Tanna

Wow. Sounded fun, and thanks for the BBQ tip

I want one of those dog lead hooks that you screw into the ground, with a nice bag attached to it, then haul off yonder and watch someone try to lightly grab it up off the ground. Either that, or fill a backpack full of cement, and leave it for them.

The smoking areas are nice, too, and there's plenty of them, in easily accessible areas. There's no need to smoke outside of those areas. I like them, I use them. They are a pleasant surprise.

Wow, really? I would love (and I imagine some others on here, too) to hear more about that day! I know that episode contributed to me being such a KI fan. We were on the midway, and my sister and I wanted to ride Haley's Comet, the Giant Slide, and The Racer. It took us twice to get across the midway, because some guy kept stopping us and telling us to go back. It's not so much we wanted to be in the show, it's that we wanted to be on our precious rides. I guess being Catholic School kids we did what the grown up told us, we went back across the street, only to try to cross again. The directions were to not look at the camera, and not get in the kids' way. So we didn't. The second time he stopped us, we thought, next time, let's just ignore him and book it. After the two kids ran by, and starting talking to Peter and Greg, we made our way to The Racer. I was just tall enough that year, my parents were on the bumper car side of the midway, we made 'begging hands' gestures and pointed at The Racer. My dad nodded, so we went on. He still makes fun of me for storming the set. It really wasn't that much of a hassle, it didn't seem like they took over the whole park, just small sections at a time. Sometimes rides weren't open, for filming, and then an hour later, they would be. Funny that Bavarian Beatle was there, too. Back on topic, I love that The Beast is rough. It's like Lesourdsville rough, but at least with The Beast I have a higher chance of survival. I think it's supposed to feel a little dangerous. Going into the bridge, it almost feels as if the train is going to shoot right off the tracks. I'm in agreement with McSalsa, I don't recall the ride ever having that lateral force before. My last trip to Lesourdsville, I made the mistake of riding the roller coaster, only to see on the turn, a mere two by four nailed up as a rail. My mind raced, trying to recall any accidents. I was as white as a sheet when we pulled into the station. This was the only time a ride attendant looked at me and asked me if I was going to be alright.

I loved the Beach when there was an adult's only area, but that wouldn't be doable in Boomarang Bay, I don't think. It's just wishful thinking on my part.

Well it's good that you ignored it because it was none of your business. That's a lot of the reason our nation is in trouble - people cannot keep their nose where it belongs. They have no right to charge $15 (before the deposit is returned) for a locker. It's not only ridiculous, it's irresponsible. You can be a little bit less rude in your post don't you think? It's a public park. So it is the posters business along with everyone else's. The signs in the park going to and from the waterpark state the rules. The people know via signs what the $2.00 lockers are for. When my clothes were stolen, it was suggested I go get my new pass as soon as possible. I'm very old school, I didn't want to go into the park in my bathing suit, not out of any rules, but from common decorum. What's lacking is manners on the patrons part. It's sad that workers in the park would have to point out the rules, but since we're sliding into an Idiocracy (It's 12:06am July 4th, the guy across the street just now decides on fireworks.) It would probably be needed in the future to hire a person to go around and point out the obvious. I snagged a pair of shorts and a shirt from the store to go get a new pass, I went into the dry side of the park, only to see at least four girls, dripping wet, in bathing suits by the candy store. Since they weren't wearing shoes, it's not likely they could purchase anything. It looked really out of place. I'd be embarrassed to stand out like that in a crowd.

Where Jan left Mike's blue prints and practically ruined the whole family's trip to KI and almost cost Mike his job-thanks a lot Jan.(LOL) I was there for the filming of Bobby and Cindy handing the blueprints off to Peter and Greg.

It is violating, and it takes a while to get rid of that weird feeling when you reach for your glasses, and they aren't there. Every so once in a while, during the weekend, you feel that punch in your chest, for no reason. My cousin's purse was stolen from a MacDonald's on our way to a funeral. Six months later, she gets a package from the Columbus police, the bag and it's contents. We can only suspect it was evidence? She said that sick feeling came back for a second, even though she was glad to have her things. If a thief was ever made to feel what the person whose things were stolen felt, they would never steal again.

It operated for many years, and the mist was quite refreshing when waiting for the front half of the train. Unfortunately, it was an innocent victim when Beast lake was removed. I remember that, sometimes there would be a bit of back up on hot days, of people trying to get that last little bit of mist before they moved under the canopies. I recall the water, and I recall the trash.

