When is enough, enough?

[Erosarrow05]

It really is no secret that this message board, as of late, has become swamped with negative and disparaging comments about PKI. It just baffles me how many people will sit there and pass such harsh judgement on a place they "love to go". I liked coming to this fansite until I had to start sifting through all of the same topics that get beaten to death over and over again. I would much rather read a post about CP V PKI than all this crap about over priced, under staffed, filthy and cheap. Is there nothing else to talk about ? Just for fun last night I clicked on the main board and just randomly clicked topics on the first page just to see how many contained these stupid messages that served no purpose than to just jump on the 'paramount' sucks bandwagon. Try it, you'll be surprised. We all know who the chronic Paramount 'haters' are, and you would really have to dig to find a positive comment come from any of them. So are they really PKI enthusiasts?

I may be alone in thinking that the quality of this site is stellar, but the content of its message board is subpar. Some loose sight of who reads this. Its not just the enthusiast community, although I use that term loosely with some of you. Last night I couldnt help but just feel embarrassed for the overall message that the board is sending out right now. It is certainly not a positive one.

I am certainly not going to defend Paramount or PKI to anyone, anymore. I like it, I have a great time, and I dont mind spending my money there, because I think its worth it. And besides if I did defend them, Id have the Paramount lynch mob outside my door and WooferbearATL would be stringing me up with adam12 holding the torch.

At somepoint this will all fizzle out and life will return to normal and people will realize that the good times outweigh the bad. I think some of us have lost sight of that. I feel like I am in the minority on this site, that being 'pro paramount' is a bad thing. How disappointing...

So the question remains .... When is enough, enough?

[coastergirl]

I totally agree with you and have been thinking the same thing over the past few weeks. I love PKI and my kids love it too. If I was new to this board reading all of the negative comments about PKI, I don't think that I would even bother going and spending my money there. I come from "old school KI" as well and I think that it was and still is a wonderful park to visit.

[Gordon Bombay]

Im glad not everyone on here is an idiot, nice post erosarrow! Im a fan of PKI and love going there, the park is one of the best in the country, theres little things they could do but it hasnt been terribly neglected. There are worse parks in the country, the problem is most of these people on here havent been to many other parks. People like to complain about every little thing on here, the type of people who come on here are not the general public theyre usually diehards who go more often than the gp and notice things bettter. The gp doesnt care about most of the little hindrances that some of the losers on here might notice. For the most part, PKI is a well maintained fun family park with something for everyone that has installed a new state of the art attraction almost every year. It has some negative things but everything in the world has a negative side to it, I can find just as many things wrong with Holiday World and Cedar Point. PKI gets better every year with always new and fun experiences coming about.

[standbyme]

I don't agree with some of the posts, but I wouldn't want to visit a board that only allowed good things to be posted. As tough as it is, sometimes it's best to just try and ignore certain posts.

[RingMaster]

....but you still gotta admit Avatar is one heck of a ride.

[Buckeye-Beast]

I also was talking about how much PKI bashing is happening lately. My family is planning a CP trip this week, so I've been checking out PointBuzz. It really has been refreshing to visit a fan site that had so many positive things to say about their park, it's getting me ready for what should be an awsome day.

We've been to PKI a couple of times this year and the ONLY thing I could think to complain about is the prices have gone up slightly, but I can deal with that because I always have a great time when I'm there.

[Reon]

Mhm. Besides, if your in a Cincy-style park, eat Cincy-style food. Dont go for something generic and expensive like pizza. Just go for some delicious Skyline at a BARELY inflated price. I mean, a 3way and a coney is only $7

[gburn07]

imo the bashing has partially been due to the fact that alot of ppl here go to the park too much, which results in boredom. NO, the park doesn't have any Dragsters or MF's, but they sure do have one heck of a collection of rides despite what some say. Their flat ride collection is also above average if not great. Prices are the same as CP's in terms of food. Idk about this year but last year I found it cheaper to eat at PKI than CP. The park is not dirty. Most rides are maintained well "the little things people complain about on rides such as this lightbulb and that moving object not working is plain old ridiculous". If people dont like the park then just don't go lol.

[Airromeo4Ever]

I totally agree with Erosarrow05. I live in Newport News, VA (9 hours away), and I make a point to visit PKI and Cincinnati atleast once a year. I love PKI, its the only seasonal park that gives me that full circle feel. They offer just about everything. At the end of each season it doesn't surprise me at all that PKI comes out on top as far as seasonal parks in the USA! I'm sure there are dozens of things each of us would change or improve about the park, but nothing so pressing that bashing the park is nessasary. PKI caters to families, and people who crave a great theme park experience. My advice to other true PKI fans is to just ignore the negative comments. PKI is now the #1 seasonal theme park in the USA and it will be again at the end of this season. The park will continue to grow in a positive direction and gain even more fans !!!

