Winter might be the off-season for the park's 3 million guests. But for the behind-the-scenes crew at Paramount's Kings Island, it's the on-season for the Tristate's leading tourist attraction.

Greenhouse crews have begun growing the 26,000 annuals that will adorn the park throughout the year. The Son of Beast's red-and-yellow coaster cars have been dismantled part-by-part and sent off for inspections. Seamstresses are patching up Scooby-Doo and Rugrats costumes. Construction teams are hustling to make sure the park's largest project - the new Boomerang Bay water park - is ready for a May opening.

Meanwhile, talent scouts have attended conventions and toured the Hershey theme park in Pennsylvania, checking out the competition and looking for new ideas to stay ahead in the competitive $10.3 billion industry that includes 600 amusement parks and attractions nationally.

Human resources folks are gearing up to hire 5,000 seasonal workers.

And while most of the hubbub is centered on the upcoming season, executives are already putting together new projects through 2007.

Caring for the 364-acre theme park, one of the Midwest's largest magnets for tourists, is a year-round job. Crews don't just dust off the coasters and open the gates April 9.

To read more Click Here.

Well after reading this, it kinda makes me want to lean toward the new coaster in 2005. I also hear PKI wants to bring the total amount of Huss rides to 7. I dont know if this is true or not but seven is a lot of rides and I doubt we will see seven Huss rides at PKI.

They toured the Hershey theme park in Pennsylvania, checking out the competition and looking for new ideas. What could they be looking at there?

the intamin rocket coaster is going in there. Maybe they want to see the weather it is succeful or not

Did anybody read the Season Pass holders quote?

No I did not what did it say? Maybe they were looking at Dueling Racing Coasters but probaly not because PKI is the number one wooden park IMO

There is not much of the new rocket coaster, Stormrunner, to see. They just got the top hat installed, you cant tell much about how well a coaster works if its not even built and tested.

Good catch Brother Dan!

I found that article yesterday but didn't have time to post it because I had to attend a 3-hour child birth class after work. By the time I got home, I was too tired to use the NET.

I'm not in the least bit surprised to learn that PKI's marketing team visits other parks to compare, contrast, and get ideas. And I'm quite sure that the marketing teams of other parks make similar trips to PKI.

However, I didn't know that the green houses were owned and used by PKI for its floral decorations. I think that's really cool.

Have a great day!

Italian Chef

:chef:

Where are those green houses at. Ive been to PKI millions of times and even in the Effiel tower they must pass me by. Anyone know where they are at

They are out back of the campground.

You can see at least one of them extremly well from the lift of Top Gun. When you disengage the chain, the campground will be to your left. In front of you, and slightly off to the left will be a greenhouse/nursery. I do believe that there is a small pond in front of the nursery as well. Between the campground and greenhouse is an access road complete with utility lines beside it, heading off in the direction of Kings High School. I don`t know if you can see the greenhouse from the Eiffel Tower or not.

PKI folks did visit Hersheypark this past December. But it wasn't to check out "Stormrunner," the Intamin Rocket coaster.....

As far as PKI "wanting to bring the total number of Huss rides to 7", well sorry, but parks... at least not Paramount Parks, do not think that way. They do not look at their rides like a "gotta have this many" collection, rather they add new product based upon guest surveys and interest. They may eventually get another Huss ride, who knows? But it will not be because they want to obtain a certain number of rides from a certain manufacturer. It will be because it fits the direction into which they wish move the park, and fits guest desires.

At this point, I firmly believe that 2005 will NOT bring a major coaster addition. Major ride(s), yes, but not major coaster. Now, I am not saying a coaster will not appear. Rather I don't think it will be the big behemouth hyper, giga, rocket ultra coaster enthusiasts have been imagining. I think it will be much more unique than that.

If you look at all the pieces of the puzzle, it is not hard to figure out. Let's survey some of the facts....

-PKI has been visiting parks during typical off season months... parks that remain open during the months of November and December.

