Oh, nothing like Gene Wilder to brighten your day.

I have noticed a vast change in the overall "tone" of Cedar Fair this season.

Seems to be accurate that there will be additional ERT rides than DB/Beast.

He might've meant you can get into the park and get more rides than ever on your favorite attractions. It may still only be two attractions.

Posted on the KI FB page today.

More details to come, but wanted to share with our Gold & Platinum season passholders that you will be able to enjoy one (1) hour of early ride time every public operating day this year, with an expanded lineup of rides!

Oh my....times are a changin'

Kings Island are getting Coke Freestyle machines for this season. With what these machines cost does anybody else think Coke is here to stay?

Not trying to look too far into this like people are with Invertigo's paint job. Just putting stuff together.

It's probably just something to do with the contract and nothing more.

Although, I can easily see Coke being expanded to all CF parks instead of Pepsi.

It will all have to do with money...and, since Mr. Ouimet is on board, perhaps customer satisfaction.

Terp, posting from a land where Pepsi is seldom seen, you'd think it was the world of Coca-Cola or something.

THe freestyle Coke machine sounds awesome. I wonder what they will charge. $4.00-$5.50 for a 20oz?

Kings Island are getting Coke Freestyle machines for this season. With what these machines cost does anybody else think Coke is here to stay?

Not trying to look too far into this like people are with Invertigo's paint job. Just putting stuff together.

THe freestyle Coke machine sounds awesome. I wonder what they will charge. $4.00-$5.50 for a 20oz?

I've always wanted to try one of these! can't wait. but yeah hopefully they aren't too expensive

THe freestyle Coke machine sounds awesome. I wonder what they will charge. $4.00-$5.50 for a 20oz?

I believe Coke Freestyle machines don't have much of a greater cost than the regular machines, and even if they did, that would be absorbed in the $3.93/$4.25 price.

Theme parks do things differently.

I, for one, would hate to see the lines if those things are self serve. The Hardee's on Abernathy in Sandy Springs has one. Kids, and some adults, waste a lot of time and product at that machine.

Yeah, they are an awesome machine, and give you many choices.. but the main issue with them.. is only offering one valve to get your desired beverage from. With the "old-style" fountain machines.. if you are getting Coke, and someone wants Diet Coke.. they just hop up beside you and use the Diet Coke nozzle.

Not to mention that most partrons take much longer, choosing, playing, tasting, and refilling. I don't see self service Freestyle working in a park environment unless the drinks are very expensive or not self serve. 95 drinks an hour is also the rated maximum capacity.

http://fastfood.ocregister.com/coca-cola-freestyle-test-locations-in-socal/

Not to mention that most partrons take much longer, choosing, playing, tasting, and refilling. I don't see self service Freestyle working in a park environment unless the drinks are very expensive or not self serve. 95 drinks an hour is also the rated maximum.

http://fastfood.ocregister.com/2009/07/21/video-coca-cola-freestyle-demo-how-it-works/29053/

http://fastfood.ocregister.com/2009/07/20/coca-cola-to-test-freestyle-100-drink-beverage-bar-in-oc/28765/

Can't say I'm a big fan of these machines. I went to try Firehouse Subs a few months back and they had one. The whole novelty of it was cool and I liked all the different kinds of drinks you could make, but the machine itself was disgusting. You could tell it needed to be wiped down and there were hints of what the last customer had in my drink.

Regardless, I'm happy to see the emphasis on food coming this year. These machines are still pretty rare and unique in this area, just another thing that will make the KI experience unique. I never understood why as theme parks became more like corporate chain locations, they de-emphasized the food. The food should be part of the "experience."

Fresh, never frozen burgers are nice, but come on - get some German food in the FestHaus! Have you seen the lines for food at Oktoberfest? Potato pancakes, sausage, saurkraut - get some of that going!

Edit to clraify: Oktoberfest as in the event downtown, not the area of the park.

Skyline is a local favorite so is LaRosas (why? I'll never know), but the locals can get these things anywhere and the visitors can get their hand stamped and have those products much cheaper and with good, full service down the street.

Instead of any rides in a season, I'd rather see them make International Street "international" again, but this time really emphasize the area's local heritage.

Interesting note in regards to the Coke Freestyle machine. It seems that the Larosas in Newport now has one, as their sign says "Over 120 Coke Flavors!"...

You start to see more Larosas in Kentucky and Ohio starting to get them.

Given that it's popping up at area Larosa's, I would not be too surprised if it popped up in Festhaus.

They have a Coke remix machine thing here in Florida and it is really cool! It is all touch screen and very easy to use. The only bad thing is you can make some pretty bad drinks haha.

I wonder how they will regulate the FreeStyle machine. It almost seems like they would have to do it at Rivertown Junction, otherwise, people are going to be sneaking refills all day.

Assuming, of course, that it is self serve, an assumption I am not at all certain is a safe one.

IMO, catered picnic pavillions are a great place for self-serve freestyle machines.

Given that it's popping up at area Larosa's, I would not be too surprised if it popped up in Festhaus.

I would, as the park dictates what type of pop and how its served via it's own contracts and policies. In park chain eateries seldom get to decide.

Isn't the pop in Rivertown Junction self-serve? I'd guess that's where we'll see the Coke machines installed.

That's a very good thought TRFTW, I had not thought about the fact they have those self service machines in there.. There are also self serve machines in the International restaurant, and the backyard barbecue. Now that I mention backyard barbecue, hasn't there been mention of the picnic grove receiving some improvements?

Nobody said they had to be self-serve.

If they weren't, what would be the point of them? You wouldn't be able to view the countless options or interact with it. I believe that would defeat the purpose.

I have to agree with Gordon.. as inefficient I think the freestyle Coke machines would be at a self service level, I think they would be even more inefficient in a service model.

And even if they are self service, who knows where they'll be and such. I don't think it's that big of a deal. He's tweeted about a lot more interesting things.