[MrPKI]

I agree too. I don't think I'd notice most of these things if I wasn't told beforehand since I don't get to the park but once or twice a year, and I haven't been yet this year. But I always have fun when anyway.

PKI is and will always be my favorite park to visit. There's just something magical about it that makes it what it is. I bet if I ever get to Disney World, Universal or any of those other mega-themed parks that PKI will still have a better feel. I grew up mostly under the Paramount influence, so they obviously have been doing something right. (Either that or I'm weird ) I'm sure the old Kings Island was great as well. Some aspects may have been better then, and I'm sure some are better now, but overall I don't see how either is overwhelmingly better then the other. I think that's becuase KECO and Paramount both had similar ways of running and expanding the park.

That's why I don't want the park to go to the wrong hands. Right now I'm not convinced someone like CF would do as good a job with the park, since the company's main park is Cedar Point and that's were their big money and attractions are going to go. Not that PKI will be neglected, but CP will always be getting the better thing. And once they are under CF's ownership there is not going in a different direction to attract guests like they have been trying to do for the last few years. PKI will just become CP's younger brother like GL has, and the only differences will be what happened before the park was bought.

That's my take on it anyway.

[CoastersRZ]

Reon, the pizza they serve at PKI is a Cincinnati specialty: LaRosa`s.

Time will tell what happens with a new owner for the park. It will be an exciting time to see what, if any, changes the new owners will implement (in all likelihood next season).

I have been to numerous other parks, including Disney World, CP, PKD and PC. PKI just has a charm to it. I had a similar feeling while at Disney World. Most other seasonal parks just seem to be "missing" something. What exactly they are missing you can`t really describe. I will go to PKI countless times this year (in the order of 30) and I won`t get tired or bored of visiting. I just love going there and having fun, and I know I can do that anytime I go up to the park.

[KIBeast]

I haven't been on the boards a lot lately, so I'm not aware of all the bashing. Nor am I going to look for it. I love PKI and have since I was a kid and began attending the year it opened. My only real complaints about the parks' changes over the years was the period where they removed a lot of flat rides and never replaced them with anything. I still enjoy a good slice of La Rosa's pizza since there isn't one anywhere near me. Yeah, the food is a little costly, but, they have to overcharge on food to help in the paying for of new attractions and maintaining the ones that they have. The gate price alone will not pay for new rides.

[CoastersNSich]

I've had several visits so far this year to KI, and for the most part, have had a great time there. There are surely some things that happened that aren't the best idea: one of them was giving away the gate on a day that wasn't staffed too well. Some employees have been pathetic: i.e. The Racer crew treats the operation like it's Burger King. And I don't like to have a slow, long wait to pay $10 for 2 pizza slices (though tasty) and a drink. If prices go up slightly, I can handle that - just as long as the service and quality is good.

But some people forget why they go to the park in the first place. I've gotten many rides on Beast, Italian Job, Vortex, Adventure Express and some others. I haven't gone on the busiest days, so that probably makes things better. Nickelodeon Universe looks great: people who call it a carnival probably haven't been there yet.

I would argue that the park has somewhat been neglected over the past decade, but not at a dangerous level some would say. Rides continue to operate in a safe manner, and every year, at least one new ride/attraction has been installed; few parks have such a long track record. Whoever becomes the new owner would find it best to invest greatly into Kings Island, ESPECIALLY Cedar Fair, L.P., as a park that draws well over 3 million a year from hours and states away, has been known as an industry giant, and located in a large metro area.

CF has changed Ohio's third big park around, Geauga Lake. Sure, they will NEVER be as big as Cedar Point, in the number of attractions or attendance. It might be several years before we see a new coaster there, since Six Flags grew it too fast. They (probably mistakenly) took out the former Sea World park. But 10 coasters, large water park, and more for only $25 a day? Not a bad deal. And the operations are a lot better than when Six Flags sold it, especially the restrooms.

[Dane]

Thank you for the words. As a PKI site we feel that we should allow both the good and bad to be spoken on the forums. We do this because if we only had positive threads, than the forums wouldn't be as entertaining to read. For example: "Whats the best ride and why at PKI?" This topic and topics like it get old and boring. A good argument over the pros and cons of the recent budget cuts is more interesting to read.

Are things getting too negative? I guess thats personal opinion... We don't just go and delete topics because we don't like them.

[italianchef]

Thank you for the words. As a PKI site we feel that we should allow both the good and bad to be spoken on the forums. We do this because if we only had positive threads, than the forums wouldn't be as entertaining to read. For example: "Whats the best ride and why at PKI?" This topic and topics like it get old and boring. A good argument over the pros and cons of the recent budget cuts is more interesting to read.

