Kings island/sfkk trip on 4/10/04
Associated parks:
None
The trip started out on thrs as we started the long(boring) drive down to cinci from detroit.
As a few of you know, a group of us ex cedarpoint employies(about 10 of us) get together every spring and make our migration down to kings island for opening weekend, this year would be no exception.
We arived at the hotel(kings island inn and resort) at about 9:30 pm and proceded to check in. This process went pretty fast and then we hedded over to our room to unpack and meet up with the rest of the group.
We met up with the group had a few(well maybe more than a few) cocktails and hedded to bed anticipating the first day at kings island the next morning.
We woke up at about 8am and heded to the hotels breakfast buffet for a bite to eat. The buffet was ok, but not worth the $10 a person as there just wasent that much of a variety of foods to choose from.
We arived at the park gates at about 9:30 am and proceded through the gats as we had purchesed our tix the night before at the hotel(for only $21.99 each). Had to stop at the ridiculus metal detecters for a search of your pockets and persenal belongings. They took amys laser pointer off of her key chain and told her it was not allowd in the park(more on this later). Once thrue the detecters we hedded to the turnstyles to enter the park.
First thing we did was go over to the ace plaque near the front of the park for the beast walkback. As the group of coaster buffs walked back to the beast we recived a handfull of dirty looks from other park guests(kinda funny).
The beast was running as good as she could with her new seatbelts....thats right, seatbelts!!. What is the beast doing with seat belts? Its like putting an elevater in a out house....it just dont belong. The seat belts wouldent be so bad ,except that they got tangled and diddent want to retract. After the seatbelt was checked I pulled down my lap bar and waited for the ride host to check my bar/belt. Not only did the host come by to check my belt, he returned to check my lap bar on anether visit. This cant be good for interval, as it coused a stackted train. But I overlooked that because it was opening day, and the ride host's were still embracing the ride.
We left the station and hedded up the lift hill. I did not hear any music on the lift as others had. The ride seemed to be a little slugish, and the brakes all seemed to be working a little more than last year. All in all the ride was enjoyable but seemed to be missing somethig.
After the beast we hedded ovet to toumb raider, and as always it was closed.
Continued to ride the remaing coasters, but was unable to ride the backwords racer as they were cycleing the ride, but not loading it.
The one thing that stuck out on adventure express was that we were able to see the sob roll back right after the loop...full of people...not sure if they were guest or employies. The train was just rolling back and forth.
We met up with ride man for a short talk and then tried to find somethig to eat. It was a adventure to try and find a sit down place to eat....wings,50's dinner and many others. We ended up at baverian house(sp) where nothing had changed much except for the little clock people in the front were not turning.
We heard an annoucement of a show starting in a few min at the theater so we proceded to it. The show was ok(not bad,but not great eather).
Had a great time riding the remaining rides specialy delirium, and hedded to the gift shops on the way out of the park. I do have to mention that the prices were very resenable, as I bought 2 t-shirts and a key chain and postcard.....amy also bought a t-shirt, key chain and postcard...all for under $50.
Then we heded out to the shuttle taking us back to our hotel. Got to bed to hed to sfkk in the morning.
Woke up at about 8am sat morning packed up and hedded out. Only one problem though....my dumb ass locked the keys in the car. We called the local police dept, they came out in only 10min and helped me open amys car door. They were very friendly by the way.
Finnaly we hedded out to sfkk at about 10am. We arived at sfkk at about 11:30 am after getting lost because of the poor signs in the area. The parking lot has no mention of the park, just the fair expo center(why?). finnaly pulled in and had to ask where the park entrance was. She directed us to the gate, took our money and we then had to drive through a maze of orange cones and many other obsticals that were confusing.
Reched the front gate at last...used my sf ohio season pass to gain entry(she wrote the pass number down,but did not slide the card).
First stop...viper,errr I mean greezed lightning. The ride was as good as I remember it to be...but a little slower.
One thing I noticed about the park, is that everything needs to be painted...BAD!!
The wild mouse was good, chang looked like it was falling apart and had chipping paint everywhere and only a 1 train operation with a slow crew. I also want to add that I think this ride has the most lack luster station I have ever seen.
T-2 also had a 1 train operation with a full platform of people...why?
thunder run was a fun coaster, but they need to load and unload the ride a little faster. And also clean up the racoon crap sitting on the platform.
Twisted twins had quite possibly had the worst crew that I have ever come accross. Even the maintnance guys were at the ride yelling at them. They were no where near the controls of the ride while it was in operation, they were slow as snails, rude and looked like they could care less about being there. The ride operater was more concened about a few kids hanging out in the q line, than she was about the ride and the save operation of it. Also after one of the breakdowns the ride had, no one closed off the entrance to the ride...just continued to let people onto the platform with no announcements about the status of the ride.
The rest of the park was a big dissapointment..too much to wright about.
The motion theater was a joke, also had a employie that seemed to hate life. She also cut the ride short.
The only good things about the park that we enjoyed was the greezed lightning coaster, and that we got in free. The park has got to be one of the worst parks I have ever been to and have no plans to return to. This place made sf ohio look like cedarpoint. Dirty,rude employies(most,not all) no place to sit down and eat, rides looked neglected,and the park needs a lot of tlc and paint. Plus that bridge that goes over the road really needs to be wider.One thing that I found amusing was that not only did they alow amys laser pointer into the park, they sold them at there gift shops.....the complete oppesit of kings island.
All in all we had a good time on our trip, but will not be returning to kk anytime soon. *** Edited 4/13/2004 4:26:04 AM UTC by crazy horse***
1) Did anybody marathon on Vortex?
2) Does Babel Fish now translate Pidgin English?
'Yes' to either question would explain a lot. Thanks!
-'Playa *** Edited 4/12/2004 5:05:43 PM UTC by CoastaPlaya***
NOTE: Severe fecal impaction may render the above words highly debatable.
Someone from the park (sometimes Jeff Siebert) will show up and escort the group back to The Beast about 9:45-ish or so.
That's it. :-)
-Tina
*** Edited 4/13/2004 1:01:09 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***
crazy horse said:Reched the front gate at last...used my sf ohio season pass to gain entry(she wrote the pass number down,but did not slide the card).
How come you knew you would be able to use your sfwoa season pass? Just wondering what six flags is doing about that situation.
*** Edited 4/13/2004 5:17:19 AM UTC by eightdotthree***
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