A brief visit to the park Saturday night July 9

[Voicetek]

My wife and I decided to ride out to the park Saturday night since this was the second week the park was going to be open until Midnight.  We figured it would be nice to go out for a few hours and catch some night rides and enjoy the park a bit.

 

We arrived at the park around 8:30 pm and after driving around and around for a while, finally found a place to park.  One thing I've noticed previous years was that it seems like there are a lot of groups/companies visiting on Saturdays in July when the park is open until midnight.  One year was the worst with like 7 or 8 companies visiting on the same day!  Needless to say the park was extremely crowded.  So after we parked the car, I checked out the KI sign and, sure enough, saw that they were welcoming multiple groups/companies.  This day, however, it wasn't too bad with only 3-4 companies visiting.

 

As we entered the park, we did notice that it was very crowded, which can be expected on a Saturday.  We decided just to take it easy and walk at a leisurely pace and just get on whatever we could get on in the amount of time we had.  First up was Diamondback.  We got in line and waited almost an hour and a half.  It was daylight when we got in line, but it was now completely dark and we even got to watch the fireworks show from the line.  It sucked to wait that long, but on the positive side of things, we got to enjoy a night ride on Diamondback!

 

After leaving Diamondback, we headed towards The Beast.  We weren't sure we wanted to wait in a long line again, but thought we would just check it out and see how bad it was.  It was bad.  We decided to skip it and move onto something else.  We walked over to Coney Mall and caught a ride on The Racer.  The line wasn't too bad, almost a walk-on.  A nice ride on this classic coaster!

 

Next up, one of our favorites - Adventure Express.  Again, this one was a walk-on and we had our choice of seats.  We picked the very back row and off we went!  Unfortunately, the effects in the second tunnel weren't working.  The spears weren't moving at all.  I had read in another post on here that they saw the spears moving this season.  Maybe they were off that night? Who knows for sure.  Also, the last lift tunnel had the nice lighting effects running, but no sound.  They just can't seem to get this thing working all at once!  Please KI, give AE some TLC!

 

After Adventure Express it was a little after 11 and we decided to walk back to International Street and check out some shops.  This is something we don't do too often, so it's nice on occasion to spend some time looking around at things.  Once we were finished, the time was around 11:45 so we decided to head on out.

 

Let's talk about some good things about our trip:  Well, the weather was awesome.  It was between 70 and 75 degrees while we were there.  Definitely the perfect weather to be at the park!  We also had some great night rides which are also a plus when visiting the park.

 

Now the bad things:  Well, I don't know if it's just me and that fact that I'm getting older or what, but has anyone else noticed that the atmosphere at KI has become loud and rowdy lately?  I don't know if it's just this season, but I noticed it more when we were there Saturday night.  First, I don't know what the deal is, but we kept getting our ears blown away from groups of spontaneous screamers.  First when we were walking up to the entrance from the parking lot, these two girls were sitting on a curb and as we walk by they just started screaming nonsense sounds at the top of their lungs.  Scared the crap out of my wife and me.  Then just periodically throughout the park, random people and groups would just start shouting and screaming to the top of their lungs, mainly just nonsense sounds and noise.  I can understand screaming on a ride (sorta), but just to be walking through the park, or sitting somewhere and just spontaneously burst out in a high pitch scream is just crazy to me.

 

Next, it just seemed like the music around the park was on full blast.  It was constant bass thumping in your head the whole night.  We seemed to really notice this because we were standing literally two feet from each other and could hardly carry a conversation without screaming.  When you're standing next to someone and have to scream at them in order for them to hear, the music is too loud.  Is this a park or a nightclub? I couldn't really figure it out Saturday.  One thing I don't care about as I'm taking a leisurely walk through Rivertown or Coney Mall is that Taylor Swift is "never ever ever getting back together" with her boyfriend. 