Are things getting too negative? I guess thats personal opinion... We don't just go and delete topics because we don't like them.

I agree with Dane. It has to do with the notion of free speech. If only positive comments are posted, it become an advertisement tool and not a true fan site where people post their honest feelings. And some of the negative comments help PKI. For example, how can PKI improve itself if people don't pipe up? The staff would say, "Wow, all of our comments are positive, but attendance keeps going down."

Granted, there is a difference between honest criticism and unfair bashing.

That's my sermon for today.

Have a blessed day!

Rev. Charles aka Italian Chef

aka

[Reon]

Reon, the pizza they serve at PKI is a Cincinnati specialty: LaRosa`s.

I know, but Skyline's better anyways

[WooferBearATL]

Reon, the pizza they serve at PKI is a Cincinnati specialty: LaRosa`s. 

I know, but Skyline's better anyways

Skyline doesn't make pizza.

[UncleHenry]

*is waiting for wooferbear to make his counter "I HATE PKI PARAMOUNT SUCXXORZ!!!" argument.*

[Browntggrr]

I have been to numerous other parks, including Disney World, CP, PKD and PC. PKI just has a charm to it. I had a similar feeling while at Disney World. Most other seasonal parks just seem to be "missing" something.

It is intersting that you say that; because I used to have that same feeling about KI. Unfortunately, that feeling has diminished over the past 6 years. I have been going to KI since 1978 and had my first ride on The Beast in '79. The park has changed drastically since then; some for the better, and some changes that I did not agree with. (But it is not my park- so either I deal with it or just don't go back) Now that I have been to numerous parks it is easy, and fair, to compare parks against each other. I personally love BGE. There is something about that park that just makes me want to go back. KI was like that for me for many years, but it just lost that charm. It is not that I do not like or enjoy KI anymore- I do still love the park; but if I had to make a decision to go to KI or BGE, I would choose BGE.

It seems that many people take the criticism that others have mentioned about PKI personally. It is nothing personal, it is just an opinion.

[WooferBearATL]

*is waiting for wooferbear to make his counter "I HATE PKI PARAMOUNT SUCXXORZ!!!" argument.*

It's really no secrect that I'm not a Paramount fan.

But you will never hear me say that Kings Island Sucks. I'm personally offended that you would make such a comment in corrolation with me as I have invested a lot of sweat and tears in the park. I've had great times and horrible times at the park. I've worked up to 18 hour shifts because it is what was needed to be done.

It's a fact that the parks are up for sale. Some Paramount fans are not pleased about that. Me? I just think it's turn about and now maybe we can refocus the park on what true entertainment is all about.

Just my opinion.

P.S. - UncleHenry - How about them live shows? Ohhhhhh - there are no live shows.

[cewldre]

so, I guess we're not counting the fact that the super star search karaoke is now being performed daily?

[WooferBearATL]

so, I guess we're not counting the fact that the super star search karaoke is now being performed daily?

I hope that was a joke, because I just about laughed so hard I fell out of my chair at work.

[Jasper]

I am a huge fan of PKi and i might neglect it in some of my posts but mostly all around i love PKI and i love to talk, read,and look at pics of it. PKI is still my home park (Well technically Six Flags KK) and i it is my favorite park. Overall i consider myself a PKI enthusiast.

[Browntggrr]

so, I guess we're not counting the fact that the super star search karaoke is now being performed daily?

So is every bar in America.

[Delirium13]

Well I agree that there has been way too many negatie topics lately, and of course a lot of it was true, they're cutting some corners and raising prices to save money, but there has been too much. I have been to the park twice already and I've noticed some of the problems, namely the higher prices (but how could you not), but both of my visits have been great. I love PKI and it's my favorite park but there are a few things that need to be fixed, but of course nothing's perfect.

[VortexQueen]

Thats a good question.. but its almost, for me, a hate/love situation.. somethings i hate and the rest is just a blessing.. i go nuts when people say they hate PKI and i hate myself when i do it.. Im on the fence i guess.

[UncleHenry]

*is waiting for wooferbear to make his counter "I HATE PKI PARAMOUNT SUCXXORZ!!!" argument.*

P.S. - UncleHenry - How about them live shows? Ohhhhhh - there are no live shows.

So what is School of Rock? Nickelodeon Parade?

[RingMaster]

Two of the BEST live shows I've seen at Kings Island, duh.

[TheKlockster]

The Nickelodeon Parade is awesome. School of Rock looks dumb - but if you are into that sort of thing it might be interesting.

[gburn07]

school of rock is in a class of Disney entertainment. Not too many shows have me saying that. You will be entertained by that even if you dont like rock.