Italian Job At PKI in 2005!

Super7... well said!!!

Going back to my original point... my biggest beef is that Paramounts Kings Island (again, my home park, been going there forever, worked there..blah, blah) is offering increasingly LESS to folks who are non-riders, or at least who are not up to those "catagory 3,4 and 5" (designations at the ride entrance signs)rides. I realize I am posting this on a website of COASTER enthusiasts, but as a person who considers herself an enthusiast of both coasters AND amusement parks in general, I have to question why this has been the case. I can remember back when the park offered 5 or 6 live shows throughout the summer-in the Festhaus, American Heritage/Paramount Theater, Bandstand, etc.. plus, they had the clown band, puppet show in HB... you get my point.

Plus, they are investing millions into a new effects filled ride that will sit 100 feet away from a carousel whose paint is chipping off and looks like something you'd find in a run-down out-of-the-way amusement park. I will be thrilled if the cars come back, themed and refurbished, but again, that leaves my daughter out for the 2005 season. She finally hit 44" this summer, and even then that was only in a certain pair of her shoes.

It's as if Paramount thinks that as long as park guests get to come through the gate and see one shiny new ride, the appearance and attractions in the rest of the park does not matter.

They still have a gaznillion more options for families and kiddies than a park up North we know about.

Kinda hard for me to look at the Nicktoons area and visualize a park that doesn't try.

BTW, you're hearing this from a guy who likes spinning rides as much as coasters, likes slides and wavepools even better and has a couple rugrats of his own.

-'Playa

I disagree about Italian Job not being a family ride. I think this ride will cater to five year olds to ninety year olds. Just because you can't take a newborn on it doesn't mean it's not a family ride.

The height requirement is 48" right? That's about on par with what other parks offer as family rides as well.

Next year I'm envisioning the IJ queue chock full of little rugrats dragging their parents for a spin. :)

EDIT: Now that I look at it, I can't find a height requirement anywhere on PKI's page (I might be just missing it though). Where did the 48" number come from?

*** Edited 8/17/2004 11:41:44 PM UTC by Legendary***

Oh I agree Joe.....A family "thrill" ride of sorts. I think it fits PKI very well. :-)

-Tina

sms1966 i am confused, you stated "we try to spend time together, whether it's at PKI or Cedar Point, Disney, wherever. We have split up many times, but it is nice to be able to tour the park as a family, especially when we are vacationing". I understand that part completely but then in the same post you are complaining about parent swap differences between cedar point and pki saying that cedar point does not make you stand in line with your family like pki does.How you can go ride something else with the little one and come back and ride going up the exit. Isnt standing in line together part of the family experience. Going off and riding something else is splitting up your family time and doing what you say you dont like to do.

Just my two cents.

Family "thrill" ride... I concur.

Most families will be able to enjoy this coaster. I think that kids would get a kick out of it. Parents, who may be more reluctant to ride something "bigger," will also will ride it.

bduc...

So are you telling me, had you been the person in line behind me, you would have liked having me stand in line for Millenium Force for an 1 1/2 hours in 90 degree heat with a 3 year old who is bored (not to mention potty training), who then throws a fit when she finds out she can't go on the ride we have been standing so long for??

Yes, I would call that an experience... but not necessarily a family one.

I think you are nitpicking my comments and I don't really know why. I love PKI (despite it's faults) and I love Cedar Point. But, from what I saw on my past two visits up north, Cedar Point has maintained more flat rides, more rides for kids 36-42" tall, and more live entertainment than PKI has. PKI removes rides and fills the empty spot with "pay to play" attractions instead of other rides. Despite being associated with a major entertainment company, they have reduced their number of live shows significantly over the past 10 years, and now the ones they have don't even run the full season. I am sure I will love the new ride, but my 44-45" child is still at least a year away from riding, and I would find it hard to imagine, as another poster claims, that there will be many 5 year old who can ride.

Anyone at least walking age is able to ride Beastie. That's a family coaster. If grandpa thinks he's going to have a heart attack on it or someone who can ride is too scared to, that's not the park's problem.

+Danny

Well Danny, it seems like the only rides she considers family rides are the ones that are boring for the whole family. Sure everyone can ride together, but nobody is having any fun. Can't ride Beastie because grandpa can't go. Apparently log flumes and river rapid rides are too much for the family. Don't even think about looking at the real coasters. The flats have to be slow and thrill-free. Sounds like someone is trying to compare every park to Disney if you ask me.

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Legendary said:
The height requirement is 48" right? That's about on par with what other parks offer as family rides as well.

Next year I'm envisioning the IJ queue chock full of little rugrats dragging their parents for a spin. :)

EDIT: Now that I look at it, I can't find a height requirement anywhere on PKI's page (I might be just missing it though). Where did the 48" number come from?

*** Edited 8/17/2004 11:41:44 PM UTC by Legendary***

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The rumor is, IJ's height requirement might be as low as 42" or 44" -- it's a *thrill* ride, sure, but doesn't look like an *aggressive* ride. No loops, no huge drops...

The press is reporting a 48" requirment:
http://www.cincypost.com/2004/08/12/ride081204.html
Special effects will include explosions, the sensation of driving down a staircase and a splash-down through sewer tunnels.

The steel roller coaster will be built by Premier Rides.

The ride is designed for riders 48 inches and over and is being billed as a family experience, rather than an extreme coaster.

Construction begins Monday where the antique car ride is now located. The future of the antique car ride has not been finalized, a park spokesman said.
http://www.cincypost.com/2004/08/13/ride081304.html
Despite the high-powered special effects, the ride is designed to be a family experience, Siebert said, geared to park guests about 7 years old and older.

I would LOVE to see the rides layout. I hope we are all going to be able to see the ride's construction on the web.

It looks perfect and is EXACTLY the kind of ride that reflects the excitement that PKI's other rides offer. It will compliment the park very well, imo.

I find it funny that people on here catigorize "family rides" as being slower and more tame than the "thrill rides". I find this funny because Holiday World considers their coasters as... you guessed it... "Family Rides"