Parking Lot Needs Work

[thedaveyboyshow]

To me, the horrible state of the parking lot is a major detraction to the entire feel and vibe of Kings Island. Knowing I have risked my car's alignment is generally not a good way to start my #KIBestDay .  I think if I could have one "wish list" item to push to the top of the list, it would be the parking lot at this wonderful park.  I know other things need tended to as well, but the parking lot is really getting bad.  

[PKIVortex]

Makes you wonder what they are doing with the $20 parking fees. I'm sure it would cost quite a bit to repave they lot but you'd think they would make plenty in just one day if parking tolls alone to repave the lot.

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[Who Dey]

It's been needed for awhile now.   I have had many kids trip and scrape their knees on holes and such because they get excited and don't mind their step.

 

[FoF96"]

1 hour ago, PKIVortex said:

Makes you wonder what they are doing with the $20 parking fees. I'm sure it would cost quite a bit to repave they lot but you'd think they would make plenty in just one day if parking tolls alone to repave the lot.

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It is probably very likely, that on any given day, there is a larger percentage of gold and platinum passholders in the park than there are single day admission tickets. this would negate a lot of potential revenue from parking toll.  To tear up and redo the pool area around back of my house which is approximately a 55x45 concrete slab with a pool cut out of the middle which lessens the overall concrete area. Was around $10k.  Now given this was the higher grade “stamped” concrete I can’t see regular asphalt costing much less.  Now if you compare that small space to however large King’s Islands parking lot is, the price would likely quickly soar into the millions of dollars.

[BeeastFarmer]

I don't live in Cinci, but I called a couple of local contractors who do pave roads and parking lots when I had my driveway repaired this summer. In central KY, the going rate for a commercial parking lot, including milling, patching, repaving and striping the new pavement is approximately $1.25-$1.75 per square foot.  Assuming the parking lot is 30 acres, and an acre is 43,560 square feet, it would cost about $2,286,900.00 on the high end.  (If I did my math correctly).  Of course, residential is much more expensive at around $3.00/square foot, so my driveway was patched, cracks rubber filled and sealed instead.

[fryoj]

3 hours ago, jtro223 said:

I don't live in Cinci, but I called a couple of local contractors who do pave roads and parking lots when I had my driveway repaired this summer. In central KY, the going rate for a commercial parking lot, including milling, patching, repaving and striping the new pavement is approximately $1.25-$1.75 per square foot.  Assuming the parking lot is 30 acres, and an acre is 43,560 square feet, it would cost about $2,286,900.00 on the high end.  (If I did my math correctly).  Of course, residential is much more expensive at around $3.00/square foot, so my driveway was patched, cracks rubber filled and sealed instead.

The lot is like 93 acres. I think your $1.25-$1.75 is just the 2" cap honestly. Unless they are just milling and relaying the it and saving on material costs. I don't have any direct dealings with asphalt pricing, but have seen enough laid to know that the KI lot would have to be milled and new asphalt laid. I'm thinking the cost will be close to double the above numbers, but even at $1.75 we are looking at $7 million.

[BeeastFarmer]

27 minutes ago, fryoj said:

The lot is like 93 acres. I think your $1.25-$1.75 is just the 2" cap honestly. Unless they are just milling and relaying the it and saving on material costs. I don't have any direct dealings with asphalt pricing, but have seen enough laid to know that the KI lot would have to be milled and new asphalt laid. I'm thinking the cost will be close to double the above numbers, but even at $1.75 we are looking at $7 million.

The prices here are probably much different in Cinci.  Could be cheaper up there because of more competition, but it could also be much more expensive because of a much bigger book of work available.  I used 30 acres as a guess, so of course the price would increase dramatically with 70 more acres.  The standard here is that the milled material is hauled off site, sorted, pulverized and added at the plant back into stock blacktop.  The milled, reused material cannot be more than 15% of new blacktop.  So KI's current blacktop would end up in other commercial lots, highways, streets, driveways, etc.  Wherever the projects are that the supplier sends the product to.  My best guess is that when they eventually begin parking lot rehab, it won't be a 99 acre job.  It will be piecemeal, like the preffered/bus/employee lots have been paved and are in good shape. What would make most sense to me is repave the rest in sections, starting with the most used areas first--for example in one year do from the sign/old tram route down to the road by preferred/bus parking and over to like row 25.  Next year, so the same thing except on the south side.  But then again, I am not a CF executive to make such decisions. 