-PKI is entirely re-theming and revamping one of the neediest areas of the park. That comes on the heels of revamping Adventure Village into Action Zone, Nickelodeon Splat City into Nick Central, and a Rivertown facelift. See a trend????

- Including the additions for 2004, PKI has invested tons of capitol $ into HEAVILY THEMED attractions.

- PKI is currently surveying passholders/guests about a commercial that is striving to intermingle thoughts of the park with the Paramount Movie Experience.

- PKI is branding many of it's attractions with not only movie theming, but theming from other Viacom (parent company) entities as well. Take a look at PKD this year and a major restaraunt change may reveal a bit of the possible future at PKI... PKI is not limited to Paramount Movies alone... CBS shows, TV Land Shows, MTV and VH1 shows are all open game.

- PKI surveyed guests/passholder with two renderings of heavily themed attractions recently. Both unique in nature, and idea, but both based on typical rides but immersed in Paramount property theming.

Need I say more?

Those are just a few of the facts.... now just read between the lines ;-)

Shaggy

Ride survey results 2003 said the best roller coaster of all is one that’s long, that goes really fast, that piles on the G Forces and takes the guest upside down. That would be what the guest desires.

Does either of the two renderings do this?

If they can make the park as good as the commercial it will be great.

I think the commercial is better than the ones Disney or Universal run.

No, the renderings do not... but the survey never said that the outcome would decide the 2005, 2006 or 2007 ride.

PKI, as I understand it, begins preperations and deliberations for new product 3 years in advance.

Please note that they surveyed guests in 2002 about a spinning wild-mouse type coaster. That does seem to be an appropriate conveyance device for a ride like the type shown in the renderings.

Shaggy

Please note that they surveyed guests in 2002 about a spinning wild-mouse type coaster. That does seem to be an appropriate conveyance device for a ride like the type shown in the renderings.

Shaggy

They also surveyed guests in 2002 about a Giant Frisbee and look what we ot in 2003. This just goes to show you that PKI really does listen to their guests and that would include YOU.

That would be good I like the one at Kennywood. This would be one more indoor ride to be open at Winterfest if they have it.

Never said that PKI doesn't listen to their guests, I said just the opposite as a matter of fact.

But, a survey taken in 2003 does not necessarily mean that the results will be felt in 2004 or 2005 or even 2006 for that matter. It all depends on how it fits into the grander scheme of things, like budget and marketability.

I still say that 2005 will be a big year with significant additions, but I am not counting on a large steel coaster that year. It woudl be nice, and a welcome addition, but I am not banking on it at all. The market and industry is dictating otherwise.

Shaggy

I'm sorry Shaggy, I didn't mean to sound like you said PKI doesn't listen to their guests. I was just trying to give another example of how the park listens to guests. I should've been more clear with my words. And by the way, I totally agree with you that 2005 will be a big year but we won't see a HUGE coaster.

Or Shaggy could be jerking our chains....

You guys have to realize that we make up such a small percentage of a fraction of the people who visit PKI every year. It seems like everyone in the world would want a new coaster, but that's just the demographic on this site.

PKI never fails to please me with their additions, so I won't be hanging my head if we don't get a coaster in '05.

Or Shaggy could be jerking our chains... 

I don't think he is, I think they may be trying to keep prices down like the free parking for pass holders and the low ticket price. If they put in a big dollar ride we would not be parking for free.

Or Shaggy could be jerking our chains... 

I don't think he is, I think they may be trying to keep prices down like the free parking for pass holders and the low ticket price. If they put in a big dollar ride we would not be parking for free.

I highly doubt it. The parking fee is probably 99% markup. PKI is smart about their expansions, if they put a ride in, it would pay itself off.

I agree PKI is smart about their expansions, they don't put in the big dollar rides.

If they did you would pay more because the same 3 million guest would go just as they do now with low cost rides.

Look at Cedar Point their 3 million guest have to pay more.