KIfan73

I wouldn't worry a whole lot about the amusement park industry yet. Right now, out of 4,000 schools in Ohio, only 50 have a year-round schedule (1.25%). Indiana is right is also right at 1% (22/1800).

An amazing report. Now its not IF I go to WDW, its WHEN!! Thanks for much a thorough report. BTW, that thing about the pink concrete I found really brilliant. KI could use some of that around the park.

^I agree with you guys as well. The older I get, the more amazed/thankful I, living in a small town in Sourthern Ohio, can drive a little more than an hour and go to a place on the scale of Kings Island.

In the construction pics, there's lots of forms for what looks like poured walls. Is this a foundation for the station?

I'd like to see that! I bought a postcard with an aerial view of the park from '75. Also a park map from '79. So interesting looking at what the park looked like then.

That seriously looks like a blast.

Being a skateboarder, I think that ride is awesome. Would love to see that come to our special park.

Pay-per-play rides? Where did anybody get that?? I said a shopping/dining area.

I would like to see the development of a new dining/shopping area that would connect the main park with Boomerang Bay. The area would be behind the "middle ground" between the two parks. It would be connected by paths and could possibly be reached by riding the train (don't have its route memorized real well). I think that with this placement, it would be sort of a "destination" that would lead people through both sides of the park, and would facilitate more movement between the two. Possible place for hotel down the road, as well (people brought in by monorail?). I am really impressed with the water park, and I think this development would tie it in more with the main park. I think the time is coming for an all-new area. As much as I would like to visit Kings Island circa 1975, its all-new, brand new experiences that keep bringing people in.

Does someone in your family work for Toyota?

I love AE. Some people I go with, thats the only coaster they're comfortable with. Believe it or not, not everybody wants to jump on the biggest, scariest thing there is. Also, compared with many other coasters, it has great theming. I would have liked to see them apply just the amount of theming AE has to SOB. Would make it a completely different experience. I hope they theme Firehawk nicely. To me, it makes the ride.

I love reading stuff about the Tower. Its one of those things at KI thats just neat. Sure, you ride a few thrill rides here and there, but none of it would be the same without things like that. I love going up in it every visit. Usually when I'm with other people its not a big deal to them, but it makes my visit complete.

100,000 miles X 5,280 feet (in one mile)=528,000,000 feet/275 feet=1,920,000 trips. I'd say...hmmm...that the 100,000 mile figure in a season may just be a little off...lol.

You'd have to convert the 100,000 miles to feet then divide by 275.

I'm really excited about KI and Firehawk. Actually, I'm a little pumped about the fact that just maybe Firehawk's lines might make some of the other lines shorter.

I was just on CedarPoint.com again. I really hope that KI gets a website similar to Cedar Point's. What a good, comprehensive, interesting website. Plus, I just saw that they offer Christmas ornaments of different CP attractions. Come on, Cedar Fair, give me some KI Christmas ornaments! My tree would be full of them!! They also have a lot of neat other stuff. I am hoping that this all means that the shopping at Kings Island will improve...

I hope CF puts a new sign up soon. I think it looks tacky now. Even though the "Paramount" is gone, its still the font they used for years. Might as well just say "the park formerly known as Paramount's Kings Island". I think it should show more definitively that it is now a new Kings Island.

I rode it when it was new. For me, the best ride "experience" I've had at (P)KI.

I just set that as my desktop background a couple days ago...doh!

I'll have to try that this summer.

The back seat though is like riding The Vortex normally, but with a shot of boost on different parts of the track. Its like you think you're going as fast as normal, then, BAM, another big shot of speed. Quite startling, actually.

I've been riding it for 15 years. I just found out during FearFest this year what an awesome ride Vortex becomes in the back seat!! Only took me 15 years to discover it...

I went to Cedar Point's website, and I see you can buy t-shirts, etc. online. I've wondered for the last few years why in the world Kings Island didn't sell things online, especially at the holidays. Maybe Cedar Fair will make this available soon?

Wonder what Disney has up their sleeve? Have a great day! I'm off to work!! TGIF!!

I know some have speculated that KI's "big" annoucement could be today (1/26/07). I thought it was interesting that when I was just on Yahoo, There was an ad for Disney Parks, and it said they were making some big announcement today, as well.