 

On top of the music, spontaneous screamers, and the additional noise of the fun TVs, it was just audible chaos Saturday night.  At one point, I was just looking for a place to go to avoid some noise and find some quiet.  I think that's one of the reasons why we ducked into some shops at the end of the night.  It's sad when, what used to be, such as nice park now just seems like a rowdy club.  All kind of loud pop music, plus just a bunch or rowdy people screaming and acting a fool, I was just so disappointed by how overwhelming everything was.  It was almost to the point that you couldn't enjoy yourself. 

 

Anyway, of course we'll be back though cause it's my home park and we have passes.  I'm hoping this was just a bad night and that future visits won't be as bad as this one.  I'm hoping this was all just a fluke and things will return to the way they usually are.

 

Has anyone else noticed these problems though? Leave me some comments and let me know what you think!

[BeeastFarmer]

I haven't noticed screamers, but the loud music is annoying!

[King Ding Dong]

Get off my lawn!!!!

No, seriously I agree with you. During the day the music is just loud enough that if they turned it any more I would file a complaint. Night is just to much.

Many teenage girls are just a useless annoyance to society (so are many boys but that is another discussion). They are either screamers or gigglers. I was on a plane with a HS or College women's sports team once and I thought I was going to have to jump out the emergency exit. They were high or just morons. How do you sit there and giggle for a straight hour and a half? I know some professional comedians and they aren't that funny all the time.

I remember seeing a show on TV where convenience stores were installing speakers outside that emitted annoying high pitched sounds in a range that only humans under 30 can hear to keep the kids from loitering. I would gladly pay for a mobile version to carry around with me.

[Voicetek]

I think for me it's even more noticeable because two years ago I spontaneously developed an ear condition.  And when I say spontaneous, I'm not exaggerating.  One day I was fine, the other I wasn't.  One Sunday afternoon my ears, out of the blue, just started to ring.  Nothing to cause it.  My wife and I were just laying around watching some TV.  Since then, my ears have become painful and sensitive.  Doctors don't know what's wrong and my hearing tests are normal so it's really odd.  My symptoms come and go and some days it's worse than others.  I don't go to public places anymore without earplugs and you better believe I was wearing them Saturday at the park.  My wife, who has no ear issues, was telling me that she wished she had some earplugs as well.  It should never be so bad that people wished they had earplugs to put in their ears. 

[IndyGuy4KI]

I remember seeing a show on TV where convenience stores were installing speakers outside that emitted annoying high pitched sounds in a range that only humans under 30 can hear to keep the kids from loitering. I would gladly pay for a mobile version to carry around with me.

 

This might go against the CF business plan! As much as I am not a fan of KI being a babysitter. Kids get dropped off by guardians with $20 to $30 to spend in the park on games, candy, gifts, etc a lot it seems.

[IBEW_Sparky]

More groups, bring MORE groups, load the park up with MORE groups all at the same time, and then push #bestdayever.  It is?  That is the one thing that makes me absolutely livid, over and above all other minor annoyances (which King Ding Dong covered what I feel is the largest park going annoyance).

 

 

$$$$$..... and they already have yours, so why not push for more.  Captive audience.

 

And, yes, get off my lawn!!  

[electricsun]

Voicetek - I've noticed that when a park is busy, I can get a bit overstimulated and easily irritated. The random yelling is the worst for me. I hope your next visit is better!

Many teenage girls are just a useless annoyance to society (so are many boys but that is another discussion). They are either screamers or gigglers. I was on a plane with a HS or College women's sports team once and I thought I was going to have to jump out the emergency exit. They were high or just morons. How do you sit there and giggle for a straight hour and a half? I know some professional comedians and they aren't that funny all the time.

Umm...I hope you never run into me at the park then. May not be a teenage girl but I laugh and giggle quite a bit on rides and in general. Several years ago I found it very hard to laugh so now that I'm back to being easily amused, I try not to be apologetic about it. I would much rather hear people filled with joy and laughing/giggling than hearing people screaming and yelling. But that's just me.