Edit:  to change north to south and correct a typo.

[westcoaster]

It's time for the lot...

[IndyGuy4KI]

A few thoughts come to mind. No right or wrong answer.

Do I want a smooth sharp parking lot or a few new flat rides?

This would be a major expense, why not make this a multi year project?

What about filling in the potholes and resealing? That would be cheaper than repaving right?

[diamonbackandbeastlover]

It would be nice for a new parking lot but they could do a chunk every year instead of the whole thing at once unless they got a super good deal. One of the hardest things about working there was trying to avoid the potholes at the end of the night lol. I have gone as a guest in the guest parking lot in a long time so I’m not sure how bad of shape it is in  

[FoF96"]

As a guest,  I truly don’t notice the parking lot that much.  I take much more notice to the seemingly nonsensical arrangement of cones when I’m there rather than asphalt quality.

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

I've been ranting about the parking lot here and in the KI surveys they send out for years. Years!

It's one of the first and last things you experience with the park, so it should be a no-brainer to make it pristine.

It seems even worse with the nicely paved entry way to the parking booths. Then it dumps you into the gravel back-roads of the parking lot. 

I'm pretty sure I saw this the last time I was there in Racer 23:

 That's a joke.

But really, the newer entry way just magnifies how bad the rest of the parking lot is and I hoped they would start spreading it out from there.

It should probably be a multi season project which hopefully begins this off-season. But, I'm not holding my breath.  

[IndyGuy4KI]

1 hour ago, FoF96" said:

As a guest,  I truly don’t notice the parking lot that much.  I take much more notice to the seemingly nonsensical arrangement of cones when I’m there rather than asphalt quality.

Carowinds has KI beat with the interesting placement of cones.

[silver2005]

10 hours ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

A few thoughts come to mind. No right or wrong answer.

Do I want a smooth sharp parking lot or a few new flat rides?

This would be a major expense, why not make this a multi year project?

What about filling in the potholes and resealing? That would be cheaper than repaving right?

And the park can't do both together because....?  I mean, the park has the resources of Cedar Fair at its disposal, it shouldn't be hard for the park to accomplish both.  

I don't buy the argument that a park that can afford $20 million coasters is afraid of expenses when it comes to repaving a parking lot.  

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

Haha, found this excerpt from an old trip report I posted back in 2006.

Remember those days when the parking prices were $10 and that was ridiculous? And the trams. Oh, the trams. *pours one out for the trams*

How young I was then.

Quote

I came to the park with my friend from work, Mark, since my girlfriend was off doing her college thing. We go to the park at about 8:45 and had to wait in our car for them to open the lot. Of course, my first reaction upon entering the park was "$10"!?!?! To park!?! Then I noticed the sign that the trams would not be running. This has always been one of my biggest beefs with the park. Parking should not cost this much with so little to show for it. The trams hardly ever run, and it's not like they repave it every year. So what's this parking fee really going towards that it needs to be so high? The parking lot is riddled with cracks and bumps, so I know we're not getting some supreme parking experience. For $10 I expect to be able to park as close as I can if I get there early enough, but NO, there's preferred parking! I remember when I used to be able to get to the park at 8:45 and get one of the closest spots. Now it's $15 for that spot! It's crazy! I hope Cedar Fair gets rid of that policy. I've hated it ever since they started. Get rid of that and get those security people who keep people out of preferred parking and put them in the darn trams!!!

 

[King Ding Dong]

Potholes should be repaired in a more timely manner but I am not convinced a total resurfacing is necessary.   Speeds in the lot should be 10mph or less and wont hurt your vehicles alignment at that speed.   

While I do have concerns about over excited kids running and tripping on potholes or even the inevitable bumps for repaired potholes it is our job as parents to manage that situation.  I don't like constantly barking at my kids but I do in parking lots especially when they pull out a cell phone.  Far more concerning is them being hit by a very tired driver not paying attention or driving to fast.   Even at 10mph contact can be lethal.  

Personally I would like to see more modest speed bumps in the lanes (I hate the huge ones) and better lighting directing traffic around at night.   Solar and LED technology has come a long way in recent years.  If CF can invest in solar trash cans (CP) they can invest in safety for the parking lot.  

[shark6495]

How about just better painted lines?