The same thing happened to me at approximately 6:30 pm on July 1st. My lime green Kenneth Cole Unlisted neoprene backpack was stolen, towels and shoes left behind. My glasses, dirver's license, gold pass and clothes, along with asthma medication. The only thing I'm angry about, really, is the bag. It was a prize given for good workmanship. I had no money in the bag, no phone, and got a new pass immediately. The security team was so great though. You get nervous, a knot in your stomach when you get robbed. They understood, the one officer was saying, "I know you feel sick, I know you're nervous." and strangely, it helped dispel the nausea. I've never had anything stolen before at the park, and it was jarring, the adrenaline is terrible.

I wondered why that was missing. I innocently thought that some old bat complained about how dangerous the darkness was, but not in that way. When I've ridden FOF recently, there's not been wait time enough to get a load of the video anymore. I always like the Hangar 18/Wright Patt connection though.

Thank you all for the information. I was thinking of passes again after all these years. One of the things that makes me ready to jump in a KI coaster, and one of the reasons I could drag my chicken**** sister with me was that it was such a safe park, you may feel that The Beast is going to veer over the side, but it's not. That's the fun of the park. I steer clear of Intamin rides, though it's more prejudice than anything.

Well, there's people in the world don't pore over every factoid of the park. I'm one of them. I did not know that the same safety had been in place for four years prior. Some people don't. All I have, as a consumer, is what is in front of me at the time. Perhaps the KI PR team can clue we commoners about the safety precautions about the routine that has been in place for four years. This is why I asked the question- On the Friday I went to the park for the Haunt, it seemed as if they had cut back on spending, and there was a different crowd there than I was used to from going many years. I had heard from family and friends around Knott's that the park had 'gone downhill'. Knott's Berry Farm has had some technical incidents in the past. King's Island, barring the dratted SOB, has a pretty clean record for safety in the park, many of their accidents are user error. CF now owns both Knott's and KI. I do not wish the safety problems of Knott's to appear at KI. I know newspapers sensationalize accidents, but when a cable breaks, it's not a good thing for any park in the chain. I don't think there's a need to be confrontational in revealing your knowledge of the park. I simply asked a question, and had already be given a good answer.

Exactly. Thanks for the reply from experience. I'm old enough to have gone to Americana when it was LeSourdsville. The fear factor at KI is fun, the fear factor at Americana was genuine.

One of the things I liked best about the park is that it has a reasonably good safety record compared to other parks. Many of the accidents were due to rider error and/or pre-existing conditions. (I know about the Son of Beast incident, but it seems that ride was an issue from the getgo.) I know men walk the tracks before the park opens, and all the rides are checked before opening. I always felt the rides were in good repair, and that made the rides more fun. Now that it's owned by Cedar Fair, I'm worried that the safety routine might not be as diligent. (I'm thinking of the Xlerator accident at Knott's Berry, for instance, where it was a mechanical issue.) Does anyone out there know if it's going to be the same as it used to be?

Since you gave a detailed answer, I feel better to give more detail. I've had season passes from 1982 to 1997. I only stopped buying the pass when I moved further away than fifteen miles. I went about twice a week, after six. It was a second home. I wasn't happy with the Paramount gig, but that's life. They still had rides, and many of my friends and relatives worked for the park. At the end of the season, when many kids went back to college, my mother and I would work rides on the weekends. I loved it. I do love Kings Island, I'm not a gripe. Before Friday Night's Haunt, my husband and I had discussed getting season passes. After Friday night, we're not sure we want that. Fights broke out in the Diamondback line, physical shoving. A few more fights occurred on the midway, but at least we could walk away from that. The lines for mazes were long for the short time you go through. The first maze we went through, was the prison maze, because the line was shorter. I soon found out why. Naught but strobe and smoke and dour young ladies. It got irritating to the point where I just asked, "Where's the exit?" the same as I would as any attendant in the park for directions. All I got was sullen glares. Fine. Thanks. Part of me just wanted to shove against the cheap Masonite and push my way to the outside. It made me not want to go to the other mazes, if that's the attitude that prevails. In 2008, the fog in the Massacre Mansion went for broke, and no one could see anything at all. I was first in line, waving in front of me, and telling the people behind me that I could not see. A scaracter broke character, got out of his chair, came into my vision, and with a flashlight, told me to follow him out. It was a great gesture, and appreciated. (He was in the Toxic Zone, a blue trashman, earlier. He must've been double timing.) I did go through two more 2010 mazes, and sadly, they all seemed set up the same way. Lots of blood, lots of spare body parts, but no real scare. People are scared by more things than gallons of red and latex. Why are all the mazes looking alike? Cornstalkers is unique, but it's one little alley. All that land that KI owns, and they represent a cornfield with one little alley of boxes on asphalt? I realize that being scared and scaring people is like playing ping pong. If I scream, the monsters work harder to scare, people around me get scared and it's a big party. I got the feeling Friday night that I was the only one working the scare zones, and I was the customer. As I said, there were NO Scaracters on the midway. After the initial meet and greet, they all disappeared. The poor kid dressed in a sheet was standing alone, walking a little aimlessly, but he was a nice kid. We saw some Clockwork Orange sliders running amok and actually working, but that was all. The ride operators are always fun, no complaint about any rides at all. I rode them all. The downfall of this event in a mere three years is saddening. Are they trying to get rid of it? Also, Should it be a different paying event and not on the Season Pass? Perhaps then it wouldn't be so crowded, and the customers would be aware of what they are paying for. Good Scares. It wasn't a good crowd on Friday, and I wondered if they had to pay separate admission, would they appreciate the work more? Had other Haunted Trails, like "Land of Illusion" in Middletown swiped the talent? In 2008, there were some real workers, and 2009, even though there were less monsters, they worked hard. Do they need Special Effects artists? designers? Creativity in any form at all?

