MASON, Ohio (Perry Schaible) -- The gates are closed, the parking lot empty, the crowds warm at home.

Take a closer look and you'll find some of the most popular rides in the Tri-State, in pieces, in a garage.

http://www.local12.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/winter-busiest-time-year-some-kings-island-workers-23289.shtml

...and before anyone freaks out, they say "the" Diamondback. Don't worry, everything is going to be okay.

Cool piece. Really wonder how many of us sit and dwell on what is going on during the off season up there. Thanks to this page and Facebook/Twitter we can peek in on the action.

Went to school for mechanics, and I'm a locksmith (good with dealing with small parts. hehe.)

Wonder if I could get a job,

I went to school for mechanical engineering and I'm a housewife. Working with coasters was something I would have loved to get into when I graduated.

I know they wouldn't have a job for me after all this time tho

Did anyone else catch the new Bat logo?

Did anyone else catch the new Bat logo?

Those decals were on the trains last season. They weren't around opening weekend, but were there by mid-May.

Regarding off-season maintenance and all, Kings Island just posted this video on their Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153498253138368&set=vb.155893938367&type=2&theater

And although I'm not the biggest fan of the music, I'm incredibly impressed by the video's quality. It showcases a good variety of camera angles, shots, etc., and is light years ahead of videos the park used to churn out on Facebook and Twitter. To reference, here's a look at Soak City's construction from October 2011:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1570126070636&set=vb.155893938367&type=2&theater

Even if it's only 24 seconds, the older video is embarrassingly amateur and very uninteresting to watch. The new one is a great improvement.