4/29/07 the good and the bad

[PKIVortex]

Well I decided to go to KI after work today, got off work at 2 got to the park around 3. Got in the park to head to Face/Off closed, no problem went to Top Gun wait in line and it breaks down. I left Top Gun and went over and rode AE, still running only 2 trains, 3rd train is on the back storage track with the back few cars covered. Ride Operator was making some manual spiels about making sure to buckle your seat belt before pulling down on the lap bar, also making exit spiels and telling you to enjoy the rest of your day at Kings Island. After AE I went to ride Racer and Backwards Racer still one of my favorite coasters in the park, dispatches were really slow, what should have been a 10 minute wait for Backwards ended up being almost 20 minutes. I then was getting hungry I hate lunch at work at like 10am this morning, so I ended up getting 2 cheese coney's and a large drink, $8.06, I was going to buy the refillable cup but didn't feel like carrying it with me the rest of the day. After eating I went to ride Vortex, still some stacking of trains going on but not as bad as last weekend, they are getting better. After Vortex I was going to ride The Beast, but I saw the lower que's being used, so I decided to check back later. I noticed Tomb Raider was closed, but as I walked by it reopened, so I got in line. TR is an okay ride but I don't like waiting along time for it, so this worked out great for me today. Waited about 10 minutes. After that I went back over to Face/Off it was open, about a 30 minute wait. I sat in the far right end row going backward first. Backwards wasn't that bad, but when I was the front of the train on the return run, I got head banged. After Face/Off I rode Backwards Racer again, Vortex and The Beast.

Now the bad of today, line jumpers everywhere. I had like 10 people cut in front of me at Face/Off, usually cutting to be with friends which still isn't right. I also saw a lot of smokers in line, and beer drinkers in line. I know they are not much they can do about this kind of stuff unless someone sees them. I also about got knocked down while walking in the que line of The Beast, these 4 girls ran ahead of me which is still line jumping if you ask me. The Guests in the park today were either stupid or just couldn't use common sense. I also got knocked down by people grabbing there loose articles that they left in the station at Racer. I don't know why they just couldn't let me pass first. I hate walking around the park and having to dodge people coming at you, when your already on the far right side of the walkway anyway. I just don't get people whatsoever. On my Beast ride tonight, they had to escort like 10 people out of line, I think for fighting, they had Park Police, Managers and the EMT's over there. I'm not really sure what was going on though.

Other then that, it was a pretty good day today, but is it just me or does the park seem really busy this early in the season. Maybe once BB and Firehawk and SOB reopen the crowds will be spread around a lot more. They didn't seem to be too many cars in the lot, but a lot of buses.

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense tonight LOL, I've been up since 4:30 am , worked 6am till 2, and went to ki 3 till close. LOL

[hausty1983]

Hey I agree with you totally people don't use common sense at all at the park or anywhere these days and they are young and stupid most of the time and could careless how to be a young mature adult that they are supposed to be. I get sick of people smoking in the lines also too. I can't stand line jumpers either,another thing when your walking on the right side like you said people tend to just not pay any attention and walk right into you. Thats the common mistake really with driving for people around here in the tri-state area too! On the positive side i'm excited to visit the park this season and hope a lot of these issues are not going to happen much...

[taynes]

Well I decided to go to KI after work today, got off work at 2 got to the park around 3. Got in the park to head to Face/Off closed, no problem went to Top Gun wait in line and it breaks down. I left Top Gun and went over and rode AE, still running only 2 trains, 3rd train is on the back storage track with the back few cars covered. Ride Operator was making some manual spiels about making sure to buckle your seat belt before pulling down on the lap bar, also making exit spiels and telling you to enjoy the rest of your day at Kings Island. After AE I went to ride Racer and Backwards Racer still one of my favorite coasters in the park, dispatches were really slow, what should have been a 10 minute wait for Backwards ended up being almost 20 minutes. I then was getting hungry I hate lunch at work at like 10am this morning, so I ended up getting 2 cheese coney's and a large drink, $8.06, I was going to buy the refillable cup but didn't feel like carrying it with me the rest of the day. After eating I went to ride Vortex, still some stacking of trains going on but not as bad as last weekend, they are getting better. After Vortex I was going to ride The Beast, but I saw the lower que's being used, so I decided to check back later. I noticed Tomb Raider was closed, but as I walked by it reopened, so I got in line. TR is an okay ride but I don't like waiting along time for it, so this worked out great for me today. Waited about 10 minutes. After that I went back over to Face/Off it was open, about a 30 minute wait. I sat in the far right end row going backward first. Backwards wasn't that bad, but when I was the front of the train on the return run, I got head banged. After Face/Off I rode Backwards Racer again, Vortex and The Beast.