I couldn't agree more. While there were those putting forth an effort, we saw more than a few scare actors stride on by. Some had a creepy walk, others were clearly on their way to somewhere else. Just got back from KI. We were approached by one scaracter, a pleasant guy, and took his picture. The others seemed as if they were on their way to lunch. After a few dismal mazes, I gave up. It wasn't frightening, it wasn't much fun. The prison maze was a Juvenile Delinquent Center for Surly Young Girls. Been going three years, First year was an absolute blast, last year was a little weak, but the workers tried, this year was just walking through a foggy park.

Thank you, I forgot about the Ohio State Incident. I was referring to the Xavier story as being an Urban Legend.

There's a story of a guy that was playing a joke on his friends, so he got in the elevator, kept the door open enough just to get his head through, and then pushed the button to the next floor. He was decapitated. That one? I always thought that happened at Xavier... (I wouldn't bother to Google it, I've never found any substantial proof that this happened anywhere.)

We went on the 23rd. There were hardly any roaming monsters, and only a few were willing to interact. The Clowns and the Slaughterhouse were good. I have a fear of mummers, so naturally, being a Midwesterner, and spending my youth running through cornfields, I like Cornstalkers. The evening was not as exciting as last years excursion, it's almost as if the whole evening was dulled down compared to last year. The Coney Island Midway was barren. Last year it was steeped in monsters. My big complaint was waiting an hour for Flight of Fear. It seemed they only had one car, and the crew were being very pokey and talking and joking with each other seemed more important than doing their work. Also, patrons, please watch what you eat, as a favor to the other patrons. In that hour long wait for Flight of Fear, we were trapped behind a young lady that had such terrible silent but deadly gas that I was suggesting sotto voce to my party that if someone is that sick, they should go home, and not make others sick with their noxious fumes. It was noticeable six people back from her. Another request to the patrons of the park, please I beg you. Be scared. Just walk in and laugh and be scared. The monsters need something to react to other than "I'm too cool." What's better than waiting in line and hearing the screams of people from within the Scarezone? When someone gets into the spirit of being scared, the monsters work harder, then the other people in your group get scared, the monsters work even harder, etc., and it works for both of you. We all have fun.

I found out the night it happened, from a friend who was working at KI that night. I recall him being a character actor. I don't know if he was working or on break, but he was by the Eiffel Tower when it happened. The operator of the elevator said there was a thump. then blood started running down the outside of the box. I don't want to say his name, but the character actor saw the elevator himself. He was close enough when it came down to see it. He was shaking when he talked about it. I was at his girlfriend's house at the time, (she was my cousin,) when he came over to talk about it. He was let off of work early. My aunt got him some of her best scotch, and he told us about what he saw and heard. From what the police could tell, John Harter was climbing on the inside of the tower to the top. There was no room for both him and the counterweight where he was climbing. As he was climbing up, the counterweight came down, smashing him full on, and that's when he fell onto the top of the elevator. It evidently wasn't a simple decapitation, because they had a large area taped off to look for body parts. Edit: I called my cousin and double checked the story. The counter weight was going up, caught him, and dragged him through the rollers at the top of the tower. I had my direction wrong.