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[IndyGuy4KI]

6 hours ago, silver2005 said:

And the park can't do both together because....?  I mean, the park has the resources of Cedar Fair at its disposal, it shouldn't be hard for the park to accomplish both.  

I don't buy the argument that a park that can afford $20 million coasters is afraid of expenses when it comes to repaving a parking lot.  

Not saying they can't, but will they? 

They seem to not be affraid of in park expenses. Although. There is not much for an ROI on a freshly paved parking lot. 

[whengodsaysgo]

I think the parking lot could use some love.  Even just a little love would go a long way.  The parking lot is a guest's first glimpse into the park, and it could create a bad first impression with its sad state.

Perhaps more trash cans are a higher priority?  I usually linger in the park after closing, as I tend to go later on any given day.  It's appalling how much trash is left on the ground in the parking lot.  I cannot imagine just leaving a family meal's worth of trash on the ground - let alone a solo meal's (such as my own) worth.  I'd put it in my car and throw it away somewhere else if there weren't a trash can near by. 

I realize that the issue may not be the quantity or quality or availability of trash cans, but more so the GP's lack of respect.  In any case, it saddens me.

[silver2005]

1 hour ago, IndyGuy4KI said:

Not saying they can't, but will they? 

They seem to not be affraid of in park expenses. Although. There is not much for an ROI on a freshly paved parking lot. 

The parking lot is just one of those areas where the park is just gonna have to suck it up.  I'm sure there are other such infrastructure projects they do that don't yield much ROI.  I mean, there are parts where its nearly gravel. 

[FoF96"]

Holiday Worlds parking lot, at least last time I went is ACTUALLY gravel in the back half.  That doesn’t take away any of my enjoyment.

[fryoj]

I've parked on grass at WDW. 

[King Ding Dong]

2 hours ago, silver2005 said:

The parking lot is just one of those areas where the park is just gonna have to suck it up.  I'm sure there are other such infrastructure projects they do that don't yield much ROI.  I mean, there are parts where its nearly gravel. 

I don’t think they have to do anything.

Are you seriously going to not go because the parking lot is a bit bumpy?  I bet it has to get a whole lot worse before any statistically significant percentage of people stop going because they have to be a bit more careful in the lot.   If 1 1/2 hour food lines, most drink stands closed and questionable food quality doesn’t do it I doubt a rough surface will.  

There are parts of I-71 S from Cbus that are way worse than that lot.  Half the time I have to go to some outdoor concert or event like that I have to park on gravel lots or grass.   

 

[FoF96"]

Bumpy roads make for great stories...

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

16 hours ago, FoF96" said:

Holiday Worlds parking lot, at least last time I went is ACTUALLY gravel in the back half.  That doesn’t take away any of my enjoyment.

But, unless something has changed, they don't charge for parking. 

[IndyGuy4KI]

18 minutes ago, LongLiveTheSmurfRide said:

But, unless something has changed, they don't charge for parking. 

That was true for 2017!

[King Ding Dong]

17 hours ago, whengodsaysgo said:

 It's appalling how much trash is left on the ground in the parking lot. 

I think this is everwhere.  SFSTL has a sweeper truck that cleans it all up and KI probably does as well.   The most annoying part of it for me is little boys just can’t resist stomping on the cups or kicking the water bottles.  I am always torn between letting them be wound up kids as not worrying about it because of the sweeper truck and barking at them for being obnoxious.  However if there were more trash cans I would make them pick it up as they came upon it.

[FoF96"]

1 hour ago, LongLiveTheSmurfRide said:

But, unless something has changed, they don't charge for parking. 

That’s irrelevant to the complaints most are giving in this thread.  Many are speaking of first impressions and or vibes they get from poor lot appearance.  Last I checked, you get free parking at Kings Island too, provided you have a gold pass.  Which lets be honest, with it taking only two trips for it to be worth it, why would anyone in the vicinity of Cincinnati (including Louisville) not get a gold pass?

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

It does matter. I have a gold pass, so I don't have to pay, but am still appalled when I see how much they charge for parking and then look at the state of the parking lot. 

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

The state of the parking lot won't ever make me not go to the park or anything. I'm not that upset about it. But when you're a fan of a park and visit it so much, it's the little things that you'd like to see improved to make it more "magical". Like the music on International Street or the abandoned theming on the Train.  The parking lot is just another one of those things that bothers me and I'd like to see improved.