Now the bad of today, line jumpers everywhere. I had like 10 people cut in front of me at Face/Off, usually cutting to be with friends which still isn't right. I also saw a lot of smokers in line, and beer drinkers in line. I know they are not much they can do about this kind of stuff unless someone sees them. I also about got knocked down while walking in the que line of The Beast, these 4 girls ran ahead of me which is still line jumping if you ask me. The Guests in the park today were either stupid or just couldn't use common sense. I also got knocked down by people grabbing there loose articles that they left in the station at Racer. I don't know why they just couldn't let me pass first. I hate walking around the park and having to dodge people coming at you, when your already on the far right side of the walkway anyway. I just don't get people whatsoever. On my Beast ride tonight, they had to escort like 10 people out of line, I think for fighting, they had Park Police, Managers and the EMT's over there. I'm not really sure what was going on though.

Other then that, it was a pretty good day today, but is it just me or does the park seem really busy this early in the season. Maybe once BB and Firehawk and SOB reopen the crowds will be spread around a lot more. They didn't seem to be too many cars in the lot, but a lot of buses.

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense tonight LOL, I've been up since 4:30 am , worked 6am till 2, and went to ki 3 till close. LOL

It was a fight in The Beast line. It started with a couple of girls, then the guys got involved. I was waiting in line for the front car. It was about 15-20 people involved all together. It happened right at the gates about mid train. The crowd was just pulling hair, slapping and a lot of cussing. One of the girls involved was told about 5 minutes before to put out her cig. She was very upset with that. the funny thing about it was her and all her party was smoking the others continued to smoke. One guy got a pretty good shiner from the fight. My mother had a elbow to the side of her head as the fighting crowd got closer to her as well. It was crazy.

[Reclaimer]

Regarding crowds (and the behavior of said crowds)...A lot of proms are going on right about now, and many in the area go to Kings Island after-words. This is probably the reason for the crowds/busses. Unfortunately, there are many a high schoolers who don't have much decency and shouldn't be allowed out in public. Such an example could be made for the incident at The Beast.

[PKIVortex]

Its a shame that we all can't get along, we are all human. Yeah I forgot about after proms stuff at KI. Also the weather has been pretty darn perfect the last 2 weekends. I just can't wait till the park opens daily, I won't go near KI on a Saturday or Sunday in the summer, well at least not a lot.

Sorry to the poster who had to witness that fight, what were they fighting about? We come to the park to have fun not to fight.

Oh yeah I just reread my first post, I didn't actually get knocked down while getting off Racer but pretty darn close.

[KI-ORIG-EMP]

This reminds me of the grad nights that the park used to have. I won't mention what took place at the park, but it was wild at the various motels. I used to work at a motel at Fields Ertle and the students would pack the rooms and drink and fight. We had to have the cops come and made them dump their beers and even made some arrests. I do not ever remember acting that way when I was in high school. I went to my grad night in 73 and had a great time enjoying Kenny Rodgers and the Climax Blues Band perform and got several autographs from Kemy and the Climax Blues Band.

Mike

[WooferBearATL]

I tell ya, Grad nights used to be the absolute worst nights to work at Kings Island. The most rude and destructive folk that I've ever run into in my life.

I remember one year when I was supervisor at International Street Funnel Cakes that I came in Saturday Morning to find that one of the patio tables had been almost bent in half. They actually bent a wraught iron table in half!

[Outdoor Man]

my wife and I went yesterday... and I was VERY entertained at some guests. btw, what was the deal with all the face paint yesterday anyway?

I was entertained by all the boyfriend / girlfriend combinations where routinely the guy had a set of iPod earphones in while the girlfriend talked on her cell phone. NOW, that's a DATE......

And I got to see all the new "vogue" piercings. There are a lot of gentlemen that better hope that Starbucks is hiring professions- because not too many professional environments dig those earrings that enlarge the hole.

all in all, an entertaining day.... though I didn't get to witness much of what was discussed above, though it was much more packed than we were expecting.

