Found under the coasters

[pkiboy]

A peek inside Kings Island's lost and found

Jean jackets. Books. Crutches. A glass eye.

All things that have been turned in to lost and found at Paramount's Kings Island, one of the nation's largest amusement parks with approximately 3 million visitors a season.

And people lose things every day at the park, says Curt Van Wagner, Kings Island operations manager of parking and security. Especially on the roller coasters.

"We find or receive a few hundred items on a daily basis," he says. "Usually, people will realize right away, like after they get off a ride, or realize before they left the park that they're missing something." So in most cases, an index card-sized report can be filled out at the guest relations office and then matched up with items turned in by guests, security or janitorial staffs. Guests can come to the park to retrieve their belongings, or Kings Island will mail them to out-of-towners.

"We get a lot of hats," says lost and found employee Sue Turner. "And it's always everyone's 'favorite hat.'"

Digital and film cameras are some of the more expensive items lost and found at the park. Glasses, sunglasses, bank cards, towels and Midway prizes sit stacked inside boxes at the ground zero office. An address book, about the size of a cassette and covered in plush tiger-striped cloth, lays unclaimed in the "miscellaneous" bin. Two-way walkie-talkies have become popular finds lately, as have cell phones. Some questionable things, like crutches, a retainer, a set of dentures and wedding or engagement rings, leave park staff bemused.

"We're not exactly sure how some people lose some of this stuff," says Turner. "Sometimes, it's a mystery."

For example, a glass eye, an item fabled to have been left at the park a few years ago, was never claimed.

I never saw it," says Van Wagner. "But as the story goes, it was a real one."

Neither Turner or Van Wagner could recall any recent medical emergencies, like a lost bottle of pills or an asthma inhaler, but assured me that Kings Island is equipped for a scenario like that.

"With as many people that visit here each year," says marketing communications manager Jennifer Bowers, "We have to be able to handle those situations."

In order to alleviate some of the anxiety of losing a personal item, Kings Island stresses bringing only the essentials--not backpacks, not extra books, like the "The Prayer of Jabez" book that sat in a lost and found cubby. One story tells the tale of a worker finding a wallet with stacks of credit cards and $1,220 in cash inside. He turned the wallet in just as the owner was leaving the park, so the two were reunited.

It's a park employee's job to do what is right and return lost merchandise. But what about the other 10,000 people you're at the park with? What are the chances of ever seeing the pair of $100 sunglasses that flew off your head, mid-coaster loop? Perhaps better than you think, says Turner.

"Last year, someone turned in a really nice camera" says Turner. "People, for the most part, are honest."

"It's nice to know that there are still people out there who will turn stuff in," adds Van Wagner.

[pkiboy]

L O S T I N S P A C E

Things found at the park:

• A set of dentures

• Engagement rings

• Crutches

• Shoes

• A retainer

• Pagers

• The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life

• Jumbo playing cards

[BoddaH1994]

Must be old. I think Jennifer Bowers predated Jeff Siebert.

[pkiboy]

They even find books. I can understand people losing there hats but books. Thats wired.

[HelixSpiral]

Neither Turner or Van Wagner could recall any recent medical emergencies, like a lost bottle of pills or an asthma inhaler

I've actually dealt with both of those items being lost at Tomb Raider. But I'd have to say wallets, hats, and keys are the most common.

[harvesterofyoursorrow]

Lost things, a recent Holiblog entry states that somebody left a pair of whitey tighties on the ground and the park media director had to pick them up infront of a travel guide rater. The 2 last times I've ridden tomb raider I've heard large jingle noises after the first inversion. That has me laughing at all the people that lost money. Last time I was there was for BeastBuzz and I almost lost my neck thing (forgot the name at the moment) so I had to hold onto it for the whole ride. The people that were in line with me werent going to put anything in their pouches becuase they though they would be fine, I urged them to put stuff in the pouches and they did.

[DA RIPPER]

Didn't happen to find a guy named Jimmy Hoffa did you?

