PKI/ACE walkback question

I agree with you on ALMOST every count of your story.  I didn't know who this person was, but from what it sounds like she'd invite any loyal patron to do this.  If I went to KI all the time to go on The Beast (which I try to do as often as possible) I would assume that she would take me back and show me around.  But nowadays, I wouldn't be able to.  I would have to show a card that costs $50!  And many of these people could probably care less about King's Island or however this tradition started.  If I ran a business and I had very dedicated patrons, I would go out of my way for them.  Say I owned and operated (completely random) a mini-golf course.  If I kept seeing the same people come to play mini-golf all the time, I would do something special to make them feel appreciated.  However if someone came up with a card that said they were part of a "mini-golf enthusiasts club"  I would give them the same great service as everyone else, but they would be treated equally.  And ERT events are fine because they don't inconvenience ANYONE.  (To me, even one minute of inconvenience is unacceptable).   You have your morning party, then you are GP, then you have your night party, which is all good.  Obviously though, nobody sees my point and I'm completely wrong, so have a nice day.
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Ride the New England Bush!

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Spacecase8310 said:
(To me, even one minute of inconvenience is unacceptable).  

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Well then just relax, and reevaluate that. 

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If the shoe fits, find another one.

 Shaggy,  I thought that they brought the Ace members through Hanna Babara Land, never the less nice response.
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D.o.t. Crew 2000
Flight of Fear/Wave Swinger crew 2001-2002

Actually, Nick, you don't have to be in any sort of club to get the PKI walkback...

All you have to do is be a guest of someone in the club.  ACE members are allowed to bring one guest on the walkback.

So the point of spending $50 to get this perk is squashed.  :)

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"Look for the big black sack of Mofuggin Nuts at your local grocery store". -- Radio ad in FL

This maybe a little off topic, but where is the ACE stone on International street being moved to?
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I`ve ridden Son of Beast 67 times!

I think the tenor and professionalism displayed in the response by the esteemed Shaggy helps to clarify the relationships that some parks have developed with enthusiasts through YEARS of spending time together...there's such a thing as friendships that go WAY beyond a ride in a coaster, and that's the stuff that lasts...I have developed relationships with enthusiasts inside and outside of ACE, and even if I were to never ride a coaster again (Heaven forbid), I will treasure these friendships until "the big ride" has pulled into the "station"
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Florida needs an Intamin and/or CCI soon...PLEASE!
Son of Drop Zone - PKI CoasterCamp I Champions!!!

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Spacecase8310 said:
Well I'm not the one that expects to be given preferrential treatment from a park because I'm the member of a club.  It is exactly that type of attitude that puts bad lights on enthusiasts!  (how can you not say that this walkback is preferrential treatment?)  Parks should treat "enthusiasts" the exact same way they treat the general public
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Is it the roar of Kumba or the kumba of Roar? Discuss!

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Whats wrong with a park doing things it wants to do, Before the park opens or after it closes?   Oh and PKI gives a hour of ert in certain sections to its gold pass patrons also on cetain days.  It bothers nobody!
 If you went to the park expecting it to be open from 10-10.  That is still what you get.
Chuck .

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Charles Nungester
167 coasters asn hopes to be over 200 by the end of 2002

I appreciate the kind words you guys gave me, but really I was just telling the truth.

Spacecase8310 has a valid opinion and is just airing concerns over what he or she (sorry I did reference you personal info, but it did not specify) feels.

I do think a very important point to be made here is PKI has NOTHING to do with the membership fee that ACE charges.  I am 100% sure that they would still do so even if ACE did not charge any annual fee.  PKI does not profit from it, actually just the opposite. 

This tradition started as an honest and well meaning gesture.  Over time as ACE grew and more "enthusiasts" were born, the need to regulate it became a reality.  "Enthusiasts" are now a dime a dozen.  Only with the addition of SOB, and the large walkback groups it drew, did PKI start randomly checking cards. 

But quite honestly, they rarely check them.  Why?  Because the folks at PKI that handle the walkbacks know 99% of the people that show up for it.  That is the essence of how all this came to fruition.  Again it was done as a "thank you" to those that regularly support, love and frequent the park.  Now if they don't immediately recognize you, then you may expect to be asked if you are an ACE member.  It is not at all like getting carded at a bar or dance club per say, that is not the way PKI operates.

I do not expect to convince anyone of anything.  Rather give a sense of why it still is a staple of PKI.  It is a kind gesture, just as was stated above, and not done to single folks out or make them seem more important than others.