[Dalefan]

I had a few line jumpers try that when i was in line. Lets just say that they never did it again that day after i told them that it has a possible rest of year ban from the park and a manitory ban from the park for the whole day without money back. People need to realise that fighting brings jail time and fines. This is one reason they stoped that friday nights thing they had back in 05. You want to act like a fool then thats up to you. Just beaware that it brings alot more then just black and blueness when you act like a crazy nut. Lol. I also got a smoker to stop smoking in line after i said i was gonna use the fire hose thing on them. And i showed it to them too lol. I dont mind smokers. I just dont like it in the lines. Its the rules of the park.

[Mikewhy]

Sadly I see some things never change...

[The Interpreter]

SOME people (even grown up ones) will do whatever they can get by with.

If Kings Island wants to continue to be known as a family friendly place, people like these MUST be dealt with, consistently and fairly.

Else, the place will get a reputation it doesn't want.

I am confident Cedar Fair will deal with this.

It must be done.

And it no doubt will be.

[taynes]

Its a shame that we all can't get along, we are all human. Yeah I forgot about after proms stuff at KI. Also the weather has been pretty darn perfect the last 2 weekends. I just can't wait till the park opens daily, I won't go near KI on a Saturday or Sunday in the summer, well at least not a lot.

Sorry to the poster who had to witness that fight, what were they fighting about? We come to the park to have fun not to fight.

Oh yeah I just reread my first post, I didn't actually get knocked down while getting off Racer but pretty darn close.

I have no idea what they were fighting about. There was words like go back to the f*****g hills where you came from and other choice female words. It was just pure chaos that did not need to happen. I am just sorry that my 2 11year old little girls had to see it.

[Cory Butcher]

One thing I noticed at the park on Sunday was how many adults were wearing those blue tooth hands-free cell phone things. I was at Plankton's Plunge, and I just saw so many people with kids running amock, while they talked to an invisible person on their headsets. Agh, the world that we live in...

[teenageninja]

Unfortunately these are things that will never be completely corrected, unless they have a greeter at the front of every line in the park. I see these things even at Cedar Point. Let's just face it teenagers are very disrespectful, and I can even admit to doing stupid things while I was younger. As for smokers and drinkers in line, most of them don't want to waste precious time feeding their habits, so they choose to do it while they wait in line, and chance the consequences.

[touchdown62]

When I was at KI for opening weekend, a bartender at Lt. Dan's said you may now drink alcohol anywhere in the park, not just in designated areas. People drinking in the lines are doing what they are allowed to do now. Perhaps we can just all hope they puke it back up on the ride, since they couldn't drink it all with their meal and walk some of it off.

[The Interpreter]

...As long as they pay for it first, I am not sure the management would care. At least not until they find it is affecting their business, as families no longer come to a park where alcohol is everywhere, IF that happens...

The more than six dollars each may speak louder than the complainers...

[Guest kwindshawne]

When I was at KI for opening weekend, a bartender at Lt. Dan's said you may now drink alcohol anywhere in the park, not just in designated areas. People drinking in the lines are doing what they are allowed to do now. Perhaps we can just all hope they puke it back up on the ride, since they couldn't drink it all with their meal and walk some of it off.

That is true regarding the beer. I witnessed an extremely heated verbal exchange in line at Beast opening weekend-I was stuck between the two. It was between a teenager trying to jump line and an adult who wasn't going to have it-the teenager became very ghetto, and it just disgusted me. The adult was right-and this is the type of behaviour that goes on now. The only thing I can see that would possibly stop all of that is more staff in the lines-on the other hand, if that happens, then some guests may get the impression there is a safety problem-so which is worse?

[PKIVortex]

They may carry the beer around the park with them yes, but it says in the park map and I quote "Alcoholic beverages are not permitted while in line for any ride".

[Browntggrr]

How bad was this altercation on The Beast's platform?!?

I was on another site that had a specific topic on it. It sounds like it was a rather intense/ upsetting incident, unless someone is just making a mountain out of a molehill.

And a question for the employees of the park: Without possibly getting yourself in trouble for giving information out, is the park planning on having extra security or ride operators at night?