[CoastersRZ]

That article is a couple years old. I remember reading it a while ago. I think it was written in 2001 or 2000, if my memory serves me right. Jennifer Bowers does not predate Jeff Siebert. I know she was with the park in late 2000 because I remember seeing her on Channel 19 doing a story on the partially dismanteled Kings Mills Log Flume, which was in the process of being transformed to Wild Thornberrys River Adventure. I`m fairly certain she left around the end of the 2000 season. Not sure when though.

[HelixSpiral]

The people that were in line with me werent going to put anything in their pouches becuase they though they would be fine

That used to drive me insane. We would take the time to announce TWICE that they WILL lose things if they don't secure their things in the freaking pouches. Then I would hear people say "It'll be fine," on the way into the ride. Then they would have the nerve to act upset that "our" ride made them lose "their" stuff. I understand nobody's perfect, and unfortunatenly there are some preshow operators who can't make a clear announcement, but it's those fools who just ignore the warnings and then go ballistic that drove me nuts.

[pkiboy]

Now you can get those items. When the park is getting ready to close you can get your lost item. Only if its expensive.

[TRTR Guy]

Neither Turner or Van Wagner could recall any recent medical emergencies, like a lost bottle of pills or an asthma inhaler

I've actually dealt with both of those items being lost at Tomb Raider. But I'd have to say wallets, hats, and keys are the most common.

What about the guy who lost his cell phone, and needed to check up on his hundreds of businesses he ran.

[SixFlagsMasta]

that guy would be using the payphones near any restroom..haha

[Jasper]

"Last year, someone turned in a really nice camera" says Turner. "People, for the most part, are honest."

"It's nice to know that there are still people out there who will turn stuff in," adds Van Wagner.

Amen to that.

[standbyme]

Last year...the VERY first time I decided to not get a locker, I lost my wallet. The next day I went to the park without much hope it would be turned in...but was in shock to find that not only had it been turned in, but everything...including $80.00 cash was still in it.

It IS nice to know that there are still honest people out there!

[TRTR Guy]

that guy would be using the payphones near any restroom..haha

Actually I was in the main chamber looking for his phone, and walked back out to the Rendezvous point to talk to him, and he was on our ride phone talking to the rides office.

[pkiboy]

Doesnt TR:TR have zippers so you can put your stuff in so you dont lose them.

[Airguy06]

I was at the park last week and as I was leaving Face Off I found a $50 bill laying on the ground. I went back to the exit and they girl gave me a weird look and said thanks, that was really nice of you.

I think I deserve a gold star.

[DA RIPPER]

No joke I get home last night and the wife saids did you lose something Pki,

I said no, and she said there's a message on the anwsering machine from and Al in the lost and found dept saying I lost my hunting license packet and he would put it in the mail and I should get it in 5 to 10 days Thanks to who ever started this thread , Funny how things work out for the good $100 worth of tags in the pack.

[Gulliversrubadub]

There are alot of honest people that go to KI and will return something they have found. For the most part the big majority of ride ops will return items they find but there are some that won't. KI is great about finding the owners of lost items.

[Kat_RPW_employee]

crutches??? LOL how do you lose crutches? are you that stupid that you forget to get them when you get off the ride? lol.

I lost a pair of shoes last year, but it was funny how it happened. I went on Congo River Falls, and my flip flops were wet, and hard to "jog" in b/c i wanted to get drenched on the bridge. so i took them off and set them on the side.

well when the boat came down and the wave came up, it washed my shoes into the water I was LAUGHING so hard. fortunately I had my sneakers too. I just wore the flip flops on the ride for obvious reasons... no one likes the sqik sqik sqik of wet sneakers.

[Kat_RPW_employee]

Doesnt TR:TR have zippers so you can put your stuff in so you dont lose them.

yes, they have zippered pouches for you to put your keys, wallet, cell phone, shoes, hat, etc in. large items are to be handed to an associate to pick up after the ride.

[pkiboy]

I guees people dont ues them or do they.

[TQZ]

I guess no one got the Hoffa thing, but that was funny. Funniest thing I have heard all day.