok, they moved

[McSalsa]

My streak of 500+ days without riding a roller coaster...is DEAD!!! (Visited Kings Island today) Crowds were very manageable for rides, though food lines were crazy long (only stood in one of those though all day- it was for a Pizza that was OK but made my stomach feel a bit sick for a part of the day due to how greasy it was which led me to see how much better B&Ms are than other rides at being easy on the stomach as I rode both Banshee and Diamondback afterwards). I also had possibly my best rides ever on Vortex and Invertigo, my worst ride ever on Beast (was still OK but nowhere near the usual Beast standard I have for it- though later I went for a 2nd ride which was up to snuff and thus Beast redeemed itself in 1 day) and I had some of my sister's Apple Pie Funnel Cake which was great. I also got my first ride on Woodstock Gliders (fun ride- I have to be crazier with it next time though as my sister accuses me of being way too tame) and my first daylight ride on WindSeeker, and rode Diamondback by myself for the first time (made we wish they had never gotten rid of the single rider line as that would have really helped). After said Diamondback ride, I saw Don Helbig for the first time, but couldn't bring up any words so I just smiled and nodded at him. (It felt like seeing a freaking Unicorn!) And then by 6:00 we were pooped so we came home even though the park would be open for 4 more hours.

 

I'll do a full trip report later, but for now, this quick summary of my day will do. Also I must commend the employees at Kings Island as they were super friendly and worked very hard today and were all in good moods. In short: Awesome rides, awesome staff, and good food made this a great day at Kings Island and we didn't even need the full day!

 

Oh, and I saw the fence, but it really didn't help me decode 2017 much... (Did not ride Train/Eiffel Tower)...

[disco2000]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread regarding the south exit and how what used to be 3 exit lanes (left turn lane, middle lane to turn left or right, and right turn lane) has now been reduced to two lanes - a right turn only lane and a left turn only lane. 

 

People are used to the old one and I watched for 20 minutes at close tonight that the majority in the right turn only lane turned left onto Kings Island Drive.  What makes this troublesome is the construction has the southbound lane of Kings Island Drive down to one lane, resulting in many beeping horns and flip offs because two lanes are now turning into a one lane road (and one of the lanes turning left is now doing so illegally).  Not that people pay attention to signs, but they need some better signage as the only indication is painted arrows on the pavement that most are probably missing.

 

Further complicating the problem is that they have two left turn arrow lights at the intersection, which means two lanes can turn left.  So the questions are is the current exit configuration permanent and they need to fix the signal light or is the exit going to revert back to two lanes being able to turn left after construction is done?

 

Also, it appeared as if a sobriety checkpoint was occurring in the parking lot tonight.  I noticed a weird cone configuration when I entered the parking lot and such configuration made sense seeing them pull cars into this lane.  Maybe it was something else, but sure looked like a checkpoint.

 

I do like the new queue lines being installed in the food places.  It is doing a lot to deter the drink only people from skipping the line and clogging up the register line.  I did see though someone at Chicken Shack from back of the line yell to the worker if they had the orange cups and the worker responded yes.  Customer proceeded to go to the unused side and get such cup from employee and then walk out the exit without paying - why would you give someone a cup that wasn't in line?

 

I also saw people cut through Showplace Theatre to get into Banshee Brew - I don't know if paying folks were given a wrist band or anything, but I pointed it out to a security guard that just kinda brushed it off - maybe they radioed in after we separated, but it didn't appear he was concerned.

 

And I agree with above poster that for it being a light night attendance-wise, the food lines were out the door of every open restaurant from 6-10pm

[Haru-Kun]

Pulling out of the park this evening just prior to close, heading northbound on KI Drive, I caught the red light at Great Wolf Drive. Weird thing was, before the lights went green we got a left green arrow- into the now demolished empty lot of the KI Resort and conference center..

Then after the arrow everything went flashing yellow. It just seemed like an unnecessary light progression.

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[Haru-Kun]

Edited: Double post.

[diamonbackandbeastlover]

Could have been the lights cycle on a timer so it does that every time it switches to flashing lights.

[Magenta Lizard]

If anyone else wants to use the 50% off funnel cake coupon from the app, and you don't want to have trouble using it, I'd suggest going between the hours of 2 and 5.