The folks at PKI are extremely kind, if you know them personally, you are hard pressed to find more professsional and generous folks.  This reaches far beyond enthusiasts.  It goes for every guest.  Every member of the managerial staff there can tell you of their first experiences at PKI.  Good or bad, it helps drive their ambition to continue to make the park better.

My hat is off to them, I am always grateful for their appreciation.  And walkback or not, just knowing those people all work very hard to give us a place to escape and enjoy is enough to keep me going back.

Shaggy

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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.

 Spacecase,

 I don't think anyone 'expects' PKI to treat ACE members like royality or anything like that. If there are ACE members that think that way, then they simply don't get it.

 Like Shaggy brilliantly pointed out, the walk-back is a 'thank you' for those that show support. True, there are still those that frequent the walk-back that IMO, shouldn't, but the walk-back is more of a way of saying thanks to those that have supported the park in many ways. Ruth loved doing the walk-back and the people who run the park now continue to do the walk-back in her honor, as well as the purpose of why she started it in the first place.

 ERT events can also make some people upset. Have you ever been at an ERT before a park opens and people watching through closed gates at the fun you are having on the other side? I know of one ERT event I did in 1995 where people were actually cussing at us because we were on a ride and they weren't.

 Thanks Shaggy for explaining your side of the story. It is always glad to hear the real reason behind things.

-Sean

I`m a gold season pass holder to PKI, and a member of ACE.  I must say from my experiences of the early ride time for gold passholders was quite different than the walkback for ACE.  The ACE walkback`s are done quietly, and do not pass by the yellow ropes that block the park to the public. Also, the ride doesn`t start until just before the park opens.  However, the season pass early ride time begins at nine, and has security gaurds allowing only gold pass holders in past the yellow ropes.  I witnessed a couple guests at the park on labor day weekend that were mad that the Action Zone was open but they couldn`t ride because they did not have a gold season pass.  My point is that a gold pass can offer greater benefits than the ACE walkback (minus meeting the great PR people), and it only costs five or ten dollars more than a normal pass.  The bottom line is that PKI is very kind and generous when it comes to enthusiasts and offering them ample times of ERT.  Where is the ACE plaque being moved to?
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I`ve ridden Son of Beast 67 times!

*** This post was edited by coastersrz on 2/16/2002. ***

I'll just jump in here and say that I agree with the people who pointed out that PKI offers this perk out of their OWN goodness.

This is not something that "paying $50 to join ACE entitles you to".  This is not something that anyone shoud EXPECT.  As with parks that offer discounts to members of coaster clubs (gee, PKI does that too!), if a gesture like this is available, appreciate that it's there, but don't go in "expecting" special treatment.

Shaggy, thank you for that writeup.

Spacecase, while I see your concern, I'm afraid I don't agree with it.  This is a simple gesture offered by the park by their own virtues, not some abuse.  This isn't FastPass, or even early admission given to a select class of special season pass holders (PKI Gold, or Cedar Point "Joe Cool").

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--Greg
"The collective women in your life have more baggage than a Samsonite factory..."
My page

Let me jump in here.......

Thank you PKI for always giving us a enjoyable way to start our even more enjoyable day in your park.

We love you.

WOW Joe...

Your simple question turned into quite the thread here...

I Learned more then I will ever need to know about the legendary PKI walk-backs.

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First weekend coaster trip of the season...
PKI - May 4th
Cedar Point - May 5th

*** This post was edited by James K on 2/16/2002. ***

Where is the ACE plaque being moved to?

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Last ride of the day=best ride of the day

To the left, closer to the shop, where the benches are.  It is being moved in order to get it away from the new photo booth that was added last season.

 

Shaggy

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Shaggy
A.K.A. John K.

James K.,

Maybe it will inspire you to get an ACE membership for our trip, eh? :)

My pre-walkback experiences. September 1998 second day at the park and we get ourselves as close to the ropes as possible. They Drop... we rush over to Beast and to our surprise there is already a whole bunch of folks in front of us. I scratch my head and say, "How the heck did all these people get in front of us?"  He He!

Jump forward to 2000 when we became ACE members and began our walkback tradition.  Now we get to experience the look on the GP face when they see us already in the line up in front of them.  Priceless!

Who is this "Shaggy" character and why does he know so much about PKI? LOL!

Regards,
Kevin Reid

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We are paid by those who have learned from our mistakes.

you remember Shaggy, Kevin, he's the one that left a trail of Scooby Snacks from the Eiffel Tower all the way back to The Beast...lol.