[Voicetek]

^I'd much rather hear laughing and giggling.  Seeing/hearing people having fun is fine with me.  I like to see that!  However, when a group of teenagers randomly start yelling nonsense for no good reason, that's when it gets irritating.  By all means, laugh, giggle, have fun....but for goodness sakes, quit the screaming! :-)

[IBEW_Sparky]

 

Umm...I hope you never run into me at the park then. May not be a teenage girl but I laugh and giggle quite a bit on rides and in general. Several years ago I found it very hard to laugh so now that I'm back to being easily amused, I try not to be apologetic about it. I would much rather hear people filled with joy and laughing/giggling than hearing people screaming and yelling. But that's just me.

 

I agree with you, and from what I saw and experienced at IB, your joy and happiness is different than what I think KDD is getting at... the random screaming and foolishness, and the things like people that scream and freak out while going up the lift hill or in the brake run on a coaster.  Id like to stuff a sock in those peoples mouths, with my foot still inside it.  Hell, I was laughing and carrying on just as much as you on the rides at IB, lol.

[King Ding Dong]

I guess that came off a little strong, but the giggling part was in reference to an airplane not an amusement park. Giggling and genuine laughter are two very different things.

"I brushed my teeth". Giggle, giggle, giggle

"Then I had some toast" Giggle, giggle giggle

"Did you do your homework?" Giggle, giggle, giggle

I swear these girls could not stop for 5 seconds the whole trip.

[PKIVortex]

We were at the park ask day on Saturday, it was busy but I seen it 100 times worse. After the fireworks we rode, Racer x2, Adventure Express x1,Vortex x2, Shake Rattle and Roll x1, Backlot x1, and The Beast x1, and by the time we got to The Beast the line was shorter than usual.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[presto123]

I think for me it's even more noticeable because two years ago I spontaneously developed an ear condition.  And when I say spontaneous, I'm not exaggerating.  One day I was fine, the other I wasn't.  One Sunday afternoon my ears, out of the blue, just started to ring.  Nothing to cause it.  My wife and I were just laying around watching some TV.  Since then, my ears have become painful and sensitive.  Doctors don't know what's wrong and my hearing tests are normal so it's really odd.  My symptoms come and go and some days it's worse than others.  I don't go to public places anymore without earplugs and you better believe I was wearing them Saturday at the park.  My wife, who has no ear issues, was telling me that she wished she had some earplugs as well.  It should never be so bad that people wished they had earplugs to put in their ears. 

 

 

 Isn't that ear thing tinnitus?  If it is, I would think doctors would know some of the causes.

[Voicetek]

 

I think for me it's even more noticeable because two years ago I spontaneously developed an ear condition.  And when I say spontaneous, I'm not exaggerating.  One day I was fine, the other I wasn't.  One Sunday afternoon my ears, out of the blue, just started to ring.  Nothing to cause it.  My wife and I were just laying around watching some TV.  Since then, my ears have become painful and sensitive.  Doctors don't know what's wrong and my hearing tests are normal so it's really odd.  My symptoms come and go and some days it's worse than others.  I don't go to public places anymore without earplugs and you better believe I was wearing them Saturday at the park.  My wife, who has no ear issues, was telling me that she wished she had some earplugs as well.  It should never be so bad that people wished they had earplugs to put in their ears. 

 

 

 Isn't that ear thing tinnitus?  If it is, I would think doctors would know some of the causes.

 

Any type of ear ringing, whether it be permanent or temporary is marked as "tinnitus" when diagnosed by a doctor.  And yes, some of the specialists I went to claimed to know the "causes."  However, the causes they were claiming, didn't happen to me.  The first specialist told me that I must have been around loud explosions or shooting off a gun with no ear protection the day it started.  I told him that wasn't the case.  He told me I just must have not remembered.  Idiot.  Another thing.  Usually tinnitus is a result of hearing loss or hearing damage which is permanent.  My hearing tests (I had like 3 or 4 of them done) came back normal.  One hearing doctor even thought my level of hearing was pretty good for a then 33 year old.  Another thing, like I mentioned in my post, my symptoms come and go.  Some times I'm fine, other days it's really bad, and then there are those in-between days.  It's really weird.  I've been to 4 ear specialists and one neurologist and all they have are either invalid claims or theories.  No one has been able to offer any kind of true diagnosis or explain what's really going on.  For now I just take it day by day and hope for the best.