The difficulty I had last night, the time it took to finally get the coupon honored, and the specific things I was told in the process were ridiculous. Nowhere on the coupon does it say hours or any other restrictions (except that it needs to be the Rivertown location). This is the /third weekend/ it has shown in my app, although the first I personally tried to use it. If there were problems or intended restrictions to the coupon, there has been plenty of time to put measures in place to deal with it, it shouldn't come as a surprise.

I understand there can be miscommunications between departments, but as a customer, I can't say I really care, especially when I only find out about it at the register. There was no signage up, like "sorry, we can only honor the app coupon between 2 and 5", just a scared employee at the register telling us they were only good before 5, and she had been told by her supervisor not to even scan the coupons after 5.

After waiting an interminable time for her supervisor (who the employee at the register didn't want to go get because "she can't do anything either" and only even tried to contact after I asked if she could get a park ambassador then... I know those can make things right) we got a long line of explanation why we couldn't use the coupon even though there was nothing in the coupon that suggested we shouldn't be able to. I got a long description of interdepartmental strife and the inability for even managers to actually do anything to make things right.... And, when it was clear I wasn't just going to give up and either walk away or pay full price, finally an offer: "well I'll scan it but if it doesn't work there's nothing I can do." Miraculously, that worked, who could have imagined /trying/ it sometime before my funnel cake got cold?

It brought back to mind one of the first things the young employee told us: "my supervisor won't let us even scan them after 5!" Clearly, the coupons work, the location doesn't want to honor them for whatever reason, and the manager is trying everything to get people to simply give up rather than push the issue.

I certainly didn't feel like a valued customer. It's not like I was trying to "get away" with anything, that coupon has been popping up in my app for weeks. If I hadn't just waited in a line and had my funnel cake in front of me - if I had instead encountered a sign at the beginning of the line or been told by an employee - I would have been slightly miffed but walked away. Maybe visited guest services later, but probably not.

Instead, I got my half price funnel cake, but I'm still steamed about it the next day, and I will definitely be visiting guest services to complain first thing when I go to the park again Sunday. There were so many ways this could have been handled in a more positive manner, instead, it was handled so badly that even though I ultimately got what I wanted, I'm angry. That takes a surprising degree of poor service.

[The Interpreter]

It makes you wonder what performance standards the supervisor has.

Why do I suspect reducing food cost and labor are paramount over customer service, speed, and food quality?

What you measure is what you get...

[KIfan73]

I've come to the conclusion during the last few seasons that, while maybe just short of impossible, it's definitely not worth the hassle to eat at Kings Island.  My only visit this season was the gold pass preview night.  Even on that night, my usual "go to" place (RHoFG) didn't work out.  Both the hostess and myself agreed it was best if I didn't stick around.  While maybe not indicative of what it will be like once the season gets rolling, the food service experience park-wide was certainly similar to the last few seasons.  Luckily, I can get by for hours without a lot to eat.  However, I really feel for those with families with small children that have to eat while they are there.  It just seems like it would be a nightmare. 

[The Interpreter]

I can leave the park, drive to Putz's Creamy Whip, enjoy a wonderful meal served by kind, cheerful people, and drive back faster. And pay for the gas with the savings--even after leaving a large tip.

I recommend the foot long chili dog and a cherry malt. Yum.

[Magenta Lizard]

I think that was one of the things that bothered me most. Other than opening weekend, I've had some fairly good experiences with food services so far this year, that have seemed to show that management in those areas are much improved versus last season. So this kind of blindsided me.

[The Interpreter]

That supervisor thinks he is doing what the park wants him to do.

Probably because....he is.

[Magenta Lizard]

She is. Yeah, presumably.

[The Interpreter]

Guests should not suffer due to interdepartmental conflicts over goals and targets.

And they shouldn't hear about the conflicts either.

Customer first?

Best day ever?

[KIfan73]

This could just be my imagination, but I feel like I've noticed a general change in people's attitudes when I've visited Kings Island.  One of the nice things about going there was that it seemed like an upbeat, fun place to be.  Anymore, it's almost like being at the BMV.  People standing in line because they want to use their season long dining plan.  Other people standing in line to refill their drink cups.  People elbowing each other in line to get their Fast Lane passes.  I would imagine FunPix is going to be the same.  All of these opportunities for pre-visit spending seems to have given the vibe that almost everyone there is there to "collect" what they've already spent money on.  No more "Wow, we got to visit Kings Island today, let's have fun".  Now it's "I had better get what I've been promised or there's going to be h*** to pay!"

[The Interpreter]

And the already got your money means no urgency or great desire to take care of a customer who already may have an "I'm entitled" attitude.