[Guest kwindshawne]

I don't know if the night issue makes a difference; the verbal exchange I witnessed was in broad daylight-stemmed from a lack of courtesy for other people. I honestly don't know the answer to this one-although the time may have come to post extra employees in all lines-just a presence and a way to keep the guests entertained while they wait may be the answer. People have become horribly impatient and the attitudes I have witnessed have become "it's about me and the hell with you". Wrong or not, that is how I perceive it.

[Ki Man]

Thankfully, I havent seen any fights at the park; but the line jumpers are quite abundant, always going ahead to get to their friends....this one 15 year old black girl was carying a 1 year old kid with her through the front of the line of Racer saying Excuse me.....wtf?! I hate they do that and try to be nice about it. It doesnt really hit me about had mad I get until a minute later when I see they are in the car infront of me and I have to wait a train extra. RRRRRrrrr

[Mikewhy]

Everyone in line needs to deny the line jumpers their ability to do this. The park is not willing to police the lines, and so the only way the line jumping will stop is when the crowd as a whole does not allow it. I also say that you should report this to Guest Relations everytime you see it happen at the end of your day at the park. Nothing will likely happen, but if enough people complain, perhaps they will police the lines better. Sure, they can not be everywhere at once, but if you add one more worker to the top 6 or so lines that have cutting, you CAN make a difference, and the extra cost is not that much. That is how I see it...

[boricuabud]

i always feel bad.. we dont really know the situation.. they may HAVE BEEN in the line previously.. and had to go to the bathroom or something.

but i am one to avoid confrontation with strangers.

[Guest kwindshawne]

i always feel bad.. we dont really know the situation.. they may HAVE BEEN in the line previously.. and had to go to the bathroom or something.

but i am one to avoid confrontation with strangers.

Me too. You just don't know anymore

[rcmaster]

Leaving the line then attempting to reenter is not allowed, even to go to the restroom.

From Cedar Fair:

"Our line jumping policy states that if you cut into a line of waiting guests, no matter what the reason, you are inviting dismissal from the park without refund of admission. This rule is strictly enforced. LINE JUMPING IS: "CUTTING IN FRONT OF OTHER WAITING GUESTS. LEAVING THE LINE, THEN ATTEMPTING TO REENTER. THIS INCLUDES USING THE REST ROOM FACILITIES OR TO PURCHASE FOOD OR DRINKS." Once you leave your place in line, you have forfeited it, no matter what the reason. Saving a place in line is simply not permitted."

[Guest kwindshawne]

Leaving the line then attempting to reenter is not allowed, even to go to the restroom.

From Cedar Fair:

"Line Jumping is defined as “CUTTING IN FRONT OF OTHER WAITING GUESTS, LEAVING THE LINE THEN ATTEMPTING TO RE-ENTER. THIS INCLUDES USING THE RESTROOM FACILITIES OR TO PURCHASE FOOD OR DRINKS.” Once you leave your place in line, you have forfeited it, no matter what the reason. Saving a place in line is simply not permitted."

That's all well and good-however, you confront a group of angry teenagers and see what happens-it is not pretty seeing someone's head get mashed to where they end up on life support

[ssdd1970]

The first step in resolving line cutting/fighting/contraband is to have security cams in multiple locations at every line! Now while this may not resolve every problem but I believe it will help, as for those who do not heed the rules they need punished by the park according to the severity of the issue. As for the retarded ones that don't read the signs they need to take a short bus back to theme park code of conduct school before they're allowed back! Now I know this works from experience if someone is running to cut you off in line trip em' it works very well Me and my friend form a chain and nobody gets through

[PKIVortex]

They need to put the line jumping signs back up. Almost every line used to have those line jumping sings. I liked the ones that said "line jumping is not a sporting event at Paramount's Kings Island...." then it went on to tell what the definition of line jumping was, which is the same as what the poster posted above.

[The Interpreter]

All the signs in the world won't do ANY good unless and until the park makes at least SOME effort to enforce the rules.

As to not being able to do anything about it, perhaps Cedar Fair will become serious about doing something about it when either someone gets hurt when confronting a line jumper (which is NOT recommended) or when people start taking their park business elsewhere...be it another park, the cinema or at home watching DVD's or playing video games...

[rcmaster]

It is also up to individual guests to report to the ride ops about particular guests who are line jumping. If nobody tells the ops, then nothing can be done. I have seen cases where people have reported a problem, the line jumper has gotten up to the platform to be next on and security escorts them from the ride.